Warning: Incoming Gush Alert

This book has been on my shelves since January, when I received it in a book subscription box. I don't really read Westerns, and there were so many other books on my shelves at the time that it ended up sitting there for the past 8 months.

I decided recently that September would be the month I would read all of the book box books I have taking up space on my shelves, and this was the first book I decided to pick up. I had zero expectations, except that I knew it was in the western genre. I didn't remember the synopsis, if I'd ever read it in the first place.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. It's absolutely one of my favorites of the year. I can't believe it sat so long on my shelves, un-read.

The truth is, this book was so different than I'd anticipated. Yes, it does have 'western' elements to it, but it goes so far beyond that. I was enthralled from beginning to end.

What I liked:

1. Serendipity Jones. I really liked her character. She shows tremendous growth throughout the novel. At the beginning of the story, she lives in a commune controlled by an oppressive post-war government. She really hasn't had much experience outside of the commune, and is at the mercy of her abusive father and brothers. She was taught to shoot by her mother, but has never had need to use her skills on another person. By the end of the book, she still isn't the type of person to shoot first and ask questions later, but she is willing to do what needs to be done in order to protect herself and the people she cares about.
She isn't perfect. There are times her naivete really costs her. But it makes sense. She'd grown up in a very controlled place, and hadn't been exposed to many of the situations she encountered once she got to Cessation. And really, it wouldn't make sense for her to be a seasoned killer right off the bat.
This book is really about her and how she comes into her own. She learns to navigate the world around her while still maintaining her personal values, and in that way, she is a very strong character.

2. Side characters. This book has some amazing side characters. They are interesting and quirky. Some of them may not be as fleshed out as they could be, but I never felt like this book was lacking for personality.

3. THE THEATRE. Once I realized the direction this book was going, I was so excited. I love stories revolving around circuses or theatre troupes. The Theatre Vespertine feels like a collection of Wild West side shows, and I found it really fascinating.

4. The fusion of genres. This book has definite western leanings. The main character is a gunslinger who lives in a brothel/gaming hall. However, there is also a futuristic and dystopian element to this book. It takes place in the future, after a Second Civil War. Many parts of the country were left decimated from the war and also natural disasters attributable to global warming and polluting the Earth. The author is able to weave these genres together into a narrative that not only makes sense, but is also very compelling and utterly readable.

5. Found Family. I guess this could've gone right after talking about the characters, but oh well. I love books that deal with found family, and this book does it so well. I cared about all of these characters not only as individuals, but also as a group. It was so rewarding to read about Serendipity becoming integrated into the group, especially when her first impression of them was so overwhelming.

What I didn't like:

Just because I loved this book and rated it 5 stars doesn't mean that I can't recognize that it wasn't perfect and that there are things that other people won't like.

1. The ending. I like the fact that this was a standalone, but it feels like there should be more to the story. We get a promise, a hint of things to come, but as far as I know this isn't the first in a series. That being the case, the ending felt a little rushed. I guess if my biggest critique about this book is that I wanted more of it, that's pretty good.

One last thing I want to mention. Many people seem to be labeling this book as YA. I went into it thinking the same thing. However, I would say that if it's YA it's for a more mature YA audience. There are several sexual relationships and references to them. Most of the side characters, women and men, are prostitutes. Nothing is overly graphic, but the subject matter itself is probably a little too mature for anyone under 15 or 16. I actually think this would be a decent transition book for someone who wants to stick their toes into more mature content.

As for me, I really enjoyed this book. I was surprised to learn it was a debut novel. I eagerly anticipate any future works by this author.