Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopian
Author: Emmi Itäranta
Year Published: 2014
TWs: Death
Rating: 5/5
I know you all must be tired of me going on and on about my holiday in Finland but I just can’t help it! It was absolutely beautiful despite being absolutely freezing. Coming back home was the furthest thing from my mind.
Imagining Finland without its icy landscape was impossible for me, so when I found a dystopian book where the world’s water has run out and winter is no longer a season, it immediately intrigued me. So, you guessed it, I decided to give it a read!
We are the watchers of water, but first and foremost we are its servants.
Synopsis (spoiler-free, always)
Young Noria lives in a dystopian future where the world’s water has run out. Winter is no longer a season that can be experienced and the world’s few remaining water sources are under the control of the New Qian government. Noria’s father is a tea master and is allowed a larger quota due to his profession. While learning to be a tea master under her father’s guidance she soon discovers his biggest secret!
Noria’s father uses water from a hidden natural spring instead of turning it over to the government. However, secrets never remain secrets for long and her family is put under investigation by the ominous Commander Taro. Meanwhile, Noria and her friend find something from the past world that could reveal the wrongdoings of the New Qian government and change their lives forever.
“What good was it to know the composition of a snow crystal, if one couldn’t resurrect the sensation of its coldness against one’s skin and the sight of its glimmer?”
My Thoughts
When I finished this book, I stared at my wall for 5 whole minutes wondering “What did I just read?” I can not put into words how much I enjoyed this book but for this review, I’m going to try. Firstly, the writing was just beautiful. It was lyrical yet narrative and it just draws you in. This book is written in the first person and throughout the story I could imagine exactly what Noria, the main character, was doing, seeing and feeling. It is truly one of the most immersive books I have ever read.
Secondly, the whole dystopian setting was absolutely incredible. The world that is created in the book seems unbelievable yet believable at the same time. There was this one line that gave me chills. The main character was talking to her friend about the people of the past world (meaning us) and her friend said ‘It’s not worth thinking about them. They didn’t think about us either.’ When I read that line, I sat there slack-jawed, speechless and considering joining forces with Greta Thunberg.
The description and world-building also did not fall short at all even though the book was on the shorter side. I think there was a perfect balance between description and plot in this book. Speaking about the plot, Commander Taro was the most perfect, evil government commander. No dystopian book is complete without a secretive and sinister government aka The New Qian government in this book but I don’t want to spoil that part for you. Lastly, fun fact, this book has a film adaptation which I am going to watch as soon as it releases!
If you like books with dystopian futures, sinister governments and hardened heroines, you should pick this one up!
Happy Reading
About the Author
Emmi Itäranta is a Finnish novelist who writes in both Finnish and English. She lived in the UK for some time before moving to Tampere, Finland where she currently resides. Her books have won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Kivi Prize, HelMet Reader’s Choice Award and many more!
Some of her other books include:
- City of Woven Streets
- The Weaver
- The Moonday Letters
Find more on her Goodreads page!
Hi Alyssa, your review has definetly got me intrigued and the very next thing I’m going to do after sending this message is ordering the book.
Keep the reviews coming… I know where to look out for my next recommendation.
Thank you, glad you liked it! I’ll be posting more reviews soon for sure.
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