Trail

Flow #0.5

by Clare Littlemore

This trail might be the last one she ever follows…

The younger citizens of The Beck don’t know what awaits them when they make their Transfer. Kept in the dark, Minors are sheltered from the dangers that await them.

14 year old Cass is a risk taker. When she accepts a dare one night and disappears over the wall, she doesn’t stop to think about the consequences.

11 year old Porter worships Cass. Discovering her idol is going on a forbidden adventure, she can’t resist following her. But The Beck is filled with unknown hazards, and one thing quickly becomes clear: if they haven’t made it back by the morning, they may never make it back at all.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

88 pages, ebook

First published April 7, 2019

About the author

Clare Littlemore is a young adult dystopian and sci-fi author who thrives on fictionally destroying the world with a cup of tea by her side. The tea will often be cold, because her characters have a way of grabbing hold of her and not letting go until the final page of their story is finished. They regularly have the same effect on her readers.

As well as being a writer, Clare is an avid reader. In other people's books and her own, she enjoys imagining how the world might look in a few decades and considering how ordinary characters might deal with the extraordinary situations the future throws at them. Clare lives in the North West of England with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what it is about YA dystopian novels but I find them terribly depressing and anxiety inducing. I haven't read any of the other books in The Flow series but thought to try this prequel novella after finishing another of the author's different books.
With this story we are introduced to the main characters Cass and Quinn and their life, such as it is, in the Minors, a junior part of The Beck for children aged 5- 14 years, with the sexes separated and an emphasis on no communication. They are raised without a family structure with importance placed on how they can be the best citizen. Cass and Quinn are both 14 and are aging up to be soon moved to the Lower Beck, the adult part of the community when Cass decides to act on a dare and sneak out of the compound in a bid to see The Beck. The ensuing drama is fraught with anxiety as Quinn and another friend Harper also disobey rules to climb the wall and try to bring back Cass safely. When a much younger citizen with a rebellious streak, Harper, who is enamoured with Cass' defiance, follows we are given a look a what breaking the rules can lead to and to just how dangerous the Beck can be.
It's a wonderfully written book with a fair bit of world building given the few pages in the novella but ultimately I found the ending quite devastating.

[Lyn Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clare Littlemore has done a wonderful job of world building -- creating a dystopian society called The Beck. The Trail is a prequel novella that fills in the earlier years of Quin and Cass's lives. Even though I read the first three books in the series Flow, Break and Drift before this one, this prequel was completely engaging and drew me into the characters, adding backstory that made the characters even more dimensional. It sows the seeds of their dissent. The controlling and stifling society in which the girls find themselves, being raised without parents or a family structure, is all they know. But even so, on a deeper level, they begin to rebel against the rules that insidiously hide the truth about previous civilization and how their culture came to be this way.

This book along with the others in the series were page turners. For readers who enjoyed the Divergent series, you'll find similarities in this series as it meets all the conventions you would expect for a dystopian novel. My only disappointment was that the next book was not yet released because it ends as a cliffhanger.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trail introduces us into the world of Flow and its citizens where they live in a place called The Beck. The Beck is divided into different sections with walls surrounding each section. Each section holds different age groups with male and female being housed in different sections with no communication between each section. Trail covers the story of few of the girls from the age group of 5 – 14.

Trail tells the story of Quinn, Cass, Harper and Porter. The girls are getting ready to be transferred to the adult section of The Beck. Cass is dared to climb the wall that will take them into the adult section and accepts the dare. Cass’s two best friends Quinn and Harper decide to tag along on Cass’s journey to make sure she makes it back safely. If they are caught the consequences could be catastrophic for all of them.

Cass is admired by one of the other girls, Porter. When Porter hears about the girls little excursion Porter decides to follow them to the other side of the wall to see what is on the other side and to find out what is waiting for them when they are transferred.

This one little night of misadventures could turn deadly for the girls and open their eyes to a whole new world and show them the way of life that they are about to face on the other side of the wall. What is waiting for the girls on the other side of the wall in this strange new land? Will the girls make it to safety?

I love dystopian books and worlds and couldn’t wait to dive into Trail. Trail is a great introduction into a whole new world of dystopia with great characters and little bit of world building to drag us deep into the story to leave us wanting more.

