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Emmi Itäranta
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Memory of Water: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Emmi Itäranta (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 613 ratings

An amazing, award-winning speculative fiction debut novel by a major new talent, in the vein of Ursula K. Le Guin.

Global warming has changed the world’s geography and its politics. Wars are waged over water, and China rules Europe, including the Scandinavian Union, which is occupied by the power state of New Qian. In this far north place, seventeen-year-old Noria Kaitio is learning to become a tea master like her father, a position that holds great responsibility and great secrets. Tea masters alone know the location of hidden water sources, including the natural spring that Noria’s father tends, which once provided water for her whole village.

But secrets do not stay hidden forever, and after her father’s death the army starts watching their town—and Noria. And as water becomes even scarcer, Noria must choose between safety and striking out, between knowledge and kinship.

Imaginative and engaging, lyrical and poignant, Memory of Water is an indelible novel that portrays a future that is all too possible.

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  1. Print length
    260 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harper Voyager
  4. Publication date
    June 10, 2014
  5. File size
    2.6 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“An emotionally nuanced study in morality, which draws its suspense from love, choices, and the mark that everyone leaves on the world.” — Helsingin Sanomat - Finland newspaper

“An exceptionally fine debut novel in which all elements come together in a controlled and well-considered manner. At the same time, the novel is fascinating and addictive.” — Turun Sanomat - Finland newspaper

“Where Itäranta shines is in her rejection of conventional plots and in her understated but compelling characters. The work is a deceptively tranquil examination of a world of dust and ashes where the tenacious weed of hope still survives.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The writing is gorgeous and delicate in this dystopian award-winning debut, which is unique in both its setting and the small scale that Finnish author Itäranta employs.” — Library Journal (starred review) on Memory of Water

“Itäranta’s lyrical style makes this dystopian tale a beautiful exploration of environmental ethics and the power of ritual.” — Washington Post Book World on MEMORY OF WATER

“[Memory of Water] is simultaneously a coming-of-age story, a fantastic adventure, and a bold warning about a future that is all too real.” — Portland Book Review on MEMORY OF WATER

From the Back Cover

The award-winning speculative debut novel, now in English for the first time!

In the far north of the Scandinavian Union, now occupied by the power state of New Qian, seventeen-year-old Noria Kaitio studies to become a tea master like her father. It is a position that holds great responsibility and a dangerous secret. Tea masters alone know the location of hidden water sources, including the natural spring that once provided water for her whole village. When Noria's father dies, the secret of the spring reaches the new military commander . . . and the power of the army is vast indeed. But the precious water reserve is not the only forbidden knowledge Noria possesses, and resistance is a fine line.

Threatened with imprisonment, and with her life at stake, Noria must make an excruciating, dangerous choice between knowledge and freedom.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00FJ3CHU4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Voyager (June 10, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 10, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 260 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 613 ratings

About the author

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Emmi Itäranta

Emmi Itäranta

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Emmi Itäranta is a Finnish author who writes fiction in Finnish and English. Her award-winning debut novel Memory of Water (2014) has been translated into more than 20 languages and a film adaptation, The Guardian of Water, is in the works. The novel was shortlisted for the Philip K. Dick Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Golden Tentacle Award as well as being included in the Otherwise Award honor list.

Itäranta has also published two other novels, The Weaver (2016) and The Moonday Letters (Finnish edition Kuunpäivän kirjeet in 2020). The awards won by her books include Kalevi Jäntti Prize for young authors, Young Aleksis Kivi Prize, Kuvastaja Award for the best fantasy book published in Finland, Tampere City Literary Award and Tähtivaeltaja Award for the best science fiction book published in Finland.

Itäranta lived in the United Kingdom for 14 years before relocating back to Finland in 2021. She now lives in Tampere, Finland, and continues to write in two languages. Her novels have been characterised as lyrical eco dystopias and compared to the works of Sheri S. Tepper, Ursula K. Le Guin and Margaret Atwood.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
613 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story interesting and well-crafted. They appreciate the poetic writing style that draws them in with its lyrical content. The book is described as a lovely, quick read with creative imagery and an interesting setting. Readers praise the excellent characters and heartfelt story. However, some feel the pacing is slow and tiresome.

