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Troubled Times #1
Water's Edge
The Climate is Changing. Thousands are fleeing the chaos and social unrest. With their own water and power supplies, fourteen year old Nairne, her brother Zane and father Daniel are well prepared to cope with the effects of climate change, but most people are less fortunate. Severe floods, heat waves and droughts are sweeping across the UK. When Nairne persuades her father, Daniel, to house some of the evacuees on their small holding in the south of Scotland she plunges the family into a world of violence, deception and murder. Nairne soon discovers the truth. With society at breaking point, she has to grow up quickly as she alone can take revenge on those responsible. She discovers that the fortress Daniel built to give his children a chance has become the prize in a struggle where winning can mean the difference between life and death.
266 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2013
7 people are currently reading
883 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Meehan
6 books27 followersRachel Meehan lives in rural, southern Scotland and has been writing fiction for a number of years, concentrating on the young adult genre. This passion for writing comes from Rachel’s artistic background and reflects her own interests in plot-driven writing that has its context in real life.
Rachel loves reading fiction especially, young adult, end of the world and dystopian novels. She also has a keen interest in the environment.
Rachel lives with her partner, and their house is situated well above sea level where they grow much of their own food and generate some of their own electricity.
Rachel checks her garden and surrounding areas regularly for signs of triffids......
Rachel loves reading fiction especially, young adult, end of the world and dystopian novels. She also has a keen interest in the environment.
Rachel lives with her partner, and their house is situated well above sea level where they grow much of their own food and generate some of their own electricity.
Rachel checks her garden and surrounding areas regularly for signs of triffids......
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 19, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to author Rachel Meehan.)
This was an interesting YA apocalyptic story, with a focus on climate change as the main cause of the problems.
I felt so sorry for Nairne in this story, every time something bad happened, it happened to her, and every time I thought that things were bad, they got worse! She lost so much in such a short space of time, and the world was so unfair to her.
The storyline in this was about Nairne and her family when climate change began to be a real problem. Many parts of England became flooded and uninhabitable, and Nairne and her family offered to take a family into their home since theirs was unliveable. Things just got worse and worse though, and I got so angry with certain people in this book! How some people can be so awful I don’t know, but I really hope they get what’s coming to them!
The ending to this was pretty good, but I need to read the next one to find out what happens next!
7.25 out of 10
This was an interesting YA apocalyptic story, with a focus on climate change as the main cause of the problems.
I felt so sorry for Nairne in this story, every time something bad happened, it happened to her, and every time I thought that things were bad, they got worse! She lost so much in such a short space of time, and the world was so unfair to her.
The storyline in this was about Nairne and her family when climate change began to be a real problem. Many parts of England became flooded and uninhabitable, and Nairne and her family offered to take a family into their home since theirs was unliveable. Things just got worse and worse though, and I got so angry with certain people in this book! How some people can be so awful I don’t know, but I really hope they get what’s coming to them!
The ending to this was pretty good, but I need to read the next one to find out what happens next!
7.25 out of 10
October 11, 2015
Interesting, yet fairly dark, tale. Global warming is changing the would as we know it here and things are getting bad fast. For years, everyone thought Nairne's father was a bit crazy, leaving the city, buying some land on higher ground. When disasters strike, people are soon forced to leave their homes. Daniel, Zane and Nairne decide to help out by letting a family in need come live with them.
From there, things go from bad to worse for them. I won't say what as that would ruin the story. Let's simply say my desire to ever have a roommate to share my home just went way down after reading this. Now this is not a horror novel but it is dark, realistic and disturbing of human nature.
I really liked how the characters are portrayed. Very unique characteristics to each. There were characters I liked, and some I hated. Rachel Meehan dis a good job drawing them out. Although I did not care for how the book sometimes jumped perspectives. While most of the time, we are with Nairne, sometimes is will randomly jump to her father or their new tenants with no break or warning. It was a bit disconcerting at times.
This book has some interesting points that make you wonder "What if." It makes you think what might happen if the world suddenly took a massive turn for the worse. What makes a person good or bad. Overall, I enjoyed this.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair, honest review. *
From there, things go from bad to worse for them. I won't say what as that would ruin the story. Let's simply say my desire to ever have a roommate to share my home just went way down after reading this. Now this is not a horror novel but it is dark, realistic and disturbing of human nature.
I really liked how the characters are portrayed. Very unique characteristics to each. There were characters I liked, and some I hated. Rachel Meehan dis a good job drawing them out. Although I did not care for how the book sometimes jumped perspectives. While most of the time, we are with Nairne, sometimes is will randomly jump to her father or their new tenants with no break or warning. It was a bit disconcerting at times.
This book has some interesting points that make you wonder "What if." It makes you think what might happen if the world suddenly took a massive turn for the worse. What makes a person good or bad. Overall, I enjoyed this.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair, honest review. *
October 5, 2015
I received a copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 4.25
This was an interesting YA dystopian read. I thought the concept of climate change and global warming was intriguing. The story was interesting for the majority of the book. The story kept me engaged and I enjoyed this book thoroughly. The characters were interesting as well.
I felt bad for Nairne in this book because she lost everything. I liked how I felt her struggle when all these bad things kept occurring in her life, such as . I thought some of the other characters were great as well. Zane was a great character to read, I liked his development in this book too. The ending was great. Can't wait for book 2, Power's Out. Overall, a great read.
Actual Rating: 4.25
This was an interesting YA dystopian read. I thought the concept of climate change and global warming was intriguing. The story was interesting for the majority of the book. The story kept me engaged and I enjoyed this book thoroughly. The characters were interesting as well.
I felt bad for Nairne in this book because she lost everything. I liked how I felt her struggle when all these bad things kept occurring in her life, such as . I thought some of the other characters were great as well. Zane was a great character to read, I liked his development in this book too. The ending was great. Can't wait for book 2, Power's Out. Overall, a great read.
September 19, 2015
(I received a copy from the author, In exchange for an honest review.)
Actual rating - 3.5
I felt really sorry for Nairne in this. She went through quite a lot, and it seemed like she just couldn't catch a break!
This was an interesting read, and I enjoyed the majority of it. There was a few times where I started to lose interest slightly, but the story always managed to get it back after a bit thankfully.
Overall, A decent read.
Actual rating - 3.5
I felt really sorry for Nairne in this. She went through quite a lot, and it seemed like she just couldn't catch a break!
This was an interesting read, and I enjoyed the majority of it. There was a few times where I started to lose interest slightly, but the story always managed to get it back after a bit thankfully.
Overall, A decent read.
October 7, 2015
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this free digital edition for an honest review!
Nairne, a fourteen-year-old girl lives with her father and mentally challenged sixteen-year-old brother in an what I would classify a pre-apocalyptic period. She seems like the character that doesn't trust easily yet she is the one that seems excited at the prospect of bringing strangers into her home and convinces her dad it is the right thing to do. She is displayed as an outcast, but I'm not sure exactly why except because she is poor and her dad is vocal about his ideas of the future disasters to come. She has to deal with life and death issues constantly over the period of a what I presume to be about a year. She learns not to trust anyone. She later realizes there is only herself and one other person she can count on. I really became interested in the story around chapter 25 when the plot began to come together and organize itself. This is when I see Nairne and Paul as true characters. I like how they developed a real backbone and made a plan and followed through. The fact that there was an excerpt of the next book made me feel optimistic about where this series is headed and that it may be in a positive direction. By the last quarter of the book, I saw the author's writing emerge into something mature and thought provoking.
