Flow | By Clare Littlemore

Synopsis :

A world in tatters. A society where rebellion is not tolerated. A girl desperate to discover the truth.

Sixteen year old Quin lives in The Beck, a saviour society. Her community has risen from the ruins of a land shattered by Mother Nature. But Beck law is tough. Quin knows that the rules must be followed in order to sustain life in a place where floodwaters constantly threaten existence. A single violation could land her in Clearance.

But some laws are harder to follow than others. And as Quin discovers the horrifying truth, she knows she cannot stay silent forever.

Flow is the first in a series of books about a group of people struggling to survive after their world has been annihilated by devastating floods.

Warning: contains violence and some upsetting scenes. Recommended for a 13+ audience.

My thoughts

Narrative and Plot

There was a time when I lived for dystopian reads until the pandemic. For the last few years, I stayed away from it because it was too real. Hopefully, the world is getting back to normal at its own pace. And I am ready for another dystopian YA fiction. Flow has been in my TBR since 2018 and I am glad I finally started it.

This is a slow-burn plot. The first book pretty much introduces us to this world. However, it didn’t feel like it was lagging. The world building was quite elaborate and engaging throughout.

Characters and Conflicts

Quinn is the central character of the story. However, there are a lot of other equally important characters in this world. Cass, Harper, Cameron, and Jackson stand out to me. Even though there were a lot of characters, each of them felt distinct and made an impact in whatever short span of time they had.

Since the story takes its time for world-building, the social constructs are established early on. You are aware of the stakes as much as your main character and it pulls in every time she or her friends risk themselves.

However, I missed an “I volunteer as a tribute” moment in the story. Maybe it was there, but you already know that Quinn is safe and there isn’t the same urgency. Hopefully, we get to have a moment like that in the upcoming books.

Conclusion

Overall, I enjoyed reading this slow-burn dystopian YA book with promising characters. If that is something that interests you, then please go for it. I have already picked the second book in the series and will let you know my thoughts once I finish it.

About the Author