Publication date: September 4, 2014
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Genres: Modern fable
Format: Paperback - review copy
Source: Received from Hot Key Books in exchange for an honest review
Pages: 229
The wild is danger. The wild is fierce. The wild is freedom.
Raised by dogs and feared by humans, Nona must run from the authorities with the only people she can trust: a frightened boy called Caius, a mixed-up boy called Jay - and a bear by the name of Abel Dancer.
A haunting and unforgettable modern fable about nature, society, and what it is that makes us human.
Raised by dogs and feared by humans, Nona must run from the authorities with the only people she can trust: a frightened boy called Caius, a mixed-up boy called Jay - and a bear by the name of Abel Dancer.
A haunting and unforgettable modern fable about nature, society, and what it is that makes us human.
For the fear of saying to much I'm keeping this on the shorter side!
There's actually a longer summary for this book, but I think this one sums it up the best without giving too much away. I believe this is one of the books you have to go into without knowing much - the hauntingly beautiful cover is enough! I mean, look at it, it's truly remarkable.
I was expecting a great book but maybe not something mind-blowing that would be a favorite for the rest of my life - which this book turned out to be. I was definitely not expecting what I received. I found this story to be beautiful, poetic, wonderful, scary, uplifting and all kinds of phenomenal. I loved every character and enjoyed every little bit of it.
We have Nona, who actually starts out as nameless (no name - Nona), Caius and Jay - along with some animals. I liked Nona, she was definitely unlike any other character I've come across. She was raised by dogs and the found by a human called Thomas Bailey. She meets Caius and Jay in the forest while running away because she is wanted for the murder of Thomas Bailey - she have not killed him though (this is a minor spoiler since it happens 5 pages in or so). I loved how the characters want nothing to do with each other and then becomes companions and help each other escape.
Something that really blew my mind was the world. When I first read the synopsis and found out it was a modern fable I was not expecting it to be with a dystopian world thrown in - it creeped me out but left me wanting more. A thing that really chilled me to the bones was the fact that children under the age of 7 have to be harnessed - they are wearing dog collars with chains attached to them due to the fear of them running away. I also think it's horrible that people can be imprisoned for basically anything.
I especially love how this book begins, it is so hauntingly beautiful;
The snow falls heavily that night and in the
morning lies in deep drifts,
which smooth over
the shapes of the jagged rocks and grassy knolls.
It hides the bog holes that lie at the edge of the
marshes and covers
the wrecks of the burnt-out
cars. It sparkles like crushed diamonds.
It is pure,
white and perfect, but to the girl when she
looks
out from her hiding place it is a bad omen.
Today the trackers will surely find them.
She pulls her fur-lined hood over her face and
scans the horizon.
I absolutely loved and adored this book, I originally gave it 4.5 but I have to give it a solid 5 star rating due to the epicness and adventurous story. I loved every bit and I can't recommend it enough. Even though this is quite a short book it doesn't feel short because the story is so "big" - I have no idea how this is only 200 pages long.
Did you know that you can read the first chapter for free on Hot Key Books? Just click here and you will be referred to it.