I had wanted to read Orphans of the Tide last year, but hadn't had time (so many books!), so when this popped up for request whilst I was furloughed from work, I thought I would try it, even though I knew it is a sequel. The fact that I had not read the first book did not spoil my enjoyment at all. I could not put this down. The characters and plotting are wonderful. There is a lot of action, but also some funny moments too, mostly featuring the 12 year old innkeeper Molworth. Action packed and with an ending that makes you wish the third book was out already, I cannot recommend this highly enough. (I immediately bought and read the first book upon finishing this. Equally magnificent!!)

I preferred it to the first book, I do wonder if you might be very confused if you had never read the first book, so I would suggest reading the first before starting this.

It continues where book 1 ends, we end up on a new Island with a different history. I love how the story is revealed chapter by chapter with twists and turns everywhere. Very much "unputdownable"!

Having discovered Orphans of the Tide during lockdown last year, and absolutely loved it, there was no way that a sequel could live up to the original. I was wrong. Shipwreck Island is a fantastic book which continues Struan Murray's masterpiece.

The setting of Shipwreck Island, building on the mention of Arks from Peter and Claude's manuscript in the first book, is a gorgeous backdrop for this story. It is lovely to take Seth and Ellie to a nicer setting; however, the sunshine and calm waters don't at all lessen the evil that lurks around every corner.

Without posting any spoilers, the twists and turns in Shipwreck Island gave me the same feeling as (what I can only describe as) "that moment" in the first book. Be prepared to second-guess every character you meet - just like in the first one - and be prepared to change the way you see events from the original story.

Struan continues to manage to close almost every chapter with a devastating final line. This is a book which needs to be read aloud.

What a book! What an ending! The sequel cannot come soon enough: I need some kind of closure.

I have NOTHING to say but oh my goodness. This is absolutely phenomenal. Just let me pick my jaw up off the floor good. THAT ENDING. Seth! Ellie! The new friends! The sea! So many unanswered questions; so much I need to know. This is jam-packed brilliance. So many twists and turns. So many new friends and old nemeses coming to join the party. I totally didn’t see this going the way it did. There’s very much a ‘two sides of coin’ going on here and I loved every second of it. I do NOT want to have to wait for book 3!

This was a really good sequel, it was action packed all the way through and while I love the characters we already know the new ones were also very interesting. I especially liked Viola, she was fun and took no rubbish. Kate, the Queen and the palace politics were really interesting.

That cliffhanger ending was such a killer though! Book 3 cannot come fast enough.

Struan Murray's Shipwreck Island is a fantastic second instalment in this epic middle grade adventure.

Ellie and Seth have escaped the city, but that doesn't mean they have escaped the dangers it contains, or the Enemy himself. Their journey to a new island brings a new divinity and new challenges to overcome.

On Shipwreck Island they find hunger, unrest and a goddess with the power to spark life, and perhaps destroy the Enemy for good, in the body of a young queen. Ellie and Seth make new friends and new enemies, but there are also old secrets to be uncovered. Secrets which may change the face of their world forever.

There is a lot of tension in this novel - plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments as you wonder whether Ellie will give into the Enemy's persuasions. It is fast-paced and packed full of action.

I love Seth and Ellie's friendship. It has its ups and downs, but they are always there for each other. Woven throughout the action and adventure of Shipwreck Island is a story of what friendship means and how you can support those you care about.

As in book one, Manuel Šumberac's illustrations are unforgettable and help bring some of the most magical moments in this novel to life.

I was provided with an advanced copy of Shipwreck Island for review on NetGalley.

The challenge for a sequel with such an outstanding predecessor, is undoubtedly whether it can live up to people’s expectations. Orphans of the Tide is one of my favourite books of 2020 and I can firmly say that Shipwreck Island does not disappoint. Struan Murray has once again crafted a magnificent adventure, encompassing themes of trust, relationships, guilt and power.

The story begins as Ellie and Seth have escaped the city, hoping to find freedom and peace. After 3 months of travelling across the ocean on a raft, they arrive at Shipwreck Island. The two are in fear of revealing their past and desperately want to fit in amongst the islanders, to escape the city’s Inquisitors and the demons who threaten their existence and everything they care about.

The island is ruled by a beloved, mysterious, Queen and Ellie is determined to get close to Her and uncover the secrets within the palace walls. Whilst there is darkness, there is also humour brought to the story in the form of the character Molworth, a 12 year old pub landlord!

So enthralling is the development and depth of the characters. As in Orphans of the Tide, diary chapters are woven into the book, whereby more is learnt about the past and in turn a greater understanding of the present. Vivid descriptions of the settings form colourful images bringing the reader even deeper into the story.

Shipwreck Island is gripping, with wonderful twists and turns to the tale. Struan Murray has created a plot rich in layers, intrigue and suspense. A must-read and one that will leave readers on the edge of their seat, eager to know what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for the opportunity to read Shipwreck Island by Struan Murray in advance of its publication.

