Stranded

What a fun read! I do think if this story had a few POVs from the other characters while on the island, it would have made it that much more interesting. I was rooting for Maddy and felt horrible for her throughout the story. There are a few loose ends and the pacing slows down in the second half, but I still found it to be a compelling read with enough twists to keep me hooked.

I really give it 4 1/2 stars for the suspense and being a page turner. It's a “Survivor” gone bad story, a “Lord of the Flies” with adults. Lots of twists and turns!

»Fortunately I have learned that there is no justice, aside from what we make for ourselves. There is only survival, and the victor tells the story.«My wife and I lay in bed, reading. When I noticed I had read the same paragraph for a third time, I decided to call it a night. Two hours later, I woke up. My wife was still reading.Another two hours later, she was still reading. When I woke up at 05:00 (a.m.), she was asleep.The next morning I asked her which book she had read because, obviously, I wanted that, too! Turns out, it was “[b:Stranded 57793313 Stranded Sarah Goodwin https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624439476l/57793313.SX50.jpg 90526642]” by [a:Sarah Goodwin 5156023 Sarah Goodwin https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1430160537p2/5156023.jpg]. I immediately got started.“Stranded” tells the story of a group of eight people who get shipped to an uninhabited island to live there for a year. They only have what they brought, can sometimes find caches of supplies but are mostly on their own. Everything they do gets recorded by cameras in the trees around them and by body cameras.With them on the island are two camera people in their portacabin and, according to local legend, a witch. This was a premise that I found pretty appealing. Especially, as it would turn out, since the mix of characters is quite good and they're all believable in their motives and actions. The dynamics of the group are interesting and engaging as well and make sense - not always in a good way.»They'd described Zoe as ‘flighty and insubstantial', Duncan as ‘bull-headedly competitive' and Frank as ‘the perfect balance of racist, sexist and old soak for the Brexit demographic'. I felt it like a slap when they got to me. ‘Madeline Holinstead – mousy, stuck-up and awkward. Clearly maladjusted lone wolf trying to fit in. Perfect love-to-hate character.'«The afore-mentioned Madeline “Maddy” Holinstead is both the primary protagonist and the narrator. From the very beginning, she tries hard to fit in, blames mostly herself every time she doesn't succeed and is soon made into the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong.Lots of things keep going wrong and so we quickly find ourselves confronted with very difficult situations and conflicts that reminded me a bit of [a:William Golding's 306 William Golding https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1636107810p2/306.jpg] “[b:Lord of the Flies 7624 Lord of the Flies William Golding https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327869409l/7624.SY75.jpg 2766512]”.Ultimately, though, my very high expectations from my wife's nightly reading marathon were not completely fulfilled: There are a few loose ends, the metaphysical/supernatural parts (which I have to admit, though, mostly remained rationally explicable) about the witch and some few other minor niggles almost led me to a three-star rating. Almost... because the ending and the epilogue made up for most of that. Thus: Four out of five stars. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Reality TV gone wrong.

A group of people take part in a reality tv show, where contestants have to survive on an island in Scotland, with the bear minimum of necessities.
The story is told in first person, through the eyes of Maddy, a young women who has spent her whole life being smothered and overprotected, by her parents.
As things escalate, after the boat to bring them home doesn't come, we watch as humans reduce into a primitive and animalistic nature.

This is a story of survival at all costs. It is a quick and enjoyable read. It reads very well and there is an unnerving tension that flows through the book, never relenting until the very end.

The characters are all from different backgrounds and they are very well thought out. I could like a character one moment, for them to be hated the next chapter. They all breakdown at different speeds and it really shows you what a hive mind mentality can bring, in this situation.
The main character, Maddy, is likeable. I usually always sided with her. You have to keep in mind the sheer paranoia and anxiety that she will be facing in this potentially fatal scenario, especially after her extremely shelter life and her experiences.

Very lord of the flies meets survivor tv show!

This isn't one of my go-to genres. I normally only stick to sci-fi / fantasy, but after reading this, I will be on the look out for more of what I'd started as a ‘palette cleanser'.

4/5 very suspenseful and enjoyable read.