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Blood Red Road
Blood Red Road
Blood Red Road
Audiobook11 hours

Blood Red Road

Written by Moira Young

Narrated by Heather Lind

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

The book that will “blow you away”** has a dazzling new look in paperback!

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when four cloaked horsemen capture Lugh, Saba's world is shattered, and she embarks on a quest to get him back. 
 
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the outside world, Saba discovers she is a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba’s unrelenting search for Lugh stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization. 

 Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetic writing style, and an epic love story—making Moira Young is one of the most exciting new voices in teen fiction.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 7, 2011
ISBN9781442341968
Author

Moira Young

Moira Young is the author of the Dust Lands series. The first book, Blood Red Road, won the Costa Children’s Book Award, was a Cybils Award Winner for fantasy and science fiction, and was a Best Fiction for Young Adults selection. The Dust Lands continues with Rebel Heart, which received a starred review in Publishers Weekly, and Raging Star. A native Canadian, Moira lives with her husband in the UK. Learn more at MoiraYoung.com.

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Reviews for Blood Red Road

Rating: 4.05982905982906 out of 5 stars
4/5

117 ratings97 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I had a hard time getting into this one. It was never explained why the world was the way it was, or if it was I totally missed it. It was slow going for me for a while, then it picked up a bit, but I still never felt very involved with the story. I did like the writing style though, which is why it got 3 stars. It reminded me a lot of The Chaos Walking Trilogy in its tone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    For Saba her whole world revolves around her twin brother Lugh. Lugh is the kind, handsome and strong one ? and she is his dark shadow. When tragedy strikes and they are ripped apart from each other Saba knows nothing else matters except finding her brother. On an epic journey across a post-apocalyptic land Saba is in a dangerous race against time to save her beloved Lugh. This story pulled me in hook, line and sinker. It was a fast paced, intense read that left me wanting more. I was intrigued by the plot and the alternate dystopian world that was presented. The novel felt like a blend of elements from Gladiator, Hunger Games, Dune and more. I am a sucker for strong sibling relationships and this book had both ends of the spectrum; the beloved twin brother and the younger despised sister. It was interesting to see how the sibling?s relationships changed and strengthened over time. Saba was a strong character who knew what she wanted and didn?t let anything stop her. Survival and saving her brother were her only priorities. Yet, even with her rigid personality, you see Saba bend and developed into a better and stronger person. The characters in the novel were unique and well developed. The only real issued I had with this book was the writing style. What they call ?a poetically minimal writing style? was difficult for me to read. I have read novels before that were written in a format matching the education level/dialect of the characters in the story but this one had me constantly tripping. It felt overdone and would often pull me out of the story instead of pulling me in deeper, which was to the story?s detriment. However, despite the language barrier in this novel the story pacing was excellent. I loved the romance and relationships built in the novel. Blood Red Road is a balance of heartache, tragedy, romance, adventure and courage. If you enjoy dystopians make sure to add this one to your list!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Admittedly this book sat on my shelf for quite awhile. I started reading it last year and got about a chapter in when I decided to set it aside. I'm very much a mood reader and this one I believe requires the right mood. Whenever I try to force through reading a book that doesn't catch me right away, then what might normally take me a few days could take 2 months. When I picked it back up I devoured it in 2 days.

    The entire book is written/read in some sort of clipped English vernacular. There is no punctuation for you to note when the actual speech of a character begins and ends. You simply have to pay attention to the cues of so-and-so says, I said, he says, etc. The jumps to the next line are very frequent but they help you keep track of when the person who is talking changes. Once you get comfortable with this and the speech patterns the book flows smoothly and quickly. If you can't get past this you might end up really annoyed.

    Saba, the heroine is 18, and I really considered this her story of how she finds herself by trying to find her brother. It appears to be set in post-apocalyptic America by all of the descriptions throughout the book of "wrecker" technology. I enjoyed the references in the book to these things and the fact that they didn't go into any background as to how the world got to the state it is in.

    I didn't particularly find this to be a fast paced action adventure, I thought it had a steady progression that kept you turning the pages without feeling the need to tear through them.

    Saba, set out with her younger sister Emmi, whom she has hated her whole life, in search of her brother Lugh. The character profile you get of Saba at the beginning is great. You can see she's strong willed to the point of stubborn, that she has a definite mean streak (especially where Emmi is concerned), though still a softie, she's got the grit of a survivor who thinks on her feet. I love the way her character flaws annoyed me, rather than other books I've read where they've made me want to punch the character in the face.

