I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it combines dystopia with thriller really well, both aspects of the plot feel very well balanced. For me the best dystopias are those that you can imagine happening, where you can see how our society could disintegrate to that point, and Cracks definitely ticks this box. This is a fast-paced read, I couldn’t hit the page forward button on my Kindle quickly enough at times. I didn’t always buy how Cal who’d missed the last 12 years and the changes in society accepted this new world, but that was my only niggle with the book. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it combines dystopia with thriller really well, both aspects of the plot feel very well balanced. For me the best dystopias are those that you can imagine happening, where you can see how our society could disintegrate to that point, and Cracks definitely ticks this box. This is a fast-paced read, I couldn’t hit the page forward button on my Kindle quickly enough at times. I didn’t always buy how Cal who’d missed the last 12 years and the changes in society accepted this new world, but that was my only niggle with the book. ( )

ISBN: 9781848121683
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Pages: 224
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle

BLURB from Goodreads
Who do you trust when you discover your whole life has been a lie?

Cal thinks he's losing his mind when cracks start appearing that no one else can see. But his life splinters apart when he discovers that, far from leading an ordinary life in a northern town in 2012 as he thought, he has spent his whole life so far in a deliberately induced coma. The year is actually 2024 and a repressive regime is in force: it plans to brainwash the whole population. Set free by the local resistance movement, he finds himself drawn into their struggle; and he gets involved with Kyla, a girl who lives on the streets. But are they all just using him: is there anyone he can really trust?

A nail-biting thriller that never lets the reader relax!

MY REVIEW
I received a paperback of this book from the lovely people at Piccadilly Press, so Thankyou to them!
I think the bright cover does its job as it certainly grabs your initial attention. Then there's the byline of "Who do you trust when your whole life is a lie?" which holds your attention and starts off your curiosity of what the book is about. The boy on the cover give's us the impression of the boy running and possibly being chased and watched too.
Now to the book...The book is in three parts. I have to admit I was a bit confused by Part 1 as to what was happening to the boy. You are looking at his life through his own eyes of memories of incidents that have happened. I have to admit I was at times thinking What on earth am I reading here ? I decided to stick with the book as it had sort of got my curiosity going and I wanted to know more, What is the significance of the cracks? Is this boy nuts?
Onto Part 2, this is where we truly learn more about Cal. Or as much as we can learn when Cal doesn't really know who he is anymore, where he came from, or who is family is! It's in Part 2 that Cal escapes the repressive regime that has been keeping him in the induced coma and experimenting on him (I can say that much without revealing spoilers as it is stated in the blurb). So we are now following Cal and his confused thought as to who he really is, and where is his family etc. Cal has to wonder who he can trust in this newer world that has opened up to him quite suddenly. there's plenty of mystery, suspense and action in this book, there's even the odd bit of humor in it too. Cal has to decide whether to trust the local resistance that "rescued" him are they for real or do they just want him to perform their own tests on?
Now to Part Three, This is where everything has been building up to, the climax! The book definitely has you on the edge of your seat by now. you feel you want to know everything as much as Cal does.
Cal meets some street kids who he "hangs" about with for a while. Can't say too much and give away spoilers. Cal learns some of what has happened in the world whilst he was in his induced coma from the street gang.
Once again the tension is building to yet another climax, What will happen to Cal? Will he find what he is truly searching for? Will Cal ever be truly free?
You will have to read the book to find out, its well worth reading!
So did I enjoy this book? Y..es, it had its slower parts in part 1 where you are totally in the dark as to what is happening, which irritated me a little, but then, that made me want to stick with the book and read more to find out what happened. Would I recommend? Y..es to a patient reader. I would warn about the confusing Pt 1. Would I read more if this is a series? Yes. Would I read more by Caroline Green? Yes.

Amazon.co.uk ( )