The Vines

by Shelley Nolden

In the shadows of New York City lies forbidden North Brother Island, where the remains of a shuttered hospital hide the haunting memories of century-old quarantines and human experiments. The ruins conceal the scarred and beautiful Cora, imprisoned by contagions and the doctors who torment her. When Finn, a young urban explorer, arrives on the island and glimpses an enigmatic beauty through the foliage, intrigue turns to obsession as he seeks to uncover her past—and his own family’s dark secrets. By unraveling these mysteries, will he be able to save Cora? Will Cora meet the same tragic ending as the thousands who’ve already perished on the island?

The Vines intertwines North Brother Island’s horrific and elusive history with a captivating tale of love, betrayal, survival, and loss.

Genres: Horror, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Historical, Science Fiction

391 pages, Hardcover

First published March 23, 2021

About the author

Born and raised in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, Shelley Nolden headed east after matriculating from the University of Minnesota. After living in New York City for five years while working in finance, she and her husband decided they weren’t meant for city life and moved to Ridgewood, New Jersey.

In 2011, Shelley was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. The first sign of her disease was losing her baby during the nineteenth week of pregnancy. She spent the first forty days of her illness inpatient, simultaneously mourning the loss of her baby while missing her eighteen-month-old. Because this type of leukemia prevents platelets from maturing into functioning clotting cells, her daughter wasn’t allowed to visit because even a hug could have proved fatal. Throughout her ordeal, she kept a cancer blog and regularly contributed to cancer-related publications.

Stemming from her personal experience, Shelley developed a deep-rooted drive to help others affected by cancer, subsequently becoming a Co-founder of GRYT Health, whose mission is to improve quality of life and increase survival for people facing cancer through a relentless focus on patient experience. Additionally, resulting from her experience as a college athlete (as a swimmer and then rower), as well as her years as a woman on Wall Street, she acted on her passion for the advancement of women’s rights by becoming an Advisor to Goal Five, a women’s sports apparel company named after the United Nations’ Fifth Sustainable Development Goal: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Shelley’s debut novel, THE VINES, will be released March 23, 2021. Her obsession with forbidden North Brother Island in New York City’s East River, as well as her personal health history and passion for equality, heavily influenced the creation of this historical fiction thriller.

Currently, Shelley lives in the Milwaukee area with her family and their dog Storm, named after one of the most powerful and respected superheroes. Because, naturally, her commitment to female empowerment extends to the family dog.

Reviews

[L.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is why I read!!! I learn something new every time I open a book. As a librarian, I challenge my students to find something you are interested in and go with it, but lately it has been go out of your comfort zone and genre you will be amazed by the new categories of knowledge that are surfacing. Shelley Nolden, thank you for opening my eyes to North Brother Island, NY. How did I not know this existed? I realize the story is based on historical fiction, but this led me down a rabbit hole to research the island, The General Slocum, the human experiments, the quarantines and mankind's seemly cruelest mistakes.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for my review. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hoping for a sequel.
I couldn't stop thinking about the General Slocum that killed 1,021 men, women and children. I was horrified by the descriptions and the poor souls clinging to life while watching so many burn or drown and the countless people who tried to rescue them.

The images online of this island is captivating with so many beautiful castle-like buildings. It would be hard to keep me away from investigating this farther if I lived in New York. The book has an excellent historical background and research with connections to the Holocaust and the family responsible for the horrifying psychological human experiments on the patients quarantined for contagious diseases. This book hits close to home with our universal quarantines from loved ones and a pandemic that will be written about for decades. I'm thankful for being quarantined at home when loved ones during the early 1900's were taken from their homes and sent to live on this island with no technology to connect. **Extra note*** After closing in 1940, the island was then used to isolate drug addicts until 1963.

Interesting characters to watch for is Typhoid Mary. I remember reading about her in history books, but to see her character come to life is phenomenal. Finn, an adventurer, that explores the island that he has always heard about since he is a by product of his family responsible for relinquishing harm on the patients. Finn discovers Cora, a beautiful isolated inhabitant scarred mentally, physically and kept against her will for decades. She has experienced pain and torture from the demented Dr. Gettler.

