This was a DNF for me. I couldn't connect to the story. Sorry for the delay in posting reviews, I'm attempting to catch up my netgalley backlog.

i know it's a novella so it's weird for me to whine that i wish we got more content but. I wish we got more content.

when it comes to post apocalyptical plots i want All the details. I want hows and whys. This book lacks that.

things that I liked: despite the lack of world building, the plot is decent, interesting and pretty action packed (naive at times, and a little unrealistic - but what would you expect really). The writing is simple and it's not hard to follow, you don't fall out of the flow.

I did have a hard time connecting with the characters, I'd say they're a little flat abd uninteresting.

overall, it was okay, but not the book I will recommend

This was...a little too confusing and complex for me. I didn't quite get everything that was going on, but I don't know if that was me or the book. Either way, it was a miss for me.

Cover:
I really love this cover! It is as if something exploded and yeah it really suits the story. Want to know why? Read the book!!!
Synopsis:
Ignorance is cheap. And then it costs you everything.
The world has suffered economic collapse and multiple environmental crises. In a flooded city, Ava Murasaki is searching for her activist sister Sophia. Meanwhile, Valerie Newlin lives in the secure complex of the Scylla Corporation, the world's only remaining multinational. There, she finds evidence of something horrifying in the Corporation medical research data. Set in a searingly real near-future, Survival is a story of what people will face for those they love.
A devastating vision of a post-climate change world in which governments have collapsed and corporations rule with an iron fist.

Writing:
The writing was very simplistic. It didn't really have difficult words. I had no problem with imagining how it would look like if I were a character myself in the book.

Characters:
I couldn't connect to the characters at all... They were ok. I didn't really care what happened to them or would happen to them.

Plot:
I thought that the plot was interesting. I was annoyed at some times, because they did some stupid things, but that is quite normal xD. Overall I had fun reading this book and I really loved the setting of it! It really adds to the story it tells!

So in short: Survival is a quick read. It isn't the best book in the world and it won't stay with you for a long long time, but it was still a fun book to read. I did however think that the book could give us a lot more information.

This whole world was unique and riveting and dangerous. I found the characters interesting and the plot kept me hanging on. Some of the way it turned out made me angry in a way, as if it could have gone in a different direction. Overall, I enjoyed it.

I just finished a novella called Survival by Rachel Watts. It’s a post-apocalyptic Blade Runner-ish kind of book, and a compelling read.


What Is Survival About?
From Goodreads:

The world has suffered economic collapse and multiple environmental crises. In a flooded city, Ava Murasaki is searching for her activist sister Sophia. Meanwhile, Valerie Newlin lives in the secure complex of the Scylla Corporation, the world’s only remaining multinational. There, she finds evidence of something horrifying in the Corporation medical research data. Set in a searingly real near-future, Survival is a story of what people will face for those they love. This is a devastating vision of a post-climate change world in which governments have collapsed and corporations rule with an iron fist.

It takes place in a flooded city where a dam failed five years ago and there wasn’t enough left of the government to clean up the mess. So some people moved to higher ground, but most just built shanties and docks on the water and took over the office towers that had once housed businesses but whose lower floors were now permanently submerged. And in the middle of the squalor sits a giant corporate complex on dry land, walled off and impenetrable, a city unto itself.

Although it’s this dichotomy that should drive the conflict of the book, it’s more about the dynamic between Valerie, a corporate scientist who discovers an awful secret about the corporation and wants to reveal it to everyone, and Ava, a young woman from the outside trying to find her sister. Their paths cross, their goals align somehow, and they have to work together to infiltrate and bring down the corporation.

Who Would Like Survival, And Why?
If you like dystopian books, you might like this book, but it’s not the dystopia of books like Matched by Ally Condie or Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. There is no romance or heavy-handed government. Thankfully, there’s no killing competition either, even though the title would suggest that there is. The characters are older and deal with darker things. There is some death.

If you like books written with style, such as Maggie Steifvater’s Dream Thieves, you’ll definitely like Survival. These lines are very representative of the narrative’s flow and imagery:

Ava stepped out...and walked through the floating suburb, feeling hundreds of invisible eyes on her. They settled on her, carved into her, made her brittle.
Keep in mind that it’s basically a short story, and comes with four other shorter stories by the author, which is part of what you pay for.

What’s The Deal?
The Kindle version of Survival is just $2.99!

Nutrition Facts, Anyone?
Profanity (d*, f*, sh*): 6

sex: none

violence: some

negative themes (greed, selfishness): throughout

positive themes (familial love): throughout

This book was a short read! Seemed to be missing viral information! Couldn't get into this book at all!

Survival was really hard for me to read. Not because of the writing, it was very good. The story was hard for me to get into. I could not identify with the characters making it hard for me to continue reading. Survival just wasn't for me.

the book was very interesting. Plot was well developed. really enjoyed this book and the characters.

I got to about 35% before I called it quits on this one. I couldn't connect to any of the characters, and I just found myself not caring about any of the events going on.

"People are resourceful, people are survivors."

A fast-paced dystopian novel where the world has been inundated with floods - everyone living above sea level or in makeshift boats to get by.
A kickass female friendship blossoms between rogue Ava and Valerie, who works for Scylla (the evil corporation trying to control everyone). Not gonna lie but I definitely see something more between these two ;)

I say this book is fast-paced because everything happens so quickly! I need more back story to these characters! I want to see more of their journey!

All in all, a quick read filled with all your classic dystopian traits.

also SPOILER (kind of) -



the ending left me shook? like .. um? WHERE'S MY CLOSURE

his post apocalyptic book starts out well; rising sea levels have destroyed much of the Earth's cities, leaving big corporations and government in charge. Survival means a changing way of life for Ava, looking for her sister Sophia, and Valerie Newlin, working for one of those corporations, discovers more than she had ever imagined. Well written and well-paced.

Set in a apocalyptic/post apocalyptic world, Survival brings together two unlikely characters who both seek the truth. Ava wants to know what happened to her sister who disappeared and is sure is has to do with the Scylla Corporation. Meanwhile, Valerie has part of the truth of the going’s on at Scylla, buried 25 stories underground. “Ignorance is cheap. Then it costs you everything.”

Rachel Watts has brought beautiful imagery to a post apocalyptic time. She has pieced together such an effortless world with characters who fit right in. From the moment I read the prologue, I knew I’d have to keep reading until I had closure. Survival kept me turning the page until the very end.

I only wish that the story was a bit longer and that Watts would have fed her readers more details on the characters themselves. There was so much thought put into the world she built, I longed to have a more intimate connection with Ava, Valerie and the rest. I believe more could have come from this story but I do hope that there will be another book to follow.

I was offered a digital copy of Survival in exchange for a fair review. These opinions are my own and no way influenced by the author, publisher, or anyone affiliated with this book.

I found myself really enjoying and liking this book. Ava and Valerie are unlikely friends (maybe more.... companion.) and they run into each other by accident. I found this book intriguing and very fun. However, I would have like to see more background information to this exciting world. A fast read and exciting one. There were somethings I felt were missing, like for example the background story to this world. Why did the world collapse the way it did? The Director is a scapegoat for the rest of the board - what does the board think they can achieve? I'm hoping and thinking there will be a sequel to this! I have lots of questions. However, I found the whole story intriguing and I'd absolutely recommend it to other people.

The short stories included are amazing, and I found them intriguing especially "Innovative Storage Solutions". The bureaucracy Jasmine runs into is super interesting to see and especially those glimpses you get into her life.

I gave this an 3.5 stars.