When I read synopsis for this book, I was bought. But reading it I felt little let down.
This type of writing was not really my cup of tea. And it was little slow read for me. Maybe I just wasn't in a good mood for this book.
Only 3 stars.

I really enjoyed this book. It hooked me right away, and I couldn't wait to finish it.
I had no notions about what the premise was when I started reading, as it was far down on my list, but I was pleasantly surprise, shocked and horrified at every turn. Its not your typical thriller type book in my opinion, but there were a few times I raced through chapters to see what was going to happen next. I can't wait for the next book to see where it goes. I would definitely recommend.

I couldn’t get into this novel. The writing wasn’t strong enough to grip me. It felt dismally YA and uninspired.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy of #TheVines

Story: 4 stars
Writing (historical fiction chapters): 4
Writing (present day chapters): 2
Overall: 3

I love horror, and because I'm a glutton for punishment, I was really excited about the idea of a horror novel set around contagious and deadly diseases. The storyline didn't disappoint, and is honestly the only reason I stuck through this book, to see if it could make up for some very awkward writing. The chapters that were in written in present-day (2007-08) were just painful to read at times, with really stilted dialogue and one-dimensional characters. Yet, the chapters set in the past were really enjoyable! Maybe stilted dialogue just isn't as obvious when it's set in Victorian times *shrug*

Unfortunately, the story had to come to its climax in modern times, so it all came off as awkward and cheesy. Although I'm intrigued by the story and somewhat curious how it will turn out, I won't be seeking out the next in the series.

Everyday, the news reveals more deaths that have occurred from coronavirus. So of course, this book peaked my curiosity. It takes you back to the early 1900s with the deadly diseases - measles, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and typhus - that has taken thousands of lives. Then the book brings you forward to more recent years with Ebola, cancer and Lyme disease. Is there no end?

The author writes about four generations of doctors -- Otto, Ulrich, Rollie and Kristian - in the Gettler family. They hold their secret tight to do what they believe is within their right in search of the perfect vaccine. Patients in the early 1900s with diseases were transported to the North Brother Island near New York City where the doctors treated patients. The island map is located in the beginning of the book which shows the tuberculosis pavilion, nurse's home, tennis courts, morgue, church and physicians' home as well as many other buildings. As vaccines were discovered, this health establishment was finally shut down in 1963.

Rollie's son, Finn, didn't become a doctor but was curious about what was going on at North Brother Island all those years. His father, Rollie, and brother, Kristian, spent a considerable amount of time away from their home at the island. Finn decided to explore this place taken over by vines in 2007 and finds a beautiful young woman, Cora, with a body of scars still there. She was left behind and said she was their human guinea pig. The question is: should a woman endure intense pain with experiments to save thousands for medical research.

The book is suspenseful with a surprise ending. The fact-finding research to produce this book is impressive along with the author's imagination for this historical novel. However, parts made me cringe.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

I was hesitant to read a book that is somewhat relatable to the current COVID-19 pandemic. What I liked about it was the back and forth between past and present. I kept guessing and was interested about the past. Great book.

The Author
Writes like
Your friend who
Sends every part of their text message
As a different
Text Message
It was really difficult to try and get through this novel, and the premise was super exciting, too. DNF

Reading this book in the midst of the current pandemic made it that much more relevant. Even though it is fiction, could this be really happening somewhere, to someone? The Vines kept my attention from the first page. I was rooting for Cora the entire time. Loved the family connections: not so much what they did, but the tale the way it was woven. My only reason for 4 and not 5 stars is the way it ended. I felt it was just an abrupt ending, and realize that hopefully, there will soon be a sequel. I want to know what happens! This book would make an outstanding film, in my opinion. An excellent read, highly recommend.

2.5/5 Stars

The Vines by Shelley Nolden is a multiple POV horror novel that spans from the early 1900s to the early 2000s. This multi-generation family story follows generations of microbiologists/virologists and calls into question a powerful ethics question of how much one can overlook for the progression of science and mankind.

