December 9, 2014: 'After the End'

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Date: December 9, 2014

Spoilers Ahead

Headline

After the End

Amy Plum

She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future.

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

City Calendar:

This is what happened during the week.

Juneau goes to find good. She returns to an empty camp. She tracks the leader of her clan to the sea. She goes to the sea and sees a city. She is surprised because she thought all the cities were destroyed in World War III. She goes into the city. She finds where the leader of her clan Whit is. After finding out she is wanted for a reward, Juneau changes her looks. She boards a boat. She gets to Seattle and finds an oracle. The oracle tells her she will find someone who will take her far. She finds Miles who needs her to gain favor in his father's eyes. They travel together. Juneau gets a message from Whit from a raven. She finds out using a Reading that Whit isn't being held prisoner. She gets supplies and gets Miles to star driving southeast. She starts to slowly lose her powers. Juneau tells Miles about her powers and the clan. Miles doesn't believe her, thinking she's insane. Miles kisses Juneau one night, and she forces him to be her oracle by knocking him out. She finds out where to go after the two had been waiting for days. Juneau throws Whit off her trail by sending the raven Poe back to him. Miles finds out Juneau drugged him. In a fit of rage, he runs away and betrays her by calling his father to come and get we. Juneau takes off and is hurt. She is saved by Tallie. Miles goes to Salt Lake City. He can't find Juneau, so he goes out to find her. He ends up camping in the woods. They meet again after Juneau figures out that Miles will take her to where she needs to go. Juneau makes him believe that she has powers. She figured out where they need to go next. They go to Salt Lake City's library. They find a book that leads them to think they need to go to New Mexico next. They are caught by Whit. Juneau is taken by Miles's father's agents. Miles is taken by Whit, but he breaks free. He goes to his father with Juneau learning the truth from Miles's father. She passes out. Miles arrives and talks to Juneau, hatching a plan to help her escape. Miles is shot during their escape. Juneau decides she has to perform the Rite to tie Miles to Yara to keep him alive. She does so, hoping it saves him.

And that's what happened this week.

Personal Ads:

Juneau.

The future clan Sage. Can Read and Conjure. Best at Reading and Conjuring. Knows how to fight. Has two moods solemn and cheerful. Likes Miles. Unaccustomed to outside world. Reads a lot. Understands nature. 

Miles. 

City boy. Wants to gain father's favor. Kind. Cautious. Not survival savvy. Likes Juneau. Thinks turning her in will be good for her. Smart. Troublemaker. 

Opinions:

Gosh. I had high hopes for this book. I really did.

But it wasn't perfect. It wasn't as I expected it to be.

The supernatural, magical aspects are exciting. I would love having the ability to Read and Conjure. Making fire out of nowhere? An 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' fan's dream-come-true. I feel like it's a bit preachy. Warning you if you lose connection with nature. Maybe that's just me. But the supernatural magic? Amazing. Fantastic. Exciting. Elemental magic is always exciting. You're using your world around you. 

The betrayal is, oddly, a fantastic plot twist. I mean...I can't imagine the pain at the betrayal. But still! It was surprising. I didn't expect Juneau to drug Miles. And I didn't expect Miles to betray Juneau. Didn't you two kiss? Something? I don't know. Why? To protect her, Miles? To find the way, Juneau? Reasons are fascinating things. I really liked the betrayals. 

And Miles. He is the city boy. The guy you love to hate. I mean...I would like Juneau if she didn't switch moods like nothing to it. I hate Miles at first, but you grow to like him. He wants the best for Juneau. And while he's blinded by what he knows, he tries his best to keep her safe. Once he gets to know her, of course. 

But...I dislike some things.

One major thing? The romance. Man. The physical attraction is practically palpable. Can it get more teen hormones than this? I'm not sure. I don't see the chemistry. Where is the spark? Why do they like each other? The danger? The thrill? I feel like Juneau puts more effort into that relationship. I mean...she tried to save his life. What did he do for her? Not sure. Not sure at all... 

And another, albeit more minor thing, is the mood swings Juneau has. She is happy and flirty one moment, and she's solemn and 'gloom-and-doom' the next? Even I, as human being, haven't experienced that. I really don't like that. She makes it seem easy. I like Juneau when she's serious. I mean...she's searching for her clan. Why is she cheerful anyways? She doesn't seem to naturally be that person. Is she trying to impress Miles? I'm not sure. 

Weather:

Cloudy with a 75% chance of rain

3.5/5