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Journey to Justice: The Adventures of Spider and Ruby
The novel Journey to Justice , Book 1 of The Adventures of Spider and Ruby , is a futuristic, suspense-filled novel that takes place in a post-global-warming future in which the Earth has flooded. The surviving population lives on houseboats on the water or in large greenhouses deep in the water. They are all servants to a small group of people (The Chosen) who run the planet from an artificial island and who force them to supply food and services. The Chosen live a life of leisure. Spider, a HouseBoater, and Ruby, his friend, who is an AquaGrower, are on a quest to free Spider's 12 year old twin brother Luke, who has been arrested and imprisoned on the island for trying to organize an uprising against The Chosen. Along the way, Spider and Ruby face many dangerous obstacles including being held hostage by marauders, escaping from prison, and participating in high-speed chases.
220 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 2, 2024
This middle-grade action adventure story tackles a dystopian capitalist dictatorship in a post-apocalyptic world where the majority slave for the few and believe they have no other choices, or are tricked into believing it could all change with hard work and striving. It sounds a bit eerily familiar, to be honest!
In this world, though, the majority of the surface of Earth is now covered in water due to global warming and people must live on or under the water, confined to grids or greenhouse bubbles. That is, until Spider, Luke and Ruby begin their teen-led rebellion against The Man, mobilising the workers to unite and rise up against their oppressors.
The messages of the story are very clear and delivered in a way that the young target audience can understand and identify with, and while there were a few plot holes that gave me pause as an adult reader, I know I definitely wouldn’t have noticed them if I had read this at the appropriate age.
Packed with action and with plenty of food for thought, this book is a thought-provoking read for its target audience (which I have sadly aged out of).
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
In this world, though, the majority of the surface of Earth is now covered in water due to global warming and people must live on or under the water, confined to grids or greenhouse bubbles. That is, until Spider, Luke and Ruby begin their teen-led rebellion against The Man, mobilising the workers to unite and rise up against their oppressors.
The messages of the story are very clear and delivered in a way that the young target audience can understand and identify with, and while there were a few plot holes that gave me pause as an adult reader, I know I definitely wouldn’t have noticed them if I had read this at the appropriate age.
Packed with action and with plenty of food for thought, this book is a thought-provoking read for its target audience (which I have sadly aged out of).
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
May 19, 2023
~About
The world has been flooded with water; now desperate families live on houseboats, doing their best to survive under the rule of a small group of powerful people who live on a man-made island. Families are given a ‘three-mile zone’ where they can live and gather food. However, if they leave their zone, they are subsequently arrested and taken to this mysterious island, never to return.
Spider, a young man whose family lives on a houseboat, hopes to find his twin brother Luke after he is taken away for crossing out of their family’s zone. After Spider leaves his home on his dangerous mission to find Luke, he soon meets Ruby, a young woman whose life is startlingly like his. The two become fast friends, believing that they have a chance to make a difference in people’s lives, if they work together to find Luke, and put a stop to the corrupt practices used by the mysterious islanders to rule people’s lives.
~Characters
While there were a variety of interesting characters in this story, I’m choosing to focus on the two lead characters for the purposes of this review; Spider and Ruby.
Spider is a responsible young man, who fishes all day to satisfy the demands of people known as ‘collectors’. In exchange for the fish he catches, his family receive precious supplies, including the medicine his father so desperately needs. His family’s life is a difficult, exhausting, and sombre one, fuelled by the fear of not appeasing those in power. In addition, he is a fair and courageous individual who refuses to tolerate injustice and always seeks to treat others equally with kindness and respect. He is also a steadfast friend, never once wavering in his support for Ruby. Overall, I found him to be a likable main character with many admirable traits.
Next, we come to Ruby, a courageous young woman who lives with her family in an underwater greenhouse as aqua-growers, growing the fruit and vegetables which are taken away to the mysterious island, to feed a more prosperous elite. Both mature and responsible for her age, Ruby takes her future (and that of her people) into her own hands when she joins Spider on his dangerous adventure to obtain freedom. Over the course of the story, Ruby proved herself to be calm and collected when handling difficult situations, with a sharp mind and brilliant imagination that proved to be a valuable asset to her and Spider’s plans. Overall, she was a caring, bright, and determined individual, who made for a perfect co-protagonist, to provide an alternative way of approaching things from Spider.
~Positive Aspects
There were many things which made for an enjoyable and gripping experience when reading Journey to Justice.
-Firstly, the main characters were so inspiring and full of hope, no matter how dire their situation became. Despite their being fictional, I felt proud to be privy to the grand efforts they made along their journey, feeling close to them as they fought for the freedom of people like them.