Our story begins when one of our main characters Finn discovers a woman on North Brother Island. Intrigued by her story, Finn seeks to learn about this woman’s past and soon begins to unravel his family’s dark and turbulent history.
In our dual perspective we follow a woman named Cora in the early 1900s as she and her sister are sent to Riverside Hospital to quarantine due to a Typhoid outbreak. Cora soon becomes a guinea pig for one of the doctors on site.

What I liked:
I really enjoyed the historical background to modern advances in microbiology, virology and vaccine development. The mystery of what happens to Cora kept me engaged as a reader, and in our other timelines I was also very interested to learn more about this mysterious woman Finn finds on this secluded island.

What I didn’t quite like:

This book requires suspension of disbelief. That’s as much as I can say without giving spoilers. The Vines is also heavily character driven, which was a bummer for me because I couldn’t root for any of the characters. I usually love character-driven books, but the characters in The Vines came off as flat and one-dimensional. Their dialogue felt forced and was filled with multiple cliches. It felt like the author wanted us to relate with her characters but this in itself felt forced.

My other criticism has to do with the plot advancement. There are constant time jumps in the novel and multiple character perspectives. This constant shift in narrative felt jarring and it really took me out of the story. I wish the shifts in perspective felt more cohesive.

A stunning piece of work. Regardless of the 2020 nCov-19 epidemic this work of fiction really hits home. Spanning over 100 years of family and the search for a panacea. Brutal in its telling, heartbreaking in its loss of lives and of love, you'll find yourself burning through the pages at a rate of knots.

This book started off great. Then it jumped into the past. Then the present. Then the past. Then the present. Then 5 minutes later. So on & so on. I never heard of North Brother Island in NYC. I will have to look it up. It's odd to me to have never heard of it being a New Jersey native. I feel like I'm the only person who didn't love this book. I've yet to come across a review of less than 4 stars. Yet here I am, giving this 2. It's sad as I usually love historical fiction.

My first problem, I have mentioned. The constant time line jump around. I hated it. I would have much preferred we started in the past & moved forward.

My next problem is the torment & abuse the main character went through. At some point there must be a bright light in all of her misery. Right? Please? Come on. You've got to be kidding me! Nope. It's just misery stacked on misery for Cora. Thanks so much for that.

My third problem is the length of the book. It did not need to be this long. It just didn't. Seriously why? So we could drag out how horrible people can be?

My fourth problem (sort of) is I was given the impression by the description that there might be something going on with the flora & fauna on the island. Something unnatural. Yet, it's just invasive. Nothing eerie or spooky about it.

My final problem is the end or lack thereof. I thought this was a standalone novel. Nope. It just stops. Want to find out what happens next? Well you have to wait for the next book. No thanks. I'll pass.

THE VINES by Nolden was a *wild* ride! A brief synopsis: Finn and his family are full of scientists and doctors; their main goal has been working with diseases and their eradication of them from the human population. Decades of research has gone into this, so the family has an island outside of Manhattan that they have used to conduct their work. When Finn discovers a mysterious woman on the now-abandoned island, he tries to befriend her to uncover the progress his family has made but ends up unraveling so much more. The main focus other than Finn is Cora, the mysterious woman. Her story was my favorite part of the entire novel and Nolden really captured who this woman was. Without giving spoilers, this book felt written to me to be one of female empowerment but also of turmoil and chaos and how women, in particular, respond to that. At times, the story could feel disjointed - especially in the beginning - but once you get through the first handful of chapters, it really takes off. There are a few twists and that ending...whew.

I enjoyed this book I thought it was really engaging I don’t know if it was suspenseful enough and if I would read it again.

The plot sounded interesting and different from my typical reads, so I was looking forward to reading it. However, it didn't meet my expectations.

Prior to this book, I'd never heard of the abandoned islands in New York that once housed people of quarantinable illnesses. It ends with an unexpected cliffhanger. Sadly, if there's a follow-up book, I doubt I'll read it. There was just too much jumping around, which was confusing. It just didn't hold my attention.

Excellent weaving of past and present made The Vines a book I could not put down. Historical fiction meets mystery/thriller meets a dash of sci-fi, all combining into a compelling story of humanity. Timely and in a sense educational, The Vines will definitely be a talked about book in 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This book hooked me with the beautiful cover and historical fiction-related synopsis but rapidly turned into self-published "Amazon bestseller" adventure tripe.

