In fiction, not every apocalypse is apocalypse wow. It’s what you’re hoping for, looking for, but not all apocalypses are imagined equal. This one, was imagined well, alarmingly so, and even spun around into a neat twist in the end but getting there was as slog.

I think this novel can prompt lots of discussion, but readers should be aware that this is not your standard trope-y YA dystopian novel. Instead, if you like lyrical prose, slow building tension, and the psychology of trauma, give this book a try. bones of an interesting story - dystopian chaos future where a superbug has left a woman and a man to their own on an island. enter (on the tides) a floating mystery body. Experimental fiction . . . Calder tells a unique tale that will appeal to many cli-fi fans.” – Library Journal

Reviews

in fact is any character in here worthy of care from us? i just feel sorry for crevan for being trapped on that island with her. This dystopian novel is set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by antibiotic resistance. Main characters Kit and Crevan live on an isolated island in a bunker beneath a crumbling castle. Their secluded existence is disrupted when a nearly drowned woman washes ashore, sparking tension and uncovering secrets that threaten their fragile haven.

Tantalizing prose carries what is essentially a cautionary tale about unintended consequences; Calder is worth watching.” – Kirkus While I agree with other readers that the writing was VERY forced and overly flowery and confusing, I felt like it fit well with the unreliability and instability of the narrator. The main characters were creepy and unlikeable and the relationship between them was unnerving. I enjoyed reading this and liked the twist toward the end. But then again, there isn’t that much of a plot, not really. The plot to narration ratio leaves a lot to be desired. Whether Violent or Natural is a visceral and tension filled read. The flow of language reads effortlessly, and the combination of short and long chapters paces the story brilliantly and allows the sense of menace to ebb and flow. The story is told from Kit`s point of view. In this, Natasha Calder has created such an authentic voice for Kit and her complexities, she makes a compelling narrator.

When a woman washes ashore—near drowned but clinging to life—the question of her fate threatens the fragile balance of Kit and Crevan’s isolated world. While Crevan wants to keep her alive, Kit isn’t so sure. And there’s more to wrestle with: Kit and Crevan each have secrets—secrets they have been keeping both from each other and from themselves. As the crisis brought about by the drowned woman’s appearance consumes them, the fictions of their shared existence crumble, and the truth begins to emerge. if i had a penny for every useless word in here i would be reading my next book on a throne of pennies, inside my house made of pennies on the slopes of Penny Mountain. But it definitely didn’t work for me. Not as a story so much, certainly not stylistically. Should have known by the title – the title is kinda of all weirdly, unwieldy, debut-y. British novelist Calder previously co-wrote a dystopian sci-fi novel – The Offset, with Emma Szewczak – that was published by a small independent publisher, Angry Robot Books. This time, Calder is launching her solo debut with indie publishing powerhouse, Bloomsbury, but her preoccupation with dystopian societies is sustained. I also thought Ms. Calder’s choice to have Kit narrate the story was problematic. Kit is not at all likable. She’s highly narcissistic, dishonest, manipulative, and even murderous. It’s difficult to become involved in a story told by someone so dislikeable and undeserving of sympathy.