Flowertown

By: S. G. Redling

Narrated by: Tanya Eby

Seven years ago, a chemical spill brought the U.S. Army to rural Penn County, Iowa, where soldiers established a long-term, medically maintained quarantine. Officially, it’s called the PennCo Containment Area. But to the people trapped inside, their bodies tainted with chemicals that give off a sweet smell, it’s known simply as Flowertown.

The quarantine was supposed to save their lives, but many of the survivors have grown suspicious of the government’s real motives. But not Ellie Cauley - her rage long ago burned down to hard, cynical pessimism. When a series of deadly events forces Ellie out of her apathy, she must prepare to face an enemy powerful enough to unleash her greatest nightmare.

©2012 S. G. Redling (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Good book...not great, but good.

This is a good book, just as the title of this review states. Not fantastic, but good. A lot of the dialogue doesn't seem very natural, and the characters behave in ways that just don't come across as genuine, but overall the story did maintain my interest. Not a novel that I will ever listen to again, more than likely, but was not a waste of time. I know, not a glowing review, but it is what it is.

I am a reader that understands that not every book I read will be "the best book I've ever read"; I accept that, and can usually find redeeming values in each book I read. There are many redeeming things in is novel, as well. The story is a rather unique story in a world where there is a new post-apocalyptic type story every minute. I love these kinds of books, and it is always refreshing to find a new take on this genre. There were also very few characters in this story, so I really got to know those that were a part of the story. There could easily be a sequel.

Good Story but an incomplete ending!

3.5 Stars for me!

This story reminded me a bit of Stephen King's Under the Dome at the beginning of the story before it went deep into the conspiracy aspect.

The primary character, Ellie, was an extremely unlikable, drug addicted and overly sarcastic through the first half of the story. She stays overly sarcastic throughout the story and you do learn more about why she is towards the end of the story.

Ellie has a few friends who play primary and secondary characters. Her pretty roommate plays a major role in the second half while her drug dealer plays a prominent role throughout. Her sometimes boyfriend also plays a major role.

There are a few twists, turns and misdirections but if you read/listen carefully, they are pretty easy to figure out.

I do wish that the ending wasn't rushed and that either more questions were answered or a second book was written.

Almost Too Realistic View Of A Potential Future

This novel was a real blast of a possibly real situation that could happen at any time and not just in Ohio. Though some reviewers saw this as a YA future history, Elle is actually 33 - 10 years older than her room mate Rachael who comes across as a sweet kid just wanting to get out of the 7 year long isolation for a weekend in Vegas with her sister.

Ellie, the primary protagonist, and think Redding wrote her well...she is a person with faults: angry, at being trapped in a small town while she was visiting. She smokes dope--as do many of the town folks in order to overcome the nausea caused by drugs that are continually being tested on the citizens as well as the boredom of being trapped in a dead end job and subject to arbitrary rules set forth by the company who was attempting to remedy the situation they caused...there are no longer civil rights in PennCo.

The two male protagonists are also well written..I liked Bing, the town pot supplier and one of Ellies co-workers and Guy, Ellies main guy. I wish there was a second continuing book about the future of the people we get to know.

Recommended

good story, but slow

good story. took a long time to develop. seemed to come to climax point and end quickly.

better than your average YA post-apocalyptic tale

This book was an unusual post-apocalyptic book for a few reasons. First, the setting is unusual. The action takes place in a small, intimate area - a small town in Iowa that has a chemical spill that causes it to be quarantined off for the rest of the United States. This gives us a nice dose of nostalgia for small town Midwest and a very perceptible and easily imagined feeling for the claustrophobia, powerlessness, and despair of those trapped for seven years in Flowertown. It also puts the action on a small scale so that it is easy to believe in the ability of a few to subjugate the trapped - by controlling the media, internet, cell coverage, and supplies that are allowed into Flowertown. We don't have to imagine a world changed immeasurably.

Secondly, the heroine. She is not a stunningly beautiful (but doesn't know it) kick-ass girl just waiting for someone to love her. She is a young adult - in her early 20's. She has flaws,and hides in a haze of marijuana smoke from most of what is happening to her. She does not have magical powers and was not destined for greatness. She is not trained in combat. She does not have two guys fawning over her in a cliched love triangle. In fact, romance plays a fairly small part in the story overall. Our heroine is reluctant and flawed and human, and most of all, relatable.

What we do get is a really intimate and scary medical thriller. We get a lot of backstory told in ways that are not big static info-dumps. We get a strong sense of setting and wonderful memorable details. We get characters making decisions and trying to figure out what is going on at the same rate as the reader is, so there is a lot of suspense and tension. The plot is action-packed and nicely reveal in a pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You aren't sure who to trust. The writing is sharp, well edited, and precise. It's got humor and sass.

The criticisms - okay, Guy is a bit too good to be true, He should have given up on Ellie well before the end. Bing and Ellie are a bit too precious in that John Green-esque dialogue way. They fly off the handle and then make up again and again. Rachel is a bit too good and pure and convenient to figuring out the plot points mid-book. Ellie stops smoking pot and overnight can run without hacking and gasping like a true pothead would have. It is stated way too many times how infrequently Ellie bathes and how filthy her clothes are. Ellie makes a leap of logic in two places that seem too convenient. The contaigen seems too easily controlled.

The audiobook is very well narrated by Tanya Eby.

This was a surprise as I had not heard of it before, and it was a perfect summer read.

Where's the sequel

I really enjoyed this book and was hoping there would be a sequel but since it was published in 2012 I don't hold out any hope.

Conspiracy theorists will love it

You remind yourself through the book that this couldn't really happen in America. It can't, right?

LOVED!!!

I truly loved this book. I have read and listened to it MANY times. (The first time in 2012 but i just decided to do this review) I am hoping and praying that S.G. Redling does a sequel to this book. It can be done!! It ends in a way that it absolutely can be done!!
Ms. Redling, if you are reading this, PLEASE do a sequel. Or at least finish the Dani Britton series! Do something woman!!!

Because of this book, i became a huge Tanya Eby fan. She's awesome!

Good Story

I hope there's a Book Two. I loved the characters and loved how the storyline rolled out.

Worst. Narration. Ever.

Would you try another book from S. G. Redling and/or Tanya Eby?

Only about halfway through, but I must say this is the worst narration of the 100+ audio books I've "read." The narrator has such a robotic, monotone voice I actually thought at first it was my Kindle's text to speech functionality accidentally turned on. Eventually I was able to detect enough inflection in her voice to determine this was not the case. Just a poor narrator. Making a note of Tanya Eby's name so as not to order another audiobook by here.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Domo Arigato, Ms. Roboto?