VVMBookBlog

Two young people from two different worlds are brought together when a deadly tsunami wave destroys Mau’s island and its inhabitants (the Nation), and Daphne’s British ship is swept from the sea and destroyed on Mau’s island.

Mau was just returning from his coming-of-age experience and would be coming home to the island ceremony initiating him into manhood.  Daphne (real name Ermintrude) has escaped living with her very proper and controlling grandmother and was on the ship heading to be with her father on another British-owned island.  Then the tsunami hit and now they’re alone on the island, forced to learn each other’s language so they could help treat the other tsunami victims who found their way to the island.

I expected to read just another fantasy book by Terry Pratchett.  Instead I found a book that takes place in a parallel universe, and looks at what human beings can do when everything else is taken away, and all customs, traditions and rituals need to be examined for what they really mean.  When the anger Mau feels at his gods who might have caused the tsunami and the death of his people, he can open his eyes to other realities on his island, along with Daphne whose curiosity and accumulated knowledge help make sense of the secrets they find.

Lots of adventure, especially when the Raiders led by British mutineers arrive on the island to cause problems.  It’s a thick book but one I just couldn’t put down until it was done.  And now I’m left with much to think about when people can change how they see the everyday things around them.