I was drawn in by the topic, the isolated location as well as an Irish writer as I have loved all of Hannah Kent's books and have read some other books by Irish, Icelandic, and Scottish authors that have blown me away. However, I was promised at least a light fantasy and hoping for some light at the end of the tunnel but there really isn't one for Aitkin's characters. I nearly didn't finish this book as there is so much trauma dumped on each character, I am beyond grateful I didn't recommend this book to my book club!

You get a three-way timeline of the present day, the past, and mythology which has never been a deterrent writing style for me but it didn't work well in this case. There were no cliffhangers at the end of the chapters, only half-finished thoughts that cause frustration as you switch gears to a different timeline. The amount of horrific tragedies the characters endure is also unreal, and at this level, it feels as if there was little effort put into developing the characters instead let's put them through the worst kind of traumas and call it character development. Not for me thanks.

I was fascinated by this debut novel. The Island Child follows Oona who grew up on this island called the Aran Island of Inis, where she faced loneliness and loss. And this island is basically ruled by a priest who teaches all about his holiness and power. When Oona turned sixteen, she experienced a trauma that affected in such a way that made the story so melancholy and captivating. I enjoyed reading about Oona and the way she told the story.

Yes yes and more yes! This book was fantastic! I really enjoyed feeling like I was in Ireland, smelling the salty air and living as a fly on the wall in Oona’s life, going through her melancholic world alongside her. It was a gripping story with a lot of emotion. Easy 5 stars!

Oona was born and raised on Inis, a small, remote, craggy, rocky island off the coast of Ireland. In this insular community, the men are all fishermen and the women are all homemakers. The island swirls with folklore and religion. It's a place where people are expected to be a certain way and conform with the expectations. After a series of events when she is a teen, Oona flees from the island to make a new life for herself overseas. Twenty years later, her daughter disappears and Oona has to reflect on her past to figure out her present. The story moves back and forth between present day and Oona's past growing up on the island.

This is one of those atmospheric books. I can picture the rocky coastline, where people would often injure themselves on the crags. I can picture the people living there in there close off remote life. Oona never planned to stay on the island her whole life and she has some good childhood memories with her brother and friend but there is just as much sadness woven in. Oona grew up hearing lots of fairy tales and folklore. Her mother told stories about whales and more to a young Oona. The whole book has an almost folktale quality to it. It's realistic fiction with that moody, almost mystical thread woven throughout, tangled around Oona's memories and reflections.

This was a good book but it left me feeling overwhelming sad. Definitely glad to have read it though. The island life, the hard times really drew me in and I could picture it all very well. Being a mother, I am well aware of the various mother/daughter relationships. This book takes the mother / daughter bond extremely well. Thank you to NetGalleyfor the ARC. In exchange I give an honest review..

I wanted to like this book but I just couldn get into it. For some reason I found myself not caring about the characters or even wanting to read this one. I think it could have been better.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

(3.5 stars rounded down)

<u>The Island Child</u> takes place in Ireland and Canada, spanning the 1950s-1980s. However, when you read Aitken's descriptions of life on Inis, you'd think it's a place where time doesn't really exist at all. Across the 36 years that this novel covers, we follow Oona. From her birth and her first ties to her toxic mother, to her idolization of another toxic mother, to her own toxic relationship with her daughter.

While I feel Aitken is certainly a talented author, I also felt that at times her writing was a little confusing and her transitions threw me off every now and then. And while the little bits of Irish folklore were interesting, they didn't do much to heighten the story for me. I also at times struggled to truly connect with Oona. She was pitiable one moment and so easily despicable the next. Honestly, I could see this book becoming a miniseries or a movie and a big book club hit. There were just certain parts of it that didn't resonate with me.

Fans of Alice Hoffman might enjoy this family saga with its Irish mysticism. Molly Aitken's novel started a little slow, I thought, but I was soon caught up in the story.

This was a strong debut novel focusing on the past and present of a woman that is desperate for a second chance. The author did a great job of covering both periods of OOna's life to ensure that the reader understood the struggle she was experiencing and to become invested in her story. The Irish folklore was a nice added feature, as well.

Fans of Diane Setterfield, Alice Hoffman, and Kate Morton will enjoy this magical debut by Molly Aitken.

Take two generations of mothers and daughters + Ireland, water imagery+ lots of mythology and folklore = The Island Girl. 🌊

Pick up a copy at your local bookstore (wearing a mask) on July 28!

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Thank you #netgalley for an arc of this book I’m exchange for my honest review.




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A slow start that builds into an urgent crescendo, but fizzled out (on the very last page!) a little lackluster-ly. Lyrical fable-esque story about generations of a family in Ireland.