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North and the Only One
From the award-winning author of The Brightstorm Chroncles, Vashti Hardy, comes a powerful new story set in a surprising world filled with action, adventure and big questions about family and what it means to be human. Perfect for readers aged 9+ and for fans of Ross Welford and Piers Torday.
Twelve-year-old Rose can't remember anything before last week, when she woke up not knowing her own name, her own house, or or even her own mother. The only thing Rose recognized was her puppy, North.
But Mother patiently explained everything - well, not everything. Not the real-feeling dreams Rose has about a mysterious forest she half-recognizes. Or why she is not allowed to stray beyond the garden, out into Luminelle, the vast city surrounding them.
Mother is kind and helpful, but Rose can't shake the feeling that something's not right. Or maybe it's everything that's not right?
But then, when Rose flees to the outside world with North, it quickly becomes clear to Rose that she is different. And for reasons she doesn't understand, she's dangerous.
On an unforgettable journey of discovery, Rose uncovers life-altering truths about the city she's in, the people around her ... and ultimately herself.
Twelve-year-old Rose can't remember anything before last week, when she woke up not knowing her own name, her own house, or or even her own mother. The only thing Rose recognized was her puppy, North.
But Mother patiently explained everything - well, not everything. Not the real-feeling dreams Rose has about a mysterious forest she half-recognizes. Or why she is not allowed to stray beyond the garden, out into Luminelle, the vast city surrounding them.
Mother is kind and helpful, but Rose can't shake the feeling that something's not right. Or maybe it's everything that's not right?
But then, when Rose flees to the outside world with North, it quickly becomes clear to Rose that she is different. And for reasons she doesn't understand, she's dangerous.
On an unforgettable journey of discovery, Rose uncovers life-altering truths about the city she's in, the people around her ... and ultimately herself.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 9, 2024
8 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Vashti Hardy
36 books164 followers Vashti Hardy is a children’s book author who lives near Lancashire, England, with her husband and three teens. She has an honors teaching degree and an MA in creative writing from the University of Chichester.
Vashti Hardy est une auteure jeunesse. Elle a enseigné pendant de nombreuse années à l'école primaire. Après avoir quitté l'enseignement pour se consacrer davantage à l'écriture, elle devient conceptrice-rédactrice et cadre dans le marketing numérique. Elle est titulaire d'un M.A. en création littéraire de l'Université de Chichester. Elle compte également parmi les diplômés de la Golden Egg Academy, une école destinée aux auteurs de livres pour enfants et aide régulièrement les nouveaux élèves de l'institution. Vashti Hardy vit avec son mari et ses trois enfants près de Brighton dans le Sussex de l'Est.
Vashti Hardy est une auteure jeunesse. Elle a enseigné pendant de nombreuse années à l'école primaire. Après avoir quitté l'enseignement pour se consacrer davantage à l'écriture, elle devient conceptrice-rédactrice et cadre dans le marketing numérique. Elle est titulaire d'un M.A. en création littéraire de l'Université de Chichester. Elle compte également parmi les diplômés de la Golden Egg Academy, une école destinée aux auteurs de livres pour enfants et aide régulièrement les nouveaux élèves de l'institution. Vashti Hardy vit avec son mari et ses trois enfants près de Brighton dans le Sussex de l'Est.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 9, 2025
North and the Only One is a very solid children's sci-fi adventure. There are aspects that I didn't love (falling over while trying to escape is not the only way to build tension, it did not need to be done every time), but over all, Rose and North's story is fun and full of meaning.
April 22, 2024
I've actually only read Serpent of the Sands (which works as a standalone) and which I loved. And Santa's Marvellous Mechanical Workshop a quite stunning picture book (Wildspark is on the tbr pile!). I would love to get the LKS2 books for school and know that Brightstorm is on the Reading Spine for our Y5/6 class. They all have strong science themes in them.
But this is a standalone and difficult to talk about due to giving away too much!
Rose wakes in a bedroom but can't remember anything about who she is. She leaves the room and finds a puppy, North and a lady she has no memory of but who says she is mother. Rose and Mother start lessons, play games and teach North tricks. But Rose has strange dreams, she wants to discuss them but Mother puts her off. She is being looked after what is it that she thinks is so wrong? Then Rose makes a discovery she finds so scary, she leaves the house with North.
