Siberia   by Ann Halam Orion, 2005, 233 pages, ISBN 1842551299

How easy was it to get stuck into this book?
Siberia follows Rosita, a girl who later becomes known as Sloe, and along with her mother lives in a prison camp in remote Siberia for the early years of her life.The story is set in a world in the future, and in it Rosita/Sloe holds the key to the survival of mammals, who are almost extinct after humans expanded.

Who are the main characters?
The main character is Rosita, who moves with her mother to a remote prison camp in Siberia due to her mother's scientific work. When she separates from her mother and makes her own path in life she calls herself Sloe, as many of the young people around her do. An other important characters is Yagin, a strange man who she is unsure whether to trust or flee from,

What's the storyline?
The story follows Sloe as she is entrusted with what her mother calls in Lindquist kits; miniscule containers which each contain the potential for each of the separate orders of mammals (ie. Carnivora) and have been saved from the destruction that has caused almost all other mammals to be extinct. She embarks on a journey across the icy wastes of Siberia, where guards roam everywhere and she can trust no-one.

How's it written?
The book is probably better suited for older readers.

Other books by the same author that Tim knows about?
Dr. Franklin's Island, Taylor 5

The overall verdict is
Really good stuff

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