Book of the Week

The Wind Singer by William Nicholson
Recommended by Leau Roch

I really enjoyed this book because it has a constant aura of uncertainty that made me want to keep reading to know what would happen next.

It follows the life of two siblings, Kestrel and Bowman, who are unknowingly destined to save their city by repairing the mysterious 'Wind Singer'. The story starts off by portraying the various aspects of everyday life in Amaranth - their home city - and detailing the heavy social stratification systems they must endure, before propelling them into a set of events that quickly lead them to embark on a perilous journey. They set off on their quest joined by an unwanted guest, Mumpo, to whom they eventually warm as the journey goes on. Along the way, they encounter several obstacles which they must overcome by relying on each other, effectively creating a team spirit between the characters, despite frequent skirmishes and arguments.

However, what sets this story apart from others is how it is never guaranteed that the protagonists will succeed. [SPOILER ALERT] One of them may perhaps be lost to an army of murderous, zombified soldiers who they had set out to defeat, even after having reached their journey's supposed end. This shows how even after making it to their destination, they are not completely secure, something I rarely see in other books. In addition to this, they often come within inches of being burnt alive, hanged or sent into wind-sailing chariots at breakneck speeds, both by their enemies and allies.

The adventure doesn't stop there, either, as after this book are a further two to complete the trilogy, which both provided equally as much thrill and wonder as the first edition. In conclusion, I greatly enjoyed reading The Wind Singer, as it had features that truly distinguished it from other books where the protagonists always ultimately succeed.