Mara and Dann

by Doris Lessing | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0006550835 Global Overview for this book
Registered by writergrl of Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on 4/25/2004
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by writergrl from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Sunday, April 25, 2004
What will life be like in 1,000 years when another ice age makes the northern hemisphere uninhabitable? Also, the continent of Africa is fast becoming a desert so people have to evacuate. This is a plausible scenario based on what scientists predict could happen as a result of climate change and global warming.

I'm a third of the way through the book. It's hard to put down. The writing style is minimalist. It's the story of a young girl, Mara, and her brother, Dann, who live in "Ifrik", which we know as Africa. It's about their struggle to survive and their journey north. They not only face the harsh climate, but also huge, human-eating lizards and giant insects, as well as hostile fellow travelers.

The back cover is kind of misleading because Mara is 18, and Dann 15, for most of the story, so I wouldn't call them "children".

Journal Entry 2 by writergrl from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Wednesday, May 5, 2004
I just finished it. I have to say I liked the first third better than the rest of it. The descriptions of the desert are poetic and detailed to the point where the setting becomes almost another character. I feel, however, that it loses some of this poetic description towards the end, when the action speeds up and more time is covered in a short amount of time. The ending was not at all what I expected and kind of disturbing. I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil it for anyone else.

While some reviewers have said this book is "boring" or that not enough happens, I think that's the point. When you spend all your energy worrying about when you will next eat or drink, you don't have time for anything else, and so it is with the characters of this book.

After reading it, I have a new appreciation for the simple things like fresh, clean water.

Going to labmomnm at the next meetup.

Journal Entry 3 by winglabmomnmwing from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Adopted at Meet-Up last night. Writergrl suggested it to me a while back, since I'm a science geek :)

9/24/04 - Well, this didn't work out so well. I've had this experience with some of Lessing's novels/novellas in the past....sometimes they just drag and I can't muster the energy to stick with them. I had high hopes for this one, interesting premise, but I couldn't get into it.

10/9/04 - returned to writergrl at Meet-Up.

Journal Entry 4 by writergrl from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Got it back at the meetup. I probably won't be going to any more meetups since I'm too busy anyway. I may look at this again or I may just leave it somewhere at UNM, like Casteter Hall, location for Earth and Planetary Sciences where they study climate change. Or maybe Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. I AM getting tired of nobody "finding" my released books, but it's not so bad if it's a book I don't care too much about.

Released on Thursday, December 02, 2004 at about 12:00:00 PM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at R.B. Winning Coffee House (Central and Harvard) in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA.

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