When a mysterious boy washes in with the tide, the citizens believe he is the Enemy - the god who drowned the whole word - come again to cause untold chaos. Only Ellie, a fearless inventor living in a workshop crammed with curiosities, believes he's innocent.
But the Enemy can take possession of any human body, and the ruthless Inquisition are determined to destroy it forever.
To save the boy, Ellie must prove who he really is - even if that means revealing her own dangerous secret.
I'd heard a LOT of good things about this book before I finally bought myself a copy last month and with it being compared to His Dark Materials it certainly has gained high praise indeed from authors, teachers and book bloggers alike. And I'm pleased to say it's very well-deserved.
The book is set in a dystopian-style future, where The City is the last remaining city in the world, following a flood which washed out (we presume) most of the human population. Now, the population live in fear of the Enemy - a fearsome god who takes possession of human bodies (a Vessel) in order to wreak havoc on the world. The fear of the Enemy is a constant presence in the City, as the Inquisition - an Enemy hunting police force - try to track it down and save their city.
Murray draws you in from the very first chapter, with a gargantuan whale causing commotion amongst the locals and the appearance of the mysterious Seth. From there, as a reader you barely have time to take a breath, as we are hurled around the city as Ellie desperately tries to protect Seth from the Inquisition who believe he is the Vessel.
The book is filled with twists and turns and just as you think the characters are clear from the danger they were running from, another problem arises and the sense of fear comes ricocheting back. The City that Ellie shows us is filled with secret passages, abandoned buildings and civilians who live in fear - providing the perfect backdrop to Ellie and Seth's blossoming friendship.
Friendship too has a special place in the book and is weaved in between the action and peril the characters face. I particularly loved Ellie's friendship with her best friend Anna. Their constant bickering, misunderstandings but ultimate love for one another felt very real, as did the element of jealousy introduced by Seth's arrival.
Orphans of the Tide has audible gasp moments aplenty and would make a great read-aloud for a Year 5 or Year 6 class. The concept is original and as a reader you are invested in the story from the very start.
A dystopian-style story of forged friendships despite the danger.
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