Harry is a teenage illegal immigrant living in a near future dystopian Britain. The immigration laws have cracked down and those without citizenship papers are targets for scorn and abuse. For a young homeless man just trying to survive in the only home he's ever known this is difficult. And the prime minister's new rally isn't helping matters. When foot traffic and help starts getting more spaced Harry does the only thing he can think of: he heads to a known trafficker and offers to be a lookout for $20. This leaves Harry with a new dependent and more than his own future on the line.
I received a complimentary paperback of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The plot itself of this book is intense and leaves off on a bittersweet note. A young illegal immigrant living in a country that has declared war on his kind living in an abandoned roofless warehouse and not knowing where his next meal or water will come from. He tries to be as honorable as possible, keeping a diary of everything he has ever had to steal in order to survive. But, when that same diary starts adding entries of things he couldn't imagine stealing, Harry feels he is trapped by a fate not yet lived. He spends so much time hoping for a better life and just to live that the end hits different. I don't want to spoil it, but it was like it was all for nothing.
The author has a way with words that allows the reader to see in detail every single item around Harry at any given time, be it a helicopter whispering overhead, a man standing in a garden, a train pulling into a station, or the decorations in a square. We always know what is around our character as he just tries his best to survive. He makes some questionable decisions along the way, but he is 17 and none of us make great decisions at that age.
Although I was occasionally pulled out of the story by some of the phrasing I enjoyed the plot and hope for good things from this author in the future.
This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $1.23 by clicking here.
⭐ You'll Love This Book If You Enjoy:
- Near-future dystopian fiction
- Coming-of-age survival stories
- Social and political commentary
- Homeless protagonists
- Morally complex decisions
- Character-driven literary fiction
- Emotional, bittersweet endings
- Realistic dystopian settings
- Stories about hope in impossible circumstances
- Books that make you reflect after finishing
No comments:
Post a Comment