Karen Healey is the author of the critically acclaimed Guardian of the Dead and The Shattering.
'A gripping, human story set against the backdrop of a chillingly plausible future here.' - Sean Williams. 'A stirring and century-spanning adventure story that vividly shows how the future is created by our mistakes, our triumphs, and our love.' - Scott Westerfeld
Awakening from cryogenic stasis 100 years after being accidentally shot by a sniper, 16-year-old Tegan Oglietti must adjust to a new life in 22nd-century Australia. The big question, both for readers and for Tegan: why has she been revived? The answer, which is gradually revealed through Tegan's confessional-style narration, demonstrates that, despite technological and other advances, human greed, corruption, and self-interest persist across the centuries. Healey (The Shattering) constructs a very persuasive future world, whose technology, slang, hyperconnectivity, and climatic peril are smartly extrapolated from contemporary society (meat consumption is heavily taxed, drugs are regulated and safe, and Australia has a strict "No Migrant" policy in place). The diversity of the cast is authentic and natural, from the lesbian and transgendered friends Tegan makes to her love interest, a brusque Somali classmate with secrets of his own. Healey doesn't make her points about social justice and activism through big, flashy moments; the story's injustices unfold in a way that's stark and unvarnished, and Tegan's determination to right the wrongs she finds will hit home with readers. Ages 12-up. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Gr 8 Up-Tegan was just 16 when she died-well, sort of. After being shot at a protest in Sydney in 2027, she awakes in the future in a government facility where she's been preserved and frozen for 100 years. Being the first successfully revived human in Australia means that Tegan is an instant celebrity in a world that is much different from the one that she knows. As she struggles to build a life for herself with some sense of normalcy, she learns that not all citizens are excited about the scientific advancement that brought her back to life, and that the government that saved her might not have the best intentions. When We Wake kicks off with a great premise that's an easy sell to teens in this age of dystopian fiction. Tegan is a relatable character placed in a future that, while advanced, is creepily easy to envision. The story drags a bit in the middle, leaving time for readers to figure out some "secrets" before the main character does. Overall, this is a solid addition to the books that engross teens and have them wondering what's to stop this future from becoming our own.-Emily Chornomaz, Camden County Library System, NJ (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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