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Story qualityWriting qualityReadabilityBeautyCharacter developmentHeartfelt storyPacing
39 customers mention "Story quality"32 positive7 negative

Customers find the story engaging and well-crafted. They appreciate the premise and main character. The book is described as an excellent work of fiction that offers a refreshing take on dystopian genre.

"...The art—the language—transcends the dystopian tale. I think this is why we read novels...." Read more

"...And it is a big plus that this is a dystopian novel with a female lead that is. It YA!" Read more

"This engrossing tale of a future in which potable water is used as the basis for power has something for everyone...." Read more

"it’s a very interesting story, a bit wordy and non climatic ending but all in all i would recommend it." Read more

33 customers mention "Writing quality"30 positive3 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book engaging. They appreciate the well-crafted prose with beautiful language that complements the subject matter. The lyrical content draws them in with its poetic style and use of similes and metaphors. Readers enjoy the author's skillful blending of Scandinavian and Asian cultures.

"...I think this is why we read novels. Excellent use of similes and metaphors (one of the most highly valued and difficult accomplishments in writing)...." Read more

"...Master, she is a creature and conservator of water, and her language is beautiful. Another complaint is that the language can get just too lyrical...." Read more

"...Each time Noria goes, the path is poetically described. Ditto for every time she goes into their backyard or anywhere...." Read more

"...A believable dystopian future is combined with cultural practices in an unexpected setting...." Read more

26 customers mention "Readability"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable. They describe it as an interesting young adult fiction novel and say it's a quick read. The book is described as of good quality, like a regular new book from B&N.

"...If style is important to you, here is a rewarding read. Interesting philosophical passages...." Read more

"...Overall the novel is lovely, and the imagery is hypnotic. And it is a big plus that this is a dystopian novel with a female lead that is. It YA!" Read more

"...just a little bit too obscure for my taste, but otherwise I greatly enjoyed the read." Read more

"...This is a somewhat slow read, but definitely worth the read...." Read more

12 customers mention "Beauty"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's imagery hypnotic and creative. They describe it as a masterful depiction of a very dry future. The setting is interesting for a geographical area that in our real world is not.

"...Overall the novel is lovely, and the imagery is hypnotic. And it is a big plus that this is a dystopian novel with a female lead that is. It YA!" Read more

"Lovely, atmospheric and unusual post-apocalyptic tale...." Read more

"...The tea ceremony (A Chinese style, in this book) is always a nice artistic touch, and the connection with conservation and secrecy was nice...." Read more

"...story is set in a post-apocalyptic Scandinavia, an interesting setting for a geographical area that in our real world i drenched in water and is..." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"9 positive0 negative

Customers like the character development. They say the writing and characters are excellent.

"...Sympathetic characters people this tale set in northern Finland with a tea ceremony tradition imported from Japan, and a feudal peasant dynamic..." Read more

"...The characters are well-written, the prose is well-done, and the reader can't help but get sucked into the angst and anguish as these people try to..." Read more

"...and beautifully written, with strong world-building and a well-rounded main character...." Read more

"...the whys of how the world got that way, the writing, and characters are excellent." Read more

6 customers mention "Heartfelt story"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the story poignant and heartfelt. They appreciate the beautiful language that tells the story with a dreamy mood.

"...of China and readily available technology that is both realistic and saddening and the story within the story of the last years before the fall of..." Read more

"...I'll probably remember the dreamy mood of this book more than any plot specifics...." Read more

"I was captured by the beautiful language that told this deeply sad story. I feel that it might well present a picture of earth's future...." Read more

"...I will not spoil it,just say the language is beautiful,poignant,lyrical...." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"0 positive7 negative

Customers find the story slow-paced and tiresome. They also mention the ending is anticlimactic and unsatisfying.

