What do you think?
Rate this book
Marrow Island
Twenty years ago Lucie Bowen left Marrow Island; along with her mother, she fled the aftermath of an earthquake that compromised the local refinery, killing her father and ravaging the island’s environment. Now, Lucie’s childhood friend Kate is living within a mysterious group called Marrow Colony—a community that claims to be “ministering to the Earth.” There have been remarkable changes to the land at the colony’s homestead. Lucie’s experience as a journalist tells her there’s more to the Colony—and their charismatic leader-- than they want her to know, and that the astonishing success of their environmental remediation has come at great cost to the Colonists themselves. As she uncovers their secrets and methods, will Lucie endanger more than their mission? What price will she pay for the truth?
In the company of Station Eleven and California, Marrow Island uses two tense natural disasters to ask tough questions about our choices—large and small. A second novel from a bookseller whose sleeper-hit debut was praised by Karen Russell as “haunted, joyful, beautiful….” it promises to capture and captivate new readers even as it thrills her many existing fans.
In the company of Station Eleven and California, Marrow Island uses two tense natural disasters to ask tough questions about our choices—large and small. A second novel from a bookseller whose sleeper-hit debut was praised by Karen Russell as “haunted, joyful, beautiful….” it promises to capture and captivate new readers even as it thrills her many existing fans.
244 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2016
91 people are currently reading
3179 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
July 5, 2016
It is 1993 and Lucie lives with her parents on Orwell island, though her father works on the neighboring Marrow Island at an oil refinery. An earthquake hits the islands, destroying the refinery but the accelerant and other environmental pollutants cause a huge fire at the refinery. Lucie's father is presumed dead along with many others, the island declared environmentally destroyed, uninhabitable. twenty years pass, Lucie's mother deeds her the family house on Orwell, and Lucie hears from her childhood friend Katie, who is now living with others on Marrow Island, a group that claims to have once again made the island a safe place to live. Curious, Lucie decides to visit her old house and meet with Katie.
Such an intriguing set up for this story, highlighting the dangers of our careless handling of our environment. What Lucie finds on the island seems miraculous at first, a group under the leadership of an ex sister, a group that seems passionate and caring. But once she gets a look under the surface she sees much to question. The novel goes back and forth, a year back, a year forward, Lucie's life now, and what happens to the people on the island, including her friend Katie. Much research done here, especially on the subject of mushrooms, which the group uses in many ways, some for renewal, some for healing, some for eating and some for other things.
Fascinating reading, imaginative plot, a novel that makes the reader think of the constant harm being done to our earth and us humans who inhabit it.
ARC from Netgalley.
Such an intriguing set up for this story, highlighting the dangers of our careless handling of our environment. What Lucie finds on the island seems miraculous at first, a group under the leadership of an ex sister, a group that seems passionate and caring. But once she gets a look under the surface she sees much to question. The novel goes back and forth, a year back, a year forward, Lucie's life now, and what happens to the people on the island, including her friend Katie. Much research done here, especially on the subject of mushrooms, which the group uses in many ways, some for renewal, some for healing, some for eating and some for other things.
Fascinating reading, imaginative plot, a novel that makes the reader think of the constant harm being done to our earth and us humans who inhabit it.
ARC from Netgalley.
June 27, 2016
2.5 stars (Somewhere between "meh" and "I liked it.")
This book is well written, especially when it comes to the natural world. The descriptions of the Pacific Northwest, its floral and fauna, are amazing. So is the writing about ecological issues and people/the environment after a natural disaster. The author clearly loves the (fictional) San Juan islands she describes, and as a Seattle native, I appreciate that. I think she does a great job of writing about biology, making it engaging and an important part of the story.
However, I also thought the book was uneven. It's very slow and navel gazes a lot; Lucie doesn't even get to the island until the 30% mark. The majority of the book is Lucie's thoughts after the events on the island; she's pretty dull and self absorbed. And she's only on the island three nights total. That's it. I expected her to slowly get to know the cult and piece together its secrets, but that doesn't happen. Also, the cult isn't really that sinister; the things that happen seem more like ! Probably that's more realistic, but it doesn't make a very good story. There's no relationship there, no connection between Lucie, the newcomer, and the people living on the island.
I also felt Katie's motivation and character wasn't fully explored. I'm still not sure why she did the things she did (to be vague). What could be a touching scene between Lucie and the Sister at the end wasn't, because again, Lucie barely knew the Sister, had talked to her maybe twice, and there wasn't a connection between them.
I think I would have liked this book better without Lucie's present-tense (ugh) post-event chapters, if it was told as a straight story with slow reveals about Lucie, her past, and what happened on the island.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
This book is well written, especially when it comes to the natural world. The descriptions of the Pacific Northwest, its floral and fauna, are amazing. So is the writing about ecological issues and people/the environment after a natural disaster. The author clearly loves the (fictional) San Juan islands she describes, and as a Seattle native, I appreciate that. I think she does a great job of writing about biology, making it engaging and an important part of the story.
However, I also thought the book was uneven. It's very slow and navel gazes a lot; Lucie doesn't even get to the island until the 30% mark. The majority of the book is Lucie's thoughts after the events on the island; she's pretty dull and self absorbed. And she's only on the island three nights total. That's it. I expected her to slowly get to know the cult and piece together its secrets, but that doesn't happen. Also, the cult isn't really that sinister; the things that happen seem more like ! Probably that's more realistic, but it doesn't make a very good story. There's no relationship there, no connection between Lucie, the newcomer, and the people living on the island.
I also felt Katie's motivation and character wasn't fully explored. I'm still not sure why she did the things she did (to be vague). What could be a touching scene between Lucie and the Sister at the end wasn't, because again, Lucie barely knew the Sister, had talked to her maybe twice, and there wasn't a connection between them.
I think I would have liked this book better without Lucie's present-tense (ugh) post-event chapters, if it was told as a straight story with slow reveals about Lucie, her past, and what happened on the island.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
June 5, 2016
This book is not a copy of Station Eleven but I kept thinking as I listened to it that the same people who liked Station Eleven would love this book. I think this one is better because it is more realistic and doesn't try to tell such a broad story. Set in a post-disaster Washington (state), it is looking more at a community that has been rebuilding after an eco-disaster triggered by earthquakes. The central character of Lucie returns to the island where her father was killed to reconnect with her childhood best friend, who lives as part of the community.
