‘Catching Fire’ (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins

“I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now and live in it forever.”

District 12 is celebrating the return of brave Katniss Everdeen and fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark, victors of the 74^th annual Hunger Games. But, the celebration rings dead for Katniss who knows her last act of rebellion in the field has made her a target of the Capitol. Conflict is stirring within the districts, relationships are shifting, tension is mounting, and vengeance is threatening.

If you enjoy a book filled with constant suspense and thrilling adventure, ‘Catching fire’, the second book of the Hunger Games trilogy, is the prefect book for you. It will keep you reading all night on the edge of your seat.

President Snow has captured Peeta and is torturing him to try to get through to Katniss. She is now underground in District 13, which was destroyed by the Capitol on the surface. Nobody knew it even existed. If Katniss wants to succeed she has to keep her feelings concealed, stay strong and lead the rebellion to victory.

To sum it up, I think that it was a great read and I recommend it to kids at the age of 10 and over. I thought it deserved 4 out of 5 stars.

Julia, Year 8

Category: Adventure stories, Dystopian fiction, Mystery, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

May 30

‘World Shaker’ by Richard Harland

Do you like a world full of different problems and dilemmas?

Do you like horror, adventure, drama and fantasy?

Well, reading Richard Harland’s novel ‘World Shaker’ is the place to be.

The story is about Col, an ordinary guy, whose in a dilemma that he can’t get out of. Either way, someone is going to be disappointed. It all started when he was awoken by two police officers/commanders. They were trying to find a filthy girl who had escaped out of their sight. Col needs to find her and this is a problem that may cost him.

Like Col, we can all be in different situations, with problems and dilemmas. The choices we make now affects our whole entire future and this book has really got me excited all because of this problem.

It seems that when Col has resolved a problem another one appears. ‘World Shaker’ is an interesting novel. It is fiction but seems to be real in a way. Many people can relate to it and say, ‘Yes, I’ve been in this situation before but in a different perspective.’

This is definitely my favorite novel. I would definitely recommend this story to young teenagers, young adults and adults. I wouldn’t recommend it to children because they may not understanding the language and context in this book. It may result in them stopping reading one page through.

Lilani, Year 8

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Picture a Victorian land in which giant iron juggernauts as large as mountains roam over land and sea, crushing and trading as they move along. Now imagine a young boy destined to become Supreme Commander after his sly grandfather has moved on. As if that isn’t interesting enough, throw in a mixture of tragic love and rebellion and you will find yourself with the story of ‘Worldshaker’.

Col is just an ordinary boy living his ordinary perfect life upon the World shaker, well…ordinary up until a young filthy girl from the lower decks named Riff becomes trapped in his room. In a world where everyone is proper and graceful, how would they react when they find Col with a filthy girl? In order to keep her quiet, they make a pact. Col must help Riff navigate the Upper Decks and she must teach him how to fight like a filthy. Along the way, they encounter new enemies who are willing to spread the word of a bond between a filthy and a proper.

I enjoyed, ‘Worldshaker’ because it was about a young boy finding his place in the world. The descriptive and steam punk style of writing was very intriguing and there was always a plot twist to keep you entertained. The character description was also extraordinary and was obviously very well thought out.

I would have loved to have read on from the ending but there is sadly no sequel to this amazing novel.

If you enjoy mysterious, steam punk, love story novels and are between the ages of 13 to 25, then I suggest ‘WORLDSHAKER’ for a great read. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars for its descriptive work, story line and plot twists. Alisha.T, Year 8.

TEACHER COMMENT: The sequel to ‘World Shaker’ is ‘Liberator’. Keep reading!

Category: Adventure stories, Dystopian fiction, Mystery, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

November 12

‘Delirium’ by Lauren Oliver

“Love, the deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.” – Lauren Oliver, Delirium

Lena is a girl who has never done anything wrong, never stepped a foot out of place. She hasn’t even told a lie before, and everyone trusts her. Her mum’s suicide leaves her living with her aunt and uncle. This is the reason she has a very low self-esteem and has never believed she is pretty until Alex comes along.

Alex is the complete opposite of Lena; his life is full of secrets and lies. He is Lena’s lover, and has been secretly watching her for a long time. He’s 20 years of age and is only in Portland with a fake identification.

