A thrilling and surprisingly energizing story of one girl’s courage in escaping from a repressive society to search for something more fulfilling and creative. This is the first and if you like it try the sequel Voyager. Life on the High Island is harsh – especially for women. Demetria has known nothing but drudgery and bullying in her life. Everything in her world is grey and in the background all too often there is the chilling scream of the Banshee, set off every time anyone tries to escape across the sea to freedom. But life changes completely for Demetria when Ianto, a political prisoner, is billeted on the family home. From Ianto Demetria hears about another world where there are stories, imagination and freedom. Bravely, she determines to find it. (13+)
The powerful, inspiring story of one girl's bravery and determination in the face of overwhelming odds. Demetria has never questioned her harsh and joyless life on High Island. The bullying, the guards and the siren's scream announcing yet another failed escape from the prisons of Low Island across the sea, are all she has ever known. But then Political Prisoner Ianto Morgan is billeted with Demetria's family - and introduces Demetria to a world she never knew existed. He tells her about birds and flight, about science and the sea - and how he travelled thousands of miles to help her distant planet. But most of all he tells her about a world where people live free. Is Ianto telling the truth or is he a dangerous liar? With nothing left to lose, Demetria knows she must find out . . .
Jan Mark was born in Hertfordshire during the Second World War. She would have been born in London, but her mother had been evacuated. She moved around a lot as a child, and ended up in Oxford. Sadly, she died suddenly from meningitis on 16 Jan 2006.
Jan Mark was one of the most distinguished authors of books for young people. She was twice awarded the Carnegie Medal for her novels Thunder and Lightnings and Handles; and also won the Penguin Guardian Award, the Observer Teenage Fiction Prize and the Angel Award for Fiction. Click here to see more of her books