I loved Alexis M. Smith's first book, Glaciers, so I was excited to see what she did next. This one is more complex in the sense that it is about more than just a relationship between two people, and somehow it is the relationship in this novel that was less than satisfying. I think part of my issue was in listening to the audio, trying to grasp the distinctions between 2014 and 2016, so close together. There are some parts of story that seem to be telling the meeting of Lucie and her park ranger boyfriend, but then the majority of the story is later on, during the time where she reunites with her friend. I'm not sure why it needed to go back and forth, and it made both relationships a bit disjointed.
The setting of the novel, on the other hand, is stunning. An imagined San Juan island close to the Canadian border with its ruined landscape. An exploration of how mycology might restore a damaged environment. Anyone who loves the northwest or cold-weather islands (like me) should read the novel just for the placeness alone. I got a sense that the author had done some... research... on the mushroom element. Ha!
I listened to the audio, narrated by Emily Rankin. Most of the time she does a fine job, although she does the low whisper in some sentence endings that seems to be a new trend for female narrators. I prefer all my words to be spoken.
Thanks to the publisher who provided a review copy of the audio! I have been waiting to see what this author did next for a while.
I loved Alexis M. Smith's first book, Glaciers, so I was excited to see what she did next. This one is more complex in the sense that it is about more than just a relationship between two people, and somehow it is the relationship in this novel that was less than satisfying. I think part of my issue was in listening to the audio, trying to grasp the distinctions between 2014 and 2016, so close together. There are some parts of story that seem to be telling the meeting of Lucie and her park ranger boyfriend, but then the majority of the story is later on, during the time where she reunites with her friend. I'm not sure why it needed to go back and forth, and it made both relationships a bit disjointed.
The setting of the novel, on the other hand, is stunning. An imagined San Juan island close to the Canadian border with its ruined landscape. An exploration of how mycology might restore a damaged environment. Anyone who loves the northwest or cold-weather islands (like me) should read the novel just for the placeness alone. I got a sense that the author had done some... research... on the mushroom element. Ha!
I listened to the audio, narrated by Emily Rankin. Most of the time she does a fine job, although she does the low whisper in some sentence endings that seems to be a new trend for female narrators. I prefer all my words to be spoken.
Thanks to the publisher who provided a review copy of the audio! I have been waiting to see what this author did next for a while.
August 13, 2017
This book has been on my e-reader for a while and I decided to get it read. I'm trying to get through some of the "old stuff" lingering around.
Marrow Island once housed a refinery but an earthquake caused a massive amount of damage making the island uninhabitable. Lucie has returned to Orwell Island, near Marrow, to live in and fix up her childhood cabin. She soon discovers that Marrow Island has a colony of people living there including her friend Katie. The colony is working to revive the island's ecosystem and Katie invites Lucie to come see their progress. But, not all is right with the island and the colony.
Sadly, I could not get into this book. I finished it but just did not enjoy it. I think I had different expectations than what the author provided.
Marrow Island once housed a refinery but an earthquake caused a massive amount of damage making the island uninhabitable. Lucie has returned to Orwell Island, near Marrow, to live in and fix up her childhood cabin. She soon discovers that Marrow Island has a colony of people living there including her friend Katie. The colony is working to revive the island's ecosystem and Katie invites Lucie to come see their progress. But, not all is right with the island and the colony.
Sadly, I could not get into this book. I finished it but just did not enjoy it. I think I had different expectations than what the author provided.
December 15, 2017
Marrow Island is it a mini utopia or is it a dystopia? Ecologically devastated by an earthquake that destroyed an oil refinery years ago; the island is now an ecological commune, run by Sister J. Lucie's father, who died on the island as a result of the earthquake, has returned to the island some twenty years later to visit a childhood friend. Something strange is going on.
Dark and brooding, Marrow Island, a carefully crafted work that left me wanting. I could not engage with the characters.
This review was originally posted on The Pfaeffle Journal
Dark and brooding, Marrow Island, a carefully crafted work that left me wanting. I could not engage with the characters.
This review was originally posted on The Pfaeffle Journal
December 25, 2016
Another disappointment, A book that promised mystery, a good plot and an interesting background (an abandoned island), a mysterious cult and a mysterious charismatic leader . What we got instead was a weak main character, a story that was not well linked and flashbacks that did not help make us understand the story. There is no development of the abandoned island at all, there is no development of the cult or the charismatic leader , any definition of both in this book is missing . The author could have done so much more .... 3 stars only because at least there was a sense of trying to make it work by the author.
September 1, 2016
I really wanted to like this book, I did not. I loved the cover and the blurb about the book, it sounded interesting and unusual.
I started reading this book at least three times. I thought the prose was very good and the story investigates what it is like for a young woman to return to an island that she and her mother fled after a deadly earthquake that left many thousands dead, including Lucie Bowen’s father. She has heard that her past friend is part of a colony established on the island and is eager to explore the situation. Lucie is a journalist and is also interested in the story of the reconstruction of the island.
The novel presents both past and present timelines, usually I like this type of presentation of a novel. But this time it just didn’t flow easily for me, I felt confused at times and sometimes wondering if I missed some pages???? I didn’t particularly like Lucie and I didn’t feel as though her relationship with Carey was very well described, it didn’t feel very close or loving.
I did enjoy the prose and descriptions of the island, although sometimes I felt as though that was a bit long winded, especially when discussing fungus??? The author definitely did her research and there was some solid information about the environment and how man can make significant changes both for the good and bad.
I was expecting more of a thriller ride to this book and that just didn’t happen for me.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I started reading this book at least three times. I thought the prose was very good and the story investigates what it is like for a young woman to return to an island that she and her mother fled after a deadly earthquake that left many thousands dead, including Lucie Bowen’s father. She has heard that her past friend is part of a colony established on the island and is eager to explore the situation. Lucie is a journalist and is also interested in the story of the reconstruction of the island.
The novel presents both past and present timelines, usually I like this type of presentation of a novel. But this time it just didn’t flow easily for me, I felt confused at times and sometimes wondering if I missed some pages???? I didn’t particularly like Lucie and I didn’t feel as though her relationship with Carey was very well described, it didn’t feel very close or loving.
I did enjoy the prose and descriptions of the island, although sometimes I felt as though that was a bit long winded, especially when discussing fungus??? The author definitely did her research and there was some solid information about the environment and how man can make significant changes both for the good and bad.
