''Island'' is a novel by Jane Rogers, first published in 1999. It is a contemporary novel set on an isolated Scottish island, partly inspired by Shakespeare's '' The Tempest''. It uses folk tales and short episodes of brutal

psychological realism In literature, psychological fiction (also psychological realism) is a narrative genre that emphasizes interior characterization and motivation to explore the spiritual, emotional, and mental lives of the characters. The mode of narration examin ...

to describe the mental transformation of an angry young woman. The novel has been adapted for the film ''

Island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

'', which was released in 2011.

Plot summary

Nikki Black, a disturbed and hate-filled young woman intent on punishing the mother who abandoned her at birth goes to the island with only one aim in mind: revenge. Her plans are confounded by the discovery that she has a brother, Calum: a brother strangely possessed by their mother; a brother with a terrifyingly violent streak; a brother whose dangerous love and strange way of seeing the world transform Nikki's life. The characters Calum and Phyllis are loosely based upon

Caliban Caliban ( ), son of the witch Sycorax, is an important character in William Shakespeare's play '' The Tempest''. His character is one of the few Shakespearean figures to take on a life of its own "outside" Shakespeare's own work: as Russell H ...

and

Prospero Prospero ( ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of William Shakespeare's play '' The Tempest''. Prospero is the rightful Duke of Milan, whose usurping brother, Antonio, had put him (with his three-year-old daughter, Miranda) to se ...

Publication history

* 1999, first published in Great Britain by Little, Brown and Company * 2000, first paperback edition, published by Abacus * 2007, republished * 2008, reprinted:

References

External links

The Island at janerogers.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Island (1999 Novel) 1999 British novels Novels based on The Tempest Novels set in Scotland Little, Brown and Company books Novels set on islands British novels adapted into films