    What I loved about this is that there is absolutely no love interest until the second half of the book. I often find that YA books focus so heavily on romance that the story takes a backseat to it - which drives me up the wall. I prefer that romance support a story - not BE the story. This one gave me that perfect balance I like.

    You also see a wonderful portrayal of personal growth for Saba through the course of the book. She self evaluates and learns from her past and mistakes. I hate it when characters beat their head up against the same wall over and over, doing the same stupid thing each time. Saba does some of that to an extent but only where it concerns her mission to find her brother and the fact that she feels she has to do it alone. She isn't used to interacting with other people and it shows.

    The setup for additional books is very obvious, and I'm looking forward to reading more by Moira Young, but I felt that even if there weren't further books slotted to come out a reader could still walk away content with how this book ends. Oh and I was tickled pink to learn that this is supposedly going to be made into a movie in 2014.

    Oh yeah - anybody that's read it already - got any thoughts on what chaal is?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Good Stuff Sorta have a crush on Jack with his swagger and his cockiness - love me those kind of boys (Yes I try to pretend he's not that young, don't want to be called a cougar or anything) Author is Canadian Had a Mad Max sorta feel to it - that is how I pictured the world they lived in -- not as violent as Mad Max of course -- as it is marketed towards YA Saba is a strong feisty heroine and there is some great character development with her - didn't always understand her decisions, but I still liked her Love Nero - I want me a bird like that Like the intriguing secondary characters and want to know more about them Exciting fast paced story - on the edge of your seat moments good use of humour - right when you need it most Strong female AND male characters - working together Fabulous ending Just a really good adventure tale to lose yourself in for a while Author is Canadian - yes I know I mentioned that fact already - but I'm Canadian and well I have to promote a fellow Canuck (and yes I know she lives in England now)The Not So Good Stuff sort of creeped out for her obsessive love for her brother, but maybe its a twin thing I don't get the appeal of Lugh - but maybe we will get to know him more The writing style took a little to get into at first, but keep going it really does add to the storyFavorite Quotes/Passages"There ain't nuthin written in the stars. There ain't no great plan. The world goes on. Our lives jest go on and on in this gawdfersaken place. An that's it. Till the day we die.""Sometimes I think, if only I'd come earlier, if only I'd been there, maybe Allis would have lived. But you cain't think like that. If you do, you'll make yourself crazy. I did get there in time to keep you alive, red little scrap that you were, and I comfort myself with that.""I ain't never seen a creature like that before, she says. He's so smart, he's --More like a person than a bird? I says.Yeah, she says. That's it.Whatever you do, I says, don't tell him that. I'll never hear the end of it."Who Should/Shouldn't Read Fans of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction will enjoy Will appeal to both adult and YA readers - there isn't too much angst and adult bashing so us older readers won't get offended I can see the Hunger Games comparisons, but don't read it based on that - it is different4.5 Dewey'sI received this from Random House in exchange for an honest review
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Exhilarating. That's the perfect word for Blood Red Road. It's impossible to put down and just as hard to forget. It's a powerful mix of emotion and adventure that left me absolutely speechless. What Saba went through to get her brother back... wow. She went through Hell and back, scarred and bleeding, so mad that steam came out her ears. (Note to self: never mess with twins). Nothing could stop her. She was like a hurricane raising havoc everywhere she went. Stand in her way and she'll knock you unconscious for a couple of days. And nothing but her brother's life meant anything to her. (Her little sister was sort of a string-along for a while)What kept me glued to this book was the intimate tone that connected me to Saba. It felt like I knew her my entire life. I knew what she was scared of, and why she got angry so quickly, and why she disliked her little sister. I knew how her mind worked and what everything looked like through her eyes. It was... weird, because I've never encountered a book like this one before, but it was really cool at the same time. I loved every second of it.The next best thing was Jack. (Insert dreamy sigh) He's Stephenie Meyer's Edward Cullen, Suzanne Collins's Peeta, Cassandra Clare's Jace, and Lauren Oliver's Alex all rolled into one. That boy was trouble from the start, but oh man was he worth it. Saba drove him crazy, and yet he stayed by her side throughout the entire journey, through