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Triskelia #1
The Droughtlanders
Twin brothers Seth and Eli Maddox are Keylanders brought up within the privileged and protected Eastern Key. Keylanders, the boys are told, must keep within their walls to avoid the filth and disease spread by the Droughtlanders - those who struggle to survive on the parched land between the keys. But when Eli sees their brother helping one of the wretched Droughtlanders, a chain of terrible events begins to unravel the life they've all known and will pit brother against brother in a life-or-death struggle between two lands.
The first book in the Triskelia trilogy, The Droughtlanders is a brilliant blend of futuristic fantasy and gritty social realism, with unforgettable characters and a compulsively readable story.
The first book in the Triskelia trilogy, The Droughtlanders is a brilliant blend of futuristic fantasy and gritty social realism, with unforgettable characters and a compulsively readable story.
347 pages, Paperback
First published July 20, 2006
10 people are currently reading
530 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Mac
20 books159 followersFour-eyed bookworm, tattooed queer, storyteller nomad mama to two unschooled earthlings, based in East Van, overlooking the shipyard cranes and always ready for the next most amazing giant tiny little big wonderful something to capture my attention.
Or:
When Carrie Mac was born, her right eye gawked off in one direction while her left eye looked the other way. Well meaning adults thought she was a changeling and so they wrapped her up and put her on the porch for the fairies to take back, please and thank you. It was snowing. It was dark. No fairies came. The same well meaning adults decided she'd catch her death out there. So they brought her in and kept her after all.
She's read millions of books, and has sat happily at the feat of a legion of storytellers. She is equally fascinated by disaster and grace. car wrecks, hurricanes, plagues, and genocides on the one hand, small and stunning everyday miracles on the other. She sometimes wishes she were a pirate. She'd often wished she'd run away and joined the circus when she had the chance. She spends a great deal of time in the company of her imagination, and when she isn't, she's wide eyed and awed by this planet and the people running amok all over it.
Or:
When Carrie Mac was born, her right eye gawked off in one direction while her left eye looked the other way. Well meaning adults thought she was a changeling and so they wrapped her up and put her on the porch for the fairies to take back, please and thank you. It was snowing. It was dark. No fairies came. The same well meaning adults decided she'd catch her death out there. So they brought her in and kept her after all.
She's read millions of books, and has sat happily at the feat of a legion of storytellers. She is equally fascinated by disaster and grace. car wrecks, hurricanes, plagues, and genocides on the one hand, small and stunning everyday miracles on the other. She sometimes wishes she were a pirate. She'd often wished she'd run away and joined the circus when she had the chance. She spends a great deal of time in the company of her imagination, and when she isn't, she's wide eyed and awed by this planet and the people running amok all over it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 17, 2008
The Droughtlanders is the first book in the Triskelia series and the premise is frightening - because it's so possible. It is set sometime in the future, untold decades or centuries after the Group of Keys has essentially dominated and manipulated the rest of the world and wiped out 92% of the world's population by weather control, water rights and biological and environmental warfare.
The Keys are a group of otherwise isolated walled cities dotted around North America (whether Keys exist in Europe and elsewhere isn't mentioned), and between them all is a parched wasteland where impoverished, disease-riddled Droughtlanders scrape a living, often brutalised, raped and murdered by the Guards from the Keys, who think of Droughtlanders as little better than rats.
With so few people left, factories, mines and sweatshops ceased and our technological and consumer goods disappeared - but the Group of Keys established a new leisure class, ressurecting "tea parties on perfectly manicured lawns, stormy nights spent playing cards in cozy parlours, afternoons at the piano or with friends, a pantomine at Christmas" (p.31) with the healthiest of Droughtlanders to serve them.
Triskelia is a mythical place harbouring an equally mythical group of rebels. After Eli sees his mother talking and hugging a Droughtlander through a gap in the wall one night, he learns that his mother is a rebel, a Triskelian, just before she dies in a bomb blast orchestrated by his father, the Chief Regent for Chancellor East. No longer able to live with the lies, his horrible twin brother Seth who wants nothing more than to join the Guard, or his autocratic father, Eli flees into the Droughtland with a horse, his dog Bullet and vague directions to the woman who buried his mother, in the hopes of finding legendary Triskelia. On the way, he's forced to reexamine all his assumptions and prejudices about Keylanders and Droughtlanders.
This is a vivid book, tightly plotted, perfectly paced and very well written. It draws you into this world from the very first scene, and is familiar enough to be scarily believable. The post-apocalyptic premise is a logical outcome from one particular path we might walk down today, and the way different groups - the privileged and the underprivileged - would evolve to meet it also rings true. Mac has a great handle on her prose and her characters, especially with Seth and Eli, who are recognisable teenagers going through great changes and forced to rethink things - not always to great or positive effect.
The scenes of both Eli and Seth travelling in their separate ways through the Droughtlands were my favourite parts. The Droughtlands is the most interesting part of the story, for me, and the most heart-wrenching. The brutality meted out by the Guards is shocking, but helps reinforce the belief the Keylanders have that the Droughtlanders are less than animals. The Triskelian rebels aren't cliched, and the ending was quick and sudden, which worked well.
If you're looking for something new in YA fantasy, this'd be a good one to try. And - because I can't resist any opportunity to plug my favourite author - if you like this or you like these kinds of stories, I also recommend Isobelle Carmody's Scatterlings, which is one of my favourite books.
The Keys are a group of otherwise isolated walled cities dotted around North America (whether Keys exist in Europe and elsewhere isn't mentioned), and between them all is a parched wasteland where impoverished, disease-riddled Droughtlanders scrape a living, often brutalised, raped and murdered by the Guards from the Keys, who think of Droughtlanders as little better than rats.
With so few people left, factories, mines and sweatshops ceased and our technological and consumer goods disappeared - but the Group of Keys established a new leisure class, ressurecting "tea parties on perfectly manicured lawns, stormy nights spent playing cards in cozy parlours, afternoons at the piano or with friends, a pantomine at Christmas" (p.31) with the healthiest of Droughtlanders to serve them.
