Brad About Books: Nil by Lynne Matson

Read on September 29, 2013

NIL
Published: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 384 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

How do you escape from an island that doesn't exist?

On the mysterious island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape—or you die.

Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing she remembers is blacking out, and when she wakes up, she’s naked in an empty rock field.

Lost and alone, Charley finds no sign of other people until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that she has to find a way to beat the clock, and quickly.

Nil is a thrilling, heart-pounding read that had me tangled up in the race against the clock of surviving this deadly island - it's unlike anything I've ever read!

Nil starts off with a bang and the action never stops. Right from page one, Matson throws us into turmoil right alongside the characters, and each page has something to offer that will either having your heart racing or have you looking over your shoulder (or both!), and I really loved that she managed to capture the feeling of fear in Nil. This island is a true nightmare and with all the secrets that are revealed about the island, I would hate to be stuck on it - but it was a blast to read about. The clock is ticking for our characters, and Matson does an exceptional job at keeping the energy going throughout Nil.

Speaking of characters, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the inhabitants on Nil! Charley is such an awesome protagonist. I loved her smokey, unclear background - she wakes up not knowing anything about the island, and we get to discover the secrets with her. Not only do we discover secrets about the island, we get to know more about Charley and the other characters throughout Nil, and I thought it was fantastic how no one was truly what they seemed to be. If I had just one complaint about Nil, it would be that I would've liked to have seen a little more character development from the side characters. Other than that, all the characters (or villagers of Nil, I guess you could say) are truly fascinating, and they're definitely one of the best team-effort YA groups I've ever read about!

I'm all for anything thriller/mystery/anything that can keep my eyes glued to the page and have me turning pages as fast as I can, and Nil did just the trick. From its absorbing atmosphere of darkness and peril to the small quirks of the island the reader discovers while sinking deeper into the mystery of the island Nil, Nil is sure to have readers entwined with its stunning mystery and haunting prose. 

Overall, Nil is an epic, fast-paced thriller that is highly intriguing and addicting. Wonderful!

M Y    R A T I N G