Bookish Delights: Review: The Water Wars By Cameron Stracher

Book Reviewed: The Water Wars
Author of the Book: Cameron Stracher
Published January 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire
Recommended Ages: 12 and up
Type: Young Adult Fiction
Page Count: 240 Pages

Date Finished: 2/28/11

Reviewer: Roshini

Welcome to a future where water is more precious than gold or oil-and worth killing for
Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befr

iends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that's impossible to forget. (Via Goodreads)

After finishing this book the reader gets a sense of wonder and amazement. Its finish lets small, thoughts into your head that keep you wondering late at night about water.

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher has a plot with many twists and a tinge of romance between Vera and Kai. It is mainly for the group of people who love "what if this happened to the earth" books that include the characters salvaging for something that the world outside the book has taken granted.

Water is severely scarce in the sometime in the future world that Cameron Stratcher creates. The now split-up United States is in pieces, each called a republic. Vera and her brother Will live in the Republic of Illinowa, once the Midwestern states. Access to clean water is incredibly difficult to find. There is a minuscule ration for each family in Vera's city that gives them a small amount of water for each person in the family. Vera and Will's mother is ill and Vera firmly believes that it is because of thewater they receive from the government.

While walking to her school bus stop one day, Vera sees Kai, drinking what looks like pure water and then spilling what's left on the scorched ground. This is greatly forbidden and Vera confronts Kai of his wastage of something so special and valuable. Later in the book, they meet again and become friends. By then, Will also meets Kai. Vera discovers that Kai is the son of a Driller, someone that if theey find water become very rich. This explains Kai's behavior. Kai takes Vera to show her the spring that he finds that is filled with fresh, clean, and clear water. The day after there trip Kai is missing and the rest of the book goes on about Vera and Will's attempts to retrieve him from water pirates. During this journey they all learn many things about life.

The book was an intriguing novel with many qualities need for an excellent read! It contains many elements including the brimming romance between Kai and Vera. In some parts of the book, I was really frustrated by their lack of acknowledging each other. I really wanted to yell 'just kiss' in a scene.

The Water Wars' mainly concentrates on what could happen to the world if water was extremely hard to find. There is fighting between the republic for the control of any water supply leftover. After I finished the book it made me realize how really important water is. Thebook moves in a fast-paced style and changes settings rapidly. It really takes you on an amazing odyssey. The cover of the book, as you can see in the image, is a fantastic piece of artwork. It supports the feeling of the book and its theme. Some parts of the book toward the beginning were just a bit droopy for me to read but that feeling was erased later on in the book.

In total the novel, The Water Wars, was impressive and a book that was highly made with the greatest care by Cameron Stracher.

Rating: