Review: The Other Side of the Island, Allegra Goodman

The Other Side of the Island, Allegra Goodman

Official Summary:
Honor and her parents have been reassigned to live on Island 365 in the Tranquil Sea. Life is peaceful there-the color of the sky is regulated by Earth Mother, a corporation that controls New Weather, and it almost never rains. Everyone fits into their rightful and predictable place. . . .

Except Honor. She doesn't fit in, but then she meets Helix, a boy with a big heart and a keen sense for the world around them. Slowly, Honor and Helix begin to uncover a terrible truth about life on the Island: Sooner or later, those who are unpredictable disappear . . . and they don't ever come back.

What the Pros Say:
PW: The plot line depends on coincidence and inconsistencies, but dramatic pacing and otherwise shrewd psychological insight help camouflage these flaws
Booklist: . . . the book is at its best when it's inside Honor's head, as she struggles to balance her parents' unorthodoxy with her craving to belong . . . will keep readers engaged.

What I Say:

I picked this one up because I was in the mood for a dystopian read, and I wasn't disappointed. While the story is fairly predictable, it's also thoroughly enjoyable, and Honor is a strong and sympathetic protagonist. While her parents are fiercely opposed to the controlling government, Honor has no idea why her parents are so different, and as a result does everything she can to be normal.

This is an interesting juxtaposition of a child's wish to differentiate herself from her parents and her wish to fit in, and while the reader hopes that Honor will snap out of her conforming ways, her desire to fit in is completely understandable. At the same time, the world and the chilling force of "Enclosure" is well drawn and understandable. Interestingly, this novel takes the approach of over-zealous climate-lovers having taken over the planet instead of your typical military dominance by eevil forces.

I wouldn't say that this is a particularly earth-shattering read, but if you're in the mood for something futuristic and dystopian, then this should fulfill your needs. Pick it up, it's a good way to fill a few hours.

Intrigued?
Check out this cool cover story from the artist's perspective, and read the first chapter here.