thick and thin. He almost died for her plenty of times. With his endless charm and wit, Jack stole my heart. He's easily one of the top ten swoon-worthy YA guys ever.His relationship with Saba took a while until it reached a climax, but there was a sexual tension building between them that fueled my anticipation. Sometimes I found myself shouting at the book 'Make out already!', and when they finally did, it lasted about a paragraph. It was quick, but romance wasn't the main point in the book, so I actually liked it. It wasn't a let down and I didn't get bored with them. I'm eager for the next kiss now.The diction in the book is strange. It's written in a Saba's slang-ish language. It reminds me of Huckleberry Finn, but this is more futuristic. It's not hard to read, and it strengthens the connection to the main character. I found it refreshing more than anything else.Overall, I was floored with fascination. I loved how the main character was far from perfect. I loved the thrilling atmosphere of the book. I loved the gruesome journey itself. And, of course, I loved Jack :)I highly recommend Blood Red Road to anyone who loves a enrapturing dystopian read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "My time's nearly up... Listen. I dunno what happens after this.I could only see glimpses. But they're gonna need you, Saba. Lugh and Emmi. An there'll be others too. Many others. Don't give in to fear. Be strong, like I know you are. An never give up, d'you unnerstand, never. No matter what happens." In a far-distant post-apocalyptic future, Saba has grown up with her twin brother Lugh and little sister Emmi. Their mother died during Emmi's birth, and their father hasn't been right ever since. In the desolate landscape of Silverlake, the family struggles to survive alone. When four horsemen arrive in a red dust storm and kidnap Lugh, their father dies in the struggle, leaving Saba to track Lugh with little Emmi in tow. It's an epic hero's journey, with battles to be won and friends to be found, and a rescue mission like no other I can recall. Lugh is going to be the main event at a ritual sacrifice for the insane king, and in order to save him Saba joins the revolution aiming to overthrow the government. Along the way, she's working really hard at not falling in love with Jack, who seems to be in the way and absolutely bent on helping all at the same time. This is a powerful book: there are no doormat girls here. This is the kind of Mad Max place where if you're weak, you die. Period. Saba and the revolutionary women known as the Free Hawks are tough as nails, and Emmi's not far behind (for such a little thing). There are cage fights and prison breaks! The most difficult part of getting into the book is Saba's voice: she is illiterate and her dialect takes some getting used to, but once you do, you won't be able to imagine the story coming through any other way. Saba is a flawed hero, who resents her sister's needs (and the fact that she's the reason they have no mother), and who makes mistakes. But she never, ever gives up and she is absolutely single-minded about getting her brother back. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book! 8th grade and up.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My favorite part of this book is the characterization of Saba, and I probably wouldn't have rated it so high if she hadn't grown so well. In the beginning, Saba is a person who has no idea of her self without her twin Lugh. She describes herself as his shadow, always following. Throughout the book she has to make due without him and survive, which causes her to find a person within herself that's fiercely independent.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I read this right after reading a book that was beautifully written in gorgeous prose, so it was kind of a jolt to deal with this author's colloquial style of writing. It was very distracting. The story was interesting, but I had a hard time relating to or even liking Saba. And what in the world is going on with the DeMalo guy? It was entertaining, but I don't really even remember much about it as I write this.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Excellent book. The characters weren't always likable, but they were well written. The story line was interesting. There was a lot of detail, but not enough information. I kept getting tripped up on trying to figure out when the book took place. That lack of information did take much away from the book. Although this book is a young adult novel, it can easily be enjoyed by adults.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The last hour of the few pages of the last chapter I died a million times then, but will not lie, worth it... everything but one... I'll miss him, (you big dark viking man, I will miss you tons...) Beautiful, I love the narration more than anything else, especially part when I get to hear all the effect and it feels like im in the movies... Love it,,, cant wait to get in the second one ASAP,...
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I wrote a longish and not very favourable review, then deleted it except for the last line. Which is ...

