Review: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Saba lives in Silverlake, a wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms where her family scavenge from landfills left by the long-gone Wrecker civilization. After four cloaked horsemen kidnap her beloved twin brother Lugh, she teams up with daredevil Jack and the Free Hawks, a girl gang of Revolutionaries.

Saba learns that she is a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Saba and her new friends stage a showdown that change the course of her civilization.

Blood Red Road was one of those books that caught my eye very early on. As soon as I discovered it on Goodreads, I was intrigued by the premise and pounced at the first opportunity to get a copy. It took quite some time for me to actually start reading, but once I did, I was hooked with no chance of escape.

The lovely little synopsis above does a fabulous job of concisely outlining the plot of Blood Red Road. Female protagonist Saba lives in a world that holds almost no similarity to our own. Along with her twin brother Lugh, Saba is essentially forced to fend not only for herself but for her family--or rather, what's left of it. Since the loss of her mother, Saba's father has never quite been the same. Saba also has a young sister, Emmi, with whom she does not get along. However, circumstances will take Saba and Emmi on a journey far beyond the land of their childhoods, putting both of them in the face of both physical and emotional obstacles that just might bring the pair a little closer together.

Saba is everything I admire in a female protagonist. She's a fierce, no-nonsense type of girl with a sharp wit and intense temper. No matter the situation, Saba is a fighter. She rises to any challenge, especially if someone or something she cares strongly about is at risk. Believe me when I say that you would not want to face this girl when she's angry. At the same time, there are a fair number of instances when Saba allows her walls to be broken down. Dystopian and paranormal elements aside, it was easy to relate to Saba because, when stripped to the core, her major conflicts dealt with family and relationships--two things than any and all of us face at some point in our lives. I also adored Jack, the love interest, due to the fact that he is perfect for Saba in just about every way. The two of them have almost identical personalities.

The dystopian setting behind Blood Red Road was absolutely fascinating. I've never seen anything quite like it, and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to explore unfamiliar sights alongside Saba and Emmi. One last thing that I can't go without mentioning is the writing. Anyone who knows me well is aware that I'm a grammar freak. The novel is written in an English dialect that contains all sorts of spellings and phrasings that would be considered errors in the modern language. Do you sense an issue here? I thought you might. To my surprise, though, I wasn't at all bothered by the unusual written word. In fact, I thought that the style was quite fitting for the story, almost like a parallel to a place that has fallen apart, and very nearly ended up speaking in the same way because I got so used to it.

Blood Red Road is, without a doubt, one of the best stories I've read in 2012. I'm very anxious and excited to see what the sequel, Rebel Heart, will bring for Saba, Jack, and the rest of the characters. Is it September yet?!

Rating: 5/5 stars