Rating: 3 out of 5.

This is an interesting YA Dystopian book that will remind you of a less complex version of The Handmaid’s Tale. Honeybees have died out and the patriarch has taken control of the world. There is no art, no books, no joy. Girls are ripped from their homes and put into concentration-like camps and forced to pollinate crops by hand until their get their period, when they are matched with a man and forced into marriage and mandatory breeding. Jess’s mother protects her from the camps longer than most girls, but eventually she is torn from home and locked away. She makes friends with Cass, Deva, and Ruth, but stays clear of almost everyone else. When an unexpected kindness puts a few tubes of paint into her hand, she risks it all just to be able to paint again. She didn’t expect it could possibly spark a revolution.

This is a quick and easy book that can be read in one sitting. There isn’t much worldbuilding and the story is focused mostly on Jess, her feelings, and her despair in ever escaping to be with her mother again. I liked her fierce loyalty to Cass and the fact that she puts herself in danger to protect her. Jess is smart, brave, and daring despite being terrified of her situation. While this is basically The Handmaid Tale-lite, it’s a good introductory into this type of dystopian storytelling for YA readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum Books for Young Readers. All opinions are my own.