Vividwater

As an avid reader, I have always enjoyed the opportunity to read a good speculative fiction novel and as Vividwater, written by Jacqueline Owens, is set in the near future of New Zealand, I was curious to get started.

The setting grabbed me immediately. The world is impacted by severe droughts and water is scare. That is, except for a few 'hydrospheres', of which New Zealand is one. With world-wide environmental collapse, New Zealand's residents do not escape the suffering with the water produced exported offshore.

Character wise, the main protagonist is very believable. Alex is a mnemopath, a memory machine for a water trading company (aptly named WaiOra) whose job requires her to listen for secrets to send through to her boss. Her compelling character pulls the reader into her world of despair, but also of hope, and of course there's a love angle that you want to work out.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It's the kind of text I would recommend to students who like a good dystopian read, and who I know will love the likes of 'The Handmaid's Tale' or 'Feed' when they are older.

The only down side was the end: I wanted to keep reading. Luckily, it's the first in a three part read.