ADAMS, Michael The Last Girl Allen & Unwin, 2013 384pp $19.99 pbk ISBN 9781743316368 SCIS 1626739
Set a few years into the future, this story has a unique take on an end of the world scenario. Sixteen year old Danby is spending Christmas morning in Sydney with her father, step-mother and 6 year old brother when it happens. Suddenly, everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts. Chaos and utter madness follows, there is death and destruction everywhere. Danby discovers she is unique – she can hear other people’s thoughts but they can’t hear hers. Desperate to keep her little brother safe, and to reunite with her mother in the Blue Mountains, Danby sets off to cross a city in the grips of insanity.
This is a compelling read. Well written, believable characters and a very tense situation make this book hard to put down. There are some echoes of Patrick Ness’s series Monsters of Men in the sudden way that people are able to hear each other’s thoughts and the devastating consequences, but overall it is a unique and interesting book. As there is a lot of violence and general unpleasantness, this book is more suitable for upper secondary. Danby’s story ends with many things still unresolved – but don’t worry, as there is a sequel coming soon. RK
