3.5 stars In this remarkable debut, most of the earth is covered by water after years of devastating flooding. Livable land is minimal and raider ships3.5 stars In this remarkable debut, most of the earth is covered by water after years of devastating flooding. Livable land is minimal and raider ships, along with breeding ships, are a constant danger. Civilization has collapsed and there are no basic amenities. Myra and her daughter Pearl survive by fishing and trading for basic necessities. When Myra hears her older daughter, Row, who was taken from her 7 years ago, was seen alive in a northern community, they leave on a dangerous journey by sea to search for her. After running into trouble, Myra combines forces with the crew of a larger ship, and she will stop at nothing in order to find her daughter, regardless of the danger or consequences.
This is an adventure tale of survival I won’t soon forget. The world building was well-crafted and the image of this new world was terrifying. Yet this book is so much more than a survival story. It’s a story of survival, but also a story about grief and holding onto hope against all the odds. It’s about strength of character and sacrificing for those you love. It’s about opening up and trusting people when your life normally depends on the mistrust of people.
I did enjoy this story but it is a bleak one and is overly long with some repetitiveness. This novel will appeal to those who don’t require their characters to be likable. There are moral ambiguities and I was left with much to ponder after I turned the last page.
Marialyce and I deviated from our usual genres with this post-apocalyptic book and there was much to discuss.
At 51% I’m done. I loved the voice and the writing but I’m growing very weary of hearing about Vivian’s sexual exploits. I loved the era and the settiAt 51% I’m done. I loved the voice and the writing but I’m growing very weary of hearing about Vivian’s sexual exploits. I loved the era and the setting. The audiobook narrator was incredible. But it wasn’t enough to save this book for me.
I’m all for women owning their sexuality but by the halfway point I’d like to see some growth and maturity. Promiscuity is not a step forward for women, it’s a step backward. Vivian is rather a bore and this book is way too long given the subject matter.
Moving on....
I received an e-galley via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review....more
Iris Massey is dead of terminal cancer at the young age of 33. Smith, her boss at a struggling PR fiThis book is a fun twist on the epistolary novel.
Iris Massey is dead of terminal cancer at the young age of 33. Smith, her boss at a struggling PR firm, is still reeling from her death when he discovers she had spent 6 months writing a blog filled with her musings. She left instructions for him to publish them after her death.
Doesn’t sound too fun yet does it? But, with the help of his overly-eager college intern Carl, Smith attempts to get permission to publish from Iris’s neurotic sister Jade, and things quickly get complicated. Told in a series of e-mails, blog posts, text messages, and online therapy sessions, their inner lives and the baggage they each carry come to light. Carl the intern is hilarious and provides much of the humor.
Equally funny and poignant, this is a look into how to come to terms with regrets, loss, and grief, and move on in life. But make no mistake, this book isn’t drab and depressing. Carl comes along at just the right moments to add the needed levity. The format may be a sign of the digital age but the insight and emotions conveyed are timeless.
This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce. While I enjoyed it a bit more than she did, we both found it to be a worthwhile read....more
The opening line: “I want you to understand Mary and what she did. But I don’t know if you will. You’ve got to wonder if in the end you’d make the sameThe opening line: “I want you to understand Mary and what she did. But I don’t know if you will. You’ve got to wonder if in the end you’d make the same choice, circumstances being similar, or even the same, God help you.”
This book captivated me from the first line to the last. This is a powerful, heartbreaking read that should not be missed.
The omniscient narrator is a dead soldier who served with his best friend, Eden, who now lies in a hospital bed with devastating injuries from the same blast that killed our narrator. Actually, devastating doesn’t come close to describing the horrific injuries and burns that have left him a shell of a man.
The unnamed narrator, who is a friend to both Eden and Mary, goes back and forth in time fluidly to give us a better understanding of the characters. Eden’s wife Mary is a complicated character who has been holding vigil over Eden for 3 years. Her backstory has left her guilty and conflicted, but her love for Eden is never in doubt.
Nothing I can say will do this book justice. It’s a slim volume but is very powerful. It will have you questioning and considering what it means to be alive, what war does to our veterans and the families they leave behind, the loyalty between soldiers, and the nature of marriage, love and friendship.
This is a haunting story, one I won’t soon forget. The topic is a heavy one and the fact that it is slim volume makes it easier to bear. Highly, highly recommended. It has earned a place on my keeper shelf. An easy 5 stars!...more
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