But the world outside is equally scary. Can Rose find out about herself and North? It isn't easy, she has trouble with people she thinks can be trusted and who trick her. She is helped by a 'mouse' to find her way around the city. She wants to get to the place in her dreams but she doesn't really know where to go. Will anyone help her? Can she trust anyone? With North by her side she aims to find out who she really is and why her dreams are so strong.
I was so looking forward to getting a copy of this book (thanks Kiran at ScholasticUK for the copy). This is a really good read. It isn't quite the girl and a puppy story you might expect from the cover but is actually so much more.
More science based information throughout.
Only one spoiler because it is Earth Day today - a direct quote - "They chased dreams of progress, forgetting to tread gently upon the earth"
But this is a standalone and difficult to talk about due to giving away too much!
Rose wakes in a bedroom but can't remember anything about who she is. She leaves the room and finds a puppy, North and a lady she has no memory of but who says she is mother. Rose and Mother start lessons, play games and teach North tricks. But Rose has strange dreams, she wants to discuss them but Mother puts her off. She is being looked after what is it that she thinks is so wrong? Then Rose makes a discovery she finds so scary, she leaves the house with North.
But the world outside is equally scary. Can Rose find out about herself and North? It isn't easy, she has trouble with people she thinks can be trusted and who trick her. She is helped by a 'mouse' to find her way around the city. She wants to get to the place in her dreams but she doesn't really know where to go. Will anyone help her? Can she trust anyone? With North by her side she aims to find out who she really is and why her dreams are so strong.
I was so looking forward to getting a copy of this book (thanks Kiran at ScholasticUK for the copy). This is a really good read. It isn't quite the girl and a puppy story you might expect from the cover but is actually so much more.
More science based information throughout.
Only one spoiler because it is Earth Day today - a direct quote - "They chased dreams of progress, forgetting to tread gently upon the earth"
April 13, 2024
I received a review copy from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
NORTH AND THE ONLY ONE is an absolutely beautiful tale of family, belonging, and what it is to be human.
This is, in some ways, a different tale to Vashti Hardy's others - it's not primarily an action adventure tale following plucky kids who make inventions as they explore new lands or defeat villains. Yes, Rose does go on a journey and there is some action, but it's a much quieter, introspective tale about what makes someone human and how you can belong when you're the only one of you around.
It is a tale of finding yourself, your place, and your family in those at the edges of society - and using that new found sense of community to effect change. It's a really beautiful tale of what makes us human, what our strengths and weaknesses are, and how important family can be.
This is a sci-fi novel, where humanoid robots have replaced humans (who died out due to their own decisions) in a society that functions efficiently but unemotionally. But there are still biases and an ideal of perfection in this society that disposes of those not deemed good enough. It's a great analogy of our world.
The book has a small cast with Rose alone for chunks of time. This really lets the book focus on her and her inner change as she learns more about the world and herself, and starts to wonder how things could be better. She interacts with others along the way, making friends and seeing the uniqueness within robots who have been influenced into sameness for so long. We get to meet a rich array of characters this way.
It is another wonderful book by Vashti Hardy and, as ever, I look forward to her next book.
NORTH AND THE ONLY ONE is an absolutely beautiful tale of family, belonging, and what it is to be human.
This is, in some ways, a different tale to Vashti Hardy's others - it's not primarily an action adventure tale following plucky kids who make inventions as they explore new lands or defeat villains. Yes, Rose does go on a journey and there is some action, but it's a much quieter, introspective tale about what makes someone human and how you can belong when you're the only one of you around.
It is a tale of finding yourself, your place, and your family in those at the edges of society - and using that new found sense of community to effect change. It's a really beautiful tale of what makes us human, what our strengths and weaknesses are, and how important family can be.
This is a sci-fi novel, where humanoid robots have replaced humans (who died out due to their own decisions) in a society that functions efficiently but unemotionally. But there are still biases and an ideal of perfection in this society that disposes of those not deemed good enough. It's a great analogy of our world.
The book has a small cast with Rose alone for chunks of time. This really lets the book focus on her and her inner change as she learns more about the world and herself, and starts to wonder how things could be better. She interacts with others along the way, making friends and seeing the uniqueness within robots who have been influenced into sameness for so long. We get to meet a rich array of characters this way.
It is another wonderful book by Vashti Hardy and, as ever, I look forward to her next book.
