Author Origin: Originally from U.S.A. Lives in Kelowna, BC.
Page Count: 310
Genre: Fiction/ Sci-Fi
Difficulty: Easy + (Easy for language and plot, + for some mature subject matter)
Grade Level: 10+
Key Talking Points: The future of humanity, survival, when and when not to trust, the ethics of medical testing, current politics
Sensitive Subject Matter: Rape, Sexuality, Medical Testing, Violence
I picked this book up on a whim in Chapters because it looked nice: all trees and snow and lovely contrast. I literally judged the book by its cover. But then the back cover teaser sounded interesting too and the price was right. I don't regret it. While it wasn't the most original thing I've ever read, it was a fast paced and entertaining hybrid of The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later, Mad Max, The Road, and The Hunger Games- all tasty on their own, so imagine this as holiday stuffing made with little chunks of each.
Summary: In your typical post-apocalyptic plot, the world has fallen into chaos due to the stupidity of the human race. It feels almost prophetic, actually, because the end of civilization as we know it comes due to the arrogance and antagonism of the United States of America (something that doesn't seem too far away given the current president). As a result, the world is now in an endless winter, and this segregates small groups of people as they struggle to survive. The isolation is made more so by the fact that a contagious sickness thinned out 3 in every 5 people on the planet. The story follows Lynn, a 23 year old, living with her mother, brother, uncle, and surrogate cousin in the Yukon. The cold is said to slow the passage of the sickness that still threatens, and so many people choose live scattered throughout the frigid northern wilderness. This sassy, red haired protagonist is an adept hunter with a compound bow, using it to bring home the meat the family depends upon in their little makeshift homestead. Lynn hadn't seen anyone besides the members of her family (and the one other person living nearby) in a long, long time, so when a stranger wanders close to her camp, he sparks her curiosity in more ways than one. Soon the stranger brings more trouble than any of them bargained for, catapulting Lynn into an adventure that takes her far from home and closer to discovering her true self.
Teacher Note: This novel has potential in terms of a character study of Lynn. Her adventures in the book are both physical and emotional, uncovering parts of her identity and her past that she has to come to terms with. It could also be looked at for formulaic plot conventions, such as "The Hero's Journey/Quest". All plots are said to be based on someone new coming to town or the protagonist leaving on a journey, and this book is both.
While this novel is a relatively easy read, the sensitive subject matter, as mentioned above, makes it more suitable for a mature audience. It also lends itself well to analysis using the feminist literary theory; there is a female protagonist written by a man, opening up a number of questions regarding her depiction.
Just personally, I know I wonder how a man decides he is confident enough to write from the first person perspective of a female protagonist. This isn't just a side character, we are inside Lynn's head the entire time. In his debut novel, Tyrell Johnson felt he could do justice to the social and emotional life of a 23 year old woman in one of the most tumultuous times of her life. This is where I start to have a problem with the text, as Lynn isn't always a fully realized, round character. There are many aspects of Lynn's character that are, for lack of a better way to say it, things a man would think a woman would be like. Or fantasize that women are like. Stereotypical. Shallow. For instance, Lynn thinks about sex a lot. A LOT. I understand that in this future society the pickings for continuing the human race are slim, but still, there are enough bigger fish to fry in order to just survive that Lynn's obsession seems contrived. These sexual references often come out of nowhere and go nowhere. She blurts out that she doesn't want to have sex with someone, but then returns to thoughts of having sex with him continuously. She describes awkward sexual encounters from her past that have little to no relevance to her interactions in the present. She sees a man, any man she is not related to, and instantly he is a potential sexual partner. Despite this, she doesn't have any sex, and thank goodness because I wouldn't want to see how Johnson handled that (I do not fail to see the irony in the author's last name as part of this discussion). Lynn also gets into sexual situations that read as added for shock value only. The sexual assault that opens the novel, for example, is not realistic and not purposeful. Really? The one other man for miles randomly assaults the one young girl for miles when he knows her family, knows they are close by, knows they have guns?! On top of that, that family does virtually NOTHING when they learn of the assault?! Then, there is also random nudity that does nothing for character or plot development besides adding some lukewarm sexual tension. So anyway, rant over. I'm not saying that I think men shouldn't write as women, just like I'm not saying women can't write as men; the whole point of being a writer is to embody the shape of your imagination, wherever it takes you. I'm just saying not everyone can do it successfully... and I'll leave it at that.
Final Thought: Sure, I had problems with it, but overall I did like it. Just don't overthink it and you will, too. So, if a quick read over the holidays is in the cards for you and you like adventure stories set in a broken, "back to basics" world of the future, chew this one up and see if you spit out the same bones I did. Oh, and I forgot to mention there is a cute dog, so it has that going for it. ;)
📚 Ms. CAN Lit
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