The Young World by Chris Weitz Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on 2014-07-29
Genres: Action & Adventure, Dystopian, General, Survival Stories, Young Adult
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Brown Books for Young Readers
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Welcome to New York, a city ruled by teens.After a mysterious Sickness wipes out the rest of the population, the young survivors assemble into tightly run tribes. Jefferson, the reluctant leader of the Washington Square tribe, and Donna, the girl he's secretly in love with, have carved out a precarious existence among the chaos. But when another tribe member discovers a clue that may hold the cure to the Sickness, five teens set out on a life-altering road trip to save humankind.
The tribe exchanges gunfire with enemy gangs, escapes cults and militias, braves the wilds of the subway and Central Park...and discovers truths they could never have imagined.
I received this book for free from Brown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I’m about done with dystopia these days. It seems like every storyline bears strong resemblances to a storyline I feel like I just put down. That said, I’d requested a copy of THE YOUNG WORLD by Chris Weitz several months ago and, as such, I felt like I needed to at least give it a shot. I am very, very pleased to say that it had me laughing out loud throughout the book and, honestly, when I’m that amused, I don’t give a fig if it’s a story that has been overdone to death.
THE YOUNG WORLD is narrated by two young people, Jefferson and Donna. Jefferson has big shoes to fill when placed in charge of a group of teens by his older brother, Washington. Donna is, as she says right off the bat, a “reliable narrator,” and in doing so, immediately makes her reader wonder exactly what can be trusted. Between the two narrators, the story moves quickly, but it was Donna who, ultimately, had me laughing (to the point of tears) and thoroughly enjoying this book.
The story is a familiar one. Adults have all been wiped out by a virus (as have young children). All that’s left are the teens. They’ve split into factions and now are trying to figure out a world where breeding no longer exists, rules are gone with the adults, and they have a limited amount of time before the last of them witness the end of the human race. Enter Donna and Jeff and a mission, posed to them by a brainy boy in the group who has a far-fetched idea.
What makes THE YOUNG WORLD stand out from the other stories along these lines is the humor. I’ve said a few times now in this review that I was laughing out loud, and let me say it again…this book will have you laughing. out. loud. The pop-culture references are fantastically placed, the snarky remarks about certain things our society has embraced that we should be embarrassed by – yeah, they are called out and mocked ferociously. I found myself nodding and vehemently agreeing when a comment is made about fifty shades of grey – for example.
If you are anything like me, you are also over this genre of young adult fiction. But please, don’t let that hold you back from giving just one more book a try. Even if you are tired of the same story being told, it’s always nice to see it just one more time through fresh, witty, and downright funny perspectives. THE YOUNG WORLD is worth a shot and I bet you will enjoy it just as much as I did.
Check out these reviews!
- “I don’t know if I can totally pigeon hole it, dystopian? young adult? whatever it is if you like teenage angst, a bit of unrequited love with some badass shoot em ups then this is for you.“ - Random Redheaded Ramblings
- “The Young World is a great ride and do not pass on this first book of The Young World Trilogy (don’t groan – the book is fast paced and engaging and you will not want to wait!)” – Bookjourney