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The Snow Laundry (Mette Jakobsen, HarperCollins) 

Ally, her boyfriend Bon, and hundreds of other homeless young people live together in a former hotel converted into a state-run laundry and kitchen. The new home is courtesy of the Administration, who have promised them freedom—once the resistance accepts the outcome of the coup. Ally’s perspective is limited to the events within the laundry and kitchens, but she soon starts noticing signs that the Administration are not as benevolent as they claim. The glimpses of the Administration that she sees evoke the extravagant and bloodthirsty Capitol of The Hunger Games, masquerading as saviours. When Bon disappears amid increased terror attacks, Ally begins to unravel the Administration’s lies and discovers their plan for the homeless young people they refer to as ‘rats’. The tension increases up until an ending that will have readers desperate for the promised sequel. Set in a not-too-distant future, the first YA book by author and playwright Mette Jakobsen is a dystopian novel with traditional themes of totalitarianism and rebellion. The tender relationships between Ally and Bon, and their friends Ollie and Berger, contrast with some very dark moments including attempted sexual assault and the graphic after-effects of a bombing. The Snow Laundry is a valuable addition to the Australian dystopian YA tradition that will appeal to fans of Claire Zorn’s The Sky So Heavy, for readers aged 15 and above.  

Ilona Urquhart is a children’s and youth services librarian on the Surf Coast and has a PhD in literary studies. 

 

Category: Junior Reviews