What do you think?
Rate this book
2º
Sharon Clausen, a self-reliant farmer, has a secret apple tree—a tree that keeps her and her wife, Eve, fed. In the year 2092, climate change has transformed the face of Earth. Storms, disease, famine, thirst and war show no mercy on the living. In order to survive and protect Eve from the inhospitable world, Sharon cloaks her humanity.
The only other people who know of her secret, or so she thinks, is Dr. Ryan, a long-time confidant, and his wife, Areva. Once a month, Sharon and Eve travel from Maine to Boston to trade apples for Eve’s leukemia medication with Dr. Ryan. When Eve is kidnapped and the Ryan’s are murdered, Sharon learns that her best kept secrets are coveted by a man known as the Strelitzia—a coldly practical villain.
Sharon sets out on a harrowing journey across North America to rescue Eve. Along the way, she gets help from an Inuit refugee boy, a stray dog named Erik the Red, an eccentric former school teacher, a jujitsu master, an Argentinian opera star, and a brilliant Muslim female scientist who leads an alliance of eclectic people known as the Qaunik. Together, this ragtag group battle storms, the desert, criminal gangs, feral humans and the Strelitzia.
In the end, Sharon must face her greatest challenge—risk all that she loves for something greater than herself.
The only other people who know of her secret, or so she thinks, is Dr. Ryan, a long-time confidant, and his wife, Areva. Once a month, Sharon and Eve travel from Maine to Boston to trade apples for Eve’s leukemia medication with Dr. Ryan. When Eve is kidnapped and the Ryan’s are murdered, Sharon learns that her best kept secrets are coveted by a man known as the Strelitzia—a coldly practical villain.
Sharon sets out on a harrowing journey across North America to rescue Eve. Along the way, she gets help from an Inuit refugee boy, a stray dog named Erik the Red, an eccentric former school teacher, a jujitsu master, an Argentinian opera star, and a brilliant Muslim female scientist who leads an alliance of eclectic people known as the Qaunik. Together, this ragtag group battle storms, the desert, criminal gangs, feral humans and the Strelitzia.
In the end, Sharon must face her greatest challenge—risk all that she loves for something greater than herself.
Paperback
First published September 11, 2018
15 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Bev Prescott
6 books15 followersBev Prescott grew up in the Midwest. Shortly after high school, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. She considers it one of the best decisions she ever made because it exposed her to a world of possibilities and experiences that, otherwise, a blue-collar kid from Indiana could only dream of. The only decision she considers even wiser was marrying her partner of 20 years. Bev is an environmental attorney. She and K.C. and their clever calico cat, Lilliput, share a home in New England. Bev writes stories about everyday lesbian heroines who make a difference. (from the publisher's website)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 22, 2018
Dystopian / post-apocalyptic fiction is one of my favorite sub-genres in lesfic. There's just so much intrinsic drama that can be mined from such stories. And since these more often than not involve life-and-death scenarios, world-domination plots or some mighty struggle-between-good-and-evil, they're almost assured of a guaranteed slot on my favorites list. Almost.
I got lucky this year. Not one but two seriously good dystopian reads: May Dawney's Survival Instincts and Anna Burke's Compass Rose. When I stumbled across Bev Prescott's 2 Degrees from the same publisher, it sounded like it would be a rare hat trick this year. I had such high hopes, considering all the enthusiastic reviews. Maybe because of that my expectations were too high. Maybe I was unconsciously comparing this to the earlier reads. Maybe its just me.
Let's see. Seventy years from now, earth will be reduced to a shadow of her old, verdant self. Global warming has tripped up the delicate weather patterns that drive our used-to-be predictable seasons and rainfall. The resulting extreme weather (from a total lack of rainfall to never ending massive storms ) has created large swaths of uninhabitable places, causing widespread famine and casualties. Melting Arctic ice has brought some ancient plagues on man, adding even more to the death toll. And man being man, he just can't help fighting over the few remaining resources. So a few apocalyptic conflagrations later, the earth is down to only 2 billion people, give or take a few. The book takes place in the former USA, which is now ruled by a political entity known as National Order of North America (NONA). Their sworn enemy is the United Kingdom of Asia. Aside from people, one of the main casualties of the wars is--brace for it--agriculture. The crazy weather may have wreaked havoc on the growth of anything, but apparently it's the UK-Asians who've managed to wipe out all of American agriculture (it isn't just the crops, that would be easy. its all the seeds and seed banks. dont ask me how ).
So we begin the book in a bleak, hungry and smelly Boston, where lining up for food and drinking water is a daily chore. Our chief protagonist Sharon, is a farmer. Her wife, botanist Eve is stricken with cancer. On their way to seek treatment in Boston, Eve is arrested by soldiers because she's ethnic Chinese and taken away to some internent camp in Chicago. The rest of the book is Sharon's quixotic quest to find her. As she crawls, kills, and battles her way to Eve, she picks up some interesting companions, friends and even an entire secret society of survivors.
As you can infer from the book description, there is no romance. There is a love story, yes, but other than the lead character endlessly pining for her wife, and her single-minded quest to get to her no matter what the cost, we get very little of whatever it is that made their love so great. That, I think, is one of my problems with the book. I didn't fall in love with the characters. I get Sharon's quest and how noble it is and all that, but I didn't get that emotional "tug" that really good love stories can do to me. On the other hand, I thought the secondary characters were all very well done, and their stories and their relationships with Sharon resonated with me more (even the dog). And because my emotions weren't fully engaged with the main couple, I couldn't stop my normally quiescent logical mind from noticing all the major and minor inconsistencies, incongruities and illogical actions that cropped up all over the book, from the plot to the world-building, to even the big twist. I often mark up my books with green lines signifying some utterly unforgettable prose, or a wonderfully played out romantic scene or some really funny or witty banter. But I don't think I've marked a book with so many orange lines, representing some problematic thing that's impossible or that I don't agree with, or that I need to investigate or clarify further. I had notes like Why??? and How??? and WTF??? Some of these were eventually sorted out. Many weren't. I normally list down my nitpicks inside a spoiler tag. But this time I'm just gonna take a page (or rather, a line) from medical professionals' lab reports: "Too Many to Count".
