Not reviewing due to letting the book expire and not having time to read before the expiry date. Apologies for requesting.

Something really set me off about this book and I think it was mostly the translation. The story seemed to have so much potential at the start but I couldn't finish it due to the way it was written/translated.

A spectacular book full of challenges for us as humanity and society, beautifully crafted and written. A must read for anyone looking at the our troubled world and how powerless we can feel in the face of it all. Absolutely loved it and adding other books by the author to my TBR as we speak.

A slow, ponderous, epistolary novel, On the Isle of Antioch is a bit of a thought experiment.

What drew me to this story was how it took place on a remote island. I was hoping that it was more about how the people live on this island, but that’s not really the case. The novel could have taken place anywhere remote really, or even a small town by the sea. So, this book is less about being alone on an island than speculating on how people would react if a certain scenario arose. The hard thing about reviewing this book is that I can’t really talk about the friends of Empedocles without spoiling who they are, so I’ll just say they were not who I was expecting, and while I understood their purpose in the story, the feasibility of them, from a logistical perspective, erodes the more you think about it. In fact, there are quite a few logical holes in the book, so much so that I found myself saying, “Wait, what?” quite a bit.

But did I enjoy the book? I mean, I found it interesting. It’s kind of slow, but it’s not plodding or dragging - it’s just not an action-packed story, and the characters ... well, I’ll get to that. It’s dystopian in the fact that humanity is just so effin’ stupid, like we always are, and ruin everything with our nonsense.

The characters, though, leave a lot to be desired. The main character, a dude in his early 50s, is very pretentious. If I had it my way, people like him would always live on islands alone. On top of being pedantic and clearly full of himself, at one point, he complains about a woman in the manner of: “If only she’d brush her hair, color it, straighten her shoulders, and stick out her bust - provocatively, generously, flirtatiously…” Eww. She doesn’t have to do any of that shit for you, bud. That line may be altered or removed in the final version, so maybe it’s gone, but I was like, yuck. There’s also a lot of male-centric language, like calling humanity “brothers” and stuff like that. I wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be characterization on behalf of the main character, but it happened a lot and felt very dated, especially compiled with how the woman (who needs to stick her tits out more often, apparently), exists solely as a love-interest for Alec and doesn't have her own story arc. Similarly, while there are a few other characters, most of the story is centered around Alec, whom I found incredibly hard to relate to or like. It's both because of the aforementioned but also because there are some rather surprisingly ignorant arguments. Phrases like "proud conquerers" and ruminations about how the Ancient Greeks were the best society (despite their rampant misogyny and caste system) reek of colonialism. There are also quite a few lines that discount genocides and other atrocities that I found rather odd and off-putting.

The novel is told in diary format, so if these ideas were meant to characterize the main character, to give him flaws, these are not overcome at the end of the story so they just serve to make him unlikable. I don’t often get frustrated when I’m doing a book review, but how am I supposed to laud anything about the rest of the book when this is hung over my head? It’s like listening to a singer whom you know is an abuser or something - it taints it.

There are also very long stretches of a man recounting a phone conversation, which was a rather dry and kind of boring way to impart information.

Overall, this is one of those books that I thought was fine when I was reading it, but upon further reflection, I didn't enjoy at all. The three stars are me being generous.

This book has intrigued me with its premise did not quiet gave what I was expecting. I love that it is written in first person POV and I took away a lot of wisdom from this book especially about our society.
But in general, reading this book was not a satisfying experience for me. The characterization fell of that I just don't see the point of them in the book at all. There could possibly be a lot of elements on this book that got lost in translation,I always take this factor in consideration when reading and reviewing translated works.

Thank you to Netgalley and World Editions for the arc.

3.75/5
This was not my usual kind of read but I did really enjoy it! It gave such interesting insight into colonialism, about what would happen if everything we thought to be true was turned on its head and we didn't have control over the 'natives'. It is such an interesting concept and a great look into how many indigenous communities feel when taken over by colonialists. It explored different ideas, such as medicine and doctors becoming obsolete and the political implications of the President being healed. There were some beautiful descriptions and philosophical ideas. However, I think some of the more far-fetched aspects could have been developed or explained further. The nuclear war seemed sort of thrown in. Although so much was set on Antioch, which I really enjoyed, it was so US focused as if the President was the President of the world. That being said, certainly an intriguing read and I am glad I went out my comfort zone to read it.

On the Isle of Antioch Is many things. It is an allegory. It is literary fiction. It is a dystopian tale. But above all, it is a philosophical take on how humans are constantly being distracted by petty wars and non-inclusive religions. What if they were not? How much more advanced would knowledge be if humans had continued on the Ancient Greek’s path?

The first third of this book had me thinking this may be my favorite philosophical book (overtaking The Wind Up Bird Chronicles). Unfortunately, once past that point, the rest of the book disappoints. If you decide to read it, don’t expect a blockbuster finale. Instead enjoy the thoughts engendered by the setup. 3 stars.

