When the world changes drastically, one expects hardship and struggle. While this book is certainly not without hardship and struggle, its focus is on family and making do in hard times. Not to mention the main character plays a fiddle! I love fiddles! If I had even a smidge of musical talent, I might even want to learn to play a fiddle!
Molly McClure is only 16, but she is the only logical choice to pilgrimage from Canada to California in order to find her grandparents. Molly's parents received word that her grandmother was in the hospital after a stroke, but the communications systems are so bad, they were never able to find out if she survived. Molly's mother is also pregnant, but when the only doctor in many miles is killed, her complicated pregnancy desperately needs a doctor, and Molly's grandfather is a doctor. So Molly must make the difficult, illegal journey across the border to find her grandfather, in whatever state he may be in.
After the long trip, Molly finds her grandparent's house and learns her grandmother indeed survived the stroke, but is not in the best of health. Her grandfather reluctantly lets her in the house, but his long-standing feud with Molly's mother keeps him from opening up to Molly too quickly. Molly expects to see her grandfather doing well, but quickly realizes any money he had before the Collapse is gone and he is barely scraping by. When she sees his neighbor's garden, strangled and full of weeds, she can't resist getting into it and taking care of the vegetables. Although the neighbor doesn't trust Molly at first, he quickly realizes she is just trying to help. Together with his niece and nephew who he reluctantly takes care of, they help the garden get back on its feet enough to keep them all from starving.
When Molly made the trek to her grandparent's house, she met a young man who seemed to know the lay of the land well. Now that she is desperately trying to find a way to get her grandparents home, she must take advantage of Spill's knowledge, even when she realizes he is dangerously connected to The Boss and the organized crime family that controls the area. Can Spill help them get away when The Boss wants Molly to stay put? Can they get back to Canafa before Molly's mom has the baby?
Among some serious doom and gloom in the post-apocalyptic genre, this is the nicest, most beautiful story. The backdrop of the Collapse is not overwhelming. the story focuses on a family, whether by blood or circumstance, that come together to survive against all odds. Molly, the main character, is so nice and caring. When she plays her fiddles, Jewels, she not only makes herself forget all the hardship around her, she makes others forget as well. She is also the type of person who refuses to accept the "Every man for himself" notion. Molly is the type of person who will always do the right thing, even if it involves hard work and tough decisions. When it becomes clear her neighbor Doug is not fit to take care of his niece and nephew, she doesn't hesitate to take them in and be sure they are fed and housed. Molly is the type of person we all hope we could be!
The reading level is moderate without any adult or mature language. The situations aren't overly mature, and would be well-suited to a middle school or junior high student. There is enough action to keep a student's attention, but the real story is the characters and their lives. They are good people who are just trying to live in a hard world, and you find yourself hoping for the best for all of them. You won't be disappointed with this story!
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