Different to most mysteries I read, this book involves a woman, Cora, who is secretly trapped and experimented on in an abandoned hospital on an uninhabited island in New York City called North Brother Island. This island is real, as is the history of it detailed in the story, so it combines historical fact with fiction. The island is a heron sanctuary so Cora is safe from people discovering her on the island, except for the occasional trespassers and any authorized officials that may pass through. But during mating season, there is no authorized access, and that's when most of the narrative occurs. The story is pretty dense with scientific language, dealing with the timely subject of viruses, contagions, pandemics, etc.

Cora is found to be immune to most major diseases at a time when massive outbreaks were killing people by the thousands. A doctor at the hospital began experimenting on Cora and other medical members of his family followed suit. They were determined to extract whatever her body contained that left her as an asymptomatic carrier, convinced that she held the key to vaccines eradicating all disease. That's about as layman as I can put it, as the story is far more in depth about the science of it all. That's probably where it loses a lot of people, as you really can't get into the book if this subject doesn't interest you. It's more medical than mystery, really. The story covers several periods in time, but why and who they involve is kind of a spoiler.

The modern timeframe involves Finn, who discovers Cora while exploring the island his family is so secretive about. The first scene actually involves him spying on her while she showers in one of the broken down buildings on the island, so that's a little off-putting, especially when you realize that he has a longtime girlfriend he supposedly loves so much. And it's weird because the reader is supposed to see Cora as a vulnerable victim of the medical experimentation and introducing her as an attractive showering woman just doesn't feel right. So Finn's not quote likeable to me, as his girlfriend, Lily, is part of the story and she's made to feel bad because she questions her boyfriend's motives. Well, hello, of course she would. Anyway, Lily's probably the only character I didn't dislike - the rest of Finn's family is much worse than him and they're pretty much the only other characters. I get the sense that the author is more comfortable with the science of the story than the fictional development of the characters.

That said, it's not like it's a poorly written book, it's just hard to immerse yourself in it because it's not a fast-paced brainless thriller - you really have to pay attention to the numerous details and scientific intricacies of the plot. But if it that's what you're into, it won't disappoint.

Wow what a ride! I am a lover of both historical fiction and thrillers with a slight sci-fi angle, so this was right up my alley. It is clear that Nolden researched North Brother Island thoroughly, as she paints a vivid picture of life at the Riverside Hospital in the sections of The Vines set in the 1900's. Her modern-day storyline is just as compelling, while also keeping the tie to the historical story and characters. It's categorized appropriately as a thriller/mystery, given the twists and turns, some dark (but what thriller isn't?) and while she does utilize some medical terminology (some of the main characters are in the medical field), it's still easy for a layman to understand. It's especially interesting timing, as her novel centers around pathogens that could be responsible for a global pandemic, when we find ourselves in one now. Can't wait for more in this series from Nolden - an excellent debut.

*This book was received as an Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley.

The Vines has an interesting premise. An abandoned island, that used to play home to those with infectious diseases, in which a mystery is set.

Finn doesn't know what he's getting into when he goes to the island. He just knows that his father and brother are up to something, and have been for some time, and he hasn't been included. Having chosen a different path from them (diverging from the family tradition of medicine) he's always felt a bit the outcast. But when he gets to the island and finds Cora, secrets about his family are revealed and show a lot to be desired. Is he as bad as his family? Or can he go a different way and help Cora instead of hurting her like so many men in his family have.

Finn is probably the most interesting character in the book. He very much lives in the grey area because of his feelings for Lily (who won't marry him), his attraction and resonance with Cora, and his strife with his family. He has to make a lot of decisions in the book without having a real clear idea of anything that is going on. Cora, she left a little more to be desired. Sure, she's strong and seems to have a good head on her shoulders, but honestly, for her age I expected her to not be quite as young-seeming. Granted she's had some of her development obstructed, but there's got to be more that helps someone develop over time. And finally, the rest of the family, sheesh, I'm not sure what I can say aside from this book makes it seem like cruelty just passes down the line in the family.

While I enjoyed most of the first half of the book, I found the second half rushed and too much happening and too many curve balls thrown in. Kristian's history especially, while I'm not surprised, I think could have not been that and still made the book interesting. In fact, *spoiler alert*, I think that whole plotline was thrown in just to make sure there was a sequel when without it this book could have been a very good stand-alone. My other issues with the book is that at some parts it just seemed like an excess of torture. I get it was supposed to portray horrible things happening to Cora, but some of it seems unlikely she would have survived, even with her special abilities. It just kind of took me out of the book.

But back to the better first half. I enjoyed how it went from past to present and told Cora's history and her experiences. It made figuring out what was happening in the present like a guessing game with different players entering the arena. And infectious diseases are pretty relatable right now, so there's a topic that probably won't lose interest for awhile.

Not bad, but I really wish this would have been a strong stand-alone instead of going amok and potentially continuing on for another day.

Review by M. Reynard 2020

Although I read 3 books at a time, the first page of this book won’t let me put it down. The character development was so descriptive that ,visualization of setting, interaction with the main character or the side stories kept you wanting more. This Historical Fiction (my definition ). The story covered the medical dilemma the US medical community experienced thru the mass migration of European peoples to the present day pandemic. It wove the story of self sacrifice from patient and doctors both wanting to cure mankind’s medical issues thru glory while having no regard for the patient. This multi-decade experimental testing off the grid lead to many emotions not only from characters but also the reader. Moral issues,1 sacrifice for the good the the world warrant such prison status, family agony and super surprise ending. I am sure this type of testing goes on someplace in the world and this book brought it home in a unique manner.

The only issue was this book is too long. It wants to tell a gigantic story in a short time but uses 800 pages. This book needs to be shorter!