I was expecting more of a thriller ride to this book and that just didn’t happen for me.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2017
MORE? MORE! @ P.S. I love that book!
THE WORLD: Maybe the only thing that wasn't dead boring even tho I would not say it was exactly interesting either. So we have this island which other small islands around it I think, something like that frankly I don't remember the beginning anymore. But anyways the concentration of this book is on this small well actually even tiny island called Marrow Island. Once there was a factory here which during the earthquake exploded and all island was contaminated with toxic stuff. However, now we are more than ten years past the accident and in this island there is this cult of thirty something people who try to clean it using special mudrooms and all that. Well it doesn't take a biologist to know that these people are full of themselves so when the big secret is revealed that they all have tumors growing in them, cannot carry babies to the term because of the cancer all over their bodies...year kinda if you consume carcinogens on daily basis for years what do you expect? I mean come on. They literary explain that oh it's not that bad, you are risking your life everyday driving a car or drinking alcohol. Well sorry, but you are an idiot if you think that. No really, I know I spoiled stuff here but seriously this book is so bad that I am preventing you from even wanting to read it.
CHARACTERS: Kill me now. So our main character is Lucie. Her father worked in the factory when it exploded so her mom and she left the place and went to live in big city. Now she is an unemployed reported back to get rid of their old house. But really she is annoying self absorbed pathetic whiner. I mean seriously, I have never saw a character that repels me so much. I hate Lucie, I hate her so so much. And there is also Kate who is in this cult and she was once Lucie's friend and basically Lucie comes to visit Kate and see the island. Blah. Kate is married to a dude who is wanted for arson and murder and when Lucie finds out and tell her Kate knows...aaaaaand it's okay it's not really what happened. Yeah up my ass not what happened, you are hosting a criminal for ten years wanted by FBI. No really I just don't get this book and its characters. The Sister Janet...what was that? Especially her dying part? Ewwww why do I need to read this stuff?
LOVE: This Lucie character gets her heard wrapped around a ranger. They have sex a lot. But not hot sex. The type of sex where the author talked about Lucie's two weeks unshaven armpits and all that shit. Frankly everything in this book was very dirty. Also, he is so handsome all sweaty and dirty hair....whaaaaaat? Or when she takes his T-shirt for sleeping when she goes away the T-shirt from laundry after he wore it for two days in really hot weather working hard. Cuz it smells like him. More like dirty sweat sunken stinky T-shirt. Reality check, hello?
PLUS: At least they all get cancer from eating carcinogens. Also the shit they collected as medicine in the island, turns out it was most hallucinogens and toxic stuff. Lucie had to go on dialysis after she was fed some of it. That's about right. Tho the dying of old women that had cancer? Yeah you don't get old if your whole body is full of tumors. This whole time line was a bit fantasy, if you have tumors all over the body you last really short time. Especially without ANY treatment. So yeah moral of the book? Don't go off living in a cult without contact to the modern world. There is a reason in middle ages average lifespan was 25-30 years old and today is 75-80 years old.
MINUS: The whole book. I kept expecting that maybe there is gonna be something Boom and it is all gonna be worth it. Well nope, did not happen.
OVERALL: Hate this book so much. Total nonsense. It feels to me like author just wanted to write an environmental book but it would be classified as non fiction and not read by many so she added a bit of shit to it to make it fall under fiction mystery/thriller. But really, ain't worth it!
MORE? MORE! @ P.S. I love that book!
January 11, 2016
I'm a huge fan of GLACIERS and so I was delighted to get my hands on an early copy of this new novel by Alexis Smith. Here, the same attention to detail, the same sureness of voice and vivid sentences--complicated emotions and physical descriptions merge so wonderfully--but with a greater patience and a thriller-like intensity of action. At its core, though, it's about relationships, and actions that can't easily be understood, even by those who commit them. (Our excellent narrator, Lucie Bowen, is often wryly funny in her insights about all manner of things, but does not share the same perspective on herself--which feels quite human!) What I admire most about this writing is that every mystery isn't answered, and we almost never go quite where it seems we will. Finally, and related to this, is the dexterity with which time is handled throughout the narrative. I was never lost, but the way the story leapt to the future and back, often right over the most mysterious facts and questions, was quite wonderful.
December 26, 2016
This goes on my abandoned shelf. Lovely and also strange environment- the physical descriptions of nature in the San Juan islands area- Marrow Island? They were fine. And on and on and on. But the sad and self-derogatory feel and the personality of the narrator and her thoughts? Just wasn't for me. Too morose, too self-involved. Too slow and amidst a confusing order of operations, so to speak. Time flipping. And in such a manner that if any tension could have developed within the weak characterizations, it was entirely squelched by unclear motives and time flipping abruptness. This plot or emotive connect just did not work in this form.
Beautiful place and nature to the max. It's a shame the rest could never compete. Not my cuppa at all. Slow is ok, but not insipid slow.
I got to nearly the half way point. I do wish there was a category here to NOT include this in my book's read count for the year. I would not include it as such.
Beautiful place and nature to the max. It's a shame the rest could never compete. Not my cuppa at all. Slow is ok, but not insipid slow.
I got to nearly the half way point. I do wish there was a category here to NOT include this in my book's read count for the year. I would not include it as such.
August 8, 2016
This book isn’t a thriller or even a page-turner as many of the reviews I’ve seen suggest. It’s actually a bit of a slow burn that’s in no rush to reach its eerie climax. I might have been frustrated by the slowness of it if it weren’t for Smith’s gorgeous writing.
Twenty years after a devastating earthquake and an oil refinery explosion leave Marrow Island uninhabitable, Lucie Bowen returns to her once abandoned home to visit her childhood best friend, Katie. As it turns out, Katie and a small colony of radical environmentalists have been living on Marrow Island and remediating the soil to make it safe once again.
But there’s something strange and perhaps even dangerous about the people in the colony and the practices they’ve established: to what lengths will they go to reach their ideals?
I love moral ambiguity, and there’s certainly a lot of that in this novel. Smith’s lyrical writing evokes the rawness and the harshness of both nature and human nature, with descriptions that are as beautiful and compelling as they are jarring and haunting. Readers willing to take their time with this book and allow the story to unravel will uncover an understated novel about the choices that we make, the ties that bind us to our past, and our dwindling connection with the natural world.
