The Crossing

Blood of the Lamb #1

by Mandy Hager

The Crossing is the first book in a stunning new trilogy that follows the fate of Maryam and her unlikely companions - Joseph, Ruth and Lazarus. This is fast, suspenseful drama underpinned by a powerful and moving story about love and loss.

The people of Onewere, a small island in the Pacific, know that they are special - chosen to survive the deadly event that consumed the Earth.

Now, from the rotting cruise ship Star of the Sea, the elite control the population - manipulating old texts to set themselves up as living 'gods'. But what the people of Onewere don't know is the leaders will stop at nothing to meet their own blood-thirsty needs.

When Maryam crosses from child to woman, she must leave everything she has ever known and make a crossing of another kind. But life inside the ship is not as she had dreamed, and she is faced with the obey the leaders and very likely die, or turn her back on every belief she once held dear.

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Religion, Thriller, Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2009

About the author

Mandy Hager is a multi-award winning writer of fiction, most often for young adults. She has won the LIANZA Book Awards for Young Adult fiction 3 times (‘Smashed’ 2008, ‘The Nature of Ash’ 2013, ‘Dear Vincent’ 2014), the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards for YA fiction (‘The Crossing’ 2010), an Honour Award in the 1996 AIM Children’s Book Awards (‘Tom’s Story’), Golden Wings Excellence Award (‘Juno Lucina,’ 2002), Golden Wings Award (‘Run For The Trees’, 2003) and Five Notable Book Awards.
She has also been awarded the 2012 Beatson Fellowship, the 2014 Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship and the 2015 Waikato University Writer in Residence.
In 2015 her novel ‘Singing Home the Whale’ was awarded the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award, and the Best Young Adult fiction Award from the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. It has also been named a 2016 IBBY Honour Book, an international award. Her historical novel for adults, titled ‘Heloise’, was long-listed for the Ockham Book Awards.
She is a trained teacher, with an Advanced Diploma in Fine Arts (Whitireia) and an MA in Creative Writing for Victoria University. She also writes adult fiction, short stories, non-fiction, educational resources, blogs and articles, and currently tutors the Novel Course for Whitireia’s Creative Writing Programme.

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many years ago monstrous sun flares changed everything and humanity was thrust back into the Dark Ages. For the natives of an island in the South Pacific and passengers on a beached cruise ship, they are the last known survivors of the subsequent apocalypse.

THE CROSSING starts out on the idyllic island of Onewere, where the teenage Maryam has been living with other girls who were Chosen from among the native population to live with the Apostles when they reach womanhood. Her whole life she's been taught the Rules, religious teachings that are supposed to protect the people of Onewere from suffering the same fate that destroyed the rest of the world.

Maryam goes to the Holy City anticipating a Blessed life with the Apostles. Instead she finds her older 'sisters' from the island pregnant and unmarried working as servants for the Apostles; most of the natives subdued with a mind-numbing drink called toddy; and the main Apsotle's son using the girls for his own pleasure--willing or not. The horrors don't end there and Maryam begins to fear for her life.

I can tell you with certainty that I'm not the target audience for this series. For the entirety of the book I was disturbed (this coming from a woman who immensely enjoyed I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU) and almost didn't finish it. THE CROSSING is dark and deals with unpleasant themes--in fact I had a hard time seeing it as the YA book it's billed as.

In a strange coincidence, during the week I was reading this book I met a witnesses for one of the Warren Jeffs trials. It was a fascinating conversation. She was open to discussing what it was like to live in a cult-like sect, where men use religion to control women for their own self-gratification. It's disturbing stuff. Certainly being disturbing doesn't mean it's a topic that shouldn't be addressed. From jail Jeffs still directs his minions to perpetuate his teachings, and women and girls continue to stuffer today--this makes the topic absolutely pertinent. So I get what Hager is trying to do and I can imagine that THE CROSSING must have been a hard story to write because of its themes. I just wish Hager could have presented the story with the finesse it deserves, instead of a contrived and clunky mess.

For starters Hager only vaguely explains how the whole thing started. I was able to suspend belief of the situation, but only until it was explained: the white people on the cruise ship set themselves up to the Onewere natives as teachers sent from God to bring the remainder of humanity back from the brink. Then I spent the rest of the book stewing on that, which pretty much ruined the story for me (it's a YA book, I really shouldn't be such a stickler for facts, right?). I don't understand how it could have happened. The natives have their own religion, why would they listen to foreigners on a stranded boat with no way to contact the outside world and prove their situation? Brainwashing doesn't happen overnight.

There are other problems with the writing, in particular the prose itself, which is awkward and stiffly formal, which doesn't make sense considering how it's from the PoV of a sixteen-year-old girl. The prose is slowed down by heavy-handed metaphors and adjectives--cleaning up those alone would have helped the flow considerably. While the imagery was nice, it draws too much attention to the flowery prose and takes away from the story itself, which should have been the star of the book.