My almost 11 yr old son snatched my kindle and raced off to read this. He absolutely LOVED it. He re-read it 4 times in a week and is still raving about it. He hadn’t read book 1 [Orphans of the Tide] so we bought that and he read the two books over the weekend.
Still raving. About this books and the author Struan Murray

I let the son's opinion stand as a full review, with no spoilers, just joy at a fabulous read!
Thanks very much to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

Having read Orphans of the Tide and knowing what a totally unpredictable twist occurred in that, I was ready this time! Ready for the twist that was so sure to come in this sequel….BUT…I was not!!! Not ready for that one at all! Struan Murray, you have done it again! What an awesome and inspiring author you are! I can’t wait for book three!

Ellie and Seth finally arrive on a tropical island after crossing a vast ocean. Escaping from the city after feigning her own death, Ellie Lancaster is now Ellie Stonwall. Upon arrival, Seth and Ellie meet Janssen (local fisherman) and his daughter, Viola (sailor – the same age as Ellie). Seth is the one getting all the attention, which makes Ellie a little jealous.

Shipwreck Island introduces some new characters – Molworth (12-year-old, grumpy, cynical owner of the pub known as The Vile Oak) is my favourite. We also meet the Queen and Loren (I will let you find out about him for yourselves!), and then there is Altimus Ashenholme!!!!! Leila, and her diary, take you back to the time when the Ark crashed onto the island. Other familiar characters from the first book such as the brutal Inquisitor, Hargrath, also make an appearance.

A truly exceptional book from a truly exceptional author!

From Good Reads:
An equally great sequel to Orphans of the Tide.
Ellie and Seth find themselves a new home on an island ruled by a mysterious queen.
Our heroes quickly get involved in trying to save the island from starvation with absolutely loads of adventures along the way.
Some familiar characters and some cracking new ones (Molworth, the boy innkeeper, is inspired)
Light, dark, good, evil, jealousy, friendship, heartache, joy - all there to get our teeth into.
More please - quickly!

Having a copy of Shipwreck Island prompted me to re-read Orphans of the Tide and I was so glad I did. Having the memories firmly etched in my mind about Seth’s arrival, his friendship with Ellie and their powers helped me to invest more in there story.

This was no longer a novel but an extension of a fantastic legend, of characters brought to life and of a curse needing to be exorcised. It was no longer just a book but something that was needed in my life, like air or water. I needed to see where they ended up.

Arriving on Shipwreck Island, I have high hopes, not wishes for Seth and Ellie. Hope that they will find peace, rest and answers. Hope that they will find food, warmth and a welcome. In truth, they find these things but they also find trouble, a political struggle and an old foe!

This is an utterly compelling, enchanting read, leading us on a tour of the island with its varying inhabitants, some loyal to the Queen and others wanting a revolution. Seth and Ellie will need to trust each other as they learn to trust their new home and friends. Are all who they seem or has The Enemy been playing his old tricks again?

Told with a dual narrative between our current story and one of Leila, a young girl aboard the Ark during the drowning centuries before. She too encounters her own boy in a whale and learns who he is and what he is capable of. The links between the stories serves as a way of understanding what needs to happen in order for the world and Seth to survive.

Another cliff hanging ending lends itself beautifully to a third in the series. Simply brilliant and worthy of all the hype surrounding it!

Shipwreck Island had me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I loved the new characters and how they fitted in with Ellie and Seth. The exploration of the Gods, Vessels and story-lore. I was completely astonished by the ending. Definitely a book that you stay up late finishing because it's so good you can't put it down!

I was blown away by Orphans of the Tide so I couldn't wait to read this sequel. Just like its predecessor, I tore through Shipwreck Island and loved every twist and turn.
After fleeing the City and surviving the endless sea on their tiny raft for three months, Ellie and Seth finally come across land - Shipwreck Island. Here they discover a wondrous 'land of music and colour' and they soon hear about a mysterious Queen who presides over the island. Will their new home be everything they have hoped for? Can they finally escape the dangers they have fled or will their past catch up with them?
Once again, the characterisation is excellent, and with the introduction of new characters we see the relationship and dynamics between Seth and Ellie develop further. Struan Murray's world-building is masterful and, by the end, I really felt like I'd been to the island myself. There is also the added bonus of a detailed map of the island, along with beautiful illustrations by Manuel Sumberac.
I cannot recommend this highly enough and can't wait for the next one. I am so excited to share this with my Year 5/6 pupils and I know it will be another massive hit.

Phew! What. An. Ending. Or not! Without giving too much away, at the end of the book I was stunned that Struan could end the book in this way - as equally as scintillating as frustrating! I absolutely cannot wait for book 3 now.

I was a huge fan of Orphans of the Tide but I think I enjoyed Shipwreck even more. The contrast between the bleak City of the first book and the vibrancy of the new island was a welcome change. The additional new characters (Molworth, the grumpy pub landlord was a particular delight) really enhanced the continuing storyline of Ellie and Seth's quest for freedom without taking away from their complicated relationship with each other and themselves.

The visuals in Shipwreck Island were cinematic. Ellie and Seth's world is pure escapism and one I can't wait to explore with them again. Did I mention I can't wait for book 3? I will wholeheartedly be recommending this to children in my school. Adventurous, thrilling, complicated, gripping.

