Book Review: There Once Were Stars by Melanie McFarlane

I have been an avid reader of YA dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction since its emergence in the late 1990s and have shelves of just such books lining the walls of my classroom. I will happily read from either genre, although I prefer it when the two blend seamlessly together into one story. When the two stand apart, they each tend to follow a pretty predictable story formula, but when they merge, it becomes more like a recipe grandma makes-- cooking by taste rather than measurement, with subtle changes every time. Sometimes those differences are a delight; other times they miss the mark.

There Once Were Stars by Melanie McFarlane is a dystopian + post-apocalyptic blend that includes many familiar ingredients from each category and tries to bring them together for a fresh, new taste. In some ways, it manages to do so.

Natalia Greyes, the main character, resides in a world that has experienced a virus outbreak which killed much of the world’s population, and even her parents indirectly fell victim to its spread. She lives with her grandparents and other survivors in a community encased within a dome built for their protection. They are not allowed to leave, and given all the risk they believe to be outside its walls, certainly have no reason to do so! As dystopian societies go, it strictness level is about mid-range. As the story opens, she is turning eighteen, and you could say she is having a bit of a rough birthday. As is true of most dystopian main characters, what she believes about the world is upended, and she spends the rest of the book fitting all the pieces back together again.

In predictable fashion, McFarlane includes a sprinkling of romance, but it fails to provide any sizzle or zing in the story. The corrupt leaders are a bit trite in their behavior, but when their motives are revealed, it leaves an aftertaste that makes the reader ramp up the generally accepted dislike for their kind and actually dislike them in particular. Natalia, like most dystopian heroines, is a stubborn young thing that doesn’t fit the mold of her society. That definitely works for her, and her particular blend of waywardness-- when accompanied by her motive and quest for understanding-- does add something new and fresh to the field!

Overall, it was a decent addition to the buffet of YA dystopian titles, and I enjoyed watching the story unfold. It was not a stay-up-late-to-finish worthy read, but it was worth a few of my evenings for sure. If dystopians with a twist of the apocalypse are your thing, it is worth at least a glance.

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC e-book of this title in exchange for an honest review.