Spark

LoveReading4Kids Says

A grim vision of a future world starved of water, where humanity has descended into a mediaeval hand to mouth existence and with a warped belief system extolling the Ancestors who had in fact created this awful world through selfish excess. Ash lives with the Priestess of Last Village since his father left. After a storm, Ash wakes to find that the village's water and all the other villagers have disappeared and the Priestess left dead. Together with fellow outcast Bronwyn, he heads North with hope they might find water, villagers or even the fabled ‘Kingdom’ where life is rumoured to still flourish. After many dangers and tribulations, they do indeed find all of this.

But the villagers are brutally enslaved building the huge Wall which holds back all the stolen water to enable the inhabitants of the Kingdom to continue their privileged lives. Corruption and greed still rule the world. But the Spark of the title is not just the means to cleverly set off the explosive climax but the revolutionary spark for change and rebellion which Ash delivers to empower the enslaved villagers to action. This is a thrilling adventure with a strong message about working together to bring about change and about fighting for justice and the natural world. Ash and Bronwyn are great characters and their spiky relationship is thoroughly entertaining and convincing. An empowering read for young activists everywhere and a successful foray into dystopian fiction for the Branford Boase winning author.

Joy Court

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