    It's pacy but insubstantial. Popcorn writing. Easy to eat, but afterwards you wander off to find some real food.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ever since my (failed) attempt to read the third book in the "Divergent" series, I have been avoiding dystopian YA trilogies like the plague. If only Katniss knew what kind of hellish progeny she was going to leave in her wake, she might have just let herself be killed during that first desperate rush to the Cornucopia in _The Hunger Games_.So, it was with some trepidation that I read _Blood Red Road_ (2012). Strong-willed, sometimes violent female protagonist? Check. Romance with mysterious, potentially dangerous guy met in less-than-auspicious circumstances? Check. Father killed by ruthless regime? Check. Sibling who needs to be cared for/avenged? Check. Heroine who's forced to fight for others' entertainment? Check.So, that's a little snarky, because the first book in Moira Young's "Dustlands" series is far greater than the sum of those parts. It would also be wrong to describe it as a mashup of _Hunger Games_ and Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," though it's that, too. Oh, hell: maybe there are just so many dystopian possibilities, and eventually they all sound alike.What sets this one apart, though: its heroine, Saba, is not alone on her quest. She's eventually joined by an oddball group of improbable helpers, including my favorites, the renegade band of warrior girls who call themselves the Free Hawks. The language here is also interesting; although we discover early on that Saba (and everyone else in this world) is illiterate (only the father of the evil King seems to be able to read), she understands how stories work. Her language seems designed to reflect this--no quotation marks, lots of dropped "g"s, and phonetic spelling. To wit, lines like "Yer gittin out alive warn't nuthin to do with me in the end."The dialect-like language has an odd effect. It's not as irritating as I thought it would be, and as the story evolves into a postapocalyptic Western, it really works, since the drawl adds to the characters' cowboy-ish natures. There are also some great sidekicks in this book: Saba's brilliant pet crow, Nero, and the tavern-owner Ike among them. I was really disappointed, though, that _Blood Red Road_ did *not* avoid the trope of killing off the lone character of color. Seriously: why?Still, I'll probably read the next and future installments in this series. But I will also hope that there are some YA writers out there working on dystopian fiction that breaks a few of the rules that are harnessing the genre right now.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Hellooooo, new favorite book! The first thing that makes this read different from others is the writing style. It has short and abrupt sentences, no quotation marks, and is written in Saba's dialect which is grammatically incorrect. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness uses a similar technique, but Blood Red Road definitely takes it up a few notches. It took a few pages to get used to, but soon enough I was so completely wrapped in the story that I hardly noticed it. I could see this writing style turning some readers off, but I personally felt it gave the material a little more character. The book is completely action packed! It opens with a sandstorm, four horsemen showing up, Saba's father killed, and her twin brother, Lugh, captured by said horsemen. From there, we begin a journey with Saba to find and get Lugh back. Naturally there are quite a few bumps along the way -- very intense bumps -- but Saba proves what a complete badass she is, taking people down along the way and remaining unwilling to give up in her search for her brother.Saba's charm for me, though, is not how many punches she can pack, but how much of a flawed character she is. She's selfish, stubborn, and can be very unlikable at times, but she's also fierce, vulnerable, loyal, and it would be impossible not to empathize with the loneliness she feels without Lugh. She does love him to a fault, but she manages to grow throughout the course of the novel and becomes a bit more self-aware. This isn't to say that she undergoes a magical transformation because, no, she does continue to screw up, but she's beginning to take the steps out of his shadow and into her own identity. I'm very excited to see the continuation of her personal journey in the next books in the series.JACK!!! I can't have a review of this book without a mention of him. I absolutely LOVE him! Not only was the banter and tension between him and Saba delicious from the very beginning, but I wanted to give him a high five for being unafraid to call her out on her crap and her unfair treatment of Emmi. They're such a perfect balance for each other! LOVE.If I could pinpoint the one real issue I had with this book, it's a certain event that happened in the last few pages. It completely took me by a surprise and I felt it was almost unnecessary. Perhaps it's setting up something in the next books, but I'm skeptical since the characters seemed to move past it fairly quickly... This might bug me more later, but right now I'm just completely in love with the rest of the novel. This was a great debut from Moira Young and I'm looking forward to more from her, both in this series and any other future works.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really liked this book. It is set in the future where Wreckers (us) no longer exist. It is a harsh world full of sand and from what we can see little space to grow food. I liked Saba a lot, you could see how she grew up through everything that she went through, especially the way she behaved with her sister. IThe only problem I had with it this book was the way it was written. English is a second language for me and it was hard to follow the story with all the intentional grammatical errors. This did make it seem more believable since it was written in a Point of View from someone that did not have schooling.Overall really like it. And can't wait for the second book in the series
