BLOOD RED ROAD by Moira Young
Pub. Date: June 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Format: Hardcover , 464pp
Age Range: Young Adult
Series: Dustlands Series #1
Source: Publisher (ARC)
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. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.
Flooded with action-packed adventure, BLOOD RED ROAD had me gripping the pages for more dangerous goodies. This book is unlike any book I've ever read. The writing style is so different that I was hesitant about reading it at first. Boy, am I glad I didn't let it hinder me from missing out on a great dystopian novel.
To understand Saba's POV is to imagine someone who's always been secluded from the outside world and the dangers beyond Silverlake. Because of her seclusion, I assumed her illiteracy accounted for the way she talked. The way the characters talk reminds me of the olden days with words like, "fer" instead of "for," and "jest" instead of "just." Once I got assimilated with their way of speaking, I had no problems flying through the pages. Saba represents what I like in my heroines, she's strong and she's willing to do whatever it takes to save her loved ones.
I can only imagine what's to come in the next installment. BLOOD RED ROAD had just about everything - action, romance, suspense, and hints of paranormal elements. This series can go in so many directions and hopefully the next one is just as good.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Read an excerpt here.
Check out the book trailer!
