Title: The Dead of the Night (Tomorrow #2)
Author: John Marsden
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 4/5
The second book in the Tomorrow series picks up the story several weeks after the end of Tomorrow When the War Began. The invasion of Australia continues, and Ellie and her friends are in hiding, piecing together the current situation from radio broadcasts while they stay out of sight in the bush. But with their town occupied, the weather growing colder, and their supplies running low, the group must decide what risks they are willing to take, and whether they are ready to fight back.
Ellie, the narrator of Book 1, is back as the group’s official record-keeper. The first-person narration is still gripping, and the descriptions – while age-appropriate – still drop the reader into the middle of a war. There’s romance, too, and friendship, and the characters make plenty of mistakes in their attempts to undermine the invasion. There’s bravery and fear, and the author doesn’t shy away from writing about the consequences of the characters’ mistakes and actions. The action sequences are tense and breathless, and the danger feels uncomfortably real.
As with Book 1, the story puts a simple challenge to the reader – if your country was invaded, what would you do? Would you fight back? And what would you risk, to fight for your friends and family? How would it feel to fight, and would it change who you are?
I’m really enjoying this series. I like the characters, and their different reactions to the events of the story. I like the way they come together to work as a team, even though they have very different attitudes to fighting and bravery. And I like the premise – giving teenagers the freedom to make mature decisions, to make mistakes, and to discover their own abilities in life-and-death situations. I’m looking forward to Book 3.
Have you read the Tomorrow series? What did you think of the story? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!
Review cross-posted to GoodReads.
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