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The four stars I gave is because I was feeling generous. At first till the end I was really excited to finish the book because of the many positive responses I heard concerning this book. When I was nearing the end of the book I was still waiting for a suspenseful turn of events, but I already finished the book and it seems that my hopeful action packed twist was nowhere to be found.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Big fat DNF. I couldn't bring myself to finish the last 20%. -_-
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Summary: Saba lives in the dustlands of Silverlake with her father, her twin brother Lugh, and her younger sister Emmi. Their peaceful lives are interrupted when a band of strangers ride in, kidnap Lugh, and kill Saba?s father. Lugh is the most important person in Saba?s life, so she vows to find him. Her quest isn?t easy, though?Saba finds herself in all manners of trouble along the road, and she must fight to survive. My thoughts: Blood Red Road is a dystopian not quite like any other. Instead of being set in a world full of advanced technology, the people of Blood Red Road are stuck in a desert wasteland, with their nearest neighbors being miles away. The setting sets the tone of the book?gritty, a little bit hopeless, and tough. Though these adjectives don?t usually have positive connotations, they really work in Blood Red Road. You feel completely immersed in the book?s world, and you understand the difficulties the characters face. Speaking of characters, Blood Red Road truly delivers on that part. Saba is weathered and tough, but she has incredible resilience. Though her flaws are a bit glaring (her distaste for her younger sister, for example), she truly stands out as a protagonist. Readers will fall in love with Saba?s strength (both physical and mental) and determination. Other characters of note include Nero, Saba?s trusty pet crow (a bird certain to win your heart) and Jack, a somewhat shady but ultimately lovable thief who tags along for no reason other than a whim. The characters and setting truly shine in Blood Red Road, but the most stand-out aspect of the book is most certainly its plot. The story is attention-grabbing, quick, and it evokes a rollercoaster of emotions. Every aspect of Saba?s journey is interesting; there isn?t a moment of boredom in the whole book. Blood Red Road is a fantastic adventure story about loyalty, trust, and determination that completely captured my heart. It truly stands out against other dystopian stories because of its dusty setting, fantastic characters, and wild plot. The writing style may intimidate, but after a few pages is easy to adjust to. Blood Red Road will be enjoyed especially by fans of dystopian fiction and fantasy, though I?d highly recommend it to anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read my first dystopian book with The Hunger Games, and kept on going!!!... This is another of my FAVS!... It is action packed with characters who were real enough to be my friends ( I know they're not! lol) but I loved it so much that after I was through I had my daughters read it and we would talk about the story AND characters like we DID know them!!!... A must have book!!!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Blood Red Road is Moira Young?s debut and is the first book in the Dustlands series trilogy. This book has been getting a lot of buzz and in fact Ridley Scott recently picked up the movie rights. I found the story to be gripping and fast paced, and one of the best of the new crop of post-apocalyptic books.18-year-old Saba grew up on a desolate, sandstorm plagued, dusty land known as Silverlake with her twin brother Lugh, younger sister Emmi and their father. One day, a huge sandstorm hits, and four horsemen arrive and kidnap her brother. As twins, Lugh and Saba have close ties and her brother means everything to her. Saba vows to rescue Lugh and sets off immediately on her dangerous mission. She does not have many clues to go on, and leaves with only her red-hot intense drive to find her brother.Saba is out in the wilds on her own for the first time and faces treacherous conditions and predators on her journey. She finds herself literally fighting for her life, similar to Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. Saba begins her quest with the single minded goal of finding her brother, but along the way gets caught up in a scheme with the band of rebel girls the Free Hawks to take control of an out of control society. She also meets up with handsome adventurer Jack, and tries to fight her intense feelings for him so she can stay focused on her mission.Blood Red Road has a unique voice that sets it apart from other dystopian works. The first thing you?ll notice when you start reading is the first person narrative style used for the main character Saba. The written dialogue lacks quotation marks, and the words are spelled phonetically. This story telling device helps set the tone of the book and brings Saba?s voice alive. It does take a bit of getting used to, but after the initial distraction I grew to appreciate this stylistic choice.As the protagonist, Saba is strong and fierce and riveting to follow. Her story is compelling because she is so focused on her goal to find her brother. She finds, though, that she is resourceful even without her brother and that others look to her as a leader. She is tough and can appear to be heartless at times, especially with regards to her treatment of her younger sister Emmi. Saba does show growth in this coming of age story and it?s gratifying to see the walls start to come down.The pace of the book moved quicker for me in the second half. That?s when Saba starts to interact and build relationships with other characters. The supporting characters in this book are so colorful and inject a burst of energy in the story. The romantic interest Jack is charismatic and contrasts nicely with Saba. Emmy the younger sister is sweet, yet tough for her age. The Free Hawks are resourceful and help tell the revolution side of the story. Jack?s friend Ike is another like-able character and he and young Tommo round out the group nicely. There are some creepy villains as well of course to keep the tension level high.The