As a tale of adventure (and if you can shut down your logic the entire book), the book can be quite entertaining. Actions scenes are well staged. The pacing is good. Tension occasionally flags, but it's never too long or too often. The plot is a tad predictable, except for the big twist. The geopolitical setup is confusing and underdeveloped. The tech is too good to be true especially considering the circumstances. It's a decent read, as long as you don't think too much. Which is kind of ironic, because the book wants us to think. Not about the wildly inconsistent world-building, or why characters do the most illogical things, or how they can build such incredible James Bond-y gizmos and gadgets with nothing but an empty stomach. What the book wants is for us to sit up and take notice. But it's something closer to home, to reality. To our present truth. And that is, we can't afford to continue what we're doing right now with earth. When she reaches that tipping point--that 2 degrees of global warming, it can trigger the domino effect that's unstoppable and may even be irreversible. What you see in the book is one possible scenario. It's possibly the worst scenario ever. But you can tell the author knows her climate science. She scared me enough for me to look up the Thwaites shelf and what the latest planetary scientists are predicting with their climate models (its not good :() . And that is ultimately the power of the book. It may not be the perfect dystopian tale that I want, but its the wake-up call that we all need.
3.45 stars
I got lucky this year. Not one but two seriously good dystopian reads: May Dawney's Survival Instincts and Anna Burke's Compass Rose. When I stumbled across Bev Prescott's 2 Degrees from the same publisher, it sounded like it would be a rare hat trick this year. I had such high hopes, considering all the enthusiastic reviews. Maybe because of that my expectations were too high. Maybe I was unconsciously comparing this to the earlier reads. Maybe its just me.
Let's see. Seventy years from now, earth will be reduced to a shadow of her old, verdant self. Global warming has tripped up the delicate weather patterns that drive our used-to-be predictable seasons and rainfall. The resulting extreme weather (from a total lack of rainfall to never ending massive storms ) has created large swaths of uninhabitable places, causing widespread famine and casualties. Melting Arctic ice has brought some ancient plagues on man, adding even more to the death toll. And man being man, he just can't help fighting over the few remaining resources. So a few apocalyptic conflagrations later, the earth is down to only 2 billion people, give or take a few. The book takes place in the former USA, which is now ruled by a political entity known as National Order of North America (NONA). Their sworn enemy is the United Kingdom of Asia. Aside from people, one of the main casualties of the wars is--brace for it--agriculture. The crazy weather may have wreaked havoc on the growth of anything, but apparently it's the UK-Asians who've managed to wipe out all of American agriculture (it isn't just the crops, that would be easy. its all the seeds and seed banks. dont ask me how ).
So we begin the book in a bleak, hungry and smelly Boston, where lining up for food and drinking water is a daily chore. Our chief protagonist Sharon, is a farmer. Her wife, botanist Eve is stricken with cancer. On their way to seek treatment in Boston, Eve is arrested by soldiers because she's ethnic Chinese and taken away to some internent camp in Chicago. The rest of the book is Sharon's quixotic quest to find her. As she crawls, kills, and battles her way to Eve, she picks up some interesting companions, friends and even an entire secret society of survivors.
As you can infer from the book description, there is no romance. There is a love story, yes, but other than the lead character endlessly pining for her wife, and her single-minded quest to get to her no matter what the cost, we get very little of whatever it is that made their love so great. That, I think, is one of my problems with the book. I didn't fall in love with the characters. I get Sharon's quest and how noble it is and all that, but I didn't get that emotional "tug" that really good love stories can do to me. On the other hand, I thought the secondary characters were all very well done, and their stories and their relationships with Sharon resonated with me more (even the dog). And because my emotions weren't fully engaged with the main couple, I couldn't stop my normally quiescent logical mind from noticing all the major and minor inconsistencies, incongruities and illogical actions that cropped up all over the book, from the plot to the world-building, to even the big twist. I often mark up my books with green lines signifying some utterly unforgettable prose, or a wonderfully played out romantic scene or some really funny or witty banter. But I don't think I've marked a book with so many orange lines, representing some problematic thing that's impossible or that I don't agree with, or that I need to investigate or clarify further. I had notes like Why??? and How??? and WTF??? Some of these were eventually sorted out. Many weren't. I normally list down my nitpicks inside a spoiler tag. But this time I'm just gonna take a page (or rather, a line) from medical professionals' lab reports: "Too Many to Count".
As a tale of adventure (and if you can shut down your logic the entire book), the book can be quite entertaining. Actions scenes are well staged. The pacing is good. Tension occasionally flags, but it's never too long or too often. The plot is a tad predictable, except for the big twist. The geopolitical setup is confusing and underdeveloped. The tech is too good to be true especially considering the circumstances. It's a decent read, as long as you don't think too much. Which is kind of ironic, because the book wants us to think. Not about the wildly inconsistent world-building, or why characters do the most illogical things, or how they can build such incredible James Bond-y gizmos and gadgets with nothing but an empty stomach. What the book wants is for us to sit up and take notice. But it's something closer to home, to reality. To our present truth. And that is, we can't afford to continue what we're doing right now with earth. When she reaches that tipping point--that 2 degrees of global warming, it can trigger the domino effect that's unstoppable and may even be irreversible. What you see in the book is one possible scenario. It's possibly the worst scenario ever. But you can tell the author knows her climate science. She scared me enough for me to look up the Thwaites shelf and what the latest planetary scientists are predicting with their climate models (its not good :() . And that is ultimately the power of the book. It may not be the perfect dystopian tale that I want, but its the wake-up call that we all need.
3.45 stars
September 22, 2018
4.5
It's 2092 and the world order has collapsed. Climate change has led to famine, drought and immense changes in the climate. Disease has ravaged humanity; the animal and plant population have been decimated by disease. In Boston hordes of angry, violent and scared people queue for a daily food hand out. In Chicago they queue for a chance to collect uncontaminated water. Neither population know that the last ice cliff is about the fall and take out the sea level populations the government has abandoned to their fate.
Across the maelstrom of the Boston streets Sharon and Eve must get to Dr Ryan, Eve’s only chance of getting the leukaemia treatment she so desperately needs. When they stop to help a starving child the army grabs Eve because of her Asian heritage; the government has issued orders for all Asians to report to an internment camp in Chicago. Despite her determination to rescue her wife, Sharon lets Dr Ryan talk her into leaving it to him and returns to their farm in Maine. But when bandits target the farm she soon sets out west to search for her wife and becomes embroiled in a power struggle that will affect the future of humanity.
This is an epic combination of DUF, action adventure and science fiction. The world is one we can clearly recognise as a possible future if the worst-case scenario comes true, with the decline of the bees, the failure of antibiotics and the melting of the icecaps. World wars over food and water resources, countries redrawn into gigantic territories, uncaring governments who simply cannot feed or protect the general population. Only those with money or a special resource or skillset have value.
Sharon, central to all, is as deeply flawed as any, believing in her moral compass she has to recognise that when it comes to survival she will go way beyond what she thought were her boundaries to survive and save her wife. Having led a somewhat sheltered life, despite losing her parents to the plague, her brothers to violence and betrayal, she has not really faced the extremes of survival in a completely hostile environment.
