Tomorrow, When the War Began
 | |
| Author | John Marsden |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Tomorrow series |
| Genre | Action, Adventure novel |
| Publisher | Pan Macmillan (Australia) |
Publication date | 1993 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 286 |
Tomorrow, When the War Began is a young adult invasion novel written by Australian author John Marsden, detailing a high-intensity invasion and occupation of Australia by a foreign power. The novel is told in first person perspective by the main character, a teenage girl named Ellie Linton, who is part of a small band of teenagers waging a guerrilla war on the enemy garrison in their fictional home town of Wirrawee. The novel is part of a series called the Tomorrow series, a name derived from the title of this book.
Plot summary
Ellie goes out camping in the bush for a week with her friends Homer Yannos, Lee Takkam, Kevin Holmes, Corrie Mackenzie, Robyn Mathers and Fiona Maxwell. They find a way into a large, vegetated sinkhole in a remote area of bush the locals have dubbed "Hell", and camp there for the week. During this time they see large numbers of planes flying through the night without lights, and though it is mentioned in conversation the following morning, they think little of it.
When they return to their home town of Wirrawee, they find that all the people are missing and their pets and livestock are dead and dying. Fearing the worst, they break into three groups to investigate Wirrawee's situation. They confirm that Australia (or at least, Wirrawee) has been invaded and local citizens are being held captive by a hostile foreign force. Ellie's group is discovered and, in order to escape, create an improvised explosive using the fuel tank of a ride-on lawnmower in a backyard as a bomb. However, returning to the nearby meeting point, they discover Robyn and Lee missing. Homer and Ellie search for them and they are met by Robyn, and they discover that Lee has been shot in the leg and hiding out in the main street of Wirrawee, the centre of the enemies activity. Ellie and Homer confer with the others and Ellie decides that they should attempt to rescue Lee in a large earth moving bobcat. After a rough truck chase that sees several soldiers run over, Lee is successfully rescued and returned to the safety of Hell.
Ellie and Lee get together and form a romantic relationship after a dream that Ellie has, and Fi and Homer also get involved in a romantic relationship. Ellie finds them to be an unlikely couple, and is a bit jealous at first, but towards the end accepts the fact that she has Lee and Fi has Homer. Of course Kevin and Corrie have been in a romantic relationship for a few months before the invasion.
They decide to raid nearby farmhouses, searching for food and other supplies, and then retreat to Hell to establish a base camp for themselves. The group decides to wage a guerrilla war against the invaders and Ellie, Fi, and Homer steal a petrol tanker, and blow it up under a bridge, destroying the easiest route into Wirrawee (the detour was very slow and complicated). While this is happening Corrie is shot in the back while finding food with Kevin, and Kevin sacrifices his freedom to drive her to an occupied hospital for medical assistance. This leads onto the end of the book which stops there leaving the reader wondering if Corrie will be all right.
Literary significance and reception
Horn Book Magazine said that Tomorrow, When the War Began is "a riveting adventure through which Marsden explores the capacity for evil and the necessity of working together to oppose it."[1] Book Report magazine said that it was "an exciting story of self-discovery and survival."[2]
Notes
- ^ Knoth, Maeve Visser (Jul/Aug95). "Tomorrow, When the War Began". Horn Book Magazine. Vol. 71 (Issue 4): p467. ISSN 0018-5078.
{{cite journal}}:|issue=has extra text (help);|pages=has extra text (help);|volume=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Decker, Charlotte (Sep/Oct95). "Reviews: Fiction". Book Report. Vol. 14 (Issue 2): p39. ISSN 0731-4388.
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The Movie
On June 16th it was announced that Screen Australia was to produce Tomorrow, When the War Began as a movie. The movie is to be written and directed by Stuart Beattie, whose credits include Australia_(2008_film) and Pirates of the Caribbean one, two and three. The film will be produced by Andrew Mason for Ambience Entertainment and is expected to show in cinemas in 2010.
Cast.
Caitlin Stasey to play Ellie Linton (announced 04/09/09)
Ashleigh Cummings to play Robyn Mathers (announced 13/09/09)
Phoebe Tonkin to play Fiona Maxwell
Chris Pang to play Lee (announced 17/09/09)
Deniz Akdeniz to play Homer Yannos
Lincoln Lewis to play Kevin Holmes
Andy Ryan to play Chris Lang
Rachel Hurd-wood to play Corie McKenzie (announced 21/09/09)
Further Staff.
Distribution company: Paramount
Producer: Andrew Mason
Executive producers: Christopher Mapp, Matthew Street and David Whealy
Writer/director: Stuart Beattie
Synopsis. When their country is invaded and families taken, eight unlikely high school teenagers band together to fight.
Filming and Production The movie is being produced in the small country town of Raymond Terrace where the centre street, King Street, has been transformed from its often quiet location into Main Street, Wirrawee. Road blocks are set up and King Street is closed for filming between 6am and 10pm each day. The set up has been taking place since September 2009. Set areas include 'Wirrawee cinema' and Lee's Familys Asian Restaurant. It is estimated the film will generate nearly $60 million in economic activity and create about 200 jobs. Production will move to Dungog and Luskintyre.