Mele Tonga-Grant reviews two recent YA publications from Aotearoa.
The Paradise Generation by Sanna Thompson
Set in Te Whanganui-ā-Tara, The Paradise Generation gives us a glimpse of a utopian future, in a place that we understand and can believe to be real. But there are dark hidden secrets that the lead character Kieran uncovers. The book has a little something for everyone—sci-fi, a love story, adventure and action cleverly written to keep readers on their toes. We follow Kieran through his teenage adventures of school, mis-matched love and rebelling against authority.
In The Paradise Generation everything is ‘perfect’, with technology advances and new ways of living that are both unbelievable, and also not too far from our current truth. VR dates and parties, chip access, highly surveilled living and household food allocations is all a normal part of living in Paradise. While it is fiction, it draws from real Aotearoa locations and we also see parallels to recent events such as the coronavirus pandemic and in some ways, also our current political climate. Our futuristic characters live in nostalgic times of old, where kids ride bikes, wander off into the bush to explore, and get into mischief that they have been warned against.
Everything is perfect, until our adventurous Kieran explores one step too far, and uncovers the imperfect truth. Steeped in hidden truths, conspiracy theories and a community of outcasts, Paradise Generation urges us to look critically at our own society and examine the injustices that those around us experience and more importantly, ask why. As a reader, I was pushed to consider decisions that leaders and decision makers made for ‘the greater good’ and whether the consequences of that were really for the best, as Kieran struggles with the same considerations within the story. He unfolds societal truths while also learning more about himself.
Paradise Generation isn’t the type of book that I would ordinarily pick for myself, but I was left wanting more and enjoyed it so much that I went on to read spinoffs. First time author Sanna Thompson takes us on an exhilarating adventure with many peaks and lows—just the right amount of tension and characters that we can relate to, doing seemingly ordinary things that turn into an extraordinary book. Whether you’re looking for a Romeo and Juliet story or an action filled sci-fi, this book has something special to offer, from our young adults through to young at heart. I highly recommend it.
Dear Uso by Mani Malaeulu
Dear Uso, by Mani Malaeulu, is a letter of love that reminds us all to speak the unspoken and unwritten messages and truths of our hearts. In this book, some of those family truths, for Mika, are written in a letter from his older brother that he hasn’t yet read…
The opening chapter of the book immediately sends us on an emotional whirlwind, with the loss of a young life. A cause to pause, to mourn and to wonder why a young person with so much to live for would end their life. I have never had to put a book down to recompose myself in the way I needed to with this book—it was hard to read through my tears. But it is a confronting reality that many have faced.
Malaeulu then transports us back a couple of months, following the storyline leading up to the opening chapter. He gives light to some real truths of life, and parts of our family lives that we keep hidden away. Dear Uso demonstrates how a situation impacts every person differently, and how the way each person perceives a situation determines their next actions. We see complex family dynamics, pressures of familial roles and responsibilities, and everyone doing their best to cope with their circumstances with the limited tools they have. Tools that have seen generations of misunderstanding and carrying struggles in silence. We see the real harm that lack of open talanoa (communication) can cause. It serves as an invitation for each reader to consider their own family dynamics and assess their own coping mechanisms.
I really loved the way that readers see the perspective of different characters. We get to understand why they made the choices they had, and start to unpack the situation from different views—giving us the tools to consider our own coping tools and ways of responding. The ending cleverly brings us to pause again, with an offering of a different beginning, had the family spoken to each other, read the letter, andwere open and didn’t keep feelings hidden. The ending safely transitions us out of a heavy topic, which shows Malaeulu’s thoughtfulness in the way he structured this book; which includes mental health strategies as well as study questions in the back.
If you enjoyed Malaeulu’s Tama Samoa, this is a book you don’t want to miss! And I recommend both titles to new readers too.
Mele Tonga-Grant
Mele Tonga-Grant is a Tongan storyteller who has a love of Pacific stories and artforms. She has worked in libraries with Preschool Storytime being one of her favourite parts of the job. Mele has also translated some Tongan language picture books.