Book post #4

The Farm 

By Emily McKay

So this story revolves around two twin sisters, Lily and Mel. Lily is the main source of narration throughout the book as she endeavors to look after her severely autistic sister. The story begins after there has been some form of outbreak which has caused infected humans to turn into vampire like creatures that are known as ‘Ticks’. It is quickly learnt that the government sent teenagers to safe facilitates where they were to be held until the outbreak was brought under control as the ticks appeared to have a greater liking for the taste of teenagers. These facilities are ‘Farms’ where the inhabitants believe they are being housed almost like cattle as food for the ‘Ticks’ and have blood donations taken regularly. The teenagers at their 18^th birthday were told they would be going home but the story indicates that this is not the case. Lily plans to escape before her 18^th with her sister, and just before she escapes someone called Carter, who she knew in her life before, appears and basically puts a spanner in the works.

The most interesting aspect of the differing narrations between Lily, Carter and Mel, are Mel’s chapters as they give the audience a look into how her mind is working differently. She sees and feels everything as if it is music of some form other than this unfortunately for the majority of the book not much happens. The story felt so dragged out and took so long to actually start going somewhere, I began to wonder where this story was heading. At around the half way mark the story began to pick up but still had a long winded feel to it, considering this there was a definitely a lack of description of character look, surroundings and what the ticks actually looked like. This is perhaps why I felt so disconnected to the story.

The book only redeemed its self very near to the end of the book and even then not enough of a redemption for me to recommends this book to others, or to want to read again. I had high hopes for what seemed a well rated and interesting book concept.