Twenty years after a devastating earthquake and an oil refinery explosion leave Marrow Island uninhabitable, Lucie Bowen returns to her once abandoned home to visit her childhood best friend, Katie. As it turns out, Katie and a small colony of radical environmentalists have been living on Marrow Island and remediating the soil to make it safe once again.
But there’s something strange and perhaps even dangerous about the people in the colony and the practices they’ve established: to what lengths will they go to reach their ideals?
I love moral ambiguity, and there’s certainly a lot of that in this novel. Smith’s lyrical writing evokes the rawness and the harshness of both nature and human nature, with descriptions that are as beautiful and compelling as they are jarring and haunting. Readers willing to take their time with this book and allow the story to unravel will uncover an understated novel about the choices that we make, the ties that bind us to our past, and our dwindling connection with the natural world.
June 4, 2016
Review to come
September 4, 2017
I visited my local bookstore at the beginning of the summer to stock up on some beach reads. Marrow Island was one of my picks because it sounded so mysterious. I was expecting to read about a creepy cult and an island full of danger. Unfortunately, what I got was a rather normal, even dull, colony that was hiding a rather ho-hum secret.
I suppose if my expectations had been different, I would have responded differently to the book. There was suspense here, but it was so understated that it was difficult to pick up on. Don't get me wrong; this is a well written book. The descriptions of the island were terrific and, once again, my urge to travel to a book's location resurfaced. Unfortunately, what I wanted when I read this was a fast-paced, edge-of-your seat thriller, and that's not what the book was about.
One of the biggest disappointments was the colony. They weren't an evil cult at all; more like a bunch of very nice, yet misguided, tree huggers. The leader of the cult was interesting, but hardly charismatic. I actually liked the cult and its members very much and admired what they were doing. It was difficult to see them as evil.
I also had trouble with the book's ending which left me scratching my head. Part of the trouble was that I didn't like the protagonist very much to begin with. She brooded over things far too much. This is why her actions at the end of the book were so upsetting. I felt that her decision was completely unjustified.
The upshot: Yes, the book is creepy, but not really creepy enough to be a thriller. Reading about the island was nice, and the post-apocalyptic feel of the novel was solid, but overall, it wasn't one of my favorites.
Three and a half out of five stars.
I suppose if my expectations had been different, I would have responded differently to the book. There was suspense here, but it was so understated that it was difficult to pick up on. Don't get me wrong; this is a well written book. The descriptions of the island were terrific and, once again, my urge to travel to a book's location resurfaced. Unfortunately, what I wanted when I read this was a fast-paced, edge-of-your seat thriller, and that's not what the book was about.
One of the biggest disappointments was the colony. They weren't an evil cult at all; more like a bunch of very nice, yet misguided, tree huggers. The leader of the cult was interesting, but hardly charismatic. I actually liked the cult and its members very much and admired what they were doing. It was difficult to see them as evil.
I also had trouble with the book's ending which left me scratching my head. Part of the trouble was that I didn't like the protagonist very much to begin with. She brooded over things far too much. This is why her actions at the end of the book were so upsetting. I felt that her decision was completely unjustified.
The upshot: Yes, the book is creepy, but not really creepy enough to be a thriller. Reading about the island was nice, and the post-apocalyptic feel of the novel was solid, but overall, it wasn't one of my favorites.
Three and a half out of five stars.
July 11, 2016
Marrow Island was a slow read for me because I am not up to my usual pace; not because it isn’t good. It is actually a captivating, eerie read that is a slow build-up with an unsettling ending. Apparently there is a lot of comparison to Station Eleven, but I personally don’t feel that at all.
Twenty years ago Lucie Bowen left Marrow Island after fleeing the aftermath of an earthquake that compromised the local refinery, killing her father, and ravaging the island’s environment. It’s set in post-disaster Washington state as Lucie returns to the island that is slowly rebuilding to reconnect with her childhood friend, Kate, who lives within a mysterious group called Marrow Colony that is located on part of the island—a community that claims to be “ministering to the Earth.” As an environmental journalist, Lucie’s experience tells her that there is more to the Colony than their charismatic leader is letting her know, and Lucie sets out on uncovering the secrets even if it endangers more than their mission.
Alexis M. Smith’s prose is lyrical, vivid, and haunting. When it comes to nature, as well as human instinct and emotion, there is such a raw and jarring quality to her writing that brings you in. This is a novel that can easily be read within a day or two, but I wanted to take my time to appreciate this beautifully crafted novel.
Twenty years ago Lucie Bowen left Marrow Island after fleeing the aftermath of an earthquake that compromised the local refinery, killing her father, and ravaging the island’s environment. It’s set in post-disaster Washington state as Lucie returns to the island that is slowly rebuilding to reconnect with her childhood friend, Kate, who lives within a mysterious group called Marrow Colony that is located on part of the island—a community that claims to be “ministering to the Earth.” As an environmental journalist, Lucie’s experience tells her that there is more to the Colony than their charismatic leader is letting her know, and Lucie sets out on uncovering the secrets even if it endangers more than their mission.
Alexis M. Smith’s prose is lyrical, vivid, and haunting. When it comes to nature, as well as human instinct and emotion, there is such a raw and jarring quality to her writing that brings you in. This is a novel that can easily be read within a day or two, but I wanted to take my time to appreciate this beautifully crafted novel.
August 31, 2016
The ending to this book has got to be one of the worst I have ever read. When I finished reading, I was rather irritated; who ends a book this way and is satisfied with it? Besides the totally lame ending there was the disjointed alternating time frames and a distanced main character. This book had such potential even the reason for the plot; the mystery wasn't all that surprising or revealing in the end because of how the story was written.
May 31, 2017
Stunning. I loved this book! I could see it not being everyone's favorite because of the ending or because of the back and forth between the islands and the woods, but I found it to be an intriguing story of humanity and hurt, of the earth and how we treat it, how we treat ourselves. It was intimate and filled with quiet tension. I might have to read this one again some day.
