Book Review: Island of Shipwrecks (The Unwanteds #5)

When I first started reading Island of Shipwrecks, I was a little disappointed with Alex and the others due to the mistakes they made at the end of Island of Legends. Artimé still had threats to deal with, yet instead of returning home as soon as they reasonably could, they let their curiosity get the better of them. They went exploring farther west and eventually went over a huge waterfall at what appeared to be the edge of the world. It turned out to be some kind of magical scroll effect that brought them around to the eastern side. They survived, but they were lucky.

This book picks up at this point. They begin to realize the seriousness of their situation and focus on getting home. As usual, things don’t quite go according to plan. They become shipwrecked on the Island of Shipwrecks due to a hurricane encircling the island. They meet three scientists and work together to repair their ship and find a way to escape the island. Meanwhile, back in Quill, Aaron is still plotting to take over Artimé and becomes involved with the Quillitary, but that alliance does not go quite as he expects. The situation becomes increasingly complicated.

And this is really one of the strengths of this book: there is so much going on. There are multiple characters, threats, alliances, and storylines all moving at once. Eventually, the storylines begin to come together as the Quillitary attacks Artimé, and Alex and the others return just in time to help defend it. At the same time, the mystery surrounding Gondoleery continues to grow, and by the end she finally begins to make her move. As I approached the end of the book, I really began to appreciate the richness of the different storylines and how they come together. McMann brings these storylines together amazingly well.

Overall, I would give Island of Shipwrecks 4 out of 5 stars. I was a little torn about the rating because, despite my frustration with how the story began, it did get better. The second half really pulled me in, and the ending leaves plenty of unanswered questions about what will happen next and how things will get resolved. I continue to recommend The Unwanteds series, especially for readers who enjoy stories with well-developed characters, multiple intertwined conflicts and storylines, and a sense of hope and courage among those striving to do the right thing.