The plot moves forward well enough (despite some stumbles and circular events) through Maryam's eyes as she witnesses first-hand the hypocrisy of the Apostles and the other whites on the ship. The reality of her situation unfolds and we can feel her horror: how can Apostles who teach from the bible of the Lamb's love and goodness condone such wicked behavior?

Via Maryam we become attached to other characters, such as the Apostle's sick yet good-hearted nephew Joseph, the blind but wise Hushai, the faithful Mother Elizabeth. They are all familiar characters, archetypes really, and shallow in comparison to Maryam. But I admit, I was so stuck on the darkness of the story and the contrivances (i.e., Maryam feels her life is in danger but we never see a guard until the end of the book?) that it was impossible for me to become attached to the characters and the obvious horror of their plight.

Recommended Age: 16+ for themes and drug use
Language: None
Violence: Not much, mostly just a sense of peril
Sex: Teenage pregnancy; on-screen attempted rapes; details of nudity

[Laura Martinelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s very rare to see colonialism in YA/Children’s fiction through the eyes of the ‘lesser’ culture. Aside from the ‘slavery is bad and you should feel bad’ books I read as a kid (mostly through American Girl), the global ramifications of colonialism aren’t as widely known in America. Oh, sure, the British were the ones who encouraged the slave culture, but our misguided ancestors just didn’t realize it until we went to WAR! It never happened anywhere else, and there’s no way that it could happen ever again! Oppression bad!

Well, it does happen, and a lot. And there’s a lot of people who justify their actions by saying, “Well, if they could only get their act together and just do what we tell them to.”

I bring all of this up because this is what The Crossing is. I don’t like to think of myself of as a general pessimist, but reading the set-up for the world that Mandy Hagar presents made me think “…that could happen.” There’s very few recent YA dystopias that use race or biology as means of oppression that I can think. (Diana Peterfreund’s For the Darkness Shows the Stars, for example.) And Hagar’s descriptions of the atoll and the people who live there do bring to mind historical accounts of missionaries converting the poor, hapless heathens. And I really liked that even though Maryam and Ruth and their fellow sisters wanted to serve the Apostles, they were also strongly tied to their home. I also really liked that Maryam is on a search for her true identity, after having her real name washed away after her baptism.

The scenes aboard the Star of the Sea are completely horrifying and disturbing. Maryam’s initiation ceremony is humiliating (and quite possibly triggering) as she’s drugged and stripped naked. (It’s certainly not helpful with the historical context in mind.) The implications of what Maryam’s duties where were also quietly horrifying (again, history rears its really ugly head)—even if she’s not meant to be a ‘breeder,’ she still has no right aboard the ship.

But I liked Maryam. Even in the beginning, you can see this quiet strength that she has within herself, and how she relies on that to get her through her ordeal on the ship. It’s very obvious from the book blurb that the people running her society aren’t exactly as godly as they say they are. But even knowing the possibilities of what was going to happen to Maryam as time went on, I liked that she was willing to fight. I also like that she realizes that even though the Apostles aren’t the bearers of God’s word, she still has faith and she’s willing to believe in something greater.

Unfortunately, the book is way too short and very quickly paced, complete with cliffhanger. It feels like a victim of marketing purposes (and yes, this is marketed as a trilogy). The climax and ended were very rushed, and I didn’t feel as much build up. I also didn’t like the fact that aside from one family, we only get two very villainous stereotypes in Lazarus and Father Joshua. Again, my historical context, I get that; but we don’t even get even the casual racism of “Oh, you’ll be okay, your people are supposed to be like that.” (You can be racist without spouting off slurs or beating people.) The scenes at the village of Onewere weren’t heavily explored and I didn’t think that I got the full weight of Maryam being cast aside from her real family whenever she tries to tell them the truth.

I did like The Crossing, though, for what it was. The fact that this was willing to discuss the racism and explore the possibility of a resurgence of white dominance in smaller countries does make the book markedly different from, oh, 95% of YA dystopias wherein the main character is of the white dominant class and realizes “Oh no! Evil conspiracy! Let me go slip into a pretty dress and defeat them.” Look, I know it seems like I’m championing this only because hey, Maryam’s native and the cover acknowledges it—look at that cover, I really like it—but let’s be honest, POC heroines aren’t exactly prevalent in dystopic YA atm. But, (to get back to the book proper) the length and quick pacing are extremely noticeable, and I really did not like the cliffhanger ending. Still, it’s worth checking out, especially if you are looking for something different from the norm.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good. Very drama filled. Very religious.
I liked the plot line of this book. It was unique in some ways and very well thought out. I felt all the emotions the characters did, and that is very important for me when reading a story.
I liked the building relationship between Joseph and Maryam. It was very sweet. And I liked how she had a real sisterly connection with Ruth. It's always important for the main character to have some relationships outside that of their love lives.
Overall it was great. The characters were my favourite part of this book. Their emotions, motivations and everything that makes them up was very well thought out. They made me want to continue, to make sure they got the ending that I was hoping for.
As soon as I get back to school I'll be borrowing the sequel from the library, which means I have to wait one week.
Damn.

[Courtney Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like a cross between South Pacific and The Handmaid's Tale, but with really grating dialogue.

Actually, I've never seen South Pacific (it's a musical, right? I'm a little allergic to musicals. Generally, I like them just fine so long as I can mute the songs. But I digress....) I've never seen South Pacific, and I haven't read The Handmaid's Tale in at least a decade, and it was never my favourite of Atwood's books, so really, that was a cheap shot. But.

Mandy Hager's trilogy is set on a Pacific Island at some point in the future where solar flares have caused 'The Tribulations' - illness, death, loss of technology, social break-downs. So far, so apocalyptic-futuristic-retro-agrarian.

Our central character is Maryam, a member of the indigenous population of this island. She's 15, and on the day we meet her, her Bloods have finally arrived.

Maryam is being raised on an atoll off the main island, away from her family, in an almost all-female religious community. She is one of the Blessed Sisters - tested at a young age, her blood revealed that she was chosen by God to serve the Apostles of the Lamb.

The arrival of her Bloods mean Maryam is sent off joyfully to the Star of the Sea - a huge cruise ship, wrecked on the coral reef at the time of the beginning of The Tribulations. Saul, the ship's captain, was the first of the Apostles of the Lamb - the white-skinned religious elite who have effectively colonialised the island.

It's hardly a surprise that life on the ship doesn't quite pan out the way Maryam expected. The main themes of the book are:

-- organised religion is bad, and its organisers generally ruthless, power hungry, deceitful and self-deceiving

-- sometimes when you think you hate a boy it'll turn out that actually you really like him, only by then you've met this really nice boy, and he makes you feel all funny in your 'abdomen' (really - 'abdomen'?), and it's all really confusing, especially as the nice boy is the nasty boy's cousin, but the nice boy only gets some chaste kisses (although they do do that abdomen thing) but for some reason the nasty boy gets to see you naked way more often, but the nice boy is really sick, and you're intrinsically linked to his survival, and then in the second book you'll all be stuck on a boat together, but it's alright, because 25 pages into that the reader will abandon it.

The whole thing just feels really hackneyed. Maybe 5 years ago, I would have loved it. I can remember hving this intense relationship with a book about a girl escaping from a fundamentalist family who were preparing for the Rapture by stocking up with guns and tinned food and painting all their windows black. Religious extremism, and critiques thereof, seem to be great teenage fodder.

My lack of enjoyment of the book was compounded by the clunky writing. The teenagers all speak in rather archaic language - barely a contraction to be seen - and yet it doesn't quite ring true as biblical language. Occasionally, the writing is simply painful: "A wave of antipathy splashed across her face".

Sometimes it just sounds clunky:

"But what of the countries in the paintings on the ship?" asked Maryam. "The far-off places where the first holy passengers were born. Did they not return to seek their loved ones once the dangers of the Tribulation had passed?"

My personal favourite, when Maryam has just fought off an attempted rape (there's rather a lot of that in the book - and actual, if undepicted rape):

"Look all you like," she challenged him, finding in her mind a place of searing clarity she hadn't known existed. "If you take me by force then all you will have proved is that you're bigger and faster. I'll still know that the one thing you most covet - my awe and respect - you'll never have."

Sadly, not recommended. I'm partly pissed as I bought the books without reading them first, on the basis of really good cover design and the recommendation of a children's librarian. Never again.

[Dayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Article first published as Book Review: The Crossing by Mandy Hager on Blogcritics.

Review also appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

The Crossing by Mandy Hager is the first installment in the Blood of the Lamb series. Hager’s novel is a dystopian young adult story set in a post-apocalyptic world controlled by Bible-toting caucasian survivors. The novel’s protagonist is both weak and powerful, but it is her imperfect nature that makes her a relatable character.

Maryam is a black teenager who is faced with the difficult task of blindly following her faith for the God she’s known since birth. But Maryam is different. Despite her frequent questions about her own actions, Maryam chases the unknown by countering everything she was taught as a child.

Maryam is often an unreliable character, since she was raised to obey anything asked of her. Her frequent indecisiveness suggests to the reader that Maryam is a naive teenager. But as she fights the restraints of the society around her, Maryam grows into an alert character, aware of the broken nature of her world.

The novel takes several twists as Maryam meets unexpected allies. These characters’ relentless need for the truth drives the plot forward, until the reader is faced with a conclusion that promises a greater adventure in the sequel.

The Crossing is a disturbing reminder of racism, the dangers of misplaced belief, and the abuse of power. But most importantly, Hager’s story is an example of how tenuous equality can be when humanity is threatened.