(The enrichment of this work holds parallel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.)
Discover the lies, betrayal, intriguing strength found hiding on one of the best kept secrets in the remains of this shuttered hospital and island.
***Don't forget to research the North Brother Island and General Slocum. The images will enhance the reading of this book***

[Debbie W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I chose to listen to this audiobook:
1. I was intrigued by the premise ever since GR "recommended" it to me a few years ago;
2. it's available as a free loan via Hoopla; and,
3. October 2024 is my "Month of Mystery".

Praises:
1. I really liked how a variety of genres were successfully written into this story. Historical fiction mixed in with a splash of science fiction and suspense, and a pinch of horror kept me riveted;
2. I learned so much history from this novel! The setting is North Brother Island, New York City's "most notorious pest house", where people suffering from various contagions and addictions were sent from the 1880s to the early 1960s. Many lived the remainder of their lives there.
Although I have heard of "Typhoid Mary" Mallon, I didn't know that she was sent to NBI.
On June 15, 1904, the horrific maritime disaster of the steamboat PS General Slocum occurred just off the coast of NBI, killing over 1000 people, mostly women and children. This was another historical event that I was clueless about.
I have heard about the "Ravensbruck Rabbits" (Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly) who were also mentioned in this story;
3. I felt a lot of empathy for Cora, the MC who was destined to live on NBI, never being allowed to form close relationships and being subjected to a variety of sadistic torturous procedures, all in the name of science; and,
4. although the primary characters were fictional, I enjoyed hearing about several of the secondary characters, who in real life were actual people.

Niggles:
1. a possible sequel may come, as the reader is left hanging at the end of the story. Personally, I would have preferred this book to be a stand-alone, with a complete ending (good or bad);
2. the "present day" storyline (and some of its characters and their actions) confused me at times; and,
3.I found that the narrator's use of male voices to be indistinguishable from each other, and unfortunately, sounding constipated.

Overall Thoughts:
Even though this was written during the Covid pandemic, it leaves a lot to ponder -what is the greater good: individual or societal rights?

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5 stars). The Vines had been on my TBR list for quite a while. I loved the cover, the title, and the synopsis was also super interesting. However, the story itself had me confused most of the time and this was not at all what I was expecting.

To be honest, I’ve even bumped up my rating a tad because the author’s note beforehand is pretty gripping and heartbreaking. Because of this author’s note, I really wanted to like this book more (that’s why I pushed through it), but it just didn’t work for me. Not what I was in the mood for maybe? Maybe not my cup of tea today 🤷🏻‍♀️

We have a woman named Cora who lives on an island for over one hundred years and is immune to all diseases only on this island… Cora never ages, grows her own food, lives with out electricity, has clothing, etc… Things were just too unrealistic- and did I mention the confusing part? Because every couple pages I was asking myself “huh”?

A couple positive things about this book is that I did learn some history facts. I learned about North Brother Island that was once the site of Riverside Hospital for quarantinable diseases in NY (the site is now closed and forbidden). I also learned about the General Slocum shipwreck that took place in 1904. That was a devastating tragedy that killed over a thousand people. Learning these facts did hold my interest.

There seems to be many people who have enjoyed this book and will be pleased to know that there is a sequel coming out soon (not sure of the date). I’m not sure if I will continue on with this series unfortunately.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Finn, a young urban explorer who comes from a family of doctors, arrives on North Brother Island, which holds remains of a shuttered hospital, once a place of human experiments. There he “glimpses an enigmatic beauty through the foliage.” It leads him to efforts to uncover her past and at the same time his family’s secrets. The way his story progresses, it is challenging to follow at times. In one paragraph he is physically somewhere, in the next paragraph he is somewhere else with his thoughts, and in the following paragraph his thoughts shift again to something else. Also, at some points his story contains too much dialogue which doesn’t move the story forward.

