The Territory: Escape

The second book in this acclaimed environmental dystopia series, Escape picks up where The Territory, left off. It follows teens Noa and Raf as they infiltrate the Wetlands - a kind of swampy penal colony, rife with disease and crime - to rescue their friend Jack, who has been sent there for failing the exams that all teens must take at age 15. Noa's mad about Raf, but there's also a reason she's so desperate to save Jack, too.

An action-packed sequel to its excellent precursor, Escape still reads well as a story in its own right. This time, we get to see the feared Wetlands: the nightmare of all that live in The Territory, a protected community where limited space means that only the academically 'best' can stay.

Govett's page-turning writing style underpins her philosophical questions about education, utopias and what we value in communities - and each other. An excellent and insightful read.