Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Review: Nil

NIL
Lynne Matson
Young Adult/Adventure/Survival
384 pages
Henry Holt
Available March 4th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days--to escape, or you die.

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s lying naked in an empty rock field.

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that to save their future, Charley must first save him. And on an island rife with dangers, their greatest threat is time.


MY THOUGHTS
Nil is a beautiful blend of elements, seamlessly weaving together adventure, romance and a little science fiction to keep the wheels in our minds constantly turning as we attempt to solve the many riddles the island has to offer. Ms. Matson keeps us on our toes throughout, the number of days Thad has left before his year runs out a pressure on our chests that grows more intense by the chapter, his impending doom making us twitch nervously with every flip of the page because we know it's bringing us one step closer to his end. As we struggle with the possibility of losing Thad when he hits day 365, we also take on an almost hyper-vigilance when we're with Charley, frantically trying to use her eyes to find the answers Nil seems intent on keeping from all of us, adrenaline pumping as we're constantly on the lookout for any clues that will see all Nil's inhabitants home safe and sound.

We spend our time evenly split between the perspectives of both Charley and Thad, the combination of island newcomer with island veteran a fascinating mix that allows us to approach the mysteries of Nil from a number of different angles rather than just one. As a result, we're able to see the island for the contrast it is: exquisite and cruel, safe and treacherous, and life and death; its secrets holding us transfixed as we wonder how everything for Charley, Thad and the rest of the young survivors will play out. This is a story where every page taunts us, daring us to flip ahead and learn the things we most want to know before we're meant to know them, and as the body count rises and the romance between Charley and Thad deepens, the harder that taunt becomes to resist.

Charley is an easily likable young woman, someone who takes her arrival on Nil in stride even when its dark side is fully revealed, jumping into the day to day life with both feet as she attempts to find her place amidst those who have been there far longer. She's a team player from the beginning, as is nearly everyone on the island, the sense of camaraderie between all of them both joyful and painful to see given the death sentence they all live with each and every day. Where Charley is all shiny newness, able to find some beauty in the island, Thad is more gritty realism, his time on Nil having taken its toll and robbed him of some of his hope. He's not overly negative by any means, but for him Nil is a sentient being–a prodigy in a game of survival being played unrelentingly, and one who has the decks stacked in her favor. Charley and Thad prove to fit together perfectly though, both opening the other's eyes to a way of seeing that increases their chances of making it home, partners in the truest sense of the word who we're rooting for with every fiber of our being.

The romance is prominent enough to make sure our hearts are in danger of breaking should things for either Charley or Thad not work out as we're desperately hoping they will, but the adventure and mystery aspect is the primary focus and the piece of this story that keeps us up late even though we know we'll pay for it the morning. The fact that the island of Nil remains as much a mystery at the end as it did at the beginning is both disappointing and not, our curiosity of course demanding answers for the how's and why's of everything we've seen, but in the back of our minds we know that any attempt at an actual explanation for Nil would have dulled this book's shine. Part of the appeal of the story is in the questions we're left with, ones that let us fill in the blanks as we see fit so that we become active participants rather than mere observers, and we can't help but find some satisfaction in the imagining.

Rating: 4/5
 

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

43 comments:

  1. Sounds pretty good. I feel like the genre of dystopia (although this doesn't sound quite like a dystopia) is so overdone that it's hard to be original, but this looks like it's managed it. Also good that the romance isn't too prominent. I'm getting tired of love-sick stories. It almost makes me want to step away from YA for awhile.

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    1. It's not a dystopian, there's a tiny science fiction element to it, but otherwise it's an adventure/survival story with a really nice romance:)

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  2. Now all I wonder is did she find any clothes before she found the others?

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  3. Have seen this book around, and I like the idea of this book. I am curious to read the one in the future.

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    1. I hope you give it a try Sandra, I was a big fan! And Lynne is one of the sweetest people ever.

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  4. I am not a big fan of the cover and title but from your review and the blurb, this sounds like a good, exciting book. Great review! :)

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    1. It was super exciting. Definitely kept me up late which is always fun! Until the morning anyway, then not so much ;-)

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  5. I usually don't gravitate towards these types of thrillers/action novels, but I'm glad to see you enjoyed this one, Jenny. I know quite a few readers didn't, which is why I'm giving this a wide berth until I hear if the sequel is stronger. Wonderful review, dear! :)

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    1. I think the fact that Nil isn't entirely explained and we're left with some questions will be an issue for some readers, but while those things would normally bother me, they just worked in this case I thought:)

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  6. When you get a book that mix a bit of adventure, romance and science well just call me. I love that kind of mix and it seems to me that this one is done really good. Charley and Thad sound really good I love the sound of romance too. Great review, Jenny :)

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    1. Charley and Thad were AWESOME Tanja, I hope you get a chance to "meet" them!

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  7. I regret not requesting this, Jenny. It sounds absolutely fabulous. I love books that are adventurous and have a romance. Plus, Charley seems like a great character. I can't wait for this to come out!
    Lovely review, Jenny.

