Review: Blood Red Road

Blood Red Road
Moira Young
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date: June 7, 2011

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

I'm very picky about which dystopian books I choose to read. I've heard such great things about Blood Red Road, so I though I'd give it a shot.

Unfortunately, I didn't get as into the book as other people seem to. I'm not sure why. It has everything that I want in a dystopian. Kick-butt heroine, action, romance, good world building. But, nevertheless, I just did not get into it. 

This book has very unique writing. It's that of someone not well educated, complete with spelling and grammar errors. It took me a while to get used to, but I think it added to the story. It helps us know and understand Saba better. But, I did find it distracting, one reason I couldn't get into the story.

I really liked Saba. She was a strong, independent girl, which I like to see in my books. But, I never really connected with her like I should have. 

Overall, while Blood Red Road has everything a dystopian should, I just couldn't get into it. But don't let me persuade you; there are a lot of others who loved this book.