I have been sitting here for a while trying to think of a graceful and interesting way to open this review. I’m failing horribly. So, in the interest of saving time (for those of you that like quick easy to read reviews) I’ll just go ahead and start with the obvious:
I did NOT like this book.
For everyone else, let me share with you the synopsis and then tell you why I gave it 1 star. (ouch!)
The oceans stopped working before Willo was born, so the world of ice and snow is all he’s ever known. He lives with his family deep in the wilderness, far from the government’s controlling grasp. Willo’s survival skills are put to the test when he arrives home one day to find his family gone. It could be the government; it could be scavengers–all Willo knows is he has to find refuge and his family. It is a journey that will take him into the city he’s always avoided, with a girl who needs his help more than he knows.
When I first got this book I was intrigued by it’s concept. Even more by the means in which it came to life in the author’s head.
“What if winter never ended?”
Good question, right? Unfortunately…Crockett never actually answered it. Yes, there was blistering cold and the effects that it had on the human race and the planet as a whole, but the WHAT was very vaguely tapped into, and even when it was addressed it felt shifty and generally confusing.
The story as a whole centers around Willo, who (for those of you who are curious about the entourage of “awkward writing” reviews posted for this book) is a mountain raised (aka backwoods) child in every sense of the word. His speech is impaired (leaving out necessary conjunctions such as the, and, at) and filled with slurs (coz, for example.) He spends a significant amount of time alone (which leads to a “Cast Away ” Wilson the volleyball-ish type internal dialogue with a dog – which happens to be dead and worn as a hat.) And his main focus is on survival skills and trapping animals (no big surprise there.)
When looking at it from a “big picture” standpoint it all makes sense, (even the rough language) but that doesn’t make it any easier to read. As a matter of fact it is horribly distracting AND had me shoving the book aside for almost 3 months because I just couldn’t get passed it.
The plot itself wasn’t much better. It had mounds of potential, just steaming right there under the surface, and could have (if written properly) made a huge splash in the Dystopian craze that is sweeping the literary world (there was strife, corrupt government, and even a resistance) but somewhere along the 200 page mark Crockett got lost.
Lost?
Yes…lost, and I had NO IDEA what I was actually reading. Was it a dystopian novel? A survivalist novel? A manifesto? A lesson in human behavior?
Crockett was throwing around ideas and strings of rambling thoughts so fast that it was hard to sort the story from the junk, and in the end it felt as though even Crockett had no idea what she was trying to say so she ended it in a horribly drab shoulder shrug (aka, oh well…this is life, let’s get a horse and move South. WTH?!) Characters were left hanging, there were plot points never expanded upon and the society (as a whole) was never really explained (Why did they lock down the settlements? Why is China the promise land? Why? Why? Why? *sigh*)
In the end (as my title implies) I was left feeling disappointed and annoyed. Not exactly what I’m looking for in a book.
My suggestion, spend your money elsewhere. This book will give you nothing but a headache and a strong appreciation for public schools.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: there is a time and a place for everything…
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[Rating:1/5]Book Trailer
