Dark Life

Dark Life

Kat Falls

Scholastic Inc.

$16.99 U.S. (Hardcover)

FTC: I received this book from the publisher with the understanding that I would provide an honest review for no compensation.

Synopsis:

Set in an apocalyptic future where rising oceans have swallowed up entire regions and people live packed like sardines on the dry land left, DARK LIFE is the harrowing tale of underwater pioneers who have carved out a life for themselves in the harsh deep-sea environment, farming the seafloor in exchange for the land deed.

The story follows Ty, who has lived his whole life on his family's homestead and has dreams of claiming his own stake when he turns eighteen. But when outlaws' attacks on government supply ships and settlements...

... threaten to destroy the underwater territory, Ty finds himself in a fight to stop the outlaws and save the only home he has ever known.

Joined by a girl from the Topside who has come subsea to look for her prospector brother, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and begins to discover some dark secrets to Dark Life.

As Ty gets closer to the truth, he discovers that the outlaws may not be the bloodthirsty criminals the government has portrayed them as. And that the government abandoning the territory might be the best thing for everyone, especially for someone like Ty, someone with a Dark Gift.

My Thoughts:

This book was not really for me. I really liked the idea behind the book, but the book itself did little to wow me. This book is geared towards younger readers, and that hit me from the beginning. I felt like the plot was made up of mini climaxes and in the end I was far from satisfied. Ty and Gemma are likeable characters, and I did enjoy the way the fed off of eachother. I think my favorite part of the book was the setting. The whole idea of underwater farming is whimsical and fun, and the details that Kat Falls used were great. I wish that the story would have had one major problem instead of 20 small ones. While I was able to read through the book quickly, it was not one that I really loved.

Recommendations:

Younger readers, and anyone who has ever dreamed of living under the sea...

Grade: B-

Age: Young Adult (12+)