Review: The Sandbox by JW Patrick

An intense and unpredictable adventure set against a rich narrative landscape, The Sandbox by JW Patrick is a memorable new work of YA science fiction. When three young teenagers’ lives collide after a mysterious impact event, their worlds are thrown into a fascinating and potentially dangerous spiral driven by forces beyond their control or understanding.

The focal characters of this novel – Isla, Sonny and Dan – make for a brilliant trio of protagonists wrestling with powers they had previously thought were impossible. When they discover a world – The Sandbox – where they can do anything they want in a limitless existence, it seems like a dream come true. However, the true significance of such a discovery gradually becomes clear to them. Having such great power, and being able to change the real world, is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly.

While the premise of the novel is sweeping and philosophical, begging questions about gods and men, control, and the slippery slopes of power, the true beauty of the writing comes in the development of these central characters. The story actually gets off to a rather slow start, with the author investing time and creative energy in making these young characters as engaging and relatable as possible. Isla is a Scottish handicapped woman on a charity hand-cycling tour, while Sonny and Dan are Oklahoma locals with plenty of pain in their own pasts, and the trio works brilliantly on the page. Readers would be hard-pressed not to root for these characters as they navigate the dangerous waters of power, ambition and personal growth.

The potential that these mysterious powers give to each character could change their lives forever, and solve the problems each has struggled with—culturally, physically, socially, environmentally. This possibility provides some of the book’s deeper moments of reflection. As more sinister powers and people descend on this small corner of Oklahoma, innocents begin to die, and these three young heroes must rise to this great challenge.

On a larger scale, given that our present world is suffering innumerable ills, The Sandbox asks the right questions: what would the impact of such powers be? Who would try to control them? Would they be used for good or evil? Has humanity reached a tipping point of desperation? The novel is certainly targeted at a younger generation who will have to face a new slate of problems, and the story has great value for that demographic of readers who will need to have better answers for the hardest questions than previous generations.

The writing could definitely use a thorough polish, as there were numerous grammatical errors, and some of the sentences are overly simplistic, even for the age group. Younger readers can still be open to detailed descriptions and complex sentence structure. As a whole, this is a patient, timely, creative and thoughtful book that discusses key social and environmental issues within the framework of a thrilling adventure. Fascinating and thought-provoking, the book and the magical realm of The Sandbox are well worth exploring.