The strength of this story is in the past story with Cora. Her story has a good flow as being more straight forward. Cora arrives on North Brother Island due to a contagion spreading in the city. She hopes to be out of the island as soon as possible. But one test turns into another and there is no end to it.

As Cora “pleaded with Dr. Gettler to allow her to fill her days with purpose” three years earlier, her story has the same feel – not much purpose in it, besides serving a doctor’s purpose for his experiments. I wanted her story to be developed beyond this island. I was so excited when Mary Mallon, so called Typhoid Mary, appears in this story and tries to push Cora to change her circumstances. But Cora refuses. Mary Mallon, who takes destiny in her hands, is the kind of character that holds my interest. Not so much Cora, who goes with what she is being told.

The historical background is interesting and it’s parallel with current situation of trying to understand a virus.

When it comes to style of writing, it gets a bit too descriptive. But there are plenty of readers who appreciate more detailed account of events.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finn Gettler has a penchant for urban exploration. Drawn by the mystique surrounding North Brother Island, Finn launches his kayak and navigates himself toward the abandoned and forbidden island that is now a heron sanctuary. What Finn discovers on the island is shocking and surreal when he is confronted by a mysterious woman riddled with scars.

Eager to unravel the mystery behind the island and its enigmatic occupant, Finn returns only to find out that his family’s past possesses some deep and dark secrets. Secrets that have laid dormant until now.

Surreal and creepy, The Vines is a compelling read that will draw the reader in. Never letting go until the end.

The author, Shelley Nolden has composed a spine-chilling historical fiction novel with well researched details of the North and South Brother Islands as well as details surrounding “Typhoid” Mary Mallon.

As compelling of a read that it is, the reader should Google the North Brother Island and Mary Mallon. It is with this added knowledge that the reader will come to appreciate the narrative of The Vines. Four deserving stars.

I received a digital ARC of the novel from Freiling Publishing through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Shelley]

Thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed The Vines! I am so grateful for your support. All the kind words have meant so much to me, given the many years of researching and writing that went into creating this novel.

With excitement and gratitude, I'm sharing these reviews:

“THE VINES weaves beautiful writing around an unsettling mystery: Who is the strange, scarred woman living on a seemingly uninhabitable island? Shelley Nolden’s debut seems not just prescient - given the world’s current focus on virology and immunizations - but also timeless, as it illustrates in painful detail how mankind seems destined to repeat our cruelest mistakes. Luckily for us readers, there’s a bright thread of hope running through this book - as well as the promise of a sequel.”
—Sarah Pekkanen, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of You Are Not Alone

“Highly original and richly drawn, Shelley Nolden’s THE VINES features one of the most fascinating central characters you’ll ever meet. Drawing on both the dark history of North Brother Island and today’s painfully immediate worries about immunity and transmission of deadly disease, this debut transcends genre to combine history, thrills, obsession, medical ethics, and more into
the compelling story of three generations of doctors and one remarkable woman.”
—Greer Macallister, bestselling author of The Magician’s Lie and The Arctic Fury

“Eerily timely and profoundly compelling, THE VINES is an unputdownable, unforgettable saga, the journey of a seemingly helpless, persecuted American woman who survives and battles back, against all odds; this first in what promises to be an explosive series signals the arrival of Shelley Nolden’s masterful new voice in hybrid fiction.”
—May Cobb, author of The Hunting Wives

“Every character in this book is incredibly unique…the history and science in this book is exceedingly well thought out, well researched and fabulously detailed. Where Ms. Nolden truly excels is the historical portions…For fans of real-life history, science and mysteries alike, Shelley Nolden weaves a magical story with an abundance of intrigue that will leave readers eager for a sequel.”
—Ind’Tale Magazine

“In a debut that is part horror novel, part thought experiment, Nolden has accomplished the feat of getting readers to ask themselves what horrors can be done to serve the greater good.”
—Booklist

“Shelly Nolden’s first book — with a promise of more — is a wonderful mix of science fiction, history, fantasy and some wishful thinking; a worthy read on so many levels.”
—BookTrib

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing

This is an awesome read and I look forward to the next book in this series. Would you like to be trapped on an island having experiments being performed on you year after agonizing year? A young girl losing her chance at a normal life, ostracized from everyone around her even a human touch with no chance of love; but continues to have hope through all the cruel and evil done to her.

