I am so excited to bring you this book review today, ahead of its anticipated release on 9th May.
I have been a fan of Vashti Hardy's writing for some time now, having read the Brightstorm series, Wildspark and Crowfall. If you're after adventure and excitement in your middle-grade books, then these are the ones to pick up!
Today, I'm sharing Hardy's latest book: North and the Only One, which I was kindly gifted through the publisher, Scholastic.
From the cover, this book immediately had a different feel to the previous books I've mentioned. This book almost seemed calm and peaceful, set in nature. Then I spotted the technological markings at the bottom of the cover and the city in the distance. With that, I knew great adventure was on the horizon.
Here is the synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Rose can't remember anything before last week, when she woke up not knowing her own name, her own house or even her own mother. The only thing Rose recognized was her puppy, North.
But Mother patiently explained everything - well, not everything. Not the real-feeling dreams Rose has about a mysterious forest she half-recognises. Or why she is not allowed to stray beyond the garden, out into Luminelle, the vast city surrounding them.
Mother is kind and helpful, but Rose can't shake the feeling that something's not right. Or maybe it's everything that's not right?
But then, when Rose flees to the outside world with North, it quickly becomes clear to Rose that she is different. And for reasons she doesn't understand, she's dangerous.
On an unforgettable journey of discovery, Rose uncovers life-altering truths about the city she's in, the people around her ... and ultimately herself.
Well, I hope that synopsis caught your attention - it certainly caught mine! If you'd like to read the first few pages, you can do so on Amazon.
Let me tell you, after reading this, it certainly isn't a fluffy story about a girl and her puppy! Yet again, Vashti Hardy wows her readers with an imaginative, action-packed world with a strong thread of science and technology.
It is hard to review this book in its entirety without giving away too many spoilers. That's the beauty of this book, in a way; it has so much packed into it that it cannot fully be described or appreciated until it has been read. What I will say is that I would now class this as one of my favourite middle-grade books and would definitely recommend it to the children in my Year 6 class - especially those with an interest in STEM.
I loved going on this adventure with Rose as she makes discoveries and uncovers secrets of her life. It's a privilege to go through the events of this book with Rose - and North - as she untangles the unknown and the truth is revealed.
Also, despite being science fiction, there are so many links to our real world situation today and it gave me that "what if" moment on many occasions. There are strong, underlying messages about protecting our Earth and seeing what is truly valuable.
I can see this being a book I add into my reading curriculum with Year 6 in the future (or Year 4 or 5 if I moved to a different year group).
Overall, I highly recommend this book; I think it's one of her best! It's made me want to reread some of her other books. I've also added the Griffin Gate series to my TBR list!
Thank you again to Scholastic for sending me an advanced copy of this fantastic book - it is very much appreciated!
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