The power in The Crossing comes from the crippling idea that many of the characters would rather live in ignorance than do anything to stop the discrimination. This idea is powerful because it gives Maryam a purpose and a reason to strive for her freedom.

The pacing of the novel is quick. Hager does not waste time with meaningless descriptions, or unnecessary back stories. The reader learns only what is important and relevant to the story.

Readers who love dystopian fiction, yet are searching for a unique storyline, should take a chance with Hager’s novel. The imperfect protagonist, the low-key romance that sparks life into a dangerous story, and the urgency the characters carry, make Hager’s The Crossing an addicting and thought-provoking read.

Hager’s world is fraught with the errors of humanity’s past, present, and possible future, but with Maryam, the reader can hope that society will one day have a savior.

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading this book one thing that I would point out is just how misleading a Synopsis can be sometimes. Even with the mention of the people setting themselves up as "Living Gods" doesn't really help to define just how religious this book is. I can honestly say I wasn't expecting it when I started the book, and I really didn't enjoy it when I did see everything this book is about. Don't get me wrong, this book is powerful in quite a few ways. It just wasn't for me.

I've read books on angels, etc that have religious undertones but The Crossing was nothing like that. This was different than anything I've really read, especially in Young Adult and it just didn't sit well with me. There are some great messages in this book, but it just isn't stuff I enjoy reading about and I wish the Synopsis would of been a little more clear. In this book you will deal with a very religious story, discrimination, and other tough subjects. I will admit I was touched by a few of the messages that Mandy tried to get across in the book but overall this just simply wasn't a book for me.

With the story itself being so different for me, I really had no connection with Maryam or any of the other characters in this book. At first, I was actually enjoying them but as the story went deeper and deeper and you really get to see all the true issues within the book I just found myself losing interest in the characters and really having to push myself to finish the book.

I do think that this book was well written, outside of the actual context of the story. I feel like Mandy was able to build a solid story with a clear path, even if it wasn't something I personally enjoyed. I do think that there would be readers out there that would enjoy this book, and from seeing other reviews it seems as though a lot of people have actually enjoyed it. I just couldn't bring myself past some of the subject matter, and that really brought things down for me with this book.

If you don't mind having a book with a heavy religious tone, while also dealing with other really tough subjects then by all means I would suggest reading this book. As I said above, looking past the subject matter Mandy really did have a concise path for this book and really gets to the point with everything. I just couldn't find myself relating to it, and felt myself being a little misguided with the Synopsis. I wish I could of enjoyed this book, but it just honestly didn't work for me. I really doubt that I will be able to bring myself to read the rest of the series.

[Trent Harrop · Rating 2 out of 5]

The crossing of the lamb is a good book but I strongly suggest you only read this if you have a strong stomach. It uses mature context and is in a way, inappropriate. I am not saying you should not read it, it is a good book. It has a beautiful writing style and is very popular with many people. It is a heart warming story about a girl who stands up for what she thinks s right and disobeys the corrupt leaders that are trying to control her(a lot like the hunger games)

Its first impression is a bit weird but the description and detail put into the first paragraphs is astonishing.The story follows the main character(Maryam)as she, like i said , stands up for what she believes in. She is a bit naive and from what I've read is very kind and compassionate. She is one of those people who for some reason can't not help any one in trouble. All in all she is a good person and a fitting protagonist for this story. I hope i did not give away anything in this review.I hope some of you would like to read the book now.
:)

[Laura Huijser · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was alright, there were some moments where I couldn't put the book down (as the book just wouldn't answer my many questions about what was happening on that ship), and moments where it felt like it was dragging on. This book is intensely focused on religion; the darker, extremist side of it anyways. The concept that men were far superior to women frustrated me, and some of the other ideas in this book disgusted me. I'm very happy that Maryam decided to do what she did, and annoyed at the other "Blessed" sisters for not realising that what was going on was wrong, and allowing themselves to be treated like slaves.

[Maggie]

The Crossing, the first of the 'Blood of the Lamb' trilogy, is set on a fictional Pacific island, approximately three generations after an apocalyptic event (a solar flare) in 2012 threw the world into complete chaos. The trilogy follows the fate of fifteen-year-old Maryam and three other main characters - Joseph, Lazarus and Ruth. It's a fast-paced, suspenseful action story that also features a strong, realistic and dramatic love story.
 

[Taneka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Maryam has been taught from a young age that she is one of the chosen. Those chosen by God to serve the lamb. It is an honor to serve the lamb and one must serve without questioning. But there are things that don't seem right to Maryam, and she is uneasy at how the Apostles of the lamb seem to abuse their appointment by God. Will she be able to serve the lamb wholeheartedly or will she fail as a chosen one?

I don't know much about the colonization of Australia and New Zealand, but this reading reminds me of the schools that Natives in the Americas were forced to attend. Brown skinned people being taken advantage of by White skinned individuals. I enjoyed this book and will start on book 2 soon.

