Lots of promise...
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The blurb
As the world dies, a woman must choose between her own survival and that of humankind.
Raised in a privileged community of wealthy survivalists on an idyllic, self-sustaining Oregon ranch, Marlo has always been insulated. The outside world, which the ranchers call “the Disaster,” is a casualty of ravaging climate change, a troubled landscape on the brink of catastrophe. For as long as Marlo can remember, the unknown that lies beyond the borders of her utopia has been a curious obsession. But just as she plans her escape into the chaos of the real world, a charismatic new resident gives her a compelling reason to stay. And, soon enough, a reason to doubt—and to fear—his intentions.
Now, feeling more and more trapped in a paradise that’s become a prison, Marlo has a choice: stay in the only home she’s ever known—or break away, taking its secrets of survival with her.
Set in a chillingly possible, very near future, Disaster’s Children is a provocative debut novel about holding on to what we know and letting go of it for the unknown and the unknowable.
The Review
Ahhh, hello again my dystopian little friend. I do so love an apocalyptic thriller, especially when they use something so realistic as the cause for the proverbial end of days. Talk about hitting onto the zeitgeist - you can't turn on the TV at the minute without hearing more about climate change; its deniers (Trump), its protestors (Thunberg), forest fires, melting ice caps, solar vs wind vs nuclear.....
The world is talking about climate change and so the premise of this book seemed right on the money.
And, in some senses, it was. The characters are great and well fleshed out. There is a sense of impending doom about what is going on outside of the ranch. We are left to question if the news reported into the ranch is in fact true or whether it is being manipulated.
However, this was also its greatest failing. The book focusses almost entirely on the day to day life on the ranch. And actually, for this cast of characters, life hasn't really changed. A lot of the time you'd be hard pressed to know that they are living during 'the disaster.' Instead we focus on the internal politics of the ranch, the weird relationships between its inhabitants and the strange family dynamics around our protagonist, Marlo.
A few odd things happen, but then are never really explained and so any tension that is built quickly dissipates again. The story builds achingly slowly, to the extent that you never really feel yourself getting wrapped up in it.
If this book actually delivered on its blurb, I would be totally buzzing about it. And actually that's probably the main issue. This isn't really a book about climate change, or the end of the world, or even how people cope in these circumstances. It's more of a family drama; about the things they believe in and the expectations our families puts upon us to conform to their world view. The question is whether their passion and beliefs can make Marlo follow in their footsteps, or whether she forges her own path - and in that sense it's much more of a 'coming of age/discovery' fiction that it is 'dystopia'.
I'm giving this one the benefit of the doubt, as it is beautifully written and although it doesn't live up to its blurb, it has many redeeming qualities.
Disaster's Children was released on 5th November 2019 by Little A.
Big thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.