With all the elements of a thriller and a well written imaginative story, I recommend you give this author a try. You won't be disappointed.

[Kathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I cannot proceed with the reading of this book from Net Galley due to awkward phrasing, sentence construction, word choice, strange actions, etc. Concept of book sounded very intriguing but reading it is too much of a struggle.
Also...the author has a lovely profile of struggle that should have lent to authenticity. Sorry.

ARC Net Galley

[Diane S ☔]

DnF at 30 percent. Too my problems with this one, at least for this reader. Of course, it may be this reader at fault and not the book. Proceed accordingly.

[Emerson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Shelley Nolden, Freiling Publishing and #NetGalley for this copy of #TheVines in return for an honest review.

The Vines, The Vines, The Vines … what to say about The Vines?
I wanted to like this book.
I wanted to LOVE this book.
I really, really did.
Great cover. Great idea. Great execution.
It’s just that … well … nothing really happened!
I don’t want to give anything away, but I so desperately wanted this book to go places, to give me more of the main character, Cora. More of who she was and what she could do, of the island and the history/mystery that surrounded it. But the book didn’t deliver, it just sat on its bony arse and barely moved a muscle (much like my dog, except her arse is far from bony).
I kept telling myself the problem lay with my choice of reading platform. This was my very first kindle read rather than an actual real-life book-in-hand read, but I don’t believe that’s it. Or perhaps it’s because the prose was a little on the purple side for me, but then the book I’m reading now is also a little too flowery, but I’m enjoying it just fine.
So what WAS the problem with The Vines? The characters were likable enough (except for Ullrich, the bastard) and though the story jumped back and forth faster than one of those bats with a ball on elastic, it didn’t in any way ruin the story. So I guess, in truth, I honestly don’t know why The Vines didn’t do it for me. But it didn’t (*shrug*).
What I will say though, is perhaps you should read it for yourself because it’s not a bad book. Far from it. I’m just completely and hopelessly stuck in the middle with this one, and because of that my review is essentially next to useless.

3 bemused stars out of five

[Jennifer Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, a timely escape! The Vines seamlessly lifts us from the woes of 2020 and plants us neatly in the early 20th century in a New York City wrestling to control a different set of communicable diseases. The journey through generations of evolving medical ethics is personified in Cora, an intriguingly beautiful, scarred woman Finn discovers in 2007, living on North Brother Island, an otherwise abandoned bit of land a mere kayak-ride away from bustling New York City.

Nolden masterfully captures the history and mystery of this former home of Typhoid Mary, now housing a bird sanctuary in an overgrown forest that hides the ruins of Riverside Hospital, a morgue, and memories of the Slocum steamship fire in 1904, while focusing on the tale of one family’s quest to cure diseases – at any cost.

Like so many books today, the perspective shifts among characters and time periods, but each section is long enough for the reader to become totally engrossed. If you enjoyed Pete Hamill’s Forever and can suspend your disbelief just a bit, you’ll love the intersection of science and history of The Vines.

The Vines combines beautiful imagery, riveting characters, and a plot that twists and turns and ultimately resolves in a satisfying ending that left me wanting more. I can’t wait for the sequel – and, I hope, a film version!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, talk about a complex debut. The Vines by Shelley Nolden has an incredibly intricate plot as well as 2 different timelines, and I am so impressed that this is Nolden's first novel. The setting is appropriately creepy, and I thought she did an amazing job making this atmospheric and giving us history at the same time. At times it was hard to read, and it definitely has its disturbing parts, but I was completely captured by this novel and didn't want to put it down. Cora's character really frustrated me at times, but at the same time, my heart broke for her as well. All I wanted was for her to be completely free from her tormentors, and because of her, this book makes for a tough read.

