Flight of the Fantail by Steph Matuku

Straight out the gate Steph Matuku lets us know exactly what kind of characters we’re going on a journey with in Flight of the Fantail. From a clever opening that intros us to the usual high school types we’ve come to expect. From the cliche bullying Pretty Party Girls Idelle and Chantelle, to the jocks Rocky, Jahmin and Liam, and Mandy and Eva, through to our erstwhile heroine: Devin. Each is well fleshed out from the get go as we follow them either adapt to circumstances … or not. What I also liked, a lot, was the author’s skilful use of voice and perspective giving us not one or two POVs but several. All of which, I felt, helped in fleshing out the plot and giving the action another edge when things start to unravel. Which brings us to setting. When the bus carrying the students crashes in the forest and not just any forest, one that’s off limits because of a weird anomaly, we know this is going to be a familiar YA trope. But wait, Matuku throws in a curve ball, and gave me one of…