Triskelia is a mythical place harbouring an equally mythical group of rebels. After Eli sees his mother talking and hugging a Droughtlander through a gap in the wall one night, he learns that his mother is a rebel, a Triskelian, just before she dies in a bomb blast orchestrated by his father, the Chief Regent for Chancellor East. No longer able to live with the lies, his horrible twin brother Seth who wants nothing more than to join the Guard, or his autocratic father, Eli flees into the Droughtland with a horse, his dog Bullet and vague directions to the woman who buried his mother, in the hopes of finding legendary Triskelia. On the way, he's forced to reexamine all his assumptions and prejudices about Keylanders and Droughtlanders.
This is a vivid book, tightly plotted, perfectly paced and very well written. It draws you into this world from the very first scene, and is familiar enough to be scarily believable. The post-apocalyptic premise is a logical outcome from one particular path we might walk down today, and the way different groups - the privileged and the underprivileged - would evolve to meet it also rings true. Mac has a great handle on her prose and her characters, especially with Seth and Eli, who are recognisable teenagers going through great changes and forced to rethink things - not always to great or positive effect.
The scenes of both Eli and Seth travelling in their separate ways through the Droughtlands were my favourite parts. The Droughtlands is the most interesting part of the story, for me, and the most heart-wrenching. The brutality meted out by the Guards is shocking, but helps reinforce the belief the Keylanders have that the Droughtlanders are less than animals. The Triskelian rebels aren't cliched, and the ending was quick and sudden, which worked well.
If you're looking for something new in YA fantasy, this'd be a good one to try. And - because I can't resist any opportunity to plug my favourite author - if you like this or you like these kinds of stories, I also recommend Isobelle Carmody's Scatterlings, which is one of my favourite books.
March 22, 2012
This book was really interesting, with a unique feel that I cannot pinpoint as any particular genre. It is definitely a post-apocalyptic dystopian, but leaning more towards post-apocalyptic. It was made clear that it is set in North American after the world was destroyed by severe weather patterns. And I do believe that it was the whole world that was destroyed, not just North America. But it still had a strong fantasy feel to it. There was nothing fantastical about the story, nothing paranormal, magical, or even science fiction besides their weather technology, but it felt very much like a fantasy due to the landscape, the way the people lived, with herbal healers and traveling by horseback. After the the end of civilization the world returned to almost a medieval way of life, which somewhat reminded me of the country of Ixia from Poison Study.
I found the story really interesting. It follows 16 year old Eli. He was raised in one of the few walled cities in North American, where people live in privilege with good weather provided by their weather technology, while the rest of the world is kept in drought. His father is a powerful man, second in command of the city, who is known as the Eastern Regent. After Eli blames his father for his mother's mysterious death, Eli runs away and tries to find the fabled rebels known as Triskelia. Eli's brother, Seth, angry at him for abandoning the family, goes after Eli, intending to bring him back home. Both brothers, journeying through the droughtlands, find themselves ending their journey together, both drastically changed.
Most of the book is from Eli's POV, but there are many chapters from Seth's POV as well. There is a lot of adventure and survival, betrayal and self discovery, secrets and revelations. Although, after reading so much romance lately, I find it harder to connect with characters when not seeing them through the eyes of someone who loves them, and I didnt feel quite as drawn to the characters as I would have liked. That is likely my own handicap, not the book's.
I found the story really interesting. It follows 16 year old Eli. He was raised in one of the few walled cities in North American, where people live in privilege with good weather provided by their weather technology, while the rest of the world is kept in drought. His father is a powerful man, second in command of the city, who is known as the Eastern Regent. After Eli blames his father for his mother's mysterious death, Eli runs away and tries to find the fabled rebels known as Triskelia. Eli's brother, Seth, angry at him for abandoning the family, goes after Eli, intending to bring him back home. Both brothers, journeying through the droughtlands, find themselves ending their journey together, both drastically changed.
Most of the book is from Eli's POV, but there are many chapters from Seth's POV as well. There is a lot of adventure and survival, betrayal and self discovery, secrets and revelations. Although, after reading so much romance lately, I find it harder to connect with characters when not seeing them through the eyes of someone who loves them, and I didnt feel quite as drawn to the characters as I would have liked. That is likely my own handicap, not the book's.
November 28, 2011
The Droughtlanders is a well written book with unique plotting and characters that bring me to an entirely different world. As much as I adored the book, I sincerely hope that our future is not going to become anything like that. Eli and Seth are twin brothers that have nothing in common, however, after they both go through a series of tragedies and a path to find out their beliefs as well as the truths, they start to change their visions. At first I didn’t like Eli’s personality, not only because he was such a weakling but that he wouldn’t say a word when his brother did something unspeakable. However, when I continue with the book, I realize that he would do anything for the person he loves, and to find the truth, which is what starts his thoughts of revolution.
I like how the author writes about Seth and Eli separately first and in the end they join together smoothly. Though they never ever want to admit it, their connections as twins become greater after the events they go through, “Eli hadn’t told anyone, other than Zenith , what he’d recommended. He was ashamed that he couldn’t bring himself to exile Seth after all he’d done, that there was a large part of him what wanted his brother near, even though Seth had caused him such grief all his life.” Especially after Sabine --- their long lost sister’s appearance.
The book not only expose the vivid contrast between Droughland and Keyland, but ties events together, the truth of the death of Quinn in the beginning is revealed near the end of the book, which was not surprising but disturbing.
At the beginning I strongly disliked Seth, however, strangely, in the end I start to agree with him. The revolution must start, maybe people have different ways of thinking, but in my opinion they should stop waiting for a “right time” and make a change. It is also an amazing thing the book does, it lets you to make the choice as well. Someone might agree with Eli while some of us choose to be Seth. The book develops different views from each character which is what makes it so fascinating. I’ll definitely carry on to the second and the third book.
I like how the author writes about Seth and Eli separately first and in the end they join together smoothly. Though they never ever want to admit it, their connections as twins become greater after the events they go through, “Eli hadn’t told anyone, other than Zenith , what he’d recommended. He was ashamed that he couldn’t bring himself to exile Seth after all he’d done, that there was a large part of him what wanted his brother near, even though Seth had caused him such grief all his life.” Especially after Sabine --- their long lost sister’s appearance.
The book not only expose the vivid contrast between Droughland and Keyland, but ties events together, the truth of the death of Quinn in the beginning is revealed near the end of the book, which was not surprising but disturbing.
