In a world torn apart by economic collapse, Natalie and her
husband Richard establish an island of relative safety on a communal farm.
Death—by starvation, raiders, and sickness—stalks them daily, and their
survival hinges on working together for the common good. But in a lawless land
with no shortage of suffering, good is a malleable concept.
As the constant grind of survival and the frictions of farm
politics expose the rifts in Natalie and Richard’s marriage, Natalie finds
herself seeking refuge in the company of Richard’s twin, Daniel, a solitary man
with little interest in politics.
In the face of ongoing external threats and simmering
internal divisions, Natalie, Richard, and Daniel must each map the boundaries
of their own loyalties and morality. In the Shadows of the Mosquito
Constellation is a story of adventure, politics, and love in a brave new world
where the rules have both changed, and stayed the same.
My thoughts:
I generally do not read apocalyptic stories. In the Shadows
of the Mosquito Constellation captured my attention immediately. I’m pretty
sure it was the cover art and then as I read the book description, I was
fascinated with the concept of establishing life on a communal farm.
What makes this book believable is the economic collapse
that happens in this story. It is all to real that food, gas and water could be
sparse and lawlessness of nations could take place.
The story starts a bit slow but you could feel the tension
growing. The shifting conflicts between the scenes was overwhelming at times
but gave a clear picture of the hardships the people endured and their struggle
for survival. Their inner strengths and even the smallest choices they made
could have the biggest impact on their lives and everyone around them.
Natalie and Richard’s relationship was interesting to read
about. They are married and opened their farm to establish a safe haven-if you
will.
Richard is a politician, a typical one at that. Before the
doom he would scoff at Natalie’s predictions and felt she worries too much.
Well, when her predictions become reality, he takes the opportunity to take
advantage of the situation and for the most part, for his own power and gain.
He drips in total narcissism.
Natalie is pragmatic and has an admirable inner strength and
Richard knows this and needs these qualities for a partner. I really liked the
characterization of these two the most. Though at times I wanted to throttle
both of them. For different reasons-of course.
I think you will be interested in how their relationship turns out.
The author did a splendid job on in the exploration of
humanity under these dire and abnormal conflicts. She shows us consequences and
reactions the characters make in an extreme environment. Nicely done and I look
forward to more stories by this author.
I have rated this book four stars.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange
for an honest review.
You may also find this review at my WordPress, my main
website.
Stephanie M. Hopkins
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