Book Review: Fire Country by David Estes

Summary:
In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer’s even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely.

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with.

As the desert sands run out on her life’s hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

Review:
I really enjoyed this novel. It is the first David Estes’s novel that I have ever read, and I’m certainly glad that I started with it.
Siena’s character was very inspiring. She has the same insecurity in her appearance and abilities that most of us felt (and still feel!) as teenagers despite the futuristic wasteland setting. Her scrawny gawkiness makes her relatable while her fierce strength in the face of an abusive father makes her endearing. The love relationship with her best friend, Circ, is sweet and touching although I was a little frustrated that she couldn’t see how much he cared until it was nearly too late.

The novel might be a little long for young adult readers who aren’t already addicted to sci-fi, but the story is so engaging and action-packed, the pages fly by!

Five stars