A wide cast from brainiac survivalists fighting to save what remains of the world to evil megalomaniacs, from lost children to grieving mother figures, makes for interesting reading and a wide gamut of emotions from hope to beyond despair. Sharon moves through all of them on her journey to save Eve, and each touches and impacts her life, bringing out both her humanity and the extremities of her will to complete her almost quest like journey.
The world creation is impressive, horrendous and yet fascinating, calling up our worst fears for the future. Prescot has created a future of nightmare vision yet one we can unfortunately imagine coming true. The landscape literally plays a role in the plot and we can never forget that the earth is central to the tale.
I have to admit there were a couple of points which pushed my suspension of disbelief. I found the story of earth’s destruction and the human behaviours it triggered so realistic that the leaps of faith were a little too far-fetched. It’s a hard ask to mix something so credible, based in the reality we know could happen, with science-fiction level futuristic technology, the former was so completely believable that the later didn’t gel for me. But they didn’t distract from the overall story of human endeavour to survive both the environmental meltdown and the evil of a deranged man.
Fast paced, breathless energy, extremely well written and faultlessly edited, this was an exhilarating read and I literally couldn’t put it down.
It's 2092 and the world order has collapsed. Climate change has led to famine, drought and immense changes in the climate. Disease has ravaged humanity; the animal and plant population have been decimated by disease. In Boston hordes of angry, violent and scared people queue for a daily food hand out. In Chicago they queue for a chance to collect uncontaminated water. Neither population know that the last ice cliff is about the fall and take out the sea level populations the government has abandoned to their fate.
Across the maelstrom of the Boston streets Sharon and Eve must get to Dr Ryan, Eve’s only chance of getting the leukaemia treatment she so desperately needs. When they stop to help a starving child the army grabs Eve because of her Asian heritage; the government has issued orders for all Asians to report to an internment camp in Chicago. Despite her determination to rescue her wife, Sharon lets Dr Ryan talk her into leaving it to him and returns to their farm in Maine. But when bandits target the farm she soon sets out west to search for her wife and becomes embroiled in a power struggle that will affect the future of humanity.
This is an epic combination of DUF, action adventure and science fiction. The world is one we can clearly recognise as a possible future if the worst-case scenario comes true, with the decline of the bees, the failure of antibiotics and the melting of the icecaps. World wars over food and water resources, countries redrawn into gigantic territories, uncaring governments who simply cannot feed or protect the general population. Only those with money or a special resource or skillset have value.
Sharon, central to all, is as deeply flawed as any, believing in her moral compass she has to recognise that when it comes to survival she will go way beyond what she thought were her boundaries to survive and save her wife. Having led a somewhat sheltered life, despite losing her parents to the plague, her brothers to violence and betrayal, she has not really faced the extremes of survival in a completely hostile environment.
A wide cast from brainiac survivalists fighting to save what remains of the world to evil megalomaniacs, from lost children to grieving mother figures, makes for interesting reading and a wide gamut of emotions from hope to beyond despair. Sharon moves through all of them on her journey to save Eve, and each touches and impacts her life, bringing out both her humanity and the extremities of her will to complete her almost quest like journey.
The world creation is impressive, horrendous and yet fascinating, calling up our worst fears for the future. Prescot has created a future of nightmare vision yet one we can unfortunately imagine coming true. The landscape literally plays a role in the plot and we can never forget that the earth is central to the tale.
I have to admit there were a couple of points which pushed my suspension of disbelief. I found the story of earth’s destruction and the human behaviours it triggered so realistic that the leaps of faith were a little too far-fetched. It’s a hard ask to mix something so credible, based in the reality we know could happen, with science-fiction level futuristic technology, the former was so completely believable that the later didn’t gel for me. But they didn’t distract from the overall story of human endeavour to survive both the environmental meltdown and the evil of a deranged man.
Fast paced, breathless energy, extremely well written and faultlessly edited, this was an exhilarating read and I literally couldn’t put it down.
September 28, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Sharon's journey was a good look into what happens when we don't take care of the planet. Ms. Prescott has done a great job of imagining and describing for her readers what the world will look like in a future where just surviving is a major accomplishment. The love story is heartening in its portrayal of Sharon's undying love for her partner and the risks she is willing to take to get her back. A definite must read!
May 6, 2019
Wow. Bev Prescott kicked ass on this book. I haven't read her first book but I've read her middle two and I'm going to tell you that she's definitely found her niche. I'm still not 100% sure how to classify 2 Degrees but it's an eco-thriller, cli-fic, gritty and dark - but still with a bit of hope in there.
The protagonist, Sharon, is flawed and strong, and doing the best she can. I couldn't help but cheer for her. A few things that I want to be sure to mention are the sweet-ass inventions Bev came up with - particularly those dealing with transportation. The Icarus vest? I freaking want one!
While there is a loving relationship at the center of the book, this is not a romance. It's got plenty of blood and guts and hurting people physically, but there's no wooing or snuggling or any of that. Which I really like.
Bev knows her shit when it comes to the environment and that certainly comes through. But she's not beating us over the head with warnings or scientific facts. What she does is give us a glimpse into one possible future and how one determined woman does everything she can to save her wife and, just maybe, the world.
OH! I forgot to mention how incredibly diverse the 2 Degrees cast of characters is. I wish more authors paid attention to making their book-worlds as diverse as our real world.
The protagonist, Sharon, is flawed and strong, and doing the best she can. I couldn't help but cheer for her. A few things that I want to be sure to mention are the sweet-ass inventions Bev came up with - particularly those dealing with transportation. The Icarus vest? I freaking want one!
While there is a loving relationship at the center of the book, this is not a romance. It's got plenty of blood and guts and hurting people physically, but there's no wooing or snuggling or any of that. Which I really like.
Bev knows her shit when it comes to the environment and that certainly comes through. But she's not beating us over the head with warnings or scientific facts. What she does is give us a glimpse into one possible future and how one determined woman does everything she can to save her wife and, just maybe, the world.
OH! I forgot to mention how incredibly diverse the 2 Degrees cast of characters is. I wish more authors paid attention to making their book-worlds as diverse as our real world.
September 29, 2018
‘The symbiosis between pain and life dictated that one didn’t exist without the other.’
Maine author Bev Prescott has been a sergeant in the United States Air Force, a scientist, and an environmental attorney. She now lives in Maine, after travelling the globe, and writes. Her first novel was BLOWBACK and now she offers 2 DEGREES. Her experience in her careers is telling as her depth of knowledge is demonstrated in this challenging, fascinating and credible novel.
Bev not only tackles the quandaries and fears that face us today as far as environmental protection is concerned, but she also has the ability to bring other very important issues to our attention – all in the form of a well-sculpted original story filled with fascinating characters and incidents.