I originally had a difficult time with this book because it seemed disconnected and I couldn't quite understand how the back story had much to do with what I later found to be the main idea. Some of this may be the difference in cultures between my way of thinking and that of the UK. There were also several grammatical errors. This again may be an issue in how writing is different between the two populations. I was intrigued by the differences in the spellings and words I was unfamiliar with. I feel that reading a book that was written in the UK and is set in the UK should be written in the native grammar and I began to enjoy the nuances after letting go of the American grammar education I was provided.
I would give this 4 stars based on the last 10 or so chapters and after having read book 2.
Nairne, a fourteen-year-old girl lives with her father and mentally challenged sixteen-year-old brother in an what I would classify a pre-apocalyptic period. She seems like the character that doesn't trust easily yet she is the one that seems excited at the prospect of bringing strangers into her home and convinces her dad it is the right thing to do. She is displayed as an outcast, but I'm not sure exactly why except because she is poor and her dad is vocal about his ideas of the future disasters to come. She has to deal with life and death issues constantly over the period of a what I presume to be about a year. She learns not to trust anyone. She later realizes there is only herself and one other person she can count on. I really became interested in the story around chapter 25 when the plot began to come together and organize itself. This is when I see Nairne and Paul as true characters. I like how they developed a real backbone and made a plan and followed through. The fact that there was an excerpt of the next book made me feel optimistic about where this series is headed and that it may be in a positive direction. By the last quarter of the book, I saw the author's writing emerge into something mature and thought provoking.
I originally had a difficult time with this book because it seemed disconnected and I couldn't quite understand how the back story had much to do with what I later found to be the main idea. Some of this may be the difference in cultures between my way of thinking and that of the UK. There were also several grammatical errors. This again may be an issue in how writing is different between the two populations. I was intrigued by the differences in the spellings and words I was unfamiliar with. I feel that reading a book that was written in the UK and is set in the UK should be written in the native grammar and I began to enjoy the nuances after letting go of the American grammar education I was provided.
I would give this 4 stars based on the last 10 or so chapters and after having read book 2.
September 23, 2015
(source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis.)
I really enjoy dystopian books and this one was the first one involving climate changing and weather disasters, It didn't disappoint me at all, I couldn't stop reading, as the thriller element was very interesting as well.
Nairne, the main character on the book has such a personality for a little girl, she had a very hard time, and even like that she never gives up doing what she thinks is the right thing to do.
The ending was amazing, the author left it quite open, so I am very looking forward to reading the next book to see what really happened.
I really enjoy dystopian books and this one was the first one involving climate changing and weather disasters, It didn't disappoint me at all, I couldn't stop reading, as the thriller element was very interesting as well.
Nairne, the main character on the book has such a personality for a little girl, she had a very hard time, and even like that she never gives up doing what she thinks is the right thing to do.
The ending was amazing, the author left it quite open, so I am very looking forward to reading the next book to see what really happened.
July 7, 2015
Today We Did
Daniel Grear is a firm believer in climate change, and the detrimental effects that it is having on the earth, especially the weather. To make their lives better, he moves his small family into the Scottish countryside onto acreage, where they can try to become mostly self-sufficient. They raise animals, grow food and produce their own electricity, and collect rain-water in tanks. Nairne and her older brother Zane both help out with chores about the farm after school, and Nairne is showing an aptitude for machines and caring for the animals. Coping with wild weather, including storms, excessive rain and heavy snow falls makes life on the farm harder, but they are much better off than many. As things worsen, and sea levels rise dramatically, parts of the UK and Europe flood, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. With a massive influx of people from further south, Nairne convinces Daniel to take in a family of boarders, a city couple, Garrick and Pam, with their teenage son, Paul. They seem alright on the surface, but Nairne quickly becomes uneasy and distrustful, with her feelings exacerbated when a couple of Garrick’s colleague’s move in next door. As food and fuel sources dry up, and even basic supplies become unaffordable, the Grear’s farm with all of its resources becomes a very desirable location. Nairne soon learns that some people will go to extraordinary lengths to get what they want, and beware anyone that might get in their way.
This is the first book in the Troubled Times series by Rachel Meehan. It deals with the issues of climate change and global warming and themes of human nature, including survival and desperation. The effects of climate change that we have seen so far have drastically accelerated, the polar caps are melting at an alarming rate, raising sea levels and causing storms. There is drought, fires, floods and storms that are devastating vast sections of Earth. These events could really happen to our world if we, as a human race, continue to trash the environment and use reckless amounts of fossil fuels. The author has obviously put a great deal of effort into researching climate change science, and this comes through in the details of this story. She has also put a lot of thought into how people would react if such a widespread catastrophe were to occur. The desperation to survive at any cost is evident in the town, with arguments, looting, fights and thievery, and that’s just the average law abiding citizens! They just want to have enough food, shelter and water to survive. The ones that want to take advantage of the situation, like Garrick and his mates, are ruthless, and concerned with profit and power far more than with getting enough to make their own survival possible. I concur with how this scenario plays, survival, even at the cost of others is basic animal nature, and I think that is how most people would react if they became desperate. That there will be some prepared to take things further is almost inevitable, we hear everyday on the news about people that have done something abhorrent even in the best of times, without remorse or guilt. This could only be amplified in the disarray of a global catastrophe.
All of the characters in Water’s Edge were deeply developed and realistic. Through the story I felt like I really got to know Nairne. She is tough, headstrong and practical, a great female lead character. I admired her abilities about the farm, and her disregard for what others might think of her. At fourteen, she has much more weighing on her shoulders than most, yet she slogs forth with tenacity, honesty and integrity. She’s got a sharp tongue, a temper, and she can come across as a bit abrasive, but I really liked her. I liked Zane and Daniel too, though not as much as Nairne. Zane was a shy follower, who befriends Paul readily. Daniel was a lot like Nairne, though with more years under his belt to learn to control his emotions. In contrast, their new boarders, Garrick and Pam, were extremely different. It was evident from the start that Garrick was a bit off, and Pam seemed to be rather vacuous and incapable of independence. They were well written city characters trying to adjust, and take advantage of, country living. Their friend and colleague, Stevie, and his gang were horrible men, and I can still see Stevie’s evil grin as he hurts someone. The character that changed the most was Garrick’s son Paul. Initially I disliked him, but as the story progressed, he grew on me. He really started trying to make a new life on the farm, helping out, and befriending both Zane and Nairne.
Water’s Edge was interesting, logical, with well-formed themes and characters, and a little mystery. I enjoyed it, and have already moved onto the second book in the series, Power’s Out. I think it would be best suited to upper primary school and high school students. However, it may not suit less mature children, as the overall theme of disaster and dystopia might be too frightening, and there is some violence and death.
This book really makes me want to live off the grid in a secluded area being self-sufficient, in a well-secured and camouflaged compound with all my family by my side!
*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.
Daniel Grear is a firm believer in climate change, and the detrimental effects that it is having on the earth, especially the weather. To make their lives better, he moves his small family into the Scottish countryside onto acreage, where they can try to become mostly self-sufficient. They raise animals, grow food and produce their own electricity, and collect rain-water in tanks. Nairne and her older brother Zane both help out with chores about the farm after school, and Nairne is showing an aptitude for machines and caring for the animals. Coping with wild weather, including storms, excessive rain and heavy snow falls makes life on the farm harder, but they are much better off than many. As things worsen, and sea levels rise dramatically, parts of the UK and Europe flood, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. With a massive influx of people from further south, Nairne convinces Daniel to take in a family of boarders, a city couple, Garrick and Pam, with their teenage son, Paul. They seem alright on the surface, but Nairne quickly becomes uneasy and distrustful, with her feelings exacerbated when a couple of Garrick’s colleague’s move in next door. As food and fuel sources dry up, and even basic supplies become unaffordable, the Grear’s farm with all of its resources becomes a very desirable location. Nairne soon learns that some people will go to extraordinary lengths to get what they want, and beware anyone that might get in their way.