I almost DNF at least 3 different times but finally spite-finished it because I don't agree with leaving reviews for books I DNF.  YMMV. 

And it was even "to be continued" just like one of those aforementioned "adventure" series. 

Spoiler:  Nazis, Josef Mengele, Aliens.  
CW:   Medical torture, childbirth, implied rape

The Vines is a fictional history with mystical notes that will leave the reader wanting more. Coraline McSorley and her sister Maeve are sent to Riverside Hospital on North Brother Island with measles in 1901. Maeve doesn’t survive but Coraline does and is forced to undergo quarantine and testing by Dr. Otto Gettler. Over the years, Cora is subjected to torture and misery by Gettler offspring all in the name of research.
Along with Cora’s complicated relationship with the Gettler family, the island itself sustains and traps her so that her life becomes one of solitude and sacrifice. Cora thrives on the bare minimum and finds comfort in relationships with island workers like Mr. O’Toole. The famous Typhoid Mary becomes an ally with a daring escape plan.
The story goes back and forth from the early 1900’s to present day 2007. The youngest Gettler, Finn, discovers the family secret and is determined to save Cora. It is complicated on all sides. What doesn’t he know? How has his family justified what they have done?
The author, Shelley Nolden, discovered an untapped well of mystery surrounding a neglected, off-limits island in the East River of NYC. Many details like O’Toole & his family, Cora’s last name, Nurse Holden, and the descriptions of the island buildings are inspired by old news articles. Events such as the wreck of the General Slocum steamship in 1904 and the teenage heroin addicts in the 1950’s are part of this historical tale.
While disappointing not to have closure, The Vines was a fun read and I look forward to finding out what happens to Cora in the sequel.

Need a good historical fiction/mystery book? If so, then this one should be on your to-be-read list!
Cora is sent to North Brother Island after she and her sister fall ill. The first Dr. Gettler learns interesting information about Cora while she is staying at North Brother Island. This sparks years of research that affects Cora. The Dr. Gettlers that follow are groomed for the continuance of researching Cora and the island.

I loved this book! The long-standing family dynamics, the survival story, and the historical elements held my attention the entire time. I loved that this book also sparked my interest in the history of the island! I ended up doing some research on the island and things that were done there. I love books that make me want to go out and dig for more!

I also loved how the author of ended the book with the note that a next one will be coming! There were still so many questions at the end of the book. The author did a fantastic job of tying up enough of the story line to feel complete with the first book but left leads open to go into the next book.

I would have liked more detail of what Cora did on the island in the periods of time she was alone. Coras journey was very interesting and I loved her growth as a person.

This is such a great escape book! It helps you forget your troubles as you follow along. I would highly recommend this book! I have given The Vines by Shelley Nolden 4/5 stars!

Thank you to the publishers through NetGalley where I received this EARC to give my review!

I expected an haunted atmosphere when I discovered these pages. I imagined a setting filled with fog, cold and silence. A ghost town that would scare me and make me jump at the slightest noise.

I was right about the decor. Regarding what emerges from the story, it's different.

The story is told by Finn and Cora and plunges us between several spaces-times. In the present tense, Finn is doing urbex. It is his great passion and it is his quest to find the key to his family secrets that led him to the island, which has become an abandoned urban jungle. It was by chance that he came across Cora and their meeting was marked by hostility and fear to say the least. Despite looking vulnerable, Cora is to be feared and she's not afraid to let intruders on her island know.

In the past, history takes us to the beginning of the 20th century. Cora was only sixteen when she and her sister were hospitalized with typhus. And, while she miraculously comes out of it, her sister does not know the same luck. Yet it is the start of a descent into hell for Cora who becomes Finn's grandfather's lab rat.

So, much of the action takes place in the past to help us understand how Cora came to be who she is and why she is trapped on the island.

Although fascinating because it does not spare us the horror that Man can show, I still wondered where it was taking me. Indeed, it is very interesting to understand Cora's past. At times, I even started to work out a few theories about what she was really going through and why.

And then, when I took a step back on the plot, I wondered where the author was going with it. There are details that make us think and that make our imagination run wild, especially concerning Cora's real age but in fact, it is to better keep us caught up in the pages.

