The Girl in Red
by Christina Henry
File Size: 1626 KB
Print Length: 302 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1785659774
Publisher: Berkley (June 18, 2019)
ASIN: B07KNRN1VL
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0
From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a postapocalyptic take on the perennial classic "Little Red Riding Hood"...about a woman who isn't as defenseless as she seems.
It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.
There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined.
Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....
by Christina Henry
Print Length: 302 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1785659774
Publisher: Berkley (June 18, 2019)
ASIN: B07KNRN1VL
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling, Post-Apocalyptic, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0
From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a postapocalyptic take on the perennial classic "Little Red Riding Hood"...about a woman who isn't as defenseless as she seems.
It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.
There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined.
Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....
Review:
Red is a young woman who survived the ‘Crisis’. A terrible coughing virus has destroyed society as it used to be. Red had hoped that her family – parents and brother - could get to her grandmother’s house. But now she is on her own in a red jacket trying to avoid the predators, the marauders and the government (maybe?) troops.
Red is pragmatic and knows to scavenge for items needed to survive. That includes blankets for warmth, canned goods for food and an axe for protection. Red is determined but she will face terrible odds, not just in lawless people but in a deadly monster that she would never have believed in if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes.
I initially thought this might be a fairy tale retelling, but the similarities are limited. After all, in this story the wolves may have to be afraid of Little Red. I choose not to describe more of the details to avoid spoilers. I liked that this post-apocalyptic tale has a lot of realistic elements. The author also deals nicely with several timely issues like racism and sexual orientation. Red is a wonderful character of intelligence and strength in a desperate situation. The ending leaves some questions, but the story is really about a frightening journey which shares sorrow and hope. I recommend this to fans of the post-apocalyptic genre.
Source: 2019 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2019NetGalley goal.
