The Vines by Shelley Nolden

Imagine the Natzis doing medical experiments on innocent people, now imagine this going on for hundreds of years. That's what this book is about.

The men in the Gettler family have a sadistic streak. They focus all of their experiments upon one poor young woman in New York at a quarantine hospital on North Brother Island. They know she can overcome any disease and doesn't look like she ages beyond 18. They do horrible experiments on her while the hospital is open and even after it closes. She is a prisoner of the island and the Gettler men.

The book is some fantasy and possibly some truth to it also. Mostly fiction, though. I liked it but felt for poor Cora whom they did all of their experimentings on.

I received a complimentary copy of #TheVines from #NetGalley I was under no obligation to post a review.

Meet Cora, a woman held captive on North Brother Island, NYC. One hundred years old and she has not aged one bit. Is it her unique immune system or some ancient force at play on the island?
While at the mercy of a family of brute scientists this strong female character takes the reader on a journey through human nature.
The Vines is eerie, sad, at times magical historical fiction. A very long read that abruptly ends with a cliffhanger and a promise to be back in part 2.

Thank you Netgalley and Freiling Publishing for the ARC.

North Brother Island, now deserted was once a quarantine hospital then a secret lab for infectious diseases. Finn the first Gettler son to not be a doctor encounters Cora, the sole occupant while birdwatching.. What ensues is an immersive story, part medical thriller, part horror, with elements of family saga. This was .also timely due to the COVID pandemic. Cora is a unique well developed character and her tragic history with the Gettler family is slowly and painfully revealed. A thought provoking novel and I am highly anticipating the sequel.

This novel had all the elements I typically love - historical fiction, haunted island (North Brother Island) in the East River of New York (where I'm originally from), alternating timelines in a medical twisty thriller that dovetails with more current pandemics from the 1918 Spanish flu, to SARS and Covid-19. Unfortunately for me, the story became bogged down in tremendous detail about truly hard to read medical experimentation on Cora, the subject for multiple generations of Gettler doctors (all men) who use her as a human lab rat to try to find cures for some of the world's most vicious contagious diseases. The experimentation sections I felt were over-the-top in detail and the unnecessary connections made to the Nazi's Dr. Mengele's awful experimentation on children during the Holocaust made me want to put this down and not finish it. Ulrich, the Gettler grandfather who disappeared to work with the Nazis and then came back to continue his psychological and physical manipulation and testing of Cora, was a vicious character whose despicable actions in Germany were all but forgiven by his family while they were roped into a warped family legacy of unrealized medical research and cures. That was difficult for me to believe as well as stomach.

I also wish the author had fleshed out the female characters who were all sickly and victims in some way to the manipulations of the Gettler men. The women in this novel were all strong in their own ways but due to various illnesses - natural and inflicted - ended up at the mercy of the men they loved. In the end, this was a well researched novel that got bogged down in such detail I felt like I was being covered in the "vines" that overtook North Brother Island. As a result, it fell flat for me. Thanks in to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I selected this title when it was available as a "Read Now" option. The more reviews I read, the less this book seems to be something I would normally pick up. I am not a big historical fiction or science based books. Having not read this book, I'm rating it a 3.

Shelley Nolden brings you the most incredible melding of history and fiction in her novel The Vines.

On the New York North Brother Island, Cora resides, the victim of years of the experiments beginning in the very early 1900s by a Dr. Otto Gettler.

Generations of Gettler doctors have been trying to cure diseases. Finn Gettler is the first born in many generations not to become a doctor, but a modern-day explorer. His travels to North Brother Island where his family had done so much research begins a whole intense discovery into what the Gettler doctors were really up to on that island. He forms an obsession of his own in a sense with the island and its inhabitants, learning and uncovering terrifying secrets.

This was an incredibly unique story and the evident research that went into writing this book is immense. Going so far as the typhus outbreak all the way to using the current state of the world with Covid 19 running rampant and searching for a cure using the same methods Gettlers had used in the past on North Brother Island...

When I say this was unique, I mean that in the sense that this was NOTHING like what I assumed going into this book. What I just read was a twisted and fantastic science fiction adventure that I was not expecting and the tragic story of how one young woman can be the medical obsession of so many doctors and that affected her life, or the semblance of a life she was allowed. Cora was a fierce and strong woman who was absolutely so much fun to read about.

I think this one might be the wrong timing for me right now. I started it but just had trouble getting into it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

This book was a slow burn, but I enjoyed it. Finn's family has a long history with North Brother Island near NYC. From his great grandfather on, his family was part of a sordid history on the island. When Finn visits the island, he meets its lone inhabitant, Cora, and everything he thought he knew about his family and their history is blown apart.

