Summer is in full swing in the UK, which means WorldCon will soon be here. I’m looking forward to tuning in and taking part in virtual panels, and for a big dose of inspiration. In the meantime, in contrast to sun, sea and sand, two brooding and atmospheric reads doing what young adult fiction does best, telling big stories in short novels dealing with coming of age traumas, grief, and what to do when your sister turns into a zombie. I highly recommend both for all ages.
The Migration, by Helen Marshall
The Migration is a dark and inventive apocalyptic novel, driven by defiant hope. In the face of climate catastrophe, as storms and floods ravage the world, a mysterious juvenile immunodeficiency disorder called J12 begins afflicting the young. When Sophie’s younger sister, Kira, is diagnosed, the girls are taken to Oxford to live with Aunt Irene, who works with a centre specialising in treating the illness. Sophie learns about various therapies used to treat the afflicted, but Kira’s immune system is attacking her brain and she is deteriorating, revealing a strange twist in her mouth, and an odd look in her eyes. Finally the hospital pronounce Kira dead. But Sophie knows that the dead aren’t staying dead. While the state are burning bodies of the young, Sophie vows to find a way to save her sister’s body from the pyre. But at what cost?
This was a compelling read. The science behind the strange disorder was intriguing and felt believable. The main character, Sophie, was fully fleshed and relatable, as was the multi-faceted sibling relationship, which brought Kira to life despite her zombie state. In truly cataclysmic circumstances, Sophie faces mortality, grief, danger and loss, at a time of life when she has so much to live for. The love she has for her sister is her motivation, not willing to let go against all the odds, alongside a developing understanding of the big questions: death, the afterlife, and the connections between famine, plague, and ecological changes. I particularly enjoyed the well-thought out and intriguing reveal, fusing fantasy with science, told with humanity that doesn’t shy away from the gritty realities. There is also a tender reveal of the power of the human heart, alongside an intelligently woven kaleidoscope of biology, history, and transformation.
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
13-year-old Conor desperately wants to believe that everything is fine. Following his mum and dad’s divorce, he lives alone with his mum, who is sick. Ever since she first fell ill, Conor has suffered nightmares, which worsen, and culminate in a strange visitor appearing at his bedroom window. This ancient, elemental force of nature begins a conversation of stories, but can they unravel the turmoil of Conor’s complicated young mind?
A Monster Calls is a compelling and deeply moving story, layered with themes of illness, grief and the truths we try to hide. Poignant messages are effortlessly woven into complex characters facing life in starkly vulnerable times, forced to deal with the added trauma of teenage bullying, by those trying to hide their own insecurities and lack of understanding. Conor navigates his unravelling world supported by his Grandma, described as not being like other Grans, and who proves to be a big breath of fresh air. I enjoyed this representation of an older woman dressed in tailored suits, and with dyed hair, a gran who says sixty is the new fifty, considers classic cars need the most expensive polish, still has a job, emails birthday cards, and has a cleaning lady. And at the centre is Conor, needing to be seen, needing to speak his own truth, watched over by an old yew tree, standing guard, a presence that proves to be protective of an unravelling young mind.
This is an imaginative narrative following a boy’s journey as he loses his mother, the impact of grief, how he is supported and how he survives, and the fact that there is life after. A wonderful read for any age.
What are you reading?
