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Feb 10, 2018
The other reviews give lots of details about the plot and characterization of this story, and it's true that it's well-written and fascinating. But the unanswered questions that build throughout the story demand that the conclusion will answer at least some of those questions, and that simply does not happen. Ultimately, this leaves the reader frustrated and unsatisfied. If you're going to introduce a cast of nine orphans, say something about why they are orphans and why they are sent to this place to grow up and then later magically sent back to where they came from. Finding a letter from a previous resident of the island should provide a clue about finding these answers, but no, that seems to be an isolated event and we are left completely in the dark. I definitely would not recommend this to a kid, because I think books for children should have a conclusion that makes some kind of sense even if it's set in an alternative kind of world. There was no hint that there would even be a sequel. It's one of those "throw it across the room when you're finished" books.