Brennan, Sarah Rees. Tell the Wind and Fire.

Brennan, Sarah Rees.  Tell the Wind and Fire.  Houghton

Mifflin/Clarion   2016  360p  $17.99  ISBN 978-0-544-31817-5  ms/hs  Fantasy  VG-BN

In a future world, New York City is divided into the Dark and the Light.  Of course, the people of the Light have everything, whereas the populace of the Dark struggles, reflecting the tragic period of slavery in American history.  The two groups need each other: when members of the Light use too much magic, they pollute their blood, and it must be cleansed by a member of the Dark in order to restore balance. Lucie came from the Dark, but she has a new life in the Light as the girlfriend of the ruler’s son, Ethan.  How did she make her way to the Light?  She showed extreme courage when her father was arrested and locked in a cage.  As the plot moves forward, she calls on her inner strength often. 

The story begins when Lucie and Ethan are re-entering the Light after a wonderful vacation and guards attempt to arrest Ethan.  However, it was not Ethan who passed information to the sans-merci, as the revolutionaries are known. Instead, it was the rebellious doppelganger (about whom Lucie knew nothing), Ethan’s look-alike who was created to save Ethan as an infant.  This incident sets the tone for a novel that is full of intrigue, a new way of looking at prejudice, and convoluted relationships between the lead characters.  Teen readers will particularly enjoy the easy repartee between Carwyn (the doppelganger) and Lucie when they are together.  They will also compare this new “take” on dystopian societies (which author Sarah Rees Brennan attributes to Dickens in his Tale of Two Cities) with other novels they have read.  All in all, Rees Brennan has created an interesting fantasy with just the right mix of drama, turmoil and captivating characters to allure her audience to continue with a sequel, even though Tell the Wind and Fire came to a rather complete resolution.       

Summary: Lucie lives with the threat of the Dark despite her new alliance with young Ethan, the son of a ruler of the Light.  When the threat of revolution puts her in harm’s way, she uses everything she knows to protect those she loves and to find a resolution to the conflicts that separate the City of New York.

Dystopian novels                                --Martha Squaresky

Brennan, Net. Child Convicts.

Brennan, Net.  Child Convicts.  Candlewick Press      2015  29p   $16.99  ISBN 978-0-7636-7326-0  ms/hs  Nonfiction  VG     

This brief book is full of interesting information regarding the transport of 18th-century British convicts to Australia, then called New Holland, to work in penal colonies to develop the land.  Due to poverty and disease in 18th-century Britain, many were forced into a life of crime for survival. Many of these criminals were children who were orphaned or living in such poverty that crime was a matter of survival.  Many were convicted for minor offenses such as petty theft or pregnancy out of wedlock.  The Brits had the idea that “transporting” these “criminals” would solve the problem of overcrowded prisons in Britain and would provide labor that would develop the new-found land of Australia.  Additionally, it was so far away from Britain, the population was assured that if these criminals were to escape, they would not be returning to Britain.
    

This well-written book is full of fascinating information, which is presented in chronological order, and each chapter discusses an aspect of the transport process.  It also includes excerpts about some of the criminals, along with their crimes, sentences, and outcomes.  It is astonishing how many of the convicts were children, sentenced to very hard lives for petty crimes that were committed merely for survival.
    

In addition to the well-written text, there is the visual appeal of the book.  Each double-page spread addresses a different aspect of the process and includes full-color illustrations and maps that enhance the text. Near the end of the book, which is organized in chronological order and covers a period lasting until the mid-19^th century, there are also black-and-white photographs, as the camera had already been invented.  Readers will find the writing fascinating and the graphics engaging.  A timeline is included, and the book concludes with a glossary, list of references, image credits and an index.

Summary: The book describes the transport of 18th-century British convicts to Australia, then called New Holland, to work in penal colonies to develop the land.  They were being punished for minor crimes to which they were sentenced, and many of them were children.

Convicts-History, Australia-History             --Virginia McGarvey