At the beginning I strongly disliked Seth, however, strangely, in the end I start to agree with him. The revolution must start, maybe people have different ways of thinking, but in my opinion they should stop waiting for a “right time” and make a change. It is also an amazing thing the book does, it lets you to make the choice as well. Someone might agree with Eli while some of us choose to be Seth. The book develops different views from each character which is what makes it so fascinating. I’ll definitely carry on to the second and the third book.
Read
April 8, 2011Another near-future dystopia aimed at a YA audience. I have mixed feelings about it. Some interesting stuff -- clear attention to a very oppressively organized society, in this case with control over the weather standing in for control over the means of production. You have to be patient to get past the first few chapters, though. It's like the author's original version was a hundred pages longer and some editor told her to cut it down, and in that process the emotional logic of the decisions made by some of the key characters at the start of the book was completely butchered. There were a handful of spots later on where this also showed up, but it was just bang, bang, bang, one instance after another at the start. However, it gets better and I will be reading the next one in the series.
July 13, 2016
I read this book years ago.. and although it is not a genre that I normally read, I LOVED this book.. Then I got busy and didn't look for the other two books for a while. I think at the time the third hadn't been written and the second one was a crazy high price or something.... this story has haunted me. I just ordered the second and third books.. FINALLY.. and I also ordered the first again to refresh my memory. It grabbed and held my attention from the start, and that is hard to do for me. Even tho I'm a writer/author myself, it is tough for me to stay focused on reading. Well done Carrie Mac!
October 3, 2014
Sooo slow. By the time it got interesting, the book was over.
March 8, 2019
5 stars for the parts from Seth's point of view, 2 star novel bc it was so BORING reading from the main characters point of view.
I honestly skipped past the parts written from Eli's point of view, and I only kept on reading for the crueler twin Seth's side story as it unfolded around the same time as Eli's.
Eli is a goody two-shoes, a self-righteous weakling with big ideas and no ability to enforce his ideas.
Seth while portrayed as villainous from Eli's point of view, is given some amazing character development, his world-views are explained and undergo change with his experiences, and he works hard to gain power and protect the people who he comes to care about.
Enter Eli: Pathetic, self-righteous, believes himself morally superior to his brother. He finds out that Seth has an army and feels so privileged in his righteous cause that he believes Seth should help his rebellion against their former home.
Eli doesn't care for the individual persons Seth's army is composed of, and only sees the units of power and how they could assist his cause.
Why is Eli the slimy activist with no real power is the main character?
Seth the powerful and most interesting character is considered the "bad seed turned into a powerful tool to assist the main character". I do nnot understand.
I honestly skipped past the parts written from Eli's point of view, and I only kept on reading for the crueler twin Seth's side story as it unfolded around the same time as Eli's.
Eli is a goody two-shoes, a self-righteous weakling with big ideas and no ability to enforce his ideas.
Seth while portrayed as villainous from Eli's point of view, is given some amazing character development, his world-views are explained and undergo change with his experiences, and he works hard to gain power and protect the people who he comes to care about.
Enter Eli: Pathetic, self-righteous, believes himself morally superior to his brother. He finds out that Seth has an army and feels so privileged in his righteous cause that he believes Seth should help his rebellion against their former home.
Eli doesn't care for the individual persons Seth's army is composed of, and only sees the units of power and how they could assist his cause.
Why is Eli the slimy activist with no real power is the main character?
Seth the powerful and most interesting character is considered the "bad seed turned into a powerful tool to assist the main character". I do nnot understand.
June 16, 2019
ALYSSA'S REVIEW:
Unfortunately, this novel is not carried by Chapters, nor our umbrella company, Indigo. I have, however, seen it in used bookstores around Lethbridge and since our company does carry the other books in the series, I figured I would review it anyway.
This was a reread for me, I had read this when I was probably 14, and I couldn't remember much from the series other than; circus, desert, and I liked the series. You know what? My memory was correct! This dystopian novel is truly as enjoyable as it is disturbing, and I would recommend it to older teens (16+) or adults.
TRIGGER WARNINGS
This is a novel that really speaks to the topic of segregation, as well as sexual violence, drug use/withdrawal, and war.
Unfortunately, this novel is not carried by Chapters, nor our umbrella company, Indigo. I have, however, seen it in used bookstores around Lethbridge and since our company does carry the other books in the series, I figured I would review it anyway.
This was a reread for me, I had read this when I was probably 14, and I couldn't remember much from the series other than; circus, desert, and I liked the series. You know what? My memory was correct! This dystopian novel is truly as enjoyable as it is disturbing, and I would recommend it to older teens (16+) or adults.
TRIGGER WARNINGS
This is a novel that really speaks to the topic of segregation, as well as sexual violence, drug use/withdrawal, and war.
June 8, 2019
This was a reread for me, I read this book sometime in middle school and all I remembered was;
1. I liked it
2. it mentioned circumcision
It would appear that i was correct with both of those points. This book was intriguing from start to finish, a thrilling dystopian-type novel to begin a series that i’m sure i will continue to love.
This book really speaks to the topics of segregation/racism, extreme capitalism, and ignorance.
Trigger warning for sexual violence/rape, drug use/drug withdrawal, and extreme racism/discrimination. Also violence and war. Lots of bad things happen in this book.
1. I liked it
2. it mentioned circumcision
It would appear that i was correct with both of those points. This book was intriguing from start to finish, a thrilling dystopian-type novel to begin a series that i’m sure i will continue to love.
This book really speaks to the topics of segregation/racism, extreme capitalism, and ignorance.
Trigger warning for sexual violence/rape, drug use/drug withdrawal, and extreme racism/discrimination. Also violence and war. Lots of bad things happen in this book.
April 26, 2020
I really like the story in this book. It so continuous that I was unable to get distracted from the book. The Story really involves the readers and glues him to the book. I really like the character of Eli in this book. I feel I am more like the character Eli who is mild, never jumps into action, never tries to react unless he is really tested by circumstances. But chooses a brave decision to explore his maternal family, his roots. Overall I would suggest this book is a good read.
November 13, 2018
Had a good premise but lands flat. Bit of a rambling family odyssey in a distopian setting. It would have benefited from a faster pace and more intricate plot.
May 1, 2020
Must read. I wander with my imagination through late nights because of the adventures of this book.
