Ellie and six of her high school friends are camping in the Australian outback for a few days after Christmas. They are four girls and three boys: Ellie, Corrie, Fi and Robyn and Kevin, Homer and Lee. They find this wonderful place to camp and hang out there for the next days, doing nothing but flirting, talking and relaxing. One night some of them wake up when a lot of jets are flying over their campsite, and when they talk about it the next morning, they joke about that it was like a war has begun. A few days later they break up camp and return home - only to find that their joking has come true. Their homes are deserted, their pets and husbandry left dead or dying and no parents or siblings are anywhere.
A war has indeed begun and the seven friends are seemingly the only ones left not caught by the enemy. Now a very intense time for the seven friends begin, and I found this book and its premise extremely suspenseful. There were times where I feared I could not read more, because the suspense was almost killing me. How their group develops, how new relationships are formed and how the group's dynamics can change in a heartbeat is explained through those seven friends in a very fresh and modern way, which should be appealing to all young adult readers, which are the target audience for this series. While the story is not about sexual relations at all, it is more than hinted at, and that may put off some readers or parents. I know I didn't mind, but neither did I find it overly interesting. The YA audience will definitely find it more interesting. I liked the war-stuff better! The book is dystopian, but we are in our own world, in our own time and the end has not (yet) arrived.
Can't wait to read the next book in the series (seems like I have a lot of YA series going). Highly recommendable.
5 comments:
I'm so glad you liked this one. To me the kids seemed so real -- making decisions based on what they had seen on TV or movies, missing their parents, being afraid.
I just finished book 4 (review up next week), and each one is an exciting read.
Yes, it seemed very real to me too, and I am eager to read the next ones in the series :-) Thanks so much for recommending them, Beth.
I love this series when I was younger -- I haven't read them in a long time. I agree with you on the suspense; these books scared me because I could almost imagine that happening to me. I'm looking forward to the rest of your reviews -- by the time you finish I'll probably want to read them again!
I love these books and re-read them fairly regularly. It's particularly satisfying reading something set in familiar landscapes, makes the events seem even more real.
There's a movie of the first one on its way, I hope they don't stuff it up!
@Kim: Right now I am definitely going to read the next two in the series. I've read somewhere that they were originally thought to be a trilogy and that the rest of the books felt like they were tied on in a not so elegant way. Can any of you elaborate on that?
@mimbles: I see what you mean. I've never been to Australia, and am also ashamed to say that this was probably the first book I've read. At least after I've begun blogging, probably in all time. Embarassing! But now I know I will at least read some more :-)
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