Review: Lotus and Thorn

Lotus and Thorn by Sara Wilson Etienne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Leica, considered an abomination because of her six fingered hands, lives on Gabriel, a world abandoned by Earth 500 years ago. She's a Citizen, working outside, digging up relics from the past, struggling to survive in the arid dessert community where she lives. Nearby are the Curadores, who live under a dome and only come outside to trade relics for food and commodities, all the while wearing decontamination suits to protect them from exposure to disease. Under the dome, life is luxurious, but the dome is failing. Outside, the Red Death has changed and is killing Citizens again. Rebellion is coming because both sets of people need more everything and Leica is poised at the flash point.

I've not read a one and done sci-fi book in a long time. This story is complete, but could be expanded thanks to the twist at the end. I've looked and it doesn't appear to have a sequel. The first half processed quickly, the middle was a bit boggy, but the pace picks up again at the end. Boys may have a hard time getting past the cover and romantic blurb on the back, but there is much that could appeal to them in the story. The religious aspect was also an intriguing part of the plot.

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