The Vines

The Vines takes you from the present day to as back as 1904. This is a story about finding vaccines for highly contagious diseases. The Vines, which is set at North Brother Island in New York, goes back and forth between present day and historical time periods. The reader really gets an eerie feeling from the abandoned hospital on the island.

Cora is a host to two viruses, small pox and typhoid, without showing symptoms. Finn, whose family conducted most of the research, must figure out how Cora lived so long. Both Cora and Finn are just two of the many characters in this book that range from eerie to brash.

The Vines, an extremely slow burn, captivated my interest mainly because of the setting in which the story takes place. An abandoned hospital along with all its history peaked my interest. I learned so much from this book, including when I googled North Brother Island and Typhoid Mary to get more history of when happened.

This book brought several ethical issues to mind, such as is it ok for one person to suffer for the benefit of mankind and how much medical testing is too much. I would highly recommend this book to any historical fiction fans.

5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview The Vines by Shelly Nolden. This is very different but quite relevant in today's world.
The story takes place in two worlds - the past and now and takes us to a hidden island in New York. Just minutes away but miles away for a young man who explores an abandoned building only to find his future and much more.
good book - differernt.

3.5 stars.

The Vines
By Shelley Nolden

I DNF at 31%. This is a strange read. The characters felt very stiff, and the dialogue forced. The factual aspects were interesting and quite thorough, perhaps almost to the point of taking over the story. I never connected with the characters. It felt as though they were all either ill, full of malice and evil or barely mentioned. This one is a miss for me.

I really wish I'd enjoyed this book - it had such a promising premise! - but unfortunately the excitement quickly fizzled out from it being so very slow and meandering, and I DNF'd at 20%. Perhaps if Cora's past was introduced when the present-time story was further established, and wasn't so heavily detailed, it would read more as the exciting tale it's pitched to be.
This being said, the descriptions of the island in the present-time storyline are amazing - I felt like I was really there - and that cover is simply stunning!

Unfortunately this book was a total miss for me. It started out strong, but halfway through it lost steam, and I found myself skimming the last half. Such a bummer, I had high hopes for this one.

I absolutely enjoy this book. I found it interesting coz I discovered a lot of things while reading it and it commonly connected to what the world is right now. Actually this is the my first time reading a historical story and I loved it!

I was drawn to this book due to its timely subject matter, historical notes, and scientific angle. This story did not disappoint in that regard. It was mysterious, unfolding like an onion with each chapter. I enjoyed the plot and the pacing was good overall. The subject matter kept me intrigued and turning the pages. The ending was perfect, and kind of what I expected. The writing was good, and the style flowed well. The only real drawback was the dialogue. It felt stiff and unnatural in some instances. That might be due to the characters themselves, but it made it hard to connect with them, even though I did enjoy them a ton. However, I did appreciate the story overall. It was twisty and strange, piquing my curiosity throughout.

Not sure what I expected from this book, it surely wasn't this. Stepping back in time as far back as 1904 you are submersed into a story that a families quest to cure diseases comes at any cost.

I was bit freaked, intrigued and fascinated through out this entire book. The story was well researched and made you believe the history of it all.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for a splendid read

I couldn’t put this book down! The story weaves suspense, science, and mystery into an authentic setting that begged me to to keep turning pages. This is definitely a book I’d recommend to anyone that likes a to engulf herself in a story that is so close to plausible that it could leave one wondering whether the events actually happened. The ending was satisfying, and it left me wanting to learn more about this mysterious island and all who once lived there.

I really liked the beginning of this book and thought it was really interesting. About half way through however, I thought it got even more dark and twisted and it just didn't sit right with me and made me uncomfortable. The writing was pretty good and I did like how it shifted back in froth from past to present. It sometimes felt slow and like it was dragging on a little bit also. I did really like Cora's character a lot and liked reading about her. Overall, I did like the premise of the book.

i really enjoyed the use of North Brother Island as a setting, it really added to the mystery. I really think it added to the book. I look forward to more from the author.

Wow, a timely escape! The Vines seamlessly lifts us from the woes of 2020 and plants us neatly in the early 20th century in a New York City wrestling to control a different set of communicable diseases. The journey through generations of evolving medical ethics is personified in Cora, an intriguingly beautiful, scarred woman Finn discovers in 2007, living on North Brother Island, an otherwise abandoned bit of land a mere kayak-ride away from bustling New York City.
Nolden masterfully captures the history and mystery of this former home of Typhoid Mary, now housing a bird sanctuary in an overgrown forest that hides the ruins of Riverside Hospital, a morgue, and memories of the Slocum steamship fire in 1904, while focusing on the tale of one family’s quest to cure diseases – at any cost.
Like so many books today, the perspective shifts among characters and time periods, but each section is long enough for the reader to become totally engrossed. If you enjoyed Pete Hamill’s Forever and can suspend your disbelief just a bit, you’ll love the intersection of science and history of The Vines.
The Vines combines beautiful imagery, riveting characters, and a plot that twists and turns and ultimately resolves in a satisfying ending that left me wanting more. I can’t wait for the sequel – and, I hope, a film version!

I enjoyed this book and it is currently very fitting to today’s situation! The story speaks about coronavirus SAR and a variety of viruses, starting from 1901. A woman, named Cora is used as a ‘lab rat’ for different trials to find vaccines and cure the illnesses, throughout the book, it goes from past to present day to tell the story of Cora. It is scientific and really interesting. In 2008, which is the present day, we meet Finn, an explorer who finds himself on the island, where the adventure begins to try and find Cora and save her. Does she exist? What will Finn entail?

This historical story is interesting and full of suspense, survival, love and heartbreak. I liked that the storyline was set in a real abandoned place called North Brother Island, which is in New York City. If you enjoy historical reads with some science involved, then you’ll really enjoy this book!