3/5 stars
I'm going to call this one of the most disappointing books I've read. The title implies some kind of X-Men style abilities and the blurb gives nothing away apart from a comment about "I don't bite". The reality is much more different.
We open at a facility where a young girl, Melanie, is waiting in her cell to be strapped into a wheelchair and taken to the classroom for lessons, hoping it's with her favourite teacher Miss Helen Justineau. One day two of her classmates disappear, then Helen is told off for showing Melanie affection, then Melanie herself is taken to scientist Dr Caroline Caldwell. But before Dr Caldwell can do what she plans the base is attacked and the three escape with Sergeant Parks and young soldier Gallagher.
What follows is basically a road trip. There are hairy moments along the way and a couple of losses (no spoilers here) and then after an information reveal it basically just ends. There's no clarity on what happens next.
The writing style was engaging on the whole but there's a lack of world-building. It's set in post-apocalyptic Britain, long enough ago that the young soldier is confused by the sight of a broken down bus. I would have liked more information on the start of this whole thing. There's another group of people seen at one point and are considered a great threat but then aren't seen again. It would have been nice to have had more information on them. Who are they? What is their goal?
Also unrelated to the plot etc but apparently there is a film adaptation of this book - script written by the author - and Helen in the book is described solidly as black, the word mahogany is used specifically, yet the film cast the very white Gemma Arterton 🤨😒
Steff Out x
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