 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Nation
- By Terry Pratchett
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Philosophical survival story with a bit of humor.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the climax of the story is a fight to the death between a man and a young teen, in which the man shoots at and injures the boy. Children kill adults with poison and axes, and a plot point involves the making and drinking of beer.
What's the story?
In a world very similar to ours in the pre-industrial era, a tsunami wipes out a south-Pacific island tribe except for one boy, Mau; and a British girl, Ermintrude, is the only survivor of a shipwreck on that island. Together they help care for other refugees who arrive on the island, learn about one another's culture and language, and prepare for the inevitable coming of the cannibal Raiders, who may be helped by mutineers set adrift from Ermintrude's ship before it was wrecked.
Is it any good?
Fans of author Terry Pratchett's other books for children may be surprised by this one. Instead of Discworld, the setting is mostly in the south Pacific a couple of centuries ago. Missing is the riotous humor (though Pratchett being Pratchett, there is always some wit and cleverness) and the fantasy elements. In their place is some pretty deep thinking about the natures and relationships among men and women, gods, and civilizations. Rarely has Pratchett so clearly shown his warm, humanist nature, nor so firmly taken his readers hand in hand down a path towards thinking more deeply about their common humanity. This should be a favorite in literature circles and discussion groups.
All of that philosophy, though, comes at the expense of some of the action, and there are places in this book that bog down a bit; after the exciting opening chapters, the real plot only happens in the second half. But the reader is carried along by some of Pratchett's best characters ever, most especially Mau and Ermintrude. There is little more enthralling than watching young people wrestle with doing the right thing while trying to get a grip on reality. This book may not have everything Pratchett's young fans have learned to expect in his books, but they may get something else they hadn't bargained for.
From the Book:
"Are you from the government?" the captain snapped.
Mr. Black looked surprised. "The government? I am afraid not. Just between us, there is little of the government left at the moment, and what there is is mostly hiding in its cellars. No, to be honest with you, the government has always found it convenient not to know much about us, and I would advise you to do the same."
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the many philosophical points
the author raises. Why do bad things happen? What is the place of God
or gods in the universe and in our lives? Are some cultures superior to
others? How is knowledge lost? Why do people do the things they do?
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AGE
A fun read, but a little slow.
Wow. This book is a really interesting novel about surviving on a deserted island. An adult is murdered, by only a kid. (!!!!!!??????)
A kid is shot at multiple times, and a boy drinks beer, which gets him pretty, darn sick! They make beer, and there is a scene where a lady is in labor and her baby is born with the help of a girl. There is drawings done by the boy showing a girl's chest. And then draws a picture of a boy with his lower waist showing. There is singing, and a giant wave nearly kills a man. The language is what you would expected on a deserted- island- plot- book, if you know what I mean. I wouldn't be too worried about young kids reading this, just as long as they aren't learning anything they haven't before, like the difference between a girl and a boy. There isn't blood, and your child would probably learn a few things, as a lady's modesty is a man's priority in this book, which is true. I liked this book, but the reason why I gave one less star, is because of the humor that isn't there. I have read other Terry Pratchet books and have loved them because of the humor, but this book was missing Terry's charm. See 'ya and enjoy!
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| Author: | Terry Pratchett |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | HarperCollins Children's Books |
| Publication date: | September 30, 2008 |
| Number of pages: | 384 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 12 - 14 |
| Read aloud: | 11 |
| Read alone: | 12 |
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