Selected as the Summer 2011 KidsNext list at Indiebound.org, BLOOD RED ROAD has been lauded as "Better than The Hunger Games" by MTV's Hollywood Crush Blog.
In a post-apocalyptic time long after the "Wreckers" have savaged the land and its resources, Saba is an 18 year old girl who has never been off her family's property of Silverlake. She has known few people outside of her immediate family - her twin brother, Lugh; her 9 year old sister, Emmi; her Pa; and her Ma, who died birthing Emmi. One day, four robed horsemen kill her father and take her brother away. Saba, usually reliant on her brother's wisdom and strength, promises to find him and bring him home. Setting out on a journey into unknown lands, Saba learns, she struggles, she fights, she fights, and she leads.
Saba's journey is not only an expedition of unknown lands, but it is also a self-discovery. The reader sees her gradual, and sometimes not-so-subtle, changes and becomes attached to this wiley, stubborn and spicy character. Realistically flawed, we root for her every step of the way.
I can not lie, it took me a while to get used to the phonetic spellings, lack of punctuation, and general poor grammar that had been handed down to Saba through generations devoid books, school, or communication. (It made me appreciate Moira Young's editor!) almost put BLOOD RED ROAD aside, but there was so much praise, I kept going. I am SO glad I did! Once I got used to the language, I learned to appreciate it, and its meaning to the people living in this society...and I couldn't put the book down if I tried!
BLOOD RED ROAD has been compared to THE HUNGER GAMES by MTV's Hollywood Crush Blog, and scores of reviewers since. Sure, I could write an entire dissertation comparing and contrasting the two books, and especially the two female kick-ass protagonists. Instead, I will only say that if you liked THE HUNGER GAMES, you will, in all likelihood, enjoy BLOOD RED ROAD.
Toward the end of the book, I worried about the conclusion. I doubted Moira Young's ability to wrap up her complex story in a satisfying way. There is nothing I hate more than an exciting book that leaves us hanging. Not so with BRR. Moira gives us a beginning, a middle and a satisfying end, while leaving a promise for more. Even though toward the end it felt a bit like a Jerry Bruckheimer movie - just when you think it's over, BAM! here comes another conflict that needs to be resolved - there was a lot of action and suspense, I can definitely see a movie adaptation in the works.
Adventure, suspense, friendships, family drama, and romance - BLOOD RED ROAD had it all! As the first book read in 2012, I think I'm off to a great start!
Book Extras:
Official Blood Read Road Page
About the Book:
Moira Young has been by turns an actress, dancer, and opera singer, but her first loves are books and writing. A native Canadian, she now lives in the UK with her husband. Blood Red Road is her first novel. Learn more at bloodredroad.com.
What Others Had to Say:
Escape in a Book
Presenting Lenore
Book Chick City
*Disclosure: A copy of this book was borrowed from my local library.
One more quick note:
I am a little disappointed in the paperback edition. Dust Lands is the name of the series, but by giving DUST LANDS top billing on the paperback, it looks like a completely different book. This is confusing. I'm assuming Saba needed to look older on the cover (she's 18, not exactly the little girl on the hardback cover) so a change needed to be made. This isn't my problem, though, it's the title itself. Confusing, right?
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7 comments:
I bought this book a few months ago when the rave reviews first started coming out. I think that I might be a little annoyed with all the idiosyncrasies in the grammar and spelling, but if you were eventually able to overlook them, then I am sure that I will be too. Great review on this one today. I can't wait to get to it!
New title to me and sounds really interesting! I agree with you about the second cover - while I do like the cover, I would have not have noticed it was the same book or the same title.
Hm, I'm not sure I could get past that spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
I thought the idiosyncratic spelling lent well to building the character. You can really "hear" how Saba would talk were she sitting beside you in real life telling the story.
I loved the language! I felt that it really helped me understand Saba and her stubborn ways more. This book was much more enjoyable for me than The Hunger Games, which I also love. It was a very engaging read, and I can't wait for the second book!
I've heard SUCH good things about BRR, but better than THG?? Blasphemy. Seriously though, if it's even comparable, I need to read it! Did you read the Chaos Walking series? I actually do think that series might be better than THG, and I wonder if the writing/phonetic spelling might be similar to the way Todd's character was written in Chaos Walking.
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