Stranded

Stranded by Emily Barr

Damnit, read this a while ago and forgot to write it up, which means I've already forgotten much about it. I do remember I really enjoyed it and found it hard to put down. Intriguing and with some great twists.

Bought this after a Facebook friend recommended it, though it's definitely not one to take on a island beach holiday.  Esther's marriage has broken up and she needed to get away for a holiday, so she goes to Malaysia. While there she takes a boat trip to a deserted island along with a few other tourists, but then ends up stranded when the guide goes off in the boat. The assorted holiday makers need to find ways to survive - they need water, food, shelter - and they need to get picked up by a boat. This part of the novel reads like an adult Lord of the Flies and is totally gripping. The castaways tell each other their stories, but Esther keeps hers to herself...

Interspersed with Esther's predicament we read of Cathy, a child being brought up in a religious commune in the 80s. Who is she, and what's her connection to the main story? It all comes together at the end, with plenty of twists and surprises.

There you are, I did remember quite a bit about it in the end. My main impression was of a superbly crafted suspenseful thriller, which would keep you up and reading till late at night.