"...It slowed the read for me as while each action or thought was well written, it became tiresome." Read more

"...This is a somewhat slow read, but definitely worth the read...." Read more

"...The book was a little slow at times but that shouldn’t be an issue for more mature readers...." Read more

"...But it's just slow, and it has quite a let-down at the end...." Read more

A rare find, rekindling the pleasure found in literature
5 out of 5 stars
A rare find, rekindling the pleasure found in literature
Of the novels I have read over the past year, this is my favorite.Artama & The Watchtower Portal: The Second Journey. The art—the language—transcends the dystopian tale. I think this is why we read novels. Excellent use of similes and metaphors (one of the most highly valued and difficult accomplishments in writing). If style is important to you, here is a rewarding read. Interesting philosophical passages.I do not subscribe to some of the author’s notions and suggestions, but after all, it is her story, not mine.Pour yourself a glass of wine—or a cup of tea (since tea figures prominently in the tale)—and enjoy.“This morning the world is dust and ashes, but not devoid of hope.”Bruce Paul is the author of Artama & The Watchtower Portal Artama & The Watchtower Portal: The Second Journey
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Bruce Paul
    5.0 out of 5 stars A rare find, rekindling the pleasure found in literature
    Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Of the novels I have read over the past year, this is my favorite.Artama & The Watchtower Portal: The Second Journey. The art—the language—transcends the dystopian tale. I think this is why we read novels. Excellent use of similes and metaphors (one of the most highly valued and difficult accomplishments in writing). If style is important to you, here is a rewarding read. Interesting philosophical passages.
    I do not subscribe to some of the author’s notions and suggestions, but after all, it is her story, not mine.

    Pour yourself a glass of wine—or a cup of tea (since tea figures prominently in the tale)—and enjoy.

    “This morning the world is dust and ashes, but not devoid of hope.”

    Bruce Paul is the author of Artama & The Watchtower Portal Artama & The Watchtower Portal: The Second Journey
    Customer image
    Bruce Paul
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    A rare find, rekindling the pleasure found in literature

    Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2015
    Of the novels I have read over the past year, this is my favorite.Artama & The Watchtower Portal: The Second Journey. The art—the language—transcends the dystopian tale. I think this is why we read novels. Excellent use of similes and metaphors (one of the most highly valued and difficult accomplishments in writing). If style is important to you, here is a rewarding read. Interesting philosophical passages.
    I do not subscribe to some of the author’s notions and suggestions, but after all, it is her story, not mine.

    Pour yourself a glass of wine—or a cup of tea (since tea figures prominently in the tale)—and enjoy.

    “This morning the world is dust and ashes, but not devoid of hope.”

    Bruce Paul is the author of Artama & The Watchtower Portal Artama & The Watchtower Portal: The Second Journey
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars "Memory has a shape of its own."
    Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This dystopian future is unfortunately not far off our probable fate. Global warming has melted the ice caps and flooding has changed the world. As we fear, the salty oceans have invaded much if the fresh water. We have befouled the land and the military has taken control.

    The narrator is a Tea Master, having learned from her father. But the the setting is Finland which has embraced much of Asian culture. This causes a bit of dissonance for me, but her earnest devotion to tradition wins the reader in the end. Most poignant are her pleas to her mute ancestors to consider the chaos they are enacting on the world. As a Tea Master, she is a creature and conservator of water, and her language is beautiful. Another complaint is that the language can get just too lyrical. Sometimes it makes me cranky. I mean I get it. There is flow and serenity in yielding to the passage of time and nature. And now that I am stepping back for the review, I guess it really is annoying to set ages of tea tradition in Finland.