The audiobook for The Vines is done very well and is narrated by Jess Nahikian. Since it's a very thick book, I mostly stuck to the audio as well as following along in my physical copy. A lot is going on and at times it is confusing, so reading this would be the way to go for some people. I was fine on audio for the most part though, and I loved how Nahikian brought the book to life. I think they picked the perfect narrator to voice this novel, and she did really well with each different viewpoint. I have to give props to Nolden for writing something this in-depth, especially when she was fighting leukemia, and I can't believe how scarily similar her plot ends up being with our current times. I didn't know anything about North Brother Island before reading The Vines, and I am pretty horrified to learn its past. If you are a historical fiction fan who likes eerie novels and medical thrillers, I highly recommend checking this one out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Jammin Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book. The MC Cora is sent to an island off the coast of Manhattan because she contracted an illness. But something on the island has given her immunity to some of the nastiest viruses around - ebola, corona, SARs. A doctor on the island starts experimenting on her to try and find cures to various diseases. He then joins the Nazi party and does more virology experiments on the Jews. He returns to the island and picks up where he left off.

I never quite understood how she got her immunity, but maybe that will be covered in the next book in the series.

I received an e-ARC of this book by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure what I expected from this book, it surely wasn't this. Stepping back in time as far back as 1904 you are submersed into a story that a families quest to cure diseases comes at any cost.

I was bit freaked, intrigued and fascinated through out this entire book. The story was well researched and made you believe the history of it all.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for a splendid read

[Emms-hiatus(ish) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

You can tell that this is a well researched book that the author poured their heart and soul into.

I seriously struggled to stay engaged with the story. For a fairly short book, it felt like it went on forever only to then end on a cliffhanger. Had I known this wasn’t a stand alone, I would’ve dnf’ed before the halfway mark. I won’t continue the series as I barely made it through the book.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Review of “The Vines” by Shelley Nolden, Freiling Publishing, March 23, 2021 by Linda Zagon
If you enjoy a terrifying, horrifying psychological thriller, I have a book recommendation for you.! Shelley Nolden, the author of “The Vines” has written a captivating, intriguing, intense and historical thriller. This novel takes place on North Brother Island, close by New York, on an island that has been taken over by vines and plant growth. At one time there was a hospital, used for quarantine for contagious illnesses, help for patients with addictions, and experimentations of biological viruses and toxins, as well as human beings. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex, and complicated. Some are evil and appear to be psychotic, or obsessed with dangerous things. There are lies, secrets, betrayals, danger and death.

Finn is exploring the island and checking the foliage, and comes across Cora, a woman who is beautiful but scarred. Most of Finn’s family have been doctors affiliated with research on the island. As Finn gets close enough to meet Cora, without getting killed, he starts to learn dark secrets and mysteries about his family, that he can hardly believe is true. Cora has developed unbelievable survival skills, although she has become the uber victim.

There are twists and turns, danger lurking at every turn, and the possibility of death. I could not put this book down, and continued to read. With everything going on in the world today, there could be a realistic tone to it, and it is very thought-provoking. Stay-tuned, I believe there will be another book to follow. I look forward to reading it.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is chilling. This isn't labeled a horror novel, but the real life treatment of and the experiments done to the patients of North Brother Island were truly horrifying. This book give us a glimpse of the island's dark history while also seamlessly weaving a present day tale that highlights the ripple effect of destruction caused by the gruesome experiments conducted there.
Couple that with reading this book during a pandemic, and it's even more jarring and unsettling. Waverly Hills has nothing on North Brother Island, and I wish more people would write about this haunting place.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda Hupe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, Shelley Noldon, and Freiling Publishing for the opportunity to read this book!

The eerie cover and synopsis definitely caught my attention. The Vines by Shelley Nolden is a story that takes place over two timelines. In 1907, Coraline and her sister are sent to North Brother Island to be quarantined. The Gettler doctors are studying the spread of disease. Then in 2007, Finn Gettler goes to explore North Brother Island and the abandoned Riverside Hospital where he makes an unsettling discovery. There is a severely scarred woman that is living on the island and she has some horrifying accusations about the Gettler family. Finn now has to confront the secrets that may destroy everything he loves.

