Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Hi, guys!
I'm back again!


BASICS
Title: Blood Red Road
Series: Dustlands, book number one
Author: Moira Young
Release Date: June 7th 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
ISBN: 1442429984
Number of Pages: 459
Genre: Young Adult, Post Apocalyptic


“I never knew that missin somebody could hurt, I says. But it does. Deep inside. Like it's in my bones. We ain't never bin apart till now. Never. I dunno how to be without him. It's like... I ain't nuthin.” 

A few years ago my mother got me an excerpt of this book and I just threw it away. I don't even recall why. Maybe I had a lot of books to read back then?

But present-me was a bit wiser and did finally read the GoodReads summary. And I was hooked.
"Girl gang of revolutionaries"...."Fierce fighter, unbeatable survivor and cunning opponent"Yes, please! It sounded amazing!
In the end I was quite disappointed by the beginning but I warmed up to it in the end.


The heroine of this book is called Saba and she lives with her two siblings and her father in Silverlake, in the middle of a big-ass desert. Due to the very small population of Silverlake (4), she never learned to read or write.
I loved that Young really showed her missing literacy to her readers by letting Saba make mistake after mistake concerning grammar, sentence structure and pronunciation.
It especially stuck out when Saba was talking to Rooster Pinch, who talked in a "normal" way.

Anyway, one day, out of nowhere, a huge sand storm and four horseman appear in Silverlake and then men abduct Saba's twin brother Lugh out of the blue.
But she is determined to get him back.

The beginning couldn't really hold my attention. Saba's attitude towards her younger sister Emmi made me cringe. I see where her feelings come from but that's no excuse. Just like I couldn't warm up towards Saba at the beginning, I couldn't stand Lugh either.
Except that I slowly started to appericate Saba while I still dislike her brother.


My favourite scenes of the book were probably those set in Hopetown! Only from then on the book hold my attention and it improved afterwards! We meet a bunch of new characters there which means no more alone-time for Saba and Emmi (thank god).
Just like Saba's horizon grew, ours did too. Meeting the Free Hawks (Who are absolutely amazing. My favourite characters of the book.) and Jack.

I adored the cage fighting arc in Hopetown - it was so intense!
Also: The Name!

What you expect:


What you get:


I started this book thinking it's set in an alternate universe but it's actually a futuristic dystopian!
Louis XIV. is mentioned several times, as well as skyscrapers and fieldglasses!

That makes me wonder: What did humanity do in the past, so they became known as Wreckers?
Being a potential "Wrecker" really made me think about the long term effectus of our way of treating the environment!

It's definitely a good book and you should check it out for the writing style alone.
I just had to withdraw some points due to the beginning and the ending.
My favourite part of the book was definitely the middle set in Hopetown!

Favourite Quotes:

“Ever heard of the rule of three? he shouts as we run.
No!
If you save somebody's life three times, their life belongs to you. You saved my life today, that makes once. Save it twice more an I'm all yers.”

I ain't no quitter, Pa.

RATING
3.5-4 out of 5 stars