Trashlands: A Novel by Alison Stine

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book:

A resonant, visionary novel about the power of art and the sacrifices we are willing to make for the ones we love

A few generations from now, the coastlines of the continent have been redrawn by floods and tides. Global powers have agreed to not produce any new plastics, and what is left has become valuable: garbage is currency.

In the region-wide junkyard that Appalachia has become, Coral is a “plucker,” pulling plastic from the rivers and woods. She’s stuck in Trashlands, a dump named for the strip club at its edge, where the local women dance for an endless loop of strangers and the club's violent owner rules as unofficial mayor.

Amid the polluted landscape, Coral works desperately to save up enough to rescue her child from the recycling factories, where he is forced to work. In her stolen free hours, she does something that seems impossible in this place: Coral makes art.

When a reporter from a struggling city on the coast arrives in Trashlands, Coral is presented with an opportunity to change her life. But is it possible to choose a future for herself?

Told in shifting perspectives, Trashlands is a beautifully drawn and wildly imaginative tale of a parent's journey, a story of community and humanity in a changed world.

my thoughts:

Trashlands is dystopian fiction at its best. Alison Stine has crafted a story about a relatable topic - our ravaged earth, the horrors that occur as a result, and the role humanity plays in it all. It's a terrifying, eye-opening, and thought-provoking read that will haunt for days after. I LOVED it to bits! This book really makes you think about what we need to do NOW to help save our planet and our futures. It's such a terrific read. 

Coral lives in Scrappalachia, specifically Trashlands, which is a dump.  She is a "plucker", meaning she looks for plastic in the woods and river nearby.  Why? Well, plastic is currency and she needs to find as much as she can to free her kid. He's been taken to work in the recycling factories where children are put to work sorting plastic.  How crazy?! Or is it? And so, Coral scavenges, worries for her son, and uses her free time to create art.  One day she meets an outsider, a reporter who has wound up in Trashlands looking for his sister.  Can he be trusted? Is he too nice? Coral must decide what to do and what to believe, either way her life will never be the same. And, that is all I will write about this incredible story. You need to read it for yourself to find out what happens to the residents of Scrappalachia - you definitely don't want to miss out! 

I would happily recommend Trahslands to fans of Stine and to anyone looking for their next great read. Check it out!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!