I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
No Dominion by Louise Welsh Series: Plague Times Trilogy #3
Published by John Murray Press on August 15th 2017
Genres: Dystopia, Fiction
Pages: 384
Format: Hardback
Source: Publisher
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It is seven years after the first outbreak of "the Sweats" destroyed the world, almost overnight. Two refugees from the death and decay of London, Stevie Flint and Magnus McFall, have both washed up on the Orkney Islands. A rural community clinging to survival, the islands are home to a generation of youth who barely remember a time before the pandemic. One of them, Magnus' foster son, Shuggie, is fourteen years old and angry as hell: he and his young friends blame all adults for the loss of the technological and scientific wonders of the past.When the foster parents of Shug's girlfriend, Misty, are found murdered and the young couple vanishes without a trace, Magnus fears the worst. Refusing to believe they could have committed the crime, and in order to find Shuggie and Misty before something terrible happens to them, Magnus and Stevie set off on a quest into the decaying city of Glasgow--and into the heart of a post-apocalyptic landscape they tried to leave behind when they fled the chaotic streets of London.
When I first requested No Dominion I did not realise that this was the final in a trilogy. When I read the synopsis it sounded like a brilliant standalone. However, when I was reading I did not feel like this was the final book of a series. I instantly felt like I knew the characters and was given all the information required. There was obviously missing backstory. But, whatever, their story it did not feel relevant.
This is an enthralling read that strongly reminded me of Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven. This was brilliant ride of a read that travels through the aftermath of a worldwide pandemic, at the point when many are trying to rebuild society.
This is a book filled with surreal moments, heart-warming scenes and quiet touches. There are moments that are utterly unforgettable. This is a book that reads like a dangerous quest as Magnus and Stevie set out to retrieve the lost children of their island. To bring them back to safety. To bring them back home.
One thing that I really enjoyed was the exploring of the emerging powers in the new world. Former ordinary people grabbing at power and asserting their power. And how others gave up freedom for the sense of freedom, for the sense of feeling safe. Each new society was described briefly yet showed how caught up with the new societies everyone became. And different from each were.
I really loved the little section with the band of determined teens. I could have quite happily followed their story instead the saviour story. They showed how one-sided the emerging societies were.
No Dominion by Louise Welsh was an entertaining read. Filled with hope, thrill and challenge. It shows the good, the bad and the ugly of the aftermath of a worldwide pandemic.
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