Review & competition of The Farm by Emily McKay

14th February 2013, Penguin 

432 pages, Paperback

Review copy 

Summary from Penguin

For Lily and her twin sister Mel there is only the Farm . . .

It's a prison, a blood bank, a death camp - where fear and paranoia rule. But it's also home, of sorts. Because beyond the electric fence awaits a fate much, much worse.

But Lily has a plan.

She and Mel are going to escape - into the ravaged land outside, a place of freedom and chaos and horrors. Except Lily hasn't reckoned on two things: first, her sister's ability to control the horrors; and, secondly, on those out there who desperately want to find and control Mel.

Mel's growing power might save the world, or utterly end it. But only Lily can protect Mel from what is to come . . .

Nayuleska's thoughts

I confess to dawdling on starting this book because it sounded really dark. But my curiosity did win over my caution, and I'm so glad it did. The strength of love Lily has for Mel zings off the page. Lily will do absolutely anything for Mel - even if she herself gets hurt in the process. I promise you both girls get hurt in the story, in very different ways. Each learn something about the other. Each have to fight personal and very real demons. Each has a unique skill in the world which will help them battle the evils around them. They can't stay together forever, and separation at various points in the story come both willingly and unwillingly, but through the separation the sisters' story is told. The love between twins Lily and Mel sweetened with a small but constant shred of hope and immense love kept me reading this 8/10 dark dystopian, whose grimness got a bit much in places and occasionally the plot dragged a bit.

Find out more on the dedicated website. 

Suggested read 

For more tales of sisters surviving in a harsh world try Sister Assassin by Kiersten White

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