Nation is full of action, a smidge of magic and magical thinking, and has a few fantastical creatures like tree climbing octopi and death himself. Along the way, they milk a pig, learn about breastfeeding, and chew meat for an elderly woman. Pratchett weaves humor and heart through the serious themes as the characters struggle through language and cultural barriers. Through it all, Mau is steadfast, even as the voices of his ancestor’s haunt him. Mau and Daphne struggle to build a new society with other survivors who eventually wash up on their shore. Until then, she must work with Mau to survive. Naturally, she is the daughter of the 137th heir to the throne of England and expects a timely rescue. Soon, he finds Daphne, a shipwreck survivor. Mau returns from a rite of passage on a neighboring island, anxious for his transition into manhood, but a tsunami has swept his island nation away. Pratchett, known for his Discworld series, lures the reader in with well-developed characters and a masterfully crafted world. This coming-of-age story takes place on a tropical island in an alternate universe on an earth like ours in the 1860s. What happens when cultures collide? Sir Terry Pratchett explores this in his often-hilarious book, Nation, released in the U.S.
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