Review : Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title : Not a Drop to Drink
Author : Mindy McGinnis
Publication Date : September 24th 2013
Publisher : Katherine Tegen Books
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, 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. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. 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….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

Personal Thoughts

Not a Drop to Drink is a book that I stepped into with fear, not because I didn't think the author could tackle the subject matter, but because of the subject matter itself. Can you imagine living in a world where water is short? I honestly don't even want to think about it because let's face it, it's something that could possibly happen in the near future. While the author managed to craft a realistic portrayal of such a life, there were elements in the book that made it hard for me to get fully invested into the plot line.

My number one grievance : the characters. The main character Lynn and her mother were both hard working survivalists. I thought the author captured the essence of the life of survivalists in a realistic manner. Lynn, as a main character of a YA dystopian, was great. She was tough, level-headed and intelligent. Despite her being a fierce character who will undoubtedly appeal to many readers, I was never in synch with her emotions. She experienced a range of emotions throughout the book, but they didn't come through to me. Same goes for the secondary characters. I didn't feel like they were developed enough for me to form an actual connection with them.

My second grievance : the plot line. For the most part while I was reading the book, I felt like this book had no plot line. The plot just snaked and snaked and snaked and I had no idea where it was heading. Only about 70% in that I realized where the book was moving towards. So, there were points where I was completely bored. The pacing of this book was completely off and made this book, that could have been exceptional, quite ordinary and at times, dull. In addition, while I thought that the ending was realistic, it was harsh and I can already tell that it's not going to sit well with many readers.

While the characters and the pacing of the book wasn't up to par, the world-building was. It was strong, rich and complex. Mindy McGinnis did a wonderful job at creating a picturesque and realistic setting. The world in Not a Drop to Drink was bleak and reeking with deaths at every corner. The author would surprise me with the number of characters that she would kill and that left me on the edge.

While Not a Drop to Drink offered a realistic portrayal of a society where water is depleting, Mindy McGinnis' book didn't impress me as much as the idea of behind the book did. This is a book that some readers will adore but others will dislike.

Rating

Cover: 4/5
Plot : 3/5
Characters : 3/5
Writing : 4/5

Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for the e-ARC of Not a Drop to Drink.