This book focuses on morality, microbiology, eugenics, and other pressing issues. It's a deep dive into the history of family, and the lengths scientists and doctors will go to in order to make medical discoveries. the story is dark and gritty, and even uncomfortable.

This book is the first in a new series, and I like that because there is a lot of ground still to cover.

A gorgeous combination of microbiology, medical history, vaccine research, medical ethics, and family drama set in multiple timelines — AND it’s set on North Brother Island (where Mary Mallon aka Typhoid Mary lived for decades) — couldn’t put this down.

(Longer review will be posted on IG @leavemetomybooks on/around pub date of 3/23/21)

An interesting premise that fell a little flat. I was all in for a creepy island with an old, isolated hospital, a family with a secret past of unethical medical experiments, a mysterious woman haunting the island, it all sounds so intriguing and yet it was so not. I think it mostly had to do with the style of writing for me, time jumps and duel narratives often aren't my thing. I think they have to be done exceptionally well or they just muddle the story, which is what happened here.

4.5/5 stars

Wow. I finished this book in less than 24 hours, so let’s hope I can sum up all its glory in the same quick amount of time. The Gettler family has been researching illnesses on North Brother Island - Isolation Island - for generations. The book takes you through two points of view, altering back in forth through history. In today’s world, meet Finn Gettler. He’s grown up with knowledge of his families scientific progress - but how much does he really know? Until he decides to go back and visit the island, that is. There he meets Cora, a seemingly 18 year old woman who has actually been on the island since the 1900s (Unknown to Finn of course). Through this book, you’ll travel back in time to watch Cora’s life unfold on the island and discover what truly makes her so fascinating to the family of scientists, as well as Finn’s discoveries of his family secrets. This book will shock you in the way of scientific advancement, leaving you fighting with your own ethics, as well as the characters. A truly page turning experience that will force you to really sit back and think about how this relates to our real world in 2021 .

What I love about this book:
The science! Oh my gosh, you’ll be taken through so many epidemics in this story. The scientific jargon is relevant, while staying comprehensive to the everyday reader. If you’re ever interested in the general history behind vaccines and cures to disease, this book will certainly take you there. I also fell in love with characters’ fight (or lack thereof) to maintain ethical boundaries within their scientific experiments. Ethics in science can unfortunately be such a debated topic, so I really enjoyed reading about the struggle these characters had. The setting was also stunning, and I plan to do more of my own personal research of the islands now that I’ve read this book. Lastly, the author’s n0d to COVID-19 with the mention of the 2002-04 SARS CoV was spectacular. If there’s ever a time to read this book, it’s now.

What I didn’t enjoy as much:
Overall, I love the dual timeline situation. However, I think this book may have done a bit too much jumping in between chapters. It was hard to keep up with dates sometimes, and we missed YEARS that never got mentioned. Truly, she could have written a book strictly about Cora’s life, but instead we missed a lot from it. With that being said, there’s a sequel, so I’m hoping my questions get answered there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Freiling Publishing for sending me an advanced e-copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The Vines was an interesting book which focused on a family’s obsession to find medical cures for a family member regardless of the cost. It dealt with love, isolation, loss and survival. The book goes back and forth and we have the opportunity to meet different family members of several generations. While reading this book I found it interesting because it ties to Covid and a variety of viruses dating back to the early 1900”s and how the main character Cora is used as a lab rat.to cure illnesses...

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have to admit I have never read a book with anything close to this storyline. Hang on to your hat, give yourself the ability to think outside the box, grab a pen and paper to keep the characters straight, then sit back and enjoy the ride.
Pay attention to the captions of the chapters, they will help you get thru the maze of timelines. Other than that, this is a most interesting tale of love, loss, family secrets, demented family members, evil, good, hate, and sometimes graphic torture. I really enjoyed it. What an imagination this author has.
I was given an advance copy from Freiling Publishing through Net Galley for my honest review, this one gets 5 stars…

Though the premise of The Vines is relevant and interesting, it simply fell flat for me. I had a really hard time getting into this book and shelved it multiple times as I just couldn’t bring myself to pick it up. It was a struggle to finish and I felt this all the way through.

There are many interesting topics and I did learn something new (bonus points). But I felt it jumped around far too often and really didn’t capture my attention. I found most of the characters dull. Though Cora's character did have potential I just couldn’t feel connected to her.

If this book sounds interesting to you, it is worth giving a chance. Though be prepared for jumping timelines and narrators, constantly.

