Annotation:
Hathin has always taken care of her sister Arilou who is one of the Lost, special people who have the ability to disconnect their senses from their bodies. Then one day all of the Lost on Gullstruck Island are killed except for Arilou. Haithin and Arilou begin a quest to find the murderer before the murderer finds them. Recommended for ages 12+ because of some violence. |
| Cover from Goodreads.com |
Book Talk:
Gullstruck Island is a beautiful, vicious island that is home to several volcanoes and strong storms. To survive these dangers the tribes of Gullstruck rely on the Lost, people with the ability to throw their senses out into the world.
“Most Lost could move their senses independently, like snails’ eyes on stalks. Indeed, a gifted Lost might feel the grass under their knees, taste the peach in your hand, overhear a conversation in the next village, and smell cooking in the next town, all while watching barracudas dapple and flit around a shipwreck ten miles out to sea.”
And then one day all of the Lost die except for one young girl. Arilou has never been tested as a Lost and has hardly had any training. In fact, she relies heavily on her younger sister Hathin for everything. But each girl holds secrets that could change or save the fate of their world.
Book Review:
Hardinge borrows from many different cultures in this book but still manages to create a wholly new world filled with lively characters and an interesting if complicated plotline. For the most part, The Lost Conspiracy moves quickly but there are parts in the middle where the action stumbles a bit before picking up. Mainly this happened when Hardinge had to describe the superstitions and traditions that influenced a character’s actions. Overall, this is a delightful book perfect for anyone 12+ who loves fantasy worlds and strong female characters.
Awards and Honors:
2009- one of Kirkus Review's Best Young Adult Books of 2009
2009- one of School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2009
Author Site: http://www.franceshardinge.com/
Other Reviews:
Listen to an excerpt from The Lost Conspiracy
No comments:
Post a Comment