April 13, 2023
When I first read this I was like......... wtf? And whenever I think about it now I'm still like. Ok
February 8, 2017
At Parts it is a little bit werid/gross. But pretty gud
January 27, 2022
Another take on the North American wasteland dystopia/post-apocalypse story that weaves in elements of science and artistry. While there are many novels with similar stories, the writing style is expressive when it comes to how the characters view the world around them be it the natural surroundings or how they perceive the people around them. This expressive style makes the novel an easy read so make sure you have the sequels at the ready! However, some readers may find the pacing of the novel a bit too fast as character and story development do progress quickly, though not to the point of having major holes or flaws in my opinion. Overall, a good read that I would recommend to any dystopian genre fan.
May 10, 2011
The Droughtlanders is a book written by Vancouver author Carrie Mac. It is about a futuristic world in North America where an elite group of people called “Keylanders”, because they lived in walled cities called “Keys”, controlled most of the world’s supplies. With greed and ambition their exploits wiped out 92% of the world’s population. The rest of the people who were not rich enough to live in the Key’s would be living in an area between the many Keys called the Droughtlands. This name is given to them since the Droughtlands rarely receive any rain as the Keylanders can control most weather movements and rainfall. An idea on how the Keylanders lived can be taken from a quote stating “tea parties on perfectly manicured lawns, stormy nights playing cards in cozy parlours, afternoons at the piano or with friends, a pantomime at Christmas” (pg 31). They lived a simple life since they thought that the complex communication and electric times of the past is what brought the world to what it is now today. It is a futuristic look at what would happen to the world if the climate and environment drastically changed and that people would continue on this path of self-destruction. The book’s main protagonist is Eli, one of the twin sons of the Chief Regent (second in power in the Key) of the Eastern Key. At first in the book Eli was a cowardly boy who couldn’t stand up for what he believed in and was always bullied by others, especially his brother, Seth. Seth and Eli have completely opposite personalities and this will be a major factor later in the book. I did not like how in the book Eli started out as a person so cowardly that he couldn’t even tell his brother when he did something wrong and then suddenly when he found out that his mother was a rebel for Triskelia, decided to support her right away. If Eli was indeed that cowardly he wouldn’t risk going against everything he was ever taught about the Droughtlands and help some people that he didn’t even know or understand. Triskelia was the rebel force of the Droughtlanders who would get even with the Keys. After his mother was found out as a rebel and killed in an attack called by his own father, Eli journeyed out to find his mother’s grave and left everything he has known to find out the truth.
I enjoyed in this book how throughout his journey of Eli though the Droughtlands, he has grown both mentally and physically and learned to accept the Droughtlanders and not discriminate against them like he was taught back in the Keylands. He has to ignore all his past knowledge of them and start fresh if he wants to survive in the Droughtlands. Throught the book there are small things that Eli does that shows how he accepts or rejects the Droughtlanders and towards the middle you can see how his attitude changes. I admit in the beginning of the book I was ready to put it down since it felt extremely slow and that I couldn’t relate to Eli’s character. Some actions he took I felt were wrong or that he was too weak and would just “go with the flow”. After reading a while of the book I finally started to see the “hero” part of Eli and how his actions before has changed to what he did now. The storyline telling is great as well since I particularly enjoyed the two parallel stories between Eli’s and Seth’s and how they merged in the end. It tells the story from two people’s point of view and lets the reader get a greater impression of how the minds of Keylanders and Droughtlanders were different.
This book was written in a clear style and was not hard to understand. It deals with some major issues in our world right now and lets the reader ponder about his or her action and how that can affect the future. I would definitely read the second and third book and relive the story again.
I enjoyed in this book how throughout his journey of Eli though the Droughtlands, he has grown both mentally and physically and learned to accept the Droughtlanders and not discriminate against them like he was taught back in the Keylands. He has to ignore all his past knowledge of them and start fresh if he wants to survive in the Droughtlands. Throught the book there are small things that Eli does that shows how he accepts or rejects the Droughtlanders and towards the middle you can see how his attitude changes. I admit in the beginning of the book I was ready to put it down since it felt extremely slow and that I couldn’t relate to Eli’s character. Some actions he took I felt were wrong or that he was too weak and would just “go with the flow”. After reading a while of the book I finally started to see the “hero” part of Eli and how his actions before has changed to what he did now. The storyline telling is great as well since I particularly enjoyed the two parallel stories between Eli’s and Seth’s and how they merged in the end. It tells the story from two people’s point of view and lets the reader get a greater impression of how the minds of Keylanders and Droughtlanders were different.
This book was written in a clear style and was not hard to understand. It deals with some major issues in our world right now and lets the reader ponder about his or her action and how that can affect the future. I would definitely read the second and third book and relive the story again.
April 27, 2009
The Droughtlanders is the first book in the Triskelia Trilogy, and with it comes a vivid story of self-discovery, love, justice and survival. The mature themes in this book - violence and poverty among them - is aimed at an older teen audience. The frightening truth in the story is that it’s quite realistic, and we can easily image the issues we face in our world today being borne into this future. As it goes, the Keys have dominated and manipulated the world, wiping out 92% of the population.
The Keys (Keylands) are isolated and walled cities in North America. There are maybe 8 or more, situated at intervals around parched, diseased and impoverished Droughtland where Droughtlanders scrabble to survive in the harshest of conditions.
With the decimated population, the world stopped functioning with the amounts of third world manufacturing (etc.) but the Keys managed to keep taking, the primary resource now water, creating a functioning leisure class in each of the Keys; “tea parties on perfectly manicured lawns, stormy nights playing cards in cozy parlours, afternoons at the piano or with friends, a pantomime at Christmas” (pg. 31). Millions still survive in the droughland, but with contageous sicks, disease and violence that kill off many each day.
This science-fiction, fantasy is based on a mythical Droughtland rebel force - "Tiskelia was either a religious cult for the feeble-minded or a myth born of drug-induced visions and the misplaced idealism of Droughtlanders with potent imaginations." (pg. 20) - which turns out to be not so mythical, but perfectly real as well as strong and clean. After Eli sees his mother embracing a Droughlander through the wall and she is murdered for being a Droughland rebel leader, he flees from the Key and away from his unbearable father and cruel twin brother, Seth, with only a horse, a dog, trinkets of his mother’s origin and measly directions. He enters a quest to first find his mother’s grave, and then the legendary Triskelia. His adventures force him to re-evaluate each assumption and prejudiced knowledge base of Keylanders and Droughtlanders.