June 22, 2016
[5 stars]
It’s no secret my reading year in terms of quality hasn’t been as great or exciting as one would hope. Enter Marrow Island. Upon reading the synopsis I knew I had to read it soon, and am so glad I prioritized it this month. Anyone else kind of digging the whole “cli-fi” trend? Anyways…
Lucie, born and raised on Marrow Island, was forced to head mainland with her remaining family members following a devastating earthquake. That along with the government’s attempts at cleaning up, has left the island destroyed and inhabitable. Many years later, adult Lucie receives a letter from her childhood best friend, Katie, who has invited her back to the island, where a colony of sorts has been established. Moving forwards and backwards in time over a span of two years, the mystery of the island and it’s effects on those who experience it unfold in a deliciously, agonizingly slow trickle.
I’m not sure what exactly about this worked so well for me. Could it be the sense of intrigue and mystery shrouding the island? Could it be confused and not-quite-right Lucie, and discovering why she is the way she is? Could it be Smith’s atmospheric writing, allowing me to transplant myself into the island experience?
"I smell the water before I see it. Water lifts all the smells around.The mist rises; the vapors carry particles of resin and pollen and fungi spores. As I climb the last fallen tree and the lake comes into view, I connect a low murmur to the sound of it: not waves lapping, but the deeper, subtler sound of movement beneath the surface. I close my eyes and inhale, trying to feel the course of the vapors of my body, the whole invisible forest in my sinuses, my lungs, my blood. Everything right down to my cells and further: to the mitochondria, the tiniest lungs, where respiration continues after death of the brain, the heart. The last breath of cells happen there, as the body decays, releasing all that stored energy at last. Hot sacks of cells, our bodies, like compost heaps, steaming with everything we take in, unsure of how to let go."
Could it be the overwhelming sense of “what the actual F is going on here” compelling me to turn page after page? Could it be the tight timeline, moving back and forth over only two years, which should have bothered me but instead garbled things in a pleasing kind of way? The likely answer is a little bit of this and that, made the reading experience one I’ve been desperate for this entire year so far.
I don’t want to say too much else, because this one is best served without too much prior knowledge. All things are revealed in time, culminating in a spectacularly satisfying, yet thought provoking ending. Do yourself a favor, and pick up this off-the-beaten-path book that should not get overlooked.
For more, visit http://www.bookishtendencies.com
It’s no secret my reading year in terms of quality hasn’t been as great or exciting as one would hope. Enter Marrow Island. Upon reading the synopsis I knew I had to read it soon, and am so glad I prioritized it this month. Anyone else kind of digging the whole “cli-fi” trend? Anyways…
Lucie, born and raised on Marrow Island, was forced to head mainland with her remaining family members following a devastating earthquake. That along with the government’s attempts at cleaning up, has left the island destroyed and inhabitable. Many years later, adult Lucie receives a letter from her childhood best friend, Katie, who has invited her back to the island, where a colony of sorts has been established. Moving forwards and backwards in time over a span of two years, the mystery of the island and it’s effects on those who experience it unfold in a deliciously, agonizingly slow trickle.
I’m not sure what exactly about this worked so well for me. Could it be the sense of intrigue and mystery shrouding the island? Could it be confused and not-quite-right Lucie, and discovering why she is the way she is? Could it be Smith’s atmospheric writing, allowing me to transplant myself into the island experience?
"I smell the water before I see it. Water lifts all the smells around.The mist rises; the vapors carry particles of resin and pollen and fungi spores. As I climb the last fallen tree and the lake comes into view, I connect a low murmur to the sound of it: not waves lapping, but the deeper, subtler sound of movement beneath the surface. I close my eyes and inhale, trying to feel the course of the vapors of my body, the whole invisible forest in my sinuses, my lungs, my blood. Everything right down to my cells and further: to the mitochondria, the tiniest lungs, where respiration continues after death of the brain, the heart. The last breath of cells happen there, as the body decays, releasing all that stored energy at last. Hot sacks of cells, our bodies, like compost heaps, steaming with everything we take in, unsure of how to let go."
Could it be the overwhelming sense of “what the actual F is going on here” compelling me to turn page after page? Could it be the tight timeline, moving back and forth over only two years, which should have bothered me but instead garbled things in a pleasing kind of way? The likely answer is a little bit of this and that, made the reading experience one I’ve been desperate for this entire year so far.
I don’t want to say too much else, because this one is best served without too much prior knowledge. All things are revealed in time, culminating in a spectacularly satisfying, yet thought provoking ending. Do yourself a favor, and pick up this off-the-beaten-path book that should not get overlooked.
For more, visit http://www.bookishtendencies.com
May 4, 2016
First off, my thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy. It's only fair that I review it honestly.
I did not like this book. There were moments of hope where I thought I could start liking this book, but ultimately it was a disappointment. In my opinion, the book had no coherent flow in it. There are ways of going from past to present timelines without making the reader feel lost or as though they missed a chapter along the way. I usually like being able to connect with the main character or protagonist in the book, but Lucie was not likable on any level. I feel her relationship with Carey wasn't very loving or fulfilling because we basically get no insights on them as a couple. I was left not understanding the significance of characters because they were just there and then they weren't, the ending left me with no questions answered, and for anyone who has described this book as thrilling, it is anything but. I was not on the edge of my seat and the only reason I finished reading this book so quickly (about 3 days) was because I wanted to get it over with and move on to another.
Feeling let down by descriptions of this novel.
I did not like this book. There were moments of hope where I thought I could start liking this book, but ultimately it was a disappointment. In my opinion, the book had no coherent flow in it. There are ways of going from past to present timelines without making the reader feel lost or as though they missed a chapter along the way. I usually like being able to connect with the main character or protagonist in the book, but Lucie was not likable on any level. I feel her relationship with Carey wasn't very loving or fulfilling because we basically get no insights on them as a couple. I was left not understanding the significance of characters because they were just there and then they weren't, the ending left me with no questions answered, and for anyone who has described this book as thrilling, it is anything but. I was not on the edge of my seat and the only reason I finished reading this book so quickly (about 3 days) was because I wanted to get it over with and move on to another.
Feeling let down by descriptions of this novel.
June 24, 2016
Was so excited about this book. Natural disaster, secret cult, forbidden love. Started promising and went down from there. By the time I was half through I started subtracting stars. That book might be three star book, but I had to take away one more star. My personal disappointment is worth at least that.
October 22, 2020
This book was so readable. For that three stars but when you start to dig around in the story you might find something wanting. There was a lot of build up to the reveal, but not much reveal. Perhaps I’m a bit twisty but it seemed a little basic. Good, but not as described, or as presented. Other than a beautiful cover maybe somewhat forgettable but it was a good pool read.
