After the Flood

 Title: After the Flood

Author: Kassandra Montag

Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy

Blurb:                                                                                                      (from Goodreads)

"A little more than a century from now, our world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, rising floodwaters have obliterated America’s great coastal cities and then its heartland, leaving nothing but an archipelago of mountaintop colonies surrounded by a deep expanse of open water.

Stubbornly independent Myra and her precocious seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, fish from their small boat, the Bird, visiting dry land only to trade for supplies and information in the few remaining outposts of civilization. For seven years, Myra has grieved the loss of her oldest daughter, Row, who was stolen by her father after a monstrous deluge overtook their home in Nebraska. Then, in a violent confrontation with a stranger, Myra suddenly discovers that Row was last seen in a far-off encampment near the Arctic Circle. Throwing aside her usual caution, Myra and Pearl embark on a perilous voyage into the icy northern seas, hoping against hope that Row will still be there.

On their journey, Myra and Pearl join forces with a larger ship and Myra finds herself bonding with her fellow seekers who hope to build a safe haven together in this dangerous new world. But secrets, lust, and betrayals threaten their dream, and after their fortunes take a shocking—and bloody—turn, Myra can no longer ignore the question of whether saving Row is worth endangering Pearl and her fellow travelers."

My Review:

No character in this story is just one thing.  Each character is individual and complex, with a distinct past that shaped them into the person they are when we encounter them.  Real people change as a result to their environment.  We are constantly becoming new versions of ourselves, and have to change to face our current situations.  This novel is a testament to the human spirit and motivation and love.  We all make choices that shape our life and the lives of those around us.  Unfortunately, sometimes there is no right answer.  There is just one decision after another, and we have to live with the results.  In a dystopian world, like this one, people are pushed to their limits, and we see their true colors.  It is easy for people to become bitter, ruthless, and cruel, but our favorite characters are those that still have HOPE. Montag did a wonderful job of making her world come to life.  I especially loved that Myra, the main protagonist, was not weak emotionally or physically though she might have thought otherwise occasionally.  It would have been unrealistic for her to have made it this far in a post-apocalyptic world, and it added an element to the story, that I sometimes find to be lacking.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5