Gunslinger Girl

by Lyndsay Ely

[Beth C.]

Serendipity Jones lives with her father and two brothers, her mother having died years earlier. Her father is a brutal man, and upon hearing the news that she has been sold off because she's fertile, Pity runs. She takes only her mother's guns from the war, and her best friend. Along the way, they are set upon - leading Pity to a place and a life that she never would have imagined to be hers.

The setting for this book is after some sort of huge disaster for the world, including another civil war. However, that is a backdrop to the story - not the story itself. Instead, it influences how the story plays out and how the people are. It's like a futuristic throwback western, really.

I got this book somewhat impulsively, but I am quite glad I did. The characters are fabulous, and as with all good westerns, look out for the double-cross(es). I particularly liked Pity - she's a strong female main character who learns to trust her own strength over time.

Overall, I really enjoyed Gunslinger Girl, and would happily read more.