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onceuponareader's review
4.0
I read this over a weekend so I could use it as a stimulus for the English work the children in the year 6 class I was working with were going to do. Although, the purpose of this was to read the book and create activities around it, I found that I was drawn into the book and constantly wanting to know what was going to happen next. Zoe, is a strong character and I like the way the author has shown this throughout the book. He has shown that strong can have many different definitions. I would highly recommend this book not only to use as a stimulus but as a read because it really gets you thinking.
meganbarber11's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
bookishcharlotte's review
2.0
My review, as posted to my blog (https://chatterverse.wordpress.com/2015/12/07/marcus-sedgwick-floodland/):
Okay.
Picture this.
The world, as you know it, has changed.
Shocker.
England, previously more or less a haven of temperate weather – with the occasional warmer summer or frosty January to liven things up a little – has surrendered to the inexorable (not to mention terrifying) progress of climate change, and has been reduced to a few piecemeal, unconnected land masses surrounded by a frankly rather uncomfortable amount of water.
So what do you do?
You run, obviously, as soon as it becomes clear that this problem is neither minor nor easily solvable. Where you run doesn’t matter – to your parents, to safety, to higher ground, and eventually to the boats that come to rescue you – as long as you do.
But what do you do when the boats stop coming?
That, among others, is the question that Floodland answers, and, trust me, it ain’t pretty.
~
Zoe, Floodland’s young heroine, is forced to fend for herself in an increasingly unsafe world after her parents are rescued, and she is tragically left behind. At first, life goes on as normal – or as normal as it can be, with her parents gone, and danger creeping steadily in – but as the water keeps rising, communication with other islands dwindles to nothing, supplies run low, basic infrastructure comes to a grinding halt, and, to put it somewhat concisely, things go from bad to worse.
Quite aside from the engaging, tense plot, in which the danger is very real, very present, and, after the initial fear caused by the rising sea levels, almost entirely human, Floodland is an intelligent and assured foray into the human psyche by an author that genuinely knows his stuff and isn’t afraid to use it. Sedgwick’s novels delve constantly into difficult topics and tricky questions, investigating aspects of the world we live in that we would, arguably, rather not think about quite so explicitly. It’s unapologetic, relentless, and masterful, not to mention refreshing.
In fact, the only reason – yes, for once I have exercised restraint and have found one solitary reason – that I failed to give Floodland a 5-star rating is because I felt it was a little sparse. On the one hand, the stripped-back style was refreshing, leaving nothing but the taut, charged movements of a group of people forced consistently to extremes to survive in a world that had turned against them. But on the other hand, however, it made it exceedingly difficult to understand the characters, or believe their motivations. As a reader, I felt divorced from the action, and alienated from Sedgwick’s world.
Additionally – I apologise, but this is actually a connected point, so I’m totally justified – I felt that Sedgwick created his futuristic, vaguely post-apocalyptic world solely with broad strokes. There was no detail in the descriptions, little conversation, and, in short, not much to go on. Again, it was somewhat justifiable in that the reader is restricted to the main character’s perspective, but on the other hand, it is also justifiable to wonder if she might have known a little more than the reader is offered, given that some time passes through the duration of the text. Ultimately, it felt little like reasonable suspense used to amp up the tension, and more like unnecessary scarcity.
Finally, with an interesting premise and plot, a unique style, and characterised by Sedgwick’s typical bravery in regards to difficult topics, Floodland is, at the very least, an interesting read.
Okay.
Picture this.
The world, as you know it, has changed.
Shocker.
England, previously more or less a haven of temperate weather – with the occasional warmer summer or frosty January to liven things up a little – has surrendered to the inexorable (not to mention terrifying) progress of climate change, and has been reduced to a few piecemeal, unconnected land masses surrounded by a frankly rather uncomfortable amount of water.
So what do you do?
You run, obviously, as soon as it becomes clear that this problem is neither minor nor easily solvable. Where you run doesn’t matter – to your parents, to safety, to higher ground, and eventually to the boats that come to rescue you – as long as you do.
But what do you do when the boats stop coming?
That, among others, is the question that Floodland answers, and, trust me, it ain’t pretty.
~
Zoe, Floodland’s young heroine, is forced to fend for herself in an increasingly unsafe world after her parents are rescued, and she is tragically left behind. At first, life goes on as normal – or as normal as it can be, with her parents gone, and danger creeping steadily in – but as the water keeps rising, communication with other islands dwindles to nothing, supplies run low, basic infrastructure comes to a grinding halt, and, to put it somewhat concisely, things go from bad to worse.
