Summary
The Island is a 2022 thriller by New York Times bestselling author Adrian McKinty. The novel follows a family's harrowing fight for survival after a vacation goes horribly wrong. With its combination of psychological suspense and action-packed thrills, The Island showcases why McKinty is considered one of the most exciting voices in contemporary crime fiction. McKinty, known for his acclaimed Sean Duffy series, delivers a taut, suspenseful read that has garnered praise from fellow authors like T.J. Newman and Don Winslow and has been tapped for adaptation into a Hulu original series.
Plot
Set in the remote Australian outback, The Island pits a blended family against a close-knit clan of locals on an isolated island. When an accident turns their trip into a nightmare, newly-married Heather must protect her stepchildren and escape deadly pursuers. McKinty's razor-sharp prose and masterful plotting keep readers on the edge of their seats as Heather discovers what she's truly capable of in order to save her family.
After marrying widowed doctor Tom Baxter, Heather takes a family vacation to Australia with her new stepchildren. Seeking adventure, they talk their way onto a ferry to the remote Dutch Island, which is off-limits to visitors. However, as soon as they arrive, the family senses something is wrong with the tightly-knit community of locals.
A shocking accident then plunges the Baxters into a nightmare scenario. Heather and the children become separated from Tom and find themselves fleeing for their lives, pursued by hostile islanders who want them dead. With no one to rely on but herself, Heather must find a way to protect her stepchildren and escape the island alive.
As they struggle to survive in the harsh Australian bushland, Heather and the kids are forced to evade their pursuers while dealing with the dangers of the wilderness. Though the children don't fully trust their new stepmother, Heather is determined to keep them safe and find a way off the island, even if it means taking extreme measures.
With time running out and the locals closing in, Heather must dig deep to overcome the challenges ahead. She knows she's been underestimated her whole life, but now she'll need to prove her strength and resourcefulness to save her new family and become the mother her stepchildren desperately need in this harrowing fight for survival.
Themes
• Family dynamics and blended family challenges
• Survival against extreme odds
• Maternal strength and determination
• Isolation and vulnerability in unfamiliar territory
• Trust and mistrust within family relationships
• Clash between outsiders and insular communities
• Overcoming others’ underestimation and self-doubt
Setting
Set in the present day, The Island primarily takes place in the harsh and unforgiving landscape of the Australian outback. The story begins in Seattle but quickly transitions to the remote wilderness of Australia, where the Baxter family embarks on what was meant to be a bonding vacation.
At the heart of the novel's setting is the fictional Dutch Island, an isolated and restricted location off the Australian coast. This island, run by a close-knit community of locals, becomes the central backdrop for the family's harrowing ordeal. The contrast between the island's perceived tranquility and its hidden dangers creates a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere.
McKinty vividly portrays the rugged Australian bushland, emphasizing its beauty and inherent perils. The unforgiving terrain, with its unique flora and fauna, plays a crucial role in the story, serving as both a threat and a potential ally to the protagonists as they fight for survival. The remoteness of the setting, far from the reach of modern technology, amplifies the family's isolation and vulnerability.
Characters
• Heather Baxter: The main protagonist, a newly married stepmother. A former teacher from a small town, Heather is surprisingly resourceful. She must find inner strength to protect her stepchildren and survive the deadly pursuit on Dutch Island. Despite the children's initial distrust, Heather proves her devotion and capability in the face of extreme danger.
• Tom Baxter: Heather's new husband and a widowed doctor. Tom is separated from his family during the crisis on Dutch Island. His absence forces Heather to step up as the children's protector.
• Olivia Baxter: Tom's teenage daughter from his first marriage. Initially resistant to her new stepmother, Olivia must learn to trust and work with Heather to survive.
• Owen Baxter: Tom's young son from his first marriage. Owen is caught in the dangerous situation on Dutch Island along with his sister and stepmother.
• Ma Dutch: The matriarch of the Dutch clan that controls the island. She is a formidable and ruthless antagonist pursuing Heather and the children.
• Rodney Dutch: One of the Dutch clan members involved in hunting down the Baxter family. He is aggressive and dangerous.
Quick facts
• The Island is set in the remote Australian outback on a fictional island called Dutch Island.
• It is McKinty's second standalone thriller after his breakout hit, The Chain.
• The story follows a blended family on vacation who find themselves in a nightmarish situation.
• McKinty was inspired by real-life cases of tourists encountering danger in isolated locations.
• McKinty wrote the novel while living in Australia, which helped inform the setting’s details.
• Along with themes of survival and family dynamics, The Island explores a mother's fierce determination.
• The protagonist Heather was partially inspired by McKinty's own experiences as a stepparent.
• The Island received praise from fellow authors like Don Winslow and Karin Slaughter.
• Hulu is adapting The Island into an original series.
About the author
Adrian McKinty is an acclaimed Irish novelist known for his gripping crime fiction. Along with the acclaimed Sean Duffy series, his works include two internationally bestselling standalone novels, The Chain (2019) and The Island (2022). He has won the Edgar Award, the Ned Kelly Award three times, the Anthony Award, Barry Award, Macavity Award, and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. His works have been translated into more than 40 languages.
Born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, McKinty pursued his education at prestigious institutions, studying law at the University of Warwick and philosophy at Oxford University. After completing his studies, he embarked on a journey that took him across continents. He lived in Harlem, New York, in the early 1990s before settling in Denver, Colorado, where he taught high school English and began his writing career. This diverse life experience has contributed to the rich tapestry of settings and characters in his novels. Currently, McKinty resides in Melbourne, Australia, with his family.
