I originally ordered this book when it was published a few years ago because I went to grade school with Ellie. Finally picked it up, and I am glad I waited until after my white water rafting trip last summer to read it.

The little St. Paul details made me smile amidst a very sad story. The beginning and the end were the best parts for me, I thought it dragged a bit in the middle. If you’re looking for an action packed survivalist novel, this isn’t it. It was more meditative, weaving together timelines as the narrator tries to make sense of her current situation as well as her past. I enjoyed how Lee’s history unraveled before us as she journeyed down the Thelon. Boy, was her story bleak, though. The ending was much more hopeful than I expected which I thought rounded the story out well.