Hana is Lena’s best friend and has been since Grade 2. Hana always goes to forbidden parties, and engages in illegal activity.

Lena’s aunt, uncle, sisters, and her dead mother are also mentioned through out the story.

The story is set in Portland, USA. A huge electrical fence blocks off other cities, and traveling is definitely not allowed. It seems like everything is done to protect citizens but is it?

The story begins with love (amor deliria nervosa or Delirium) being declared a disease; therefore scientists have found a way to stop you falling in love. Lena is turning 18 on September 3^rd, her birthday. The best thing about her birthday is that she is going to get cured of love, and you will be free of all the love in your life, including friends and family. After she is cured she will be given a match who she will stay with for the rest of her life. Society tells you to be excited about the treatment and Lena has, up until now. Throughout Lena’s life she has always trusted the society but now she is starting to question it. There have always been strict laws you have to follow and strict guidelines to life you will live, but is this really to keep you safe? Or are you being lied to?

I enjoyed ‘Delirium’ because it is an unusual story about love and relationships you have with the people in your life. The willpower Lena and Alex had as they refuse to give in, and go down without a fight kept you on the edge of your seat. Also, the way secrets were kept to protect people you care about or yourself was intriguing. I loved the characters Lauren Conrad put in the book, as they are all unique and different to one another. Scenes were described very well as you could form a vivid imagination in your head. The story included suspense, romance, and lots of plot twists. The book keeps you engaged and will you make to continue reading the series.

This book would be recommended to teenagers over the age of 13 who enjoy books with romance, drama, action, and mystery. Although females may prefer it due to the romance, I believe males may also like the book. This book is an excellent read which will make you want to read the rest of the series. I rated ‘Delirium’ 4 out of 5 stars.

Gemma Yr.9

Category: Dystopian fiction, Love stories, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

October 31

‘Incarceron’ by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron is a book I believe was written for teens or young adults because it relates to our times and the things youth do behind their parents’ backs.

The book has many types of themes used throughout its pages but none might appear more fascinating to young females than forbidden love. At the beginning of the book you find out that it has been arranged that Claudia, the warden’s daughter, marry the prince of their time. The book is set in the near future where teleporters exist but not cars. Throughout the book you find out that Claudia is helping Finn the ‘prisoner’ escape the citied jail for love even though she is already promised to another man.

At the beginning of Incarceron it’s slow and not very appealing but as you progress through the book it becomes more fascinating with the tasks Finn and his companions must complete to escape and obtain freedom even though they already had the key, which held their freedom the whole time. When you reach the end of the book the biggest twist is about the prison, which will leave you breathless. I encourage others to read Incarceron, not just because it’s a number one best seller but because it may or may not relate to them.

Jai, Year 9

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The book Incarceron by Catherine Fisher was an alright book. I didn’t connect very well with this book but some of the charaters I connected with like the main charater Finn who has no memory of childhood and believes he was not born in Incarceron but in the outside world. The story is set in Incarceron. Incarceron is a large prison and within it is a society. The story is set in the 17^th century and is about Finn who wakes up to find he is trapped in a cell not remembering anything from his childhood. He eventually gets out and meets a group of bandits who he joins with and in one of the trains he was hijacking, the key can be used as a communication device to speak to a girl called Claudia who is the Warden’s daughter and who is set to have an arranged marriage. Finn has an identical tattoo of the key on his forearm and is certain he is from the outside world and is determined to get out. I found the book alright. Some bits are entertaining, but some bits of the book I felt shouldn’t have been there because it felt like it didn’t need to be mentioned or included in the story. The book has a lot of surprises especially towards the end and I would recommend you could read this book and pretty much anyone could read the story of Incarceron.

By James year 9

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October 29

‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games, a way to punish the nation. Life was normal in District 12, until the reaping came. That’s when something drastic happened. If you enjoy survival books, then you should try to read The Hunger Games.

In Panem, formerly known as North America, all was quiet and peaceful, then something they haven’t thought of comes. Out of nowhere 16 year old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to go into the deadliest game ever, instead of her sister who was chosen as a tribute. During her time before the games, she and another ‘tribute’, Peeta Mellark, must train and improve their physical and social skills, to help improve their chances at winning in these games. Peeta and Katniss know that the competition is strong and much more powerful than them. They have to use their skills and abilities to overpower the strong and clever competition. The main characters in this book are, Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Haymitch and Effie Trinket.

