Standish Treadwell stands on the brink of bringing down an elaborate hoax perpetrated by the insidious rulers of the Motherland, an alternate-universe mashup of Stalinist Russia and the Nazi-era Germany. Messing with the Greenflies, as they’re known, means certain death. After all, they imprisoned and tortured his best friend Hector, killed his teacher, and threatened his family. They would certainly do worse to Standish, whose bravery does not go unnoticed by the evil rulers. However, success means striking the Greenflies where they’re most vulnerable. Standish’s love for Hector gives him the courage to fight back against the fascist regime he so despises.
Sally Gardner’s Maggot Moon is a dark YA novel that infuses a dystopian world with an unexpectedly powerful story of love, friendship and resilience. Standish Treadwell’s dyslexia only adds to the seemingly insurmountable obstacles before him. But make no mistake; while this is a fast, suspenseful read, Gardner’s vision of a teenager learning how to survive under the constant threat of violence and repression is bleak. However, readers who can handle a frighteningly realistic dystopian world will find much to like in Maggot Moon.