Book: Isle of Ember by Alycia E. Anderson
Reviewed by Nikkisnightreads
Rating: 5/5
"But if I never say it aloud – I wish it were me. I wish it had always been me.”
I finished Isle of Ember at 1:30 AM this morning, and it utterly broke me. As an emotional reader, I cried multiple times—and for those who've read it, it wasn't the most obvious part (IYKYK!). This series makes me feel some kind of way, and I absolutely love it. It transports me back to reading TOG for the first time in 2012, that feeling of stumbling across something so phenomenal that the world just needs to catch up. This book will definitely live rent-free in my head for a long time.
This second installment of The Enchanted Isles series plunges us deeper into its rich world, as our crew ventures to the Isle of Ember. This island is home to the Drakin, a people marked by striking dragon-like features such as wings and scales. Their society is built upon four core virtues: Honra (Honor), Forza (Strength), Ofero (Sacrifice), and Tradite (Tradition). Initially wary and distrustful of our crew, some of the Drakin slowly come around, swayed by the friends' sharp minds, unwavering loyalty, and steadfast commitment to doing the right thing. The introduction of Nova, Demetri, and Kalon is a brilliant move; these new characters weave a compelling complexity into the narrative, propelling not only Vivienne's personal growth, but also several members of the crew, particularly Lewis