Reviewed by Ronél Steyn for Readers' Favorite
Progress. Development. Advancement. It’s the forward movement toward an improved condition. At least, that’s how it should work. But what if this “progress” is causing the decline of everything natural? What if The Land is dying, choking from the dust of progress? What if this is humanity’s last hope? Annabelle by Russel Cornhill tells the story of when the Eldest, the oldest living tree in The Land, uses a 16-year-old girl to carry a message to The Company and The Ruler. On her journey, Annabelle encounters an array of colorful characters from humans to hybrids to machines. There is even an owl, an eagle, and a pumpkin. Will Annabelle be able to convince those at the top that the end is in sight?
After reading the author’s note regarding the Alice in Wonderland references, I was able to appreciate this story on another level. I was also able to grasp the satire dripping from the pages and was reminded very much of Terry Pratchett. The various personalities of the other characters certainly gave life to this story. The author has an easy-to-follow writing style which carried me through the pages at a leisurely pace. Perfectly suited for young adults as well as older readers, I feel this book is fundamental in life as we live it today. We have reached a point where teenagers are addressing the world leaders regarding the future of this planet. I think Annabelle by Russel Cornhill is a very important book with an extremely important lesson. There is just one hitch – we do not have the luxury of that last resort!