I think the setting of this book is important because of the elements of environmental destruction mentioned here and there throughout the book. Since it takes place in the future, it makes sense to include what’s happened to the wilderness. Although the lakes were turned to mud, there was a part of me that was relieved that the forests weren’t all entirely clearcut, even though it’s just fictional. It’s entirely possible the forests will all be gone by then.
As I read I felt curious about my own survival skills. I have spent a lot of time in the woods in what I often call “up north” or even “Northern Ontario,” but it’s really just a few hours from where their story starts and very much in the southern half of Ontario, far south of Thunder Bay. Even though it’s just near-north, my time in the woods with my family and friends has made me better at hiking, canoeing, and helped me learn things like that moss often grows on the north side of trees, which can be used as a compass in a pinch. But I’m not sure I’d be able to manage walking for this long without a shower!
I felt sad when Minerva was taken away. She had already suffered so much in her life, and she clearly saved the group by sacrificing herself for them. It was a heartbreaking scene.
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