This is the first book in the Troubled Times series by Rachel Meehan. It deals with the issues of climate change and global warming and themes of human nature, including survival and desperation. The effects of climate change that we have seen so far have drastically accelerated, the polar caps are melting at an alarming rate, raising sea levels and causing storms. There is drought, fires, floods and storms that are devastating vast sections of Earth. These events could really happen to our world if we, as a human race, continue to trash the environment and use reckless amounts of fossil fuels. The author has obviously put a great deal of effort into researching climate change science, and this comes through in the details of this story. She has also put a lot of thought into how people would react if such a widespread catastrophe were to occur. The desperation to survive at any cost is evident in the town, with arguments, looting, fights and thievery, and that’s just the average law abiding citizens! They just want to have enough food, shelter and water to survive. The ones that want to take advantage of the situation, like Garrick and his mates, are ruthless, and concerned with profit and power far more than with getting enough to make their own survival possible. I concur with how this scenario plays, survival, even at the cost of others is basic animal nature, and I think that is how most people would react if they became desperate. That there will be some prepared to take things further is almost inevitable, we hear everyday on the news about people that have done something abhorrent even in the best of times, without remorse or guilt. This could only be amplified in the disarray of a global catastrophe.
All of the characters in Water’s Edge were deeply developed and realistic. Through the story I felt like I really got to know Nairne. She is tough, headstrong and practical, a great female lead character. I admired her abilities about the farm, and her disregard for what others might think of her. At fourteen, she has much more weighing on her shoulders than most, yet she slogs forth with tenacity, honesty and integrity. She’s got a sharp tongue, a temper, and she can come across as a bit abrasive, but I really liked her. I liked Zane and Daniel too, though not as much as Nairne. Zane was a shy follower, who befriends Paul readily. Daniel was a lot like Nairne, though with more years under his belt to learn to control his emotions. In contrast, their new boarders, Garrick and Pam, were extremely different. It was evident from the start that Garrick was a bit off, and Pam seemed to be rather vacuous and incapable of independence. They were well written city characters trying to adjust, and take advantage of, country living. Their friend and colleague, Stevie, and his gang were horrible men, and I can still see Stevie’s evil grin as he hurts someone. The character that changed the most was Garrick’s son Paul. Initially I disliked him, but as the story progressed, he grew on me. He really started trying to make a new life on the farm, helping out, and befriending both Zane and Nairne.
Water’s Edge was interesting, logical, with well-formed themes and characters, and a little mystery. I enjoyed it, and have already moved onto the second book in the series, Power’s Out. I think it would be best suited to upper primary school and high school students. However, it may not suit less mature children, as the overall theme of disaster and dystopia might be too frightening, and there is some violence and death.
This book really makes me want to live off the grid in a secluded area being self-sufficient, in a well-secured and camouflaged compound with all my family by my side!
*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.
December 24, 2013
*This review also appears on the blog Chasm of Books*
I was provided a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect any of my views or opinions on the book.
Water's edge is classified as a pre-apocalyptic novel, reminiscent of other books such as The Age of Miracles and The Carbon Diaries 2015. Gritty and believable, it was en enjoyable read that had other elements to it apart from the climate change aspect. Our main character Nairne is living with her father Daniel and brother Zane on a property lucky enough to be unaffected by the extreme weather affecting most of England. As more people begin moving into town from disaster-ridden areas, the family takes in some new arrivals: Pamela, Garrick and Paul - a seemingly ditsy blond, cashed-up big guy and mopey teenage son. However, Nairne soon realises that there is more to this story than first meets the eye.
---------
*REVIEW*
Sounds like a pretty bleak world doesn't it? - and it is. Although who knows? It might eventuate into reality some day. What made this book enjoyable for me was the fact that yes- the concept was believable. What I did find though as the story progressed was that things did seem to become a little side-tracked and began to become a little more of a novel describing the works of an underground almost . That being said, I suppose it was this element that did manage to differentiate this novel from other similar ones I've read (as noted above) and did add to the suspense of the plot.
Another positive was definitely Nairne's character. She was feisty, headstrong and knew how to be tough. She really took a step up in her position and took responsibility like a mature adult would (even better than some of the adults in some cases). I loved to see her character develop, and although her stubbornness may have gotten a little irritating at times - it's fair to say I think that it's what you would probably expect from a teenager anyway. The other characters I felt were equally well developed, with some being deeper than others. Some even surprised me a little with how they really turned out. The line in this novel was blurred at times between 'good guys' and 'bad guys'.
Thank goodness this book didn't turn into the whole girl-meets-boy-in-troubled-world-and-fall-in-love sort of story. If it had it would have distracted from all the action that was going on. Really, it was a good choice to keep Nairne a brave girl on her own terms - without the need for a knight in shining armour to save her at the slightest hint of danger. I'm not exactly sure if a subtle friendship will blossom into something more in the next book, but even if it does as long as the plot is as interesting as this one; I'm not complaining.
The only small part of constructive criticism I can give is about the writing style. It could use a little more work to become a bit more sophisticated and 'smoothly written', and some of the dialogue could have been crafted better to fit in with the characters and their personalities. However, this comes with experience and didn't really make the essence of the story any less interesting or satisfactory.
*CONCLUSION*
In conclusion, Water's Edge by Rachel Meehan was a novel that I quite enjoyed. It was both realistic and suspenseful, and something I would recommend to people looking for a pre-apocalyptic novel without all the soppy unnecessary romance that you may get in other books. After an ending that leaves room for so much more, I am definitely on the lookout for the next book "Power's Out" .
I was provided a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect any of my views or opinions on the book.
Water's edge is classified as a pre-apocalyptic novel, reminiscent of other books such as The Age of Miracles and The Carbon Diaries 2015. Gritty and believable, it was en enjoyable read that had other elements to it apart from the climate change aspect. Our main character Nairne is living with her father Daniel and brother Zane on a property lucky enough to be unaffected by the extreme weather affecting most of England. As more people begin moving into town from disaster-ridden areas, the family takes in some new arrivals: Pamela, Garrick and Paul - a seemingly ditsy blond, cashed-up big guy and mopey teenage son. However, Nairne soon realises that there is more to this story than first meets the eye.
---------
*REVIEW*
When Nairne looked back on that day she realised it was a turning point in so many ways. It was as if the whole planet had turned angry; the weather, which had been treacherous, deteriorated further. It rained all the time. The only respite came at night when the temperatures plummeted and everything froze. February brought gale force winds that swept across the country causing havoc. London flooded again, worse than last time and the mass migration of people became a common sight on the evening news.
Sounds like a pretty bleak world doesn't it? - and it is. Although who knows? It might eventuate into reality some day. What made this book enjoyable for me was the fact that yes- the concept was believable. What I did find though as the story progressed was that things did seem to become a little side-tracked and began to become a little more of a novel describing the works of an underground almost . That being said, I suppose it was this element that did manage to differentiate this novel from other similar ones I've read (as noted above) and did add to the suspense of the plot.
Another positive was definitely Nairne's character. She was feisty, headstrong and knew how to be tough. She really took a step up in her position and took responsibility like a mature adult would (even better than some of the adults in some cases). I loved to see her character develop, and although her stubbornness may have gotten a little irritating at times - it's fair to say I think that it's what you would probably expect from a teenager anyway. The other characters I felt were equally well developed, with some being deeper than others. Some even surprised me a little with how they really turned out. The line in this novel was blurred at times between 'good guys' and 'bad guys'.