August 28, 2016
Marrow Island by Alexis M. Smith is a thought provoking novel of faith and love and the overwhelming need to believe in yourself no matter what the cost.
"...Soon enough everyone would be looking for all of us, with questions. But they would find what they were looking for at the Colony without our help. And by the time they asked me to tell my part, they would have a story of their own and they wouldn't veer from it, no matter the details I offered.
My notes were probably already in the sea or burnt to ashes. I tried to reconstruct the days in my mind, building a timeline, sorting details, drawing up the images of the pictures I had taken, of things I had seen. I cataloged the different scents in the layered stench I gave off: conifer needles, stump rot, burnt lichen, fungi spores-all washed with the yeasty brine of bodies. Mostly my body. But other bodies too..."
It has been twenty years since Lucie Bowen left Marrow Island. In the aftermath of an earthquake that destroyed a local refinery, killing her father and ravaging the island's enviroment, Lucie and her mother had left. Now she has returned to find her childhood friend Kate, living on the island with a mysterious group that is trying to heal the island and bring it back. A group that calls itself the Marrow Island Colony. Kate asks Lucie to join the group so that she can write about what is happening on the island and how they are bring the enviroment back to life. The Colony has made incredible strides in healing the island but Lucie knows there is more to all of this than what they are presenting her with. She knows that the island cannot just come back to life like this. That the colonists and their leader Sister Janet are not telling the whole truth about Marrow Island. They have made great advances in the environment but at what cost and who is paying for it. Soon, Lucie must be wary of those she once trusted as the story she now has to tell may not be the one they want to tell.
Alexis M. Smith has written a terrific little novel that for many people may pass under the radar and that is absolutely a crime. This is a novel of hope and obsession and the desire to do right, and what happens when you take that desire too far. It is also the novel of wanting to correct the wrongs of the past and coping with the loss as well. Smith has painstakingly developed each of her characters, their moments of brilliance and heroism and their moments of flawed weakness. There is wonder and tragedy here. There is also a very human tale of love lost and deserted. Love forgotten and remembered. There is so much to this novel and Smith tells all of it with the subtle hand of a master magician who reveals what is hidden only to show how much more is still hidden away.
Until the end, when the simple truth that no one can ever truly leave Marrow Island lays itself out for all to see. In splendor and sadness.
A really good tale.
"...Soon enough everyone would be looking for all of us, with questions. But they would find what they were looking for at the Colony without our help. And by the time they asked me to tell my part, they would have a story of their own and they wouldn't veer from it, no matter the details I offered.
My notes were probably already in the sea or burnt to ashes. I tried to reconstruct the days in my mind, building a timeline, sorting details, drawing up the images of the pictures I had taken, of things I had seen. I cataloged the different scents in the layered stench I gave off: conifer needles, stump rot, burnt lichen, fungi spores-all washed with the yeasty brine of bodies. Mostly my body. But other bodies too..."
It has been twenty years since Lucie Bowen left Marrow Island. In the aftermath of an earthquake that destroyed a local refinery, killing her father and ravaging the island's enviroment, Lucie and her mother had left. Now she has returned to find her childhood friend Kate, living on the island with a mysterious group that is trying to heal the island and bring it back. A group that calls itself the Marrow Island Colony. Kate asks Lucie to join the group so that she can write about what is happening on the island and how they are bring the enviroment back to life. The Colony has made incredible strides in healing the island but Lucie knows there is more to all of this than what they are presenting her with. She knows that the island cannot just come back to life like this. That the colonists and their leader Sister Janet are not telling the whole truth about Marrow Island. They have made great advances in the environment but at what cost and who is paying for it. Soon, Lucie must be wary of those she once trusted as the story she now has to tell may not be the one they want to tell.
Alexis M. Smith has written a terrific little novel that for many people may pass under the radar and that is absolutely a crime. This is a novel of hope and obsession and the desire to do right, and what happens when you take that desire too far. It is also the novel of wanting to correct the wrongs of the past and coping with the loss as well. Smith has painstakingly developed each of her characters, their moments of brilliance and heroism and their moments of flawed weakness. There is wonder and tragedy here. There is also a very human tale of love lost and deserted. Love forgotten and remembered. There is so much to this novel and Smith tells all of it with the subtle hand of a master magician who reveals what is hidden only to show how much more is still hidden away.
Until the end, when the simple truth that no one can ever truly leave Marrow Island lays itself out for all to see. In splendor and sadness.
A really good tale.
March 3, 2016
Marrow Island is a beautifully crafted novel written in the gorgeous, lyrical prose fans of Glaciers would expect of Smith, but that lyric muscle is this time in good service to a compelling page-turner with elements of psychological thriller. The swift-moving plot is one hell of a wild ride. Also present: Smith's admirable attention to the natural world and the looming threats to our environment. You can practically smell the lichen. Awesome. Highly recommended.
September 2, 2016
I am a huge fan of Glaciers, and actually pre-ordered Marrow Island (almost never do this with fiction books). It didn't disappoint. Combination mystery, deep and complex love story, political novel dealing with ecology/climate change/natural disaster... it's beautiful, moving, brilliant, AND a page-turner. I've already given away my copy to a friend who was visiting from CA (she also adored it), so now need to order another...
November 18, 2016
I am an enormous fan of Smith's GORGEOUS novel "Glaciers" (seriously, read it), so I was very excited for this book. Like Glaciers, this book is quiet and incredibly powerful. It is a book that says so much in the silences. It's lovely.
Want to read
September 10, 2016Started to read it, then I stepped away for a week. Might come back again later. Me, not the book!
June 18, 2016
MYSTERY, VIOLENCE, EMOTION MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER ALL IN THE NAME OF MOTHER EARTH
Where do I start with this review? Marrow Island is a griping harrowing tale. I am not sure where to begin, so I will begin at the beginning!
STORY LINE:
The May Day quake destroyed Marrow Island, the oil refinery, and lives. The island was left uninhabitable. At least, that's what everyone thought, until Sister J, former nun, and her followers started a commune, Marrow Colony, with awesome and deviating results.
Lucie Bowen and her best friend, Katie, survived the May Day quake and years later Katie is back on Marrow Island with Sister J. Lucie, an environmental journalist, receives an invitation from Kate to visit and see the wonder they have created from death and destruction.
