Today's Sunday Afternoon Read focuses on John Marsden's Tomorrow series, and in particular the first novel of this seven part series "Tomorrow, when the war began". While all the books could be read separately, I feel that once you've read one, you'll be eager to find out what happens next.
Tomorrow is targeted at more of a teen audience than the readers of this blog but I don't think anything is lost in reading the books from an older perspective... there are elements that aren't so much "That's so my life right now" but are more "I remember being that crazy when I was younger". There are also themes that are relevant no matter what age you are - that people can change under pressure and it's not always in the way that you'd expect, that love comes when it isn't convenient and how trauma can bring people closer.
The plotline is somewhat predictable - at one stage the characters in the novel have a minor premonition as to what has happened - but the fodder of the novel is not so much in the invasion as in the reaction of the characters to the invasion in their lands. When you come back from a camping vacation to find your land full of hostile forces and your parents have been captured, what do you do? Surrender or fight?
The novel is well written, simple enough language to be accessible to a wide range of people but with complex themes that make you think.
4 out of 5 stars
Tomorrow is targeted at more of a teen audience than the readers of this blog but I don't think anything is lost in reading the books from an older perspective... there are elements that aren't so much "That's so my life right now" but are more "I remember being that crazy when I was younger". There are also themes that are relevant no matter what age you are - that people can change under pressure and it's not always in the way that you'd expect, that love comes when it isn't convenient and how trauma can bring people closer.
The plotline is somewhat predictable - at one stage the characters in the novel have a minor premonition as to what has happened - but the fodder of the novel is not so much in the invasion as in the reaction of the characters to the invasion in their lands. When you come back from a camping vacation to find your land full of hostile forces and your parents have been captured, what do you do? Surrender or fight?
The novel is well written, simple enough language to be accessible to a wide range of people but with complex themes that make you think.
4 out of 5 stars
Hmmmm...Have not heard about this series yet. Off to Goodreads.com to learn more!
ReplyDeleteOh I love love lovvvvvvvved this series when I was in high school. All my mates used to read it ... it was like our version of Gossip Girl or whatever kids talk about in the playground these days. My friends even started calling me Ellie ha.
ReplyDeleteAhh, I LOVE this series. I read them all in high school, but they're still a good read now even though I'm in my twenties. John is an amazing writer.
ReplyDeleteAlso, hi! I've FINALLY managed to make my way to your site. Subscribing in my reader right now :D