August 31, 2024
I'm just going to start off by saying that the cover of this book is really pretty, the artstyle, the way it shines, etc. I love it.
I got this book in the TeaTimeBookshop box, so thanks to them for making me discover a new author :)
Just a few things bugging me while I was reading:
The fact that even after the humanoids saw that she was different from them and that Halo did his best to make her look human she kept saying to people she was a human. Like did she not understand it was a bad idea ?
But it might be because she's only 12 and woke up only weeks before leaving the house. She didn't know any better.
I will read more books from Vashti Hardy ;)
I got this book in the TeaTimeBookshop box, so thanks to them for making me discover a new author :)
Just a few things bugging me while I was reading:
The fact that even after the humanoids saw that she was different from them and that Halo did his best to make her look human she kept saying to people she was a human. Like did she not understand it was a bad idea ?
But it might be because she's only 12 and woke up only weeks before leaving the house. She didn't know any better.
I will read more books from Vashti Hardy ;)
August 16, 2024
I just adore Vashti's writing!
This is a totally different topic and it really works.
Set in a future where humans no longer exist. Rose, the last human awakes and discovers her story.
Such an interesting concept and it really works. I adored her character and her relationship with North and the other robots. All the different personalities which you can see in society around you. The ones who are scared of change and those who challenge.
A brilliant read!
"We're all made of stories"
This is a totally different topic and it really works.
Set in a future where humans no longer exist. Rose, the last human awakes and discovers her story.
Such an interesting concept and it really works. I adored her character and her relationship with North and the other robots. All the different personalities which you can see in society around you. The ones who are scared of change and those who challenge.
A brilliant read!
"We're all made of stories"
January 8, 2025
I so much wanted to love this story and it looked really promising. I was excited to discover what would be found there in the North. Then however, as we came out of the houses, the story started to derail and eventually disintegrated. The ending was incredibly weak.
I would also like to mention, that this is the first dystopian book I read that has been written for children and I do think it is incredibly difficult to get it right.
I would also like to mention, that this is the first dystopian book I read that has been written for children and I do think it is incredibly difficult to get it right.
May 9, 2025
Cracking read and one that is very different from Vashti's other books previous.
Brings it to light in a gentle way what sort of an effect that AI is having on the world and that humans have got to change their ways and take back control.
This book was also a first for me experiencing a book with amnesia rep in a child but how it played out in the book it was done so very well.
Really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend
Brings it to light in a gentle way what sort of an effect that AI is having on the world and that humans have got to change their ways and take back control.
This book was also a first for me experiencing a book with amnesia rep in a child but how it played out in the book it was done so very well.
Really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend
February 18, 2025
Amazing book. I love how every chapter ended with a cliffhanger, and the next chapter started with the same exact moment. I would recommend d this book from ages 10-13. This book contains a big adventure along with some glances to the future. Maybe the world in 2040 will be invaded by A.I? Totally recommend this book. 🥰
April 22, 2025
This is a great middle grade dystopian. It had well thought out characters. I wish I had read this when I was 12, as it is a good introduction to dystopia and has good themes that are easy to understand.
November 12, 2025
It was the kind of book that makes you grip your chair. If you start reading North and the only one then don't give up on it too soon! You'll get to the fun and exciting part in just a few pages! The excitement is about to begin!!!! I would recommend it for people who enjoy Sophie Anderson's books.
June 19, 2024
That kind of story that makes you rethink what being a human actually means.
July 11, 2024
It was ok,I’m not a big fan of these books.I’m 14,and I tired this book out.I found it boring
July 29, 2024
Read this in a couple of days. Loved it! Vashti is one of my favourite authors. Brilliant characters and a plot with lots of twists. Highly recommend.
July 29, 2024
Great story. Quite different and compelling. A bit sci fi, a bit dystopia, a bit epic journey and a lot of heart.
February 3, 2025
Such a good book! The details of Rose’s growth using bone marrow by hestia and the evil of valentinus , chaising her away from luminelle is just perfect!
May 31, 2025
Sooo goood aaaa
July 6, 2025
Quite a slow start with several repetitive parts but a good ending.
September 28, 2024
What an enjoyable, and intriguing story. Beautifully written.
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November 19, 2024
Really enjoyed this, a mix of robots and humans
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews