Reliable sci-fi entertainment that breaks little new ground.
Robinson’s debut novel reimagines Defoe’s classic story, with plucky teenage Robinson Crusoe in a dystopian future 200 years from now.
Sometime in the near future, humanity nearly destroys itself, leaving a ruined world. Hundreds of years later, civilization is rebuilt as an oppressive society of haves and have-nots, where a new group of wealthy and powerful families—called Tiers—have arisen. Into this dog-eat-dog, class-based culture is born young Robinson Crusoe, whose father is Tier of Transportation. His lifelong wish for adventure is answered when political conflict between Tiers wipes out his family and he’s forced to flee for his life. His midnight journey takes an even more frightening turn when he’s shipwrecked on the forbidden shores of America, a vast, terrifying wasteland. Though at first it seems he cannot possibly survive, Robinson employs ingenuity and a considerable amount of luck to keep alive in the ruins of what was once Washington, D.C., now haunted by cannibals, savages and deadly mutations called Renders. As he struggles to live from day to day, he’s joined in his efforts by his own “Girl Friday” —in this case, a young girl. Risky romance, constant danger and a great degree of personal growth are central to the narrative, as Robinson finds he must uncover a great secret from the past that could spell salvation or final destruction to the world. He must choose whether or not he wishes to rise beyond mere survival to become a true hero. The characters are entertaining but lightweight, and their dialogue is serviceable: “I don’t hate you, boy,” a man tells Robinson. “Only what you’re destined to become.” The plot is understandably derivative, combining Defoe’s original with the general template of dystopian YA sci-fi in the 21st century. Nevertheless, the text is breezy and engaging, and the pace and color make the familiarity forgivable. Typographical errors are somewhat frequent, but the tale, first in a planned series, is comfortably, competently told.
Reliable sci-fi entertainment that breaks little new ground.Pub Date: July 31, 2014
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 266
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Heartfelt, yes, but pretty routine.
Life lessons.
Angie Malone, the youngest of a big, warm Italian-American family, returns to her Pacific Northwest hometown to wrestle with various midlife disappointments: her divorce, Papa’s death, a downturn in business at the family restaurant, and, above all, her childlessness. After several miscarriages, she, a successful ad exec, and husband Conlan, a reporter, befriended a pregnant young girl and planned to adopt her baby—and then the birth mother changed her mind. Angie and Conlan drifted apart and soon found they just didn’t love each other anymore. Metaphorically speaking, “her need for a child had been a high tide, an overwhelming force that drowned them. A year ago, she could have kicked to the surface but not now.” Sadder but wiser, Angie goes to work in the struggling family restaurant, bickering with Mama over updating the menu and replacing the ancient waitress. Soon, Angie befriends another young girl, Lauren Ribido, who’s eager to learn and desperately needs a job. Lauren’s family lives on the wrong side of the tracks, and her mother is a promiscuous alcoholic, but Angie knows nothing of this sad story and welcomes Lauren into the DeSaria family circle. The girl listens in, wide-eyed, as the sisters argue and make wisecracks and—gee-whiz—are actually nice to each other. Nothing at all like her relationship with her sluttish mother, who throws Lauren out when boyfriend David, en route to Stanford, gets her pregnant. Will Lauren, who’s just been accepted to USC, let Angie adopt her baby? Well, a bit of a twist at the end keeps things from becoming too predictable.
Heartfelt, yes, but pretty routine.Pub Date: July 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-345-46750-7
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2004
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.
A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.
Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ (Wilder, 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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