Book review: Mary Bourke reviews Feb by Aleata Fullerton

Young adult or not, whatever the reader's age, they will find something to relate to in this book, says Mary Bourke. Photo / Supplied

Review: Mary Bourke reviews Feb by Aleata Fullerton

As one who is not usually tempted by fantasy fiction – I found the book Feb by Aleata Fullerton very hard to put down. It’s a great read. Entertaining first and informative if you want it to be. The latter most certainly does not outweigh the former.

Having said that - anyone seeking a painless education in natural history and the foibles of mankind should read this book. Through fantasy and fiction, the story explores many of life’s dilemmas that all of us must face eventually.

Using the planetary system, the calendar year, and classic history as context, this yarn is informative!

Each character has very distinctive qualities – some that are fantastical, and one might wish one had - and some that are not fantastical at all which one might wish one didn’t have. There is a back story to each of the characters and many of them are not all as they may have initially seemed.

Exploring the notions of entitlement alongside ethics, this tale traverses the challenges and responsibilities that both states command. Along the way, the intricacies of earning (and living) trust and leadership, loyalty and compassion, power and ambition are thoughtfully interwoven into the tale.

Of particular interest to this reader are the messages on leadership. Problem-solving, taking responsibility, and strategy in many forms inform and remind us of the travails that good leadership entails. Much of the fallout driving the plot arises from less than courageous leadership decisions.

Although this book is recommended as suitable for young adults - and I am far from that - I found it a compelling read. It’s an unapologetically wholesome and highly entertaining chronicle of many of mankind’s kindnesses and shortcomings, and it uses adventure, tension, and natural history to do so.

The story holds the reader from the beginning to the end and I thoroughly recommend it.

Feb by Aleata Fullerton is available from bookshops, including Paper Plus Stratford.