The Island

The survival novel has a long history from Defoe to Morpurgo and Martel. Here, Olivia Levez in her debut takes familiar ingredients but through the medium of her feisty, contemporary main protagonist gives them fresh vigour. Fran is a very recognisable teenager; rebellious, intractable, unlikeable - but a survivor; she is a girl determined to beat life at its own terms whether in the city or on a deserted tropical island. And this island is as much of a character as Fran, a beguiling paradise - and a hostile battleground. Levez does not make the mistake of providing Fran with everything she needs; survival is a harsh battle. However, the reader is in no doubt that Fran can be her own worst enemy, but it is also clear that determination and imagination are all important. This would not be a teen novel without romance. And here it comes in the form of the gorgeous Rufus. Then Levez adds a twist that is both unexpected, contemporary and satisfying.
This right-of-passage story has a vigour that will grip the reader from the first page and carries on to the last. Told by Fran as she faces present dangers while remembering the circumstances leading this point, the narrative has a powerful immediacy. It will not be easy to forget Fran, and Olivia Levez is a talent to watch.
Books for Keeps: The Children's Book Magazine Online

A teen struggles against both nature and her own past experiences in a reflective survival tale.... Not all readers will embrace this novel's haunting, open-ended conclusion, but those who do will find much to appreciate and discuss.
--Kirkus Reviews

This is one book that should be on everyone's radar. Fast-paced and incredibly written, readers will be
captivated by Fran and her desire to just survive.
--YA Books Central

With a huge debt to Robinson Crusoe and the film Cast Away, this ambitious story stars troubled teenager Frances, whose nurturing love for her younger brother drives her to imagine escaping their abusive, dysfunctional home.
--The Daily Mail

The survival novel has a long history from Defoe to Morpurgo and Martel. Here, Olivia Levez in her debut takes familiar ingredients but through the medium of her feisty, contemporary main protagonist gives them fresh vigour. Fran is a very recognisable teenager; rebellious, intractable, unlikeable - but a survivor; she is a girl determined to beat life at its own terms whether in the city or on a deserted tropical island. And this island is as much of a character as Fran, a beguiling paradise - and a hostile battleground. Levez does not make the mistake of providing Fran with everything she needs; survival is a harsh battle. However, the reader is in no doubt that Fran can be her own worst enemy, but it is also clear that determination and imagination are all important. This would not be a teen novel without romance. And here it comes in the form of the gorgeous Rufus. Then Levez adds a twist that is both unexpected, contemporary and satisfying.

This right-of-passage story has a vigour that will grip the reader from the first page and carries on to the last. Told by Fran as she faces present dangers while remembering the circumstances leading this point, the narrative has a powerful immediacy. It will not be easy to forget Fran, and Olivia Levez is a talent to watch.
-- Books for Keeps: The Children's Book Magazine Online

Readers will root for the characters' survival.... A page-turner.
--School Library Journal

Written in short chapters with flashbacks describing how Frances turned into a 'monster, ' readers will dislike Frances at first but grow to love her as she discovers who she is and learns from her mistakes. If she makes it home, she'll be forever changed for the better. Recommend this one to teens who enjoy survival stories.
--Booklist