Shipwreck Island continues the story of Ellie and Seth. They had left The City on a boat and were looking for somewhere to set up home. After a few false starts, they end up on Shipwreck Island. Seth immediately makes friends and is able to assist the fishermen and sailors with his ability to ‘read’ the sea. Ellie, due to her brashness, unsurprisingly, struggled. Eventually, she found herself in jail, awaiting execution, unless she could invent something that would impress the queen. She finds out secrets about the queen that both surprise and excite her..

She then is helped by and befriends the mysterious Kate. The journey that she has with Kate is full of amazing twists and turns that I couldn’t predict. And then the ending … I am not going to spoil the story but, wow … the ending was amazing.

Like the original, the characters were amazing, the plot was stunning and original and the intrigue held my attention so much that I literally couldn’t stop reading. I did have to go back to OotT to recap a couple of things but I didn’t mind that as it reminded me of the brilliance of the original.

I was a huge fan of Orphans Of The Tide, a HUGE fan. I did enjoy this sequel and there were some lovely twists and turns in it but I get a little disappointed by books when they feel like a second/middle book and don't have a satisfying conclusion in themselves and this did feel very much like a middle book, especially as it finished in the middle of a dramatic scene too. I love the characters and it was great to spend time in the world again. The fans at school will love this story but they will scream at the cliff-hanger ending!

Having been utterly gripped by Orphans of the Tide last year, I was both thrilled and a little wary about embarking upon Shipwreck Island; however, my fears as to whether book 2 could live up to book 1 were soon allayed and I ended up reading the book in just over a day.

From the beginning of the book, we are reunited with Ellie and Steph on board a raft as they drift at sea, hoping to find themselves a new island in which to live. And they are soon rewarded with sightings of Shipwreck Island where they land and quickly have to get to grips with a new life; one ruled by a much loved and worshiped Queen; however, there is a darkness at play with the Queen's power and rule being sought. Ellie and Seth must navigate the politics whilst also fighting their own demons. But can they escape the past and find the future and peace they so long for?

As with Orphans of the Tide, the world building is stunning in this book and Murray creates vivid images from the beginning that bring this new island and its intricacies to life whilst maintaining the feeling of darkness that he so expertly created in book 1 (including the use of dual narrative that runs through the book in the form of the diary entries). And with a host of new and rather lively characters to get to know, you will, once again, find yourself wondering who you can trust.

As with book 1, there is much symbolism to explore within the pages of Shipwreck Island: good versus evil, questions of trust and power, friendship and loyalty are all expertly woven into the pages, coupled with a plot that keeps you on your toes with its twists and turns, and its heart-stopping ending, this is a must-read book that will leave you begging for more!

I hadn't read Orphans of the Tide but constantly see rave recommendations about.it on edutwitter, so I requested a copy of the sequel via netgalley and read Orphans in preparation for this book. Whilst I didn't love orphans, I did really enjoy Shipwreck Island. It's challenging in terms of plot and has mature themes, and my year 5/6 class would need a lot of guidance to fully understand the novel. As an adult reader, the juxtaposition of current day events against historical diary entries ensures the pace is fresh whilst providing background information to deepen our understanding of character's motivations. Shipwreck is definitely lighter than orphans, with greater humour and I felt it suited the MG age range much better than the first book in the series. Loveable characters, plenty of adventure and it really got me thinking about the motivation and governance of societies.

A year ago, I read the first book in this series and loved it. As I started this sequel, I had to remind myself of what had gone before and who was who. That said I was gripped. I wanted to know what was in store for Ellie and Seth.and knowing The Enemy was still at large and had not gone away, expected it was bound to resurface..

The story line is full of twists and turns, some you can see coming others are bolts from the blue. The drama, tension and excitement are carefully built up, friendships are forged, loyalties tested and battles fought (internally and with swords). This is a cracking sequel that ends on a cliffhanger and once again leaves you wondering what happens next. A must read,

I was simultaneously desperate and a bit apprehensive to read Shipwreck Island. Its publication date has long been marked on my classroom calendar, reading Orphans of the Tide firstly to myself and then to my class was an absolute highlight of last year and I'm regularly asked by my Y6s how long until we can read the sequel. However, the question was always could the second book be as captivating, as immersive and as surprising as the first? The answer is yes, in spades.

Struan Murray has expanded the horizons of the world he carefully crafted in the first book, taking Ellie and Seth away from the City and on to Shipwreck Island in search of freedom and peace. The Island seems the polar opposite of the City, a place of colour, joy and happiness, but they soon find all is not what it seems. Murray introduces a raft of new characters so successfully that I didn't miss Anna anywhere near as much as I thought I was going to. This is high praise indeed! The story is deftly woven, with the familiar diary combined with narrative style making a welcome return, and it manages to deliver the same punch as its predecessor, ably abetted by the hauntingly striking illustrations of Manuel Sumberac. I cannot wait to hold an actual copy in my hands and read it to my class who are going to love it as much as I do.