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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think "The Island" is a shit book

62 replies

Nevertooearlyforcake · 03/10/2011 23:34

I've just been reading a review of another Victoria Hislop book, raving about it, 5 stars. However, the reviews I read of "The Island" were the same and I was so disappointed. I thought I'd really like it but I found the prose schoolgirl standard "and then this happened and then this happened" drivel with no emotional depth. Cannot understand why anyone would have given it a good review - AIBU?

OP posts:
MardyBra · 03/10/2011 23:48

5 stars is a bit much. Shit book isn't really that accurate either.

I'd probably give it a 3.5/5. It was a good yarn, but agree that there was nothing special about the way it was written. I enjoyed it in the way that I'd enjoy something like "The Da Vinci Code" - a real page turner but not a piece of eloquent literature.

Original poster
Nevertooearlyforcake · 04/10/2011 00:03

Up to a point I agree but when I read "The Da Vinci" code, the poor writing felt beside the point (and the reviews tended to acknowledge this), it was all about the rollercoaster ride. With "The Island", nothing I'd read or been told about it beforehand suggested it was anything other than great so I was really surprised as to how weak I found the prose to be and I didn't find the story well plotted enough to compensate.

OP posts:
Kayano · 04/10/2011 00:06

I hate her other book! That one about Spain.... The return!

Urgh! Hated it!

I did quite like The Island though Blush

Shakey1500 · 04/10/2011 00:12

Yanbu. It was a big disappointment.

nerdgirl72 · 04/10/2011 00:44

Not many things prompt me to post, but this did.

YADNBU - it is truly shit. Actually I found The Return slightly less shit, but still awful prose. Why do people insist on lending me this rubbish? And why do I read it? And why am I still angry about it 3 years on?

MardyBra · 04/10/2011 01:04

nerdgirl - if you hated one book, why did you read the other?

valiumredhead · 04/10/2011 08:22

I liked it because it prompted me to research the facts after I had read it and find out more, but not a great book.

AgentProvocateur · 04/10/2011 09:01

The island is shit, but it's a literary masterpiece compared to her second book. DS got me it for my birthday, because he'd seen me reading her first one. My heart sank.

Scholes34 · 04/10/2011 09:20

It would make a good ITV mini-series. It made me want to find out more about Spinalonga (I was initially interested in finding out more because it seemed such a silly made up name it had to be a real place). It wasn't a brilliant book at all, more a time-line.

I could be tempted to watch a mini-series if I've a large pile of ironing and nothing better to watch.

SharrieTBGinzatome · 04/10/2011 09:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

angelinterceptor · 04/10/2011 09:39

I really enjoyed The Island, and recommended it to friends. The Return was not so good IMO, but wouldn't describe either as shit.

Obviously my taste in books isn't as educated as I thought.

I do hate the snobbery attached to books though - as in how some people almost look down on others for 'trashy' books, and believe a certain type of book to be better written or superior.

AgentProvocateur · 04/10/2011 09:49

It wasn't the "trashiness" I objected to - I actually found the history of the leper colony fascinating - but they were so badly written, and under-edited. It was like reading the diary of a self-absorbed 12-year-old.

KittyWalker · 04/10/2011 09:51

I really enjoyed it. I read it as a bit of light reading and not a accurate historical novel or a piece of literacy art but as mardyBra said - it was a good yarn.

Haven't read The Return yet but it is currently sat on my bookshelf waiting to be read. I also enjoyed the Da Vinci Code Blush

HarlotOTara · 04/10/2011 09:52

Absolutely agree - I read it in Crete (bought for that reason) and thought the writing was dreadful. Unfortunately I read it far too late in the holiday to be able to go to the leper island, which I agree sounds fascinating. If the story had been well written it would have been a damn good read.

GetOrfMo1Land · 04/10/2011 09:56

I have not read this, and never would after wasting several horus of my life reading The Return. Really poorlt written CRAP. I loathed it, but had to read it as it was the only book I took with me on a transatlantic flight

Hullygully · 04/10/2011 09:57

shit shit shit shit shit shit shit

GetOrfMo1Land · 04/10/2011 09:58

If she was called Victoria Brown that book would have never attracted the slightest bit of attention from a publisher

HarlotOTara · 04/10/2011 10:01

The same thought has crossed my mind GetOrf

MidnightHag · 04/10/2011 10:01

YANBU I couldn't believe the hype that surrounded this book. OK it was a good idea for a novel, but it was not well written: thin characterisation etc Actually it was a relief to read the thread title....I thought everyone loved the book!

Hullygully · 04/10/2011 10:02

Of course it wouldn't. Nor would half the bloody shit published.

GetOrfMo1Land · 04/10/2011 10:04

I think that is why Ian Hislop loathes mumsnet and mumsnetters.

The long threads slagging off his wife's ghastly novels.

pushmepullyou · 04/10/2011 10:04

Oh god, one of the worst books I've ever had the misfortune to read!

LeQueen · 04/10/2011 10:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

shagmundfreud · 04/10/2011 11:12

YANBU

She must have some very good buddies working in the industry to have got it accepted for publishing.

Colyngbourne · 04/10/2011 11:27

One of my least favourite books ever.