Her opening words tell us much: ‘“There are too many of us.” Eve slipped the silk remnant from her pocket and looked up at Sharon. “We have to find another way. I don’t have the strength to fight through the crowd.” She wrapped the fabric adorned with the blues, reds, purples, and yellows of long-extinct flowers around her neck. Sharon pulled her spouse into her arms and kissed her forehead. “I know, my love.” She glanced from the ravenous human mass milling in the street to the building towering over them. Blood-red words and numbers scrolled across its solar wall panels, spelling out: Friday, September 4, 2092, 9:37 a.m., 20⁰C. The City of Boston, Regional Capital of the National Order of North America Eyeing the digital screen, Sharon considered the irony of such a benign description for a place that ate the weakest alive. “I’ll find a different road.” Eve’s hands shook as she tried to tie the scarf. The ashen pallor of her skin made the presence of cancer in her body obvious. “I’ll have more energy once I get a dose of chemotherapy from Dr. Ryan.” “Let me.” Sharon curled her fingers over Eve’s to still her trembling. “There’s a shortcut not too far.” She tied the ends of the scarf into a loose knot. “We have to get past the edge of this crowd first. I’ll hold you close.” She slipped an arm around her and struggled to move them forward against the arrhythmic cadence of Boston’s desperate inhabitants. Every cell in her body tuned in to the frequency of sheltering Eve from ugliness and keeping her safe. A clutch of masked street cleaners pitched another stiff corpse into the back of a lorry-hydro.’
Bev has condensed this novel in a fine synopsis – ‘In the year 2092, climate change has transformed the face of Earth. Storms, disease, famine, thirst and war show no mercy on the living. Sharon Clausen, a self-reliant farmer, has a secret apple tree—a tree that keeps Sharon and her wife, Eve, fed. The only other people who know of her secret, or so she thinks, is Dr. Ryan, a long-time confidant, and his wife, Areva. Once a month, Sharon and Eve travel from Maine to Boston to trade apples with Dr. Ryan for Eve’s leukemia treatment. Everything suddenly changes when Eve is kidnapped and the Ryan’s are murdered. Sharon learns that her best kept secrets are known and coveted by a man known as the Strelitzia—a coldly practical villain. Sharon sets out on a harrowing journey across North America to rescue Eve. Along the way, she teams up with an Inuit refugee boy, a stray dog named Erik the Red, an eccentric former school teacher, a jujitsu master, an Argentinian opera star, and a brilliant scientist who leads an alliance of eclectic people known as the Qaunik. Together, this ragtag group battle horrific storms, an unrelenting desert, terrifying criminal gangs, feral humans, and the Strelitzia. In the end, Sharon must face her greatest challenge—risk all that she loves for something much greater than herself.’
Writing of this caliber is not only impressive to read but also important to place before the public because of all of the many topics of concern it addresses. Highly Recommended
Maine author Bev Prescott has been a sergeant in the United States Air Force, a scientist, and an environmental attorney. She now lives in Maine, after travelling the globe, and writes. Her first novel was BLOWBACK and now she offers 2 DEGREES. Her experience in her careers is telling as her depth of knowledge is demonstrated in this challenging, fascinating and credible novel.
Bev not only tackles the quandaries and fears that face us today as far as environmental protection is concerned, but she also has the ability to bring other very important issues to our attention – all in the form of a well-sculpted original story filled with fascinating characters and incidents.
Her opening words tell us much: ‘“There are too many of us.” Eve slipped the silk remnant from her pocket and looked up at Sharon. “We have to find another way. I don’t have the strength to fight through the crowd.” She wrapped the fabric adorned with the blues, reds, purples, and yellows of long-extinct flowers around her neck. Sharon pulled her spouse into her arms and kissed her forehead. “I know, my love.” She glanced from the ravenous human mass milling in the street to the building towering over them. Blood-red words and numbers scrolled across its solar wall panels, spelling out: Friday, September 4, 2092, 9:37 a.m., 20⁰C. The City of Boston, Regional Capital of the National Order of North America Eyeing the digital screen, Sharon considered the irony of such a benign description for a place that ate the weakest alive. “I’ll find a different road.” Eve’s hands shook as she tried to tie the scarf. The ashen pallor of her skin made the presence of cancer in her body obvious. “I’ll have more energy once I get a dose of chemotherapy from Dr. Ryan.” “Let me.” Sharon curled her fingers over Eve’s to still her trembling. “There’s a shortcut not too far.” She tied the ends of the scarf into a loose knot. “We have to get past the edge of this crowd first. I’ll hold you close.” She slipped an arm around her and struggled to move them forward against the arrhythmic cadence of Boston’s desperate inhabitants. Every cell in her body tuned in to the frequency of sheltering Eve from ugliness and keeping her safe. A clutch of masked street cleaners pitched another stiff corpse into the back of a lorry-hydro.’
Bev has condensed this novel in a fine synopsis – ‘In the year 2092, climate change has transformed the face of Earth. Storms, disease, famine, thirst and war show no mercy on the living. Sharon Clausen, a self-reliant farmer, has a secret apple tree—a tree that keeps Sharon and her wife, Eve, fed. The only other people who know of her secret, or so she thinks, is Dr. Ryan, a long-time confidant, and his wife, Areva. Once a month, Sharon and Eve travel from Maine to Boston to trade apples with Dr. Ryan for Eve’s leukemia treatment. Everything suddenly changes when Eve is kidnapped and the Ryan’s are murdered. Sharon learns that her best kept secrets are known and coveted by a man known as the Strelitzia—a coldly practical villain. Sharon sets out on a harrowing journey across North America to rescue Eve. Along the way, she teams up with an Inuit refugee boy, a stray dog named Erik the Red, an eccentric former school teacher, a jujitsu master, an Argentinian opera star, and a brilliant scientist who leads an alliance of eclectic people known as the Qaunik. Together, this ragtag group battle horrific storms, an unrelenting desert, terrifying criminal gangs, feral humans, and the Strelitzia. In the end, Sharon must face her greatest challenge—risk all that she loves for something much greater than herself.’
Writing of this caliber is not only impressive to read but also important to place before the public because of all of the many topics of concern it addresses. Highly Recommended
February 16, 2019
A climate change dystopia story set in North America toward the end of this
century where the main character sets off on a cross-continent search.
Vivid descriptions and good characters make the plot even more memorable.
The story clearly brings home what may lie in store for the planet. A worthy
addition to the Cli-Fi genre.
century where the main character sets off on a cross-continent search.
Vivid descriptions and good characters make the plot even more memorable.
The story clearly brings home what may lie in store for the planet. A worthy
addition to the Cli-Fi genre.
November 28, 2018
It’s been four years since Bev Prescott has published a book. That book was Blowback and it was pretty amazing. Needless to say, I’ve been anxiously waiting for Prescott’s next offering. We’d been hearing about it for a while. Prescott teased us as we waited – updates, excerpts, cover reveals, etc. It was maddening, I say! Maddening!
