Sylvana

=**__Nest of Lies__**=

By: Heather McQuillan
__Ashlee:__ she is like a fairy tale character, Cinderella. Ashlee has been through a lot as she has divorced parents, and she also has stepsisters who treat her very badly. Ashlee learns many things like courage, bravery, she also learns how to believe in herself. At the same time she also experiences doubt throughout the book. As her dad is not home a lot the only way she can talk to him is with a phone.

__Papa:__ he is a very gentle, kind man, who understands Ashlee the most out of the whole family. He does not spend much time with his family as his work that is far away.

__Elsie:__ she is Ashlee's mother. Just like in the story Cinderella Elsie makes Ashlee do everything for her and her daughters. Elsie also blames most things on Ashlee for example, when she made Bretty cry for telling a story that she shouldn't have, and blamed it on Ashlee.

__Felix:__ he is Ashlee’s younger brother. Felix is also dead as he got very sick and he could not fight it any longer. Felix has many wonderful memories with Ashlee that he will never forget. Felix is a lot like Ashlee in the sense of their thoughts. Felix left clues for his sister so that she could discover things that she and Felix will only know.


 * Ashlee finds a bird
 * Ashlee tells family, but they think she is crazy
 * Ashlee continues to see the birds and finds out whether birds to carry the plague
 * Ashlee finds more clues on Felix, and tries to figure out if he is alive or not.
 * Ika and her step sister finds out about Ashlee spending time with the birds. Ika does not tell anyone but her step sister does.
 * Ika and Ashlee become friends
 * Ashlee and Ika convince more and more people about the plague.
 * Ika and Ashlee get in trouble with the law and are sent to court
 * Ashlee and Ika are not sent to jail as they have evidence

Ashlee lives in a town that is almost destroyed by pollution and the plague. Birds are blamed for the plague and everybody is terrified of them. A group called the Citadel has taken over, but is making everything worse, and they believe that it is better that people believe only one thing as they think opinions don't exist. Ashlee begins to doubt when she sees a bird nesting on some eggs near her home. When she is caught with the eggs by an ugly stepsister and labelled a witch she sets out into a world she didn’t know existed. This is a world of resistance. A world where scientists and conservationists plot the downfall of the citadel that are not only poisoning minds but the environment as well. The action takes place in a location that is remarkably like Christchurch and Banks Peninsula and there is talk of a toppled cathedral. There is tension throughout the novel and the ending is action packed and ultimately hopeful. So it should be. Good should always triumph over evil.

In this story the relationship is mostly family as Ashlee finds her relative that has been lost for a very long time. Ashlee's father also does not continue having a relationship with his wife, as he finds out how Elsie has been really treating Ashlee.

I definitely enjoyed the story as it reminded me of fairy tales like Cinderella. I would recommend this book to my friends and family of all ages. This is a book that anyone can enjoy. I think the most Interesting part was the end, but I don't want to give the ending away, but I will only say that there was a happily ever after. Sylvana Galvez 8 Green