Twig sneaks out one night to follow his father to
the Black Market despite being forbidden to ever do so. There Twig is attacked
and the two are separated.
Unable to locate
his Da, Twig finds himself alone on the streets, fighting to stay alive. He
meets the homeless Flea with whom a friendship is quickly built. He learns how
to survive amongst the countless homeless children that are ignored, pursued
and swept aside.
Then Twig wakes up in the Afterlife. His memory has
been wiped clean except for a few foggy remembrances.
He has with him a key, a
raven named Krruk, who is a guardian, and an atlas to find his way home. He also
has riddles and rhymes to solve if he is to pass through the Crossings.
These
serve to soften the tragic parts by adding an ordinary, childish and playful
aspect to the story.
Zana Fraillon uses an extraordinary adventure
through fantastic scenes and terrains, to magnify issues that she loves to
write about. Here it is the daily struggle of homeless children and youth to
survive, while providing for the little ones that depend on them for sustenance.
With her expertise in drawing attention to the weaker strata of society, Fraillon
cleverly exposes flawed systems that refuse to take responsibility for their
shortcomings and the cracks in their social structures.
The strength and resilience the children gather to overcome
difficult circumstances is poignantly displayed. They toughen and harden, in
order to withstand life’s continuous blows. They become wary; untrusting, for they
have learned that any kindness offered, is an investment attached to a lifetime
repayment.
It is also a stunning and powerful novel full of
hope by the author of Wisp, The Ones That Disappeared and the
award-winning bestseller, The Bone Sparrow, amongst others.
Title:
The Lost Soul Atlas
Author:
Zana Fraillon
Publisher:
Hachette, $19.99
Publication
Date: 14 July 2020
Format:
Paperback
ISBN:
9780734419934
For
ages: 12+
Type: Fiction
