“We believed we were safe. That was the big fantasy.”

Wirrawee, the setting in the book, is covered by large farmlands, a small amount of industry and well known town residents.

Ellie, the main character, is a caring innocent teen who wants to go on a camping trip to Tailors Stitch with her six friends during the school holidays for a week. They found Hell, as the locals call it, a secret campsite that’s unspoilt. It can be accessed by the Steps of Hell.

During a quiet, damp, cold shivering night, Ellie is woken by the loud growl of hundreds of jets flying by at a low height leaving her and her friends confused the following day. Not long after, they slowly walked back up Hell’s Steps to the Landrover to return home to what they thought was going to be a normal afternoon. They first arrived at Ellie’s house to find her dogs dead, no connection to any radio or power, which left them unable to call anyone. Wirrawee was a ghost town. Do you think the town has been over run and in conflict? Are they in War? Is the life of many people dependent on them? Will there be another living day for anyone?

Tomorrow When the War Began most certainly is one of the best books I have read. It’s the touching story of an overwhelming experience, romance, action and friendship, a story that made it hard for me to put the book down whilst sitting on the edge of my seat the whole way through. This book teaches you the meaning of friendship, and how important it can be for you and your friends to stay together in times like this.

This book is not gender specific. Anyone who reads the book will enjoy the adventures, the breathtaking moments that will keep you hooked. The suitable age for this book would be from twelve years of age to eighteen. If you have read John Marsden’s books you’ll find this similar. I rate Tomorrow When the War Began a definite 5 out of 5 because it has been written very maturely and was so enjoyable to read.

Lilly-Rose H., Year 8