"The Ninth Hour" takes place in an alternate timeline of 1976 right before the US collapses, after having lost WWII and becoming a class-based society. It's really a snapshot into the lives of three teenage boys during this time; they are just going about their day-to-day lives, and we see how they handle and react to the imminent collapse of the world as they know it. There's also a few vignettes of other characters, which I really enjoyed. I was drawn into the world and became invested in the characters. While the book can get graphic with the darkness of what's happening in the world, it ended with a feeling of hope for the future.
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut! It's a story that makes you think and stays on your mind once you finish. The author is clearly laying the groundwork for the rest of the series, and I can't wait for more!