Amazon Publishing: 11/5/19
eBook review copy; 320 pages
ISBN-13: 9781542004077
Disaster's Children by Emma Sloley is a so-so wealthy survivalists story incorporating a dystopian setting with a romance and mystery.
Marlo has been raised by her wealthy adoptive parents and a group of other wealthy like-minded survivalists in a secluded community in Oregon. She has lived in the isolated community for 20 years, since she was five. The community was started by doomsday preppers based on the approaching climate change. The residents call the outside world "the Disaster" and although Marlo has made a few trips to the outside world, she has spent most of her time secluded with members of their group. When Marlo finds a dead eagle, which after a search turns into five dead eagles, members are sure it is due to the Disaster outside their ranch.
The synopsis makes this novel sound much more interesting dystopian than it is in reality. The technical quality of the writing is good, richly detailed and descriptive, but Sloley loses track of how to take advantage early on of creating mystery, tension, and intrigue in her story. While the writing is important, ultimately I'm reading novels for the story, the plot. There were several chances to increase the apprehension for the reader when Marlo encounters mysteries and then.... she just moves on. The action didn't really start until I was already bored with and tired of Marlo. (The whole buying a designer dress when she visits NYC with her father on a mission to recruit new members to their enclave made no sense, especially when contrasted with her wanting to leave her sheltered home to work for a eco-group.) She is a very young, sheltered 25 year-old. After powering through the novel, the unanswered questions and cliff hanger at the end clinched the lower rating for me.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Amazon Publishing.
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