The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
Published by Sourcebooks
Challenge: None
Source: Review copy
Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget.
I've got to say that I was so excited to read this book as the premise sounds fantastic. While it was easily readable I've got to say it really wasn't for me.
The main storyline is a really interesting idea - the premise is that water has become so scare it is a rare an valuable commodity - and it would appeal to people who were interested in environmental issues.
The story itself rocketed along and I found that I finished it quickly and was quite engaged with it as the plot unfolded.
I found the characters to be a little shallow, by which I mean I didn't really warm to any of the characters at all and I would have liked them to have been developed a bit more so that I could have warmed to them. I also found that because of this I didn't really get why they were doing the things they were (especially Vera and Will for someone they didn't even really know). While they were older teenagers I found that I saw them in my head as much younger in how they were portrayed.
I also found the storyline itself to be both a bit too epic while being a bit too rushed in places. Suddenly characters were in situations and I found myself having to flick backwards to reread passages to find out how they had got there.
All in all not a bad book but not an amazing one either. I think it would be a fab introduction for younger readers to dystopian fiction.
Published by Sourcebooks
Challenge: None
Source: Review copy
Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget.
***
The main storyline is a really interesting idea - the premise is that water has become so scare it is a rare an valuable commodity - and it would appeal to people who were interested in environmental issues.
The story itself rocketed along and I found that I finished it quickly and was quite engaged with it as the plot unfolded.
I found the characters to be a little shallow, by which I mean I didn't really warm to any of the characters at all and I would have liked them to have been developed a bit more so that I could have warmed to them. I also found that because of this I didn't really get why they were doing the things they were (especially Vera and Will for someone they didn't even really know). While they were older teenagers I found that I saw them in my head as much younger in how they were portrayed.
I also found the storyline itself to be both a bit too epic while being a bit too rushed in places. Suddenly characters were in situations and I found myself having to flick backwards to reread passages to find out how they had got there.
All in all not a bad book but not an amazing one either. I think it would be a fab introduction for younger readers to dystopian fiction.
Comments
Great review :D