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Exodus / Raging Earth #3
Aurora
Much of Earth is underwater - in the high mountains at the top of the world Lily survives with her mother and her people ...but she feels trapped. Elsewhere, beneath the exclusive sky-cities that tower above the waves, Fox has been waiting too. But when Fox and Lily meet on a virtual plane, they realize the time has come to act. The world must be made whole again, even if it means losing each other! The third and final installment in the brilliantly imagined, hugely romantic and poetically told trilogy set in a frighteningly realistic future.
301 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
9 people are currently reading
1324 people want to read
About the author
Julie Bertagna
19 books114 followersJulie Bertagna was born in Ayrshire and grew up near Glasgow, where she now lives with her family. After a degree in English Language and Literature, she was the editor of a small magazine, a teacher and a freelance journalist. She has written many critically-acclaimed, award-winning novels for teenagers and younger readers. She speaks in schools, libraries and at book festivals across the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 15, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed Exodus and Zenith, and eagerly awaited Aurora’s debut for what felt like a lifetime! However, I was slightly disappointed by Aurora.
I think Julie Bertagna is a wonderful author: she has created this amazing story and great characters; however it felt to me like the book should have been longer. It almost seemed like the book was originally longer but the editors decided to cut bits out as young readers obviously can’t concentrate for very long.
Similarly to the Harry Potter series, I have ‘grown up’ with the books, and for me one of the big problems I had with Aurora was that it hadn’t grown up at all. In fact I almost felt that Julie’s writing style has become younger, perhaps due to the direction the new publishers wanted her to take?
I enjoyed reading Aurora, and I gave it 4 stars as I really did like it. I would definitely recommend it, but I would like to put the warning out that if you’re expecting an epic book then this is not it. It’s a warm and fuzzy feel good book, although the ending is fairly open ended. Perhaps we can expect another book at some point in the future!
I think Julie Bertagna is a wonderful author: she has created this amazing story and great characters; however it felt to me like the book should have been longer. It almost seemed like the book was originally longer but the editors decided to cut bits out as young readers obviously can’t concentrate for very long.
Similarly to the Harry Potter series, I have ‘grown up’ with the books, and for me one of the big problems I had with Aurora was that it hadn’t grown up at all. In fact I almost felt that Julie’s writing style has become younger, perhaps due to the direction the new publishers wanted her to take?
I enjoyed reading Aurora, and I gave it 4 stars as I really did like it. I would definitely recommend it, but I would like to put the warning out that if you’re expecting an epic book then this is not it. It’s a warm and fuzzy feel good book, although the ending is fairly open ended. Perhaps we can expect another book at some point in the future!
September 2, 2013
Four and a half stars.
The divergent strands of Zenith are brought together very neatly in this finale. I was so pleased to see that Clayslaps and Broomielaw did indeed survive. And even that Tuck as the Pontifix is so apparently gentle and compassionate until he is crossed when he becomes calmly and quietly pitiless.
The characters are so well drawn - and the world so strange but real. Again the stylistic language gives the storytelling the feel that it's told from the point of view of the 'drowned world' itself.
It's fifteen years or so from the events of Zenith: Mara's daughter Lily is the same age as she was when she fled from the skycity of New Mungo. Lily discovers her father is not Rowan, as she has always been led to believe, but Fox.
She determines to find him.
Fox, meantime, is finally about to launch his revolution. He's got it all planned. But everything is about to change when, in the ruins of the Weave, he discovers his avatar cyberfox has been bound for decades. If Mara ever had come looking for him, she would have never received his message. Then encounters a child who needs his help. Lily: his daughter.
The divergent strands of Zenith are brought together very neatly in this finale. I was so pleased to see that Clayslaps and Broomielaw did indeed survive. And even that Tuck as the Pontifix is so apparently gentle and compassionate until he is crossed when he becomes calmly and quietly pitiless.
The characters are so well drawn - and the world so strange but real. Again the stylistic language gives the storytelling the feel that it's told from the point of view of the 'drowned world' itself.
It's fifteen years or so from the events of Zenith: Mara's daughter Lily is the same age as she was when she fled from the skycity of New Mungo. Lily discovers her father is not Rowan, as she has always been led to believe, but Fox.
She determines to find him.
Fox, meantime, is finally about to launch his revolution. He's got it all planned. But everything is about to change when, in the ruins of the Weave, he discovers his avatar cyberfox has been bound for decades. If Mara ever had come looking for him, she would have never received his message. Then encounters a child who needs his help. Lily: his daughter.
June 24, 2011
This is an enchantingly beautiful finish to the Exodus trilogy... Or is it?
Some readers may be disappointed, especially if they're all for "Mara and Fox", but if you can overlook this small twist to the novel, you're in for an unputdownable ride.
The story follows Lily Longhope's quest to meet the father she's never known about.
Readers will be delighted to once again follow the journeys of Mara, Fox, and now Lily. This book is truly exceptional.
Some readers may be disappointed, especially if they're all for "Mara and Fox", but if you can overlook this small twist to the novel, you're in for an unputdownable ride.