[Linley · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the Tribulation, pockets of people are still alive, but suffering from a plague-like illness. This is a post-apocalyptic book along the lines of others, however it has a Pacific Island base and a good dig at religion/cult behaviour. Not as good as "I am not Esther" (cults) or "Never let me go" (human engineering).

The central character hasn't got a very twinkly personality so it can be hard to keep reading and the writing is a little too much 'tell' not 'show', however the plot rolls along.

Written for Y9/10 (ages 12-16) and contains the ongoing theme of male dominance.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is pretty much as described in the blurb.

It should be mentioned that the islanders are given a drink that is basically a drug and they are then are basically more docile and compliant to the 'elite/gods' needs. Some of the girls are essentially sacrificed and the others used for breeding, and there was an attempted rape and another rape that did occur. The only reason I mention this is, I would aim this book at older or more mature teens and not the younger or less mature ones.

It's great that the heroine is an island girl!

[Lilith Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book with a very vague idea of the storyline, but WOW I was really not expecting such a grim story. The writing is amazing and really underlines the horror of everything going on in the book, even if the narrator has still not fully grasped the full picture.
This book touches on some pretty heavy topics but it was done so well, not like anything I've read before. I havent seen a YA book that comes even close to the deep dive of political and religious themes seen throughout this book.
Really looking forward to the next one!

[Terra Kochy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. A post apocalyptic time where man has once again twisted the holy scripture to gain power and enslave an entire race. The main character, a young women raised to believe that she was blessed, a chosen one, discovers a painful truth.
I love stories with strong women. In this story are evils that women and races have endured time and time again.

[Stephanie Sanchez-Valdez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing

This story is wonderful. The flow of the story is steady and fluid, and the story line is amazing. It's a literary labyrinth that ended to soon. Love it, and look forward to reading more from Ms. Mandy Hager

[Isabelle | Nine Tale Vixen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent and intriguing enough to continue the series. I guess it's technically dystopia, but it didn't feel like a YA cliche. Not a huge fan of Ruth, though I am definitely Team Lazarus.

[Melanie Maree · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book at all!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little dragged out, but I am excited to continue onto the next book

[Erin Ramsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chilling story, some characters felt like stereotypes. Did not really resonate for me.

[Major Fun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series! The handmaid's tale set in the Pacific, for young adults with compelling characters and vivid (sometimes haunting!) images - loved it :)

[Yumito Su · Rating 2 out of 5]

i dont see the appeal.. plot is all over the place.. concept is good but not very interesting

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

How did we end up here

This was another Pyr galley that sounded interesting so I requested it. I always seem to have this gross fascination with religious zealotry. I find it psychologically interesting and this is right up that alley.

Okay, book. You've got 50 pages. Go!

The world was different but it was bordering on unrelatable. The author kept using terms throughout that I just had no basis of comparison for. I knew when she was talking about a plant versus an animal and that was about it. I don’t believe in having to constantly keep looking up words in order to understand a book because it detracts too much from the reading. Eventually I settled into a zone of understanding with the words. I smiled and nodded when a foreign term came up and I could grasp what it generally was from the context and then I’d move on. It’s obvious that there are cultural references here that are beyond my reach, I would guess because this book is from New Zealand. Different exposures and whatnot. It wasn’t enough to push me away.

The language was a bit silted and it caused me to have a hard time connecting with Maryam at all. It’s that arm’s length kind of language that may make for a beautiful means of storytelling but it doesn’t let you get close to the characters.

The book is short so I knew it wouldn’t take long for it to get to the point and the pacing was pretty good so I kept reading for that. I wasn’t overly impressed with the story, characters or voice at this point but it wasn’t bad enough to put down.

What worked . . .

The plight of the characters. I can’t help myself. I root for characters to buck the system, especially if the system sucks. And the system in THE CROSSING really blew. It was really easy for me, despite my distance from the characters, to get behind them and root for them. What was happening to them was monstrous enough for me to want to fight against it with them and root for the downfall of the hierarchy. It’s no surprise going in that you know you’re going to get this corrupt, grotesque religious society that uses people up for their own sake. The blurb and the rules tell you enough of that. I mean, one of them is:

None may question the authority of the Lord’s chosen representative: the sacred Apostles of the Lamb.

The not-so-undertones of white power over aboriginals is fairly obvious since the “Chosen” are the colored islanders while the Apostles are all white. Still, it was hard NOT to be on the side of rebellion with everything that was going on.

What didn't work . . .

I just wasn’t overly impressed with the execution of it all. Like I said above the voice left something to be desired. It made for a compelling story that kept me reading but I was kept at a distance from all of the characters and I have a hard time believing that Maryam would have such stilted language for her upbringing, as if no one on the island she was raised on spoke in any kind of casual conversation. It was the same on the boat as well. It was all rather puckered.

On top of that it wasn’t all that . . . shocking, really. In the grander scheme of post-apocalyptic mayhem it’s all rather ho-hum. People hiding behind the guise of religious fanaticism dupe islanders into believing that worshipping them will save them all from the turmoil wracking the earth the while the white people in power merely use them for their own ends, whether it’s as slaves to keep the ship running, breeders or bleeders, the latter being used as nothing more than a blood bank in order to save any sick white person. Add in the racial disparity and it amps it all up.
I’m not thrilled by it all. It just seems . . . too easy. No less compelling but rather lackluster.

And in the end . . .

It’s an easy read and there’s certainly a lot to get behind. There’s a lot of injustice going on, there’s a lot to root for in the plight of the underdogs, there’s exposure to a culture that we wouldn’t otherwise have in the US. It’s a GOOD story despite the distance I felt from the characters. It riled me up. It made me angry and upset. It got my blood boiling. But at the end of the day it rather paled in comparison to what else is out there in the same genre. There isn’t anything that makes it spectacular and nothing to make it really stand out. It’s unfortunate because it is a well-told story. It’s shine just isn’t as bright as the rest.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was browsing my library recently when I cam across a book spine on the "new" shelf with some really eye-catching font! If you don't already know this about me, I'm a sucker for a good cover. In fact, I will basically never pick up an ugly book, which may go against THE most important lesson of my childhood. What can I say? I'm a rebel. Regardless, I picked up this book (originally published in New Zealand), which led me on the hunt to find the first book in the series. Lucky me, it was available!

The Crossing is the story of Maryam, a teenage girl who has grown up on a remote island with the knowledge that she's one day go to live with the Chosen in the Holy City. Apart from knowing this is a special honor, Maryam knows next to nothing about what all this entails. But upon "becoming a woman" she is finally able to leave to join those who have gone before her!

Maryam is an interesting character and I was never entirely sure how to feel about her. As most are, Maryam was a strong heroine. At the same time, I was frustrated with her overwhelming need to help everyone else instead of taking care of herself. Perhaps this is a desirable trait to most, but in a situation such as that described here, it seems to me that getting oneself away from danger might be the top priority. Despite this, Maryam nearly gets herself killed because of her inability to help herself. Still, I found myself sympathizing with her and did enjoy her overall as a character.

I also really liked Joseph and could really understand his guilt over not understanding everything that had been going on around him. I thought he was a good character, but I didn't really completely buy the romance. This is a classic case of instalove, which happens far too often in YA literature. All of the bad guys (Lazarus, his father, and the other Chosen) were exactly what they were supposed to be - despicable. Ruth, though, I couldn't stand. Her along with most of the other women in this book. While I can appreciate that they were raised to have a certain meek attitude and do exactly as the Chosen commanded (cult life), it infuriated me to no end that they were totally unable to do anything to better their situation. Then again, this really worked to further the feeling of a brainwashed society, which brings me to the story itself.

There were things I really enjoyed about the plot of The Crossing. I love a good post-apocalyptic story! I love all the different ways that authors have come up with for how the world will end (I might have a problem...) and what comes next. This one was just awesome! I loved the idea that a cruise ship was the Holy City and that the crew of the ship brainwashed the entire island into believing their nonsense. However, I wish that a little more background had been given to establish how exactly this happened. I also would have liked more information on the disease that has been plaguing the population. Those answers will probably come in subsequent books, though.

Despite the problems with the background given for the story, I felt like the world building of their little island was really great! I can't pinpoint any particular thing that Mandy Hager did to make it excellent, but I feel like I can imagine the islands and the cruise ship pretty much perfectly. The smaller island where the girls were raised was different from the main island, which had multiple villages. The author did a great job making all of it authentic and memorable.

My main problem with The Crossing was the writing. It felt very strange and that could be to establish how weird this cultish island setting is. It just really didn't work for me. I felt very disconnected from the characters because of the odd dialogue and the way the entire book was written.

Overall, I felt like this was a great story with fantastic world building and characters that I mostly enjoyed. I really am dying to know what happens next - to know if the world really DID end or not! But the really weird writing has put me off from continuing the story right away. I actually did read a bit of the next book, but put it aside for now. It's almost like I can only take it in small doses... I definitely would recommend this book and definitely plan to continue it! Just be prepared for the odd writing style.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

“But we can still be saved, my children, if we look to the Lord and the Lamb and their Apostles, and obey their rules.”

THE CROSSING was not a book I had heard much about until a fateful email drew my attention to it. I’d heard about it vaguely in the past, that it was originally from New Zealand and that it was a religious post-apocalyptic dystopia. But what I didn’t expect to find was something so much deeper than what the synopsis presented. It’s a study on humanity, on racism, on slavery, on religion, on the power of fear, and on the power of friendship, love, and trust. And it was almost one of the best dystopian novels I could have ever imagined.

