I received an ARC of this book with thanks to Little A via NetGalley

Marlo is twenty-five years old and has been raised on a survivalist ranch in Oregon, cut off from the rest of the world as it crumbles under the effects of climate change, referred to as 'The Disaster'. However the ranch is only populated by the successful and wealthy from similar circles of society that can buy their way in with membership, they purchase supplies off site (so it's not an entirely self-contained ranch, therefore what is the point?) and is inhabited mostly by people over the age of forty, highlighting the problematic scope of keeping such a community active as its population ages.

I'm unsure whether my expectations based on the description of the book and the narrative I had envisioned in my head were set too high; my assumptions too lofty to appease. But this just seemed to romanticise circumstance and fortune whilst watching society collapse. There were secrets, but none that were surprising. The characters weren't overly likable; they seemed content to neglect the struggling communities surrounding them to ensure the society they had grown accustomed to had the opportunity to survive within their ranch walls. It was somewhat uncomfortable to read; almost like reading about the effects of climate change through the eyes of the 1% and emerge wanting to pop the bubbles they're living in.

The writing style was enjoyable, the book free-flowing and easy to read. I liked the amount of description in Sloley's words and the structure of the plot. I just didn't find this narrative relatable; it just didn't resonate positively with me.

2.5 stars.