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ABOUT THE STORY
Decades after the discovery that a small percentage of the population has stopped ageing, the Avalonia Zone is in crisis. From overpopulation to food shortages, the ‘Undying’ have been blamed for the state’s problems, banished to the fringes of society, and punished for every minor infraction. When sixteen-year-old Sadie takes the fall for an attack by a rebel group, The Alchemists, she suddenly finds herself wrenched away from her quiet life and from her ailing father.
Armed with little help and even less knowledge, Sadie is thrust into a cold and cryptic ‘correctional facility’ – The Tower. Here she’ll have to rethink everything she’s been told about the Undying population in an attempt to save the life she knows, protect a group of unlikely friends, and give voice to the voiceless in a society on the brink of catastrophic upheaval.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa lives in the Northwest of England with her Bassetoodle, Zelda (such a wonderful name!). She has an MA merit in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester. Right now, Melissa organises writing workshops and offers editorial services for (perhaps your) manuscripts. Besides 'The Undying Tower' she also wrote 'My Love Life And The Apocalypse' (13.04.2023) and 'Soulmates and Other Ways to Die' (14.03.2024).
OUR LITTLE INTERVIEW
1. Did you know beforehand you wanted this story in three parts?
This book is most definitely a love letter to all those dystopian, 2010s trilogies that I absolutely devoured as a teenager - I'm thinking things like 'The Hunger Games', 'Divergent', and 'The Darkest Minds'. These were all trilogies, and I do think that played a big part in my decision to explore a larger, almost fantasy world over three parts. Trilogies give room for multiple character development, not to mention the space to fully explore the world the books are set in, and there's something really magical as a reader returning to a world that is familiar, with new adventures to be had as each book progresses.
2. I loved this story and its characters so much! That’s why I’d like to know: who is your favorite character in this book? And was it also the easiest character to write about?
TYSM! Honestly Sadie, the main character, was very clear for me to write. She grows up in a privileged world so when she's thrown into prison for a crime she didn't commit, she takes a while to come around to the fact that the safe world she knew may not be safe for everyone. I think that is a viewpoint I am absolutely guilty of and trying to educate myself on every day to become a better ally. In terms of a favourite character though, it has to be Rivers. I want her to be my real-life best friend, she's just so cool and brave!
3. Why did you choose the Ouroboros as a symbol for The Alchemists?
I've always loved mythology and symbols, and the Ouroboros is one that appears across many different mythologies across the world, which I just think is fascinating. The image of the serpent eating its own tail is a symbol of the cycle of life, or eternal life, across both religion and traditional mysticism and early sciences. So I liked the idea of bringing together a cult-like false religion, alchemy, and a touch of scientific explanation. The Ouroboros seemed to do all of that for me - a gift for a writer!
4. So far all your books have this touch of speculative/end of the world, if you had to change genre completely, what genre would you choose and why?
I do love to write about how The End Of The World is never quite, well, the end of the world, it's true! But if I was to write something different, I'd really love to try my hand at epic fantasy. I do have an idea that's been rattling around in my head for a few years, and I've recently really got into House of the Dragon, plus started reading Brandon Sanderson, so something like that would be really fun to explore.
5. Can you already give us a hint about what will happen in part 2?
I have plotted out Books 2 and 3 - anyone that follows me on social media knows I'm a meticulous plotter, so I do know exactly where everyone will end up! For Book Two, expect to see more of the world of the Avalonia Zone - without spoilers, our characters are contained to a small corner of the book universe for Book 1, and there will be many more chances to explore the country and the oppressive government system in Book 2! Plus we get to see a lot more of Sadie's childhood best friend, Jasper - if you've read the book, he has some explaining to do!
Bonus question: what are you reading at the moment?
I am currently reading the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson! It really hits the balance between dystopian and fantasy fiction and I'm really enjoying that aspect of it. I just finished reading 'Songlight' by Moira Buffini, which comes out September 2024 and is another dystopian treat for avid fans of the genre.
ABOUT THE BOOK
'The Undying Tower' is the first part in a new dystopian trilogy. We can even say it falls under the category YA speculative⭑ novel. And gosh, I loved it so much (read it in one day!)! It reminded me of two novels (the second one will be in white letters because it’ll give spoilers away if you know this one already): 'Scythe' by Neal Shusterman and 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro. 'The Undying Tower' feels like a reflection of our society and how some people treat minorities. This is one of the reasons why I liked this book so much. Besides this, the characters are believable and the growth of Sadie is fantastically done. For once, our main character is actually wondering why kids and young adults need to “save the world” and not the adults (she has a good point!). There are so many characters I loved, especially Freya and Rivers (and of course, Sadie). Gosh, I can go on and on. But now is not the time to write a novel. So I’ll stop and say: “Please read this book if you love YA dystopian fiction!” And, of course, the book is available in our shop.
⭑”With subgenres like fantasy, science fiction, horror, alternate history and more, speculative fiction is an encompassing genre that freely explores possibility and impossibility alike.” Source: SNHU
Thank you so much, Melissa, for this interview and for looking forward to the next book in The Undying Tower trilogy!
Author: Melissa Welliver
Book: The Undying Tower
Publishing date: 01.08.2024
Website: Melissa Welliver
Instagram: Melissa Welliver