    Overall the novel is lovely, and the imagery is hypnotic. And it is a big plus that this is a dystopian novel with a female lead that is. It YA!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful but repetitive poetic prose slows the story line.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Sometime in the future, water is so scarce, it's rationed. Noria's family knows of a secret site where water flows. One has to travel through a plastic grave and into tunnels or caves. Each time Noria goes, the path is poetically described. Ditto for every time she goes into their backyard or anywhere. Her thoughts about her father, mother, and friend are described beautifully many times. It slowed the read for me as while each action or thought was well written, it became tiresome.
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  • P. M. Whitehouse
    5.0 out of 5 stars Surprising setting for a beautiful, sad and engrossing story.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This engrossing tale of a future in which potable water is used as the basis for power has something for everyone. A believable dystopian future is combined with cultural practices in an unexpected setting. Sympathetic characters people this tale set in northern Finland with a tea ceremony tradition imported from Japan, and a feudal peasant dynamic reminiscent of China and readily available technology that is both realistic and saddening and the story within the story of the last years before the fall of scientists investigating the disappearance of water will provide the icicle in the heart when one comprehends the true power struggle.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • nanamama
    4.0 out of 5 stars interesting read.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    it’s a very interesting story, a bit wordy and non climatic ending but all in all i would recommend it.
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  • Ceesie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Poetry and Meditation
    Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I didn’t know a work of fiction could be such simple poetry. And I definitely wasn’t aware it could be a deep meditation on life, death, and connection (and the effect secrets have on that).

    Emmi elevates what is possible through storytelling, reaching heights few authors ever can.
    I’ve read well over 1000 books in my life.
    This book is amongst a rare few that have transformed me. Made me somehow more. I return to it often.

    I’ve bought copies for everyone I’m closest to. That’s how much this book haunts me (in the best of ways).

    Read it.
    It’s rich yet simple. Short enough, yet immersive. Moving and transforming… yet comfortable and familiar!

    The author knits together the ancient past with a potential future through the act of ceremony and (tea) ritual.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Global Prof
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Masterful and Highly Creative Depiction of a Very Dry Future
    Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This haunting, spare dystopia gripped me from start to finish. I loved all of the watery metaphors, the strong similes, and the poetic language, plus the way the author wove elements of the tea ceremony into a future with almost no water. I'll probably remember the dreamy mood of this book more than any plot specifics.

    By "dreamy" mood, I mean passages like this one: "Silence is not empty or immaterial, and it is not needed to chain tame things. It often guards powers strong enough to shatter everything." Or this one: "Memory has a shape of its own, and it's not always the shape of life... Memory slips and slides and shatters, and its patterns are not to be trusted." Or: "We are children of water, and water is death's close companion. The two cannot be separated from us, for we are made of the versatility of water and the closeness of death. They go together always, in the world and in us, and the time will come when our water runs dry."

    I enjoyed that this was written by a Finnish author, and set in a future Scandinavia. The description of a world of constant drought was terrifying, but seemed all too realistic and plausible these days. The descriptions of technology from the current time were amusing.

    Mostly, I appreciated the careful attention the author gave to each and every sentence, polishing her prose so that every line shined.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Miranda J. Metheny
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very atmospheric
    Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Lovely, atmospheric and unusual post-apocalyptic tale. The story seems to take a while to get going, especially while the reader is still not sure what type of story it’s going to be, and final chapter was maybe just a little bit too obscure for my taste, but otherwise I greatly enjoyed the read.
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Climate fiction
    Reviewed in India on December 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Enjoyed reading this stylistically brilliant climate fiction. Looking forward to more from this author. Highly recommended.
    Report
  • Xerus
    5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible story
    Reviewed in Canada on July 10, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Exceptionally well written. Don't expect high adventure here. This novel explores the extremes of our natures and where they can take us. For evil to succeed it takes only that good people do nothing...
    Report
  • Froschkönigin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Karge Dystopie voll poetischer, hypnotischer Sprache
    Reviewed in Germany on June 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Manche Bücher fliegen so tief unter dem Radar, dass man wirklich nur durch einen Zufall auf sie aufmerksam wird. In meinem Fall war das eine kurze Liste mit dem Titel "Five LGBT novels you've probably never heard of" oder so ähnlich (an den genauen Titel kann ich mich nicht mehr erinnern). Bücher, von denen ich noch nie gehört habe, LGBT thematisiert zumal und von einer skandinavischen Autorin, die mir ebenfalls leider bisher entgangen war - das lässt sowieso schon mal mein Leserherz höher schlagen. Und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht.
    Ich kann mir aber vorstellen, dass nicht jeder etwas mit Emmi Itärantas Roman anfangen kann. Die Person, die für den Covertext zuständig war, konnte es wohl nicht. "Some secrets demand betrayal" heißt es auf dem Frontcover meiner Taschenbuchausgabe (deren künstlerische Gestaltung dagegen den Ton und die Atmosphäre des Buchs sehr gut trifft), und auf der Rückseite "Apprenticed to her father, one of the last true tea masters, when Noria takes possession of the knowledge, she becomes much more than the guardian of ancestral treasure; soon, she will hold the fate of everyone she loves in her hands."
    Das hört sich nach einer abenteuerlichen, dramatischen Handlung an, in der die Protagonistin ihr Schicksal in einer bedrohlichen Situation nicht nur zu meistern hat, sondern auch meistern kann, indem sie den Kampf gegen das Unrecht oder eine höhere Macht oder was auch immer aufnimmt - und am Ende sogar gewinnt.

    SPOILER.
    Nein. Am Ende gibt es höchstens einen Hoffnungschimmmer. Dies ist keiner der dystopischen Romane, in denen das Gute gegen das Böse kämpft. Was mich an diesem Buch gleichermaßen fasziniert und verstört hat, ist die Atmosphäre eines Ausgeliefertseins des Einzelnen gegenüber einem gnadenlosen Regime und unwirtlichen Lebensbedingungen, eines für die Protagonistin schon vorgefügten Schicksals und festgelegten Wegs. Norias Aufgabe besteht darin, diesen Weg zu beschreiten und zu Ende zu gehen. Diese beklemmende Situation wird bereits im Prolog angekündigt, das ganze Buch ist ein Rückblick auf diese Entwicklung auf das unvermeidliche Ende hin. Zwar planen Noria und ihre Freundin Sanja einen Ausbruch, eine Expedition, die ihre Welt verändern könnte. Aber es bleibt bei der Vorbereitung. Dann holt die Realität holt die Protagonistin und den Leser ein. Das klingt depremierend, ernüchternd zumindest, und das ist es auch.
    Am Ende haben Noria und ihre Freundin Sanja vielleicht doch noch etwas bewirkt, aber auch das bleibt offen.
    Wer einen actiongeladenen dystopischen Thriller erwartet, an dessen Ende das Gute siegt, indem ein Einzelner das Schicksal der gesamten Menschheit in die Hand nehmen kann, sollte einen riesigen Bogen um dieses Buch machen - oder aber sich auf ein in seiner Nüchternheit geradezu hypnotisches Leseerlebnis einlassen.

    Emmi Itäranta gibt dem Leser nur die notwendigsten Informationen über eine Zukunft (die nicht allzu fern von unserer Gegenwart angesiedelt ist, drei Generationen etwa), in der die Ozeane große Teile der Kontinente verschlungen haben, Frischwasser knapp ist und dessen Verbrauch der strengen Regulierung eines totalitären Regimes unterliegt. Verschwendung von Trinkwasser wird drakonisch bestraft. Papier, Öl, Plastik gehören der Vergangenheit an (letzteres ist nur noch in Form riesiger "Plastikgräber" allgegenwärtig, über deren Verursacher eine nahezu geschichtslose Gesellschaft nichts mehr weiß und nichts mehr wissen will oder soll). Als einzige Energiequelle dient die Sonne, der hauptsächliche Rohstoff, aus dem Alltagsgegenstände gewonnen werden, sind Algen und Tang, Hauptnahrungsmittel sind getrocknete Früchte und Samen. Der Name der geopolitischen Einheit, die ürbig geblieben ist, ist "New Qian", die ferne Hauptstadt heißt "Xinjing", die Handlung spielt aber, wie man den (ebenfalls erfundenen) Namen entnehmen kann, in einer Landschaft, die einmal zu Finnland gehörte. Was sich politisch zugetragen hat, wird nirgends erwähnt, und Ähnlichkeiten mit bestehenden oder zukünftigen politischen Entitäten und Verhältnissen sind wohl rein zufällig...).

