4.5 Stars
I have been wanting to read this for quite some time. The synopsis intrigued me, and I was saddened when Strange Chemistry shut down just weeks before the release of Some Fine Day. But luckily, this book ended up being published, and even more luckily (for me), I saw it on Netgalley. Obviously, I got a bit nervous, as you do when you've kind of built a book up in your mind. More good news: I didn't need to worry, because it was even better than I'd expected! Now, certainly I am a sucker for a good dystopian, but I must emphasize good. The market has been inundated, and I think I have read so many that it takes something special to keep my interest these days. So, what did this book have that made me stay up all night last night to finish? Glad you asked!
- Jansin Jansin is an amazing protagonist. She wasn't your typical protagonist, and I liked that. At first, she is so sure of herself, cocky even. And why shouldn't she be? She's about to graduate from military school, mom and dad are super proud, and she has a military boyfriend who everyone seems to love. Of course, we know from the synopsis that a lot of this is going to get messy, and Jansin's character development is both lovely and realistic.
- Hypercanes What now? Yeah, I like these. As a plot choice, not as a weather pattern I'd want to spend time in. It's different, and I like the idea of the weather influencing such global catastrophe (again, in plot terms only). It seems like a plausible way for things to go down, and I think the author did a good job with giving enough world building without being overly scientific. I understood exactly what was happening, but I didn't feel like I was reading an Earth Science book, so it was a win.
- Family I have already mentioned Jansin's mom and dad, because wonder of wonders, they were in the book! And not just "there", but actually a huge part of the story. I mean, they were on a family vacation when some of this stuff goes down! They are integral, as Jansin's relationships with them matter quite a bit to the story as a whole. We even get family backstory. This is refreshing, and great.
- World Building I like that this isn't too far into the future, but far enough that it makes it believable. First, I could actually feel the claustrophobia setting in with this underground world. I mean, if you are born there you wouldn't know, so it makes sense. But previous generations' reactions are also touched upon. When the group first gets to the surface, I was almost relieved not to "be" underground, so I take that as a sure sign that the world building was very authentic.
- Other Characters Alas, I cannot tell you much about them. But trust that I liked them. Or didn't, but because they were a "bad guy". They just work, and that's all I can say.
- Fast-pacing This was an "I can't put this down!" sort of book, because there was constant action. And the lulls were necessary and appropriate. I liked almost all of the pacing in this book, except for a bit in the end when I actually felt a bit overwhelmed with action, and kind of wished for a bit of a break. But other than that, it worked really well. I most certainly was never, ever bored.
- The Plot Beyond just the hypercanes, there is a lot more going on. Again, I can't say much, but there is really something for everyone here. If you enjoy the science part, there's tons of that, if you enjoy the dystopian part, there's that, if you're into the relationships/characters, there's that. And even more, but I feel like I could go on for a bit too long.
Bottom Line: Loved it. Need more of it. It can be a standalone, if it must be. But this world offers a lot in the way of potential for more books, and I would be very happy if there were a sequel. Is there a petition I can sign or something? (Maybe this petition is hiding next to the Rites of Passage sequel petition that I have been looking for...) Anyway, it was a win for me. It is out in ebook now, or paperback in February!
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight