Book Review: Night Vision, by Ella West – plus giveaway

Night Vision, by Ella West is a Young Adult Fiction finalist in both the judge-chosen, and Children’s Choice, sections of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. We are giving away a copy of this, below the review. 

Viola is not like other teenage girls. For her, sunlight can be deadly. Living on a sheep farm in a remote part of south Canterbury, she leads a nocturnal existence, roaming the pine plantation at night or practicing her viola in the woodshed.

Her life changes when she witnesses a murder and car fire, before subsequently claiming the hidden cash as her own. It isn’t stealing if the money was ill-gotten, is it? As the secrets and lies increase so does the danger, for the murderer wants his money back and after he learns who took it, he will stop at nothing to reclaim it.

A quick-paced read, Night Vision is perfect for young teens. Viola is courageous, if a little bit stubborn and secretive, despitet adversity. Nothing can stop her, whether this is the external threat of the murderer, or the betrayal of her own DNA. Night Vision also offers an insight into a different sort of life: not only that of a teen with a fatal condition, but also of life on a remote sheep station.

Night Vision starts with a crime and builds to a dramatic conclusion. It may not be an adrenaline ride all the way through – some passages are quite slow – but it maintained my interest throughout and was easily devoured in one sitting. It recently won the LIANZA best young adult award, and this, along with its naming as a judge- and children’s-choice finalist in the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, guarantees it is worth going along for the ride.

Reviewed by Angela Oliver

Night Vision
by Ella West
Published by Allen & Unwin
ISBN 9781743317662

A Rafflecopter giveaway – click through to enter & be in to win a copy of Night Vision. The competition opens at 3pm.

This is the first in a series of reviews, interviews and giveaways for our Children’s Choice Finalist books. Later today on this blog, you will find a Q & A with Ella West about Night Vision. Tomorrow, you will find Awakening, by Natalie King promoted and given away on the NZ Booklovers’ blog – this link will go live at 7am tomorrow.