Today we finish our green book reviews week with a great book that provides a documentation of 16-year old teenager to a very unique reality, where drastic measures are being taken against global warming, and it's only six years away.
Our book today is:
The Carbon Diaries: 2015
Author: Saci Lloyd
Saci Lloyd has worked as a script editor for Camouflage Films, where she was involved in several projects including a $20m Columbia Tri-Star co-production, Amy Foster. She is now head of Media at Newham Sixth Form College in London. The Carbon Diaries: 2015 is her first novel.
Publisher: Holiday House
Published on: February 2009
What this book is about? (from the publisher's website)
Told in short diary entries filled with scrapbook clippings, this riveting ecothriller is one girl's attempt to stay grounded in a world where disaster has become the norm.
It's the year 2015, a time when global warming has begun to ravage the environment. In response, the United Kingdom becomes the first country to mandate carbon rationing—a well-intentioned plan that goes tragically awry.
When her carbon debit card arrives in the mail, sixteen-year-old Laura is just trying to pass her exams, manage her ecopunk band, and catch the attention of her gorgeous classmate Ravi. But as multiple natural disasters strike and Laura's parents head toward divorce, her world spirals out of control. A severe drought sparks fires and deadly riots; then the highest-category hurricane in recent history strikes London. With the death toll in the thousands and climbing, Laura and her family face the unimaginable as her older sister clings to life.
Why you should get it?
If you think you read already everything to be read, this is the book for you. A refreshing and unique novel, The Carbon Diaries: 2015 combines a 16 year old typical teenager with severe conditions caused by the need to stop global warming here and now. If you want, it's "White Teeth" of Zadie Smith meeting Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth.
But this book is far from being doomy and gloomy - although it's very frightening in its realistic descriptions of what can happen to us should things will continue to deteriorate, it succeeds to charm you with the struggling yet funny, rebellious, and sassy character of Laura Brown.
Here's one example from the book:
Mon., May 4 Back to school. Grr. But we had ourselves a totally hard-core band practice at Adi's. We've got a date for the gig now, it's June 7. His mum's given us extra practice time cos she's saving carbon on heating during the warm weather. We've picked so funny., messed-up world and death to capitalist scum. 15 minutes of pure venom.
death to capitalism
a new world waiting to be born
murder is capitalism
cast off the cloak of scorn
you selling us mercedes, nike, mp3
gucci, rolex, toys R us-
trying to sedate us - but the tragedy
is that in reality you are killing us
I also found the theme of the book - living under carbon rationing - intriguing, not because I like the idea so much, but because it can be more realistic than we think. Maybe if more people will read the book and get influenced by it, a carbon regime will stay a science fiction and won't become part of reality.
In all, this is a great book, enjoyable and disturbing at the same time, that will stay with you a long time after you'll finish reading.
What others think about the book?
"There’s just so much to love about this book; the amazingly resourceful Laura, who is still trying to lead a normal life, the scarily close to home nature of the imagined future and signs of human nature that are brought to the fore in times of trouble. I would highly recommend everyone to read it." - Eve at Vulpes Libris
"Deeply compulsive and urgently compulsory reading" - Booklist, starred review
We're giving away one copy of the book, courtesy of the book's publicist, and of course a tree will be planted for the copy!
How you can win? please add a comment below with an answer the following question: what is your favorite diary book (or movie)? Submissions are accepted until Friday, May 22, 12PM EST. The winner will be announced the following day.If you're looking for other interesting green-themed books, you are invited to check out our green books page on our website's green resources section.
Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris
Plant a tree for every book you read!
