ZILLAH Penelope Todd, Longacre, 183 pages, paperback, $18.99
ISBN 978-1-877361-73-9
“Zillah suddenly ached for the simple, lovely stupidity of childhood.”
The Watermark trilogy, which now concludes with Zillah, began when Zillah, a troubled young girl, first came to Roimata, on the West Coast, as part of a personal challenge. Those who have read Penelope Todd’s Watermark (2003) and Dark (2004) will be pleased that Zillah, now 20, has returned to the bush and river of Roimata. This time, instead of the peace she expects, she finds landing-craft and gunfire; a film is being made on the beach and river.
Zillah heads into the bush, anxious to purge herself of troubling memories from her OE in Spain.
Eventually she manages to meet up again with Joseph (Joss) but a troubling encounter with a pair of crass hunters and Martin, a deeply troubled conspiracy theorist, make Zillah’s attempts to rekindle their love seem in vain.
This series has always had a dark, uneasy side and it takes a united effort for Zillah and Joseph to achieve the emotional tranquillity that has always seemed to elude them. Older teens will find this novel, which can stand by itself, a rewarding conclusion to a sometimes uncomfortable series.
Trevor Agnew
This review first appeared in The Press, Christchurch NZ, on 16th February 2008.
Showing posts with label Penelope Todd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penelope Todd. Show all posts
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Friday, 21 March 2008
Box
BOX Penelope Todd, Longacre, 186 pp, Pb, $16.95 ISBN 1-877361-12-7
Every good story of the future has a symbol that sums up its atmosphere. For 1984 it’s clocks striking 13 and for 2001 it’s an enigmatic black shaft. For 2005 it’s the cardboard box that the hero of Box sleeps in.
Actually Penelope Todd’s Box is not set in the present; it’s located a few plausible years in the future when a PACT government, backed by a major drug company, has made New Zealand a pioneer in dealing with such threats as cancer, bird flu, and heart disease. So why is Derek Love living in a cardboard box?
The answer – because he doesn’t want a controlling device grafted into his body - raises good issues about state powers, freedom of speech, compulsion, liberty and youthful rebellion, without wasting too much time on speeches. Instead it’s a fast-moving account of Derek and his friend Becka’s involvement with the underground resistance movement in Dunedin.
The plot, setting and characters are convincing, making this a highly readable science fiction adventure.
Trevor Agnew
This review first appeared in The Press, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Every good story of the future has a symbol that sums up its atmosphere. For 1984 it’s clocks striking 13 and for 2001 it’s an enigmatic black shaft. For 2005 it’s the cardboard box that the hero of Box sleeps in.
Actually Penelope Todd’s Box is not set in the present; it’s located a few plausible years in the future when a PACT government, backed by a major drug company, has made New Zealand a pioneer in dealing with such threats as cancer, bird flu, and heart disease. So why is Derek Love living in a cardboard box?
The answer – because he doesn’t want a controlling device grafted into his body - raises good issues about state powers, freedom of speech, compulsion, liberty and youthful rebellion, without wasting too much time on speeches. Instead it’s a fast-moving account of Derek and his friend Becka’s involvement with the underground resistance movement in Dunedin.
The plot, setting and characters are convincing, making this a highly readable science fiction adventure.
Trevor Agnew
This review first appeared in The Press, Christchurch, New Zealand.
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