book has some fantasy elements in the story that remind me of the works of Maria V. Snyder and Kristin Cashore. There is a whiff of magical mystery surrounding Saba. For example, Saba has a pet crow named Nero that is very clever and human-like in his behavior. Saba also has a mysterious heart stone necklace that has a special gift. There are other unexplained magical instances in the story that perhaps will be addressed in the next book.Blood Red Road has a fast pace, with plenty of action and a healthy dose of violence. The story has a unique voice, compelling story and characters that should appeal to fans of dystopian books such as The Hunger Games or Divergent. It is a great beginning to the trilogy, and I?m anxiously awaiting the next book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I thought this story was great and the series has great potential. It took me a few pages to get into the narrator's dialect. It bugged the shit out of me that there were no double quotations when people were speaking. Other than that, I felt it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The incident that changed Saba?s life? That?s easy. Five horsemen came and took her twin away (Lugh.) The only clue she has is their birth on midwinter's day. Why wasn't she taken as well? On her way to find her brother she is caught and forced into a life of cage fighting where she must fight for her life nightly. With the help of some girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks she formulates a plan to find her brother and free herself. There's also a guy named Jack who always happens to be in the wrong bar at the wrong time, but comes in useful by knowing where Lugh is held. Along the way she realizes the situation is a lot bigger than just finding her brother.As a word of warning: some people don't like the narrative style which is told from Saba's point of view, and since she is uneducated there is a lot of misspellings mostly spelled phonetically. Her language is simply a product of her environment. Here's a passage:Because everthin?s set. It?s all fixed.The lives of everybody who?s ever bin born.The lives of everybody still waitin to be born.It was all set in the stars the moment the world began. Thetime of yer birthin, the time of yer death. Even what kindaperson yer gonna be, good or bad.If you know how to read the stars, you can read the storyof people?s lives. The story of yer own life. What?s gone,what?s now an what?s still to come.Back when Pa was a boy, he met up with a traveler, a manwho knew many things. He learned Pa how to read the stars.Pa never says what he sees in the night sky but you can see itlays heavy on him.Because you cain?t change what?s written.Even if Pa was to say what he knew, even if he was to warnyou, it would still come to pass.I see the way he looks at Lugh sometimes. The way helooks at me.An I wish he?d tell us what he knows.I believe Pa wishes he?d never met the traveler.Personally the plot was strong enough for me to overlook this, and after awhile It didn't even bother me.So What?It's an intense read. I mean a good portion of the book is Saba being a cage fighter and earning the name "Angel of Death." She's such a raw girl, and her having a raven companion just adds to her enigmatic persona. What makes her character so likeable despite being so prickly is her immense love and determination to find her brother. Constantly she fights giving in to fear, and I think that is something most people can relate to. If desert pirates and cage fighting wasn't enough trouble there's also the Tremors element with giant worms with claws that come out at night to hunt for food. It's like a desert Odyssey with people trying to survive in a world full of violence and crime.OverallIf you like dystopian novels with strong chicks then by all means read this. And for those who have already read, am I the only one who likes DeMalo? Let's hope his moniker doesn't speak of his character.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    ?Blood Red Road? by Moria Young (464 pages) is a great coming-of-age dystopian tale with a strong female lead character. Saba lives with her father, twin brother and sister in a barren wasteland. One day, a bad sandstorm and cloaked men come for a visit. They wreak havoc and end up kidnapping Lugh. Saba decides to take off on an epic quest to rescue him.I really enjoy dystopian books, and I have to say that ?Blood Red Road? delivers. Young is able to paint a clear picture of the world without taking 20 pages for each description.A warning, this book is written in dialect. That normally doesn?t scare me off, but I thought it was worth noting since some people can?t stand it. While it is in dialect, I didn?t think it was over the top. It was easy to read, and after awhile you won?t really notice that much (at least I didn?t).There are many little extras thrown into the book that I just loved. I want you to discover them for yourself, but one I just have to share ? Saba has a pet/friend crow. Nero is one of my favorite characters from the book. Now I want one, too!Favorite line: ?Friends don?t owe, she says. Friends don?t repay.?I don?t normally say this about today?s YA, but I felt like this book could have been broken up into at least two books. Some parts felt kind of rushed. The world was enough that I wanted to visit a little longer in some places, but wasn?t allowed to. I didn?t realize until I had finished, but on the title page it does say, ?Dustlands Book One,? so maybe the next book will give me my fix.I don?t have any siblings, so maybe I don?t know what I am talking about, but sometimes the brother-sister love thing was a little too much. I realize twins are supposed to have a super deep connection, but it rode the line a couple of times between grieving sister and ?Flowers in the Attic? feelings. Maybe it was just me?Final thought: A great, quick read that will leave you wanting more.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I found this book to be, at times, hard to read. This was partly because PDFs don't translate well onto the Nook (though it was completely readable) but also because the dialect it was written in took a long time to get used to. The beginning was also slow, but as the novel progressed, it got better and better. I did like the characters, even though I wanted to slap Saba at times for being so stupid about stuff (like her sister and Jack), but at the same time, everything she did was completely consistent with her characterization. Overall, I liked the book and look forward to Young's sequel.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    My rating: 3.5/5I am going to start off by saying that I did not like the beginning of this book. There's just something about books where the main character is alone and on a long journey that my brain just does not like. I guess it's the lack of contact with other people. Hmm. Maybe. Anyways, I was tempted to just stop reading at one point. But I'm glad I didn't.The writing style is... different... in this book. While that may bother some people, I actually had no problem with it. I thought it added more to the story. The narrator, Saba, is telling the story as if she were speaking regularly. This means that throughout the book, words are spelled how Saba would pronounce them and sentences are often grammatically incorrect. However, this gave Saba a powerful voice.Okay, that aside, Saba was a strong character. Which I loved. What I did not love, however, was how she treated other people, like her sister. I kept hoping that at some point in the story, she would actually be nice to someone. I was happy to see her character progress throughout the story. As I said before, I didn't like the beginning of the book. That was partially because of Saba's attitude. But again, I'm glad I kept reading because then I wouldn't have met all the other awesome characters in this book. In all, pretty much every character was kick-ass and tough and just awesome.What saved the book for me was the action in the second half of the book. This again, was partially due to the kick-ass characters Saba meets. Which includes the dangerous Free Hawks and Jack, who is sarcastic, witty, tough, and just brilliant. I like how the book played out. It didn't end on a cliffhanger, but it definitely left room for a sequel. I'd be willing to check out the sequel and get more of Saba, Jack, and whatever they get themselves into.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It was not even close to being as good as The Hunger Games.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    One thing that really grabs me about this book is dialect in it. I thought it was completely and totally unique. For me, it was the first I've seen in young adult book.The storyline of this book is great! It reminded me of Gladiator but with a girl instead. I admired Saba's strength to find her brother and fight. I loved her fighting. It showed cased not only her strength, but her angry and will to find her brother. She is a survivor. A true survivor. I loved the way her feelings were. I understood them completely. I get the same way when it comes to fighting for something you love. You don't want anything or anyone to stand in your way. And when they do, you can't fully do want to you want to do cause you are weighed down.While Saba was alone most of her life, I like that she found someone who she can not only confide in but someone to match her strength. Jack is a guy like no other. He knew how she was right from the start. He knew her weak spots and her strength. I like that when she was weak, he was strong for her and vice versa. I admire their time together. When they were together all time stopped. It was just them. Simply wonderful!The title of this book matches it exactly. It was a very bloody road that Saba had to go through in order to find her brother. Saba is truly a strong person. I rooted for her to make it all the way. It was written so good that you see everything. Feelings, the characters... even I can feel the dust blowing into my face with the hot scorching sun. Simply fantastic! *There was some cursing.*
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.I?ve been putting off Blood Red Road forever. I put it off because I had heard about the numerous spelling errors and grammatical mistakes, and I was positive that it would drive me crazy. Turns out I was wrong. I thought that they were actual mistakes, but turns out that it was an atmosphere-type decision. It definitely worked out, in my mind.At first it was a little bit distractin, as a lot of constants were dropped, and been was spelled bin, etc. But once I got used to it, it was really no deal at all. I thought that it added an authentic touch to the story, which it definitely needed, being set in a post-apocalyptic world. Dystopian at it?s best!Saba was a great, strong, kick-ass main character. In the beginning, it felt like her loyalty was a tad lacking, but as we get farther into the book and she grows as a character, I feel like it?s not an issue anymore. She?s made peace with herself, and she finally grew to love Emmi like she should have in the beginning. She also made some great new friends, and I don?t think that I could have loved her more.Speaking of the L-word, I feel like I should say a few things about our main guy character, Jack. Jack himself is fabulous. He?s cocky and a bit too arrogant for his own good, but deep inside he?s a great guy. He?s sweet and I?m positive that he?s brave.They go well together, actually.On another note, I?m a huge fan of the storyline. It never had a dull moment from the beginning, and it was the perfect distraction for me. From kidnappings to cage fights to strange creatures, this book just has it all. It even has good secondary characters! Everyone of them has a purpose, and most of the time they made good friends to Saba and Jack.All in all, I really enjoyed Blood Red Road. It wasn?t what I was expecting, but I liked it more than I ever would have if it had followed my ideas.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Wow! I was blown away by Blood Red Road. (Also known simply as Dust Lands in my head. Look at the giant font for the series' title in comparison to the actual title!) Not only did I find the novel to indeed be better than The Hunger Games, I also would rank the book as one of the better dystopians and even at the top of the list!

