Wilderness Wars is Barbara Henderson‘s third novel and is a contemporary eco story compared to her previous historical fiction novels – the excellent Fir for Luck and Punch.
12 year-old Em is about move home. Not to another part of the city she grew up in, no, somewhere she never thought she’d ever end up. And to top it all off her brother Struan is bringing his hamster too!
Gazing at the outline of an island as she peers across the murky water from the ferry that sways beneath her feet, Em tries to come to terms with the fact that the rugged landscape before her is where she will be until her dad’s job of building a luxury resort is complete.
Before they all step onto dry land, seagulls give them a very unexpected welcome to Skelsay and show them exactly what they think of this expedition of humans with their noisy machines, port-o-cabin homes and pesky children that want to claim their land.
As Em and her family settle into family island life, they become more and more aware that all is not what it seems here. Every time Em’s Dad and the workers try to progress with the build or they go exploring with their classmates, animals block their way. It’s not long before a menacing vibe creates tension and havoc on Skelsay. Do they abandon the build and head back to the mainland? Can Em and her new friends persuade the adults that there’s more to the wildlife that surrounds them and that they are in danger?
Do you dare to read on and find out what happens when nature fights back?
Reading Barbara Henderson‘s atmospheric and descriptive words in Wilderness Wars transported me to Skelsay, as I read each page I could almost feel the fresh sea air and taste the salt on my lips. Devouring the story as if my life depended on it, I found myself urging on Em, Zac and all the inhabitants, desperate to know if they got off the island alive or did the animals have other ideas? Another fantastic story from Barbara, I can’t wait to see where she takes us next!
