3 out of 4 stars
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** I always try my best to avoid spoilers in my reviews. However, I felt I must include a small warning at the end of this one. I alert you now that if you wish to avoid even the slightest spoiler, DO NOT read the last sentence. You have been warned. **
The world ended in fire and chaos, leaving only cities of twisted iron and crumbling asphalt. We few who survive have made a home, of sorts, in the Alman district on the outskirts of Varalite City. As far as we have been able to learn, we are all that remains of humanity. Today is Day Last. For a few of us, it is the most dangerous day of the year. Fall is ending, and it is the last time before the black snows that any of us will be able to make their way into the crumbling ruins of Varalite City to scavenge for supplies. My name is Alex. I turned sixteen this year, and I'm among the chosen. It’s time to go.
Unbeknownst to the community, the exploration of the city this year will be like no other before it. As Alex and the others selected for the task pick their way through the broken streets and ravaged buildings of Varalite City, the impossible happens. A two-way radio flickers to life. On the other end is a voice unfamiliar to them. Is it possible that they are not alone, not the only ones to have survived the bombs? Broken Blood by Stephen Kunkler follows a small band chosen from this isolated community as they struggle to cross a highly irradiated wasteland following the call of an unknown voice. The author leads us on a suspense-filled trek with twists around every corner. Think you know how it ends? Think again.
I read Broken Blood through in one sitting. Although at ninety-seven pages, that wasn’t difficult to do, the story was so compelling I could not put it down. Kunkler brought to life the desperate plight of the survivors as well as the hope that blossomed at hearing a single voice reaching across the airwaves. He drew me along, held fast with suspense and worry, as Alex and the others chosen trekked through constant peril to find those calling out to them. His descriptions were so vivid that I could almost feel the inches deep ash shift beneath my feet as I journeyed with Alex and his companions. His talent for building emotion held me so spellbound that through the very last scenes of the book, I felt every emotion evoked.
As much as I liked it, the novel did have shortcomings. The phrasing was often awkward, and the character development was somewhat lacking. There were difficulties with punctuation, and there was one word which was repeatedly and annoyingly misused. For example, many sentences resembled this one, using phrase after phrase: “During the day, I spent hours locked in the bathroom, telling others I was washing up, while in actuality I was curled up in the bathtub, trying to shut the world out.” The punctuation problems were mostly with commas and incorrect ending punctuation. Most distracting, however, was that the author regularly used the word “mouthed” to describe dialogue that might have been “said,” or “muttered,” or even “screamed.” The emotion behind it didn’t seem to matter. It was used as a ‘catch-all’ word. “’ We may be able to eat these!’ she mouthed excitedly.” Or “’…It’s not going to do any good…’ Chester mouthed; I could see a tear roll down his face.”
While fairly well-defined, the characters are admittedly not strongly developed. In my opinion, there are good reasons for this. First, the book focuses only on the most recent three years since the bombs dropped. Second, what little background is given is mostly devoted to the four families chosen to go on the cross-country journey. All other characters are secondary or side characters who are important only for a scene or two in the book. Last, of those on the quest, some play a more significant role than others. These individuals, though still not strongly developed, have the most rounded characters.
Broken Blood is a quick, enjoyable read which I give 3 out of 4 stars. Because of the frequent and extremely distracting misuse of the word “mouthed” and other mentioned errors, I had to knock off a star. Despite the shortcomings in writing style, I did not go as far down as two stars because of the author’s skill at pulling the reader into the story. If you like post-apocalyptic stories with a dose of mystery and plenty of twists and turns, then put this book on your reading list. Just remember, it contains a marked annoyance (e.g., “mouthed” ad nauseam) which is difficult to overlook. There is no foul language but (SPOILER ALERT >>> SPOILER ALERT) due to the graphic images evoked by the ending, I absolutely cannot recommend it for younger readers.
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Broken Blood
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I don't think this book is for me, but thank you for your refreshing recommendation!