If you like dystopian world books then you are going to absolutely love this little gem that gives a great introduction into the world of the Flow Series.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a prequel to the Flow Series. It gives the reader a look at how four girls, from the Minors, lived from the age of 5-14. Very strict rules, hard work and little communication between them. After they turn 14, they become Transfers and will be transferred into an adult world, called the Becks. They know nothing about what lies on the other side of the wall that has always divided the two worlds. One night, before being transferred, Cass, being the rebellious one, decides she is going over the wall to see what waits for them. Quin and Harper discover her missing and go after her. Porter, one of the younger Minors, decides to follow. They almost get caught. Still, not all made it back. And so the journey begins. It is a good prequel and I know I'm ready to start the first book of the series.

[Joelzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is an entertaining look at Quin, Cass and Harper when they were 14 about to go into Agric. I found it really enjoyable to go back to that time where Quin's fear of The Beck was only really to do with getting caught breaking the rules. This novella shows however, that there were signs early on that you were not to ask questions and its interesting to see how naively curious the girls were not realizing that the only people that tell you not to ask questions are the people that have something to hide. It also sets a couple of things up that I feel we may see in the but hard book, or they where in the first one and I missed those details.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This prequel introduces some of the characters that are in the rest of the series. Quin and her friends are just turning 14 and about to be transferred to the adult side of the Beck. You get a glimpse of them and that whets the appetite for more. I would have liked a little bit more of the girls and their friendship (how it started) but this is a good introduction to their characters and personalities. It was quick and easy read. I recommend this to the dystopian crowd as a good way to get started in the Flow Series.

[Kathryn Laing · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good quick read. Set in a dystopian future in a place called The Beck, where everyone is raised in the Minors from age 5 to 14. They are schooled, evaluated and trained for their future careers under very strict confines. Very little interaction is allowed. The story follows a few friends who break from their regimented lives one night and climb over the wall to get a glimpse of where their future lay once they were "transferred".

[Steve Filson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder ...And that is the question that will get these girls to jump the wall. I am an Honest ARC reviewer ,and Like the girls & the Cat curiosity just might be our downfall. Enjoyed the world /character building for this short read. Needed more action to keep me vested in the series though. will see if the story gets better in the next in series book.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[NanaShauna Joesten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a prequel of the series. That covers the lives of Quin and Porter As well as some others. Its a fantastic prequel that gives you an understanding of the epic series. It is a great addition to the series
Shauna Joesten

[Heather Baker-Swinburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to the world of Quin and Cass. It reinforces how restrictive, controlling and terrifying it was for the girls to grow up in the Beck. Goes to show that humanity’s instinct to survive and better oneself cannot be held back even in the face of severe punishment

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The switching perspective threw me a little but I got used to it relatively quickly. It sets you up well for the brutal nature of the rest of the series. It's also enjoyable for those who have completed the series.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trail (Flow #0.5) by Clare Littlemore wonderful story that I have read. This is book number 0.5 in this series and I highly recommend this story to everyone.

I read a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.

[Jacquetta Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the story Trial, I can't wait for more. Following the girls in their journey in their life, then new life makes we want to keep following their Trail. Cass, Quinn and Harper are going to be fun to follow and discover their new lives.

[Laura Juntunen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a heartbreaking prequel to Flow, I loved it! Porter's character is curious and young. I enjoyed seeing her perspective of Quin, Cass, and Harper before their move to the adult quarters in The Beck. Great insight!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great prequel to the Flow Series, good story, well told, grabs you from the start & leaves you wanting more from this writer!

[Asiaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining book for a short read. Leaves you wanting to know more of a group of young girls.

[Vicky Quenault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining short story, prequel to a series.
Intriguing world building.

[Miss Wendy A Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book. This is the start of a series. I enjoyed the book a lot and will be reading the rest of the books.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a wonderful read about what lies on the outside of their small world. Life will never be the same especially if they do not get back to safety before anyone finds them out there

[Amanda Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely l loved this quick story. Did my heart ache for porter.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting prequel - definitely peaked my interest into wanting to read more of this world.