Book Review
Title: From the Caves by Thea Prieto
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was intriguing to me for several reasons, it features stories within a story and because it is less than 150 pages long. We are introduced to our cast of characters who are Sky, a child coming of age; Tie, pregnant and grieving; Mark, a young man poised to assume primacy; and Teller, an elder, holder of stories. This group used to have another member Green who dies in the opening pages, although whether this death is accidental or suicide is unknown. After Green’s death we can see fractures appearing within the group as only Mark is fit to work now. Tie is heavily pregnant and Teller is suffering from an infection in his foot which might claim his life. The youngest of the group Sky is only nine years old and is Mark’s younger brother but Mark hates Sky because he believes that Sky killed Mother and he doesn’t see Sky having a use within the group. However, Mark fails to realise Sky won’t learn until he is taught and that he is very afraid of Mark especially when he starts to get angry. Despite this Mark’s argument are valid as the summer is coming and in this dystopian world that means unbearable heat making water the top priority but Green prioritizes seemingly useless things over the things that mean the difference between life and death. The premise of this novel was very interesting and it is very quick moving as we are introduced to the group, their dynamics and the death of Green in only a couple of pages.
The dynamic of the group is slowly being broken with the loss of Green and the impending loss of Teller. We see everyone grieving in their own way but we also learn that Mark is mooning over Tie who only wants Green back. Tie doesn’t want to be a mother despite her condition because she has witnesses others before her like Song die in childbirth and fears the same will happen to her. Teller is clinging to the stories told by Green and Song before him and is trying to pass them onto Sky before he dies. In the middle of all this we see the relationship between Sky and Mark as Mark is grieving for Mother and takes his anger out on Sky who doesn’t deserve it while Sky only wants a relationship with his brother. Mark is often aggressive towards Sky and hits him more than once. With Tie’s due date approaching and Teller’s infection getting worse Mark and Sky are the only ones who can provide for the others but Mark is cold especially towards Teller refusing him food as he is dying and he sees it as a waste of resources. By the time Tie goes into labour, Mark and Sky are focused on helping her but there are still everyday jobs that need to be done so they fall to Sky. However, Teller is in the throws of a fever and begs for water but it has to be rationed. Sky returns to help Tie and Mark eventually goes to check on Teller but they can’t find him, it turns out that he has got into the storeroom and tipped over one of the last remaining barrels of what which was supposed to last them through the summer but now the group are being faced with death. I hope that this will bring Mark and Sky closer together especially if both Teller and Tie die.
We get to see how Sky really comes into his own with the death of Teller and Tie giving birth to Baby. As Mark is racked with grief and guilt it is Sky who helps him understand that while death is the end of life, those people aren’t forgotten as long as you remember them which is something both Teller and Green used to say. We see the four members of the group beginning to grow together for the first time as they face and uncertain future with more determination and hope than they have had in a long time. Overall, From the Caves was an interesting and quick novel and I will definitely keep my eye out for more work from this author in the future.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
I received this review copy from Edelweiss
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