This was definitely an interesting read. All of the scientific setup that I know the author worked hard on and researched for because of what she went through personally was stupendous. Nevertheless, the main character, Cora, is whose story I will remember the most, because of all she went through - and I can't wait to finish it. This very non-scientific person got through all of the science lingo to a cliffhanger ending that I wasn't expecting at all. Hopefully I'll get added to the list when book #2 comes around in the very near future. I received this e-book via NetGalley and Freiling Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Release date is 3/23/21

Thank you to Netgalley, Freiling Publishing and Shelley Nolden for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially interested in reading The Vines by Shelley Nolden because the synopsis sounds haunting and riveting. It's the story of what happens when Finn Gettler comes across a mysterious woman while exploring North Brother Island in New York City. Despite her spiteful words and incensed actions towards him, Finn becomes obsessed, almost desperate to find out who she is and how their lives are connected.

I hate to say it, but I didn't love this book even though I wanted to. The reviews for this book seem to be all over the place, so I know I'm not alone, but it's hard for me to find almost anything I do like other than the basic premise and I can tell it has been researched very well.

First of all, it's incorrectly categorized. It's really more of a Historical Sci-fi than a Historical Mystery/Thriller. That alone might influence some people to want to read it and others not to.

Second, the plot, dialogue and characters seem to go in circles. For example, Finn's girlfriend contemplates breaking up with him at least five different times in the book that we read about. All of this makes the book TOO LONG. Or seem that way. I've read longer books that have whipped by, while this one just dragged. I think this book could have benefited from better editing.

Third, none of the characters are really all that likeable. Everytime I started to like someone, something would happen or someone would say something and that character would react in a way that would make me not like them again.

The biggest problem for me is probably the end. There isn't one. The book ends on a cliffhanger, so there's no conclusion. I don't think I would have wanted to read this had I known it was the first book in a series.

I want to address some things I've seen mentioned in some other reviews. Though the book might have some trigger warnings, I can't remember one experiment or torture that didn't happen off the page. Nothing is actually described in detail.

Also some people have mentioned the "time jumps" as being distracting or making the book hard to read. I had no problem following along with what was happening. All of the chapters have a heading of what year it is, so I don't see how that should be an issue.

I'm giving The Vines two stars rounded up from 1 ½ stars. It was just an okay read for me. It got to to the point that it was pretty hard to suspend my disbelief pretty early on. I don't know that I'll read the sequel. I'd recommend this book to fans of general fiction, science fiction, historical fiction and medical fiction.

Although the publisher's summary of the book is accurate, it did not prepare me for this absorbing debut novel, devised in part from Nolden's personal experiences imagined on an isolated New York city island. Beautiful writing, an intriguing setting, a fascinating set of stories, some characters and events from history, and excellent character development combine in Nolden's capable hands to produce a unique book. Themes abound and intersect: immortality, medical ethics, secrets, the conditions set in marriages, parenthood, and so many more. Most readers will be eager for the second book in the series. Highly recommended.

Wowza… this book was good.

This novel takes place on North Brother Island off the coast of New York City. First and foremost-if you know nothing of North Brother Island, go google that. The setting alone instantly drew me in. This island was the home to quarantined people, hospital patients, Typhoid Mary, and unspeakable tragedy. I don’t know about you, but stories about those places that aren’t really talked about and are inherently creepy are my favorite. Seeing old photos are enough to draw you in.

Anyhow, we follow Cora, a woman who has been imprisoned on this island and Finn, a Gettler boy who is unaware of his family’s connection to her. We are taken on a journey that begins in the early 1900s that spans to present day 2007. Told in alternating time frames, we learn of the history of the island and its inhabitants, and the forces of action behind the Gettler family now.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read and one that I recommend to any fans of historical fiction and suspense. I don’t want to go into too many details to avoid spoiling any surprises, but there are plans for a sequel which I hope to read as well!

Thank you to NetGalley, Freiling Publishing, and Shelley Nolden for giving me the opportunity to read this book and review.

The Vines by Shelley Nolden is reminiscent of some of Robin Cook's books. It combines history and science fiction. Coming after the COVID pandemic, the idea of finding a vaccine to end disease and cure cancer is a dream we all could appreciate, but the way generations of Gettler men went about this research was way beyond moral limits.

Set on North Brother's Island, near Manhattan, Riverside was a hospital where infectious people were quarantined. Typhoid Mary was one of the patients. Cora and her sister were sent there during a measles outbreak, Cora had a super immune system that only worked when she lived on the island. While there, she also did not age. Over the course of decades, different Gettler men, physicians, did experiments on Cora to find the secret of her immunity. They injected her with various pathogens, trying to find a way to make vaccines. The research became an obsession that led to family secrets and horrific treatment of Cora.

The book ends abruptly because there is a sequel coming out later.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"On North Brother Island are the ruins of a hospital which hides the scarred and beautiful Cora, imprisoned by contagions and the doctors who torment her."

Good story. The strength and impossibility of who and what Cora is completely controls this story. I look forward to the next in series.

4☆