Review: The Island by Jen Minkman

Title: The Island
Author: Jen Minkman
Publication: June 1st 2013
Genre: YA Dystopian
Source: Provided by the kind publisher...

‘I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.

Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers. 

If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall. Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.

I have never seen one.’

Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors. 
But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?

Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?

(Please note: this novella contains a few references to the famous sci-fi movie Star Wars which are pivotal to the plot. None of the characters in The Island are in any way related to the characters in the movie.)

- My Rating --

4/5 Oscars: Really liked it...

-- My Thoughts --

     I didn't know this book was so short before I started reading it. But I am glad that it was to-the-point. At less than 100 pages, it build up a small, delicate dystopian environment that was chilly, but gave you the impression of a whole new world to discover. Which I loved.
     There is no summery needed for such a short piece, but the main character is the one I liked. Leia is a tough girl but one who never questioned her lifestyle or the authorities. She develops throughout the book into a curious, hard-to-crack girl. The character development was evident and I liked it. Although the other main characters were not as much fleshed out, and they felt two - dimensional at times, I hope that the author  explores them more in the sequel, if there is a sequel. Since I don't know if this is  a standalone, or a prequel, or the first in a series. 
     The only problem that I had with it is that it was too short for me. I rarely read books that are less than 130 pages, at least. So, i wanted this to be longer. I hope that the author will continue in the genre, since she evidently has a talent.