My hopes were very high going into this book. It is timely, as its main theme is a virus. We get to meet Typhoid Mary and see the beginnings of studying microbiology. I did love all the historical detail! I have heard of North Brother Island and the horrors that occurred there. In fact, I encourage readers to look up the history of the quarantine and those poor souls who were kept there against their will. So this book has a FASCINATING backdrop…

BUT.

I just could not get into this book. While the subject is fascinating, the execution did not succeed for me. The plot was a little scattered and the dual timelines did not come together seamlessly. While I did appreciate the author shining a light on difficulties that are experienced by the characters, I think there was too much going on to bring any real development to them. The dialogue was stilted and it made for a very slow pace.

Then, at last, there is the ending. It does leave off on a cliffhanger and makes way for book two. This book does release on March 23rd. Overall, I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timely, action-packed, and supernaturally creepy!

The Vines transports you to North Brother Island, NY, from 1902 to 2008 and immerses you in all the obsession, tragedy, emotions, memories, fantastical elements, destruction, experimentation, sickness, and long-buried secrets that mars and defines the multi-generational, Gettler family.

The prose is mysterious and dark. The characters are obsessed, callous, and ruthless. And the plot told from alternating timelines is a fascinating, engrossing tale full of familial drama, heartache, tension, sacrifice, violence, and intriguing, historical medical philosophies and procedures.

Overall, The Vines is a spellbinding, atmospheric, sinister tale by Nolden that not only highlights her incredible knowledge and passion for a time and place that is often unknown, forgotten or overlooked, but also does a remarkable job of reminding us that advances in medicine has both a light and a dark side, as the power to help and heal often comes at a price.

Thank you to Shelley Nolden & OTRPR for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. So many feelings.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for this digital ARC for my honest opinion.
The mystery that began on the first pages with a scarred but beautiful woman being watched by an innocent interloper and then fearing for his life from said woman was a pretty good start! I got a bit confused with the first change in timeline narrative and it did require me to let go of some of my more "realistic" notions. Once I did, I was able to fully embrace the story and let my mind and heart engage in the many layers of emotional wranglings that the characters must navigate.
This story wrestles with the ideas of the individual versus the collective, human strength and dignity, the drive to live, and the motivations to help others against the deeper evils of power, glory, and control. Evident here that was a poignant point to me, was the necessity to dehumanize in order to harm. Also a difficult, and well presented question of how far someone is willing to go to prevent/cure/aid someone or yourself. Do the ends justify the means? I thought these questions were dealt with well in a very human way through the characters. Reading more about the author and her cancer experience helped me understand how she could bring such depth to the emotion.
I like a book that leaves me with a sense of challenge; how do I really feel about something. This book definitely did that.
My only critique (beyond the "realistic" notion that I had to shake off) is that I wished for a more satisfying end to one of the antagonists, one that was sooner. All the frustrations I had with Cora, the scarred woman in the beginning, seemed to be explained and made sense as the story progressed. She was a stronger woman that I had given her credit for in the beginning.
A timely story in a year of Covid, this is a good read that poses basic human questions that are for any time.

[Permanently_Booked · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Personally, I'd rather drown a free woman than live here a caged animal."

The cover caught my attention first and after reading the synopsis I had it added to my tbr. Lucky me when I found it as a ‘Read Now” on Netgalley! Little did I realize how impossible it would be to put this down by the end.

With multiple POVs this transitions between the 1900s and 2007. Finn enjoys exploring and comes from a family of doctors who make it their life’s work to eradicate disease. When he decides to venture to North Border Island, he finds more than just the remains of an old tuberculosis ward in ruins. He finds Cora, and she comes with a horrid and unique past that traverses decades of microbiology, immunity sciences and vaccines. I was highly impressed with the way Nolden took so much scientific information surrounding these topics and made them entertaining to read about. Cora is probably the most in-depth character I have bonded with in a long time. The horrors she went through, the psychological onslaught she endured at the hands of a family is just incomprehensible. Let alone the aspects surrounding lack of human contact and affection over time. This one really makes you sit back and think.

