Adam Sternbergh
Crown Publishing
Jan 2014
This read may not be what you think it is.
You may have heard some talk or read some blurbs: post-apocalyptic, murder-mystery, romance.
Nope.
On the other hand, if you've heard gritty, dark, violent, and masterful, then you may be closer to what this offers.
What's different about this book
For a debut novel, this reads like it was written by an old hand at authoring. The characterization is cohesive and compelling; the plotting is tight and fast; and the resolution is satisfying -- and comes very quickly. There are two different voices from the same narrator, the spademan: One is the terse, cryptic but (largely) understandable voice that sounds like a person actually in this situation would sound like. Then there is the voice that comes when narration and dialog are given: full sentences, clearly understandable thoughts, and smoother to read. One might think that the author chose the voices based on how much he wanted the reader to understand at particular points in time. Great crafting.
I enjoyed this adult dystopian novel, perhaps because the entire United States hadn't died, just Times Square and the New York City area. The post-dirty bomb setting is well described, and the contrast between the "dead" zone and the "normal" world outside makes for a great read, particularly for someone who has not read a lot of dystopian novels.
What I'll do now that I've read this book
This will be a great sell to my adult library patrons who want grit and reality -- but still enjoy the not-quite-real setting in their novels. I'm glad I've read it -- and I'll share with others who will be equally entertained.
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