A cli-fi comic novel from Australia's Lisa Walker

''MELT'' BY LISA WALKER

POSTED BY 'MS K.' ON JUNE 6, 2018 IN ALL | LEAVE A COMMENT

You may remember author Lisa Walker from my previous review of her title  Arkie’s Pilgrimage to the Next Big Thing.  It was a lovely ride, full of whimsy.   Lisa is unafraid of big, outside-the-box ideas and she can make the crazy seem real. To top it all off she is funny and witty and good news is she does not disappoint with this new book.

I will admit that Melt’s storyline is a little out there and there is a romance factor, something I don’t usually gravitate toward – but this story is buoyed by such clever and sharply funny writing that I sailed through it with a giggle and (embarrassingly) the occasional snort.

So, dear Readheads, if you are looking for just this sort of joy ride, let me introduce you to Melt.

Set against the spectacular backdrop of Antarctica we meet Summer Wright, a TV producer sent there to imitate (…..stay with me ok) Glaciologist and femme-fatale Cougar Gale who has broken her ankle on the eve of her departure to film her Antarctic Christmas special ‘Cougar on Ice’.

Summer strives to live in her version of the Cone of Certainty – trying to hone her perfect life but in one of the coldest places on earth, things don’t always follow plan and Summer finds herself in some pretty hot water (sorry, but I had too).

Enter Climate Scientist Lucas Nilsson who, as his title suggests, wakes up reasonably quickly to Summer’s fake skills as a Glaciologist.  Stressful.

Next enter Science Minister Nathan Hornby who comes to Antarctica to prove climate science is a rort.  Annoying.

In tow with Hornby is Adrian, his assistant, and also Summer’s ex-boyfriend who she desperately wants to win back. Tricky.

And right there, you have the recipe for disaster – and salvation.

So how does it all turn out? Well, you will need to read the book to find out so I suggest you pick it up because in a world of gloom some days, Lisa’s writing is just the elixir we need.

Walker has quite the fan club with fabulous reviews from the Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun Herald to name a couple and I agree with them.    She brings a certain heroism to her characters that is dear and sweet and in this book, there is something very familiar about Summer.  I wonder if that is because you may have a sense you know someone like her, or rather because a little bit of Summer lives in us all?

But that is just my two cents worth.