The Droughtlanders

As two of Carrie Mac's previous books have given me the horrors, I picked up this book with great trepidation. The jacket describes it as "a brilliant blend of futuristic fantasy and gritty social realism", I expected the worst.
But I really enjoyed it. Horrific things do happen, but there is that nice distancing effect provided by a fantasy setting. The fantasy setting also gives the scope for hope - in an imaginary universe, it is easier to believe that people can change for the better, that a society, a culture, even a world, can be changed by a few individuals.
Notes of hope aside, this is a dark story, and I am not sure if I will ever watch a circus quite as cheerfully. But I will read the next two books as I get my hands on them.

Eli's mother dies after revealing she is a member of the rebellion to overthrow the Keys - Eli's home in a controlled ecological zone. She came from the Droughtlands where the sicks, poverty and violence are the norm. Eli leaves his home when it becomes clear he could be implicated in the rebellion, only to be tracked by his

Title: The Droughtlanders

Author: Carrie Mac

Series: Triskelia (Book 1)

Summary: Eli and his brother Seth live in the Keylands. They have learned to remain in their cities away from the Droughtlands, barren patches of land filled with poverty and "sicks". Seth joins the Keyland guards who aim to rid the world of Droughlanders, and Eli whose eyes have been opened by his mother, aims to join the Droughlanders secret organization determined for equality between the two classes.

Thoughts: While dystopian books are usually awesome this was lacking. The setting doesn't initially seem that out there but has the full discovery quite quickly. Eli is of course the sensitive character who makes the realization that society isn't perfect. I found Eli show more to be slightly overdone as an underdog type character (he is overly meek and far more naive than his twin). He takes quite a while to deprogram (he is homophobic towards another character). Of course he seems more likable in comparison to his evil twin Seth. Seth is a violent bully, however he manages to be morally sound than most of the guard. I found Seth's sudden burst of compassion a little out of character compared to the death he orchestrated at the beginning of the book. So while I wasn't completely happy with the characters, the logistics of the world held up quite well. The Droughtlands and Triskelia are quite well explained although I would like more details on the Keylands. As a warning people who like to shy away from the darker themes like drug addiction and rape probably won't be happy reading this.

Cover: I like the cover. Fits well with the rest of the series too.

Rating: 2/5 Stars (Not for everyone) show less