But, oh, it was so worth the wait.
Bywater Books released 2° in September, but those of us lucky enough to attend a Bywater Books sponsored event at the GCLS Conference in July got to hear Prescott give a reading from her book. The anticipation just built! I’m very happy to say that 2° exceeded my expectations. Prescott offers up an epic action/adventure that is ripe with wonderful characters who are three-dimensional, intelligent and creative prose, and a rich setting.
The book starts at a run. Almost quite literally. The main protagonist, Sharon, and her wife, Eve, are hurrying through the overcrowded streets of Boston – doing all they can to move quickly, while remaining unnoticed and safe. By the end of the chapter, they are neither unnoticed nor safe. And so the adventure begins! From that point on, we follow Sharon on her desperate journey to find Eve, who has been kidnapped. Along the way, Sharon battles obstacles, meets interesting people, and searches for her own humanity in an inhumane world.
Sharon is the main focus of 2° – it is her story we follow, we are privy only to her insights. She struggles with her own humanity, telling herself that only Eve matters and no one else. But along the way, she meets up with people who chip away at the armor she has created for herself. And, thus, we see great change and growth in Sharon. The armor never goes away, but Sharon learns when it’s safe to remove the armor and when it’s necessary to lock it in place. She’s a fascinating character…and someone I’d like to know.
The remaining cast of characters – friend and foe, alike – are intriguing. From Inu – the 10-year-old refugee boy she takes into her charge – to Federico to Woody and even the Strelitzia – the calculating villain – Prescott gifts us with a collection of people who are diverse, interesting, and mysterious. They all contribute to Sharon’s evolution throughout the adventure. She learns to trust while still maintaining her ability to bob-and-weave.
The writing in 2° is just exceptional. Prescott has found a way to integrate multiple branches of science, politics, and action/adventure into her story. And she does so with aplomb and intelligence. What’s I especially appreciate is that she does so without condescension. She takes for granted that her readers are astute, able to follow the narrative she’s put forth. Yes, there are explanations of the science – we are not all botanists or climatologists. But it’s done so in a way that doesn’t use monosyllabic terminology. She doesn’t over explain, she doesn’t under explain. It’s quite refreshing.
In addition to science, there is also science fiction, and Prescott has created a world that is at once fantastical and believable. The transports and weapons are interesting and creative – and I didn’t even blink when I read about them. I was like, “Yeah. Okay. I can totally see that.” Just phenomenal!
2° highlights the effects of what’s happening in our world right now. Prescott has extrapolated from current politics and science to show us a potential outcome. But, while she definitely shows the impact of poor governance and policy, she also puts so much of the blame where it belong – on us, humans. There is an overriding sense of “This is what we have done to ourselves” throughout the book. But there is also hope – if we listen to Earth, if we learn, we can survive.
This is one of those novels where the setting serves as a main character in the story. Sharon traverses a great portion of the United States during her journey to save Eve. Prescott’s talent at describing her re-imaging of the land is to be applauded. She takes us across the country and through areas that are well-known, and not just to those of us who live here. As a resident of Northern Illinois, Prescott’s depiction of Chicago in 2092 may very well give me bad dreams. She pinpointed many of the city landmarks that make Chicago what it is in 2018. To read of those landmarks being destroyed and desolate is heartbreaking. The destruction of national monuments and the natural beauty of the country made me sit back and remember to breathe. Prescott brought the world of 2092 to frightening life.
From the fist page of 2° until the end, I was sitting on the edge of my seat. My heart beat a rapid tattoo whenever Sharon and the Qaunik were fighting for their lives. I cried as Sharon’s armor developed the chinks that exposed her humanity to the world, and when beloved friends fell prey to evil. Prescott tapped into my emotions while taking me on this harrowing – but splendid – ride.
Hurry. Get a copy of 2° and let yourself fall into Prescott’s fantastic writing and storytelling. It will SO be worth it!
But, oh, it was so worth the wait.
Bywater Books released 2° in September, but those of us lucky enough to attend a Bywater Books sponsored event at the GCLS Conference in July got to hear Prescott give a reading from her book. The anticipation just built! I’m very happy to say that 2° exceeded my expectations. Prescott offers up an epic action/adventure that is ripe with wonderful characters who are three-dimensional, intelligent and creative prose, and a rich setting.
The book starts at a run. Almost quite literally. The main protagonist, Sharon, and her wife, Eve, are hurrying through the overcrowded streets of Boston – doing all they can to move quickly, while remaining unnoticed and safe. By the end of the chapter, they are neither unnoticed nor safe. And so the adventure begins! From that point on, we follow Sharon on her desperate journey to find Eve, who has been kidnapped. Along the way, Sharon battles obstacles, meets interesting people, and searches for her own humanity in an inhumane world.
Sharon is the main focus of 2° – it is her story we follow, we are privy only to her insights. She struggles with her own humanity, telling herself that only Eve matters and no one else. But along the way, she meets up with people who chip away at the armor she has created for herself. And, thus, we see great change and growth in Sharon. The armor never goes away, but Sharon learns when it’s safe to remove the armor and when it’s necessary to lock it in place. She’s a fascinating character…and someone I’d like to know.
The remaining cast of characters – friend and foe, alike – are intriguing. From Inu – the 10-year-old refugee boy she takes into her charge – to Federico to Woody and even the Strelitzia – the calculating villain – Prescott gifts us with a collection of people who are diverse, interesting, and mysterious. They all contribute to Sharon’s evolution throughout the adventure. She learns to trust while still maintaining her ability to bob-and-weave.
The writing in 2° is just exceptional. Prescott has found a way to integrate multiple branches of science, politics, and action/adventure into her story. And she does so with aplomb and intelligence. What’s I especially appreciate is that she does so without condescension. She takes for granted that her readers are astute, able to follow the narrative she’s put forth. Yes, there are explanations of the science – we are not all botanists or climatologists. But it’s done so in a way that doesn’t use monosyllabic terminology. She doesn’t over explain, she doesn’t under explain. It’s quite refreshing.
In addition to science, there is also science fiction, and Prescott has created a world that is at once fantastical and believable. The transports and weapons are interesting and creative – and I didn’t even blink when I read about them. I was like, “Yeah. Okay. I can totally see that.” Just phenomenal!
2° highlights the effects of what’s happening in our world right now. Prescott has extrapolated from current politics and science to show us a potential outcome. But, while she definitely shows the impact of poor governance and policy, she also puts so much of the blame where it belong – on us, humans. There is an overriding sense of “This is what we have done to ourselves” throughout the book. But there is also hope – if we listen to Earth, if we learn, we can survive.
