Whispers on the Wind

In the Stonghold the pampered Upper Crust live at the top of the Tower while below, amongst the rubbish, the Lower Crust must scavenge for scraps and discarded clothes. This is the way it has always been and always will be. Then one night the predictability is disrupted; the Heiress is kidnapped and a young scavenger, Vinna, is the only one to hear her cries in the night. Together with Aysix, a strange boy with piercing eyes and superhuman strength, she is sent to find the Heiress and secure her return to the Stronghold.

Welford is a good storyteller; the plot is uncluttered and moves along at a brisk pace. I did however find that explicit forward projecting cues undermined the suspense that Welford builds so skilfully. Halfway through the book Vinna notices that her companion neither eats nor sleeps and she observes, ‘Being with Aysix was like living with a machine that never needed winding up.’ (p.73). Later the denouement reveals that he is human replica, created Frankenstein-like during an electric storm. There were several instances like this where I felt I was being told the outcome of the story rather than being led to work it out for myself.

Nevertheless, Whispers on the Wind poses some interesting questions about social organisation, ethics and science, freedom and service. The satisfying ending is the beginning of a new adventure and perhaps a sequel?