The first time I read this, I must have been about ten years old. My mum's old friend use to give me books every birthday - this was one the first he gave directly to me (as opposed to mum, who would read them to us).
Having never read anything like it before in it's style or genre, I was blown away. I fell into it's world like it was my own secret place that no one else knew about. It influenced my writing and my thoughts so much that I started reading bigger, more difficult books, turning away from books by Jacqueline Wilson and Enid Blyton.
I recently re-read this book for the fourth time. I acknowledge now that the writing is not spectacular - it's one of those books that makes less and less sense as the plot fills with action - the surroundings aren't described enough so you don't quite understand how some things come about. There's also a very hurried love affair that doesn't quite click with the reader.
That being said, the imagination given to this novel is wonderful. It explores four very different worlds in Mara's bizarre story, each getting more and more foreign to us.
World 1: It begins on a drowning island in Scotland - the icecaps have melted and the seas have risen so much, that the inhabitants of Wing are convinced they are the only people left living. As the sea continues to rise, they leave home on a fleet of small boats to find the 'new world' - it is rumoured that there have been cities built above the waters.
World 2: They arrive at New Mungo, a new world city built above the water, to find a huge refugee camp. We are shown the gory details of sickness, starvation, fear, and death, of the camp.
World 3: Mara discovers a small settlement under the city - a dark, gloomy place where rebels of the new world were shunned. I can't explain too much without ruining the book - it's quite surreal.
World 4: Mara finds herself in the futuristic New Mungo, where comfort and luxury lies all around.
It's a dystopian novel, that isn't about the new regime. It's about the courage of one girl who has nothing left but to fight for her friend's lives and the life she wants. It's about sacrifice and survival.
It's a bizarre and wonderful adventure that you won't be explain to others without sounding a little bit mad and nonsensical.
Reading Challenge: A book I have already read.
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