Above Ground

I've been a fan of A.M. Harte since I read her first book. So of course when she approached me to read her newest book, Above Ground, I happily accepted. I was drawn in by the synopsis and readied myself for an exciting read. The book opens with Lilith and her friend Emma visiting the surface with a one day pass. Their trepidation is palatable, as they wait to see what horrors they might see. Little do they know that a series of events will soon turn their entire lives upside down.

First and foremost I have to tell you that I really loved Silver as a character. At first he seemed very aloof, but Harte soon allowed him a much deeper vein of emotion. I liked being in his head, and seeing the things that he thought about. Especially regarding his attitude towards Lilith. A bit of a bad boy, this is a werekin who really pushes the actions forward. He made the book for me.

Unfortunately, I really didn't like Lilith all that much. Not that I didn't understand her motivation for the way she behaved. Here is a girl who has lived her whole life underground. A girl who is used to being pampered and safe. Throw her into an uncomfortable new situation, and anyone would be understandably upset and lost. However her decisions and her constant anger definitely made her a though character to love.

Above Ground takes off at a manic pace, but soon evens out into an easy to follow pace. I would have liked to see a little more action at some points, but overall things moved forward nicely. It was fun to delve into the conspiracy that surrounded Lilith's home. Plus I've already professed my love for Silver, so it was simple for me to follow along with his train of thought. By the time I got to the ending, I was ready for more. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Above Ground! I would recommend it to readers who enjoy dystopian fiction and/or fantasy.