The Way to Impossible Island by Sophie Kirtley

 Synopsis

Born with a serious heart condition, Dara has been waiting for his Big Operation forever, and this summer it’s finally going to happen. The moment his heart is fixed he’ll row out to the island in the bay all by himself just like he’s always dreamed. But when his op is postponed, Dara snaps. When will he get to live his real life? Maybe the adventures he dreams of are just silly fantasies.

And then he finds a girl hiding in the boat shed. She wears animal skins. She has a real live pet wolf. She is, simply, impossible. Could Mothgirl really be from the Stone Age? And what is she seeking on Lathrin Island? As Dara and Mothgirl set out on a wild, windswept sea journey Dara begins to realise that when you stop worrying about what’s impossible, you can do anything.

A brave, life-affirming middle-grade timeslip adventure about finding your family and finding yourself, from the author of The Wild Way Home.

Review

I really like the cover art for this book. It evokes strong imagery for the story straight away. It’s a fantastic cover.

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book and I haven’t yet read the ‘The Wild Way Home’. I believe that you can read this book as a stand alone book, and having done so I would love to revisit the characters and read more about Mothgirl’s relationship with her brother.

I really enjoyed the incredibly descriptive chapters when Mothgirl and Dara are aboard the ‘Peagreen’ boat. 

‘Lifted together, and swung, and heaved’.. 

‘Lifted together, and swung, and heaved’.. I could really feel and sense the movement evoked by the words of the boat and the effort needed to drive it through the sea. I felt quite out of breath reading the text and rooting for their success.

I love the names of the characters in this story. I enjoyed how the two characters names changed based upon the hearing and pronunciation of them. Mothgirl’s wolf is named ‘ByMySide’ (I would love to own a dog and name him after this character:What a beautiful name!) I became quite emotional reading about Mothgirl’s special relationship with him.

This book is a fantastic exploration of two completely different characters, Stone Age Mothgirl and modern day Dara, who meet unexpectedly. The effect they have on each other’s lives is profound and Dara’s growth as a result is remarkable.

I really enjoyed this book, it evoked lots of imagery and emotions in me. I will look forward to reading more books by Sophie Kirtley.

Thank you to Bloomsbury kids and NetGalley for an e-arc for my unbiased review.

ISBN: not available at time of review

Publication date: 8th July 2021

Publisher: Bloomsbury children’s books