-Secondly, the key themes of the story (our planet’s climate, friendship, hope and survival) were all well explored and helped to make this a significantly meaningful and memorable story, which I hope will stand the test of time so countless others get the chance to read it.
-Thirdly, it made for a fairly short yet engaging read, at just a few hundred pages long. This adventure contains several powerful messages which are easily absorbed in a brief amount of time.
-Furthermore, the fictional world the author has created is rich, with its own societal rules and expectations, its own hierarchy of social power and divisions. The resulting inequalities; between the island’s Chosen population and the rest of humanity that remains were intricately explored and echoed modern day forms of inequality that are still sadly unresolved.
-Finally, there was a decent amount of character development. For instance, Spider went from being his brother Luke’s sidekick at the beginning, constantly living in his shadow, to developing his own sense of bravery and leadership skills, ending the story as a courageous and strong-willed young man, who had fought valiantly to free his people from a live of servitude.
~Memorable Quotes
Journey to Justice is a story with many inspiring quotes throughout. For the purposes of this review, I have included the following five, which really stuck with me.
1) ‘If we don’t do anything, it’s as if we agree with it.’
2) ‘The Chosen use an old strategy – divide and conquer. It’s easier to rule people if you keep them apart and make them rivals.’
3) ‘If you can make people believe that their position in life is fair and that everything could change in an instant, if only they got lucky, they won’t complain.’
4) ‘We’re much stronger together than we are apart.’
5) ‘The future wasn’t defined by division but by unity. They all had to learn how to get along.’
~Overview
Overall, Journey to Justice was a gripping story of power, corruption, and a quest for true freedom.
Key themes included; servitude vs freedom, friendship, survival, hope (for a better future), power and corruption, our perceptions of others (and how these are shaped by the stories we are told about different groups of people), and injustice (in how different groups of people are unfairly treated).
My Rating: 4 stars.
Recommended to: anyone looking for a gripping, meaningful read that speaks to you deeply as a person.
November 16, 2022
It can be difficult, sometimes, to explain concepts to people of all ages in a way that can be easily understood. Especially when the concepts are as complicated as climate change and social justice. I think, though, that Tanni Haas does a very good job of exploring both those topics in a way that is inclusive for people of all ages. Not to mention the book is fun!
1. Thoughts on the plot
This book follows Spider, a HouseBoater who lives on the water with his family. His twin brother Luke gets arrested for leaving their designated area and taken to The Island. Spider goes after him, and meets Ruby, an AquaGrower, who lives in an underwater greenhouse. Together, they learn that this world of water that they inhabit was not always that way, and that their society is inherently unfair. But maybe they can change that…
I think the plot of this book is actually quite inventive, given the two topics that are the primary focus of the book. The plot never felt predictable, though it wasn’t so unfamiliar that I was at all lost. I liked it quite a bit.
2. Thoughts on the characters
Spider and Ruby are interesting characters, I think, especially as far as heroes go. They’re sort of outsiders, at least from the main society on The Island, and have to navigate a new world while also keeping in mind how to fix their own. I think they were perhaps a little stereotypical, in that they seemed to fulfil their roles without having a fully-formed personality of their own, but frankly I still enjoyed reading about them.
3. Favourite part
The inventiveness of the world is absolutely my favourite part. Figuring out how everything works together in a world where the planet it 99% water is very interesting, especially moving from a water-going setting to a land-dwelling one. Well done.
4. Critique
There were, unfortunately, a few logic issues in this book. Granted, it’s middle grade, so you don’t need to have the answers to the universe at your finger tips. However, there were a few small issues, such as how Spider could have lived to the age of 12 by only consuming fish (essential nutrients being missing and such). Also, the time Luke was in prison was only a matter of days, yet the skills he learned were long in the making. There were several other little things like that (such as how Ruby knew how to swim). None of them broke the plot in any way, but they were enough to make me think outside the story.
Overall, I would say Journey to Justice: The Adventures of Spider and Ruby was a fun, entertaining book that had a good message at heart. I enjoyed it. A good book.
1. Thoughts on the plot
This book follows Spider, a HouseBoater who lives on the water with his family. His twin brother Luke gets arrested for leaving their designated area and taken to The Island. Spider goes after him, and meets Ruby, an AquaGrower, who lives in an underwater greenhouse. Together, they learn that this world of water that they inhabit was not always that way, and that their society is inherently unfair. But maybe they can change that…
I think the plot of this book is actually quite inventive, given the two topics that are the primary focus of the book. The plot never felt predictable, though it wasn’t so unfamiliar that I was at all lost. I liked it quite a bit.
