Moira Young
Published by Margaret K. McElderry
464 pp.
Young Adult
SYNOPSIS (from Book Cover):
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story.
MY REVIEW: I first heard about this book over the summer from a bookseller at Vroman's in Pasadena, CA. She said that if I liked Hunger Games, I'd like this book. So I picked up a copy. Well, I actually like Blood Red Road more than I liked Hunger Games. The odd dialect of the characters took a little getting used to (they all talk like Texans) but once I got the rhythm of the language down, I couldn't put it down. Saba is a feisty, determined girl with a fighting spirit. I found myself rooting for her from the very first page. And I appreciated the absence of foul language and sex that is so prevalent in many YA novels. I can recommend this with a clear conscience. I wouldn't even hesitate letting my slightly younger pre-teen kids read it. It's page turning action, light humor, realistic characters, and romantic tension makes this book a worthy read.
RATING: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars
PROFANITY: None
VIOLENCE: Moderate
SEX: None
I loved this book too! The dialect was a little tricky at first, but I think over all, it added so much to the feel in this story.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I rooted for Saba every page too! She ticked me off at times.. but she was such a great character.. I'm kicking myself now, I should have nominated her for the YA tourney. she slipped my mind when I was filling that out.. but she would have been great! grrr. :)
Oh this sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this one too. :) I was a little unsure at the beginning, because Saba was just so MEAN (Even Katniss liked her sister. ;)). But I was won over by the middle. And by Jack.
ReplyDeletewhy not 5 stars then i actually injoyed blood red road its one of the three distopias i liked right after the hunger games and chaos walking my only critisism is that it was dificult to read sometimes and to be honest saba isnt my favorit charecter though i wermed up to her by the ending yet she was a bit to cold for my liking
ReplyDeleteWhy not 5 stars? Good question. I am pretty picky about which books I give that honor. I have to LOVE it! I mean, I have to gobble it up, and it has to stick with me long after I read the last page. I really liked this book. Well written. Great characters. Enjoyable romp. But just fell shy of love. Books that have really stuck with me this year are UNWIND, THE BOOK THIEF, and THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. I didn't give them 5 stars, but as time has passed, I still think about them and love them. I think I would now give them all 5 stars.
ReplyDeletegreat i heard a lot about unwind i think i shoud read it sometime soon.
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