If you are squeamish about the darkness of humanity, THE CROSSING might not be for you. It is not an action-packed dystopia like most YA dystopias are. This is no DIVERGENT or DELIRIUM. This is more in the manner of THE HANDMAID’S TALE, except potentially darker in a sense.

After an apocalypse and plague wiped out most of humanity, a tiny island in the South Pacific becomes the last known refuge. A cruise ship, beached on coral, has become the headquarters for the Apostles, white men and women who have brought the word of God to the barbaric islanders they’ve found, turning them into workers, into believers, and into slaves who hinge on their every word. Until one girl figures out the truth and decides to fight back.

Young adult fiction is not an arena you generally find philosophical and social debates about organized religion, racial relations, and rape. THE CROSSING, book one in the Blood of the Lamb series, deals with all of this and more. This is not a happy book in any sense of the word. People die, people that you come to care about. People betray others in the hopes that they are doing the right thing by God. People fear and distrust and sacrifice their kin to please the Lord. And at the heart of this story is the corruption of religion for one’s own devices. How much more hard hitting can it get without getting too adult?

This story has some massive crossover appeal, I think. It’s about a teen girl, but the situations she encounters are most definitely very dark. Also, I believe part of the synopsis is a spoiler. I won’t say what part, but it gives away the ending of the book. You’ll see if you read the story.

The characterization is growing, changing, and mostly believable. One of my hang ups that got this story a 4 instead of a 5, though, was the dialogue. It was written in a more formal style, which got intensely grating after 200 odd pages. Likewise, it let the plot go around in circles at points, but I still tore through this one quickly. The story itself kept me enraptured. This was one of my first (if not THE first) forays into New Zealand kids lit, and it hooked me – hard.

If you are in the market for something darker, try this one. I can’t reveal a lot about it without giving away some of the crucial, wrenching parts of the book that are best experienced through reading it, which should be a good sign. THE CROSSING might be one of the darkest books I’ve read in YA in a long time, but still, this is a book that cannot be missed.

VERDICT: Albeit extremely dark, THE CROSSING breaks many lines that young adult fiction won’t cross, making it a pulse-pounding, heart-wrenching dystopia that takes risks and succeeds in almost all of them.

[Julie Toole · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A story must unfold from the beginning of its journey, in order that its destination satisfy the human heart." Mother Deborah speaking to Maryam.

[Antony Millen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of good things going on in "The Crossing", even special things. Mandy Hager's prose is solid, aimed well at her YA audience and very readable. The content is fast-paced, especially at the beginning, making the book easy to get into and pique curiosity about the world, time and people the author has created. It also has some good messages about critical thinking with regards to abuse of power in society.

I read this book after a recommendation from a student, who had recently enjoyed a visit from Mandy Hager at our local Library. With the exception of "The Hunger Games", it has been a long time since I have read any dystopian fiction, particularly YA. On the back of the book, Margaret Mahy is quoted, comparing "The Crossing" to George Orwell's "1984". However, it didn't remind me of Orwell as much as it did Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" in its focus on the use and abuse of women as breeders.

My rating of "The Crossing" may have been higher if I was genuinely interested in dystopian fiction which was something that appealed to me more when I was younger. This book has all the elements that would appeal to a younger reader of this genre - a character who must awaken to the illusions that have been presented to her in her formative years; a bleak future that can only avoided by escape, outright rebellion, or death; and enough connections to be drawn between this society and ours.

One thing that wore on me for the first 3/4 of the book was the persistent use of the terrifying quotes from the Bible. I realise there was purpose in this - hearing these refrains used so often in such a manner helps the reader get a sense of what it must be like for these people to live with this. However, it was good to see the author develop the theme into (almost) a real crisis of faith for Maryam, who knows the message of love which is also found in Scripture, although she is rarely seeing this message exhibited in her world. Hushai is a good character who adds to this dilemma.

Hushai may have been the one character I liked. Perhaps because the story starts with such good, page-turning sequences, I found that I never connected with Maryam as a character and found it hard to identify any reasons why she should be the one to challenge the powers-that-be. Hushai is our main window into this part of her character.

The author explains in her "Author's Note" that "the native language spoken in Onewere is derived from Gilbertise, the traditional language of Kiribati. I was surprised to read this as the words resemble Te Reo Maori as well, which I thought gave the book a feel of New Zealand, or at least suggested that the authorship is Kiwi.

I would recommend this book for my students, especially as they may connect better than I did with the dystopian theme and the young female heroin.


