Today, I am reviewing the portal fantasy novel Island Realm by Rebecca Moesta and Kevin J. Anderson. In this story, our protagonists, two youths named Gwen and Vic, are accidentally transported to the magical realm of Elantya. As they search for a way home, they find themselves dragged into a nascent, brewing war...a war they might be more involved in than they originally thought.
I give this book a 3.25/5. Here is my breakdown.
Characters: 2/5. This is the weakness of the novel, and since characters are the most important thing to me in a book, this is an issue. The world of Elantya is fascinating and interesting, but most of the characters land very flat. I found no reason to be invested in Gwen or Vic, and many of the other characters are one basic characteristic, with very little behind them. I just didn't find myself caring about their interactions.
Plot/Storyline: 4/5. The book's strong point, for sure. The ideas here are great; the world is intricate, the storyline intriguing. The characters are drawn into a multi-generational conflict that threatens more than just one world. The authors obviously worked on their storycraft to bring an interesting and believable fantasy world to life.
Flow: 4/5. Another example of good storycraft. The book moves smoothly through plot beats and doesn't linger overlong anywhere. It's the right pacing for a YA fantasy, quickly introducing us to the main players, laying out the stakes, and immersing the reader in the world.
Spelling/Grammar: 4/5. A few missed punctuation errors noted, but nothing that in any way detracted from the overall experience.
Overall: 3.25/5. Island Realm is the first in a series and I'm curious as to where it'll go...but I'm not sure I'll continue reading. The book had me checking page count as I went through, wondering how much was left. I never got swept up, never carried along by the story, and it's because of the characters. I didn't feel like they were ever real people; I only got the most cursory of motivations and attributes for each one. I wanted to immerse myself in the world of Elantya, but it never really happened.
I appreciate each and every one of you. Thanks, and keep reading!
Find Island Realm on Amazon.
Characters: 2/5. This is the weakness of the novel, and since characters are the most important thing to me in a book, this is an issue. The world of Elantya is fascinating and interesting, but most of the characters land very flat. I found no reason to be invested in Gwen or Vic, and many of the other characters are one basic characteristic, with very little behind them. I just didn't find myself caring about their interactions.
Plot/Storyline: 4/5. The book's strong point, for sure. The ideas here are great; the world is intricate, the storyline intriguing. The characters are drawn into a multi-generational conflict that threatens more than just one world. The authors obviously worked on their storycraft to bring an interesting and believable fantasy world to life.
Flow: 4/5. Another example of good storycraft. The book moves smoothly through plot beats and doesn't linger overlong anywhere. It's the right pacing for a YA fantasy, quickly introducing us to the main players, laying out the stakes, and immersing the reader in the world.
Spelling/Grammar: 4/5. A few missed punctuation errors noted, but nothing that in any way detracted from the overall experience.
Overall: 3.25/5. Island Realm is the first in a series and I'm curious as to where it'll go...but I'm not sure I'll continue reading. The book had me checking page count as I went through, wondering how much was left. I never got swept up, never carried along by the story, and it's because of the characters. I didn't feel like they were ever real people; I only got the most cursory of motivations and attributes for each one. I wanted to immerse myself in the world of Elantya, but it never really happened.
I appreciate each and every one of you. Thanks, and keep reading!
Find Island Realm on Amazon.
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