Sarah Bean Thompson

Aquifer

Fiction

“In a futuristic Australia, fresh drinking water is controlled by a group called the Council of Nine. Each year, the Deliverer must travel to the Aquifer, the water source, bearing gifts of light to a devolved race known as Water Rats to ensure that water will continue to be given. As the Deliverer’s son, Luca is well aware of his future duty, and when his father fails to return after a mission, Luca begins to uncover a conspiracy brewing—as well as secrets about his own family. Some world-building aspects of this dystopian adventure are not fully fleshed out, and the plot suffers from some pacing issues, though patient readers will be rewarded with late revelations. Luca is an engaging character torn between whom to trust and what to believe, easy material for teen readers to relate to. Subtle religious themes run through the novel but are never overt enough to turn off nonreligious readers. Grades 7-10.”