NIL Unlocked by Lynne Matson - OPTIONAL

Matson, Lynne NIL Unlocked, 418 pages.  Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2015.  $18.  

Langauge: R (92 swears, 0 ‘f’); Violence: PG (some non-graphic deaths); Mature Content: G (nakedness mentioned, but never described).

Charle and Thad may have escaped NIL, but Rives is still on the island and his days are ticking down.  He doesn’t feel up to the task of being Leader, but he is determined to do his best.  Skye’s uncle was on NIL as a teenager, but only Skye’s father actually believes the journal Uncle Scott left behind.  Dad has been preparing her for years in survival, just in case she gets snatched herself.  But when Dad takes Skye with him on a scouting expedition in the South Pacific, he probably never thought that Skye might walk into a stable gate voluntarily.  Now Skye is on NIL, arriving naked, just like all of the others, but definitely not helpless.  Skye maybe have all of the final clues in the puzzle that is NIL.

I had no idea that there might be a sequel to NIL, because I had no clue where such a sequel would go.  But Matson has found a way.  While not perfect (okay, I might be being picky), it is engaging, well-rounded and ties up many, many loose ends, and leads to a satisfying conclusion.  Even if there happens to be a third book, each of these previous books have been satisfying books of their own.  While the swear count is high, it doesn’t really feel that way as you read.

HS – OPTIONAL (swear count).  Cindy, Library Teacher