Allen & Unwin
October 2024
ISBN:9781760294762
Awards:
- Shortlisted, Best Young Adult Fiction, Indie Book Awards, 2025, AU
Imprint:A&U Children’s
RRP: $24.99
In a future Canberra, the citizens are protected and insulated under domes, safe from extreme weather, solar radiation and all the after-effects caused by recklessness of previous generations.
They are also guarded from civil unrest as small drones constantly monitor the skies, and AI hubs do the same within buildings – even private homes. It is the same in all major Australian cities and most regional areas, and indeed for much of the world. This is a reality to which most populations have become immured.
14 year old Will, lives with his charming, somewhat eccentric father who is a teacher and a poet. His mother is a high-flying assistant to a top echelon government minister and can be rather prickly. Will finds her hard to deal with mostly.
Will’s real mentor was his uncle, Adam, who died, both unexpectedly and seemingly with only a nebulous explanation being provided by ‘experts’. Since then Will’s recurring nightmare is like being caught in a looping virtual reality game, replaying the ‘hunts’ his uncle used to send him on but ending abruptly with a nasty end.
Wills’ best friend is Ender, whose twin Magda is one of the XDs highly valued by the government for their superior intellects and outstanding abilities. Little by little, Will starts to question the very controlled existence he lives in, and starts to unravel the significance of his dreams, and this is accelerated by various events including Magda’s being spirited away by ‘authorities’.
Both people and incidents contribute to this epiphany, and he begins to see that the ‘hunts’ Adam so diligently sent him on were not, in fact, games but preparation for a quest like no other.
It would be quite ridiculous to try and outline this intricate and detailed plot in a mere review, but those of you who know Isobelle’s stellar work will already have an understanding of how intensely convoluted and supremely impactful the book is.
In the current climate – of politics, oligarchies, suppression of rights and warring factions – this narrative could not be more relevant. It’s been a long time since a dystopian fantasy demanded so much of my attention. I was glued to it over four sessions and, honestly, was so involved with the characters that they felt almost like real people to me.
I can tell you one thing – the terminology ‘Despoilers’ has now entered my vocabulary and can be applied to several names right off the top of my head, both here and overseas.
The layers of commentary on climate change, governmental controls, loss of freedom, the ‘blinding’ of citizens and the rise of the powerful despots will provide rich fodder for lively debates and discussions, in a class or bookclub. Your astute readers from about 14 upwards will relish it. Some will know that I recently enjoyed Isobelle’s visit here to Redcliffe and the opportunity to hear her speak about the book and its genesis was wonderful. This gets a stupendously huge 5 Lookfar rating 🪁🪁🪁🪁🪁.
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