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Mau is the only one left after a giant wave sweeps his island village away. But when much is taken, something is returned, and somewhere in the jungle Daphne — a girl from the other side of the globe — is the sole survivor of a ship destroyed by the same wave.
Together the two confront the aftermath of catastrophe. Drawn by the smoke of Mau and Daphne's sheltering fire, other refugees slowly arrive: children without parents, mothers without babies, husbands without wives — all of them hungry and all of them frightened. As Mau and Daphne struggle to keep the small band safe and fed, they defy ancestral spirits, challenge death himself, and uncover a long-hidden secret that literally turns the world upside down...
Internationally revered storyteller Terry Pratchett presents a breathtaking adventure of survival and discovery, and of the courage required to forge new beliefs.
Review:
"In Carnegie Medalist Pratchett's (the Discworld novels; A Hat Full of Sky) superb mix of alternate history and fantasy, the king of England, along with the next 137 people in line to the throne, has just succumbed to the plague; the era might be akin to the 1860s or '70s. As the heir apparent is being fetched from his new post as governor of an island chain in the South Pelagic Ocean, his daughter, the redoubtable Ermintrude, still en route to join him in the South Pelagic, has been shipwrecked by a tsunami. She meets Mau, whose entire people have been wiped out by the great wave (he escaped their fate only because he was undergoing an initiation rite on another island). She and Mau each suffer profound crises of faith, and together they re-establish Mau's nation from other survivors who gradually wash up on shore and rediscover (with guidance from spirits) its remarkable lost heritage. Neatly balancing the somber and the wildly humorous in a riveting tale of discovery, Pratchett shows himself at the height of his powers. Ages 12 — up." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Review:
At one point in this excellent new novel, a boy named Mau desperately needs to find milk for a starving infant. Unfortunately, he's on a virtually deserted island, and there just aren't any cows or nursing mothers around. There is only one possible source of nourishment for the baby, and Mau risks his life to procure it. Even now the thought of what the boy does still makes me shudder. In a lifetime... Washington Post Book Review (read the entire Washington Post review) packed with both extensive reading and vivid nightmares, I can honestly say that I have never come across anything quite so ... well, there is no adequate word to describe an act that is as heroic as it is disgusting. For this scene alone, no reader is ever likely to forget Terry Pratchett's "Nation." Not that I would shortchange the memorability of its ghosts, cannibals, bloodthirsty mutineers, forbidden burial grounds and secret treasure. Moreover, while exciting in themselves, these also serve Pratchett's latest ongoing examination of some of our most fundamental questions about religious belief, the nature of culture, and what it means to be human. But let's start at the beginning. When Russian influenza strikes Britain in the mid-19th century, not even the royal family is spared. The king and his 138 immediate possible successors quickly succumb, and the throne descends, improbably, to His Excellency, the Governor of Port Mercia, a trading post far away in the Great Southern Pelagic Ocean. During the consequent state of emergency, that swift sailing ship, the Cutty Wren, immediately sets forth to alert the governor of his new position — and on board are several mysterious passengers, including five shrouded figures referred to as the "Gentlemen of Last Resort" and two women, one the unlikely sovereign's elderly but formidable mother. She is aptly described as "a mixture of the warrior queen Boadicea without the chariot, Catherine de' Medici without the poisoned rings, and Attila the Hun without his wonderful sense of fun." As should already be clear, "Nation" is — as Terry Pratchett tells us in his author's note — "set in a parallel universe, a phenomenon known only to advanced physicists and anyone who has ever watched any episode of any SF series, anywhere." It is also what's called a crossover novel, which means that while "Nation" may be aimed primarily at bright-eyed young adults — as were Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy and the Harry Potter books of J.K. Rowling — many grizzled old adults are likely to enjoy it, too. You don't even need to know anything about Pratchett's earlier work: It's a stand-alone book, with no connection whatsoever to Discworld. Even though Pratchett's name is virtually synonymous with this justly celebrated fantasy series (more than 35 Discworld titles at last count), he does write outside its frame from time to time. So don't look in "Nation" for the witch Granny Weatherwax or Captain Vimes of the City Watch or the elderly Cohen the Barbarian or even the Wee Free Men. Oh, a couple of characters sometimes slightly recall Discworld figures: For instance, the sinister Mr. Black's diction resembles that of the suave and dangerous Lord Vetinari, and Death — a prominent and surprisingly talkative character of the series — appears here too, though he now goes by the name Locaha. But that's it. "Nation" remains at heart a novel of ideas, a ferocious questioning of vested cultural attitudes and beliefs. In form it is a classic "Robinsonade," that is, a book in which characters are marooned on a desert island and there create a little civilization of their own. For, as it happens, just about the time that the Cutty Wren leaves England for Port Mercia, the Southern Pelagic Ocean suffers widespread devastation from a monster tsunami. Even that sturdy ship, the Sweet Judy, finds herself caught up by the gigantic mountain of water and is sent crashing onto a small island. The sole survivor of the wreck turns out to be a young girl of 13 who is also, as it happens, the only child of the unlikely new king of England. Poor Ermintrude finds herself seemingly alone on an island inhabited largely by wild pigs and repulsive "grandfather birds." These "ugly-looking things didn't just eat everything, they ate all of everything, and carefully threw up anything that didn't fit, taste right, or had woken up and started to protest." Yet Ermintrude — or Daphne, as she takes to calling herself since she's always hated her real name — isn't, in