I don’t even know how or where to
begin. This is seriously one of the best
books I’ve ever read in my life. Thank
all the gods that I was born at such a time that I am able to read this
story. Terry Pratchett is just… well,
there are no words. This novel is quite
the departure from the other ones he wrote.
Although it does have his signature humor and irony, this story is so
much more emotional, deep, and thought-provoking. I loved every word.
“Nation” is set in an alternate world, but
quite similar to ours in many ways. They
have kings, princesses, pirates, bureaucrats, island tribes, and even seriously
vicious harridans of grandmothers. I
imagine the story happened during a time comparable to the heyday of Christopher
Columbus or Ferdinand Magellan, where the European nations were clamoring for
claim on “newly discovered” lands, and the sciences were turning the “civilized
world” on its ear with its new logic and new discoveries.
On one of the obscure little islands in
the middle of the Great Pelagic Ocean, a boy named Mau was about to row a canoe
back to his home island, having completed the trials he needed to pass to
qualify for manhood. At the same time, a
girl named Ermintrude (139th in line to the throne) was aboard a
ship called The Sweet Judy. Then the great wave struck. Mau’s entire village – including all the
island’s dwellers – was wiped out. It
also brought The Sweet Judy crashing
onto Mau’s island. It left Mau and
Ermintrude the only two people alive.
Thus begins a story of survival,
friendship, family, respect, politics, religion, and science. Oh, yes.
I don’t know how Sir Pratchett managed it, but he definitely put all of
that into one incredibly enlightening novel for young adult readers. The book deserves every award and acclaim it
got, and it ought to get more. Every
human being should read this book.
I loved all the characters. Of course, Mau and Daphne (Ermintrude – the book
explains how it changed) were my favorites, but you get to love them because
their characters developed through their interactions with each other and with
the rest of the cast – they learned and they grew because they were not alone. Mau’s strength and determination was
admirable, but I love him just as much for his doubts, his insecurities and
uncertainties. Daphne was just as
impressive in her own way. I love how
easily she was able to adapt and let go of her stiff, elitist upbringing
because of her open-mindedness and cleverness.
There ought to be more characters like her – young ladies who actually
think and act, rather than moon over boys all day. Even the villains were perfectly villainous –
First Mate Cox and Grandmother. One of
my favorite scenes was when Daphne’s father finally gave Grandmother what was
coming to her. I wanted to applaud and cheer
and maybe do a cartwheel if I could.
One of the most striking aspects of
this novel for me is that it questions god and religion at the same time that it
questions science. As Mau struggles to
cope with the grief of losing his entire family he questions the gods that his
race has worshipped since time immemorial.
Even as the voice of his ancestors clamor and scream in his mind, he
resists, rebels, and tries his best to reconstruct the history of his people,
and piece together the reason behind the existence and the demise of the only
life he had ever known. In the meantime,
Daphne grapples with the contradictions she encounters as she tries to survive
in a world so vastly different from her own – trying to find a resolution
between what she knows to be logical and scientific and what is mystical and
spiritual. How does she rationalize the
voices in her own mind, teaching her and guiding her? There was so much she needed to learn, and
she needed to find her own place in a world where she is an alien, a ghost –
despised and feared. For me, more than any other book about
religious belief and faith, this book has so much more to learn from. When
much is taken, something is returned.
Isn’t that the central tenet to every religion? Karma, Do unto others, etc., etc. Even science itself – For every action, there
is an equal and opposite reaction (Newton).
Where can we draw the lines between god and magic, magic and science,
god and science? Aren’t they all
different words for the same thing?
Seems like it to me.
The ending was – well, I don’t want to
spoil it for you. I thought it was
appropriate, given the circumstances.
Let’s just say that many things went well, and there was plenty of
hopefulness to go around, which is always a good thing. I wish more people will get to read this
wonderful book. We all deserve to learn
from it.
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