In Spark by
Y. C. Leung, eighteen-year-old Becky finds her hopes of joining the army
together with her best friend, Meghan, destroyed when natural disaster strikes,
separating friends and setting some on a tedious, challenging ride towards
Winnipeg at a time the country is reeling from a new deadly virus.
Becky and Meghan have gone to Union Square
to meet their friends, Connor and Robert, when the earthquake takes place, and
in the midst of the confusing and dreadful situation, and fearing a tsunami
might ensue from the wreck, the friends are separated. Becky and Connor find
themselves without Meghan and Robert. As Langley, British Columbia, is consumed
by the devastating flames, Becky and Connor, together with Tommy, must find
their way to Manitoba. But with the deadly virus spreading, they have to race
against time to cross the borders before they are closed. Does the trio
have enough fight left in them for what lies ahead?
The lovely banter, the expertly written
plot, the engaging dialogues, and the dazzling prose are among the elements
that set Spark apart as a
work of great entertainment, with characters that young and adult readers will
adore. Y. C. Leung weaves resonant themes into the narrative and successfully
captures the fear and bedlam that grip people in the face of deadly viruses and
environmental disasters. The characters are well-imagined and skillfully executed,
each written with unique flaws. For instance, Tommy struggles with drugs and
the author uses his painful withdrawal to build pathos into the story. The
relationships between the characters grow naturally and the different levels of
conflict are skillfully developed. This is an emotionally rich and
psychologically engaging tale with characters that stay with readers long after
the last page is turned. The beautiful prose, composed of short, clear
sentences, brings clarity to Leung’s work and makes the story hugely
accessible. There is a sense of urgency and imminent danger that permeates the
narrative, fueling motivation and creating the adventure that transforms the
story into a page-turner as readers follow the characters resolutely but
painfully heading towards hope, uncertainty brushing the edges of their
hearts. Spark is an
immersive journey that follows the transformation of young characters as they
escape from a natural disaster towards solace. It is a balanced and deft
tale with lovely characters.