Stranded

From Amazon:

You'll want to stay. Until you can’t leave…

A group of strangers arrive on a beautiful but remote island, ready for the challenge of a lifetime: to live there for one year, without contact with the outside world.

But twelve months later, on the day when the boat is due to return for them, no one arrives.

Eight people stepped foot on the island. How many will make it off alive?

---

It's survivor vs Lord of the Flies

A group of eight strangers are picked for a reality tv show in that they are taken to a deserted island and left for one year. They are allowed to take items with them and things are left scattered on the island to help them. There's also two cameramen in a portable shelter that are not to interfere with the people on the island.

The story is told by the main protagonist Maddy. It alternates from pre island, on island and post island. Maddy was raised by her strict parents who kept her somewhat isolated. After their death Maddy doesn't know what to do with her life or even what type of person she is.

With Maddy there's also:

Gill a follower who stays with the pack. She's lazy but gets by on gossiping with others and basically stirring up trouble.

Maxine the older retired school teacher. She seems to take on the mothering role by cooking and cleaning.

Eve a young lady who seems to want to be friends with Maddy but also goes along with the group. She develops a romantic relationship with another islander.

Shaun is nice enough but not the leader of the group. He's also a follower.

Frank an older alcoholic racist man. He doesn't contribute much to the group or the plot.

Andrew the lap dog of the leader.

Duncan the fearless leader or as I like to put it the worst person on the island.

Right away you sense that poor Maddy is being ostracized. Slowly Duncan manages to turn everything and everyone against her.

It's really frightening to think that one person can have that much influence over other people but that's usually the case. You see it all the time in cults and just society in general.

After their year is up and they are waiting for the boat that dropped them off to return the unthinkable happens. The boat doesn't arrive. Where is it? What about the camera crew? Will they make it off the island alive?

This book had be glued to the pages. Like I said in the beginning it reminded me of Lord of the Flies. It seems predictable that conflict will arise in this type of setting but it's shocking to what degree it will happen.

It's a sociology experiment in human behavior honestly. What people will do when pushed to the breaking point.

Each chapter makes you want to read the next with it's foreboding last sentence. Then you can't help but keep reading to see what happens.

Definitely recommend this one.

5/5 stars 🤩