Twitter strikes again! While scrolling aimlessly, I stumbled upon a list of middle grade books, and the first one I found was...
Daybreak on Raven Island by Fleur Bradley is a spooky, paranormal-ish mystery. Set on an island that houses an abandoned prison (inspired by the real-life Alcatraz), a group of students are on a field trip. Told from 3 different points-of-view, each character is struggling with something that skews their worldview and their reasons for jumping off the ferry and staying behind on the island. One wants to make a scary movie. Another desperately wants new friends and feels obligated because the wannabe movie maker stood up for him against bullies. And the third lives by the idea of "no one left behind."
The pacing for this was spot on, and the mystery wasn't exactly easy to unravel, which isn't a bad thing at all. Not to mention, the twist at the end was masterful, and I certainly didn't see it coming! I'm still thinking about it days later, and that's a sign of a good book.
This book packs a very strong social commentary about race, social injustices, and prison reform. While I agree with the sentiments presented, it felt very heavy-handed, especially with how some of the ideas were given in dialogue. It just didn't ring true to how kids this age generally speak to one another.
Overall, though, this was a great read, and I'm glad I bought it.
Has anyone else read this? Or anything else by this author? Should I read more of Fleur Bradley's work?
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