I just finished the first of my five books for the Young Adult Youth Dystopian Challenge. (See my post on September 14th). Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick was recommended by Bart’s Bookshelf. While it was not as intense as most young adult dystopian novels, it was still an enjoyable read. It was easy to identify with ten-year-old Zoe’s desperation. In a not-too-distant future Zoe lives in a world where the sea is quickly encroaching on the land. Accidentally left behind by her parents Zoe is alone with one precious possession--a rowboat. Zoe takes off in the rowboat to find her parents and safety. However, instead of carrying Zoe to safety it takes her to Eels Island, a Lord of the Flies like community ruled by the frightening Dooby. Captured and her boat confiscated, Zoe finds herself unsure who to trust. The only person she really feels comfortable with is the island’s sole adult, Mad William. Though Dooby and his gang dismiss William as crazy, Zoe believes there is more truth to William’s mutterings than the others realize. Faced with taking her chances with the violent and unreliable Dooby, Zoe decides to make yet another escape and continue the search for her parents.
The ending is a little anti-climatic, but does provide the answer to why her parents did not come back for her. I would love it if there were another book to continue the story.
A quick, short read, (less than 200 pages) would make this an ideal book for class discussion. It would generate quite a lively discussion about global warming and its impact on the earth.
Next up on the Dystopian Challenge Reading list – The Forest of Hands and Teeth.
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