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    1. I thought it was fabulous Nick! It just kept me on edge throughout and I was so pleased with the romance. Charley and Thad were such a great couple:)

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  8. I don't know why but this book reminds me of "The Beach" but it seems much lighter. I think I'll wait to find out if the mysteries of the Island is discussed and explored in book 2 before picking this one up. I hate when all the important parts of the book are still dangling. Great review as always, Jenny!

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    1. I don't know if there is a book two Rummanah! I haven't found any information on a sequel, but that of course doesn't mean there won't be one. And in this case, it sort of makes sense for things to be left dangling a bit...an actual scientific explanation would have inevitably come up short in my opinion. I think it works better without it!

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  9. If the romance is a good mixture with other elements, I'm so in. Your review has intrigued me. Will have to pick this up.

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  10. This is new to me…I like the premise and the whole idea of survival on a mysterious island and a race against the clock. It kind of reminds me of Lost meets Maze Runner. I will keep my eye out for this book. Great review!

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    1. Yesssss. That's exactly what it's like and I loved it:)

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  11. I'm regretting lending my copy to a friend because I wanna read it NOW. LOL

    This sounds so, so good, Jenny! You definitely sold me on it.

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    1. GET IT BACK HANNAH! I can't recommend it enough:)

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  12. Ahh. Being left with questions? I'd probably drive myself crazy with the imagining... at least until I picked up a new book. Ha. ;)

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    1. I know, I know. It sounds like it would be frustrating, but it just works in the context of this particular story. Any explanation for the things that happen would have ruined the mystery of it all. Nil will always be a mystery and I like that about it:)

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  13. YES!!

    I really did love this one. Just not at all what I was expecting and it was fabulous because of it!
    So glad you liked this every bit as much as I did. :)

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  14. Ooh, I'm pretty excited about this! I didn't download it from Netgalley before they archived it so I guess I'll just have to wait to read all about Charley and Thad.

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    1. I think you'll enjoy Charley and Thad Mary. This was just a hugely entertaining read:):)

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  15. I just heard of this one recently in Ali's review. I'm quite curious now! That tag line "How do you escape from an island that doesn't exist?" really caught my attention!

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    1. I loved this one Candace, I hope you get a chance to read it!

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  16. I think I'm going to skip this one . I don't think I'll enjoy it but happy you loved it . You even gave it 4/5 stars

    Lovely review

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  17. Sounds a bit like Lost... I like the sound of the island and the romance and I am thinking this is a book I must read!

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  18. Now that is the kind of angst I like in a romance. The kind where you can't think of anything happening to the couple than an HEA and you so want it! I know it is secondary to the story, but I usually read that kind anyway. LOL Oh I so need to pick this one up!

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  19. Okay, while sometimes the dual POV realllllly bothers me, I'm glad that this shows the different ends of the spectrum of sorts. I think that when you're stuck on an island you can't be anything but a team player. (Um, Lost? LOL.) I always approve of romance that like, is prominent, but stays behind the main plot and happenings of a fantasy/paranormal/dystopian book so yay. Glad you enjoyed this one:)

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  20. This sounds like something I would like (dang should have requested it.) The action, mystery and romance on the island has my wheels turning. I love that it has you on the edge of your seat!

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  21. It sounds a little like Forsaken. It doesn't seem like this is a series so I guess it all concludes nicely. I want it! Really bad. I'm gonna stop coming over here. You just cost me too much money. Can't you review some so/so books? Or have the romance fall flat? SOMETHING!!!

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  22. I think I struggled a little more with NIL than you did, but I'm glad that you were able to enjoy it a bit more! I felt that the romance was just a bit too much too fast, and I just wanted a bit…more…you know? Great review though, Jenny!

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  23. Wow I must be living under a rock because this is the first I've heard of this book, but it sounds like such an interesting premise! In some ways I can understand not getting more answers about Nil by the end being ok, because then there's the possibility that the answers wouldn't live up to the excitement and mystery (the Lost finale comes to mind). Definitely going to read this one now, I can't wait to meet Charley and Thad. Lovely review! :-)

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  24. I haven't heard much about this book, Jenny, but I'll be adding this to my wishlist. It sounds like a very exciting read. I really love that it counts down to something; it kind of reminds me of Elizabeth Norris' Unraveling in that sense.

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  25. I'm glad you liked this one! I read about 100 pages and just couldn't suspend my belief enough to buy the concept. And I see from your last couple of sentences that the island is never really explained. I may try to pick this one up again, but for now I've had to let it go. I'm glad to see that you got into Charley and Thad's romance and that the book was filled with high tension and lots of intrigue.

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  26. This sounds really intriguing. I like that you said the romance is prominent enough, but doesn't take away from the main focus of the story.

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  27. I agree that part of the allure of the story are the questions left unanswered. Normally I do not like open ends - but here it somehow worked!

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