Review: Island by David Almond

Synopsis from the back of the book:

“Hair like a jagged gleaming star.
Blurred Birds on his pale skin.
He comes from nothing, from nowhere.

Each year, Louise travels with her father to Lindisfarne. But this year things have changed and the beautiful island seems troubled. Louise meets Hassan, a boy from Syria, who fascinates her. He is an acrobat, maybe a sorcerer, perhaps a source of great danger. The gang of boys who live in wild parts of the island want to cast him out. Over the course of a few days, the forces of love, death, hope and destruction connect all who are staying there.”