Come along and join the journey to the past and the present.
CHARACTERS; PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:
Author Alexis Smith has created a deep harrowing novel filled with emotion, mystery, destruction, and people willing to do anything for their ideals. This story has many depths and Ms. Smith masterly wove an intriguing tale of destruction past and present.
Ms. Smith writing is very poetic and descriptive. I found I could visualize the scenes she created. Ms. Smith definitely has a way with words and her talent is evident in this novel.
Written in first person, I found the beginning of book hard to follow as the story goes back and forth between the past and present. However, once the background of the story was laid by the Ms. Smith, the story rolled forward at a fast pace and did not stop until the last sentence. Ms. Smith story-line kept me glued to my E-reader.
The mystery Ms. Smith wove was kept at a high peak throughout this novel. I could not put the book down, I had to know the secrets of Marrow Island and the Marrow Island Colony. Ms. Smith reveals just enough that you realize that something is strange on this island, but what?
Her characters are intriguing, mysterious, willing to kill if necessary to protect their ideals, and each character was well-developed along with the plot and pacing of the story. The plot was first-rate as Ms. Smith wove all the many threads in this novel together and created a novel that will hold you interest and attention.
I am still trying to decide how I felt about the ending of the novel. I found myself saying: wow, what just happened?
RECOMMENDATION:
This book is a roller coaster ride. This novel is very different from the usual mystery thriller novel, it will grip you and not let go. This novel is suitable for anyone that likes a sold well crafted story-line by a talented author who knows how to hook the reader and leave them wanting more.
I received this book from Netgalley,com in return for an honest book review. Book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion; book reviews on line under my name are my opinion.
Where do I start with this review? Marrow Island is a griping harrowing tale. I am not sure where to begin, so I will begin at the beginning!
STORY LINE:
The May Day quake destroyed Marrow Island, the oil refinery, and lives. The island was left uninhabitable. At least, that's what everyone thought, until Sister J, former nun, and her followers started a commune, Marrow Colony, with awesome and deviating results.
Lucie Bowen and her best friend, Katie, survived the May Day quake and years later Katie is back on Marrow Island with Sister J. Lucie, an environmental journalist, receives an invitation from Kate to visit and see the wonder they have created from death and destruction.
Come along and join the journey to the past and the present.
CHARACTERS; PLOTTING, AND DEVELOPMENT:
Author Alexis Smith has created a deep harrowing novel filled with emotion, mystery, destruction, and people willing to do anything for their ideals. This story has many depths and Ms. Smith masterly wove an intriguing tale of destruction past and present.
Ms. Smith writing is very poetic and descriptive. I found I could visualize the scenes she created. Ms. Smith definitely has a way with words and her talent is evident in this novel.
Written in first person, I found the beginning of book hard to follow as the story goes back and forth between the past and present. However, once the background of the story was laid by the Ms. Smith, the story rolled forward at a fast pace and did not stop until the last sentence. Ms. Smith story-line kept me glued to my E-reader.
The mystery Ms. Smith wove was kept at a high peak throughout this novel. I could not put the book down, I had to know the secrets of Marrow Island and the Marrow Island Colony. Ms. Smith reveals just enough that you realize that something is strange on this island, but what?
Her characters are intriguing, mysterious, willing to kill if necessary to protect their ideals, and each character was well-developed along with the plot and pacing of the story. The plot was first-rate as Ms. Smith wove all the many threads in this novel together and created a novel that will hold you interest and attention.
I am still trying to decide how I felt about the ending of the novel. I found myself saying: wow, what just happened?
RECOMMENDATION:
This book is a roller coaster ride. This novel is very different from the usual mystery thriller novel, it will grip you and not let go. This novel is suitable for anyone that likes a sold well crafted story-line by a talented author who knows how to hook the reader and leave them wanting more.
I received this book from Netgalley,com in return for an honest book review. Book reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion; book reviews on line under my name are my opinion.
April 3, 2018
I really don’t know what’s going on with this story. I can’t tell if it’s a mystery or a fictional memoir or supernatural chick-lit. I think it’s meant to be an experimental novel but that doesn’t work either.
The story is told in the present tense and the past. Present: Lucie is living with her forest ranger boyfriend in the pacific northwest. She receives a letter from a former acquaintance, Sister Janet (aka Sister or Sister J) and this triggers the memories and tale of what happened on Marrow Island two years earlier (Past) when Lucie visited her oldest and best friend Katie who was living there in a kind of commune. The commune is squatting on the land and trying to repair the island. What happens next is a mishmash of psychedelic ideals, magic mushroom poisoning and the disappearance of the island’s owner – all intermingled with flashbacks between the present and past.
Marrow Island is fictional but its history is based in fact and the author has used the May Day 1993 earthquake to describe an island idyll destroyed by the oil refinery on the island erupting in fire and the toxic chemicals dumped to contain the fire. Lucie and Katie grew upon Marrow Island and were forced to evacuate after the earthquake.
And then, just as the novel is starting to get really interesting, it ends! WTF?!
Admittedly, Smith is a good writer. Her descriptions are clear and evocative and the story’s suspense is well crafted. However, it is easy to confuse characters (especially Lucie and Katie thanks to the similarity of their names) and the novel does leave one feeling distinctly unsatisfied and frustrated as to the resolution (or lack thereof).
The story is told in the present tense and the past. Present: Lucie is living with her forest ranger boyfriend in the pacific northwest. She receives a letter from a former acquaintance, Sister Janet (aka Sister or Sister J) and this triggers the memories and tale of what happened on Marrow Island two years earlier (Past) when Lucie visited her oldest and best friend Katie who was living there in a kind of commune. The commune is squatting on the land and trying to repair the island. What happens next is a mishmash of psychedelic ideals, magic mushroom poisoning and the disappearance of the island’s owner – all intermingled with flashbacks between the present and past.
Marrow Island is fictional but its history is based in fact and the author has used the May Day 1993 earthquake to describe an island idyll destroyed by the oil refinery on the island erupting in fire and the toxic chemicals dumped to contain the fire. Lucie and Katie grew upon Marrow Island and were forced to evacuate after the earthquake.
And then, just as the novel is starting to get really interesting, it ends! WTF?!