    Die karge Welt von Itärantas Roman lässt nicht viel Raum für Emotionen und für individuelle Handlungen. Entsprechend spröde und fast schroff ist bisweilen ihre Sprache, die gleichzeitig voller fast archaischer, traumähnlicher, Poesie ist:
    "The Dead Forest had once been called Mosswood, a name that recalled deep-green leaves moving in the wind and verdancy so lush and moist that you could feel it on your skin. Even longer ago, when words for such greenness were not needed yet, because it was given in these lands, the forest had not had a name at all, so my father had told me. Now its bare trunks and branches twisted towards the sky sand-dry and colourless like a cobweb woven across the landscape, or the empty husks of insects caught in it. Life no longer circulated in them, their veins were brittled and broken, their skins frozen into letters of a forgotten language, near-incomprehensible marks of what had once been. Some trunks had wrung themselves into the ground, where they lay speechless, still." (203 f.) (Die Autorin hat den Roman sowohl auf Englisch als auch in ihrer Muttersprache Finnisch geschrieben - ich bedaure, kein Finnisch zu können, was ich von dieser Sprache weiß, schient mir geradezu wie gemacht für diese Poesie).
    Schon aufgrund der sprachlichen Ästhetik lohnt es sich, das Buch zu lesen.

    Und was ist mit der LGBT-Thematik? Man muss schon sehr genau lesen, um davon etwas mitzubekommen. Oder vielleich habe ich diese überhaupt nur gesehen, weil die oben genannte Liste eine solche Thematik angesprochen hat. Nur ganz ganz zart wird angedeutet, dass Noria für Sanja, die Freundin und Vertraute seit Kindheitstagen, andere Gefühle als bloße Freundschaft haben könnte, und am Ende ist das auch nicht wichtig, denn Norias Weg ist gegangen.
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  • Suzanne J
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in Australia on July 26, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Gentleness in a military dictatorship. A tale of the value of honesty, tradition and integrity. I liked it a lot.
    Report
  • G G S COLLINS
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book. The story is set in the not too distant future where man-made climate change has wrought its effects. The temperature is high throughout the year and water shortage is a major problem. Toward the end of the story, misuse of water is punished by execution by having ones throat cut. An important aspect is an ancient dump where detritus from the pre-climate catastrophe can be found - items such as CDs, remains of machines, pieces of plastic and so on - in other words, it provides the potential to discover what life was like in earlier times.

    The heroine of the story is a teenager named Noria Kaitio who is the daughter of a tea master. They live in a simple house on a hillside at the outskirts of a village; there is no electricity and in the grounds there is a tea house that is used for the tea ceremonies and a small garden. Early in the story her mother leaves for a job in (I assume) China and a little later her father dies, but not before he trains Noria to become a tea master herself and shows her the secret fresh water spring that is hidden in a cave in the mountainside.

    As the water shortage becomes more acute Noria realises that she cannot keep this source of water to herself and she shows it to her great friend Sanja; inevitably, this information spreads to the village and Noria is faced with the dilemma of what to do. Should she risk her life and that of Sanja (and possibly the villagers)? There are baddies in the story, particularly Commander Taro, who turns out to be the son of a tea master himself, as well as others, such as Major Bolin, who try to help Noria as much as they can. Then, of course, there are the soldiers who enforce the rigid rules regarding the use of the water rations: breaking the rules is followed by the appearance of a blue circle on the front door followed some time later by execution. Depth to the story is provided by the discovery by Noria and Sanja that not all the world is in the same sorry state that that they have to contend with and their plans to journey to lands where they discover evidence that an earlier expedition has discovered copious water; are the authorities using the water shortage simply as a method of control?

    Why do I find this story so beguiling? First, the story itself - straightforward in its telling but in so doing, managing to explore the character of Noria and how she manages to cope with her dilemmas and her approaching ending. Second, I find that the text is very evocative of the surroundings and circumstances through which Noria lives - the tea ceremonies, the garden she and her father tends, the mountain and its hidden secret are all vividly described, There is a kind of tranquility in the style of writing; the climaxes in the story are dealt with almost in a matter-of-fact way with no exaggeration or hyperbole. Finally, the denouement is entirely satisfactory - both sad but not without hope. I thoroughly recommend this book.
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