by Jaleigh
Johnson
(March
25th 2014, Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
13-year-old
orphan Piper Linny lives in Scrap Town Sixteen, where you must scavenge the
detritus that falls from the heavens in violent meteor storms to survive. Being
an exceptionally talented machinist, she is able to scrape by fixing machines
that no one else can, but she desperately wishes to leave home and start a new
life elsewhere.
When
she finds the unconscious Anna in the midst of a meteor storm however, her
vague plans for the future are unexpectedly expedited. On the girl's arm is the
mark of the dragonfly, the emblem of the king of a neighboring territory and
those under his protection. Piper wishes to return Anna to Dragonfly Territories
for a reward, but a terrifying stranger has other plans for her. To escape,
they board the well-protected fright train 401 and along the way, they discover
secrets no only about Anna but also about the mysterious man pursuing them.
Pros:
- Johnson's world-building melds familiar elements with newer ones to create a novel setting that's genuinely more than the sum of its parts.
- The action never flags and Johnson is able to maintain such copious twists and turns that once the story really picks up, it's hard to put the book down.
- Piper is a truly worthy heroine. In a time when foolish decision-making is frequently used to forward plot, Piper's courage, kindness and – most importantly – common sense make her a compelling protagonist.
- While other characters are well-drawn, Piper and the super-intelligent but fragile Anna's relationship takes center stage, offering a refreshing change from the standard YA romance.
Cons:
- The initial setting may dissuade those already tired of dystopian worlds, but thankfully Piper does not linger in Scrap Town Sixteen.
- The introduction of the main antagonist was problem. He was introduced suddenly and in a far too pedestrian way, undermining Anna's genuine fear of him.
- Gee and Piper sounded quite a bit older than thirteen and to me, this stretched credibility somewhat.
Verdict: A superior adventure that combines dystopian fantasy and steampunk to deliver a tale with something for everyone.
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