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Reviewed by:
  • Flashfall by Jenny Moyer
  • April Spisak
Moyer, Jenny Flashfall. Holt, 2016 [352p]
Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-62779-481-7 $17.99
E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-62779-482-4 $9.99
Reviewed from galleys         Ad Gr. 8-10

All Orion has ever known is life as a Subpar, mining for the cirium that protects Alara-dwellers from radiation. She’s getting close to the amount of cirium that would grant her access to Alara, a promise held out to all miners, though they know that almost no one reaches it. It turns out, though, that in this hellscape of a world, there’s far, far worse than the life Orion led, as she discovers when her rebellion against the powers that be lands her in an even more dire setting. Now Orion’s up against deadly creatures, deadly exposure to the elements, deadly humans, and deadly odds—but at least she’s got true love. The gritty determination with which the miners cling to hope, even when they know better, is compelling indeed—there is something primally human in how they keep striving right up until they die. Unfortunately, the romantic relationship that develops between Orion and her mining partner is obvious before it ever happens, and it robs many scenes of their urgency as they make out while all around them the world is falling apart. In addition, the science behind the flash curtain of toxicity is so muddy that even readers who don’t need credible roots to a story will likely be baffled. Nevertheless, you’ve got a tough girl with crazy skills and a hot guy, so this may still grab readers seeking a fast-paced end-of-the-world story.

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