The story follows Lily Longhope's quest to meet the father she's never known about.
Readers will be delighted to once again follow the journeys of Mara, Fox, and now Lily. This book is truly exceptional.
November 15, 2011
I waited a long time to read the end of Mara and Fox's adventure, and was a bit dissapointed with the end of the book. Things were left undone, and destinies were up int the air for most of the characters... It could have been so awesome...
January 21, 2021
It became very apparent that the ending would be unsatisfying as so much was yet to be resolved and yet so few pages remained in comparison.
There was a real missed opportunity for Bertagna to show the possibility of what humanity would do in its future, a hopeful message of unity or a reunion of star crossed lovers, anything! But the metaphor of the cyberwizz and technology was hollow and fell flat for me.
God I just wanted Fox and Mara to reunite, if only briefly! For more than a decade I have searched for this book, remembering nothing but a Fox and a drowned world and a girl with a phone booth on her drowning island. MORE THAN A DECADE AND NOW I HAVE TO IMAGINE THEIR ENDING :(
I get that endings are hard but man, the book could have kept going, the story had so much more potential 😔
There was a real missed opportunity for Bertagna to show the possibility of what humanity would do in its future, a hopeful message of unity or a reunion of star crossed lovers, anything! But the metaphor of the cyberwizz and technology was hollow and fell flat for me.
God I just wanted Fox and Mara to reunite, if only briefly! For more than a decade I have searched for this book, remembering nothing but a Fox and a drowned world and a girl with a phone booth on her drowning island. MORE THAN A DECADE AND NOW I HAVE TO IMAGINE THEIR ENDING :(
I get that endings are hard but man, the book could have kept going, the story had so much more potential 😔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2019
This book was broken into 3 sections (and is the 3rd of a series). I've waited about 7 years to read it as I couldn't get it from the library or on Amazon until recently. And after the first 2 sections of the book I was disappointed and ready to 3 star it. I only really cared about Broom and Clay, and the characters from the first 2 books weren't in it much. But then the 3rd section was great! Exactly why I liked the first 2 books and waited so long to read this. It kind of exploded with action, and it was mainly the 2 characters from the first 2 books and what was happening with them. If it were just that section I would have given 5 stars. So I settled for 4. Future. Massive flooding. Sky cities. Pockets of land. A controlling empire.
March 21, 2021
⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD⚠️
🌍 Much of Earth is under water. In the high mountains at the top of the world Lily’s people have made a new life – but she feels trapped. Far away, beneath a soaring sky-city that towers above the ocean, the war Fox has been planning for finally begins.
The world must be made whole again – but can Lily find Fox and fix the broken past? Or will his war keep them apart? 🌍
🏙️ This is the final book of the series, published in 2011. It is set about 15 years after the events Zenith – our main characters have grown up and have children of their own. Mara’s peace is disrupted when Lily finds out her father is not who she thought and sets out to find Fox.
🏙️ Outside of their bubble the land has changed – Tuck has forged a life for himself as leader and has competition in a fellow gypsea pirate. Fox has been building a network of rebels and the time comes for them to execute their plan to stop the sky cities taking over the Northlands.
🏙️ I think we are left to imagine the rest, and don’t know if Fox gets to meet his daughter and everyone is ready to create a better world. It could have done with a few more chapters, maybe? This book is also the most brutal out of them all, with references to slavery and abuse.
🏙️ This book doesn’t feel on the same level as the other two. It felt too predictable and failed to capture me in the same way – I ended up rushing through it.
🌍 Much of Earth is under water. In the high mountains at the top of the world Lily’s people have made a new life – but she feels trapped. Far away, beneath a soaring sky-city that towers above the ocean, the war Fox has been planning for finally begins.
The world must be made whole again – but can Lily find Fox and fix the broken past? Or will his war keep them apart? 🌍
🏙️ This is the final book of the series, published in 2011. It is set about 15 years after the events Zenith – our main characters have grown up and have children of their own. Mara’s peace is disrupted when Lily finds out her father is not who she thought and sets out to find Fox.
🏙️ Outside of their bubble the land has changed – Tuck has forged a life for himself as leader and has competition in a fellow gypsea pirate. Fox has been building a network of rebels and the time comes for them to execute their plan to stop the sky cities taking over the Northlands.
🏙️ I think we are left to imagine the rest, and don’t know if Fox gets to meet his daughter and everyone is ready to create a better world. It could have done with a few more chapters, maybe? This book is also the most brutal out of them all, with references to slavery and abuse.
🏙️ This book doesn’t feel on the same level as the other two. It felt too predictable and failed to capture me in the same way – I ended up rushing through it.
December 4, 2016
I do not know what to say. I started reading Exodus just to take a sneak peak at what our future may hold. Little did I know that I would be plunging into a world filled with dreams amongst destruction and despair. Now I may not be contented by the ending but I think it fits the overall plot. There is no way we can know what is in store for us in the future and the hanging ending wraps that up extremely well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2018
I enjoyed the book in itself. However, having waited around 16 years to finish this trilogy, I was rather disappointed by the ending. I feel as though there were many loose ends left untied which could have made a fourth book.
May 6, 2017
I love this book series. it's so fun and light while also being thought-provoking
October 14, 2017
ending wasn't too shabby, but I was hoping for a better one.
October 19, 2021
I just love this series so so much
September 13, 2025
Wonderful
February 23, 2013
Aurora is the final book in Julie Bertagna's trilogy of a water destroyed world. It has been many years since the events in Zenith. Mara and her group are settled in the mountains of the north. Fox and Pandora are setting up rebellion in New Mungo and throughout the other skycities. Lily, Fox and Mara's daughter, finds out about her missing father and sets off to find him.
This is an enjoyable finale to this series. It finishes up the stories of all our main characters and brings them back together. However, it feels a little disjointed as if the stories are not connected. I am also not a fan of the ending. There is so much set up in the reunion of the characters and then Bertagna leaves us hanging with no reunion scene. I do enjoy the world of these novels though. It is a not-improbable future where the oceans have risen and flooded the world. The remnants of humanity are scattered across the world in boat cities and the highest ground and in skycities created after the world ended.
This is an enjoyable finale to this series. It finishes up the stories of all our main characters and brings them back together. However, it feels a little disjointed as if the stories are not connected. I am also not a fan of the ending. There is so much set up in the reunion of the characters and then Bertagna leaves us hanging with no reunion scene. I do enjoy the world of these novels though. It is a not-improbable future where the oceans have risen and flooded the world. The remnants of humanity are scattered across the world in boat cities and the highest ground and in skycities created after the world ended.
January 4, 2012
57/100
I'll review the entire trilogy in one.
I liked the trilogy, its premise and characters. I was gripped enough to read them quickly. At times the pace slowed or the dynamics didn't quite come together. I didn't like how the final book (this one) ended - it dropped many characters, and it's just not quite conclusive enough, even for me, someone who loves open endings. It could do with a further 2-3 chapters, but no more. I hope there is not 4th book because it really only needs a couple more chapters.
I'll review the entire trilogy in one.
I liked the trilogy, its premise and characters. I was gripped enough to read them quickly. At times the pace slowed or the dynamics didn't quite come together. I didn't like how the final book (this one) ended - it dropped many characters, and it's just not quite conclusive enough, even for me, someone who loves open endings. It could do with a further 2-3 chapters, but no more. I hope there is not 4th book because it really only needs a couple more chapters.
September 25, 2012
The narration in these books is more like what you'd see in a short story. It's a lot of description, and even the action scenes are not very exciting. The characters never seem to learn their lessons and the ones who are supposed to be thirty act like they're still fifteen. I didn't like how they were narrated so simply, and the term fox-flame got on my nerves. It was a good storyline though, and a good idea to start from. Just didn't like the way it was executed.
July 22, 2011
A beautiful conclusion to the Exodus trilogy. But as someone else said in their review, it just didn't feel long enough. I want more! Some of it felt a little rushed.
But it was such an exciting read! And I really wish this wasn't the end for all the characters I know and love, I want the story to continue...
But it was such an exciting read! And I really wish this wasn't the end for all the characters I know and love, I want the story to continue...
August 20, 2012
I enjoyed this book and liked learning about Mara's daughter and some other characters from the story. However, I also think this book felt "rushed" and could have been longer. I would have liked to see some more resolution to parts of the story too and not be left hanging with the open-ended ending.
June 23, 2014
On the cover of every one of the books in this series is a sticker that says "If you liked Hunger Games you'll love this." That sure isn't true. This one is better than the last one but still, the writing just didn't suck me in. There also felt like there was a setup for a potential next book. Aurora doesn't pick up right where book two let off, there is a several year gap.
December 16, 2012
I was so disappointed by this whole trilogy. The ending was terrible as you dont really know for sure if fox found lily or mara and you dont know if mara got back with fox. I felt it didnt end. The trilogy had such potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2014
not realising until 1/3 in t was a kid's book, I found it an easy and enjoyable read. also it is the third book, but the way it reads does not follow on so easy to understand. no referring to other books.
June 23, 2013
Still loved it but found it a bit short and just missing something. Also, don't like how the end just cut off :(
April 28, 2014
Confira a resenha em vídeo que eu fiz para esse livro:
site: http://capaetitulo.blogspot.com.br/20...
site: http://capaetitulo.blogspot.com.br/20...
September 24, 2014
Good book.
July 30, 2015
HOLY SHIT WHY IS THERE NO FOURTH BOOK WHAT A CLIFFHANGER HELP ME PLEASE HOLY JESUS THAT IS SUCH A GOOD SERIES 10/10 WOULD RECOMMEND
September 2, 2015
This series has it all, a keeper for my library. I am mourning the end of a spectacular story that transported me to such amazing places along side wonderful, believable characters.
April 13, 2016
Accidentally read the last one first. Pretty fun, fast paced and interesting throughout.
March 13, 2012
Cette série se termine sur un tome plutôt moyen...
Read
May 26, 2019Bad abrupt ending. Fox & Mara don't see each other again. Nothing happens with Tuck either, once discovered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews