During the Switch, Earth was devastated when all plant and animal life was destroyed.  With the oceans ruined and the oxygen cycle non-existent, people fled to giant self-contained cities or pods.   Air is the most precious commodity.  Don’t exercise too much – oxygen is expensive.  Only the elite, the Premium, live in luxury and can afford the best food and enough oxygen to enjoy life.  Bea is in the lower class, where life is a constant struggle but her best friend, Quinn is a Premium.  There is a resistance movement that strikes here and there, not having much impact on the government.  Until Alina escapes outside the pod, helped by Quinn and Bea, and steals a military tank.  This sets a war in motion.

Told in alternating voices, the story moves along at a brisk pace.  Battles are covered in a few pages.  Fine with me!  I’m all for moving the story along and that includes the relationship between Quinn and Bea, our brave duo.  There is much more to Alina’s story, perhaps to come in the next installment.  This science fiction dystopia is perfect for the middle and high school readers clamoring for more books about the future being grim.  It should also get the reader to thinking about the air that we breathe . . .

eGalley review    Publication date: 10.2.12