2. Thoughts on the characters
Spider and Ruby are interesting characters, I think, especially as far as heroes go. They’re sort of outsiders, at least from the main society on The Island, and have to navigate a new world while also keeping in mind how to fix their own. I think they were perhaps a little stereotypical, in that they seemed to fulfil their roles without having a fully-formed personality of their own, but frankly I still enjoyed reading about them.
3. Favourite part
The inventiveness of the world is absolutely my favourite part. Figuring out how everything works together in a world where the planet it 99% water is very interesting, especially moving from a water-going setting to a land-dwelling one. Well done.
4. Critique
There were, unfortunately, a few logic issues in this book. Granted, it’s middle grade, so you don’t need to have the answers to the universe at your finger tips. However, there were a few small issues, such as how Spider could have lived to the age of 12 by only consuming fish (essential nutrients being missing and such). Also, the time Luke was in prison was only a matter of days, yet the skills he learned were long in the making. There were several other little things like that (such as how Ruby knew how to swim). None of them broke the plot in any way, but they were enough to make me think outside the story.
Overall, I would say Journey to Justice: The Adventures of Spider and Ruby was a fun, entertaining book that had a good message at heart. I enjoyed it. A good book.
January 31, 2023
Disclosure. This is a review of an e-book I was sent for free. All opinions are my own.
This story is set in a dystopian future after climate change has caused the world to flood.
12 year old Spider and his family live on a houseboat, surviving on meagre catches of fish within a 3 mile patrolled zone, most of which they are forced to give away to the “Collectors” for “The Chosen” or face arrest by the “Patrollers”.
The powerful Chosen rule the world from a far-away man-made island and Spider’s twin Luke has been arrested for trying to start a revolt against them.
When fate intervenes, Spider discovers the “AquaGrowers” who live and grow fruit and vegetables in greenhouses at the bottom of the ocean, similarly oppressed by The Chosen. Likewise the AquaGrowers had not heard of the Houseboaters and are not happy about Spider appearing in their midst. Is he a spy? Disaster almost strikes.
But Spider is saved by Ruby. Her grandfather tells them both how the world used to be. Together the 3 of them hatch a great plan.
We also discover that there are yet more groups of people called Mauraders, Preparers and Servants.
This is a really good tale as it weaves together many themes of social inequality and environmental issues in an easily understandable adventure read for older children.
Targeted at readers from about age 9-12. I highly recommend this great adventure read.
This story is set in a dystopian future after climate change has caused the world to flood.
12 year old Spider and his family live on a houseboat, surviving on meagre catches of fish within a 3 mile patrolled zone, most of which they are forced to give away to the “Collectors” for “The Chosen” or face arrest by the “Patrollers”.
The powerful Chosen rule the world from a far-away man-made island and Spider’s twin Luke has been arrested for trying to start a revolt against them.
When fate intervenes, Spider discovers the “AquaGrowers” who live and grow fruit and vegetables in greenhouses at the bottom of the ocean, similarly oppressed by The Chosen. Likewise the AquaGrowers had not heard of the Houseboaters and are not happy about Spider appearing in their midst. Is he a spy? Disaster almost strikes.
But Spider is saved by Ruby. Her grandfather tells them both how the world used to be. Together the 3 of them hatch a great plan.
We also discover that there are yet more groups of people called Mauraders, Preparers and Servants.
This is a really good tale as it weaves together many themes of social inequality and environmental issues in an easily understandable adventure read for older children.
Targeted at readers from about age 9-12. I highly recommend this great adventure read.
December 31, 2025
This is a timely and engaging middle-grade/YA adventure that uses a thrilling, water-logged dystopia to explore vital themes of environmentalism, justice, and courage. The novel is set in a future where the world is flooded, creating a stark class divide: the hardworking HouseBoaters struggle to survive on the water, while a privileged elite, the Chosen, live in luxury on a mysterious artificial island.
The story follows young Spider, whose life is upended when his twin brother, Luke, is imprisoned for attempting to organize an uprising. Teaming up with a newfound friend, Ruby, Spider embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue Luke and, in doing so, becomes the catalyst to "change the fate of the AquaGrowers." Their journey forces them to confront not only the ruthless Marauders who patrol the waters but also the systemic power of the Chosen.
