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The Floating Island
It’s almost a year since fifteen-year-old Matt and his younger brother, Tom, rowed out to the island. Matt, confined to a wheelchair and haunted by nightmares, can’t remember what happened. Nor does he want to.
Only when Sarah Bell, a tough, Geordie girl with a no-nonsense approach, takes up the newly vacant position of Matt’s carer, do things begin to change for him.
As the floating island returns to the surface of the lake, Matt is forced to confront the truth about his brother’s death, but also, unknowingly, exposes him to an adult world of passion, guilt, and betrayal.
Only when Sarah Bell, a tough, Geordie girl with a no-nonsense approach, takes up the newly vacant position of Matt’s carer, do things begin to change for him.
As the floating island returns to the surface of the lake, Matt is forced to confront the truth about his brother’s death, but also, unknowingly, exposes him to an adult world of passion, guilt, and betrayal.
- GenresFiction
340 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
3 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Anna Ralph
76 books1 followerDr Anna Ralph (Barker) is an award-winning novelist and journalist. Her first novel The Floating Island (Arrow, 2008) won a Betty Trask best debut award from the Society of Authors. It was inspired by the real floating island on Derwentwater in the Lake District and tells the story of Matt, a 15-year-old boy, who rows out to the island with his younger brother to plant a flag with disastrous consequences.
Her second novel Before I Knew Him (Arrow, 2009) was also inspired by landscape, particularly the coast of Northumberland. Much of this novel, which was shortlisted for a Good Housekeeping Good Read award, drew upon the themes Anna had begun to explore in the first book: love, sexuality, memory, trauma, obsession and betrayal.
She has also contributed to Writing Motherhood: a Creative Anthology on Motherhood and Writing edited by Carolyn Jess Cooke and the Book Lovers’ Appreciation Society, a collection of short stories by various authors.
Before she embarked on her publishing career, Anna worked as a journalist, in public relations and as a copywriter. It is this extensive experience in varying forms of communication and her experience as a published author that feeds into her work with the Royal Literary Fund, teaching academic writing skills and mentoring students, both 1-1 and through workshops and writing retreats. She has also created a free academic writing app for students called Alex.
Anna lives in Durham and holds a doctorate in Creative Writing from the University of Huddersfield. She is currently working on a novel called Switch, a psychological thriller. You can follow the process of its creation in her blog at anna barker.co.uk.
Her second novel Before I Knew Him (Arrow, 2009) was also inspired by landscape, particularly the coast of Northumberland. Much of this novel, which was shortlisted for a Good Housekeeping Good Read award, drew upon the themes Anna had begun to explore in the first book: love, sexuality, memory, trauma, obsession and betrayal.
She has also contributed to Writing Motherhood: a Creative Anthology on Motherhood and Writing edited by Carolyn Jess Cooke and the Book Lovers’ Appreciation Society, a collection of short stories by various authors.
Before she embarked on her publishing career, Anna worked as a journalist, in public relations and as a copywriter. It is this extensive experience in varying forms of communication and her experience as a published author that feeds into her work with the Royal Literary Fund, teaching academic writing skills and mentoring students, both 1-1 and through workshops and writing retreats. She has also created a free academic writing app for students called Alex.
Anna lives in Durham and holds a doctorate in Creative Writing from the University of Huddersfield. She is currently working on a novel called Switch, a psychological thriller. You can follow the process of its creation in her blog at anna barker.co.uk.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 25, 2019
A bit different from the usual plot. Complex. Good characters.
January 2, 2023
I got this book for $4 at a book fair and had no idea what it was about - but honestly, the story line seemed pointless and at the end of the book it felt like no progress has been made. The idea of the book is cool, but I did not enjoy the authors style or writing. Would not recommend.
July 14, 2008
Since I work in the library, I found the Floating Island on the "New Books" shelf, and took it out, not expecting too much of it. It was, in fact, better than I expected.
It's the story of Matt, a 15 year old boy trapped in a wheelchair after a horrific accident a year previous. In this accident, his younger brother Tom died. Struggling to cope, his mother hires him a carer, 18 year old Sarah, and gets him the help of a psychiatrist, Robert. The story consists of these 3 characters and each of their relationships.
Over-all, I loved the story. Matt has blocked the accident out of his mind but is haunted by nightmares- and worst of all, the doctors say that his disability is entirely psychological and there is nothing physically wrong with him. I loved his character and the way his guilt is explored- in my mind, guilt is the worst emotion. I didn't like the way his character switches so abruptly though- how, one minute, he loathes Sarah, and the next he is in love with her. I found that slightly unbelievable.
And I loved the relationship between Sarah and Robert- though, warning now, the sex is very gratuitous! I'm no prude, but I was quite shocked at how explicit some of the sex scenes were, especially when the rest of the book is fairly toned down. They somehow seemed out of place.
It's very well written and I found it addictive; I stayed up till 1.30am to get it finished, despite having an early start the next day. But- and this is what stopped it from being a 4/5 star review- I found the ending a HUGE let down. I won't spoil it for those who haven't read it, but basically I felt I needed to know MORE, it was left hanging open and I wanted some of the loose ends tied up. Nothing is solved or even fully explained in the book.
That said, still a brilliant book and I would definitely recommend it!
It's the story of Matt, a 15 year old boy trapped in a wheelchair after a horrific accident a year previous. In this accident, his younger brother Tom died. Struggling to cope, his mother hires him a carer, 18 year old Sarah, and gets him the help of a psychiatrist, Robert. The story consists of these 3 characters and each of their relationships.
Over-all, I loved the story. Matt has blocked the accident out of his mind but is haunted by nightmares- and worst of all, the doctors say that his disability is entirely psychological and there is nothing physically wrong with him. I loved his character and the way his guilt is explored- in my mind, guilt is the worst emotion. I didn't like the way his character switches so abruptly though- how, one minute, he loathes Sarah, and the next he is in love with her. I found that slightly unbelievable.
And I loved the relationship between Sarah and Robert- though, warning now, the sex is very gratuitous! I'm no prude, but I was quite shocked at how explicit some of the sex scenes were, especially when the rest of the book is fairly toned down. They somehow seemed out of place.
It's very well written and I found it addictive; I stayed up till 1.30am to get it finished, despite having an early start the next day. But- and this is what stopped it from being a 4/5 star review- I found the ending a HUGE let down. I won't spoil it for those who haven't read it, but basically I felt I needed to know MORE, it was left hanging open and I wanted some of the loose ends tied up. Nothing is solved or even fully explained in the book.
That said, still a brilliant book and I would definitely recommend it!
December 16, 2019
The story of 15 year old Matt, paralysed after a boating accident that killed his younger brother, and his developing relationship with a young woman, Sarah, who is employed by his mother to help him, both physically and emotionally. Resentful at the outset and determined to see Sarah off, Matt comes round and their relationship develops. This was a good read that some how never developed to its full potential... the climax was followed by an anti-climax, it all seemed to drift away, characters that had emerged then disappeared (Matt's Mum, Sarah's older man Robert). Much like the floating island that seemed to offer so much symbolic or metaphoric meaning, it all just disappeared pretty much without a trace. Hmmm maybe that was the connection? Ok for a light read but I didn't take away anything very lasting.
June 5, 2022
This author’s writing is down to earth and easy to read.
I felt I could have done with knowing more about some of the characters and also felt the ending was a bit rushed and it could do with a few loose ends being tied up rather than leaving the reader to fill in the details for themselves.
Without giving any spoilers, do be aware that there are a few sex scenes which are very explicit including the use of some base sexual swear words and, as another reader commented, these scenes are perhaps out of step with the rest of the story.
The storyline itself, however is a good one, it is well paced, explores some sensitive issues and overall I enjoyed reading this.
I felt I could have done with knowing more about some of the characters and also felt the ending was a bit rushed and it could do with a few loose ends being tied up rather than leaving the reader to fill in the details for themselves.
Without giving any spoilers, do be aware that there are a few sex scenes which are very explicit including the use of some base sexual swear words and, as another reader commented, these scenes are perhaps out of step with the rest of the story.
The storyline itself, however is a good one, it is well paced, explores some sensitive issues and overall I enjoyed reading this.
June 9, 2022
Interesting insight into psychological problems but not in any depth, lots of unfinished business!
January 2, 2016
I really liked this, until the end, which felt a little incomplete, but it's well written with interesting characters. Sarah, 18, arrives in a small village in the North of England to look after Matt, a 15 yr old boy who is in a wheelchair following a mysterious accident the year before in which his younger brother died. Initially hostile towards her, she earns his trust, while herself falling for his psychiatrist, who is trying to get over his recent divorce. The book could have gone on longer to round out each characters story, but it was well written and quite touching.
January 28, 2020
A really haunting book that assuredly paints a picture of diffident adolescence from a male point of view. The intensity and depth of feeling, the struggle for meaning, the construction of personal mythology, are all deftly woven into a story about the effects of tragedy and responsibility.
May 26, 2010
A very emotional book. I couldn't put it down. Wonderfully written.
May 20, 2013
Interesting read for a first time published author, several stories twisting into one.
January 17, 2016
Not quite the impact that 'Before I knew him' had, but that, no doubt, partly down to expectations - that entirely unanticipated - but nevertheless thoroughly enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews