Blood Red Road

Eighteen-year-old Saba has grown up in a post-apocalyptic civilization, a barren wasteland assaulted by sandstorms. This powerful dystopian fantasy is the first in the Dustland series, featuring Saba and her epic quest to rejoin her twin brother, Lugh, who has been abducted by the king's men. Sounding youthful and clear, Heather Lind captures all of Saba's moods, as well as the voice of her little sister, Emmi. Their adventures and plentiful dialogue are fast paced and often humorous. A standout character is the handsome Jack, for whom Lind finds a unique and suitable pitch. She also handles the dramatic passages with finesse as she recounts Saba's quest in a dry, dusty world. S.C.A. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from April 11, 2011
Young's powerful debut, first in the Dustlands series, is elevated above its now familiar postapocalyptic setting by an intriguing prose style and strong narrative voice that show a distinct Cormac McCarthy vibe. When 18-year-old Saba's father is killed and her twin brother, Lugh, is kidnapped, she sets out to rescue him, along with their younger sister, Emmi, and Saba's intelligent raven, Nero. Their travels across the desert wasteland bring them to a violent city in which Saba is forced to fight for her life in an arena. When she escapes with the help of a group of women warriors, she and her new allies (including a handsome and infuriating male warrior named Jack) try to prevent Lugh from being sacrificed. Young's writing styleâchanneled through Saba's wonderfully defined narrative voiceâmay be off-putting at first, but readers will quickly get used to the lack of quotation marks and idiosyncratic spelling and punctuation ("There ain't nuthin written in the stars. They're jest lights in the sky") and be riveted by the book's fast-paced mix of action and romance. It's a natural for Hunger Games fans. Ages 14âup.