The Island is an example of the YA thriller genre. Immensely popular, thrillers are novels that focus on feelings of danger, suspense, and excitement. They tend to employ tropes such as red herrings, unreliable narrators, and cliffhangers to surprise and entertain their audiences. These stories are popular for their fast-paced storytelling and their convoluted plots that keep readers guessing until the end. While mystery novels tend to focus on a protagonist who solves a crime, such as a detective, thrillers often involve their main characters in a survival situation themselves. Preston playfully reminds readers of these genre expectations by having Paisley work as a true crime vlogger and podcaster. She is accustomed to seeing murders as puzzles to solve from the safety of her room but finds herself trapped on Jagged Island with a killer (or killers) and must try to solve the crimes before she herself becomes a victim. Having her in the midst of the danger, rather than just solving from afar, drastically increases the novel’s stakes and tension.

Though they are different genres, the thriller does have its roots in the mystery genre.