Note that this is the second book I'll read from Kiran Milwood Hargrave, she failed me once with The Girl of Ink and Stars but I've given her a second chance; hopefully this will be better than the last one... ( )

Amihan lives with her mother on a secluded island due to her mother's illness; they call her "touched" but outsiders use the hated term "leper." Everything is going along fine enough until a government official arrives with a new set of laws, which will take "clean" children like Amihan away from their parents. Can Amihan bear the separation from her mother? What will she do to survive?

This book was a very interesting and compelling read. The writing style flows smoothly and easily with perfect use of metaphors and imagery as needed. The characters are well-rounded and endearing (for the most part). The historical aspect highlights a time and place that many don't know much about, and an author's note at the end provides some contextual information.

The story itself is beautifully wonderful, even if it is at times heart-breaking. The epilogue brings everything together nicely. There's a close friendship that hints at the possibility of a same-sex relationship, but it is vague enough for readers to make their own interpretation. The subplot about butterflies is presented factually and described with evocative language.

My only quibble is that the villain of the novel has OCD, which in a large part propels his harmful actions. Although many characters do point out that he is "sick" and feel pity for him, I'm not sure that this is the best way to present this illness. Given that the setting is historical and there was no diagnosis or therapy for OCD at the time, I am more forgiving than I would be if it were set in the present day. ( )

The Island at the End of Everything is about leprosy and lepidoptery (the study of butterflies). In 1906, twelve year old Amihan lives on Culion Island in the Philippines. Culion is already home to many who suffer from leprosy, like Ami’s mother, but the government has plans to change how Culion is run. The government official who introduces these new rules is lepidopterist who cares about his butterflies than the lives he tearing apart.

This is a story of loss and learning, family, freedom and friendship. It’s heartbreaking and horrifying and beautiful. Not a lot of books make me cry.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Victoria Fox, who also read The Girl of Ink & Stars. Fox has a lovely way of reading, but the audiobook doesn’t include the author’s note at the end. Or the glossary. Fortunately the library had the ebook too -- I wanted to know how much of the story was based on fact.

I think of our visit to Mr Zamora, of his fear, and, most of all, of the butterflies.
“Why does he keep them like that?” I ask on the day after our meeting.
“To make himself feel powerful,” says Nanay. “To make himself feel clever.”
“And because they are beautiful, maybe?”
“Do you think it is right to trap a thing because you think it is beautiful? To kill it? I love butterflies too, you know.” Nanay swallows. “Your ama planted flowers to bring them to our house. Two summers I saw them, just before the rains. They’d cover the house like leaves, like…” She scrunches up her face, trying to find the right word. “Like petals -- orange and blue and white. They stayed for a whole week one year. It was enough to see them for a few days alive. Better than seeing them for ever but dead.” ( )