I was really entertained by ‘The Hunger Games‘ because it is a story about two 16 year olds having to go out and fight for their own survival. When they enter this fight for survival, they soon find out about themselves and each other a lot more. Suzanne Collins had used descriptive language and good use of words, so when I was reading the book, I could easily imagine what was happening in my head. The story escalated so quickly I felt the tension the writer was trying to get across.

I recommend this book to teenagers between the ages of 13-18, if they are into books about survival and war themes. If they love suspense packed, tense and ‘out there’ books. This book is a good read. I rate the book ‘The Hunger Games‘ 3 1/2 out of 5.

William, Year 9

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Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games is an exciting, attention-grabbing book. It is set in the dark future where people are forced to fight each other to the death on a live national TV reality show known as the Hunger Games. When Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister’s spot in the Games, she realises that this was going to be a lot harder than she thought. Going up against a boy named Peter, does Katniss have what it takes to win the Games and save herself?

The main reason that I liked this story was due to the suspense, action and great description of what was going on throughout the book. This really helps the reader get a mental picture of what is happening and really made reading the book a fun and gripping experience. I would recommend this book to anyone between 12-80 year old. It is really a great read and I would definitely recommend reading the rest of the trilogy.

Julian, Year 9

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“Here’s some advice. Stay alive.”

A dark vision of the near future sees the ruins of North America give birth to the new continent of Panem. In this newly founded continent, twelve male and twelve females, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, are forced to compete in a televised fight to the death known as The Hunger Games.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers in place of her sister in this gruesome contest. To accompany her in this living nightmare is a similar aged boy that works at the local bakery known as Peeta Mellark. Both are mentored and trained by Haymitch Abernathy, a much older man who formerly competed in the Hunger Games. In the weeks leading up to the games it is found that Peeta is in love with Katniss. What will this mean in the games? Will he refuse to kill Katniss inside the Hunger Games arena?

The Hunger Games is an extremely enjoyable novel to read. I was so enthralled by this book that I couldn’t put it down. I was in constant suspense waiting for the next twist or surprise to occur. The book was well written. The author gave a lot of detail in her descriptions giving me very clear images in my head and allowed me to imagine and ‘see’ what was happening. This book was incredible and it was enough to encourage me to read the rest of the trilogy.

This book is suited to teenagers and maybe young adults between the ages of 12 to 20 who are interested in survival and action and enjoy reading suspense-filled, love driven, action packed book. I give The Hunger Games 5 stars out of 5 because it is an amazing book and by far my favourite read.

George, Year 9

Category: Adventure stories, Dystopian fiction, Love stories, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

September 20

Why teens like dystopian novels

Author Scott Westerfeld (‘Midnighters’ series, ‘Uglies’, ‘Pretties’ etc.)recently wrote a blog about why he thinks teenage readers relate to dystopian fiction [such as ‘The Hunger Games’]. Here’s an excerpt from that blog:

Literary dystopias flourish at the extremes of social control: the tyranny of too much government, the chaos of too little. Every 1984 or Fahrenheit 451 is balanced by a Mad Max or A Clockwork Orange. Or to put it simply, dystopian literature is just like high school: an oscillation between extremes of restraint.

Teenagers, of course, read dystopian novels in vast numbers. (As I write, Suzanne Collins’ post apocalyptic dictatorship novel, Hunger Games, has entered its eighty-first week atop the NY Times Chapter Book list.) This should surprise no one. Within school walls, students have reduced expectations of privacy (New Kersey v. TLO, 1980), no freedom of the press (Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, 1983), and their daily reality includes clothing restrictions, rising and sitting at the command of ringing bells, and an ever-increasing amount of electronic surveillance. But a few footsteps away from these 1984-like subjugations, the teenage world becomes Mad Max—warring tribes, dangerous driving, and unfortunate haircuts.

Teenagers’ lives are defined by rules, and in response they construct their identities through confrontations with authority, large and small. All this leaves teens highly interested in issues of control.

Read more on Scott Westerfeld’s blog, or on his Goodreads site here.

