Book Blog: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Blood Red Road is quite possibly my favorite book. EVER.

I love the main character so much that I've seriously considered getting her name tattooed on my butt. But I always end up asking myself the same question: why the hell would I do that?

Her name is Saba. You should get to know her. Just don't piss her off...

The setting is dystopian/desert/wasteland. I'm not a huge fan of dystopian stuff, but this story has an original feel that sets it apart from the noise.

The story starts with Saba's twin brother being kidnapped, then it moves quickly as Saba kicks just about everyone's ass in the book. Saba is extra mean to her whiny little sister (and everyone else that comes in contact with her), but this is part of why I love her. She's one of the most irritable, feisty, and driven characters I've ever known. As you hear her thoughts (first person), you can't help but root for her to find and rescue her brother.

She's so flawed. She's just so damn flawed.

There's a bunch of great characters in this story. Her love interest, Jack, is intriguing. Her little sister is a pain in the ass. Her new homegirls, the Free Hawks, are a teenage gang of warriors. The villain is a weird-ass dude that reminds me of that creepy king guy from those Burger King commercials.

There's also a crow named Nero. I'm never too excited about animals in stories, but Nero is pretty freaking awesome.

I know some peeps that have read Blood Red Road and have had trouble getting used to the writing. It's written in it's own sort of redneck dialect, so it does take a few pages to get the flow of the sounds, but it's SO worth it. The writing style is refreshing and really set this book apart.

I feel fortunate to have read this book early in my reading career. It set the stage for what was possible and pushed my imagination to the edge. It helped me see YA Lit in a new way and made me want to be a better writer.

Obviously, I recommend this book. Obviously.

"THEY CALL ME THE ANGEL OF DEATH. That's because I ain't never lost a fight. Every time they take me to the Cage, I let the red hot take me over an it fights till it wins."

-Saba