Warning: plot spoiler ahead
If you only read one book this year, read Tomorrow, when the war began by John Marsden. But be sure you have nothing scheduled because you won't want to put this book down. Written for teens and adults alike, Tomorrow, when the war began will change the way you think forever.
Tomorrow, when the war began is the first book in John Marsden's seven part series about eight teenagers stuck in the middle of a war. Plot:
Ellie (our main character) and Corrie decide to go camping over a couple of days starting on a national holiday, Commemoration Day. The two find Homer (the local troublemaker), Lee (the quiet, gifted person), Kevin (Corrie's boyfriend), Fiona, better known as Fi (the polite and pure person), and Robyn (the religious and athletic person) and head up to a large, forested depression in the isolated landscape called "Hell". The group stare down into Hell and Ellie convinces them to climb down there and camp. Most of her life, Ellie has heard rumours that an 'ex-murderer' took refuge in Hell. It is her curiosity that drives Ellie to climb deep into the rocky pit. During the night, Ellie sees low flying planes with no lights on heading towards the town Wirawee but doesn't find it suspicious.
After days of camping, the group return to Wirawee to find that part of Australia has been taken over by invaders and it's now a war situation. The group are panic-striken and all visit their homes to assess the situation. The sad fact is, due to the remains of most of the animals, Wirawee was taken over on Commemoration Day and no one has come home since. The group have their suspicions that everyone is okay though. Fi and Lee want to go to their homes in town, so the group travells there and splits up so Ellie and the others can look at the showground. While in Wirawee, Ellie blows up a lawnmower to escape the enemy soldiers. She then deals with the possibility that she might have killed somebody.
When the group return to get Robyn, Fi and Lee, they find that Lee has been shot in the leg. They devise a plan to take him back to Hell. They find that the best thing is the element of surprise, so Ellie and Robyn drive a construction vehicle into town and pick Lee up in the scoup.
On their way out of Wirawee, Elllie find Chris and decides to hide in Hell where they plan to disable the invaders by blowing up one of the main bridges close by. The group plans to distract the soldiers with a stampede of cows while they set up a petrol tanker for the blast. Meanwhile, they plan for Kevin and Corrie to visit a local farm to pick up supplies and Ferrets.
The attack on the bridge does not start well, but it is blown up anyway and Fi, Homer and Ellie escape narrowly. Unfortunately, when Ellie return to her house, she finds that Corrie was shot in the back by soldiers. She is unconscious and may not survive the night in the bush without help. Ellie struggles to accept that her best friend may be dying or dead. Ellie had planned their whole lives; they would finish school, visit countries all over the world, laugh, cry and be together always... But that was before the war. With Corrie shot in the back, the situation sinks in and the war is officially started.
In an act of pure compassion and kindness, Kevin offers to take Corrie to Wirawee hospital - regardless of the consequences. He backs up his plan with the idea of an alibi - Ellie and her friends had put up a pretend camp site under a building in Wirawee in case they needed a story if they were caught.
Corrie is put in the back seat and Kevin jumps in the front. He slowly drives off into Wirawee, lights on and sacrificing himself for the girl he loves. Ellie stares at the car in the distance. She may never see her friends again...
A story to be read at full-pelt - I could not put it down'
Australian Bookseller and Publisher Tomorrow, when the war began has changed everything about me. This book opened a whole new world I started to open my mind on books.'
Elisha Blacklow, Tasmania.
John Marsden wonderfully weaves a rich tapestry of events and raw emotion which makes a series that will never be forgotten. His books give an insight into the world of teenagers and does not hold back. One of the most inspirational and influential books ever written. I give this novel a 10 out of 10.
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