Lake at the End of the World

Trust is one of the few key ideas that Caroline Macdonald, the writer of ‘Lake at the End of the World’ has defined. The story is told from two sides of two different adolescents, Hector and Diana. They have to trust each other and try to live in a world where there is no certainty of what will happen tomorrow.
Hector comes from an underground community where they all believed in a charismatic leader named John Smith (The Counsellor). When he promised a safe and well subsidized accommodation along with the best learning and health facilities with top scientists, doctors, engineers, technicians and so on, they trusted him. Until they found out the other side of the story wasn’t told. There was a specific time to do work, study etc. You were not allowed to leave whenever you want and your families were separated into different groups. Their dependency on the Counsellor was all they had.
When Hector was disorientated in the baffling labyrinth he could only depend on his basset hound, Stewart. Once Diana offered to take Hector back to the lake, they both knew they had to rely on each other and that there was no turning back. Hector trusted Diana that she will take him to a safe location and in good condition. Diana also trusted Hector that he didn’t have the ‘illness’ despite his unusual characteristics.
Once Hector returned to the underground to retrieve medicine for Diana’s sick mum, the community was pleased of his return. The doctor, Felix, had assured Hector and Diana that they had the right prescription but Hector grew suspicious of Felix and found out that Felix was working with the Counsellor and only gave Diana one dose of the prescription and later realized that was not true.
This novel uncovers how deceitful and reliable a person can be. It shows that you really can’t trust anyone entirely no matter how charismatic, charming or trustworthy you may think they