Thanks to World Editions and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Translated from the original French Nos Freres Inattendus (Our Unexpected Brothers), On the Isle of Antioch is a strange little novel from respected French-Lebanese writer Maalouf that straddles different genres - literary fiction, speculative fiction, a religious allegory with elements of Greek mythology, all combined into a fable for these troubled times we live in.

Alec Zander is an artist and cartoonist who has given up law and economics to live a life of relative solitude on the island of Antioch, part of a (fictional) archipelago of islands off the coast of France. With a catastrophic nuclear event having cut off power to the island, Alec is living in uncertain times but through contact from a friend who works with the US President, Alec finds out that the worst case scenario has not materialised, owing to the intervention of a group of humans who appear to be related to the Ancient Greeks and who have developed methods of super-healing that can ward off death.

If it sounds strange, it is, but it is also very readable. Had it been longer than around 200 pages, I might not have continued but I am glad I did, even if it didn't fully work for me, leaning too much into religion as salvation for the human race. It does place an emphasis on humanity though, something that feels sorely lacking in the world right now. There are many quotable parts that resonated:

"Are you ready to think of death as your only enemy? Yes death, only death. Not rival powers, not other peoples, not other races. Not us. Only death. The single enemy worth fighting, wrestling with, defeating."

"Every time a traditional culture has come into contact with a more powerful and sophisticated society, a portion of humanity has experienced a kind of ending of their world."

3.5/5 stars

*Many thanks to World Editions for the arc via @netgalley. On the Isle of Antioch was published last week. As always, this is an honest review.

"On The Isle of Antioch" ambitiously blends various mythologies, delving into interpersonal and societal issues against a futuristic dystopian backdrop. The story revolves around Alec, a lawyer-turned-cartoonist, and Eve, his solitary neighbor, as they face a power outage and societal collapse. The attempt to merge a wide spectrum of influences, references, genres, and themes feels incoherent, resulting in surface-level exploration. While it may find favor in literary circles appreciating deeper connections, the novel's reliance on extensive pre-existing knowledge may limit its accessibility and detract from its potential impact.

As my first book by this author, I was glad to discover this one. Two very different people find themselves dependent on the other as a power failure grips their isolated island, and civilization is threatened. Definitely looking for more by this impressive author.

Such an interesting and unique read . A well constructed book with just the right number of key characters and a very clever way of linking them together. If only such a tribe existed the world would appreciate it Really enjoyable read

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my free digital ARC!

3.5 stars

On the Isle of Antioch is a quiet, philosophical take on the dystopian novel. It's written as journal entries by a cartoonist who lives alone, save for his one neighbour, on a remote island called Antioch. One seemingly normal day, the power goes out and the radio emits only a high-pitched whistling. It's revealed that the US president has been contacted by a people called the Empedocles, apparent descendents of the ancient Greeks, with the offer to destroy all the world's nuclear weapons to avoid an imminent catastrophe. The Empedocles' science is far beyond our own, and the world is on the brink of a complete overhaul.

I'm not sure I completely got everything that was being put down, but I enjoyed this thought-provoking read nonetheless. I've read other reviews with the critique that the book glorifies colonialism, but I felt like it was more of a warning. Given the author's Franco-Lebanese background, I would also find this surprising. The book explores the idea of the world as it is now being confronted with a 'superior' race of beings. The US, the traditional coloniser, now finds itself on the brink of being colonised itself. I found the role reversal to be a warning of such ideas, of one group of people believing themselves and their culture to be 'above' another's.

I've also read reviews on Netgalley critiquing the translation, but I personally found it engaging and natural to read. My own critique is that some things felt too convenient. Alec, the cartoonist, has a friend very conveniently placed in the US president's entourage. He just phones him up and the friend gives him all the details of what's going on with no care for security clearance or the like... Likewise his relationship with his neighbour Eve goes from cold to very intimate too quickly.

In terms of making you think though, I would recommend!

An interesting book that is part cosy romance and part cosy romantic philosophy, wrapped in a dystopian bag.

The opening is strong and I like it very much. A successful newspaper cartoonist lives on an isolated island and, one day while he is working, the light bulb flickers and fades along with all other forms of technology such as the internet and radio. All electricity and power is gone. So he checks on his only neighbour, an equally solitary alcoholic writer.

Timely in as much as the fear of nuclear war and terrorism is right now, plus the fear of the loss of power and - shock, horror, the internet - this is one of those tales that hangs over us all. But the nice thing about this story is the idea that maybe the 'invaders' desire a power for good and not evil. Wouldn't that be nice.

This is a well written book with warmth and gentle suspense, in part down to the excellent abilities of the translator. Presented as four notebooks written by the cartoonist, he writes is observations without judgement but ponders a world where death isn't feared and the potential consequences of that. He considers the rise and fall of civilisations, society, health and human relationships. Ironically, the end is exactly what I believe is likely to happen should this story ever become a reality.

​A pleasant and enjoyable read with many things to think about. Recommended.