fact, alone. Of all the many islanders, just one boy has been spared by the gods: Mau. But spared for what reason, if any? Mau has lost everyone he ever loved, everything he knew, all that he had looked forward to being part of, his entire world. He alone survives of the Nation. Half crazed by grief, he soon starts to hear the ancient voices of the Grandfathers ringing in his ears, constantly whining for the age-old rituals and their special beer and the restoration of the "god anchors" that have been swept away by the great wave. Little wonder that Mau first imagines that the pale Ermintrude, or rather Daphne, must be a ghost. Eventually, of course, these two young people — a girl who one day might become the Queen of England and the boy who is, by default, the chief of the Nation — join forces and together begin the long effort of survival. It is a thrilling story. And, as I said earlier, a deeply philosophical one, especially for a young adult novel. Mau's doubts are those that haunt anyone who has lived with undeserved misfortune. Why did the gods destroy the Nation, including innocent children and babies? Do such deities deserve worship? Are they in fact real, or do things simply happen or not happen? What are the claims of tradition against the needs of the present and future? And, most simply, what is a man, and what are his obligations to himself and to others? While Mau's education revolves around such spiritual and intellectual conundrums, Daphne's is more practical: This hitherto sheltered daughter of privilege learns that she is a woman of power, at once strong, resolute and utterly indomitable. By the end of the novel, the girl who had been taught that "a lady should never lift anything heavier than a parasol and should certainly never set foot in a kitchen" will chew the food for a toothless old crone, midwife the birth of a baby, saw off a man's leg, poison a murderer and even descend alone into the realm of the dead. Old crone? Baby? Where, you might wonder, did they come from? Over time, various other survivors of the tsunami gradually make their way to Mau's island, bringing with them their troubles, talents and difficult personalities. The Sweet Judy is gradually stripped of its useful materials: After all, "since there was going to be a future, it would need a roof over its head." Yet always the tireless, hard-working Mau is assailed by the voices of the Grandfathers, mocking his efforts, calling upon him to bring back the old traditions. But Mau has learned to think for himself and ceaselessly wonders about the nature of his world: Who made the white stones called "god anchors"? And what secret lies hidden deep within the cave of the Grandfathers? The ultimate answer to both these questions would be right at home in an Indiana Jones movie. Still, even the most esoteric mysteries diminish in importance before the growing threat of the Raiders, roving cannibals who worship the death-god Locaha. Mau points out that there's nothing much left on the island, so "What have we still got that they would want?" And the old priest Ataba answers: "Skulls. Flesh. Their pleasure in our death. The usual things." Yes, the usual things, indeed. But there's worse yet: It turns out that an evil mutineer named Cox may have become their new leader, and Daphne knows him all too well. "Like crocodiles and sharks, Cox always had a grin for people, especially when he had them at his mercy, or at least where his mercy would be if he had any." While "Nation" occasionally moves a little slowly, it soon develops great momentum, and we come to care and worry about Mau, Daphne and the others. Moreover, this being a Pratchett novel, the writing is always a pleasure, albeit somewhat muted compared to Discworld's higher-pitched zinginess — though not always or wholly so: "It was, according to the history books, the fastest coronation since Bubric the Saxon crowned himself with a very pointy crown on a hill during a thunderstorm, and reigned for one and a half seconds." And then, of course, there's the cook on the Sweet Judy, who transforms his coffin into a well-provisioned life raft. He tells Daphne, "I got the idea off a harpooner I met when I was working on the whalers." Harpooner, coffin? Could it be? Cookie goes on: "He was a rum 'un and no mistake. Had more tattoos than the Edinburgh Festival and all his teeth filed as sharp as daggers, but he lugged this coffin onto every ship he sailed with so's if he died, he'd have a proper Christian funeral and not be chucked over the side sown up in a bit o' canvas with a cannonball for company. I thought about it myself — it's a good basic idea, but it needs a little bit of changing. Anyway, I didn't stay long on that ship on account of coming down with bowel weevils just before we rounded the cape, and I had to put ashore at Valparaiso. It was probably a blessing in disguise, 'cause I reckon that ship was heading for a bad end. I've seen a few mad captains in my time, but that one was as crazy as a spoon. And you may depend upon it, when the captain is crazy, so is the ship. I often wonder what happened to 'em all." Yes, Cookie, you were right: That ship and her captain were definitely heading for a bad end. But "Nation" isn't. It's a terrific, thought-provoking book, and it ends wonderfully. Michael Dirda's e-mail address is mdirda(at symbol)gmail.com. Reviewed by Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World (Copyright 2006 Washington Post Book World Service/Washington Post Writers Group)
(hide most of this review)
Review:
"Broad in its scope and concrete in its details, this unusual novel strips away the trappings of two very different nations to consider what it is people value and why....Quirky wit and broad vision make this a fascinating survival story on many levels." Booklist (Starred Review)
Review:
"Pratchett's latest masterpiece....A searching exploration of good and evil, fate and free will, both as broad and as deep as anything this brilliant and, happily, prolific author has produced so far." Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Review:
"The unique pleasure of this story is that all the serious subjects and juicy ethical questions...are fully woven into action and character....[I]t is hard to imagine a reader who won't feel welcomed into this nation." The Horn Book
Synopsis:
The author of the phenomenally successful Discworld series delivers the mesmerizing story of a boy whose journey to manhood requires the strength to defy expectations and the courage to forge new beliefs.