Thank goodness this book didn't turn into the whole girl-meets-boy-in-troubled-world-and-fall-in-love sort of story. If it had it would have distracted from all the action that was going on. Really, it was a good choice to keep Nairne a brave girl on her own terms - without the need for a knight in shining armour to save her at the slightest hint of danger. I'm not exactly sure if a subtle friendship will blossom into something more in the next book, but even if it does as long as the plot is as interesting as this one; I'm not complaining.
The only small part of constructive criticism I can give is about the writing style. It could use a little more work to become a bit more sophisticated and 'smoothly written', and some of the dialogue could have been crafted better to fit in with the characters and their personalities. However, this comes with experience and didn't really make the essence of the story any less interesting or satisfactory.
*CONCLUSION*
In conclusion, Water's Edge by Rachel Meehan was a novel that I quite enjoyed. It was both realistic and suspenseful, and something I would recommend to people looking for a pre-apocalyptic novel without all the soppy unnecessary romance that you may get in other books. After an ending that leaves room for so much more, I am definitely on the lookout for the next book "Power's Out" .
October 11, 2015
The author provided me with a copy of this book on a read-to-review basis. Thank you very much :)
SPOILERS AHEAD.
Water's Edge is the story of Nairne, a fourteen year old girl living in southern Scotland with her father, Daniel, and her sixteen year old brother, Zane. Daniel devoted a lot of time in studying climate change, even relocating his family to an ideal home with water supply and livestock. So when the news about the floods in London came about, they were more than happy to volunteer to take in some refugees into their house. Garrett, Pamela, and Paul moved in to the farm with Nairne's family. At first, everything seemed to work out well, despite the increasing lack of basic necessities and the influx of too many migrants into their town, not to mention the unpredictability of the weather around the globe. However, incidents started to happen, supplies went missing, and a sense of unrest began to fill Nairne as she realized the danger of letting strangers in to your home.
This is not a post-apocalyptic novel, as the story took place at the beginning of such. Just like it's cover, it is dark and grim tale of human nature. The actual destruction (the flood, the violence) served as background noise to what was happening at the farm, where Nairne lives. If you came for this expecting something like The Day After Tomorrow, then I'm afraid this is not that book. But it is also a demise of its own kind: of humanity's sense of camaraderie, equality, and compassion. Greed is an all consuming force that dominated some of the characters in this story, and it was very difficult to watch it unfold. It made me want to throw my tablet out of the window, it was THAT ugly to read.
Nairne basically carried this novel to the end. She is a strong heroine, with a no-nonsense attitude to match. I cheered her on as she refused to stoop to her classmates' pettiness and when she stood her ground against Steve. In fact, I think she is the only voice of reason out of everyone, including the adults. Daniel was very weak, and he is often swayed by other people's opinions. How many times did Nairne try to tell him what was happening and he refused to listen to her? When Nairne told him about Steve's attempt to harass her, Daniel brushed it aside and said Steve talked to him about what happened. HE DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO ASK HIS DAUGHTER'S SIDE OF THE STORY! What kind of parenting is this!?
I wish there was more information about Zane's condition. They just mentioned that he was "simple" after his accident, but what was the extent of the injury? Did it injure a particular part of his brain? I can't really pinpoint what's wrong with Zane except that he's trusting and he is slow to pick up what's going on.
The other characters were also shaped well and were memorable in their own way. I hated Steve with a passion, and I felt so disappointed with Pamela in the end. So I think, since I got all these feels, the author wrote them quite effectively.
My only criticism with the book was the pacing. I was engaged at the beginning, but quickly lost my attention halfway through it. There were a lot of things happening in the background, like the actual apocalypse, but it might as well be happening in another galaxy. Things started to pick up at last quarter of the book, and I thought the ending came quite abruptly, it was a definite cliffhanger.
I would recommend this book to people who love apocalyptic books. The damage of climate change was so realistic and, let's face it, may happen in real life. It's a scary thought, really.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
Water's Edge is the story of Nairne, a fourteen year old girl living in southern Scotland with her father, Daniel, and her sixteen year old brother, Zane. Daniel devoted a lot of time in studying climate change, even relocating his family to an ideal home with water supply and livestock. So when the news about the floods in London came about, they were more than happy to volunteer to take in some refugees into their house. Garrett, Pamela, and Paul moved in to the farm with Nairne's family. At first, everything seemed to work out well, despite the increasing lack of basic necessities and the influx of too many migrants into their town, not to mention the unpredictability of the weather around the globe. However, incidents started to happen, supplies went missing, and a sense of unrest began to fill Nairne as she realized the danger of letting strangers in to your home.
This is not a post-apocalyptic novel, as the story took place at the beginning of such. Just like it's cover, it is dark and grim tale of human nature. The actual destruction (the flood, the violence) served as background noise to what was happening at the farm, where Nairne lives. If you came for this expecting something like The Day After Tomorrow, then I'm afraid this is not that book. But it is also a demise of its own kind: of humanity's sense of camaraderie, equality, and compassion. Greed is an all consuming force that dominated some of the characters in this story, and it was very difficult to watch it unfold. It made me want to throw my tablet out of the window, it was THAT ugly to read.
Nairne basically carried this novel to the end. She is a strong heroine, with a no-nonsense attitude to match. I cheered her on as she refused to stoop to her classmates' pettiness and when she stood her ground against Steve. In fact, I think she is the only voice of reason out of everyone, including the adults. Daniel was very weak, and he is often swayed by other people's opinions. How many times did Nairne try to tell him what was happening and he refused to listen to her? When Nairne told him about Steve's attempt to harass her, Daniel brushed it aside and said Steve talked to him about what happened. HE DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO ASK HIS DAUGHTER'S SIDE OF THE STORY! What kind of parenting is this!?
I wish there was more information about Zane's condition. They just mentioned that he was "simple" after his accident, but what was the extent of the injury? Did it injure a particular part of his brain? I can't really pinpoint what's wrong with Zane except that he's trusting and he is slow to pick up what's going on.
The other characters were also shaped well and were memorable in their own way. I hated Steve with a passion, and I felt so disappointed with Pamela in the end. So I think, since I got all these feels, the author wrote them quite effectively.
My only criticism with the book was the pacing. I was engaged at the beginning, but quickly lost my attention halfway through it. There were a lot of things happening in the background, like the actual apocalypse, but it might as well be happening in another galaxy. Things started to pick up at last quarter of the book, and I thought the ending came quite abruptly, it was a definite cliffhanger.
I would recommend this book to people who love apocalyptic books. The damage of climate change was so realistic and, let's face it, may happen in real life. It's a scary thought, really.
November 22, 2013
This review appeared on Joe Follansbee's blog November 21, 2013.
Climate change is too abstract for most people. Scientists focus on impacts decades out, while hedging predictions with “may” or “could.” Activists often turn these prognostications into apocalyptic visions, and the hyperbole turns people off. When something truly frightening occurs, such as a super typhoon or powerful late season tornadoes, an audience ready to hear the message gets equivocations, e.g., “the event can’t be tied to climate change, because weather is too variable.” Average people tune out.
Enter a fiction writer, such as Rachel Meehan, author of the young adult novel Water’s Edge, the first in a series titled Troubled Times, published by Cherry House Publishing, a small UK press. Meehan takes the abstractions of global warming and shows how they might affect the lives of a Scottish family caught up in a near-future crisis. Through believable characters in a plausible situation, Meehan shows how the damage to the earth’s climate can cause real and permanent damage to human relationships. In Water’s Edge, the evolving atmosphere forces the social climate into a tailspin. For Meehan, that’s the most important impact of global warming.
