Not a Drop to Drink, by Mindy McGinnis

Lynn has grown up in a world where water is scarce.  She and her mother spend their days defending their home, and their water source.  Outsiders are never to be trusted.  A freak accident changes Lynn's life, and she realizes that there is more than just water to worry about, and that threats come in all shapes and sizes.

This book really caught be off guard, because I did not anticipate how much I would enjoy it.  The setting is sort of a dystopian future, where water is nearly nonexistent, and cholera is killing many people.  That is a pretty grim setting, and is frightening because it could so easily happen.  That is what troubled me the whole time I read the book; it is all so plausible.  With the water shortage, it is almost like the world is reverting to pioneer justice.

I was so intrigued by Lynn as a character.  When we first meet her, she is so hard, and that is the only way of life she knows.  It is kill or be killed.  Slowly we see her soften, and grow, allowing other people into her life, her home, and her heart.  With that vulnerability, there is risk, and she certainly pays the price, but by the end of the book, I truly believe she is glad she did.

The book will appeal to young adult readers.  I especially love that there is a strong, unconventional female protagonist.  All of the female characters in the book are strong, and depicted as being equal to the men.  In fact, the characters are written in a very gender neutral manner, which I found striking; it really enhanced the story, because all the characters were equal in my mind.  

All in all, a solid young adult read.

I received a review copy courtesy of the Amazon Vine program in exchange for my honest review.

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