Book Review | Abomination by Jane Dougherty
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So I read this book last week. It’s called Abomination and its written by author and blogger Jane Dougherty. Now, before I go any further, you need to know something; we may never have met in the flesh, but Jane and I are friends. Gasp! I know, how can that be? Even worse, we actually wrote a book together. So of course I’m going to be fawning all over her new offering, right?

Wrong. I do my best to write my reviews with integrity and honesty.

I may be an author who is friendly with other authors, but despite this fact, and in spite of what Amazon thinks, it is still possible to write a review honestly and truthfully.

Now the likelihood is, because I know the author, and we have read each others books, and even co-authored a book, there is a good chance that we might actually genuinely enjoy each other’s writing and style.

Amazon doesn’t think this is possible. So I will have to think carefully about whether I post a review there and risk getting banned. Maybe I will just be a rebel and do it anyway.

In any case, this is my blog where I can write what I like, and frequently do. So, enough waffling, I have stated my case, lets get on with the show. Or the review, at least.

Abomination is the first in a series called The Pathfinders. This book is published by Finch Books and is currently available as an Early Download at €6.08 in their online book store. It goes on general release on March 22nd 2016.

I had to laugh when I visited its book page; it comes with the following warning;

“Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of physical abuse, sexual slavery and violence and references to child murder.”

I can’t imagine anything which would please Jane more! It may put parents off, but every teenager in town is going to want to read it now!

Ok. It hardly sounds like a book for Young Adults, I’m sure you’re thinking, but relax; Jane knows what she’s doing. You can’t wrap young people up in cotton wool and pretend we’re living in fairyland. These are real issues going on in the world all around us, and our young people need to be made aware, not made vulnerable and ignorant by hiding the truth from them.

Having said that, whilst Jane doesn’t pull any punches, she knows where to draw the line. She is a mother of teenagers herself, and so am I. There is nothing in this book I wouldn’t want my fourteen year old son to see, and he will tell you I’m pretty strict on age limits for books, games and movies!

So what’s it about? Here’s some of the blurb;

“As the end of the world begins, Carla and Tully hurtle through a wormhole five years forward in time, only to find they haven’t missed the Apocalypse after all.

“Carla and Tully are picnicking in the quad of their international high school in central Paris when the end of the world begins. They are sucked into a wormhole that spits them out five years later to find that the world is a freezing desolation but still hanging on, waiting for something even worse to finish it off. The something worse turns out to be the Burnt Man and his horsemen. Taken prisoner by the Flay Tribe to their lair in the ruins of a shopping mall, Tully is forced to become a warrior, while Carla joins the other girls as a kitchen slave and comfort woman.”

I’m not giving you any more. Go check it out and get yourselves a download whilst you’re at it, that’s your best bet.

This book reminded me of Lord of the Flies; it had that same sinister atmosphere. It’s unnerving to see how brutal our sweet, precious children can become when left to their own devices in a deadly game of survival.

But as violent and aggressive as they are, there’s someone out there who’s even more terrifying, even more savage, and who ultimately holds all the cards. Daily life brings the ever more urgent search for food as supplies dwindle; attack from mutant creatures which lurk in the shadows, always looking to feast on tender human flesh; and the ever-present danger of gang warfare with the other ‘tribes’ prowling beyond their defences.

In Tully and Carla, the author presents an alternative way forward, in which rationality, strength, determination and compassion can prevail. If they get the chance. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not perfect heroes; they’re real human beings that every reader will be able to identify with. They have their own particular character flaws, they make mistakes, but they are resourceful and learn to deal with them.

Some of the characters are pretty nasty. We’ve all met bullies like them. My only gripe with the book concerns one of them; Flo, madam and supervisor of the girls, a thoroughly vile piece of work, holds great potential as a villain, yet just as she gets going with her dastardly plan, she is killed off. Personally, I would have liked to see how the story could have developed under her influence.

This book may be for young people, but it does not come with a happy ever after. Although it stands alone as a complete story in itself, the ending makes it clear that there is more, much more to come, and I for one am tagging along for the ride down that next wormhole.

You can buy this book now on Finch Books online store.

Remember, it goes on general release on March 22nd 2016.

You can find out more about Jane on her blog, Jane Dougherty Writes.