Description
In a barren world that has forgotten about nature, Ivy ekes a living from the rubble of the past, while Skyler lives above the clouds in a haven of technology. But when Ivy makes a shocking discovery, the two girls are thrown together by the fallout. As their lives unravel and society fractures, can they uncover the key to building a new world?
The first instalment in a gripping new trilogy, The Last Seed Keeper is an empowering read about corruption, environmentalism, and what we would do if nature gave us a second chance.
Ivy is a Groundling, bound to roam the surface of the Earth, eking a living from the rubble of the past. Skyler lives above the clouds in a haven of technology, wanting for nothing yet knowing there must be something more. Their paths are fixed, in a barren world that has forgotten nature… until Ivy makes a discovery that changes everything.
Suddenly, a forgotten orphan from the Piles holds the key to building a new world. But change is never popular with those in power, and as word gets out, society begins to fracture. Both girls’ lives unravel as Skyler uncovers the secrets that have been kept from her, and Ivy finds out just how important she is to the new world.
The Last Seed Keeper is a tense, heart-pounding adventure about friendship, secrecy, breaking down barriers, questioning everything, and holding onto hope in the darkest of places.
Review
Skyler lives above the clouds in a safe, technology based world. But she doesn’t know the truth about who her parents actually are, and how important they are to the earth’s future.
The earth below is a barren wasteland, devastated 200 years ago by war, famine and climate inaction. Ivy, an orphan, lives there, among the piles of waste, searching for anything of value that will earn her credits to feed her enough to stay alive.
The story is told in chapters alternating between the two girls and their totally different lives.
They finally meet when Ivy discovers a seedling growing in her home in her pile. She tries to sell it, and this alerts everyone - both good and bad - that the earth is healing and that growing food could be possible again.
But first they have to stop Eden Valentina, the evil CEO of XyleCorp - the organisation that controls everyone’s life, both above the clouds and on the ground. XyleCorp feeds the world, and Eden has no intention of ever allowing that to stop.
This is the first book in a trilogy that has two strong female characters, and highlights the need for climate action. With themes of sustainability, asking questions, not allowing large corporations to control people, and working towards a better more equal and sustainable world, this is a terrific Australian dystopian novel with an important message.
I highly recommend it to all secondary students aged 12 to 15.
