The Islanders

by F J Campbell

Far From The Madding Crowd, teenager-style.

With sex and drugs.

With parties, holidays, school plays, pranks and rugby matches.

With lust and friendship.

With love.

But with whom?

Weatherbury Hall is a boarding school in the countryside of south-west England that’s so remote and cut off, its pupils call it ‘The Island’.

Beth’s new in the sixth form at The Island, but has no problem fitting in – she’s cool, rich, clever and beautiful. She meets three very different boys: staff child Milo is sweet but a bit boring; head boy Edward is handsome but there’s no spark. When Beth meets Zack, he blows her away - he’s gorgeous and she’ll do anything for him. But Beth has a secret which is making her life even more complicated. She needs to make the right choice and decide what – and who – is important in her life.

It has the potential to be a classic. Matt Rudd, journalist and author

The Islanders is a fantastic read - a sexy, intelligent, romantic story about the lives and loves of a group of teenagers at a boarding school. It is sure to appeal to fans of E Lockhart. Sam Mills, author

A young adult novel inspired by Thomas Hardy’s classic love story, Far from the Madding Crowd.

Readers will adore this beautiful retelling of a timeless coming-of-age story, even if they know what happened to Bathsheba Everdene and her three suitors.

Press Coverage

Hertfordshire Life

Salisbury Journal

Herts Advertiser

Book Reviews

I really liked this book. I have a history of enjoying a boarding school book and this is a refreshing take on this setting. It took me a couple of chapters to get into it and then I was hooked. I read it in one sitting and felt that Milo as a character, was the most likeable and funny too! Some of his advice to Beth did remind me of Mr Knightley in Jane Austin’s ‘Emma’ and I liked the references to older literature throughout the text. F.J.Campbell is starting to be my favourite author for her depiction of the ‘friend of the female protagonist’ character. Livvy is definitely as heroic as Nadine from ‘No Number Nine’ and deserves a book of her own. I think this book would be a hit with teenagers and those harking back to their teenage years. Roll on book number three!

by L Sanders

About the Author

F J Campbell

FJ Campbell is the author of No Number Nine (2018) and The Islanders, inspired by Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd (2019).

FJ was born by the seaside, moved around a lot, went to several different schools (long story) and has lived in England, France, Germany and Switzerland.

FJ loves reading: favourite authors include Caitlin Moran, Curtis Sittenfeld, E. Lockhart, Chris Cleave, Liane Moriarty, Colleen Hoover, Thomas Hardy, Margaret Atwood, Jane Austen, Tana French, Kate Atkinson. Favourite books include I Capture the Castle, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Middlesex, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Rachel Papers, Birdsong, The Power, Barracuda.

S/he loves sport - doing it (a lot) and watching it (a bit) and has been to three Olympic Games.

FJ has been fired only once, from an au pair job.