Seth, on the other hand, sets out on a different quest to kill Eli for his defiance of their father's high position and also because he despises his kind-hearted brother - Seth being cruel and selfish.
Eli's character development is something of a marvel. Mac's ability to twist his assumptions and predjudices of Keylanders and Droughtlanders based on each small influence he comes by on his journey are incredible. Eli transforms from his horrible stereotyped view of droughtlanders - "No one was dressed in the smartly cut clothes of the Keys; they wore the tired tunics and threadbare pants of the Droughtland instead, a look Eli associated with sicks and filth." (pg. 24-25) - to realizing it's more of his history than he can imagine and Eli grows to love his new home, friends and unexpected family member.
It’s vivid, tightly-plotted, perfectly placed, extremely well-written, and an intensely engrossing coming-of-age type novel of two twin boys. It scarily and accurately links upper and lower world classes, and provides evidence of the outcome of such a meeting between the two. Seth and Eli’s separate and eventually entwining adventures in the Droughtland are the best parts, the description of the Droughtland a heart-wrenching and brutal truth.
The Keys (Keylands) are isolated and walled cities in North America. There are maybe 8 or more, situated at intervals around parched, diseased and impoverished Droughtland where Droughtlanders scrabble to survive in the harshest of conditions.
With the decimated population, the world stopped functioning with the amounts of third world manufacturing (etc.) but the Keys managed to keep taking, the primary resource now water, creating a functioning leisure class in each of the Keys; “tea parties on perfectly manicured lawns, stormy nights playing cards in cozy parlours, afternoons at the piano or with friends, a pantomime at Christmas” (pg. 31). Millions still survive in the droughland, but with contageous sicks, disease and violence that kill off many each day.
This science-fiction, fantasy is based on a mythical Droughtland rebel force - "Tiskelia was either a religious cult for the feeble-minded or a myth born of drug-induced visions and the misplaced idealism of Droughtlanders with potent imaginations." (pg. 20) - which turns out to be not so mythical, but perfectly real as well as strong and clean. After Eli sees his mother embracing a Droughlander through the wall and she is murdered for being a Droughland rebel leader, he flees from the Key and away from his unbearable father and cruel twin brother, Seth, with only a horse, a dog, trinkets of his mother’s origin and measly directions. He enters a quest to first find his mother’s grave, and then the legendary Triskelia. His adventures force him to re-evaluate each assumption and prejudiced knowledge base of Keylanders and Droughtlanders.
Seth, on the other hand, sets out on a different quest to kill Eli for his defiance of their father's high position and also because he despises his kind-hearted brother - Seth being cruel and selfish.
Eli's character development is something of a marvel. Mac's ability to twist his assumptions and predjudices of Keylanders and Droughtlanders based on each small influence he comes by on his journey are incredible. Eli transforms from his horrible stereotyped view of droughtlanders - "No one was dressed in the smartly cut clothes of the Keys; they wore the tired tunics and threadbare pants of the Droughtland instead, a look Eli associated with sicks and filth." (pg. 24-25) - to realizing it's more of his history than he can imagine and Eli grows to love his new home, friends and unexpected family member.
It’s vivid, tightly-plotted, perfectly placed, extremely well-written, and an intensely engrossing coming-of-age type novel of two twin boys. It scarily and accurately links upper and lower world classes, and provides evidence of the outcome of such a meeting between the two. Seth and Eli’s separate and eventually entwining adventures in the Droughtland are the best parts, the description of the Droughtland a heart-wrenching and brutal truth.
April 6, 2015
Eli Maddox, formerly known as Master Eli, would have never thought that he would be surrounded by “sicks”. Sicks are the diseased Droughtlanders between the Keys, which is where everyone is protected and have more privileges than the Droughtlanders. Droughtlanders are forced to live in a parched wasteland and no one is allowed to make any contact with one.
There were some rumours about Triskelia, which is made up of rebels, and how it didn’t exist. Eli’s goal was to find the rebels and join them. He didn't feel right taking in his dad’s footsteps. His dad was the Chief Regent and he was the next in line Chancellor East. He believed in destroying everything that didn't concern the Keys. He had the power to make this happen and Eli never believed in that so he decided to do what’s best for him, and join the rebels.
Eli has a twin, called Seth, but they are nothing alike besides their physical appearance. Seth started out as a cruel, bitter brother that seemed unworthy for a brother like Eli. But as the story progressed, the cruel and bitter factor in his personality slowly faded away when the real truth was shoved into Eli and Seth’s face. They were bound to find out that their whole life was a lie, what they were meant to believe in was a lie, and the rumours about Droughtlanders and Triskelia were a lie. They had to reevaluate their beliefs and expectations about what everyone in the Keys thought of as “dangerous”.
This book is well written and the plots in this story are interesting because this would never happen in real life. This pulls me into the book and it feels like I'm beside Eli and Seth along their separate journey in finding Triskelia. The hardships when travelling felt so surreal because it was described perfectly that it could be imagined exactly the same. The author, Carrie Mac, made so many great characters that improved the story overall. Mac made Eli into a determined guy after experiencing Seth’s cruel side. Eli changed as the story progressed and it made him into a better person.
Some Droughtlanders were a huge impact on Seth and Eli’s journey outside of the Keys. Those stories are some of the highlights from the book. Without the Droughtlanders, they would’ve never survived out there with their habits from the Keys. A Keylander outside in the Droughtland is the same as a cat surrounded by dogs. It’s best to keep that part a secret when they're outside of the Keys to protect themselves. This general idea had me on the edge of my seat while reading because if Droughtlanders knew that Eli and Seth were a Keylander, they would be a piece of meat to them. However, I didn't expect that Eli would be sent free during the market incident so I was surprised and happy to read that.
The Droughtlanders is a good fantasy book that is worth reading every page. It contains some surprises that no one will ever suspect and it can keep people on the edge of their seats. People never know what Mac is writing next so there will be some unanticipated scenes throughout the book. If you're into unpredicted scenes, then it will be a great selection added into your reading list.
There were some rumours about Triskelia, which is made up of rebels, and how it didn’t exist. Eli’s goal was to find the rebels and join them. He didn't feel right taking in his dad’s footsteps. His dad was the Chief Regent and he was the next in line Chancellor East. He believed in destroying everything that didn't concern the Keys. He had the power to make this happen and Eli never believed in that so he decided to do what’s best for him, and join the rebels.
