The Island: The million-copy Number One bestseller 'A moving and absorbing holiday read'

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The Island,” which I have translated here for the first time into English, was originally published in 1961 in a travel magazine, Turistliv i Finland . At once a short story, an essay, and a prose poem, the piece reads both like a sketch for The Summer Book (published eleven years later) and a vignette of Klovharu, the island where Jansson and Tuulikki Pietilä, her partner, built a summerhouse in the mid-60’s. Heather has been underestimated her entire life, but she knows that only she can bring her family home again and become the mother the children desperately need, even if it means doing the unthinkable to keep them alive. Through an exceedingly-excruciating list of bad choices and uncomfortable familial tension, the family has a bit of an accident. Ultimately ending with them having to make a terrible choice. A great cast of characters … a fantastic luxury beach setting and a twisty plot all make for a fabulous read’ Joy Kluver However, there was a bit of an anti-climax to the ending that didn’t fit quite with the adrenaline pumping storytelling and fast pace in the rest of the book. The ‘why’ was a weakness to the story, plus the unlikely set of circumstances woven into the plot which is what brought it down to a 4 stars.

I will also say, the plot itself worked out a bit different than I was anticipating going into the book. In doing so, Benchley gave a vivid look into the inner workings of their little timeless pirate community. As a fan of Benchley's others works, Jaws being an obvious one, I was pleased that he pulled off non-monster from the deep story the way he did.

What happens next is a thrilling, heart pounding fight for survival. With the women and children separated from the men it’s up to Heather to step up and use all her resources and life skills to keep the kids safe and for them put their trust in her. The tension is palpable with each twist and cliffhanger pushing it higher until you need to stop to take a breath. Well written with great characters, vividly drawn Australian landscapes and a chilling, intense dynamo of a plot. Hold on to the edge of your seats – this is Australian noir at its best! Wowie! What an exhilarating, entertaining, high-voltage thrill ride! I can't disagree with readers who found the action implausible and some of the dialogue shoddy. I felt the author accomplished what he set out to do in this hair-raising, electrifying novel.

But the lamp has to be filled every evening, it mustn’t burn out. One can’t afford to be afraid in October. Fear of being afraid. Everything concerning oneself has been evened out, neutralized, deprived of any particular interest. One is one’s own companion, someone who seldom speaks and never asks questions; a person one can live with.A book that will keep you on the edge of your seat with its fast pace, gripping storyline, and sometimes brutal events, as the tourists are pursued, trapped, and murdered. This book is like Die Hard takes place in island and instead of John McClane , the hero is a woman, a young massage therapist who knows how to survive in the wild! Yippie ki-yay freaking islanders! There’s the joy of lifting heavy stones, of getting a tree trunk out of the water with a lever and balancing techniques, of steering the boat around the point in a strong southwesterly. September drifts into October, and the island becomes impassive and indifferent once again. The last fishing boats sail by into the night and vanish in the ocean with their lights. I want to thank the publisher "Little Brown and Company" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrifying book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!