Category: Author comments, Dystopian fiction | LEAVE A COMMENT

May 10

“First Light” by Rebecca Stead

First Light is written by award winning author Rebecca Stead. First light follows a journey of mystery and adventure that was captivating and memorable. I am not much of a reader but I loved this book because it grabbed my attention.
Set in the present day in Greenland under a glacier, Peter and Thea, the main characters form a friendship and work through their issues. While it is delving into Peter’s life, he gets the opportunity to travel to Greenland with his family as his dad studies climate change. First Light is an interesting story that engages the audience and is convincing. Rebecca Stead writes from the perspective of both Peter and Thea giving the story more depth.
I loved the story because it grabbed my attention when Peter and Thea met which made me want to keep reading. The highlight of this story is where Peter had to work out his headache problem and Thea working out how her mother died. I personally would recommend this book to 10-14 years old because it is a book not only for girls but for boys too and it would be something both genders would be interested in. First Light, captivating and memorable.
I would rate this book a 4½ out of 5. Grace, Year 8

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Imagine living in a glacier under the surface all your life and have never seen the sun. Thea, a sixteen-year-old girl, is exactly that person, who has never experienced anything beyond the secret passageway that lies inside the walls of Gracehope. I had discovered the mystery novel, First Light written by Rebecca Stead, in my English classes. The novel isn’t under the category that I would usually read, but once I picked the book up I couldn’t stop reading.
Throughout the beginning of the book I was a little lost, but quickly picked up what was happening. As soon as I started reading all the action, I was excited and couldn’t wait to reach the end of the novel.
Set in the middle of Greenland where a sixteen-year-old boy named Peter and his family traveled for his father’s job, once again. Once finding a strange looking ice archway with the same drawing of his mother’s artwork on it but enlarged, Peter started getting very curious. Was there a reason why his family kept traveling to Greenland, almost every year? Thea, the girl who has lived in a glacier all her life, ended up on the surface, behind a clear ice wall with the same drawing of her bracelets, from the first line on it. Then it all started. Peter and Thea had met. Both were curious to why the drawing on the ice wall and Thea’s bracelet were important to the both of them. The question is now; will Peter finally discover the truth? Will Thea find out the real reason why her people lived deep down in a glacier for hundreds of years?

First Light caught my attention very quickly and I loved the novel very much. All my friends who have read the novel and myself have concluded one thing; we loved it! I would say it would be in my top 10’s for best books. The novel would suit both teenage boys and girls, as it is full of wonder and mystery. Hollie, Year 8

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If you enjoy mystery, then this is the book for you. This is a mysterious book, two different lands, two different lives; This Book is about two different children Peter and Thea. It is a very good book. It is written by Rebecca Stead. This book is a very mysterious book. It grabs your attention, and encourages you to keep reading.

This book is set in two different places. In New York and in Grace Hope, Thea lives in Grace Hope, and Peter lives in New York. But Peter is moving to Greenland so that his dad can do more studies for his job. The setting makes the story interesting because grace hope is underground and it is a different land whereas Greenland is above Grace Hope.

Peter is moving to Greenland, he recently lives in New York, he is moving to Greenland because his dad can do more research there. He is only living there for 6 months; he is a little upset because he has to leave his friend. Thea lives in Grace Hope, she tried to convince the council to let her and her family to move up on the mainland but they said no.

There aren’t any illustrations in this book. I think that there should be because illustrations add life to the story. It actually shows how the story goes and how they do everything. If a character is upset then it shows their face and how they feel.

This book was quite good. It had mystery and it had excitement. I recommend this book to over 13s, younger children won’t really understand the concept of this story. This is a great book. Briahna, Grade 8

Category: Adventure stories, Dystopian fiction, Mystery, Realistic fiction, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

May 9

‘World Shaker’ by Richard Harland

The book World Shaker by Richard Harland is about a boy called Col who wakes up one night and there is a girl filthy in his room.

“Urgent footsteps, orders and questions, the clangs of many doors opening and closing. Cabin by cabin the disturbance came closer.”

Immediately the author grabs the reader’s attention with a cliff hanger. Richard Harland did an excellent job at getting the reader’s attention in the first paragraph.

World Shaker is set in a huge moving city called a juggernaut. The name of the juggernaut is actually the World Shaker. The main character in this book is a fourteen year old boy who is the grandson of the supreme commander of the juggernaut. The storyline is about when Col finds a girl filthy under his bed because she has escaped from the bottom of the juggernaut. Col’s life is turned upside down after this event.