Antony Millen is the author of "Redeeming Brother Murrihy: The River To Hiruharama"
Redeeming Brother Murrihy: The River To Hiruharama

[Diayll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers, Crown Rating
Review Source: ARC from Publisher
Reviewer: AimeeKay

“A story must unfold from the beginning of its journey, in order that its destination satisfy the human heart.” – Mother Deborah

Oh and what a journey did this story take me on. Seriously amazing! I started reading it with grim thoughts of what type of dystopian world it would take me to. I’ve read some great and not so great ones recently. Also even on worlds that were amazing, sometimes the characters or their stories just weren’t up to par. Thankfully that was not the case with The Crossing.

First let’s start with the world Hager has created, or at least what is left of the world. Onewere and the Holy City are interconnected. The people of the island depending on the Apostles to save their souls, the Apostles depending on the people of the island….well depending on them for everything else. I’ll stop there in description because I don’t want to spoil any of the story. But I will say that the world she has created has so much potential, I mean really just tons.

Then there are the characters. I wasn’t sure if I would like Maryam at first. The more I read however the more I got to like her. It also helped immensely that the other characters drew me in as well, even Mother Elizabeth and Ruth. I really didn’t like either of them too much by the middle of the story, but by the end I wanted to see them both triumph. One other stand out character was amazingly well written Lazarus. Even when I hated him for his actions, the author somehow found a way to keep letting me see him in a different light.

This book is an awesomely promising start to what looks to be an awesome series.

I really enjoyed this one. 5 out of 5 controllers easy, the special ones too with the little crowns. I mean this one is great. It obviously ends with a cliffie, but not a horribly stiff drop. It was more than expected considering the events in the rest of the book and in its own way it was satisfying. The one thing I am sad to say is that it’s set to be published in 2013, so that means it will be who knows how long until book two is set to release. *sigh* so don’t want to have to wait, crossing my fingers that it will be released in 2013 as well.

[E. Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must have read one million dystopian novels in the past few years. Among them many post-apocalyptic types and stories infused with relgion. None of them have the same haunting feel as Mandy Hager's THE CROSSING. The back of the book is emblazoned with a big red circle declaring the novel to be "Winner of the 2010 New Zealand Post Children's Book Award for Young Adult Fiction." After reading THE CROSSING, I can totally get behind this big red circle.

THE CROSSING follows the story of Sister Maryam, a young girl on the verge of womanhood. She is one of the last of the girls her age to get her "Bloods," and as a member of the chosen, becoming a woman means crossing to the Holy City where she is to be a servant of The Lamb. While she's enjoyed her time on the atoll with Mother Elizabeth and Sister Ruth -- as close to a family as she's ever known, having been taken from her birth family as a small child due to her "special blood" -- Maryam is excited to begin her new life.

But the thing is, her new life isn't as glorious as she'd imagined. The Apostles seem to be on a mission to break her, starting with a humiliating ceremony initiating her into servitude. And the girls she knew on the atoll -- Sister Rebekah, Sister Sarah -- seem complacent, eager to please, and are happy to drink down the numbing tonic offered by the Apostles. Maryam wants to get away, but it seems impossible. When by chance she befriends an old medicine man, Hushai, and later Joseph, the sickly son of an Apostle, Maryam thinks she might be able to spark a change. A change that will take more than a little faith, especially if she wants to save Sister Ruth as well.

As the first book of a trilogy, THE CROSSING sets up an infinitely intriguing post-apocalyptic world, based loosely on folklore from the Bible and from native islands of the South Pacific. While the book certainly carries a "message," it is not terribly heavy-handed and the voice of Maryam is strong and compelling. The book gives the reader a lot to digest, so while it may be a bit of a slower read for some, it is also certainly satisfying. Fans of DIVERGENT who also enjoy literary fiction will be sure to enjoy Mandy Hager's new series.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coming to terms with reality is hard; dealing with that reality is harder.
The Crossing is a story of well aimed rebellion. Marym otherwise named Nanona is one of those special characters that only come around once in a while, you can really relate to her thoughts and feelings as they are expressed in this novel. She grew up on a little atoll with all the other Chosen, they were chosen because their blood doesn’t clot when mixed with Father Joshua’s. They were told that they were chosen by the Lamb to spread peace and happiness to the survivors of the Tribulation. This is a complete and utter lie.
As Marym comes of age she begins to think outside of the box. She makes the humiliating crossing to womanhood in full faith that she is moving to a better place, she soon finds out that she is dead wrong. The Star of the Sea is nothing like she ever imagined. Rape and death are daily companions to the servers. Marym knows that this is wrong; could this really be the Lord’s wish? She begins to question everything she has ever known.
With the help of a kindly blind man she discovers the truth. The Apostles of the Lamb want only blood. They use the blood to prolong their divine lives at the cost of every ‘Chosen’ woman. The chosen are as important to the Apostles as a single sheep to its Shepard.
This book has a solid story line, one that will never grow old, but I have to say that I wouldn’t be keen on recommending this book for anyone younger than sixteen. There are some ‘scenes’ that I believe are not for the squeamish and the descriptions used could be a little unwelcome for most teenagers.