Eli has a twin, called Seth, but they are nothing alike besides their physical appearance. Seth started out as a cruel, bitter brother that seemed unworthy for a brother like Eli. But as the story progressed, the cruel and bitter factor in his personality slowly faded away when the real truth was shoved into Eli and Seth’s face. They were bound to find out that their whole life was a lie, what they were meant to believe in was a lie, and the rumours about Droughtlanders and Triskelia were a lie. They had to reevaluate their beliefs and expectations about what everyone in the Keys thought of as “dangerous”.
This book is well written and the plots in this story are interesting because this would never happen in real life. This pulls me into the book and it feels like I'm beside Eli and Seth along their separate journey in finding Triskelia. The hardships when travelling felt so surreal because it was described perfectly that it could be imagined exactly the same. The author, Carrie Mac, made so many great characters that improved the story overall. Mac made Eli into a determined guy after experiencing Seth’s cruel side. Eli changed as the story progressed and it made him into a better person.
Some Droughtlanders were a huge impact on Seth and Eli’s journey outside of the Keys. Those stories are some of the highlights from the book. Without the Droughtlanders, they would’ve never survived out there with their habits from the Keys. A Keylander outside in the Droughtland is the same as a cat surrounded by dogs. It’s best to keep that part a secret when they're outside of the Keys to protect themselves. This general idea had me on the edge of my seat while reading because if Droughtlanders knew that Eli and Seth were a Keylander, they would be a piece of meat to them. However, I didn't expect that Eli would be sent free during the market incident so I was surprised and happy to read that.
The Droughtlanders is a good fantasy book that is worth reading every page. It contains some surprises that no one will ever suspect and it can keep people on the edge of their seats. People never know what Mac is writing next so there will be some unanticipated scenes throughout the book. If you're into unpredicted scenes, then it will be a great selection added into your reading list.
March 1, 2017
I am so surprised by how many people loved this book. It was SO SLOW and the main character got on my nerves constantly. He whines and he worries, and he complains about the few things he does accomplish. I didn't feel like he was all that motivated or determined, and I had a hard time relating to that.
December 14, 2012
The Droughtlanders is the first book in the Triskelia trilogy. It is set in the future, but a specific time is untold.The reader is informed that 92% of the world's population has been wiped out. There are two different types of people in the future society: Keylanders; and Droughtlanders. Keylanders have weather control, water rights and biological and environmental warfare whereas Droughtlanders have nothing.The Keys are a group of walled cities dotted around North America, and between the different keys, only a parched wasteland is present. Droughtlanders live in the wasteland and have to struggle to survive each day. Furthermore, Droughtlanders are constantly being oppressed by all the different keys as the Keylanders think of Droughtlanders like animals. After the majority of the world’s population has been wiped out, technology no longer exists and the people no longer rely on technology for problems.
Eli, the protagonist and a Keylander sees his mother talking to and hugging a Droughtlander one night, and he learns that his mother is a Droughtlanderrebel, belonging to an organization called Triskelia. After Eli’s mother dies from a bomb orchestrated by his own father, Eli decides to run away and search for Triskelia. Seth, Eli’s brother goes out into the Droughtland as well to find and kill Eli for betraying the Keys, but as the brothers travel their different ways, both realize the deservingness of social equality for Droughtlanders.
The novel is narrated in the third person, but as both Eli and Seth travel through different routes, each chapter alternates between the brothers’ experiences. Since the novel is told in the third person, the reader is able to be told the story from all different points of view and mind sets. Although the storyline is not as engaging as other novels, The Droughtlanders is written extremely well and the lacking storyline is made up by the amazing detail and vividness of the author’s descriptions.
Eli, the protagonist and a Keylander sees his mother talking to and hugging a Droughtlander one night, and he learns that his mother is a Droughtlanderrebel, belonging to an organization called Triskelia. After Eli’s mother dies from a bomb orchestrated by his own father, Eli decides to run away and search for Triskelia. Seth, Eli’s brother goes out into the Droughtland as well to find and kill Eli for betraying the Keys, but as the brothers travel their different ways, both realize the deservingness of social equality for Droughtlanders.
The novel is narrated in the third person, but as both Eli and Seth travel through different routes, each chapter alternates between the brothers’ experiences. Since the novel is told in the third person, the reader is able to be told the story from all different points of view and mind sets. Although the storyline is not as engaging as other novels, The Droughtlanders is written extremely well and the lacking storyline is made up by the amazing detail and vividness of the author’s descriptions.
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December 14, 2012The Droughtlanders Review
The Droughtlanders is unarguably one of the best novels I’ve read in my life. This novel has a plot that is completely different from any other dystopian novels you’ll ever read. In addition, Carrie Mac, the author, does an exceptionally well job of creating the characters and bringing them to life.
Eli is the main protagonist of this novel. He was born in the Key, along with his twin brother Seth. Their personalities are completely different from one another, but a chain of numerous events ties the unlikely pair together. In the beginning of the novel, I thought that Eli’s character was pathetic, because he was afraid of his own brother. Despite the fact his brother was physically stronger. Eli turned out to be a stronger warrior than his brother. Not in physique, but in heart.
What I loved about this novel is how the author rotates from the view of Eli and Seth. This gives you a different perspective on what the characters are going through and really puts you in the book with the characters. When I read this novel, I felt a nostalgic thrill down my spine and this is because of how well the characters were illustrated. It was probably the first book I couldn’t put down. The conversation below was the most nostalgic moment for me.
“How old are you”
The girl looked up. “Sixteen”
Eli nodded slowly. “There were three of us.”
She nodded.
The contrast between the Keyland and Droughtland really shines in this novel, showing how society could become in the future. I thought that the author did a really good job of describing the two countries. The Key being the upper and privileged, while the Droughtland is life of struggle for survival.
To wrap it up, The Droughtlanders was one of the best books I’ve ever read. The characters were unforgettable and the plot was extremely thrilling to read through. Without a doubt, I’ll be reading the other two books in the Triskelia trilogy.
The Droughtlanders is unarguably one of the best novels I’ve read in my life. This novel has a plot that is completely different from any other dystopian novels you’ll ever read. In addition, Carrie Mac, the author, does an exceptionally well job of creating the characters and bringing them to life.
