There’s an important issue to mention at the start of this review.. I had heard about the TV series on twitter, and as far as I can tell, this book and it’s sequel are completely different. The show appears to be rather dark, whilst the books are a much lighter YA read.
So…the book is set years after a devastating nuclear war on earth, with the last of humanity living on a large spaceship. Those under 18 who commit crimes are kept in Confinement, and then retried on their 18th birthday. 100 of these are sent on a dropship to Earth, to discover whether it’s habitable again.
The story follows a few of these 100, using short flashbacks to gradually reveal their past. Relationships are explored, both with each other, and in their flashbacks, as they attempt to deal with their new existence.
I’m rather torn about the book, and this may have come down to expectation, as I heard about the TV show first. To me, this is more of a book about teen relationships, and how they deal with these, rather than a SF book about living on a spaceship, and rediscovering Earth. I’m personally not keen on flashbacks, but they are short, and it’s probably the best way to tell the story. Accepted for what it is, however, it’s an enjoyable, rather addictive book. It does end with a cliff-hanger ending, and I was keen to move onto the sequel to find out what came next.
If you have no pre-conceptions, and you’re looking looking for a YA with a touch of SF, then you may enjoy this.
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