The story is simple. Near a small Scottish border town, 14-year-old Nairne Grear, her father Daniel, and her older brother Zane, a special-needs child, have built a “green” farmstead. They grow their own vegetables, raise their own animals for meat, generate electricity with a wind turbine, and live frugally. Active in the community, Daniel is convinced that climate change will compel people to abandon their consuming ways, and he wants to be ahead of the curve. As it turns out, he’s prepared. A season of record floods and killing heat forces the government to “temporarily” relocate tens of thousands of people to the north. The generous Daniel allows the local government to assign the Unwin family–father Garrick, partner (not wife) Pamela, and son Paul–to stay at the farmstead as renters. The opportunistic Garrick turns his misfortune into a money-making scheme, with disastrous consequences for the Grears.
Standard dystopian tropes of gun-toting nativists, a descent into social anarchy, and an imagined utopia over the hill, appear in Water’s Edge. But much of the narrative centers on a community’s effort to cope with forces beyond its control while struggling to keep strained institutions intact. At times, the timeline is too compressed. Climate change is a slow-motion disaster, another one of its difficulties for storytellers. But Water’s Edge shines as climate fiction. It gets at what the real day-to-day impact of a climate disaster might have on teen Nairne’s life, at school, among her peers, on the adults she loves, on her town. It turns the abstruse theories of global warming into an imagined reality anyone could experience, showing how a warmed world turns ordinary lives upside down.Water's Edge
Climate change is too abstract for most people. Scientists focus on impacts decades out, while hedging predictions with “may” or “could.” Activists often turn these prognostications into apocalyptic visions, and the hyperbole turns people off. When something truly frightening occurs, such as a super typhoon or powerful late season tornadoes, an audience ready to hear the message gets equivocations, e.g., “the event can’t be tied to climate change, because weather is too variable.” Average people tune out.
Enter a fiction writer, such as Rachel Meehan, author of the young adult novel Water’s Edge, the first in a series titled Troubled Times, published by Cherry House Publishing, a small UK press. Meehan takes the abstractions of global warming and shows how they might affect the lives of a Scottish family caught up in a near-future crisis. Through believable characters in a plausible situation, Meehan shows how the damage to the earth’s climate can cause real and permanent damage to human relationships. In Water’s Edge, the evolving atmosphere forces the social climate into a tailspin. For Meehan, that’s the most important impact of global warming.
The story is simple. Near a small Scottish border town, 14-year-old Nairne Grear, her father Daniel, and her older brother Zane, a special-needs child, have built a “green” farmstead. They grow their own vegetables, raise their own animals for meat, generate electricity with a wind turbine, and live frugally. Active in the community, Daniel is convinced that climate change will compel people to abandon their consuming ways, and he wants to be ahead of the curve. As it turns out, he’s prepared. A season of record floods and killing heat forces the government to “temporarily” relocate tens of thousands of people to the north. The generous Daniel allows the local government to assign the Unwin family–father Garrick, partner (not wife) Pamela, and son Paul–to stay at the farmstead as renters. The opportunistic Garrick turns his misfortune into a money-making scheme, with disastrous consequences for the Grears.
Standard dystopian tropes of gun-toting nativists, a descent into social anarchy, and an imagined utopia over the hill, appear in Water’s Edge. But much of the narrative centers on a community’s effort to cope with forces beyond its control while struggling to keep strained institutions intact. At times, the timeline is too compressed. Climate change is a slow-motion disaster, another one of its difficulties for storytellers. But Water’s Edge shines as climate fiction. It gets at what the real day-to-day impact of a climate disaster might have on teen Nairne’s life, at school, among her peers, on the adults she loves, on her town. It turns the abstruse theories of global warming into an imagined reality anyone could experience, showing how a warmed world turns ordinary lives upside down.Water's Edge
June 20, 2014
A thought provoking novel by Rachel Meehan.
A climate change has occurred and has changed life as we know it. Flooding, Freezing Temperatures, and Strong Winds have resulted in a lack of food and drinkable water. Fortunately Nairne and her family are well prepared for such an emergency, but not everyone is. When Nairne convinces her father to take in another family, things take a turn for the worse. The father of that family, Mr Unwin, is shady at best, the mother, Pamela is a narcissist and the teenage son, Paul, is well, rather juvenile and annoying. Nairne’s brother, Zane gets involved with Mr. UnWin’s “business” and then goes missing and tragedy strikes Daniel, will Nairne be able to keep it together and remain strong enough to survive?
A very well written novel with an excellent plot and very detailed setting and characters. This book is easy to read and will keep you turning page after page. While you know that Nairne will have to overcome many obstacles in order to survive this pre-apocalyptic world, the overall theme of the novel is that she will overcome and survive. I really enjoyed the parallel between the society’s collapse and the way that Nairne’s life is also slowly starting to unweave itself and leave her with quite a bit of mess to sort through. While the climate change certainly happened fast in the novel, it will really make you question our lives and the “what if” of the future. While this is not the typical book that I read (quite different actually) I found it refreshing and enjoyable, if maybe a little seemingly far-fetched. There is simply so much going on in this novel, it’s rather hard to write a review without giving away a lot of the plot! If you’re into this type of novel, give it a try! I’m sure it won’t disappoint you!
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: None
Reviewed by: AprilP
Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
A climate change has occurred and has changed life as we know it. Flooding, Freezing Temperatures, and Strong Winds have resulted in a lack of food and drinkable water. Fortunately Nairne and her family are well prepared for such an emergency, but not everyone is. When Nairne convinces her father to take in another family, things take a turn for the worse. The father of that family, Mr Unwin, is shady at best, the mother, Pamela is a narcissist and the teenage son, Paul, is well, rather juvenile and annoying. Nairne’s brother, Zane gets involved with Mr. UnWin’s “business” and then goes missing and tragedy strikes Daniel, will Nairne be able to keep it together and remain strong enough to survive?
A very well written novel with an excellent plot and very detailed setting and characters. This book is easy to read and will keep you turning page after page. While you know that Nairne will have to overcome many obstacles in order to survive this pre-apocalyptic world, the overall theme of the novel is that she will overcome and survive. I really enjoyed the parallel between the society’s collapse and the way that Nairne’s life is also slowly starting to unweave itself and leave her with quite a bit of mess to sort through. While the climate change certainly happened fast in the novel, it will really make you question our lives and the “what if” of the future. While this is not the typical book that I read (quite different actually) I found it refreshing and enjoyable, if maybe a little seemingly far-fetched. There is simply so much going on in this novel, it’s rather hard to write a review without giving away a lot of the plot! If you’re into this type of novel, give it a try! I’m sure it won’t disappoint you!
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: None
Reviewed by: AprilP
Courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
October 18, 2014
Read more of my reviews at My Full Bookshelf
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Water's Edge has its highs and lows. By the last half of this book I was quite interested, but it took a while to get to that point. There were some other flaws that still kept me from being fully immersed in the story even when I had become interested as well.
I liked the main character, Nairne, due to the fact that she was a very strong heroine. In no way did she resemble a Mary Sue. (Whew. I was beginning to think that all YA characters were becoming annoyingly perfect and it scared me.)She had a good sense of intuition that I liked, and her bond with her family, especially her brother, was interesting to read about.
The plot did take a while to get into, as I mentioned before. I thought it took a while to get to the actual story. Once it did, however, I was enthralled. The story is pretty original; Dystopian, but taking place during the apocalyptic event, not after it. I haven't read many of those, and honestly, the ones that I have read weren't all that great. I thought this one did a better job at describing the catastrophes that were happening then the others I've read did.
The problem that I mainly had with this book was the grammar. There were commas where there shouldn't have been, and that is basically my grammar pet peeve. I cannot stand comma splices in particular, and there were a few of those here. (If I remember correctly, I found most of them in the first half of the book, which may partly explain why it took me a bit longer to get into the story.)
Also, there was many a part where I wanted to yell, "Show, don't tell!" at the book. The story tended not to show through actions and words, but through the narrator, and that annoyed me.
I enjoyed this book; perhaps enough to read the sequel if I ever have time. It's definitely a series with potential.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Water's Edge has its highs and lows. By the last half of this book I was quite interested, but it took a while to get to that point. There were some other flaws that still kept me from being fully immersed in the story even when I had become interested as well.
I liked the main character, Nairne, due to the fact that she was a very strong heroine. In no way did she resemble a Mary Sue. (Whew. I was beginning to think that all YA characters were becoming annoyingly perfect and it scared me.)She had a good sense of intuition that I liked, and her bond with her family, especially her brother, was interesting to read about.
The plot did take a while to get into, as I mentioned before. I thought it took a while to get to the actual story. Once it did, however, I was enthralled. The story is pretty original; Dystopian, but taking place during the apocalyptic event, not after it. I haven't read many of those, and honestly, the ones that I have read weren't all that great. I thought this one did a better job at describing the catastrophes that were happening then the others I've read did.
The problem that I mainly had with this book was the grammar. There were commas where there shouldn't have been, and that is basically my grammar pet peeve. I cannot stand comma splices in particular, and there were a few of those here. (If I remember correctly, I found most of them in the first half of the book, which may partly explain why it took me a bit longer to get into the story.)
Also, there was many a part where I wanted to yell, "Show, don't tell!" at the book. The story tended not to show through actions and words, but through the narrator, and that annoyed me.
I enjoyed this book; perhaps enough to read the sequel if I ever have time. It's definitely a series with potential.
November 11, 2013
Here's the reason why this is a good apocalyptic-type story: the effects of global warming and its impact on the disintegration of society are more of a background for another story--the story of a girl struggling with devastating sadness and trying to make her way in a brutal new world. Rachel Meehan did something very smart here--she created a story that could stand on its own even without the whole global warming issue in the background.
The characters are well-developed and the story unfolds gradually. I like how Meehan started her story kind of in the beginning of the weather problems, and how the disintegration of Nairne's personal world coincides with the slow crumbling of society. This was done to very good effect.
Water's Edge is a page-turner; easy to read, with a compelling storyline, sympathetic characters (even the evil ones) and a ominous sense of doom, both for Nairne's personal live and the world as a whole. I find that some end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it stories are far-fetched, with major questions and holes in the author's theory. Meehan stays away from too much technical explanation of the collapse of weather patterns, but feeds the reader just enough information to make it seem plausible.
Water's Edge is a solid coming-of-age and apocalyptic fiction, and ends in a way that makes you want to pick up the next book to see what happens next.
Nik's Picks Book Reviews
www.nikki-bennett.com
(The author provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.)
The characters are well-developed and the story unfolds gradually. I like how Meehan started her story kind of in the beginning of the weather problems, and how the disintegration of Nairne's personal world coincides with the slow crumbling of society. This was done to very good effect.
Water's Edge is a page-turner; easy to read, with a compelling storyline, sympathetic characters (even the evil ones) and a ominous sense of doom, both for Nairne's personal live and the world as a whole. I find that some end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it stories are far-fetched, with major questions and holes in the author's theory. Meehan stays away from too much technical explanation of the collapse of weather patterns, but feeds the reader just enough information to make it seem plausible.
Water's Edge is a solid coming-of-age and apocalyptic fiction, and ends in a way that makes you want to pick up the next book to see what happens next.
Nik's Picks Book Reviews
www.nikki-bennett.com
(The author provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.)
October 18, 2014
Nairne was a smart young girl that under her father’s guidance was good with growing crops and raising some chickens and pigs. with the climate changing and flash flood happening in the city, Nairne and her father, Daniel, and brother, Zane, prepared their house to accommodate a family who needed a place to stay. Paul and her parents moved in with Nairne. they were unused to the country lives and struggled quite a bit before they got accustomed to it. however, Nairne suspected that Paul’s father, Garrick, was up to no good. especially when her father confronted Garrick, their lives were in danger.
I received a free e-book from the author in exchange for a review. the book was very evenly pace, even during its climaxes. It was an intriguing read but slower than I would have really enjoyed. fortunately, due to many of the unsolved cases, I traversed through the pages out of curiosity, just to see the end of it, particularly the ones involving Daniel’s death and Zane’s disappearance. I was satisfied when I finally saw how these cases were settled. It was painful to see them destroying the power and water supply, but it did seem sensible to choose survival over being targeted all the time. the plot in general was rarely what I came across, which was very much the attraction the book held.
my review: here
I received a free e-book from the author in exchange for a review. the book was very evenly pace, even during its climaxes. It was an intriguing read but slower than I would have really enjoyed. fortunately, due to many of the unsolved cases, I traversed through the pages out of curiosity, just to see the end of it, particularly the ones involving Daniel’s death and Zane’s disappearance. I was satisfied when I finally saw how these cases were settled. It was painful to see them destroying the power and water supply, but it did seem sensible to choose survival over being targeted all the time. the plot in general was rarely what I came across, which was very much the attraction the book held.
my review: here
July 30, 2014
*I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest reveiw*
Title: Water's Edge
Author: Rachel Meehan
Format: pdf file, 198 pages
Time to Read: 7 days
My review: wow, just wow. first i love reading any book placed anywhere over the Pond :] i love who things are spelled the way they would over there. There were some grammar errors thou, not major ones, just some missing punctuations. Overall i loved this book, there was always something happening. Story flowed well and some events i did see coming but the reactions from the characters still made me feel something in the moment, so that's good :]
Recommend it?: yes :] it's a good book to read if you love seeing how others places deal with the end of the world issues.
Title: Water's Edge
Author: Rachel Meehan
Format: pdf file, 198 pages
Time to Read: 7 days
My review: wow, just wow. first i love reading any book placed anywhere over the Pond :] i love who things are spelled the way they would over there. There were some grammar errors thou, not major ones, just some missing punctuations. Overall i loved this book, there was always something happening. Story flowed well and some events i did see coming but the reactions from the characters still made me feel something in the moment, so that's good :]
Recommend it?: yes :] it's a good book to read if you love seeing how others places deal with the end of the world issues.
August 26, 2014
I want more! Now! Why do I have to wait? I don't like waiting for good things!
April 11, 2015
Loved it. Is book three released yet.
January 1, 2026
This dystopian story focuses on human relationships with each other and, to a small degree, also the land they live on. It is told dryly through an authorial narrator, with hints of figural narration, yet there always remains a barrier between the characters and the reader, as well as between most of the characters. The story, at times brutal, at times heart-warming, hooks the reader and .
My problem with the narrative was neither the all-too-perfect protagonist (loved her), nor the stacking catastrophes (all too plausible), but the pacing. To me, it read like a moral tale whose punchline was glaringly obvious after the first quarter of the book, with hardly anything new in the last 200 pages.
It is a solid read for everybody interested in the climate crisis and great female protagonists, and it's a near-perfect read for someone who loves morally gray characters and slow character development.
My problem with the narrative was neither the all-too-perfect protagonist (loved her), nor the stacking catastrophes (all too plausible), but the pacing. To me, it read like a moral tale whose punchline was glaringly obvious after the first quarter of the book, with hardly anything new in the last 200 pages.
It is a solid read for everybody interested in the climate crisis and great female protagonists, and it's a near-perfect read for someone who loves morally gray characters and slow character development.
November 26, 2018
Climate fiction är ju min nya genre, så självklart var jag tvungen att läsa den här! Boken är superspännande, och klimathotet vävs snyggt in i berättelsen. Jag blir så känslomässigt engagerad i huvudpersonen Nairne att jag ignorerar att boken berättartekniskt lämnar en hel del i övrigt att önska. Men boken hade behövt arbetas igenom betydligt mer med hjälp av en redaktör. Det här är första delen i en trilogi. Jag vill absolut läsa de andra två också och håller tummarna för att de är språkligt mer genomarbetade.
October 15, 2013
I love a good apocalypse store. This is PRE-apocalypse, society hasn’t crashed just yet, but it’s right there teetering on the edge.
Nairne lives with her dad, Daniel and her special brother, Zane. Their mum left years ago, so when she dies of dysentery it’s really not a big deal for the family. Sure they mourn, but it’s almost like the cat died. We realize that Daniel set his family up on a sweet spot. He knew that when the ocean water’s rose, due to the polar ice caps melting the land he owned would be safe. They had their own water, their own electricity and a farm; for food and animals.
Then the water starts to rise and people are being forced to move out to the country, to seek shelter with strangers. Nairne talks her dad into taking a family in, better to do it now then be forced down the road. The Unwin’s move in and life is never the same. Mr. Unwin is shady and has a boat load of money that he freely spends. His wife, Pamela is a twittering idiot who relies on her looks for everything and their son Paul, is a typical surly teen. Zane gets involved in Mr. Unwin’s business and goes missing. Then Daniel drowns. Will Nairne be okay?
This is a good book. I did have a hard time swallowing the climate change issue happening that fast. But it was fun to read. To see how this family was managing, while others were oblivious to what was going on. The characters were okay, but what I really like was all the details about the setting and how things were set up. There were some sketchy parts, like the police were still there even after the government fell, that was a little far fetched. Over all a good book, that makes you think.
September 24, 2013
How many forgettable books are there now about the world changing for the worse?
A lot.
Was this one of them?
Hell no!
Water's Edge is the story of Nairne, who lives with her "simple" brother Zane and father Daniel. Mum is out of the picture as she moved out with another man years ago. She wanted to take Nairne but wouldn't take Zane as well. Nairne heard that conversation and never forgave her mother. Daniel has always believed that the big effects of climate change were coming soon so has set their house up to be self-sufficient. Not many other people believe in it but they're about to be proved wrong. Dry summers, floods, greater rainfall... people from places in the UK that have been effected worse than Nairne's place are moving in to her village. Her family hosts a family of three: two parents and a boy. From then on, everything begins to change.
My favourite thing about this book was Nairne. Often I find that in books the main character is meant to be feisty and head strong and stubborn and smart but it's just not realistic. Is that just me? Anyway, Nairne was all of those things and it worked so well. She stands up for herself - when Laura the mean girl in her class calls her a dirty gypsy she kisses her on the lips and replies "Let's hope I'm not contagious" - and for her family. Woe betide anyone who calls Zane a spastic.
I also loved the realism and how the lines between good and bad were blurred. I will be cheering Nairne on in her next adventures with the sequel, "Power's Out".
A lot.
Was this one of them?
Hell no!
Water's Edge is the story of Nairne, who lives with her "simple" brother Zane and father Daniel. Mum is out of the picture as she moved out with another man years ago. She wanted to take Nairne but wouldn't take Zane as well. Nairne heard that conversation and never forgave her mother. Daniel has always believed that the big effects of climate change were coming soon so has set their house up to be self-sufficient. Not many other people believe in it but they're about to be proved wrong. Dry summers, floods, greater rainfall... people from places in the UK that have been effected worse than Nairne's place are moving in to her village. Her family hosts a family of three: two parents and a boy. From then on, everything begins to change.
My favourite thing about this book was Nairne. Often I find that in books the main character is meant to be feisty and head strong and stubborn and smart but it's just not realistic. Is that just me? Anyway, Nairne was all of those things and it worked so well. She stands up for herself - when Laura the mean girl in her class calls her a dirty gypsy she kisses her on the lips and replies "Let's hope I'm not contagious" - and for her family. Woe betide anyone who calls Zane a spastic.
I also loved the realism and how the lines between good and bad were blurred. I will be cheering Nairne on in her next adventures with the sequel, "Power's Out".
March 7, 2016
Kelso (town). Peter Evans was not paying attention 1 day & ran over Zane (son/brother).
Daniel Grear (husband/father), Zane Grear (16, spastic), & Nairne Grear (14, daughter/sister) got some very bad news from the local police.
Their mum/ex-wife Angela died in Hanover flats (Kensington, England) of dysentery & in an arson fire.
Worldly conflicts, floods, horrible misfortunes everywhere.
News flash: James Purves (28, married, 4, daughter) was stabbed to death.
PC Thompson (f) was investigating Daniel a drowning victim.
Zane & Nairne might likely end in a foster home.
Zane had disappeared.
Is Stevie hiding something?
Mr. Mrs. Dr.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great thriller movie, or a mini TV series. To be continued. Well there is several stories going on in this book. It was just OK for me so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Cherry House Publishing; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Daniel Grear (husband/father), Zane Grear (16, spastic), & Nairne Grear (14, daughter/sister) got some very bad news from the local police.
Their mum/ex-wife Angela died in Hanover flats (Kensington, England) of dysentery & in an arson fire.
Worldly conflicts, floods, horrible misfortunes everywhere.
News flash: James Purves (28, married, 4, daughter) was stabbed to death.
PC Thompson (f) was investigating Daniel a drowning victim.
Zane & Nairne might likely end in a foster home.
Zane had disappeared.
Is Stevie hiding something?
Mr. Mrs. Dr.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great thriller movie, or a mini TV series. To be continued. Well there is several stories going on in this book. It was just OK for me so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Cherry House Publishing; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
July 20, 2015
I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book in one day, so this tells you that it is easy to read and I liked it.
This book is about a unique topic, at least in my experience. The protagonist is Nairne, a 13 year old girl whose father believes that climate change will soon affect the world greatly. Nairne lives with her father Daniel and her older brother Zane on a small farm in Scotland. Daniel had purposely selected their land because they have their own water supply, use wind turbines for electricity and farm vegetables and a few food animals. People view him as an alarmist who is exaggerating the future danger. Soon, the world does start to change as people evacuate the Southern United Kingdom because of flooding. Nairne tells her father that they should take in some of the evacuees, and he agrees. A man Garrick, his son Paul and his girlfriend Pamela move into the small attached house and then not only the outside world, but Nairne's small world starts changing greatly.
I liked this book, but it is a little bit choppy. I really like the plot and the characters, but it reads like it wasn't written and rewritten as many times as most books were. It is easy to read and enjoyable. I recommend this book and author. I fact, I look forward to reading the next book in the series: Power's Out
I read this book in one day, so this tells you that it is easy to read and I liked it.
This book is about a unique topic, at least in my experience. The protagonist is Nairne, a 13 year old girl whose father believes that climate change will soon affect the world greatly. Nairne lives with her father Daniel and her older brother Zane on a small farm in Scotland. Daniel had purposely selected their land because they have their own water supply, use wind turbines for electricity and farm vegetables and a few food animals. People view him as an alarmist who is exaggerating the future danger. Soon, the world does start to change as people evacuate the Southern United Kingdom because of flooding. Nairne tells her father that they should take in some of the evacuees, and he agrees. A man Garrick, his son Paul and his girlfriend Pamela move into the small attached house and then not only the outside world, but Nairne's small world starts changing greatly.
