The Song That Sings Us
Nicola Davies, illustrated by Jackie Morris
Firefly Press

This thought-provoking, dystopian eco-thriller is set in a world governed by the sinister Automators. In this world too, live certain humans who have a power, siardw, that enables them to understand animal thoughts; they are called the Listeners. The ruthless Automators want to destroy anyone who has this gift and drive the rest of the citizens into cities, away from nature’s influences where “They must be made to understand that animals and plants are resources to be owned and used; that they have no rights.” Their slogan is ‘escape the tyranny of nature’ and anything not manufactured is being destroyed.

As the story starts Harlon and her twin siblings, Ash and Xeno, are trying to help their mother defend their home against the approaching Automators. Ma tells them to flee to save themselves – and their world. They must seek out a ‘lost island’. Their flight begins with the three snowboarding down a 6,000-foot sheer slope, but the siblings are separated, so they must each find a way to carry out Ma’s final instruction.

We follow their individual journeys through wild landscapes, even right into the centre of the enemy’s empire. Xeno, with her affinity with birds, and Ash, are in particular danger because they are Listeners and should the merciless Automators discover this, they will obliterate the twins’ minds. All three siblings are really up against things, but like-minded people and nature itself are fighting back and the Automators fail to realise the strength of their network.

Thrumming through this tale is an interconnecting force, liorna that ‘flows from earth and sea to sky’ and runs through all living things, until it’s time to sing the world anew … to unite in ‘the song that sings us … ‘ It’s a song to which readers will definitely add their voices and sing with all their hearts in the joyous finale.

Wow! Just wow! Wow at the quality of the writing and the way Nicola has interwoven all the strands of the story with such consummate artistry: with so many wonderful characters, animal and human, (and some mal-intentioned ones) – this epic tale is powered by her deep love of nature and fuelled by her knowledge and understanding of zoology.