Pure...an adrenaline rush

Pressia lives in a world filled with danger and the fear of not making it through the day. After the Detonations, most people are deformed, fighting for their lives, and wishing everything could go back to Before. She's about to turn 16, the age a person is required to turn themselves over to the militia to be trained as a soldier, but Pressia knows she can't possibly do that. She can't leave her grandfather and she can't fight for something she doesn't believe in. 

When the Detonations occured, some lucky people escaped without a mark on them. They live in the Dome and are referred to as "Pures." Partridge is a Pure, but rather than feeling grateful for living in a world where food, clothing, and safety are abundant, he feels lonely and lost in his search for love from his father. 

As Pressia fights for her life and Partridge decides to leave his, the reader is a given a heart pounding story of survival and hope, told from both of their perspectives. There's a whole lot of action, mixed with beautiful, insightful writing that will make the reader take pause and think about the characters and the storyline. 

I couldn't put the book down! I wanted to race through it, but savor it at the same time, knowing book 2 won't be out for quite some time. The first page will easily hook you and though most of us have read plenty of dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels, this one is definitely unique. Pressia was a wonderfully strong character and Partridge showed how growing up in a life of privilege does not necessarily mean a life of happiness. 

I believe this is being marketed as an adult novel, but I would have no problem handing it to teens. Definitely a crossover that will appeal to dystopian fans. One of my favorite reads of the 2011. 

Pure
Julianna Baggott
448 pages
Adult Fiction
Grand Central Publishing
9781455503063
January 2012