Eli is the main protagonist of this novel. He was born in the Key, along with his twin brother Seth. Their personalities are completely different from one another, but a chain of numerous events ties the unlikely pair together. In the beginning of the novel, I thought that Eli’s character was pathetic, because he was afraid of his own brother. Despite the fact his brother was physically stronger. Eli turned out to be a stronger warrior than his brother. Not in physique, but in heart.
What I loved about this novel is how the author rotates from the view of Eli and Seth. This gives you a different perspective on what the characters are going through and really puts you in the book with the characters. When I read this novel, I felt a nostalgic thrill down my spine and this is because of how well the characters were illustrated. It was probably the first book I couldn’t put down. The conversation below was the most nostalgic moment for me.
“How old are you”
The girl looked up. “Sixteen”
Eli nodded slowly. “There were three of us.”
She nodded.
The contrast between the Keyland and Droughtland really shines in this novel, showing how society could become in the future. I thought that the author did a really good job of describing the two countries. The Key being the upper and privileged, while the Droughtland is life of struggle for survival.
To wrap it up, The Droughtlanders was one of the best books I’ve ever read. The characters were unforgettable and the plot was extremely thrilling to read through. Without a doubt, I’ll be reading the other two books in the Triskelia trilogy.
August 21, 2013
I didn't like it.
Before I go on, let me just say that I'm giving it two whole stars because I did, in fact, finish it. Generally, if I really dislike a book, I will read to the middle then give up on it (if I get that far), but this one kept my attention long enough to haul me to the end.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I don't think I like Carrie Mac all that much. The writing's what got to me. The premise was great, with the divisions between classes and the hoarding of rain and the whole idea being really intriguing. But the writing...eh
Ok, first issue, timeline. I THINK she kept messing it up, because how much time that was passing for Eli and how much time was passing for Seth was never matching up in my head. It seemed like in a chapter Eli would go three months since seeing Seth, then in Seth's point of view the chapter after he'd gone two days since seeing Eli. Happens once and this is excusable. Things can get confusing sometimes with a timeline. But this happened over and over and over again.
Second issue, point of view. This was really only a problem near the end, when Seth and Eli were both established points of view in the same location, but she kept jumping between their perspectives without warning. I would be reading thinking it was in Eli's POV and then realize it was Seth's. It was extremely frustrating.
Third issue, injuries. She seemed to forget about them a few times. Especially when Seth was stabbed in the leg (which is generally a big deal) he healed from it WAY too quickly, or she didn't even bother making a note of enough time passing for it to heal properly. He was STABBED in the THIGH with a KNIFE and then the knife was DRAGGED. And as far as I can tell he recovered from it in...a week? I don't know.
It was just not a very good book. I'm not going to read the second one. Maybe it'd be better suited for someone else.
Before I go on, let me just say that I'm giving it two whole stars because I did, in fact, finish it. Generally, if I really dislike a book, I will read to the middle then give up on it (if I get that far), but this one kept my attention long enough to haul me to the end.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I don't think I like Carrie Mac all that much. The writing's what got to me. The premise was great, with the divisions between classes and the hoarding of rain and the whole idea being really intriguing. But the writing...eh
Ok, first issue, timeline. I THINK she kept messing it up, because how much time that was passing for Eli and how much time was passing for Seth was never matching up in my head. It seemed like in a chapter Eli would go three months since seeing Seth, then in Seth's point of view the chapter after he'd gone two days since seeing Eli. Happens once and this is excusable. Things can get confusing sometimes with a timeline. But this happened over and over and over again.
Second issue, point of view. This was really only a problem near the end, when Seth and Eli were both established points of view in the same location, but she kept jumping between their perspectives without warning. I would be reading thinking it was in Eli's POV and then realize it was Seth's. It was extremely frustrating.
Third issue, injuries. She seemed to forget about them a few times. Especially when Seth was stabbed in the leg (which is generally a big deal) he healed from it WAY too quickly, or she didn't even bother making a note of enough time passing for it to heal properly. He was STABBED in the THIGH with a KNIFE and then the knife was DRAGGED. And as far as I can tell he recovered from it in...a week? I don't know.
It was just not a very good book. I'm not going to read the second one. Maybe it'd be better suited for someone else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2011
The Droughtlanders by Carrie Mac was a very interesting novel that really caught my attention and kept it through out the whole book. It had adventure, mystery, and suspense making it a great book for younger adult readers.
The Droughtlanders is a novel about a young teen that leaves the safety of his town after his mother dies to leave his dad and the guard to join the rebels outside of the city walls to fight back with his father and to show him he isn’t so weak and worthless.
At first I thought the novel was going to be boring and nothing like what it turned out to be. I made that choice by only looking at its front cover. After finishing the novel it really showed me how the saying, “Never judge a book by its cover” comes into play.
The overall storyline of the novel was amazing, but there were some parts that stood out more then others. The main part of the story that was intriguing to me was how the portrayed the main characters family. The father was the captain of the guard. The main characters brother followed in his footsteps and also became a guard. The main characters mother was a simple housewife and the main character was a softer child that followed along side his mother.
The author really showed how families used to be back in the day and may even evolve back into in the future. By having the father do the hard labour for pay with the stronger child of the family. While the mother stays at home and gives the weaker child easier tasks to do.
In the end The Droughtlanders was a great read. It kept my attention as a very picky reader through out the whole book and kept me thinking of what was going to happen next.
The Droughtlanders is a novel about a young teen that leaves the safety of his town after his mother dies to leave his dad and the guard to join the rebels outside of the city walls to fight back with his father and to show him he isn’t so weak and worthless.
At first I thought the novel was going to be boring and nothing like what it turned out to be. I made that choice by only looking at its front cover. After finishing the novel it really showed me how the saying, “Never judge a book by its cover” comes into play.
The overall storyline of the novel was amazing, but there were some parts that stood out more then others. The main part of the story that was intriguing to me was how the portrayed the main characters family. The father was the captain of the guard. The main characters brother followed in his footsteps and also became a guard. The main characters mother was a simple housewife and the main character was a softer child that followed along side his mother.
The author really showed how families used to be back in the day and may even evolve back into in the future. By having the father do the hard labour for pay with the stronger child of the family. While the mother stays at home and gives the weaker child easier tasks to do.
