Hot on the heels of Eileen Merriman’s outstanding trilogy Violet Black, the next series looms large on the YA fiction scene in Aotearoa New Zealand. Indigo Moon is the first in a trilogy of the Eternity Loop series, a stunning and quick paced adventure that teenagers are going to love. Merriman quickly moves into her characteristic style that sets the tone for the rest of the novel, ducking and diving around a complex plot which messes around with time and the (un)expected consequences.
Indigo is the child of a new range of optimised adults who - some years earlier - were part of a generation of experiments that result in the unlikely consequences of being able to shift and manipulate time. Ever the party girl, Indigo cannot keep to the two most important rules of this new generation: 1 Never shift in public and 2. No time-travelling. Instead she manages to find herself in London in a different time zone where she inevitably breaks more rules than ever, meeting friends, partying and then meeting Billy.
Indigo isn’t the only child in such a position, best friend Rigel is similar to Indigo’s plight. Like Indigo, there is a constant feeling of concern over who can be trusted and who is likely to betray them.
The premise is complex, and takes a bit of thinking as the novel develops - thankfully Merriman includes a character list and the links between them at the beginning of the novel, particularly helpful for those who have not read the Black Spiral series and are therefore unfamiliar with some of the characters.
One aspect of all of Merriman’s writings is her uncanny ability to describe these unfamiliar worlds with clarity and such vivacious imagery. She constructs layer after layer until the reader is immersed in these scenarios and builds more comprehension of how the narrative develops. In this latest instalment she solidifies the fact that with each book she is growing as an author and building on previous work in new and interesting ways. Indigo is such a vivid character, and so richly constructed that, like so many of her previous protagonists, feels so real.
The narrative is brilliantly constructed, effortlessly moving between two main narrators whose individual voices are clear and differentiated with wonderful skill. The science fiction element is, as always, clearly defined and realistic - aided by the short chapters and differing perspectives.
Overall, the story is brilliantly constructed and Merriman’s authorial voice is stronger than ever before. This is an absolute page turner for those who love adventure, science fiction and time travel.
Reviewer: Chris Reed
Penguin