Nil

March 3, 2014
Matson makes a strong debut with this tense, cinematic struggle for survival on a peril-filled island that may have some readers flashing back to episodes of Lost. A mysterious portal transports 17-year-old Charley to the possibly sentient and certainly capricious island of Nil, where she encounters a community of teens who have also been stolen from the lives they once knew. While circumstances remain clouded in uncertainty, Charley quickly learns the chief rule: she has one year to find and catch a portal home (these "gates" appear and vanish at will), or she will die. When Charley falls for handsome Thad, whose own deadline swiftly approaches, she must choose between love and survival, with no guarantee either will last. Matson's eye for detail and skillful characterizations fuel a fast-paced story that blends beauty, horror, romance, and adventure. A memorable cast of attractive and resourceful teens, along with the lush and deadly island, offer an effective hook, while the story's psychological intrigue, cleverly subverted expectations, and slow unveiling of information contribute genuine drama. Ages 14âup. Agent: Jennifer Unter, the Unter Agency.

May 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-When you wake up on the Island of Nil, the rules are simple: you have exactly one year to get off, or you die. That is the predicament that 17-year-old Charley finds herself in when she awakens, naked and alone, plucked from the parking lot of the local Target by a random Nil gate. Eventually, she meets a group of fellow refugees and discovers that teens have been sent here for dozens, possibly, hundreds, of years. When she meets Thad, one of the leaders of the Nil community, she finds the boy of her dreams, and suddenly Charley is determined that she and Thad will get off the island so they can have a life together back home. But Nil is a hard place to survive; escape gates come only once a day, always precisely at noon, and they could pop up anywhere on the island. Told through the alternating viewpoints of Charley and Thad, this story adequately captures their growing love and desperate need to save each other as the clock continues to tick. The concept of Nil is very interesting and well constructed. Teenagers aren't the only creatures the gates bring to the island; there is wildlife pulled in from everywhere, so the danger from wild beasts is always a real threat. While there is conflict and tragedy, Matson seems to have a high opinion of the good nature and resourcefulness of kids left to their own devices. Overall, this book hits its mark.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Charley mysteriously wakes up on the island of Nil, which might be a paradise if not for the wild animals and the fact that everyone has exactly 365 days to escape. And that clock is running out for her lover, Thad. Improbably fit, beautiful teenagers create a believably imperfect society to support one another as their race to save themselves generates page-turning tension.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)