    At first, I wasn't sure if I would like the dialect. There are no quotations marks and a lot of pretty bad grammar. There are misspelled words aplenty and you will find a lot of choppy sentences. However, all this makes this book one of the most realistic dystopians out there. Have you ever wondered why a character with supposedly no education can speak with perfect grammar and acquire such a large vocabulary? I certainly have, particularly in dystopians, and I am so glad Dust Lands fixes that problem.

    I know a lot of people are still apprehensive of the writing of the novel. Will it be too hard to get into the novel with the bad grammar and lack of punctuation and spelling? For me, the dialect did not prevent me from getting sucked into Saba's world. In fact, the uncommon but smartly planned writing made me love the book so much more, and after a while I barely noticed the "errors". I was just in Saba's head and thinking the way she thought.

    Also, I love the fact that Dust Lands is a dystopian without an overload of technonlgy. In all honesty, I was kind of getting bored with all the computer-y electronic-y aspects in some novels. Blood Red Road is simply a survival story in a world with a harsh terrain and plenty of fighting and cruel conditions. I also loved the lack of control the setting has. Everyone is out to keep only their heads on their necks and most are back stabbers that don't care about the fate of others.

    The characters are superb. While I found Saba to occasionly be thick headed and mean, she was a unique character and her story of survival is also one about self discovery. The character I felt for most was Saba's sister Emmi. Saba treats her badly as she blames Emmi for the mother's death, and she goes through a lot of pain and trauma for a seven year old. Also, I found the brother, Lugh, to be a very interesting character. Although we don't see much of him, he has a big presence throughout the book and I hope we see more of him in the second book.

    Jack, the love interest, was not a "wow" character for me, although I did like him. I was intrigued by him and I was on edge to hear his story. Unfortunately, we don't seem to learn enough about Jack and I was disappointed. Hopefully more will be revealed in the next book. Next, we have the Free Hawks. They were so awesome! Who can't love a "gang of girl warriors and revolutionaries"?

    Finally, we have the adventure and plot. Well, it was amazingly paced and I really hated every time I had to set the book down. There is so much action from fights to storms to daring escapes. Along with the action there is also great, to-the-point descriptions that have you imagining the setting. Overall, I really enjoyed the journey Blood Red Road sucked me into. The characters, plot, setting, and dialect were amazing and realictic. Don't let this book scare you. Give Dust Lands a try.

    4/5 Stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was amazing!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An intriguing and dingy world filled with characters you can grow with. I thought it ended in a way that wouldn't call for a sequel but publishers can't let go of money-making dystopian teen fiction that easily. The world that Young created is fascinating: it would fit in the Firefly universe seamlessly and perhaps that is why I'll pick up the next book. ?