Who doesn't love a good story about kids at a boarding school? Or mystery on an island in the middle of nowhere? Or locked doors in total darkness at the bottom of a dungeon staircase? Jonathan Grisby has to grapple with all of these as he is imprisoned on "Scar Island" - and come to grips with his grief while fighting for survival.
This is a great book. Here are my reasons it is my favorite. It is an absolutely rollicking adventure that literally had me gasping and jumping out of my chair seven times in the first five chapters. Those are good odds! The characters are real even though they are in an absolutely unreal situation, and I love a good guy with flaws or a bad guy with depth. Tough issues are tucked into the crazy story, and the characters grapple with grief, identity, morality and independence all while trying to survive danger and disaster. This book is worth staying up all night to read!

I liked this book, but it took a little longer than I thought it would to become unputdownable. I would still recommend it to kids who like Holes or Masterminds, but I will definitely read his other books because I get the sense that they are a little stronger. ( )

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Loved it! A real page turner! ( )

This , I can see, would be a great introduction to the classic, Lord of the Flies. I thought that just after Jonathan's first night. Low and Behold, it is actually mentioned towards the end of the 3rd of the book. The Librarian is the best character, the only one not insane or delusional. A nice read for 6th grade and up boys ( )