War of the Wind by Victoria Williamson Blog Tour

 I've always been a fan of middle-grade/young adult fiction, so when I was asked if I would like to join the blog tour for Victoria Williamson's latest book War of the Wind, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to read and review the book.

First, have a read of the blurb to wet your whistle:

On a remote Scottish island, fourteen-year-old Max’s life changes forever when he loses his hearing in a boating accident. Struggling to make sense of his new life and finding it hard to adapt in school, he begins to notice other — even stranger — changes taking place when a new wind farm appears off the island’s coast.

With the help of three school friends with additional support needs, Max discovers that a sinister scientist, Doctor Ashwood, is using wind turbines to experiment on the islanders. They must find a way to shut down the government’s secret test before it spins out of control…

Can you imagine losing your hearing?

I certainly can't. But that is exactly what happens to our protagonist Max after a boating accident. 

The novel is narrated by this teenage boy and right from the start I was in awe of him. 

Now aged fourteen, Max has managed to learn sign language but he doesn't enjoy school with the 'specials', and feels I guess quite abandoned from by his old friends. It seemed to me that he was existing rather than living as he tried to adapt to his new normal.

What you should know is that Max lives on Scragness Island, this is in Scotland. 

Remote is probably an understatement, and this means their wifi is rather inadequate (a teenagers worst nightmare) so when a company comes to the island the island with a plan to put up wind turbines and promises of high speed broadband many of the residence are happy. 

However . . . 

The turbines are put up and everyone is sent their phones - this seemed weird to me - there's no wifi? They can however access certain aps and games. 

Stranger than that, after the installation of these turbines and substations, the inhabitants of the island begin to get rather lethargic, people not getting much sleep? 

They mystery deepens when Max and Erin happen to be looking into the bay and they discover that the rocks are covered bats, dead ones at that! 

Where did they come from? How did they die?

This is when Max calls on the help of some of the 'specials' to help him essentially defeat Doctor Ashwood, the doctors are always evil aren't they.

I rather enjoyed the story.

Imaginative and unique. It was filled with adventure and mystery as well as themes of friendship, family, disabilities, environment and individual journeys of discovery.

Williamson did a fantastic job of creating an exciting good vs evil story whilst hi-lighting the difficulties that people with disabilities face in the world even now. I was really impressed with British Sign Language alphabet that was at the start of the book. I think we could all benefit from learning this. I always think of the scene in Miracle on 34th Street when Santa uses sign language with the girl in the store. Always melts my heart.

Anyway I've gone of on a tangent. . .

War of the Wind is an all round winner. Great character interaction with a fully entertaining story from start to finish.