The last part of the story hangs, to my surprise, with our world. Diseases and pandemics are mentioned and this makes us wonder all the more. At this point, it's still impossible to guess how the novel will end. It even takes on the air of a anticipatory novel, which adds to my surprise when a huge family secret is revealed. This one completely turned everything I believed upside down and from there I didn't try to think anymore and let myself be rocked by the rhythm of the action, unable to land pages until the very end of this volume.

It ends on a cliffhanger that leaves me quite frustrated and with a lot of questions unanswered.

Unfortunately, although I appreciated the creepy side linked to the nature of Man that is portrayed in this first volume, I don't feel this "thing" that makes me go for the sequel. It was a pleasant read but one that will not leave me with lasting memories even if it made me have a nightmare. So I will stop there for this series.

Splice Today
Dec 1, 2020

The Dark Isle of Shelley Nolden

By Kenneth Silber

The Vines, a novel, probes the shadows of North Brother Island.


Shelley Nolden began spinning a dark tale in my dining room some seven years ago. Her subject was North Brother Island, a 22-acre piece of land in the East River off the Bronx; it was the onetime site of a hospital where contagious patients like Typhoid Mary were held in quarantine, briefly a housing site for World War II veterans and later a rehab center that kept young addicts in solitary confinement; uninhabited since the 1960s, it had become an off-limits bird sanctuary of crumbling buildings and spreading woods; in short, it was a creepy place.

Nolden’s a friend of mine; our families are close, and hers was living near ours in northern New Jersey before decamping a year later to her native Wisconsin. At the dinner party that night, Shelley ruminated about what outlandish goings-on might’ve occurred over decades and centuries on North Brother, an island that had resurfaced somewhat in public consciousness because of a coffee-table book. It was the start of an obsession that would lead to Nolden’s debut novel The Vines, to be published in March 2021. With The Vines, Nolden takes the gloomy history of North Brother and stretches its shadows even further.

Fueling Nolden’s obsession with the hospital island were her own experiences of illness and medical isolation. One day in 2011, my wife and I were picking up our son at the daycare he shared with Shelley’s daughter, and learned something had gone terribly wrong. Shelley had lost her baby in the 19th week of pregnancy, a miscarriage caused by the mother’s newly diagnosed leukemia. Shelley had to spend the next 40 days as an inpatient and couldn’t see her 18-month-old daughter, as this disease subtype, acute promyelocytic leukemia, makes one unable to clot blood properly and thus so vulnerable that even a hug might be deadly.

Several years later, having gone through harrowing but successful treatments, Nolden imagined the story of The Vines, revolving around Cora, a patient at North Brother’s Riverside Hospital, which operated from 1885 to 1942. Cora is witness to much tragedy, including the General Slocum disaster, in which a passenger steamboat caught fire and sank off the island in 1904. This young woman is exposed to carriers of numerous diseases, and seems to have unusual immunity against illness. Consequently, she attracts close attention from the Gettlers, a multi-generational family of doctors whose ambitions draw them into unethical experimentation.

In 2007, Finn Gettler, an urban explorer who’s developed suspicions about his family’s history on North Brother, kayaks to the prohibited island and finds unexpected dangers in a place where human habitation hasn’t ended. The story shifts back and forth in time as Finn and the reader piece together what’s going on. It’s a tale, moreover, that takes on a notable present-day relevance, with fears of contagion hanging over every action and the 2003 SARS epidemic setting the stage for efforts to develop a vaccine against a greater coronavirus pandemic.

At present, in real life, the pandemic has resulted in North Brother Island’s closure to even the minimal visitation normally allowed to scientists and other researchers. The island is strikingly remote, considering that it’s just about 1000 feet from the shore of the Bronx and readily visible from the Bruckner Expressway. North Brother retains the mystique of a forbidden zone and the somber aura of a site long filled with suffering. Nolden’s accomplishment in The Vines is to elucidate this unique place by opening new potentialities for its sinister strangeness.

—Kenneth Silber is author of In DeWitt’s Footsteps: Seeing History on the Erie Canal and is on Twitter: @kennethsilber


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