Writeology

Read: Nation, Terry Pratchett

The wizard of Discworld takes a break from his most famous creation to tell the story of two survivors of a giant tsunami in a fictional version of the South Pacific, circa the nineteenth century. Thirteen year old Daphne is shipwrecked and finds herself alone on an island with Mau, a young man whose only family—his whole Nation—have been wiped out by the giant wave. Together, they begin to rebuild the Nation, as survivors arrive from all over—some good, some bad. It’s a wonderful tale, told with Pratchett’s usual whimsical humor, tinged with darker elements of death and the necessity of growing up. Pratchett has long been one of my very favorite authors, and his recent battle with Alzheimer’s makes me savor his work all the more.