Book review - The Storm

Title: The Storm
Author: Virginia Bergin
Genre: post-apocalypse
Similar books: The Rule of Three by Eric Walters
                     How I Live Now by Meg Rosof
Rating:

a decent read

Summary: A killer virus falls in the rain, wiping out most of the world's population. Ruby has been on her own for weeks, trying to keep herself alive and keep a tenuous grip on her sanity. When a girl she know from school, a girl she thought was safe in an army camp, shows up at her house Ruby sets out once more looking for help. Before long, she's caught up in government secrets that are increasingly horrifying. She just wants someone to take care of her. It might be time, though, for Ruby to make a stand.

My opinion: This is not the most thrilling book you'll ever read. In fact, it falls into a similar pattern to most dystopian/apocalyptic fiction: a girl trying to cope with an horrific situation and facing the truth about her government. One thing makes this one stand out: Ruby is just a typical teen. She has no special skills. She doesn't lead a rebellion. She's a regular girl who still wants her cell phone and cool clothes. She responds to trauma with sarcasm, gets annoyed with her parents, and is prone to hysterics. After dropping off a girl whose foot has been chopped off with an ax, Ruby is mortified to realize that her makeup is smeared all over her face. The drama is rather subdued in this one, but I feel like its a more realistic conclusion.

More information: The Storm is the sequel to H2O.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.