The Book of Sand’ by Theo Clare is an extraordinary novel that left me stunned by its originality and complexity. An unusual hybrid incorporating elements of science fiction, fantasy, adventure, mystery, and literary fiction. Theo Clare is a new pen name of author Mo Hayder and the two novels that she completed prior to her recent death are being published posthumously. I have been a great admirer of Hayder’s thrillers, so was very keen to read this new work of speculative fiction. ‘The Book of Sand’ is an unusual story set in a world of shifting sands and blazing sun, of abandoned cities and unseen invisible deadly threats. A small group, who have been instructed to treat themselves as a family, are engaged in a quest to find an object hidden somewhere in the surrounding cities. The Sarkpont is the key to their escape. Yet they are not alone as other families are seeking it. In an alternative narrative stream, McKenzie Strathie is an ordinary teenage girl living an ordinary life in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is fascinated by sand and the desert. After she has a vivid waking dream of finding a sand-lizard in her bed, she overhears her mother sadly saying to her father: “You don’t think it’s happening again, do you?†Soon McKenzie begins to question everything around her, especially who she really is ... No further details to avoid spoilers. While the family faces constant threats in their struggle to survive, their cooperation and love for each other is an uplifting message. The novel incorporates elements of philosophy, religion, and spirituality. Given the author’s knowledge of her mortality, it is perhaps not surprising that themes such as the meaning of life and death are also explored. I found this an amazing novel and feel that I have only touched the surface of this powerful, contemplative work with my initial reading. It is a novel that I have every confidence that I will be rereading. The second book, ‘The Book of Clouds’ will be published in 2023. I look forward to seeing how this visionary story continues.
