Nation Author: Terry Pratchett Publisher: Harper Collins Published: September 11, 2008 By: Tyler Rattanaxay

Introduction Nation centers around an island named “Nation”. It is the largest and most populated island of the Society Islands. Men and women live in villages, hunting and farming for their dinner, and praying to their creator god Imo. One day, a boy named Mau was taking his rite of passage to manhood on a separate island, which was required. But when Mau returned to his village on Nation, there wasn’t a village anymore. It was gone, taken away by a huge wave. People that were waiting along the shore to congratulate him, now lay dead half buried into the sand. Mau now has to find a way to make things right again.

Protagonist Protagonist – Mau and Daphne Mau is a young boy of about 13 years old. He was returning back to Nation, the name of his village island, after taking his rite of passage to manhood. He returned to find his entire village taken out by a tidal wave. Now he has to stand up and take responsibility for what is left of his home. Daphne is a girl from England that had her ship wrecked on Nation. When the two character’s meet, they don’t start off too well, but they both work together throughout the story to restore Mau’s lost home. Daphne Mau Picture taken from a play of the novel.

Antagonist Antagonist - First Mate Cox First Mate Cox was introduced on the Sweet Judy, the ship that wrecked on Nation later in the book, in the beginning of the story. He disliked the captain of the ship and wished to rid of him. But he had himself and some others thrown off the ship onto a small boat, to find their own way to survive. Cox then finally appears again during the later parts of the book. Picture drawn by TMOH, a fan-artist, as a representation of Cox.

Conflict When introduced to Mau, we find out that after he returns to Nation, a tidal wave has taken the lives of his family and friends and had destroyed his village. He buried the dead bodies and thought of how to fix what has been destroyed. But later on, Mau meets Daphne, a trouserman woman, as his people would call her. They have difficulties speaking with one another, but eventually work things out. Maybe people from neighboring islands came to help. Or maybe a ship came and rescued the two of them and took them to safety.

Minor Characters Locaha – The manifestation of Death in Nation, not sympathetic towards the human race at all. Constantly appears throughout the novel as a thought in Mau’s head. Ataba – A priest of the Water god in Nation. Ataba was the first person to meet Mau that wasn’t from the island of Nation. Helps Mau on his journey of rebuilding his village.

Minor Characters Mrs. Gurgle – A witch of some sort that also ends up on the island of Nation. She had helped Daphne find a way to revive Mau when he had almost died. Helping Daphne and Mau throughout the book, she stays on the island of Nation with the two of them.

Critic Reviews Michael Dirda – At one point of the story, Mau desperately needed milk, and I’m still disgusted by what he had to do. I have never found something so…heroic, I should say. Though this book was primarily aimed towards young adults, many old adults picked up the book as well. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503822.html James Hynes – “Nation” is immensely entertaining, both thought-provoking and sweet at the same time. This is a tendentious book, but in the least annoying sense of the word. It’s a wonderful story, by turns harrowing triumphant. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/books/review/Hynes-t.html?_r=0

My Take On The Novel Before Finishing Novel After Finishing Novel It was a bit boring at first. Interesting alternative history that went along with the book. Slow paced. After Finishing Novel A good, yet disappointing ending. Very well written story and characters. Characters were very dynamic throughout.