Review: Exodus Julie Bertagna

Today I read an article in The Guardian online which discusses why stories of dystopian future societies are so appealing to young adult readers.

This reminded me of a book that I read a few years ago that I don't think gets nearly enough press and credit for the brilliance of the novel. It was nominated for the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year when it was released in 2002 and am surprised that it didn't win. However, having not read Hilary McKay's Saffy's Angel I am somewhat biased and in no position to judge.

Julie Bertagna's Exodus set in the year 2099 follows the story of a young girl called Mara who lives on the island of Wing. The island is getting smaller the sea levels rise due to Global Warming and the melting ice caps. As the island will completely disappear in a few short years the younger citizens of Wing leave in fishing boats to find the city of New Mungo, one of the "sky-cities" built above sea level where the richer citizens of the world live a comfortable life. When they get there they find that New Mungo is not at all a welcoming and inviting place...

In essence the story is of a young girl forced out of her home struggling to survive and come to terms with the harshness of the cruel world around her. Bertagna is not afraid of using dark elements in her novel despite it being essentially a children's book. There is a lot of death and loss that surrounds Mara's tale, but although there are many sad parts to the novel there is also hope, love, Mara's determination to survive and to help others. These counteract the misery of her living condition and the balance of light and dark is beautifully constructed.

It's one of those books that I just couldn't put down. It's fast paced, exciting and in such an oppressive world the characters are realistic and shine especially Mara, with her fiery determination.

It was originally bought for me by a family friend and I was hooked from the first page. I would highly recommend this book to anyone as I feel it speaks to all ages and meany different mediums. Although it is probably classed as Young Adult science fiction the reality of the Global Warming issues in the novel make it not seem so far removed from our society as other science fiction can seem.

The sequel Zenith came out in 2007 and Aurora the third book came out in June of this year.

"I've got to stop a crazy from pulling a Carrie at the prom..."

I was pleasantly surprised when on my reading list for University Stephen King's Carrie popped up. I have never read any King and he has always been someone who's work I have been meaning to read, so i was glad of an excuse to do so.

The story of a socially outcast girl, whose overbearing christian mother has brought her up to almost ensure her isolation from normal society, Carrie wreaks havoc and destroys the the town in a rampage of revenge with her new found telekinetic powers.

Stephen King certainly has a gift of making the reader feel uncomfortable. From the first scene in the shower you pity Carrie as she is mocked mercilessly for her ignorance by her classmates. Carries character is very bland at the start of the novel. No matter how sorry you feel for her because of how harshly she's treated you still want reach through the pages and shake the unfortunate girls shoulders and tell her to stand up for herself. This element of the character made the novel more believable as we all know, or have met someone even if fleetingly who is like Carrie at the start of the novel. Even if it's not to the scale of how Carrie behaves is treated in the book.

Carrie does eventually turn around her act and say "enough is enough" and soon you wish meek little Carrie was back cowering in the corner instead of the destructive rampage that transpires. The shocking change between old mild Carrie and new catastrophic Carrie gives the chilling realisation of how far some people will go when they are pushed to breaking point and the damage they can cause even if they don't have telekinetic powers if the intent to destroy is there.

The violence in the novel didn't shock me as much as i expected it too. Possibly due to being from a generation that can yawn their way through watching the "Saw" films, which for what they lack in story content, make up for in amounts of bloodshed.

From a technical point of view I found the pace of the novel a little strange. Though their intention was to increase the "believability" of the story and give the chilling impression of reality to the fiction, I found the articles and interviews littering the text got in the way of the actual story. Also a lot was given away in these exerts about what was going to happen later on in the story, so if you like the satisfaction of already more or less knowing the ending when you get there, this is a great book for you to read. If, like me you prefer a little mystery at the end of your novels, this probably isn't a book you're going to love and read over and over.

Though I did enjoy reading it, it wasn't quite as good as I was expecting from the renowned Mr King. So, I may read a some of his other novels like The Shining before judging Stephen King too harshly.

Writer's Ramblings or Rambling Writers...

Been wanting to start this blogging business for a while. So I thought I'd combine my love of books and music and post some reviews of new albums, gigs and books by the old and the new in the fiction world as well as anything at all that I may find remotely interesting.

So if any of that sounds like your cup of tea or you just fancy a peruse of my ramblings, have a quick gander here. I'd love your thoughts. I enjoy a good debate or a gush about something I love as much as the next person so feel free to comment with your love or hatred for my opinions respectively.

I apologise in advance for my rambling ways, possible use of bizarre words and general insanity.

And lastly for your amusement...