Nolden not only sweeps you away with vivid imagery and deeply fleshed out characters but also takes you on a trip down ethics road. The cost of health, long life and cures. What lengths some will go to in the name of science and medicine. Just imagine how often that line was crossed to get to where we are today. I also loved the addition of Typhoid Mary Mallon; I was not expecting that. I had to take a moment to research some of the history that takes place in this book that I was completely unaware of. It added a higher level of appreciation for the time and effort Nolden went to for this captivating read. There are so many engrossing themes and the atmosphere is quietly eerie as it creeps around the plot line. There are areas that go into detail scientifically and historically. This can make the read a little longer than desired for some, but I personally have never been more eager to know more about a place or person’s background before.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy historical fiction with a mix of science and topics that are not so easy to read about. I think you will connect with Cora as much as I did if this is a genre you frequent. When you grab this book, read the note by the author first. Thank you to Over the River PR and Shelley Nolden for the opportunity to read this gifted digital arc in exchange for an honest review. True rating 4.5/5.

Content mention: human testing/experiments, rape, abuse

[Danielle Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book was very timely in 2020! Lots of relevance in terms of infectious disease. I loved the dichotomy of present day and going back in time. Some pieces felt a bit disjointed to me but I really enjoyed the story overall.

[Melissa S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Freiling Publishing and the author, Shelley Nolden for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.  What a unique and creative book.  The author wove together elements of a medical thriller with historical fiction and a little dash of science fiction to create a rich and interesting story that is shockingly relevant to today’s current events.  Finn the youngest member of the Gettler family, and the only family member for generations who is not a medical doctor and researcher.  For years the Gettler family has immersed itself in researching communicable diseases and their cures.  Finn’s great grandfather, Otto, and grandfather, Ulrich, were each the head physician of the now defunct medical facility on North Brothers Island, just across the river from New York City.  The medical facility was used in the early 1900s as a quarantine for those with the most dangerous facility – it was once home to Typhoid Mary.  Finn is aware that his family’s history relates to the ruins now standing on North Brothers Island, but the family is still mysteriously tied to the island.  Finn kayaks to try to learn more about the family obsessions and secrets.  There he encounters a beautiful and enigmatic young woman named Cora whose body is covered in a heartbreaking network of scars.  She is enraged by Finn’s presence on the island and notes her hatred for the Gettler family.  They have been doing her harm all the way back to Otto’s generation nearly 100 years ago.  Finn is puzzled – how can that be?  From here, the narrative splits to fill in Cora’s back story, starting when she first arrived at the island, while Finn works in the present day to try to unravel the secrets hiding in his family’s history.

It’s clear that the author, Shelley Nolden, completed a considerable amount of research for this novel.  The history of North Brothers Island as a medical quarantine and research facility is true and fascinating.  It gave me a lot to think about in light of the current pandemic and the question of medical ethics. The conditions, the daily life of patients there – where is the line between patient and inmate? The Gettler family has been researching for years in an attempt to develop vaccines to stop some of the world’s deadliest diseases.  But how do you balance a person’s own rights versus the greater good of the community that will result from an effective vaccine or treatment?  Nolden tackles these questions in a setting of beautiful, descriptive imagery.  I was fascinated by the idea of vegetation slowly reclaiming the island, turning the buildings into wild ruins, all within a stone’s throw of the hustle and bustle of New York City.  And could a person really live alone in the resulting wilderness, undetected by authorities, for decades? This book was full of interesting characters with complex relationships.  There was plenty of action and the plot moved along at a good pace.  I think it would make a great movie, and I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers or historical fiction.  I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Add it to your TBR list and look for it in March!

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a nurse, I am always drawn to stories that bring to light the history and perspectives of medical treatments, historical figures, and historical landmarks, those that have made strides to the improvement and saving of lives, as well as, the notorious characters like Typhoid Mary as mentioned in this novel.

