Orphan Island

Orphan Island

by Laurel Snyder

4.1 (1,020)

4.1 stars from 1,020 reviews. Top 90% of Contemporary Fiction books we track.

269 pages~4.5 hr readPublished by HarperCollins PublishersPublished 2017-01-01

$2.99Deal70% off peak

Last checked: Jul 4, 2026

Price history: $0.99 $9.99

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Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Lois Lowry
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Fans of these books will like this...

  • The Giver
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Perfect for you if...

  • You love atmospheric, character-driven stories where the mystery matters less than what the characters discover about themselves.
  • You're drawn to coming-of-age tales that explore the terror and necessity of leaving home, even when that home is perfect.
  • You want a book that lingers with you long after finishing, one that raises questions about identity, belonging, and what we owe to those we love.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You need fast-paced plots with clear antagonists and action sequences to stay engaged.
  • You prefer stories where every mystery is solved and explained rather than left intentionally ambiguous.
  • You're looking for a cheerful, light read. This book is quietly haunting and deeply introspective.

About this book

A National Book Award Longlist title, Orphan Island tells the story of nine children living on a mysterious island where everything appears perfect. The sun rises over dancing shapes in the sky, and the wind, water, and trees provide shelter and protection. The children sleep with full stomachs and joy in their hearts. Once each year, a boat emerges from the mist carrying one new child to the island while taking away the eldest child, never to be seen again. When this year's Changing occurs, Jinny's best friend Deen is taken away and replaced by a new girl named Ess. Jinny becomes the new Elder, responsible for teaching Ess everything about island life and maintaining things as they have always been. As Jinny guides Ess through the island's ways, she begins to question the rules she has always followed. She also grapples with the loss of her closest friend and the knowledge that one day the boat will return to take her away from the only home she has ever known. The novel explores themes of leaving home, the families we create, and the pain of saying goodbye.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

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Free$5.00$9.99Apr '20Nov '22Dec '24Mar '26
$0.99$9.99

Currently on sale at $2.99 — 70% off peak. Price has dropped 9 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 154 days. Typically stays discounted for 18 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

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#11,660#181,574#351,488May '18Mar '22Sep '23Apr '26

Currently around #146K in the Kindle store — a niche title. Sales have softened 26% recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

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3.5★4.3★5.0★Jul '23Dec '23Aug '24Dec '25RatingReviews

Currently 4.1★ from 1,020 reviews

Gaining approximately 1 new review per month. Rating has climbed from 4.1 to 4.2. Recent readers are rating it higher.

Sale Prediction

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Free$5.00$9.99Apr '20Nov '22Dec '24Mar '26PredictedJul '26

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $2.99. It typically returns to around $9.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

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Laurel Snyder

1 book on Vagrant Press

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