Dr Franklin's Island

By: Anne Halam

Narrated by: Emilia Fox

How does it feel to morph into a manta ray or slide into the body of a snake? This is what happens to Miranda, Semi, and Arnie, who survive a plane crash. They end up on a tropical island, but become candidates in Dr Franklin's sinister experiments.

©2001 Anne Halam (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Veteran science fiction author Ann Halam has taken the framework of H.G. Wells's classic evolution parable The Island of Dr. Moreau and crafted an exquisitely wrought 21st-century update that plays on all our modern fears of test-tube clones and misguided medical ethics. Haunting, bold, and heartily recommended." (Amazon.com review)

"The characterizations are even richer and more credible than the premise is outlandish, and Halam heightens the tension by thoroughly imagining each stage of the girls' reactions to Dr. Franklin's elaborate cruelties. Only the cathartic ending will free readers from this scary novel's inexorable pull." (Publishers Weekly)

Very well written. However a little odd.

Where does Dr Franklin's Island rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I'd say this book was better than all the books I've finished so far.

What other book might you compare Dr Franklin's Island to and why?

A Wrinkle in Time would be an okay comparison I suppose. This is because it is a science fiction novel and so was Dr. Franklin's Island.

Have you listened to any of Emilia Fox’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to Emilia Fox's other performances. However, I thought she did a wonderful job.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, this book was a page turner, however, took me a few days to finish.

Any additional comments?

The only reason it was a little odd was because of how unrealistic it was. I suppose the things that occured could be possible but are kind of far fetched.

Unique story, good performance, uneven logic

This story's premise is somewhat unique and is surprisingly easy to accept given the subject of physical transformation without the easy-out of magic. The writing is intense, and the characters and dialogue are realistic and believable. Narration is excellent, though I admit a bias for British accents anyway. The logic stumbles a little and things feel a bit rushed towards the end, but overall, it is a good choice for juvenile or adult science fiction readers.

Loved it

I read this book when I was in elementary school and loved it. I loved even more now that I was able to listen to it in audio.

Amazing reread 20 years later

Gave this a listen for nostalgic reasons and it was just as engaging and enjoyable as it was when I read it as a kid!