Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That’s fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba’s world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she’s a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Living in Silverlake, a patch of desert where dangers seems to come from everywhere, Saba and her twin, Lugh, struggle to survive, with the drought and the hard times. Beyond Lugh, her sister Emmi and her Pa are all that she has, but when a storm comes and men with black robes take Lugh, killing her Pa and leaving a path of destruction behind, Saba vows to find her brother, no matter what it takes.

On their way to find Lugh, Saba and Emmi ends up being captured by a couple who puts Saba to fight against other girls. She has to fight for her life and Emmi’s, so they can break free and go after their brother. Saba becomes known as the Angel of Death, because she never loses a fight.

During their journey, they met Jack, a boy who become very fast a mix between a helping hand and a wake up call for Saba, when she needs. Their interaction is sweet, and at the same time it gives us some great insides on their minds. They also grow up together, as they start to open up a little.

Blood Red Road is an experience. The narrative is a character itself, written as the way Saba would write it, with all mistakes and typos she could do. It can take a while to understand and accept, but when you do, the book just goes as a roller coaster ride.

The first book in the Dustlands series set high standards for the second one. Amazingly written and action filled in the right points, this book is a little of everything, wrapped up with great characters. Moira Young, you do have a big job to top with Rebel Heart.

Dust Lands #1

Author: Moira Young
Country: United States
Language: English
Genre(s): Fiction, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Adventure, Dystopia
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: June 7, 2011
Pages: 459
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Our favorite quotes on this book are bellow.

There can be beauty anywhere. Even here. An if it ain’t there, you can make it yerself.

Love makes you weak. Carin fer somebody that much means you cain’t think straight. Look at Pa. Who’d wanna end up like him? I ain’t never gonna love nobody. It’s better that way.

Dead lake. Dead land. Dead life.

If you save somebody’s life three times, their life belongs to you. You saved my life today, that makes once. Save it twice more an I’m all yers.

I’ll jest hafta make sure that don’t happen, I says.

He’s got nice eyes.
Too close together.
Nice smile.
Too many teeth.

Bloody Jack. What is it with him? What is it about him that he seems to charm everybody an everythin that crosses his path? Ash an pretty well every other Free Hawk, my sister an now my damn crow. I swear, if there was a rock in his path that he couldn’t be bothered steppin over, all he’d hafta do was give it one look an it’d roll outta the way.

I never knew that missin somebody could hurt, I says. But it does. Deep inside. Like it’s in my bones. We ain’t never bin apart till now. Never. I dunno how to be without him. It’s like… I ain’t nuthin.

Don’t say that, he says. Don’t ever say that. You are somethin, Saba. Somethin good an strong an true. With him or without him.

We’re in a race, the moon an me. An it’s a race I cain’t afford to lose.

Gawdammit, he says. I bin waitin fer a woman like you my whole life. Jack, I think I’m in love.
Ferget it, Ike, says Jack. She’s far too dangerous fer the likes of you.

Marry me, he says. I got all my own teeth, I wash twice a year an I’ll cut you in fer half the business here.

Hey Jack! Ike calls. What is it you always say?

Move fast, travel light an never tell ’em yer real name, Jack says.

That’s the boy! Ike winks at me.

I don’t think most people ’ud feel like singin jest after they’d fought off hunnerds of hellwurms. But Jack ain’t most people. I should know that by now.

What a stupid song.

I mean, what kinda fool ’ud put up with a woman that troublesome?

Did you know, he says, that every time you make somethin, any time you make anythin, a little bit of yer spirit goes into it?

I laugh. Yer crazy, I says.

I was fine till I met you, he says.