Where the River Runs Gold

by Sita Brahmachari

★★★★★

Review

Where the River Runs Gold is a fantastic story that sheds light on a world destroyed by climate change. Unlike many books that I read, this book is set in the future and shows readers what may become of the world should the natural resources be used up and bees become extinct. The plot definitely got my brain working harder than usual, but I really enjoyed reading something different and a little dystopian.

The first chapter is a flashback to a natural disaster, providing a backdrop for the rest of the story. Again, I was hooked immediately by the catastrophic scenes and knew that this book would be filled with suspense, danger and adventure. Sita Brahmachari creates a vivid world in disaster and uses small details to make the setting come to life. I became more and more angry as I learned about the city in which Shifa lived and began to appreciate the freedom that we have today!

Although a pretty intense book, this is a story of hope and humanity and would be a fantastic read for a confident reader. The background themes of global warming and extinction encourage the reader to think deeply about the importance of nature and why our environment must be cared for, all wrapped up in a heart-racing adventure with an optimistic ending.

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Key information

Author: Sita Brahmachari

Illustrator:

Release Date: 21st July 2019

Book type: Chapter, 336 pages, paperback

Reader level: Confident reader (10+)

Overview

Life on earth has changed dramatically after global climate catastrophes devastated natural resources and the economy. The world is no longer filled with trees and flowers, bees have gone extinct and crops cannot grow. People are starving to death as food is rationed and the rich take the only resources left for themselves and others are left to forage and scavenge in a barren world.

Shifa, a young girl who lives with her dad and twin brother, Themba, doesn't remember what life was life before disaster struck, but she knows that something isn't right. She knows that people never had to carry their ID to walk to the shop. She knows that the world was never patrolled by guards with stun guns. And she knows that the government never used to monitor innocent people using drones, waiting to capture and punish any slight mistake they make. But what did the world used to look like, and how long will it look like this?

On her 11th birthday, Shifa and her twin are congratulated on making it into the Freedom Fields Family- a 5 year service for children living in Freedom Fields. As the posters tell her, she will join the child workforce and rebuild the ecosystems that have been lost, pollinating flowers, growing crops and making the world a better place. She will be looked after by the best doctors and healthcare. She will make friends and be fed three meals a day. But... what will happen to her father and her cat, Daisy? Will she see her father again? Is this place really the haven that is appears to be...?

Shortly after arriving, Shifa finally understands why her father had been reluctant to let them go: this place isn't a camp, it's a prison. Separated from her brother, she learns that life in Freedom Fields is no better than at home. Children are forced to work every hour of the day, they are punished for every little thing and it doesn't seem that their efforts are making the slightest difference to the world around them. Fearing for their lives, Shifa decides that she and her brother must escape, but nobody has ever done this before. And if they are caught, it could be the last thing they ever do...