In the end The Droughtlanders was a great read. It kept my attention as a very picky reader through out the whole book and kept me thinking of what was going to happen next.
March 30, 2013
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Not so much different from Holly Bennett's Bonemender Trilogy. Again we have different points of view but it's mainly from the two main characters and most of the book was only one of them.
This book is about twin brothers who live in a land where anyone outside their home, The Keys, is seen as dirty and full of the sicks. The people of the Keys don't want to touch them, be around them and prefer they were dead. The politics are brutal and people are dirtier still! Sneaking around peoples back, killing for poppy dust! It almost looks like the same society from The Giver might be coming.
The Droughtlanders (non-Keylanders) are planing a Rebellion with the secret organization of Treskelia as the head-quarters.
Eli and Seth's mother is one of the Leaders for the Rebellion and while Eli discovers this, his brother trains for the guard, against the Droughtlanders.
When Eli's mother dies from a bombing incident, he decides to run away to find Treskelia and join them. The road is not smooth and he encounters people who trust him, hate him, love him, and are indifferent.
This book really is hard to describe because so much happened in the many pages and though I want to read the following two books to find out what happens to Eli and Seth, I'm nervous too. I got so into the book that I lost myself too much. Normally that's not a problem, and it wasn't at the beginning, but at the end it was just hard and I couldn't stand it.
Don't get me wrong I loved the book, and yet I didn't. I still suggest you read it! Don't take my judgement but make your own!
Not so much different from Holly Bennett's Bonemender Trilogy. Again we have different points of view but it's mainly from the two main characters and most of the book was only one of them.
This book is about twin brothers who live in a land where anyone outside their home, The Keys, is seen as dirty and full of the sicks. The people of the Keys don't want to touch them, be around them and prefer they were dead. The politics are brutal and people are dirtier still! Sneaking around peoples back, killing for poppy dust! It almost looks like the same society from The Giver might be coming.
The Droughtlanders (non-Keylanders) are planing a Rebellion with the secret organization of Treskelia as the head-quarters.
Eli and Seth's mother is one of the Leaders for the Rebellion and while Eli discovers this, his brother trains for the guard, against the Droughtlanders.
When Eli's mother dies from a bombing incident, he decides to run away to find Treskelia and join them. The road is not smooth and he encounters people who trust him, hate him, love him, and are indifferent.
This book really is hard to describe because so much happened in the many pages and though I want to read the following two books to find out what happens to Eli and Seth, I'm nervous too. I got so into the book that I lost myself too much. Normally that's not a problem, and it wasn't at the beginning, but at the end it was just hard and I couldn't stand it.
Don't get me wrong I loved the book, and yet I didn't. I still suggest you read it! Don't take my judgement but make your own!
July 29, 2011
The people of the Keys can conrol the weather. The people of the Droughtlands are subject to starvation and disease. Eli and Seth’s mother, wife of the regent of the Eastern Key, is an undercover rebel who is working with the Triskelia, the secret organization of Droughtlanders who are planning to overthrow the government. When Eli’s father arranges to have his mother killed Eli flees Keyland and makes his way to his mother’s people in Droughtland. However nobody will trust a Keylander and he continually struggles to find her people while worrying that Seth, his brother and his father’s favourite, will be looking for him and trying to kill him. But Seth is betrayed by his commander and finds himself reluctantly on the same side as Eli and their newly discovered triplet, Sabine among the Droughtlanders militia, the Triskelians. Then the Keylanders army attacks.
September 9, 2023
I suddenly remembered how much I enjoyed this book series when I read them six years ago, and so I decided to buy the entire trilogy to read them again. This book is as enjoyable as it was back then, and it has reminded me how much fun YA fiction can be. I used to read the genre all the time and I could go through a book in less than two days as I did with this one.
The Triskelia books are rather mature in regards to YA in general, but that's just another thing I love about it. I find most of the characters utterly unlikable, and yet it is a joy to follow them as they make one bad decision after another.
Finally, this book is the motherload of secondhand embarrassment. Eli is, in many scenes, the definition of cringe. If there was one thing I remembered most from my first reading of this book, it was this. And I love this book all the more for that.
The Triskelia books are rather mature in regards to YA in general, but that's just another thing I love about it. I find most of the characters utterly unlikable, and yet it is a joy to follow them as they make one bad decision after another.
Finally, this book is the motherload of secondhand embarrassment. Eli is, in many scenes, the definition of cringe. If there was one thing I remembered most from my first reading of this book, it was this. And I love this book all the more for that.
April 27, 2014
This is the book that turned me on to dystopian fiction back when I was in grade 8. The characters are compelling and deep, the world is interesting, and the story is a page turner. One of my favourite things about Mac's writing is that even the so-called villains get a voice. Though you don't agree with them, you get to see what makes the "bad guys" tick, and come to almost understand where they're coming from. On the opposite side of the same coin, she also does a really good job of making sure her heroes aren't perfect. Everyone has good traits and bad. I would definitely recommend this book, it's a fun, interesting, and well paced story.
January 6, 2009
This first book of the Triskelia trilogy is an engrossing read for older teen readers.– a science fiction story about warring twin brothers, part of the privileged few living in the Keys, who have adequate food and water. The miserable Droughtlanders are deprived of rain & food and harassed by the elite forces that patrol their parched lands to make sure they won’t make any trouble. However, there is a plot afoot to destroy the Keylanders... Mature content– violence & sexual, makes this best for older teen readers.
February 24, 2012
This book was recommended to me by a friend who also loved the "Hunger Games" series and "Oryx and Crake". I am so glad she told me about the series! I was quickly drawn into the book, and several nights I stayed up much longer than I had planned- just so I could get to the end of the chapter or section to find out what happened. The story is very well written, and the world these people live in is very easy to imagine. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
October 27, 2013
This is the third time I've read this book, and it is still as powerful and meaningful as the first time. The older the book and I both get, the more it impacts me, and the more accurate it becomes. It is a fascinating read on so many levels, and is thought provoking in the most important of ways.
This year's theme for Canada Reads is "A book the change Canada." I nominated this novel to become that book. If everyone could read this, our world would become a much better place.
This year's theme for Canada Reads is "A book the change Canada." I nominated this novel to become that book. If everyone could read this, our world would become a much better place.
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