I enjoyed this book when there was action happening but I slowly got bored for the reason that the action was spread out so far in between but overall I liked the book. I would recommend this book to either gender and from ages fourteen to seventeen. I would rate this book two and a half stars out of five.

Nick Year 8.

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The book I read is called World Shaker and the author’s name is Richard Harland. This book is an interesting book but boring. I am not the person to read a big book but this book made me read it.

This story is set at a big machine city called the Juggernaut. The main character is called Colbert (Col). He is a male chosen to be the next supreme commander at the Juggernaut. This story is about Col meeting a girl ‘filthy’ who escaped from the below area. She then hides under Col’s bed and Col tries to get the guards but the filthy girl then tells about what’s happening at the below area.

I believe this was a great book because there are a lot of thrilling parts but there are some boring parts. I would recommend this book to people over 10 (any gender) and people who like to read big books.

By Takuto H, year 8

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Hello. I am Andrew and I’m in Year Eight. I am reading a book called ‘World Shaker’ by Richard Harland. These are my thoughts on this book. World Shaker was an amazing book with an incredible story line. I suggest this book to be read by the ages of eleven to fifteen as it does have the storyline of an older book but it has some aspects of a younger kids’ book too. The main character is a man named Col. He has been selected to become the supreme commander. They all live on a moving machine called the Juggernaut. Col has made friends on the upper class. They are really snobby and like to judge kids on what they wear or what their parents do as a job on the juggernaut. On page seventy eight Col thought about dunking his friends in a toilet bowl. The start of the book was a little hard to understand. If I didn’t read the first three pages I would have been still thinking they were all in bed until rift came past. I think that would be another childish aspect of this book. Why call them ‘filthys’? It sounds like it was made up in two minutes. Why not the Flood or plane old monsters. But aside from that little aspect of the book it has a really amazing and thrilling story line that you can really enjoy. The end.

Category: Adventure stories, Dystopian fiction, Student Reviews | 1 Comment

May 4

‘Incarceron’ by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher is an amazing book that intrigues the reader. Imagine an infinitely big prison with no end, no beginning and riddled with war. People live there, never ever having any inspiration to find a job or have a family. This book details the solitary and brutal life the prisoners had to live through every day in Incarceron. Mostly, though, the book focuses on the two main characters Claudia and Finn. These two characters are trapped in two different worlds that are closer than they think.

Throughout the start of the book it takes a while to adjust to what’s happening, but if you stick with it you will not regret it. The book switched between the two different people’s lives every chapter. I quite liked this idea because it made me feel like I was reading two different books. Finn is trapped in the prison and trying to find his way out, while Claudia lives on the outside as a princess and the Warden of the prison’s daughter. I like both of the characters but Finn just seems a little more interesting. Claudia and Finn travel through worlds to find each other, while at the same time trying to stay alive. I loved this book for every second I was reading it.

I really liked this book for two main reasons: firstly, you never know what is going to happen next, for the book is full of twists and turns; secondly, the book itself is just so interesting. I recommend this book for boys and girls of a higher reading level for the book is quite advanced. This book is the perfect balance of mystery, drama and adventure. I give it 5/5. By Brent Year 8

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The book Incarceron written by Catherine Fisher is a fantastic and thrilling book. It is a story about two worlds. One world is a massive prison with two types of people. One type is called Scum. As you can probably tell from the name this is the more scavenger and evil type of people, with a brute named Jormanric the wing lord as their leader.

The other type is called Civicry. They are the better and the richer of the two. The main character in this world is a boy named Finn and his blood brother Keiro. In this world there only one thing to be concerned about: trying to stay alive.

The other world is a world with kings and queens based in the 17^th century but run by computers. The main character in this world is a girl named Claudia. Her Father, the Warden of Incarceron, is in charge of running Incarceron.

The main part of the story is about how the main characters from these two worlds meet and what they learn about themselves and who they are.

Both worlds very interesting and the end of this story is very exciting but I don’t want to ruin it for those who haven’t read it yet. It is truly one of the best books I have read so far and I encourage anyone that like thrilling and exciting books to give it a go! Mitchell, Year 8

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I love reading, but the book has to be amazing, so nothing could prepare me for Incarceron by Catherine Fisher. From start to finish you will be completely and utterly hooked. This book has it all and is a totally enthralling experience.

