Nil (Nil)

by Lynne Matson

[cornerfolds]

Nil is the kind of book that should be right up my alley. I am totally in love with the survival genre (is that a genre?) in general and when I read that blurb and saw the bit about the island that didn't exist, I knew this was the book for me! When I saw a copy at a great price on BookOutlet.com I grabbed it up immediately and dug in when it got here.

The main characters on Nil are Charlie and Thad. Thad has been there for quite awhile with not much time left and Charlie is the noob. Both characters were likable and their romance seemed believable, if a little rushed. Thad was a fantastic leader and Charlie really jumped right into the island dynamic and made herself immediately useful. I also really enjoyed the rest of the cast of characters (except for Bart - what a jerk)!

The action begins at the beginning of the book and continues while these two get to know each other. There is constantly something going on, whether it's crazy animal attacks or crazy conspiracy theories. Unfortunately, this book just didn't hold my attention.

I think my problem with Nil was that it dragged on and on and on. While the idea was interesting, I just don't think it was executed well - or at least well enough to keep me reading. I really did try! I trudged through this book for two whole weeks before I finally gave up with 100 pages left (yes, it took me two weeks to make it just over 250 pages). While there is always something happening in the book, it really gets repetitive quickly: new people come, old people search for escape, they eat pineapple, Thad and Charlie kiss, repeat.

I feel like if I'd stuck it out I might have liked the ending - maybe. But there comes a point when you just have to cut your losses and move on. Better luck next time!