“Secrets. Everyone has one. But something deep inside tells me this island has even more.”
Rosalie Gatell is on the verge of greatness; headed to Cambridge University’s prestigious summer program, her future is mapped out for her by her overly protective mother. But when her best friend Tyler dies in a tragic accident, Rosalie finds herself lost and unmoored. So, instead of getting on the plane from California to England, she runs away to Salttain, a tiny remote island off the coast of Maine where Tyler grew up. He invited her there before he died, to help him study its unique biosphere and save it from the ravages of climate disaster. But she soon realizes that this island is not just a way of feeling closer to her dead best friend; she has connections of her own here that she doesn’t yet understand.
Salttain is a lush and vibrant island, full of flora and life that defy the laws of nature. It’s almost as if the very air there is filled with history and promise. As Rosalie begins to explore the land, she finds its roots go deep and its inhabitants have long-buried secrets and distrust for outsiders. But it’s like the island is calling to her, drawing her into its wildness and raising more questions than answers. Especially when it comes to the mysterious but alluring Liam, a boy who shares her affinity for botany but has a painful past that’s always coming back to haunt him.
To tell you any more about the plot of An Island Strange and Wild would be to rob you of the intense experience of each unfurling mystery that propels the narrative forward. Salttain is peculiar and enthralling; you’ll be itching to uncover its enchantments. Author Lisa Amowitz’s writing is rich and evocative, making you feel the pulse of the very earth beneath Rosalie’s feet. You can almost smell the salt air mixed with the curious flowers that bloom when they’re needed most.
In this wonderfully strange story, The Secret Garden is retold with an oceanic twist, where the magic and healing of nature take center stage. It’s a gorgeous homage that breathes fresh life into the classic tale, leading it down unexpected paths. The island itself is seemingly alive and mercurial, changing on a whim, growing dark and violent just as often as it is stunning and serene. The danger threatening Salttain presses in from all sides, making this story feel insular and at times claustrophobic—you won’t want to stop reading until you find out if it can be saved.
Fueling that tension is Rosalie and Liam’s twisted love story. It’s filled with complexities and strange forces push them apart to an often frustrating degree, making for a tantalizing slow burn. But it’s the tangled family dynamics that truly ground this story; you’ll feel the ache of each new reveal that pulls the threads of life tighter. There are no throwaway characters here—they all have their part to play in this uncanny world—and that means the more you get to know them, the more dizzying the stakes become. Their emotional messes set the stage for a monstrous villain arc that, while you may see it coming, you won’t be able to guess just how deep the treachery runs. And just like that, you’re completely under the island’s spell.
An Island Strange and Wild is a love letter to the natural world and all the magic it inspires. The story goes beyond the realm of what we know and asks, what if there was more? And it’s a thrill to explore the possibilities in a fantasy setting, layered with mythical wonder and the powerful bonds of love and desire.
