Reviews

The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

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flamingo2023's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

One of the best-written children's book I've ever read. So much beautiful vocab and it explores many difficult themes in an understandable and not patronising way. The ending(s) are perfect and portray real-life to children in a not too traumatic way.
I can't wait to do this as a novel study with my class this term

niki2023's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

internationalkris's review

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4.0

One of the best things about attending library conferences is getting some advance reader copies from publishers. My favorite so far has been The Island at The End of Everything which is set in the Philippines in 1906. Coron Island is historically famous as being one of the largest colonies for people touched with leprosy. Amihan's mother does have the disease, as did her father, but Ami does not. For the first twelve years of her life she grows up enjoying the warmth of her mother's love and the beauty of her island home. When a minister from the government arrives to make order of the island he insists on segregating the people afflicted with the illness from those who are healthy. In addition to this anyone under the age of 18 will be forcibly re-located to a neighboring island and sent to an orphanage. The book tells us Amihan's story of love, friendship, struggle and courage. It is a beautiful middle grade read.