Blood Red Road

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.

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

February 1, 2012

Grade 7 Up-In the first gripping title (Margaret K. McElderry Bks., 2011) of Moira Young's post-apocalyptic trilogy, 18-year-old Saba ventures into the harsh and unforgiving world outside of her isolated home after masked horsemen kill her father and kidnap her twin brother. Determined to find him, Saba sets out for Hopetown, only to be followed by her younger sister. They are unprepared for the danger and treachery they encounter. Captured and forced to fight in gladiator-style cage fights for the entertainment of the Hopetown residents, Saba never loses her single-minded focus on surviving to find her brother. But her actions could have far-reaching consequences for her civilization. Listeners are treated to an impressive performance by Heather Lind, whose believably youthful voice resonates as the hard, resolute protagonist. The first person present tense narration heightens the intensity and immediacy of the action, as well as Saba's raw emotions. Lind also gives supporting characters unique voices, and turns in a fine performance of the dialect written by the author. A perfect choice for fans of Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games" trilogy, and a good fit for listeners who enjoyed Kristin Cashore's Graceling and Patrick Ness's "Chaos Walking" trilogy.-Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2011

Young's coming-of-age, young adult action/romance first novel is set in postapocalyptic times. When her father is murdered and her twin brother is kidnapped, sheltered 18-year-old Saba is suddenly thrown into a violent world inhabited by brutal people, giant wormlike monsters, female warriors, superstition, and a vicious king. The text is written in ungrammatical English that can be very hard on the ear, especially when reader Heather Lind annoyingly barks, "I says," "she says," "he says," after each character's dialog. Recommended for Mad Max and Hunger Games fans who do not mind listening to fractured English. This text might be easier to read than to hear.--Ilka Gordon, Siegal Coll. of Judaic Studies Lib., Cleveland

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.