Not a Drop to Drink
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4.8 • 6 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Fans of classic frontier survival stories, as well as readers of dystopian literature, will enjoy this futuristic story where water is worth more than gold. New York Times bestselling author Michael Grant says Not a Drop to Drink is a debut "not to be missed." With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl's journey in a frontierlike world not so different from our own.
Teenage Lynn has been taught to defend her pond against every threat: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and most important, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty—or doesn't leave at all. Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. But when strangers appear, the mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won't stop until they get it. . . .
For more in this gritty world, join Lynn on an epic journey to find home in the companion novel, In a Handful of Dust.
Survival Thriller: Lynn’s gun has always kept her pond safe and her water pure. But when strangers with their own desperate thirst appear, survival means more than just a steady aim.Post-Apocalyptic Romance: She was raised to trust no one, least of all the newcomers who threaten her isolated world. But in a brutal landscape, the greatest danger might be to her heart.Found Family: Forced to form uneasy alliances in a world of scarcity, Lynn discovers that the only thing rarer than a drop to drink is someone to share it with.Coming of Age: This gritty story challenges a girl taught to kill to learn what’s truly worth living—and dying—for.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In an understated but gripping debut, McGinnis offers up a tale of survival in a world where a scarcity of usable water has led to a brutal conflict for what remains. Lynn and her mother eke out a hardscrabble existence, protecting their farmhouse and small pond with lethal force against wildlife and trespassers alike. When Lynn's mother is killed, the 16-year-old is left to make her own way. To her surprise, she soon forms a surrogate family consisting of her crippled neighbor, Stebbs, and some newly arrived refugees, including teenage Eli and five-year-old Lucy. When they're drawn into a desperate struggle against raiders who'd steal everything they possess, Lynn discovers just how hard she can fight for those she loves. McGinnis paints a stark picture of a world not far removed from our own, concentrating on Lynn's gradual emotional growth as contrasted against the physical harshness of her existence. Character-driven but with intense moments, this story works best because of its narrow scope and focused setting, with world-building details largely left to the imagination. Ages 14 up.
Customer Reviews
Unexpected and Amazing.
I bought this book looking to fill my dystopian cravings, and I was pleasantly surprised. The main character is strong, and written to be so human. She makes mistakes, and she faces difficult choices, to which she makes decisions that you'd never expect, but understand completely. This book definitely had some twists, and the only fault that I can conjure is that there wasn't more. I read the book in one sitting and thought about the book for an exceptionally long time afterwards. Overall a great read.