Written in 2002 by Julie Bertagna, Exodus, book one of a trilogy, gives you a sneak peek into what the future may be like about a hundred years from now. Global warming has melted the ice caps and the whole world is drowning. Can you imagine what life must be like? Children of this age have never even seen a live tree but interesting treasures are found floating on the ever-rising tides. Crazy storms knock down homes and people are always forced to move to higher grounds, until there’s nowhere to go and the ocean swallows you up.


You may have expected the future to be full of great technology but Mara Bell, a fifteen-year-old girl on the island of Wing, has only an old type of computer called a cyberwizz. With it, she has discovered that there actually are other people who have survived the waters so far. Those lucky people were living in sky cities and one of them, New Mungo, happened to be near her quickly sinking island! And so her people sailed out on an exodus on old boats, hoping to find safety. However, some of them did not make it but those who did were appalled to find the magnificent city protected by a wall and a huge dome, shutting out the rest of the world. An overcrowded boat camp of other starving refugees surrounded the structure, unpermitted to enter. Not being able to return to their drowned home, Mara’s people join the crush of people but Mara herself, powered by the need to save her remaining friends, finds a way into the city, planning to find a way to save everyone.


Upon entering the city, future technology smacks Mara in the face, leaving her dumbstruck and awed with every step. It makes me wonder if Julie Bertanga’s cool advanced gagets can actually be made. Unbelievable wonders await Mara and she manages to make a few new friends, but some are trustworthy and others are not. However, would their combined help be enough to save the rest of the world?


Julie Bertagna weaved essential life lessons into this futuristic tale and for all we know, her image of the future might come true. Challenges await Mara around every corner and we follow her as she stuggles to make her journey to becoming a great heroine. Exodus is frightning and sad but also has a courageous trait with a hint of love. Hop into a boat and join this exodus as we slowly row along to the end.