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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
Terry Pratchett. One day, someone "respectable" will read one of his books and discover they're much, much more than silly fantasy novels, and they'll be republished with "respectable" covers and everyone will read them and realize how much is really in there.
"Nation" is not a discworld novel. It's set in an alternate universe on a small island, where the survivors of a giant tidal wave are trying to pick up the pieces. The central figures are a native boy and an English girl, and as they're trying to survive they're also question the things they've always been told - most importantly, the existance of a god/gods.
It's a great portrait of growing disbelief, accompanied with a developing belief in oneself, or humankind, than gods.
The one thing I don't like about Pratchett's novels is that it always takes me rather long to get into them. I'm never grabbed by the first pages, I need to read at least twenty or so. Then, however, I'm hooked.
"Nation" is not a discworld novel. It's set in an alternate universe on a small island, where the survivors of a giant tidal wave are trying to pick up the pieces. The central figures are a native boy and an English girl, and as they're trying to survive they're also question the things they've always been told - most importantly, the existance of a god/gods.
It's a great portrait of growing disbelief, accompanied with a developing belief in oneself, or humankind, than gods.
The one thing I don't like about Pratchett's novels is that it always takes me rather long to get into them. I'm never grabbed by the first pages, I need to read at least twenty or so. Then, however, I'm hooked.
A great book; best summed up by the following quote from the author:
"Thinking
This book contains some. Whether you try it at home is up to you."
Read it if you're a fan of his Discworld novels and read it if you're not.
"Thinking
This book contains some. Whether you try it at home is up to you."
Read it if you're a fan of his Discworld novels and read it if you're not.
Prose: 8/10 - Simple but effective, it is a book aimed at children but this does not make the prose simple. Typical Pratchett, accessible, quick moving, but not lacking.
Re-readability: 6/10 - Easily readable, and would be again, but not the depth to feel a re-read would gain anything.
Character development: 9/10 - Mau and Daphne are well developed characters and there development through the book leads you to love them.
World building: 7/10 - Great ideas but a lot of unanswered questions around the world in which it is set, “Reunited States”?
Pacing: 8/10 - Quick, easy read. Good movement between action and character development.
Ending: 8/10 - A real ending to a young adult novel is refreshing.
Overall: 8/10 - An excellent Terry Pratchett novel that is an easy read and throughly enjoyable. It doesn’t have the full complexity and themes of a full Discworld novel but has plenty going on.
Re-readability: 6/10 - Easily readable, and would be again, but not the depth to feel a re-read would gain anything.
Character development: 9/10 - Mau and Daphne are well developed characters and there development through the book leads you to love them.
World building: 7/10 - Great ideas but a lot of unanswered questions around the world in which it is set, “Reunited States”?
Pacing: 8/10 - Quick, easy read. Good movement between action and character development.
Ending: 8/10 - A real ending to a young adult novel is refreshing.
Overall: 8/10 - An excellent Terry Pratchett novel that is an easy read and throughly enjoyable. It doesn’t have the full complexity and themes of a full Discworld novel but has plenty going on.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is YA so I won't give it an official review, but man is it top notch stuff. Faith and desert islands. Foul-mouthed parrots and science. It's a little like Swiss Family Robinson, a little like Casablanca, and a little like nothing I've read before. Grand great stuff.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Nation is a hard one to review--it's quite different than anything else I've read of Terry Pratchett (and I've read a lot!), and it's one of those rare young adult novels that ask the readers to think about serious topics rather than just telling a silly, fun story. As Pratchett is aging, it really seems like his stories are taking a much more brooding and serious tone, with only hints of his wit and sarcasm throughout.
The characters are all very interesting and complex, especially the two central characters of the story Mau and Daphne (Ermintrude, but it's understandable why she'd change her name when she wound up shipwreaked on an island with no one who knew what her real name was!).
I really enjoyed the depth of this, and since I wasn't expecting it I was happily surprised. I hadn't read a single review for this yet, just bought it based on enjoying everything I've read of Pratchett before so I figured it would be a good bet. This is a story about death, survival, racism, and humanity--a lot for a novel aimed at teenagers, really!
This seems to be one of those books that different readers will take away different ideas about what it was trying to say. There's a lot of things Nation could be telling the reader, and at the core it seems to be about death and acceptance. An excellent read!
The characters are all very interesting and complex, especially the two central characters of the story Mau and Daphne (Ermintrude, but it's understandable why she'd change her name when she wound up shipwreaked on an island with no one who knew what her real name was!).
I really enjoyed the depth of this, and since I wasn't expecting it I was happily surprised. I hadn't read a single review for this yet, just bought it based on enjoying everything I've read of Pratchett before so I figured it would be a good bet. This is a story about death, survival, racism, and humanity--a lot for a novel aimed at teenagers, really!
This seems to be one of those books that different readers will take away different ideas about what it was trying to say. There's a lot of things Nation could be telling the reader, and at the core it seems to be about death and acceptance. An excellent read!