Description
Many people died when the end times came. Those who survived did so by building bubbles – protective domes that protected them from the radioactive ash beyond. Keeping one running takes a village. It’s for this reason that everyone has their role to play. Except the Elders. Their only job is to remind the ones born after the End that life is about more than mere survival.
When their oldest resident decides she wants to celebrate something called “Christmas” for the last time, Caroline is baffled, but must agree. With the strange request, she’ll learn more than the mechanics of an ancient holiday. She’ll learn the true meaning of love and friendship.
Erica Freeman –
I really wasn’t sure what to expect from a story described as a Christmas dystopia short story, but I’ve had a few books by Kayla Krantz and really enjoyed her way of story telling which is why I chose to listen to this book and I’m really happy that I did.
Dystopian stories are usually dark and bleak and whilst this story has that sense, with the descriptions of the destruction outside of the dome, the overarching tone is of hope and love in the face of loss and learning to be brave and finding inner strength and companionship.
The friendship between Caroline, one of the younger residents of sector one, Anita is the oldest resident of sector one and the only one left who remembers the world before the end times, Caroline loves talking with Anita and listening to her stories, despite their visits being less frequent since Caroline was assigned a job, the closeness between them is evident in their conversation as though they had still been seeing each other every day. So Anita tells her of the magical Christmases she had with her family before everything changed, she talks of the lights, the gifts, the laughter and the magical feeling that is Christmas.
The loss of the friendship is devastating to Caroline, but as she remembers her conversations with her friend she is filled with a new hope of things to come and as her relationship develops into something stronger with her closest friend she begins to think of a future with love, not just survival.
I really liked the tone of this novel I think Tessa Compton reflected this brilliantly in her narration of this book.
I was given this audiobook for free and have left this review voluntarily.