This is one of those novels where the setting serves as a main character in the story. Sharon traverses a great portion of the United States during her journey to save Eve. Prescott’s talent at describing her re-imaging of the land is to be applauded. She takes us across the country and through areas that are well-known, and not just to those of us who live here. As a resident of Northern Illinois, Prescott’s depiction of Chicago in 2092 may very well give me bad dreams. She pinpointed many of the city landmarks that make Chicago what it is in 2018. To read of those landmarks being destroyed and desolate is heartbreaking. The destruction of national monuments and the natural beauty of the country made me sit back and remember to breathe. Prescott brought the world of 2092 to frightening life.
From the fist page of 2° until the end, I was sitting on the edge of my seat. My heart beat a rapid tattoo whenever Sharon and the Qaunik were fighting for their lives. I cried as Sharon’s armor developed the chinks that exposed her humanity to the world, and when beloved friends fell prey to evil. Prescott tapped into my emotions while taking me on this harrowing – but splendid – ride.
Hurry. Get a copy of 2° and let yourself fall into Prescott’s fantastic writing and storytelling. It will SO be worth it!
October 11, 2018
Such an imaginative story. I loved the inventiveness, the mix of farm life and high tech travel, the themes of love and connection--to balance out the despair of the post apocalyptic world, and that the entire tale is driven by a queer love story.
September 20, 2018
Climate change. Global warming. Sea levels rising. We hear these words, and think we know what they mean. Sharon Clausen really knows, because she lives in a post- war, post-apocalyptic, post-civilized world. There have been two world wars, caused by the lack of food and resources, and there is a complete breakdown of the world order based on nation states. There is no economy. Sharon and her wife Annie, a Harvard PhD botanist, live on the Clausen family farm. They have forged an existence. On a trip to their doctor, Annie is kidnapped. Sharon is frantic, desperate to do whatever she must to get Annie back. So behind her quest, across an unrecognizable landscape that once was the United States, through obstacles of man-made origin as well as the harsh realities an angry, scarred planet throws in her way. She encounters a cast of characters , some helpful, some determined to ensure her failure. There is little hope left in this landscape of loss, poulTry by Derek humans, roaming bandits, and an antagonist no will stop at nothing to secure the secret that Sharon and Annie share, one that could save the decimated planet. Sharon meets rebels who oppose government control of all food.
That's a lot. And this brief summary doesn't scratch the surface, certainly doesn't plumb the depths of the moral and life-threatening dilemmas that must be dealt with every day, in this ravaged place that is all too real. We can read this as science fiction and enjoy a well -written story of survival, and at the same time appreciate this a a cautionary tale of a not-too-distant future, one we keep rushing toward with hardly any consideration of the consequences our present willful inaction makes less certain with each day that we ignore the warnings.
That's a lot. And this brief summary doesn't scratch the surface, certainly doesn't plumb the depths of the moral and life-threatening dilemmas that must be dealt with every day, in this ravaged place that is all too real. We can read this as science fiction and enjoy a well -written story of survival, and at the same time appreciate this a a cautionary tale of a not-too-distant future, one we keep rushing toward with hardly any consideration of the consequences our present willful inaction makes less certain with each day that we ignore the warnings.
December 31, 2020
This book waited a long time in my kindle before I finally pick it up last night. I didn't even remember the blurb and I plunge unknowningly into it.
It being what ?
A fairy tale like story, where Princess Charming goes on a quest to save her Princess and by inadvertance a bunch of other people, and despite her initial deep-rooted-despaired-and-hard-worn-cynism, herself by finding something else : hope and
What's unusual for a fairytale quest is the world building.
Ours, some seventy years from now, still going through the waves of apocalyptical climat changes that struck different generation with a new set of pure human madness (no more fruits > war. illness > war. huge wave > war and so on)
The political message is loud and clear (for those still unaware of global warming, the book may be a waking-up call).
The story is a scrumble of twist and self-discovery. An interesting book that I may reread on occasion.
It being what ?
A fairy tale like story, where Princess Charming goes on a quest to save her Princess and by inadvertance a bunch of other people, and despite her initial deep-rooted-despaired-and-hard-worn-cynism, herself by finding something else : hope and
What's unusual for a fairytale quest is the world building.
Ours, some seventy years from now, still going through the waves of apocalyptical climat changes that struck different generation with a new set of pure human madness (no more fruits > war. illness > war. huge wave > war and so on)
The political message is loud and clear (for those still unaware of global warming, the book may be a waking-up call).
The story is a scrumble of twist and self-discovery. An interesting book that I may reread on occasion.
September 6, 2018
In Prescott’s best written novel so far, she brings us on an adventurous journey as her protagonist, Sharon, expands her view of family, trust and love. Calling on her passion of earth and nature, Prescott, an environmental attorney, brings us to a time in the future after warnings of global warming have been ignored. While many deny that global warming and human over population would bring us to such a state, 2 Degrees shows us that even in the hardest times human spirit and decency will prevail. Written with remarkable creativity, this novel is a page turner and will open eyes to a new perspective. Sharon, Eve and their likable eclectic new friends gathered throughout this journey will stay with me as a reminder of the strength of diversity.
January 3, 2021
I dig it. There were moments where I questioned Sharon's motives, but she never forgot those she met along the way to saving Eve. She's dope.
June 14, 2022
Just a fictional story or a very real glimpse of a dystopian future?
Only time will tell whether this brilliantly crafted Cli-Sci novel is closer to the truth than society realises.
2° delivers a gripping trip into a world ravished by climate change, where deadly weather events and food scarcity mean survival is the only aim of the game, and suffering is par for the course.
Set in 2092, in what was once the United States of America, this epic action-adventure story starts with the pedal to the metal and rarely lets up on the gas.
The main protagonist, Sharon, and her sick wife, Eve, are on a mission to obtain the medicine that continues to keep Eve alive.
As they near their destination, disaster strikes as the couple become separated when Eve is kidnapped. With a jaded view of the remnants of society, Sharon doggedly holds onto the hope of rescuing Eve in order to overcome the bleakness of humanity, and the dangers of Mother Nature, as both forcefully pound away at her psyche.
But all is not as it first seems, and as secrets worth killing for come to light, the stakes for Sharon, Eve, and indeed the future of humanity continue to spiral as hard decisions have to be made; ones that are not without consequences.
It becomes clear whilst in pursuit of Eve, that in order for both her wife and the world to survive, Sharon must re-evaluate her own humanity and open her heart to connection and the possibility of redemption.
The author has crafted 2° in a distinct manner, so that the reader only ever sees the story unfold from Sharon’s perspective. As a result, we learn about Eve only through Sharon’s own thoughts, feelings and memories of her wife. And whilst Eve is largely not on the page (having been kidnapped towards the start of the story), this style of storytelling ultimately really does suit the overall narrative. As Sharon battles to save her wife, we truly do feel their love flow across the void.
With a stellar cast of supporting characters, from Inu – the young refugee boy Sharon unexpectedly finds herself responsible for – to the enigmatic Woody and the evil Strelitzia, Prescott keeps this story action packed throughout. And with a plot twist that is likely to hoodwink most readers right at the very last moment, Prescott as the saying goes – saves the best (of her writing) till last.
This is an impressive read which merges the brutalness of Earth’s potential (likely) future trajectory, with the hope of technological advances, which are the bread and butter of science fiction stories. Add in Sharon’s morality and desperation to save her wife at any cost, and this is a story which quickly becomes impossible to put down.
I received a free copy of this book from Bywater Books in exchange for an honest review.
Only time will tell whether this brilliantly crafted Cli-Sci novel is closer to the truth than society realises.
2° delivers a gripping trip into a world ravished by climate change, where deadly weather events and food scarcity mean survival is the only aim of the game, and suffering is par for the course.
Set in 2092, in what was once the United States of America, this epic action-adventure story starts with the pedal to the metal and rarely lets up on the gas.
The main protagonist, Sharon, and her sick wife, Eve, are on a mission to obtain the medicine that continues to keep Eve alive.
As they near their destination, disaster strikes as the couple become separated when Eve is kidnapped. With a jaded view of the remnants of society, Sharon doggedly holds onto the hope of rescuing Eve in order to overcome the bleakness of humanity, and the dangers of Mother Nature, as both forcefully pound away at her psyche.
But all is not as it first seems, and as secrets worth killing for come to light, the stakes for Sharon, Eve, and indeed the future of humanity continue to spiral as hard decisions have to be made; ones that are not without consequences.
It becomes clear whilst in pursuit of Eve, that in order for both her wife and the world to survive, Sharon must re-evaluate her own humanity and open her heart to connection and the possibility of redemption.
The author has crafted 2° in a distinct manner, so that the reader only ever sees the story unfold from Sharon’s perspective. As a result, we learn about Eve only through Sharon’s own thoughts, feelings and memories of her wife. And whilst Eve is largely not on the page (having been kidnapped towards the start of the story), this style of storytelling ultimately really does suit the overall narrative. As Sharon battles to save her wife, we truly do feel their love flow across the void.
With a stellar cast of supporting characters, from Inu – the young refugee boy Sharon unexpectedly finds herself responsible for – to the enigmatic Woody and the evil Strelitzia, Prescott keeps this story action packed throughout. And with a plot twist that is likely to hoodwink most readers right at the very last moment, Prescott as the saying goes – saves the best (of her writing) till last.
This is an impressive read which merges the brutalness of Earth’s potential (likely) future trajectory, with the hope of technological advances, which are the bread and butter of science fiction stories. Add in Sharon’s morality and desperation to save her wife at any cost, and this is a story which quickly becomes impossible to put down.
I received a free copy of this book from Bywater Books in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2020
Not what I expected! That said, it's a really fun, action packed fantasy/clip fi novel and Ms. Prescott has done a great job.
The year is 2092 (100 years since my last year of high school, in fact the opening date of 9/4/2092 was my first day of 12th grade...definitely bizarre) and the world is very, very different.
The temperature went over 2 degrees Celsius in the 70 or so years and the United States is part, desert, part jungle, and the cities are burnt out shells of their former selves. Storms and floods ravage the country, wars have destroyed everything and plagues have rendered the population to 2 billion, the population of the 1920s. Sharon and Eve (get it?) live in Maine on Sharon's family's farm and have one prescious, viable apple tree. The agricultural in the US has been decimated due to warming, lack of soil integrity, and blights (think Interstellar 2014). They hide the tree from everyone while continuing to venture into ravaged Boston for Eve to receive cancer treatments.
On a journey to Boston one day Eve is kidnapped by the current North America Alliance government and it up to Sharon to travel the United States to find her, while protecting the secret of the apple tree.
The author brilliantly builds a world that takes the reader to California, Chicago, Charleston, Nebraska, and more. We get a broad and detailed view of what human greed as done to destroy our future. I kept saying how imaginative the author is! Despite the bleak landscape, the technology is insane! Nature and technology combined (you'll see) to create fantastical ships, bikes, submarines, etc. to assist in Sharon's journey. I was reminded of Flight of the Navigator 1986 with one of the transports! Very creative.
The action is consistent and the characters are well drawn and often lovable. Ms. Prescott does a superb job creating a very diverse and sympathetic cast. I would call this a fantasy novel because the technology is so other worldly and I wondered why they couldn't find a way to counteract the carbon in the atmosphere if they could create what they did. I appreciated the look back and how former generations gradually (or quickly, depending on one's view) kept taking from the earth, giving it a "fever". I wanted more though, more back story on the beginnings, more details, but that's just me!
Overall quite enjoyable and I am definitely recommending it to those who favor climate fiction.
The year is 2092 (100 years since my last year of high school, in fact the opening date of 9/4/2092 was my first day of 12th grade...definitely bizarre) and the world is very, very different.
The temperature went over 2 degrees Celsius in the 70 or so years and the United States is part, desert, part jungle, and the cities are burnt out shells of their former selves. Storms and floods ravage the country, wars have destroyed everything and plagues have rendered the population to 2 billion, the population of the 1920s. Sharon and Eve (get it?) live in Maine on Sharon's family's farm and have one prescious, viable apple tree. The agricultural in the US has been decimated due to warming, lack of soil integrity, and blights (think Interstellar 2014). They hide the tree from everyone while continuing to venture into ravaged Boston for Eve to receive cancer treatments.
On a journey to Boston one day Eve is kidnapped by the current North America Alliance government and it up to Sharon to travel the United States to find her, while protecting the secret of the apple tree.
The author brilliantly builds a world that takes the reader to California, Chicago, Charleston, Nebraska, and more. We get a broad and detailed view of what human greed as done to destroy our future. I kept saying how imaginative the author is! Despite the bleak landscape, the technology is insane! Nature and technology combined (you'll see) to create fantastical ships, bikes, submarines, etc. to assist in Sharon's journey. I was reminded of Flight of the Navigator 1986 with one of the transports! Very creative.
The action is consistent and the characters are well drawn and often lovable. Ms. Prescott does a superb job creating a very diverse and sympathetic cast. I would call this a fantasy novel because the technology is so other worldly and I wondered why they couldn't find a way to counteract the carbon in the atmosphere if they could create what they did. I appreciated the look back and how former generations gradually (or quickly, depending on one's view) kept taking from the earth, giving it a "fever". I wanted more though, more back story on the beginnings, more details, but that's just me!
