3.5 stars

To be honest, I really wasn't a big fan of these characters. Even taking into consideration that they're teenagers, they're obnoxiously self-centered (even when they're thinking about helping other people, somehow) and, worse, pretty self-righteous despite acknowledging that they've done morally questionable things. And the blatant male saviorism? No thanks.

Still, the premise is genuinely haunting, the scenarios horrifically believable. I grew up in NorCal, so it seems like I've always been aware of the significance of water conservation and (once I got older) of drought and climate change — but the situation never seemed as urgent as I hear SoCal's has been. And I'm always more interested in (near) apocalyptic scenarios when it involves questions of humanity and ethics alongside the quest for survival (as with [b:The Girl Who Owned a City|637961|The Girl Who Owned a City|O.T. Nelson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348574491l/637961._SY75_.jpg|2736]).

The ending, though, was disappointing. While I did like that

Spoiler

there didn't end up being a love triangle OR an endgame romance

, it seemed too easy in the face of everything that had come before. Suddenly

Spoiler

crisis over, there's water again, time for those who survived to try and get on with their lives

? It just didn't feel right to me.

content warnings:

Spoiler

suicidal ideation, graphic violent thoughts, on-page violence, on-page murder, sexual harassment, loss of loved ones, ableist language

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CONVERSION: 9.53 / 15 = 3.5 stars

Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 4 / 10
Emotional Impact: 6 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 3 / 5