Quite aside from the engaging, tense plot, in which the danger is very real, very present, and, after the initial fear caused by the rising sea levels, almost entirely human, Floodland is an intelligent and assured foray into the human psyche by an author that genuinely knows his stuff and isn’t afraid to use it. Sedgwick’s novels delve constantly into difficult topics and tricky questions, investigating aspects of the world we live in that we would, arguably, rather not think about quite so explicitly. It’s unapologetic, relentless, and masterful, not to mention refreshing.
In fact, the only reason – yes, for once I have exercised restraint and have found one solitary reason – that I failed to give Floodland a 5-star rating is because I felt it was a little sparse. On the one hand, the stripped-back style was refreshing, leaving nothing but the taut, charged movements of a group of people forced consistently to extremes to survive in a world that had turned against them. But on the other hand, however, it made it exceedingly difficult to understand the characters, or believe their motivations. As a reader, I felt divorced from the action, and alienated from Sedgwick’s world.
Additionally – I apologise, but this is actually a connected point, so I’m totally justified – I felt that Sedgwick created his futuristic, vaguely post-apocalyptic world solely with broad strokes. There was no detail in the descriptions, little conversation, and, in short, not much to go on. Again, it was somewhat justifiable in that the reader is restricted to the main character’s perspective, but on the other hand, it is also justifiable to wonder if she might have known a little more than the reader is offered, given that some time passes through the duration of the text. Ultimately, it felt little like reasonable suspense used to amp up the tension, and more like unnecessary scarcity.
Finally, with an interesting premise and plot, a unique style, and characterised by Sedgwick’s typical bravery in regards to difficult topics, Floodland is, at the very least, an interesting read.
lemoni_x's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
aestheticroxie's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
bstaats's review against another edition
2.0
Floodland initially gave me the impression of a post-apocolyptic Lord of the Flies style book - a book which greatly impacted me when I read it in highschool and is one that I often consider the implications of and message from to this day.
Even small books can make a big impact, so I was optimistic when I started reading this one. But instead of packing a lot of punch in a small number of pages like I hoped, Floodland read more like a cautionary tale.
Reasons to Read:
1.A relevant message:
Marcus Sedgwick clearly delivers a cautionary tale in Floodland, by suggesting the implications of the future of the environment if our actions are not changed; and while those who are familiar with Lord of the Flies will pick up on a similar theme which is implied by Floodland, it is much more than simply a new spin on the same story. But this is an issue that is so current and modern, that many contemporary readers will easily be able to relate to and it raises poignant questions about our society today.
The problem with this though was that it really didn't work in the same way as Lord of the Flies, because it didn't expand enough on this theme and so it lacked the impact. As well, very little background was given and there was next to no room for any development to take place in such a short span of time.
So while I read Floodland expecting a short novel, my thoughts by the end were that it reads more as a fable or short story as opposed to a full length book.
It does end, however, with a hopeful message and I appreciated that from it. I found this to be the most effective part of the book, as it was successfully portrayed in a meaningful and touching ending.
Review copy received from Hachette UK Canada.
Even small books can make a big impact, so I was optimistic when I started reading this one. But instead of packing a lot of punch in a small number of pages like I hoped, Floodland read more like a cautionary tale.
Reasons to Read:
1.A relevant message:
Marcus Sedgwick clearly delivers a cautionary tale in Floodland, by suggesting the implications of the future of the environment if our actions are not changed; and while those who are familiar with Lord of the Flies will pick up on a similar theme which is implied by Floodland, it is much more than simply a new spin on the same story. But this is an issue that is so current and modern, that many contemporary readers will easily be able to relate to and it raises poignant questions about our society today.
The problem with this though was that it really didn't work in the same way as Lord of the Flies, because it didn't expand enough on this theme and so it lacked the impact. As well, very little background was given and there was next to no room for any development to take place in such a short span of time.
So while I read Floodland expecting a short novel, my thoughts by the end were that it reads more as a fable or short story as opposed to a full length book.
It does end, however, with a hopeful message and I appreciated that from it. I found this to be the most effective part of the book, as it was successfully portrayed in a meaningful and touching ending.
Review copy received from Hachette UK Canada.
elsmith09's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
jamessmith82's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
farhaxx's review against another edition
4.0
It looks like a horror book but is actually about hardship. With an amazing heartfelt ending which will change your mind about characters and people in real life because they can soon change.