Overall quite enjoyable and I am definitely recommending it to those who favor climate fiction.
February 12, 2022
It's the sort of book if you are really looking to pick on it you could probably find something. Like the bad-guy "Strelitzia" was a bit too over the top and melodramatic (but then it is hard to write bad guys isn't it?). Also people who have criticised it as not being much of a romance are right, I don't think it's trying to be a romance though, I think it is something more interesting (sorry romance fans).
It's a book that centres a lesbian couple without being about romance. It's a book that starts with the assumption of romantic love between these two and then the struggle in the book is for one of the protagonists to broaden what she means by love to include others too. It's also a dystopian story, has all the action and reversals of something like "Star Wars" albeit not in space. What should we call this Dyst-Opera? I feel like it could be more mainstream not only for the queer reader.
The futuristic view is well-balanced. There is horror and human suffering, climate change, extinctions, pollution, super-storms etc. There is also amazing technology including some that reuses old dumped plastic. Some of that I found relatively unbelievable but it worked to move the plot. Also the author knew enough about science not to make it too stupid (in my opinion) and used disingenious lines like a character saying "I'm not a scientist I don't know how it works" which made me laugh but in an admiring/solidarity way.
I also wondered why they don't eat alligators, snakes and maybe even dogs given they eat beetles and rats. It's not a big plot hole and mainly I was reading this the way I watch star wars, wondering how the good guys would get through the next fight or challenge. I think the plot would translate well to screen actually though I wouldn't love to see everyone made stereotypically beautiful or whitened, or Woody lose her culture or the protagonists made straight.
I also wondered if Sharon and Eve with their apple and at one point a snake was deliberatly calling to mind other origin stories. Maybe I am crazy for thinking that. I don't know. I enjoyed this very much and will look out for more by the author.
It's a book that centres a lesbian couple without being about romance. It's a book that starts with the assumption of romantic love between these two and then the struggle in the book is for one of the protagonists to broaden what she means by love to include others too. It's also a dystopian story, has all the action and reversals of something like "Star Wars" albeit not in space. What should we call this Dyst-Opera? I feel like it could be more mainstream not only for the queer reader.
The futuristic view is well-balanced. There is horror and human suffering, climate change, extinctions, pollution, super-storms etc. There is also amazing technology including some that reuses old dumped plastic. Some of that I found relatively unbelievable but it worked to move the plot. Also the author knew enough about science not to make it too stupid (in my opinion) and used disingenious lines like a character saying "I'm not a scientist I don't know how it works" which made me laugh but in an admiring/solidarity way.
I also wondered why they don't eat alligators, snakes and maybe even dogs given they eat beetles and rats. It's not a big plot hole and mainly I was reading this the way I watch star wars, wondering how the good guys would get through the next fight or challenge. I think the plot would translate well to screen actually though I wouldn't love to see everyone made stereotypically beautiful or whitened, or Woody lose her culture or the protagonists made straight.
I also wondered if Sharon and Eve with their apple and at one point a snake was deliberatly calling to mind other origin stories. Maybe I am crazy for thinking that. I don't know. I enjoyed this very much and will look out for more by the author.
April 13, 2022
This is a thriller set in a dystopian world where we follow the protagonist, Sharon, as she strives to rescue and reunite with her kidnapped wife, Eve.
The story has the usual elements for this genre: rival factions, starving/struggling humans, a harsh authoritarian government.
If you're a science nerd, the worldbuilding has interesting details which may intrigue. Lots of action too as Sharon's quest is pretty epic.
That said, there are several plot points which are potentially triggering for Asian readers. In the story's setting, other than the effects of a climate change, we are told that the US was involved in a war (War of Earth's Rebellion) with the 'United Kingdom of Asia'. There's no elaboration on who was the aggressor or the trigger for that event. We are instead told that US agriculture and infrastructure was detroyed, that the North Koreans poisoned US waters, and that to prevent them from responding to external propaganda urging them to 'rise up for the Motherland', Asians within the US are placed in internment camps.
The story has the usual elements for this genre: rival factions, starving/struggling humans, a harsh authoritarian government.
If you're a science nerd, the worldbuilding has interesting details which may intrigue. Lots of action too as Sharon's quest is pretty epic.
That said, there are several plot points which are potentially triggering for Asian readers. In the story's setting, other than the effects of a climate change, we are told that the US was involved in a war (War of Earth's Rebellion) with the 'United Kingdom of Asia'. There's no elaboration on who was the aggressor or the trigger for that event. We are instead told that US agriculture and infrastructure was detroyed, that the North Koreans poisoned US waters, and that to prevent them from responding to external propaganda urging them to 'rise up for the Motherland', Asians within the US are placed in internment camps.
May 21, 2022
I enjoyed reading this because I like climate fiction but I didn’t *love* this book. The characters and tropes were a bit too cliché maybe which made things a bit predictable ? Also the beginning of the book rubbed me the wrong way because I felt like it was telling a lot more with the writing than just showing. However, that did change as the book progressed I think.
I think that I found this ever so slightly cheesy because of the protagonist. The plot itself and the world building I loved, but I don’t know how I feel about Sharon the protagonist.
Also, love the lesbian representation and amount of female characters with some agency!
I think that I found this ever so slightly cheesy because of the protagonist. The plot itself and the world building I loved, but I don’t know how I feel about Sharon the protagonist.
Also, love the lesbian representation and amount of female characters with some agency!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2018
This was a very captivating book. As a farmer and and environmentalist the story really struck home on so many levels. Disturbing in it's reality, Bev finds a way to weave a heartfelt storyline throughout. I had no idea that it was going to be "enviro sci-fi" but found it compelling, easy to read and very enjoyable. I could tell that the author has a science/environmental background because everything made sense and her creativity is endless. This book is action packed, filled with good ideas, and is a wake up call that left me in tears by the end. I would highly recommend.
July 2, 2019
A fast-paced story that should make us all think very hard about our environment and how fragile it is. The story weaves very human emotions with the science of climate change and its impact on all of us. Ms Prescott has a talent for keeping the story moving and lots of twists and turns up to the end. Her characters are fantastic. This Cli-Sci (climate science fiction) is worth a read and then buy one for a friend!
April 22, 2024
Great premise but I couldn't get past the writing. I can't stand being told exactly what a character is thinking or how to perceive them. I wasn't led anywhere, I was just told every aspect of the book like a list.
December 25, 2018
This was a dark but yet hopeful dystopian novel. It showed the evil of men but also how the good, through love, can shine through.
May 31, 2019
Maybr 3.5 stars, it's hard to warm to a dystopian story when you're living in one...
September 29, 2019
A frightening vision of a not-to-distant future. Great read!
November 8, 2019
Outstanding writing. Frightening prediction if we humans don't pay attention.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews