Imagine, in our world of immediate gratification, not being able to quench thirst or alleviate hunger at free will. Think of the plight of a homeless person, except personified by 1 million and spread to the multitude. That is the result of a world ravaged by environmental abuse and war in Stracher’s “The Water Wars”.
In a United States with only 10 remaining republics and limited clean water sources ruled by capitalist conglomerates, real H20 is for the elite, and those who have the talent to find it. The rest of the population is relegated to water rations and synthetically created foods. They are dying off, unless they can be used to mine for real water. With no real communication except that supplied by the so-called government, they are mind washed to believe there is no more water to be found in the earth at all.
But as young minds will, Vera and Will quietly question the propaganda, and believe the water is actually killing their mother. When they meet up with the enigmatic Kai, their zest for the possibility of a world where water is free to everyone is further ignited. Then Kai disappears and the adventure begins.
Along the way, the author injects renewed hope in the basic kindness of people, while at the same time encouraging the reader to reject stereotypes and question propaganda. The greatest underlying message is of course environmental. The story allows us to envision the reality of global warming and environmental abuse as it exists today. It gives us a look at what happens when the earth doesn’t wait for the inhabitants to get it together. It is not a pretty picture, delivering a pseudo wake up call to the previously asleep.
I read this book in one day, because I had to see how the story played out, and what would be the end.
The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
Purchase at Amazon.com
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