Admittedly, Smith is a good writer. Her descriptions are clear and evocative and the story’s suspense is well crafted. However, it is easy to confuse characters (especially Lucie and Katie thanks to the similarity of their names) and the novel does leave one feeling distinctly unsatisfied and frustrated as to the resolution (or lack thereof).
May 25, 2016
Opening line: 'This was my last glimpse of Marrow Island before the boat pulled away: brown and green uniforms clustered on the beach, tramping up the hill to the chapel and through the trees to the cottages of Marrow Colony.'
September 7, 2021
This was a surprise from what I thought it would be. The back and forth in time by chapters was well done and did not confuse me as has happened with other books. I found the ending to be intereting and will leave it at that - plenty of fodder for book clubs to chew on!
November 19, 2017
This is one of those novels that have everything I like in a book. A remote setting, a narrator with a complicated past, an island full of nature-worshipping hippies, and a lot of secrets. It’s also one of those novels that have a massive amount of potential but end up being “Meh.”
Lucie Bowen left Marrow Island after an earthquake destroyed everything. It damaged the refinery, which killed Lucie’s father and polluted the island so badly that it became uninhabitable. When Lucie moves away from the island, she leaves behind her best friend and occasional lover, Kate. Twenty years after the earthquake, Kate writes to Lucie and tells her that she has moved back to Marrow Island. Kate is part of Marrow Colony, a group of religious hippies who are using mushrooms to repair the environment. Lucy eagerly goes to visit her old friend, but after a night of partying with the colonists, she finds herself in deadly trouble.
The story takes place on two timelines. In the present day, Lucie is living in a ranger station and dealing with the fallout of the events that occurred on Marrow Island. Kate is in prison. There are flashback chapters that show what happened on the island. I love this structure because it builds tension. Lucie is still really messed up from her near-death experience in Marrow Colony. She’s also still involved with the colonists, even though they almost got her killed, and most of them are in prison. I kept reading because I had to know what happened at the Colony. What secrets were they hiding? What did they do to get themselves thrown in jail?
The setting in this book is beautifully described. It made me want to visit the Pacific Northwest. If you’re interested in climate change and environmental issues, I’d recommend this novel. To me, it seems very realistic and well-researched.
My main issue with Marrow Island is the pacing. It feels like it takes forever for the action to get started, and once it does start, it’s over quickly. Lucie is a very self-absorbed person. She spends most of her time alone in the forest, thinking about her life. She doesn’t have any meaningful connections with other people, so most of the characters are flat. They’re just random acquaintances. The reader doesn’t learn much about them. I didn’t find Lucie’s thoughts very compelling to read. I wanted her to do something. Or meet someone. Or think about something besides herself.
When she (finally!) reaches the island, she gets a long lecture about mushrooms and the environment. Again, I had a hard time staying interested in this. Before Lucie became a self-obsessed forest-wanderer, she was a newspaper reporter, so I expected her to immediately start digging for Marrow Colony’s secrets. She didn’t. She got high and discovered the secrets by accident. I guess that’s realistic, but after spending so many pages waiting for something to happen, I was slightly disappointed. I wish Lucie had more agency. Most of the events in this book seem like accidents.
Maybe this book would have benefitted from being longer? It’s quite short. I think I would have liked more past-Lucie and less present-Lucie. More time on the island would have helped me understand the other characters better. I wasn’t always sure about their motives.
If you’re interested in environmental issues, then this book is worth reading, but I was disappointed with the meandering plot and underdeveloped characters.
TL;DR: Too much navel-gazing, not enough action.
Lucie Bowen left Marrow Island after an earthquake destroyed everything. It damaged the refinery, which killed Lucie’s father and polluted the island so badly that it became uninhabitable. When Lucie moves away from the island, she leaves behind her best friend and occasional lover, Kate. Twenty years after the earthquake, Kate writes to Lucie and tells her that she has moved back to Marrow Island. Kate is part of Marrow Colony, a group of religious hippies who are using mushrooms to repair the environment. Lucy eagerly goes to visit her old friend, but after a night of partying with the colonists, she finds herself in deadly trouble.
The story takes place on two timelines. In the present day, Lucie is living in a ranger station and dealing with the fallout of the events that occurred on Marrow Island. Kate is in prison. There are flashback chapters that show what happened on the island. I love this structure because it builds tension. Lucie is still really messed up from her near-death experience in Marrow Colony. She’s also still involved with the colonists, even though they almost got her killed, and most of them are in prison. I kept reading because I had to know what happened at the Colony. What secrets were they hiding? What did they do to get themselves thrown in jail?
The setting in this book is beautifully described. It made me want to visit the Pacific Northwest. If you’re interested in climate change and environmental issues, I’d recommend this novel. To me, it seems very realistic and well-researched.
My main issue with Marrow Island is the pacing. It feels like it takes forever for the action to get started, and once it does start, it’s over quickly. Lucie is a very self-absorbed person. She spends most of her time alone in the forest, thinking about her life. She doesn’t have any meaningful connections with other people, so most of the characters are flat. They’re just random acquaintances. The reader doesn’t learn much about them. I didn’t find Lucie’s thoughts very compelling to read. I wanted her to do something. Or meet someone. Or think about something besides herself.
“So much of our thinking is involved with things we’ve already done and things we have yet to do. It’s almost impossible not to be thinking about some future moment or some past mistake or tragedy.” – Marrow Island
When she (finally!) reaches the island, she gets a long lecture about mushrooms and the environment. Again, I had a hard time staying interested in this. Before Lucie became a self-obsessed forest-wanderer, she was a newspaper reporter, so I expected her to immediately start digging for Marrow Colony’s secrets. She didn’t. She got high and discovered the secrets by accident. I guess that’s realistic, but after spending so many pages waiting for something to happen, I was slightly disappointed. I wish Lucie had more agency. Most of the events in this book seem like accidents.
“When I let go of my own work, my own priorities, I lost the qualities he had been attracted to in the first place. That's how he put it. He loved the woman I was before I was in love with him.” – Marrow Island
Maybe this book would have benefitted from being longer? It’s quite short. I think I would have liked more past-Lucie and less present-Lucie. More time on the island would have helped me understand the other characters better. I wasn’t always sure about their motives.
If you’re interested in environmental issues, then this book is worth reading, but I was disappointed with the meandering plot and underdeveloped characters.
TL;DR: Too much navel-gazing, not enough action.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews