The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe

January 1, 2019
Revenge and rebellion collide in this new dystopian stand-alone novel by Condie (TheDarkdeep, 2018, etc.).Two years ago, Poe Blythe lost her best friend/budding love interest Call when raiders attacked their dredge, or gold-mining river ship. Focused on revenging his death, Poe has turned the Outpost's dredges into armored, bladed machines. Unexpectedly sent on the Gilded Lily's last voyage, newly promoted Capt. Poe distances herself from her crew--older mechanic Naomi, effervescent cook Tam, brooding Brig (who resembles dark-haired, blue-eyed Call), and curious cartographer Eira--and soon faces both raiders on the river and a saboteur among her shipmates. The initially slow plot picks up steam when the Lily embarks, and per requisite dystopian story arc, relentless, rigid, and righteous Poe discovers dark secrets about the Outpost, sympathizes with the rebellious raiders (or drifters as they prefer to be known), and reconsiders romance. Race is barely noted--17-year-old Poe has "sun-black hair" (and few other physical descriptors), while Call, Brig, and the Outpost's leaders appear to be white. A callout to the Matched series should satisfy loyal readers while the constant twists and a cliffhanger ending will encourage new audiences to anticipate possible sequels.A swashbuckling steampunk mashup of Mark Twain and Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines Quartet. (Science fiction. 12-18)

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February 1, 2019

Gr 7 Up- A story of revenge, adventure, and journeys. Poe has designed ships with lethal armor to protect the Outpost's gold mining ships from the raiders, against whom she holds a personal vendetta. For years the raiders have been attacking Outpost ships to steal gold, often killing those onboard, including the man Poe loves. When the Admiral, ruler of the Outpost, sends Poe out as captain upon her own ship, she starts to question everything she has ever known about the raiders and her life in the Outpost. Unsure whom to trust, Poe must learn how to lead and what to believe. The novel has multiple twists and turns, and Poe's fate is left hanging by a thread multiple times. Smart and strong, she fights to protect her ship above everything else. Condie has created a well-rounded character who defies typical gender roles. Joining Poe in her journey is an equally well-rounded cast of characters: the seasoned sailor Naomi, the young and cheerful Tam, and the serious Brig, among others. These characters join Poe on her voyage while each of them struggles with personal burdens and choices. The story is well-woven and compelling, and leaves readers in anticipation of more. VERDICT A first choice purchase for young adult collections.-Katharine Gatcomb, Portsmouth Public Library, NH

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 18, 2019
Orphaned as a young child, 17-year-old Poe Blythe remembers only ever trusting one person: Call. Two years ago, they’d planned to escape their Outpost home by enlisting as machinists on a dredge, a large gold-mining ship. After Call is murdered by raiders, Poe, hoping to sidestep the admiral’s wrath and intent on revenge, creates a deadly armor that will slaughter anyone who attacks the remaining ship. When Poe is unexpectedly named the captain of the dredge on its final voyage, she is forced to lead a crew she neither knows nor trusts. With a traitor on board and the riverbanks teeming with enemy raiders, Poe battles to save her crew, her ship, and herself. The journey is full of unexpected revelations that force Poe to face the truth about the Outpost’s past, confront her enemies and personal demons, and learn to love and trust again. Defiant and determined, Poe is reminiscent of other well-known dystopian heroines, but her introspection, ingenuity, and insight will endear her to readers. The plot moves across a well-thought-out dystopian backdrop, offering enough surprises to both intrigue and excite. Fans of Condie’s Matched should find this a welcome and satisfying return to the author’s YA roots. Ages 12–up.

February 1, 2019
Grades 8-11 When the rest of the world deserted them, the people of the Outpost were left to fight for a meager survival. But the Admiral, the man who leads them now, dreamed of more than just survival, and with the help of two dredging ships, he sends his people to mine the rivers for gold. It was on one such voyage?her first?that orphaned Poe lost the only person who meant anything to her when raiders attacked. Years later, bitter and hardened, she has become the Admiral's weapon, developing a brutal armor that will rip apart any who try to board the dredge. As she sets out on a voyage, now captain of the Admiral's armored ship, she thinks only of revenge, but her single-minded focus is soon interrupted by the machinations of her crew, some of whom may have other motivations and other sympathies. For the most part, the action sequences are secondary in this intensely character-driven novel, which digs a human heart out of an apocalyptic wasteland. A precise, introspective story about the trajectory of grief. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Since the success of the Matched trilogy, Condie has been unstoppable, and this has the marketing campaign to back it up.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)