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.
Way Down Dark by J.P. Smythe, James Smythe Series: The Australia Trilogy #1
Published by Hodder & Stoughton on July 2, 2015
Genres: Dystopia, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 288
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
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The first in an extraordinary new YA trilogy by James Smythe, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.
There's one truth on Australia: You fight or you die. Usually both.
Seventeen-year-old Chan's ancestors left a dying Earth hundreds of years ago, in search of a new home. They never found one.
The only life that Chan's ever known is one of violence, of fighting. Of trying to survive.
But there might be a way to escape. In order to find it, Chan must head way down into the darkness - a place of buried secrets, long-forgotten lies, and the abandoned bodies of the dead.
Seventeen-year-old Chan, fiercely independent and self-sufficient, keeps her head down and lives quietly, careful not to draw attention to herself amidst the violence and disorder. Until the day she makes an extraordinary discovery - a way to return the Australia to Earth. But doing so would bring her to the attention of the fanatics and the murderers who control life aboard the ship, putting her and everyone she loves in terrible danger.
And a safe return to Earth is by no means certain.
I honestly cannot believe how much is crammed into Way Down Dark. It feels a lot bigger than the 288 pages that it is. There is so much detail and information, that I’m surprised that the author has enough for a trilogy (but so so happy!).
I adored Chan. She is herself always and makes no excuses for her actions. She admits to fear but doesn’t let fear overrule her and doesn’t let guilt get to her. This is about survival and in a place like Australia emotions need to be set aside. This does make some scenes brutal and horrific and if it was a film I would be shutting my eyes. But that is life on Australia and that is what reality there looks like.
From the start I was hooked, and with my heart racing I read this book in one sitting. This book was so good that it took me a while to comprehend everything and get my thoughts in order. And there is a lot of questions I have left to be answered, like why the ship is called Australia, why is the Earth dying, why is everyone so savage? You get the picture – hopefully these and more will be answered in the next book which I am so excited to read!
Way Down Dark was a brilliant, engaging read, that left me wanting more. More book, more answers and a way to satisfy my need to know how this all turns out. This is a series that you do not want to miss out on!
[…] loved Way Down Dark and adored Long Dark Dusk, so I was ready for whatever was thrown at me in Dark Made […]
[…] thank goodness I had Long Dark Dusk next to me to read straight after Way Down Dark. Because let me tell you this is a corker of a series. And the last book left me wanting more and […]