"The Sacrifice of One" by Emily Fortney is set in a dystopian world where in the past all of the crops began to die from a mysterious disease. In swooped a new ruler and his disease free seeds and took over. Now the Warwick clan controls the food, the jobs and the wealth, everyone else lives in poverty, either subjected to the army or to working practically as slaves on Warwick's farm to produce food for the country.
Camilla's brother Tuor chose the army, much to the anger and resentment of their deadbeat father. Camilla goes to the farm every day, arriving at dawn, working backbreaking labor to barely feed herself and her father, it's not a good life, but it's a life. Until one day everything is thrown into upheaval with the secret return of her brother. Tuor is accused of murder and hiding from the army. Through Camilla's attempts to help her brother, the two of them are sucked into a world of lies, deceit and danger.
I received a complimentary copy of this through voracious readers only. In spite of my initial hesitation once beginning the novel, I'm really glad I signed on for this one. While for the beginning few chapters I wasn't sure it was for me, for some reason I couldn't seem to put my phone down (I was reading an ebook version of this). I started it while laying in the dark room trying to convince my 5 year old to go to sleep and even after he was asleep and I crept back out to the light of the living room, I couldn't put the dang book down. Automatically this goes in a good book category, if I don't want to put it down, and can't stop thinking about it, then it's definitely good.
I was surprised by Lawrence's character. Not many people would survive a permanent brand on their arm to simply get a message to their friend's sister in order to help them. This man could have waited by the gates and got to her when she left or entered the farm. Could have bailed when he was taken to be branded. Yet he never once blew his cover. Given the backstory we are given about him, you can guess that he was brought up in a bit more comfortable circumstances than Camilla, or anyone in Bear Gap for that matter. Clearly he has courage. I would have ran screaming the minute the idea of a brand was introduced. Did he flip out? Yes. Did he leave? Nope. His character is so confusing to me, which says a lot about the state of the world when reading about a character who for seemingly no reason other than friendship, commits treason, believes his friend without a shadow of a doubt, brands himself and does everything in his power to help him. That is friendship right there, that is loyalty and a person with a genuine good heart.
This book seemed full of people with genuine good hearts, Camilla of course would lay down her life for her brother's without a question. It's not even a thought to her, she will do anything to save him. Lawrence with his self-less acts, being willing to do some much in the name of friendship. Mirabella who took Camilla and Tuor under her wing as children and treated them as if they were her own. Even going so far as to endanger herself by aiding Camilla with her attempts at Tuor's release.
It goes to show that found family can be even stronger than blood. Found family takes care of you by choice rather than by obligation. While Camilla and Tuor are also blood family. Not every sibling would risk their life for the other, even siblings who are close. Not every sibling would refuse to believe that under any circumstances could their brother be capable of such an act. The power of love shown in this little found family is so strong, the power of love between Camilla and Tuor is unbreakable. They are the siblings every sibling wishes to be/have.
This book is a crazy fantastical ride, but it is also heartwarming and gut wrenching.
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