This book is definitely targeted at more experienced readers for a couple of reasons. It can be quite confusing and hard to understand at times but if you think about it, it begins to make sense. The main other reason this book is better for more experienced readers is you have to go into it all or nothing. It is most enjoyable when you put yourself in the story. This book is easy enough to relate to if you multiply your own experiences by 100.

This book is based around Finn and Claudia. Finn is trapped in Incarceron (a prison) and is going on a journey to escape, whereas Claudia is in the free world, but even there she is imprisoned in the sense that she is being forced into a marriage.

I recommend this book for boys and girls aged 14-18 because it uses some more advanced language and people within that age group would get the most enjoyment from it. I highly recommend this book for lovers of fiction, fantasy and sci-fi. It is a great book and one you should read.

By Hugh M yr8

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This very interesting mystery and fantasy book by Catherine Fisher will make your imagination run wild. From the beginning of the story until the end, this suspenseful novel creates a clear picture of what you are reading. Its clever plot and subtle characters keep your mind engaged in the book.

The story is set up in two worlds in which both the main characters, Claudia and Finn are trapped in their own situation. Finn who lives in the prison ‘Incarceron’ is dying to escape, and Claudia who lives in the outside world is doomed to an arranged marriage.

I thought this book was very creative and futuristic and I would definitely recommend this book to people aged 12-14 or even older. Hearing the story from someone else is fun but reading the book yourself is an entirely different experience.

By Vrinda, Grade 8

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When it comes to reading books I’m very picky because I like a book and its author or I hate it. Incarceron is a very exciting book and you just can’t put it down. The book is very interesting, from where the story is set in a prison, to where the prison was built, to the characters that evolve and change, to the plot that leaves the reader in suspense. This amazing book is targeted at boys and girls 14 and up, because the text is a bit complex and the language difficult for younger aged people.

Incarceron is a prison like no other. The prison has been sealed for years. Legend says only one man has ever escaped. The prisoner’s believe there is nothing outside Incarceron, but one. Finn has blurred memories showing a place outside where there is green grass and dark night skies filled with stars. Claudia is an important part of the story too. Claudia is the daughter of the warden of Incarceron. Finn takes Claudia hostage at the start of the book. Over time, Claudia and Finn work together and gain each other’s trust, and find a crystal key with the same eagle symbol that Finn has a tattoo of on his arm. They believe that’s the way out of Incarceron. My favorite character is the powerful, cold, but manipulative warden Lord John.

The novel has an exceptional plot with science fiction themes with lessons on friendship and finding courage. It teaches us about our instincts and overcoming the feeling of not fitting in. I recommend this book to anyone who likes twists and suspense.

By Mitchell, Year 8

Category: Dystopian fiction, Mystery, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

May 4

‘Tomorrow, When the War Began’ by John Marsden

Tomorrow When the War Began is an action packed, very exciting book. The author is John Marsden. He is a brilliant writer for writing this serries. He has also written other books. Tomorrow when the war began is about six teenagers who went to a place by the name of Hell to go camping but after they go camping they end up in a war fighting for survival. They realise that other people used to be less fortunate than them, just like they are now. Read this book please! It will knock your brains out. By Sam Year 8

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Tomorrow, When the War Began is an action packed thriller with a small amount of romance and it is great for all ages above 10. This book is about seven teenagers: Ellie, Homer, Fi, Lee, Robyn, Corrie and Kelvin. When they got home after a week out camping there was no sign of their families, no people, no nothing, the place was completely deserted! But there is a festival on for no apparent reason that has been going on for too long. Then they start to realise the true danger they’re in.

You could cut the tension with a knife. I will also guarantee you that it will make chills run down your spine and curiosity will take over you!

I enjoyed every bit of this book. I have recommended this book to all of my friends and their friends and most of them have finished it and have been inspired to read the whole series! John Marsden has nailed this book and has made me amazed at his ability to express the characters’ emotion on pages of a book.

My usual routine is to read half a book, put it down and leave it on a dusty old shelf for years but the curiosity really did take over me so I just had to keep reading. I couldn’t put it down. My suggestion to you is to go straight to your local library and borrow it out, then get the rest of the series.

Kahnie, Year 8

Category: Adventure stories, Dystopian fiction, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT