Book review: The Changes by Peter Dickinson

 

Today was quite warm in the sun, at least during the afternoon, so I did some reading outside and finished Peter Dickinson’s The Changes.  Not much of that story actually stayed with me from my read through as a teen.  I remembered the basic framework of the changes in England and the young girl who becomes the “canary” for a nomadic Sikh extended family,  who interestingly are not affected by the madness that takes over the native English.  It becomes Nicky’s job to tell them when she becomes upset by any ‘evil machinery’ which, if the Sikhs use it, is going to bring down the yelling medieval peasantry [20th century model] upon them.

( Here be spoilers )