Preston sends readers to ‘The Island” for thrills, mystery
“I’m getting on that island, even if it kills me.” When main character Paisley said that, she didn't bank on it coming true. Natasha Preston is an author that releases thrillers leaving readers on the edge of their seats, one of the newest being The Island, published February 28, 2023.
The Island follows a billionaire named Malcom, who created Jagged Island, a luxurious private-island containing a gothic-themed amusement park and resort aimed towards people thirteen and up. The resort costs six thousand dollars for three nights. To promote his resort, he invites 16 influencers, including the main character Paisley, who has a true crime podcast.
When the influencers first arrive, the architecture leaves them all astounded. Paisley was amazed at the attention to detail, bringing the gothic era to life.
The first night, Paisley and another influencer, Will, decided to meet after everyone had gone to sleep to see the amusement park at night. Paisley waited, explored a bit on her own and was scared by someone, but just explained it away as Will messing with her. Suspicion starts to arise the next day when Will doesn’t come down for breakfast, though it goes unnoticed as everyone brushes it off as a 17-year-old sleeping in. It doesn’t take long to find that Will didn’t run away.
When it’s found that there’s no signal, Paisley goes with Reeve, one of the workers, to check it out. They find that someone cut the wires. There are a lot of logistical things that happen in the book that often just don’t make sense, like why a random influencer is going with one of the workers to see why the wifi isn’t working.
This is on brand for Preston though, because she started writing on Wattpad and readers can see the switch to professional still evolving in her writing, due to the characters not being fully developed. Along with the many that were hinted at through her books, Paisley supposedly had three love interests, one of which could be argued as just a friend. Nonetheless, Preston’s books never cease to have readers on the edge of their seats.
The influencers decide to start searching the park for Will, to see if he decided to explore on his own. As Paisley moved away from the cart she was leaning on, a panel on the side of it fell to the ground, revealing Will’s murdered body. This is when the book is now classified as a thriller and the characters start panicking, ready to leave Jagged Island as they now had a murderer amongst them.
As the race for their lives continues, the influencers start turning on each other, with every small detail meaning another is at fault. The Island relates well to the world today, as people are quick to turn on each other at the smallest detail. This book is so good not only because of the hold it has on readers, but also because it shows the hard truth of the world. Everyone is ready to turn on each other, no matter what happened before.
Natasha Preston has mixed opinions around her books, specifically the endings. Preston’s twisted endings definitely leave readers with their jaws on the ground. This concept is why some people refuse to read her books and why others can’t turn them away.
Preston’s overall concept of writing sends a chill down the reader's spine, and leaves them on alert for days to come. In the back of their mind, they always wonder if there will be a sequel or if it will forever be in their head.
A+
The Island is great for teenagers as it’s fast paced, has short chapters, and keeps readers hooked in; the concepts speak to modern society with a quick read.
by Ashley Schumann
Published January 29 2024
Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue IV