★★★★

…Slatton’s natural storytelling ability takes over and the reader finds themselves engrossed in another well envisioned story world.

This book is very well written, and is another great example of Slatton’s creative abilities. (But the reader is going to want to remember going in that this is the first of a trilogy — or you will find it very depressing, and even fatalistically frustrating.) Slatton has once again allowed her ability with words to develop a post apocalyptic world that draws the reader in, and allows them to work towards the struggle of survival right along side the characters. The characters are compelling and real in that Slatton is not afraid to develop characters that are more than one dimensional. They have weaknesses, and compulsions that are both horrifying and ennobling. Slatton has developed characters that have the courage to face a failing world, while at the same time demonstrating not only everything that is right about mankind, but everything that is wrong, as well. All of these characters are more than they appear on the surface. They are each confronted with a devastating situation that brings out not only the best, but the worst in each of them at the same time. It is all of these varying traits that gives the reader pause, and the opportunity to reflect on what actually makes up an individual, and why we — as a species — are given these vastly different character traits. These vast differences ultimately beg the question why are such emotional characteristics an overwhelmingly important part of the human experience?

Read the whole review at The Book Worm’s Library!