GoodReads Summary:
It's in the rain...and just one drop will kill you.
They don't believe it at first. Crowded in Zach's kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach's parents' frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle. But then the radio comes on with the warning, "It's in the rain! It's fatal, it's contagious, and there's no cure."
Two weeks later, Ruby is alone. Anyone who's been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead. The only drinkable water is quickly running out. Ruby's only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father-if he's even still alive.
They don't believe it at first. Crowded in Zach's kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach's parents' frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle. But then the radio comes on with the warning, "It's in the rain! It's fatal, it's contagious, and there's no cure."
Two weeks later, Ruby is alone. Anyone who's been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead. The only drinkable water is quickly running out. Ruby's only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father-if he's even still alive.
Review:
From the beginning I knew I would get along well with this book. As previously mentioned, I am extremely interested in the apocalypse theme, which I find common among recent book releases. However, unlike some other stories, the characters and their plight kept me engaged and the inner dialogue of Ruby's character was appropriately hilarious and charming.
I found Ruby herself someone I could relate to; she's sassy, independent, and tough. She accurately represents how a teenage girl would act during the end of the world. I'm not saying every teen girl would slap on a pound of makeup and go on shopping binges, after everyone they knew had been taken out by killer rain, but it's a fun thought.
The idea of the fatal water itself is intriguing because it shows how much we rely on the liquid. It's kind of an inescapable death; eventually the pure water will run out and then what? This facet of the plot, along with many other things, kept me hooked on the story. Reading novels like this definitely make me appreciate the access that I have to clean, safe water.
The ending had me scratching my head a bit. It seemed somewhat definite, but the story was still unfinished. This leads me to believe that this is a series, that I will gladly continue reading. The book itself isn't really short, it went by in a flash.