The story follows young Spider, whose life is upended when his twin brother, Luke, is imprisoned for attempting to organize an uprising. Teaming up with a newfound friend, Ruby, Spider embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue Luke and, in doing so, becomes the catalyst to "change the fate of the AquaGrowers." Their journey forces them to confront not only the ruthless Marauders who patrol the waters but also the systemic power of the Chosen.
November 20, 2022
About the Book:
The novel Journey to Justice, Book 1 of The Adventures of Spider and Ruby , is a futuristic, suspense-filled novel that takes place in a post-global-warming future in which the Earth has flooded. The surviving population lives on houseboats on the water or in large greenhouses deep in the water. They are all servants to a small group of people (The Chosen) who run the planet from an artificial island and who force them to supply food and services. The Chosen live a life of leisure. Spider, a HouseBoater, and Ruby, his friend, who is an AquaGrower, are on a quest to free Spider's 12 year old twin brother Luke, who has been arrested and imprisoned on the island for trying to organize an uprising against The Chosen. Along the way, Spider and Ruby face many dangerous obstacles including being held hostage by marauders, escaping from prison, and participating in high-speed chases.
My Thoughts:
Journey to Justice, Book 1 of The Adventures of Spider and Ruby, is drawn from author Tanni Haas's imagination and set in a post global warming future. In this future, the Earth is flooded leading to a new life order and a new way of living. I was intrigued by the way the author imagined the world and the lives of the people. I also like the fact that this book talks about Global Warming and the impact it has today. It is an important topic and since this book is aimed at Middle Graders, this is a wonderful way to get them to think about global warming.
Initially I was a little lost with the characters and I did not understand who they were and what they were doing. The world building was also not strong enough at the beginning which had me a little confused. However, as the story progresses, more and more of the history of the world is revealed and then everything becomes clearer. After this I really enjoyed reading about Spider and Ruby, how they meet, how they plan Luke's rescue and the adventure that follows. There are a lot of things that happen to prevent them from reaching their goal but the children persevere on.
I think that children will enjoy reading this book for both the information and the adventure in it. It is fun and fast paced with the kind of action that will draw children in and keep them interested until the very end. The people we meet along the way are quite interesting and there is a lot to learn from reading this book. Overall I enjoyed the book and recommend this for all middle graders and anyone else interested in a quick and fun read!
The novel Journey to Justice, Book 1 of The Adventures of Spider and Ruby , is a futuristic, suspense-filled novel that takes place in a post-global-warming future in which the Earth has flooded. The surviving population lives on houseboats on the water or in large greenhouses deep in the water. They are all servants to a small group of people (The Chosen) who run the planet from an artificial island and who force them to supply food and services. The Chosen live a life of leisure. Spider, a HouseBoater, and Ruby, his friend, who is an AquaGrower, are on a quest to free Spider's 12 year old twin brother Luke, who has been arrested and imprisoned on the island for trying to organize an uprising against The Chosen. Along the way, Spider and Ruby face many dangerous obstacles including being held hostage by marauders, escaping from prison, and participating in high-speed chases.
My Thoughts:
Journey to Justice, Book 1 of The Adventures of Spider and Ruby, is drawn from author Tanni Haas's imagination and set in a post global warming future. In this future, the Earth is flooded leading to a new life order and a new way of living. I was intrigued by the way the author imagined the world and the lives of the people. I also like the fact that this book talks about Global Warming and the impact it has today. It is an important topic and since this book is aimed at Middle Graders, this is a wonderful way to get them to think about global warming.
Initially I was a little lost with the characters and I did not understand who they were and what they were doing. The world building was also not strong enough at the beginning which had me a little confused. However, as the story progresses, more and more of the history of the world is revealed and then everything becomes clearer. After this I really enjoyed reading about Spider and Ruby, how they meet, how they plan Luke's rescue and the adventure that follows. There are a lot of things that happen to prevent them from reaching their goal but the children persevere on.
I think that children will enjoy reading this book for both the information and the adventure in it. It is fun and fast paced with the kind of action that will draw children in and keep them interested until the very end. The people we meet along the way are quite interesting and there is a lot to learn from reading this book. Overall I enjoyed the book and recommend this for all middle graders and anyone else interested in a quick and fun read!
December 25, 2022
Journey to Justice is a tense, suspenseful adventure tale with a couple of very likable heroes. You really get caught up in Spider and Ruby's story and the perils they face. It's also a story with that asks great questions about our environment and how adults are treating it and what can be done to make sure that the beauty and necessary things we have in this world can be sustained. I'm an adult and I enjoyed it, and I'd recommend it for middle schoolers. Eager for the next part, the further adventures of Spider and Ruby.
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