The Storm Keeper's Island Paperback – July 1, 2018

Good book

My daughter chose this book for her book report and she wanted me to read it so badly. Like every mom, I was always busy doing my chores and every time she asked if I had read the book, I guiltily admitted "No, I did not get the time." After the eight time, I was determined not to disappoint her...When I started reading the book, I did not want to put it down, it was so entertaining and suspenseful. My daughter was so happy, that I found "The Storm Keeper's Island" so entertaining as this book is one of her favorite.

I have been reading along with my son and we are actually just halfway through from reading this week, but the characters are interesting, the story has us wondering what comes next, and the writing is very vivid and descriptive. These are all great things for a book my son chose for his summer reading project for Pre-AP ELA class. Great choice that is interesting, dramatic, perplexing and fun to read.We aren’t even at the end - but I cannot wait to see what happens. Lots of reading this weekend!

I found the dialogue wonderful. It flowed together well.I would give this to my granddaughters, a interesting and entertaining read. While the 20-year-old grandkids would say oh grandad, I believe the 12-year-olds would find it interesting.

I liked the idea behind the story, but I felt it was very slow-moving. The author held on to all of the mysteries for too long (and not in an “oh, I wonder what’s going to happen next” fashion). I almost gave up on the book in the beginning, but I’m not one to quit a book, so I held out. The book did pick up towards the end, hence 3 stars instead of 2. I generally enjoy sticking with a series until the end, but this initial story just couldn’t grab me enough to make me curious about the next installment.

One of my favorite books that I've read this year is "The Storm Keeper's Island" by Catherine Dolye. Gorgeously written, bursting with magic, and an intricate multi-generational time travel mystery, this book will delight anyone who loves a good fantasy adventure story.

This book was really good. I would recommend to anyone who loves magic and trials. You won't be disappointed. Excellent.

a ?Childrens? book that should be read by adults. Reading the story makes you feel like you did before adult cynicism crept in.

I absolutely LOVE reading middle-grade and children’s books!I often find that they’re more magical, go deeper, they have far more to say for themselves and they say it in a bigger variation of ways!If you stopped reading these books as you got older then I’m here to tell you that you’re missing out in a big way!.If you wanted to start reading books aimed at younger readers then you could do a lot worse than ‘The Storm Keepers Island’.This is such a charming, magical, cosy, and enchanting book.I loved every single page!.In this tale we take a trip to a magical island where everything is just a bit... strange.Things seem to shift and move, flowers pop up out of nowhere, the wind seems to call out to you, and secrets and mysteries are hidden around every corner!Is there really a cave that grants wishes? Can the weather truly be trapped inside a candle? Are there monstrous creatures living under the waves who protect the island? And can Fionn’s grandfather really control the elements?Just open these glorious pages and find out for yourselves!.Catherine really makes you care about all the characters in this tale.Their personalities are all so varied and fleshed out, their relationships a delight to read about! From the sibling animosity between Fionn and Tara, the love and family bond between Fionn and his eccentric grandfather, and the rivalry between Fionn and his sworn-Island-enemy Bartley!It was all fantastic!.The island itself even feels like its own character! It was so vibrant and alive!I desperately want to visit its shores myself now and have an adventure all of my own!And I can’t wait for the story to carry on so that I can jump back into this enchanting world!.So next time there a storm brewing or the wind is howling at the windows, I suggest curling up with a steaming cup of tea and opening the pages of this fantastic book!

What a wonderful story. The Storm Keeper’s Island follows Fionn, sent to the island of Arranmore with his sister Tara when his mother becomes too ill to care for him, into the care of his grandfather. Fionn’s grandfather is the Storm Keeper of Arranmore. The maker of storms and wielder of elemental magic that protects against the darkness of ancient sorcery. With Fionn’s arrival, this darkness starts to awaken, leading Fionn to face his fears and protect the people he loves the most. The characters are so full of life and vigour, and really help to propel the story forward by making you care about them. Fionn and Tara have a typical sibling relationship full of bickering and fighting that’s only heightened by Tara’s teenage love for Fionn’s island enemy Bartley. It’s obvious they love each other however, and the sibling bond comes into full effect as the story progresses. It was the relationship between Fionn and his grandfather that really stood out for me the most. It’s a relationship full of joy and a love for each other that’s also tinged with sadness and sentimentality as it develops. It’s a passing of knowledge and stories about the island and their family from a master to the apprentice, told with a sprinkling of magic and mystery. Add to this Fionn’s desperate longing to hear stories about his father, a man who died a hero before he was born, and you get a real sense of love between these characters. Fionn’s desire to see his father Cormac is built upon to create a wonderful bittersweet moment that is both subtle and elegantly done to such an extent that it took me by surprise, yet was also so obviously meant to happen. The writing really is outstanding. The secondary characters we meet throughout the story help support and encourage a feeling of community spirit amongst the islanders. You get the feeling that everyone of the island has a strong familial connection to the area, and will do anything to protect it and their ancient traditions. Any outsider would have a hard time integrating into the island life without a host of eyes casting suspicious glances. The island itself could also be said to be a character in its own right. Descriptions are vivid, and really big to mind a feral and wild environment that’s filled with hidden beauty. It has a personality all of its own that welcomes and calls to Fionn and his desire to be free from his familial responsibilities. The descriptions of the weather also add to this overall atmospheric feel, and allow the reader to become deeply involved in the island. The plot is full of mystery and magic. It’s well paced and the world building is well explored and explained properly. It’s simple, to the point, yet also compelling and believable while retaining a uniqueness about it. The writing contains a hint of folktale about it, you could almost imagine it being told over an open fire like tales of the past. Magical, funny, heart-rending, terrifying - and with plenty more adventures still to come, I’m on tenterhooks for the next book. A superb 5⭐️ read.

I was recommended this book by a friend so was really eager to begin it as a bedtime story. However... there were several times I asked my son if we should halt reading. The story is chillingly scary - not a great bedtime read. The language includes words that me and my husband had to Google (and I have an English Literature degree!). I love a metaphor or a simile... but some sections are so densely packed that the story becomes surreal... disjointed.... hard to follow... or as the author would likely say 'like a fog unfurling around the twisted fronds of my integral brain cogs'. The sibling relationship in the story is often so unkind that I skipped several parts. There is some low-level profanity "bloody cave"... do we need to swear in kids books? I would only purchase this if you like the feeling of bewilderment.

This is such an accomplished adventure story. Catherine Doyle's writing is so rich and wonderously atmospheric, it draws you in right from the first page - it's almost like the book itself possesses magical powers (maybe it does!...). While it's a fantasy adventure, it feels a lot more grounded than other fantasies I've read - probably because Arranmore actually exists in real life and also because of the realistic characterisation. It also has a 'timeless classic' feel to it, and, indeed, an ageless one too: at times I had to remind myself that it was written for children rather than adults. In fact, once I'd finished reading it, I was ready to open the front cover and start all over again. If I had to sum the story up in 3 words, I would say: adventure, family and courage, and I can see it appealing to a wide range of readers. Aside from the adventure angle, there's some humorous banter, sibling frustrations and lots of lovely interaction between Fionn and his grandfather; there's also a touching and poignant section where Fionn gets to meet his Dad who died before he was born. It would be a great read to share with the family, or as a class read at school. I'm now counting down the days 'til the sequel is published next July!

THANK YOU Catherine Doyle - We are LOVING this book- my 8 year old son started reading it as soon as it arrived & I found him reading again this morning at 7am. I’m also really enjoying it. This book is a brilliant start to our summer reading. And better still we are going to visit Arranmore Island during the summer holidays. Perhaps we may find the storm keeper in us?!!!