White Night by Ellie Marney
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760293550
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Mystery and suspense.
Diversity. Family relationships. Collectives. Environmental
protection. Country life. "In Bo Mitchell's country town, a White
Night light-show event has the potential to raise vital funds to
save the skate park. And out of town, a girl from a secretive
off-the-grid community called Garden of Eden has the potential to
change the way Bo sees the world. But are there too many secrets in
Eden?" (Publisher)
With problems looming at home with his father, Bo becomes
increasingly drawn to Rory, the girl from the Garden of Eden
commune, the members of which believe in being self-sufficient,
growing their own food, recycling everything and refusing to use
plastic. But some things about Ray, the mediator in the community,
seem off as Bo becomes more involved in their life.
Bo is one of the most engaging male adolescents that I have read
about for quite some time. He has a very caring relationship with
Rory and although there are opportunities, he doesnt take advantage
of her. Although things are strained at home with family secrets
beginning to emerge, Marney shows a loving home life with rules that
Bo respects. At school, things are hard for Rory as she tries to fit
in, but Bo tries to help her out, while he struggles with deciding
what courses he should do - play football or become a chef. Bo's
friends too are very relatable, as they party by the creek and
organise a White Night to make enough money to keep the skate park
open.
Marney has written a cracking suspenseful story that keeps the
reader engaged and wondering what will happen next. At the same time
life in a small country town is explored and the reader will learn
lots about how teens could organise to keep a community place as
Sprog fights to save the skate park.
With its complex themes of sustainability, family relations and
communal living as well as a tense plot, White Night could
make an engaging class novel for older teens.
Pat Pledger