Here's another YA book with the main character, Leelo, trying to find her place in the world she grew up in. In this case, she lives with a Wandering Forest on an island surrounded by a poisoned lake. As the final event before she is deemed an adult, she must spend a year as a Watcher, making sure that outsiders don't cross the lake and attack the Forest. She is supposed to kill any outsider who survives the lake. But Leelo can't bring herself to kill anything. She eats meat, but someone else has to prepare it.
Of course, one summer evening, while Leelo is on watch, an outsider, Jaren, survives a trip across the lake. He well knows the lake is dangerous. His trip is not completely voluntary. He claims to be chased by a huge wolf. Leelo can't kill him, so she hides him in a secluded cabin until she can get him off the island. She spends a lot of time with him, bringing him food and water.
On this island everyone has secrets. Leelo isn't the first person to have hidden an outsider in that cabin. Her family is sick with secrets. Then, there are bigger secrets about the lake and the Forest. Are the outsiders as bad as the islanders believe? Do they really need all the blood sacrifices they give the Forest? Are they really protected by the Forest or are they trapped? Why is the lake poison now when it wasn't when they retreated to the island? What really happened to Leelo's father and uncle? All good questions that I'm not going to answer. You'll have to read the book yourself if you want to know. It's a good story.
Of course, one summer evening, while Leelo is on watch, an outsider, Jaren, survives a trip across the lake. He well knows the lake is dangerous. His trip is not completely voluntary. He claims to be chased by a huge wolf. Leelo can't kill him, so she hides him in a secluded cabin until she can get him off the island. She spends a lot of time with him, bringing him food and water.
On this island everyone has secrets. Leelo isn't the first person to have hidden an outsider in that cabin. Her family is sick with secrets. Then, there are bigger secrets about the lake and the Forest. Are the outsiders as bad as the islanders believe? Do they really need all the blood sacrifices they give the Forest? Are they really protected by the Forest or are they trapped? Why is the lake poison now when it wasn't when they retreated to the island? What really happened to Leelo's father and uncle? All good questions that I'm not going to answer. You'll have to read the book yourself if you want to know. It's a good story.