“We believed we were safe. That was the big fantasy.”
Wirrawee. A small, rural town on the East Coast of Australia surrounded by farmland, small industry, bush lands and friendly citizens. Not your typical war zone.
Ellie, an innocent rural teenager, and her friends head out on one last camping trip before school goes back; seven teenagers filling in time over the school holidays. They expect nothing to have changed by the time they return home, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s a camping trip they will never forget. They return home to find that Ellie’s dogs are dead, the power’s been cut, phone lines disconnected and people missing. Have they been invaded? Their world is about to change forever, lives will be lost, and sacrifices will have to be made. Would you fight? Would you give up everything, including life itself? Tomorrow When The War Began will ask the biggest question you will ever have to answer.
Tomorrow When The War Began is by far one of the best books I have ever read. It was filled with suspense, action, romance, friendship and love. It teaches you about the importance of sticking together when times get tough and fighting for what you believe is right. From the first page to the very last word, I didn’t want to put the book down. This book is written perfectly. It held my full attention and left me on the edge of my seat all the way through.
I believe both girls and boys would enjoy this book as it both an action pack adventure and romantic novel. This would appeal to people from the ages 12-20, as this age group can relate to most of the story line. For the people that enjoyed the Hunger Games, Divergent and the Ellie Chronicles series, this book would be most enjoyable. I would rate Tomorrow When The War Began 5 out of 5 stars for its captivating story line, creativity and originality. I believe that Tomorrow When The War Began is a very well-written story about love, friendship, war, romance and the fight for freedom.
Shakya F, Year 8
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One morning Ellie and her friends wave goodbye to their parents. Will this be the last time they ever see their parents again? Tomorrow When The War Began is about Ellie, a country teen who decides to go camping with her friends. The story is fictional and is based in Wirrawee, a small country town in Australia. Ellie and her friends go camping at Tailors Stitch also known in the book as Hell.
Ellie is a natural leader who has courage, strength and is one of the bravest teens in the group. Homer is a troublemaker and problem but when it comes to saving his town he is a great planner, leader and thinker. Fiona is a pampered princess with no knowledge of camping whatsoever, however when her town is in trouble she is a true hero. No one really knew Lee. He was the misfit but he is also one of the most interesting characters. Robyn is the smart one of the group. She always thinks strategically. Corrie is Ellie’s best mate. They’ve know each other forever. She is also very brave. Kevin is considered one of the most rural in the group and he would do anything to save Corrie’s life.
During their trip they see military aircraft flying overhead. Little did they know their town and country were being invaded. When they return home the find out that they are at war. With no training, they come together to fight the enemy.
I would recommend this book to teenagers from 12 years to 16 years. This book could also be for other age groups like young adults. I liked Tomorrow When The War Began so much because it was different to anything else I have ever read. It was really entertaining and it was filled with action. The book was also very descriptive. I also liked the book because it was written from the characters’ eyes as well.
By Olivia, Year 8
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In “Tomorrow When the war Began”, a group of teenage kids went camping for one last trip before going back to school. After having a great time, they came back only to find no one was home. They soon found out that there has been an invasion from a foreign country. They now have to fight for their lives and make sacrifices to win this war.
In the start of the novel, the setting is Wirrawee, a small town with not much to do. The kids decide to go camping in a place called “Hell”. “Hell” is a beautiful place with its dangers. The Main Character, Ellie, is very brave and independent and the group leader. There is also Corrie, Ellie’s best friend and a typical teenage girl. Then we have Fi, a very big girly girl and a drama queen. Next is Robyn, a very religious Catholic girl who won’t do anything that she’s not supposed to. There is also Kevin, who can sometime be selfish and entitled to his own opinion. Then there is Lee, not your typical teen boy. He is unique and thinks deeply. Last we have Homer, who doesn’t care about rules and finds himself in the police station quite a lot but he has a bad sense of humour.
Ellie, Corrie, Robyn, Fi, Kevin, Lee and Homer decide to go on a camping trip to “Hell” before school starts again. So they all pack up the Land Rover and head off to “Hell”. After coming back from a lovely, eventful trip, they come back only to find that their lives will change forever. They will have to work together and fight for their country as one.
Marni L., Year 8
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How did this happen so quickly?
Ellie and her friends go out to the bush to explore and get to a place called ‘Hell’ so they can camp there. During the night there they see a large amount of planes pass through without any lights. The next morning they discuss it, and they end up thinking that they are military planes coming back from a demonstration. When they return back to their hometown of Wirrawee, they find it deserted. No one is at home. All the animals were either dead or dying. What’s going on? Where is everyone?
The main characters in the story are Ellie Linton, Homer Yannos, Lee Takkam, Kevin Holmes, Corrie Mackenzie, Robyn Mathers and Fiona Maxwell.
If you enjoy a book with action and adventure, then ‘Tomorrow when the war began’ is definitely the book for you! I was really intrigued by the book. There was lots going on. The author, John Marsden, had described the characters amazingly. The plot was so well written that it was easy to picture in my mind what was going on every time I read a new sentence. The story kept going on and on with a smooth like rhythm. Everything fitted perfectly with each other. There was an even amount of action, adventure and suspense that kept me amused and had my full attention.
Ending the book made me want to read the rest of the series, to know what’s going on. I would also agree with other people that the book is definitely better than the movie. Everything was all in the book. Nothing was cut out of it like they would do in the movies.
I would recommend this book for teens and adults who would like to read an action adventure novel. This book is amazing and kept me entertained the whole time reading it. I’d rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Simran P, Year 8.
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“Why did people call it Hell?” I wondered….No place was Hell, no place could be Hell. It’s the people calling it Hell, that’s the only thing that made it so. People just sticking names on places, so that no one could see those places properly anymore... “
Ellie was bored on a typical day in the school holidays. She lived in Warrawee, NSW. After pleading her parents, they finally agreed to her going on a camping trip with some of her friends. They were all very excited, but little did they know the challenges ahead of them. It was the last night of their adventurous journey, when Ellie and a few others heard and saw jets flying across the sky. It was their last peaceful night. As soon as they returned they found most of their dogs dead and families missing. They knew something had gone terribly wrong. They later found out that their country had been invaded and everyone had been captured and put at the Australia Day celebration stadium. From there onwards it was a fight for survival.
The main characters have different personalities and perspectives. Ellie is very determined and out-going girl. She looks forward to adventures and is very brave. She’s known as the leader of the group. Her best friend, Corrie, is not a very confident girl and is more on the shy side. Her other friend, Homer, lives quite near Ellie. He is a troublemaker and strong type guy. Robyn is a very religious and straightforward girl who would never dare to think ill of someone. Fiona is a very pampered and spoiled girl who mainly thinks about her hair and makeup. It would have been one of her last thoughts to come on a camping trip. Lee is a very nice guy who isn’t as close and friendly with the others. Kevin is Corrie’s boyfriend who turns out to be a deceiver and a big coward.
In my opinion, this book is very thrilling and exciting. There was always a fear of what’s going to happen next. I love the way they show how people can change in different circumstances. The author showed how when it comes to war, every type of person fights and gains courage to defeat the evil. There was a lot of suspense in this book, which made it more engaging for the reader. The book doesn’t finish with a win and attracts me to read the rest of the books in the series.
I certainly recommend this book for people who love thrill and suspense. It is suitable for everyone over the age of 12. I would rate it around a 4/5 because it was very captivating and engaging.
Vereta, Year 8