Unconvincing dystopian work of speculative fiction. The world is in disarray under threat of nuclear war and a complete rethink is necessary. Fortunately some superior beings crawl out of the woodwork to take over and tell us peasants where we’ve gone wrong. Nice bit of conspiracy theory if you like that sort of thing. I don’t. I do in fact actually enjoy imaginative and well-thought out dystopian fiction (think Margaret Atwood) but this is neither. Nor is there anything particularly original here. It started well with a man living alone on an island, with just one other inhabitant. When all communication is cut it’s obvious something bad has happened, and he attempts to get to the bottom of it, helped by that fact that he just happens to know someone close to the US President. Handy that. Anyway, after my initial enthusiasm I soon became disenchanted and skim read to the end just to see how all this nonsense panned out. Not well, in case you’re wondering.

The novel works as a philosophical reflection on our past, present, and future as a human race. It makes us aware of our past, which built an empire through trial and error and by spending blood and sacrifice. But the past has led to the present, which makes us rely on an egoistic leadership that never thinks of us as a whole and a community that is ready to follow like sheep when someone offers a quick fix solution. As individuals, each of us has an eventual certainty of the future, but as a collective, we are anxious and unsure of it. The novel indicates a trail that may eventually lead us to a better place than our presence—a trail that's marked by increased empathy and cooperation between us.

The more I read, the more I realize how much I like speculative fiction. The near but not quite real future always feels so fresh, and this book is no exception. I particularly enjoyed how the titular island plays such a central role in the shaping of the story—removed from the mainland, removed from communication except for a fuzzy radio, yet somehow the hub of a global experience.

I didn't find the main character to be very interesting—he was not particularly likable, and his thought processes worked somewhat differently than my own, but I didn't find him off-putting enough to take away from the story. The writing as a whole had a similar feel to some older classics, where the action takes place largely in retrospect (as if the story were being documented in a diary).

I think this book might be a good fit for fans of The Memory Police, The Remains of the Day, or possibly Severance (without feeling quite as bleak).

This was quite different from what I expected. I also have a headache so I'm gonna keep this review short lol. I liked how this story was told in a journal format and from only the main characters perspective. I did not expect this to be filled with so much philosophical and moral dilemmas.

Overall really cool, weird, dystopian science fiction. I was at some points annoyed how the author wrote women clearly from a straight cis man perspective, but overall this was quite pleasant reading experience.

An interesting read with some philosophy concepts as well. A political conflict, historical issues on government ruling, then some touch on dystopian and health crisis all encompassed in this 288 pages of the book.

Can also be a good book study.

Thank you at Netgalley and World Edition for the ARC.

3.5/5 stars

Our protagonist is a cartoonist who prefers to live on a remote islet in the Atlantic ocean, having as little to do with people as possible. His world is upended when a mysterious force seems to takes away a lot of humanity's freedom to operate. The story follows our protagonist as he, and humanity together with him, battles with the positive and negative implications of the new developments. In parallel, his thinking about the future of humanity evolves, his misanthropic tendencies get ameliorated, and the world faces off with itself.

Off the bat, this book reminded me, in style at least, of the Plague by Camus. Then, the more I read, the more I also saw elements of The Man Who Fell to Earth, and, even, Stranger in a Strange Land. What was going for this book, other than its brevity, was the interesting angle it chose to tell the story from, and the way the average individual digests the changes surrounding him, while changing himself. In addition, it didn't fall into the trap of over-philosophising the premise.

That being said, this book, in my view, is inferior to the three I mentioned above, in more ways that I can describe. The main flaw, in my view, was in the fact that the book was plainly not interesting enough. Perhaps, it was trying to do too much, and didn't pay enough attention to making it a good and captivating story. It's as if the book is a vehicle for the author to communicate some ideas he's keen to convey (and this is indeed not new in the overall universe of French literature), but without a good story to hold them together. In this latter way Camus is my favourite French author - no matter how sophisticated his ideas are, and how multi layered the storytelling is, the plot and the characters are interesting and captivating.

I also didn't like the pacing - the first half of the book felt languid and lethargic even. And then too many things happen all at once, and I couldn't even pay enough attention to how things were evolving and the ideas I needed to consider.

Finally, I found nothing really innovative in the story or the ideas. Yes - humanity is a bit crappy. Yes - we're not ready for "enlightenment". Yes - we will eventually kill ourselves. This has been done a thousand times, and I felt this book did little to add to the canon in this genre.

I really can't recommend it, frankly. Nothing here stands out, and if you're looking for a memorable book to spend your few free hours with, let it not be the one.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

In "On the Isle of Antioch," Amin Maalouf presents a dystopian world grappling with a total social collapse and the enigmatic arrival of the Empedocles, figures from ancient Greek mythology who possess the ability to cure all illnesses. The story centers on Alec, an illustrator, and Eve, a writer, the only residents of the Isle of Antioch, an isolated archipelago near France. Their experiences offer a microcosmic view of the broader, chaotic world events and the profound impact of the Empedocles on human knowledge, identity, and dignity.

As a reader, I found the novel's premise intriguing and its philosophical depth compelling. However, the narrative left me with unanswered questions about the origins and motivations of the Empedocles, which somewhat diminished my satisfaction. Despite this, the novel's unique blend of mystery and speculative elements makes it an engaging read. I give it three stars, appreciating its thought-provoking content but desiring a deeper exploration of its fascinating world.