THE GROUND THAT DEVOURS US

Harris’ debut novel unfolds in a near-future where vampirism has all but wiped out humankind.

It’s been approximately a decade since vampires crawled from the grave and destroyed most of human civilization in a brutal, blood-soaked uprising. Orphaned twins Ripley and Ruby Clemmons were rescued from the Open—the wasteland between human enclaves where monsters roam free—by a man named Barnett who took them to Vaille (North Carolina’s biggest human compound) and raised them as his own. Now, 18 and almost full-fledged slayers, the twins face an unimaginable tragedy. While out on a mission in the Open, the twins’ squadron is attacked, and X, the most powerful vampire in the area, turns Ripley into a bloodsucker. Ruby, the story’s narrator, is devastated. With the hope of a possible cure for vampirism being dangled in front of her by Barnett, Ruby vows to find her sister and rescue her from X. But when she finally meets her sister again, her world is upended by revelations about X, an underground city of vampires, and research being conducted by the leaders of Vaille. A well-developed cast, intriguing character dynamics (the twins’ intimate bond is brilliantly explored), and excellent worldbuilding are the obvious strengths here, but the snarky sense of humor is what makes this novel so readable—and fun. Here, Ruby recalls when the apocalypse began: “I remember…worrying about lockdowns and seniors losing their chance at graduation. And then a sophomore died, reanimated into a vampire, and ate her way through the football team.” Equal parts romance and coming-of-age tale, this adventure at world’s end should satisfy teen and adult readers alike.

A mixed-genre tour de force that blends together post-apocalyptic, dark fantasy, and romance elements.