I liked this book, but it is a little bit choppy. I really like the plot and the characters, but it reads like it wasn't written and rewritten as many times as most books were. It is easy to read and enjoyable. I recommend this book and author. I fact, I look forward to reading the next book in the series: Power's Out
July 25, 2015
** I received a free copy of the ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review. **
Based in southern Scotland, Water's Edge takes a look at a family struggling to survive during the beginnings of the harmful effects of climate change. Many towns and cities in the UK are experiencing drastic flooding. As this occurs the refugees of the destroyed cities are moved into the town where main character, 14 year old Nairne, lives. Nairne lives with her father, Daniel, and brother, Zane, in a homestead where they've learned to be self-sufficient and live off the land. Unfortunately for them, this means their property is highly desirable when the government starts to crumble.
Forced to take in boarders, they become surrounded by shady business dealings, murder and a fight for the home they've built.
Nairne is a very headstrong young woman who is wise beyond her years. Her desire to survive is what drives along the story.
I only wish there was a bit more showing instead of telling within the novel. Otherwise, Meehan did a wonderful job of writing interesting characters who leave you wondering what could possibly happen next.
It was satisfying that this novel, even as part of a series ended in a way that if you did choose to read it as a stand-alone it would work. However, I want to know what happens next and will continue with the Troubled Times series.
Based in southern Scotland, Water's Edge takes a look at a family struggling to survive during the beginnings of the harmful effects of climate change. Many towns and cities in the UK are experiencing drastic flooding. As this occurs the refugees of the destroyed cities are moved into the town where main character, 14 year old Nairne, lives. Nairne lives with her father, Daniel, and brother, Zane, in a homestead where they've learned to be self-sufficient and live off the land. Unfortunately for them, this means their property is highly desirable when the government starts to crumble.
Forced to take in boarders, they become surrounded by shady business dealings, murder and a fight for the home they've built.
Nairne is a very headstrong young woman who is wise beyond her years. Her desire to survive is what drives along the story.
I only wish there was a bit more showing instead of telling within the novel. Otherwise, Meehan did a wonderful job of writing interesting characters who leave you wondering what could possibly happen next.
It was satisfying that this novel, even as part of a series ended in a way that if you did choose to read it as a stand-alone it would work. However, I want to know what happens next and will continue with the Troubled Times series.
August 17, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the author through We <3 YA Books. Many thanks for this.
I generally like anything apocalyptic and dystopian. However, the story didn't resonate with me that well. I had some struggles getting through it, because I struggled somewhat with the characters. I really had to think: now, who is Daniel again? And this guy?
And you know that slows the progress down a bit.
But... I did love the main character Nairne. She is just so bad-ass, even for a teenager of 14-15 years old. That girl got spunk!
For the story line, the author did manage to represent a imaginable world. You know, this could happen! I'd just wish there was some more detailed background information regarding the climate change and disasters happening all over the world.
So, conclusion: good for a read, just unfortunate that I didn't connect with the story all that much, but don't let that stop you. I do recommend it to anyone who loves dystopian/apocalyptic.
I generally like anything apocalyptic and dystopian. However, the story didn't resonate with me that well. I had some struggles getting through it, because I struggled somewhat with the characters. I really had to think: now, who is Daniel again? And this guy?
And you know that slows the progress down a bit.
But... I did love the main character Nairne. She is just so bad-ass, even for a teenager of 14-15 years old. That girl got spunk!
For the story line, the author did manage to represent a imaginable world. You know, this could happen! I'd just wish there was some more detailed background information regarding the climate change and disasters happening all over the world.
So, conclusion: good for a read, just unfortunate that I didn't connect with the story all that much, but don't let that stop you. I do recommend it to anyone who loves dystopian/apocalyptic.
October 14, 2013
Nairne's father has studied climate change and has moved to the country and set up their living space to be almost totally self sufficient. When predictions come true, the government asks that all citizens who can help do so. Nairne's family does so and hosts a family of 3 who are not quite what they seem.
This book is intriguing and full of surprises and plot twists. It is also frightening because there is a possibility that in the future, this story could be more fact than fiction. The characters were believable. I felt their anger, their fear and their joy and sorrows. I have no hesitation about recommending this book to friends or to my book club.
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for this honest review.
This book is intriguing and full of surprises and plot twists. It is also frightening because there is a possibility that in the future, this story could be more fact than fiction. The characters were believable. I felt their anger, their fear and their joy and sorrows. I have no hesitation about recommending this book to friends or to my book club.
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for this honest review.
August 5, 2014
*I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review*
I was interested in this book since I usually like anything post-apocalyptic/dystopian, so I was excited to see what this one was like. Water's edge doesn't quite fit into that category, since the "end" is happening during the story. I did feel that the first part of the book dragged a bit, so it took me a while to get into it. Towards the end, though, it started to pick up momentum and I wanted to read more. I'm interested to see where she takes the second book (Power's Out
).
If you enjoy YA books with plot twists, this is for you!
I was interested in this book since I usually like anything post-apocalyptic/dystopian, so I was excited to see what this one was like. Water's edge doesn't quite fit into that category, since the "end" is happening during the story. I did feel that the first part of the book dragged a bit, so it took me a while to get into it. Towards the end, though, it started to pick up momentum and I wanted to read more. I'm interested to see where she takes the second book (Power's Out
).If you enjoy YA books with plot twists, this is for you!
November 18, 2013
I received my copy of Water's Edge (Troubled Times Series, #1) through a Goodreads giveaway.
I saved this book for a trip across state with some of my family. Once I started reading I became so infatuated with the characters and the environment of the story that I read it from cover to cover in 5 hours and didn't even notice that time went by. Some books I find myself skimming over the pages, not soaking in any of the material, but this one had me reading each and every word carefully so that I could enjoy it to the fullest.
I saved this book for a trip across state with some of my family. Once I started reading I became so infatuated with the characters and the environment of the story that I read it from cover to cover in 5 hours and didn't even notice that time went by. Some books I find myself skimming over the pages, not soaking in any of the material, but this one had me reading each and every word carefully so that I could enjoy it to the fullest.
July 22, 2015
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
A more accurate rating would be 3.5 stars but I thought I'd bump it up to 4, on account of all the thought and research I'm certain went into this book! The writing itself was just okay, but thankfully the pace and content of the story kept me reading. These days, I'm fascinated by anything to do with living off the grid. Also, I found myself making predictions or expecting something to happen within the next page or two, and it never did! Credit to the author for not creating overly predictable characters. Overall, I did enjoy the story. I'll probably pick up the next installment. I'm curious to see what happens next.
A more accurate rating would be 3.5 stars but I thought I'd bump it up to 4, on account of all the thought and research I'm certain went into this book! The writing itself was just okay, but thankfully the pace and content of the story kept me reading. These days, I'm fascinated by anything to do with living off the grid. Also, I found myself making predictions or expecting something to happen within the next page or two, and it never did! Credit to the author for not creating overly predictable characters. Overall, I did enjoy the story. I'll probably pick up the next installment. I'm curious to see what happens next.
September 30, 2013
Set against the backdrop of a world being rapidly destroyed by the impacts of global warming, “Water’s Edge” is the fast-moving story of fourteen-year-old Nairne Grear, and her struggles to cope with a world that is coming apart around her. Filled with well-drawn characters, the tale moves along at sonic speed. Nairne is a girl with an attitude, and while cruel events batter her one after another, she remains unbowed and unbroken. When the ending comes, it is both surprising and, in retrospect, inevitable. I recommend “Water’s Edge” to anyone looking for a quick, action-packed read.
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