Hoover, P.J. Solstice.

Hoover, P.J.  Solstice.  Macmillan/Tor Books    2013  381p  $17.99  ISBN 978-0-7653-3469-5        hs  Science fiction   VG-BN

This debut YA novel is an interesting mix of dystopian existence and Greek mythology.  The convoluted plot unfolds gradually and the characters demonstrate the personalities of their legendary counterparts.  Piper Snow lives in Austin, Texas, in the near future.  The world is in the midst of a Global Warming Crisis and temperatures are being recorded in ever-increasing numbers.  The country has implemented many techniques for dealing with the extreme temperatures but the underlying causes have not been rectified.  Piper’s overly controlling mother runs Botanical Haven, the source of many of the fruits and vegetables in Austin, and she keeps a tight grip on Piper.  On Piper’s eighteenth birthday, her mother is called away to help in a political crisis and Piper is left alone for the first time.  She is approached by two young men, Reese and Shayne, and, torn between them, her life begins to spiral out of her control.  As the plot continues to unfold and Piper discovers her true identity, we begin to see similarities between Piper, her mother, and the two boys and their corresponding figures in Greek mythology.  Piper travels through the Underworld with Shayne, repels Reese, and accuses her mother of being responsible for the Global Warming Crisis by not allowing winter to come.  The book ends with a bonus chapter that leads the way towards a sequel and a Tor Teen Reader’s Guide for writing and research activities.   

Summary: This debut YA novel is an interesting mix of dystopian existence and Greek mythology.  The convoluted plot unfolds gradually and the characters retain the characteristics of their legendary counterparts.

Global warming-Fiction, Greek Mythology-Fiction             --Susan Ogintz