The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf

The Tribe, Book 1

By: Ambelin Kwaymullina

Narrated by: Candice Moll

“There will come a day when a thousand Illegals descend on your detention centers. Boomers will breach the walls. Skychangers will send lightning to strike you all down from above, and Rumblers will open the earth to swallow you up from below. . . . And when that day comes, Justin Connor, think of me.”

Ashala Wolf has been captured by Chief Administrator Neville Rose, a man who is intent on destroying Ashala’s Tribe — the runaway Illegals hiding in the Firstwood. Injured, vulnerable, with her Sleepwalker ability blocked, Ashala is forced to succumb to the machine that will pull secrets from her mind. And right beside her is Justin Connor, her betrayer, watching her every move. Will the Tribe survive the interrogation of Ashala Wolf?

©2012 Ambelin Kwaymullina, original book published by Candlewick Press. (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Interesting, Unique Setting

I've never read anything quite like "The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf." The post-apocalyptic setting was carefully thought out, the powers of the kids were interesting, "The Machine" was adequately ominous, and the connections to Aboriginal folklore were fascinating. That being said, I never really connected with Ashala. While most of the story focuses on her predicament and how she'll get through, a lot still centers around her feelings for Conner, and young love stories simply don't engage me. The scenes where she wrestled with her feelings and came to realizations about his were arduous for me. I found Ashala's love for the other kids in her tribe and her fierce desire to protect them much more compelling.

All in all, it's a good young adult, supernatural tale that I believe many people will enjoy. I just wish the love story wasn't so integral to the plot.

Thought-provoking & engagingly unique

A thoroughly fantastic dystopian read with well-explained magical abilities, thoughtful depictions of the apocolypse caused by careless human destruction & pollution against the earth, as well as enjoyable ties to Aboriginal folktales & beliefs.

Also, a great wielding of storytelling, going according to Ashala's current memories, it made me want to read the beginning chapters again & reanalyze according to what I know now!

Overall great audio performance & storytelling with endearing characters, and I look forward to listening to the rest of the series!

Excellent World Building

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was revealed in layers, almost like peeling back an onion. The characters were well developed and I connected with Ashala immediately. What impressed me most was the world building. It was wonderfully fleshed out, without feeling too detail heavy in the descriptions. I loved it.

Emotional performance of a hippy-dystopia

Narration was very skillful and I listened to it twice just for that but the story still falls into an old pattern of being a post apocalyptic tale for older kids and young teenagers.