From the moment the story opens, I was completely hooked by Cora, who she is, what her scars were all about, and why she was at Brother Island, now off limits to public and a bird sanctuary - an isolated location of a shuttered Riverside Hospital now in ruins. The thrilling story continues to keep me turning those pages as Nolden expertly weaves stories from the past and the secrets the Gettler family is hiding. In this genre bending story, we witness the abhorrent and unethical experiments and practices from the past and how this is hauntingly creeping into the present timeline as dark secrets are surfacing. This story is also about the strength and resilience of Cora which was a formidable character and a true badass.

I recommend you look into the history of Brother Island and the pictures online from some amazing photographers that were granted entry into the now bird sanctuary with the buildings left in ruins. It really helped me bring this story to life.

Overall, this historical fiction scifi thriller mystery was engaging, thought provoking and quite relatable to our current pandemic situation.

[Escapereality4now · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vines

The Vines takes you from the present day to as back as 1904. This is a story about finding vaccines for highly contagious diseases. The Vines, which is set at North Brother Island in New York, goes back and forth between present day and historical time periods. The reader really gets an eerie feeling from the abandoned hospital on the island.

Cora is a host to two viruses, small pox and typhoid, without showing symptoms. Finn, whose family conducted most of the research, must figure out how Cora lived so long. Both Cora and Finn are just two of the many characters in this book that range from eerie to brash.

The Vines, an extremely slow burn, captivated my interest mainly because of the setting in which the story takes place. An abandoned hospital along with all its history peaked my interest. I learned so much from this book, including when I googled North Brother Island and Typhoid Mary to get more history of when happened.

This book brought several ethical issues to mind, such as is it ok for one person to suffer for the benefit of mankind and how much medical testing is too much. I would highly recommend this book to any historical fiction fans.

5 stars

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and it is currently very fitting to today’s situation! The story speaks about coronavirus SAR and a variety of viruses, starting from 1901. A woman, named Cora is used as a ‘lab rat’ for different trials to find vaccines and cure the illnesses, throughout the book, it goes from past to present day to tell the story of Cora. It is scientific and really interesting. In 2008, which is the present day, we meet Finn, an explorer who finds himself on the island, where the adventure begins to try and find Cora and save her. Does she exist? What will Finn entail?

This historical story is interesting and full of suspense, survival, love and heartbreak. I liked that the storyline was set in a real abandoned place called North Brother Island, which is in New York City. If you enjoy historical reads with some science involved, then you’ll really enjoy this book!

[Elizabeth Maurer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a compelling combination of multigenerational family conflict, factual historical context, microbial mischief and maliciousness (especially relevant in today’s world), sprinkled liberally with mystery and suspense, then this is the read for you. As a native of the east coast, I especially related to the eerie setting of abandoned North Brother Island, and the inclusion of factual disease outbreaks. Explanations of pathogen mechanisms are accurate while still being “reader-friendly”. Characters range from creepy, to revolting, to admirable, to heroic. I’m absolutely waiting for a sequel!

[Leslie McKee · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot sounded interesting and different from my typical reads, so I was looking forward to reading it. However, it didn't meet my expectations.

Prior to this book, I'd never heard of the abandoned islands in New York that once housed people of quarantinable illnesses. It ends with an unexpected cliffhanger. Sadly, if there's a follow-up book, I doubt I'll read it. There was just too much jumping around, which was confusing. It just didn't hold my attention.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

So straight off, I am going to say, this book ends in a cliffhanger. I'm not a fan of not knowing that from the get go, so here is my warning to others who are like me and prefer going into a book with that knowledge.

On to my review...I enjoyed this one a lot. It was well written and quite relevant to our situation at present (pandemic). It had a captivating plot. Intriguing characters. An atmospheric setting. Some real historical facts and people mixed in. I'm looking forward to the next book! 👍👍

**ARC Via NetGalley**

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Shelley Nolden creates a timely thriller—both historic and contemporary in nature.

Read full review in the 2021 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.