Terry Pratchett's books have sold more than 55 million copies worldwide (give or take a few million). In addition to his hit novels about the fantastical flat planet Discworld, he has written award-winning children's books, including the Johnny Maxwell trilogy and the bestselling Tiffany Aching Adventures. Mr. Pratchett received Britain's highest honor for a children's novel, the Carnegie Medal, for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. Mr. Pratchett has one grown-up daughter and lives in England with his wife and many cats.
As many of you know, beloved house author Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease. Terry has become active in fundraising efforts to support Alzheimer's research. Click here to read a speech Terry made to the Alzheimer's Research Trust Conference in the UK earlier this year. If you are interested in making a tax-free donation to to the Alzheimer's Association click here.
crowyhead, May 19, 2009 (view all comments by crowyhead)
Don't go into this book expecting Discworld; you'll be disappointed. That's not to say that Pratchett's usual sense of humor and way with words is not present, it's just that this is a different world and there's a different slant to this book. It's really excellent YA writing; if it had been intended for a slightly younger audience, it would have easily given Gaiman's Graveyard Book a run for its money for the Newbery.
I personally still find the epilogue rather weak, but overall this is one of those novels that seems lightweight at first, and then you find your mind returning to it repeatedly long after you've finished it and put it away.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No (4 of 11 readers found this comment helpful)
Bobbee, September 21, 2008 (view all comments by Bobbee)
This is a great book. It's unlike anything I've read - truly unique. It has a lot of heart, great action, an amazing story and compelling characters. It is a fascinating look at how people cope with their world turning upside-down, and how thinking people can make a huge difference in their world. It also has very funny everyday moments among the literally earth-shaking events. I would recommend it to anyone at middle-school reading level or higher.
I couldn't wait for publication date so I bought an advance reader's copy online. I have read just about everything Mr. Pratchett has written and I believe he is one of our most undervalued writers for two reasons: he writes very funny stuff and his books are in the fantasy genre. Neither of these seem to impress literary critics.
Nation is completely different from anything he's written before. It should, I believe, bring him some of that overdue critical acclaim.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No (14 of 20 readers found this comment helpful)
"Publishers Weekly Review"
by Publishers Weekly,
"In Carnegie Medalist Pratchett's (the Discworld novels; A Hat Full of Sky) superb mix of alternate history and fantasy, the king of England, along with the next 137 people in line to the throne, has just succumbed to the plague; the era might be akin to the 1860s or '70s. As the heir apparent is being fetched from his new post as governor of an island chain in the South Pelagic Ocean, his daughter, the redoubtable Ermintrude, still en route to join him in the South Pelagic, has been shipwrecked by a tsunami. She meets Mau, whose entire people have been wiped out by the great wave (he escaped their fate only because he was undergoing an initiation rite on another island). She and Mau each suffer profound crises of faith, and together they re-establish Mau's nation from other survivors who gradually wash up on shore and rediscover (with guidance from spirits) its remarkable lost heritage. Neatly balancing the somber and the wildly humorous in a riveting tale of discovery, Pratchett shows himself at the height of his powers. Ages 12 — up." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review"
by Booklist (Starred Review),
"Broad in its scope and concrete in its details, this unusual novel strips away the trappings of two very different nations to consider what it is people value and why....Quirky wit and broad vision make this a fascinating survival story on many levels."
"Review"
by Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review),
"Pratchett's latest masterpiece....A searching exploration of good and evil, fate and free will, both as broad and as deep as anything this brilliant and, happily, prolific author has produced so far."
"Review"
by The Horn Book,
"The unique pleasure of this story is that all the serious subjects and juicy ethical questions...are fully woven into action and character....[I]t is hard to imagine a reader who won't feel welcomed into this nation."
"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
The author of the phenomenally successful Discworld series delivers the mesmerizing story of a boy whose journey to manhood requires the strength to defy expectations and the courage to forge new beliefs.
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