Due for publication January 28th 2016, this is the first in a new series by Michael Grant and it imagines an alternative past, where women were allowed to fight in the war.
I received a digital copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for review.
While I’d enjoyed the other Michael Grant books I’d read, I was uncertain how this would work. The first thing I have to say is that I felt this brought together a great cast of characters – Rainy, Rio and Frangie – who all have their strengths, but are shaped by their experiences preparing for war. The idea that women could fight allowed Grant to also explore key themes/ideas about war and gender.
The initial part of the book that deals with the girls’ backgrounds and reasons for enlisting was necessary, but it really comes into its own when the new recruits are sent to fight. The account of the experience is unflinching, yet never gratuitous.
Captivating.