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Book Review: Hydra Lily & The Swamps of Sulfur

Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆ 4/5

Title: Hydra Lily & The Swamps of Sulfur

Author: Carmen Cor

Publication Date: August 11, 2022

Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure: Romance

Cover:

I like the cover art and color scheme. The red against the black is striking. I would have liked to see Cor’s name on the cover, but I acknowledge that space is limited.

Premise

A thousand years after an apocalyptic nuclear event that killed almost all humans, animals, and plants, a group of brave survivors continues to eke out an existence in an underground bunker known as the Enclave. While terrifying threats exist above ground in the form of evolved monsters, Hydra Lily and her friends find the dangers below ground are just as frightening. When the friends flee the protection of the Enclave, they embark on a journey that tests their friendships and opens their eyes to what life is really like outside of the underground fortress.

Why I chose this book:

Author Carmen Cor requested this review. The book’s title was so intriguing that I had to say yes!

First Impression:

Despite being set hundreds of years into the future, the characters living underground in the Enclave face many of the same challenges that we do as they struggle with sickness, death, friendships, young love, and managing the angst of the teenage years.

What I loved:

Cor has a wonderful imagination for creating and describing the various animals and plants that have evolved above ground. His vision of a post-apocalyptic world is clearly communicated to his readers as he incorporates these items into the story in engaging ways.

One scene, The Induction Ceremony, is quite stunning in its description and meaning. This rite of passage that Hydra Lily and her friends face is an outward sign of leaving behind their fears and struggles and fully embracing a freer and more courageous mindset. I felt inspired after reading this and couldn’t help but think about what fears and behaviors hold me back in life and how I can symbolically release these.

Additional Thoughts:

My main concern with Hydra Lily & The Swamps of Sulfur, is the language used by the young characters. At times, their language is playful and juvenile, which is precisely what one would expect from teenagers as they exclaim their “O-M-Gs.” However, this was often contrasted with a much more mature-sounding voice philosophizing about life in a way that did not ring true for their age and experience. I struggled to merge these two voices into the cohesive voice of a single character.

Also, I was surprised to see items such as packets of mustard, makeup, and balloons, among others, referenced. If what is left of civilization is housed underground, then one would not expect to have access to these highly manufactured items that would have deteriorated long ago.

Quotable Quotes:

• “To know yourself is to risk it all.”
• “It is moments like this that we ponder the unknown. Every person holds their own idea about the nature and meaning of life. Whatever your personal conviction may be, I think we can all agree that each life that comes to us is precious in the eyes of the divine, and holds a purpose and value as part of the grand design of our reality.”
• “Why is justice so blind to mercy, to empathy, to compassion?”
• “Love is a game, and if you want to win it, you’ve got to play it.”
• “We need people willing to work together for the common good of their neighbors, instead of going to war over their ideologies.”

Who might enjoy this book:

Hydra Lily & The Swamps of Sulfur is ideal for anyone who enjoys reading post-apocalyptic science fiction with a story of young love and adventure.

Overall Impression:

Four stars. Cor is off to a strong start with the first book in his series. Hydra Lily & The Swamps of Sulfur offers readers adventure, mystery, and romance set in a post-apocalyptic world with likable characters on the verge of adulthood. As they question everything they have been told about their world, they begin to find themselves and come into their own. I look forward to continuing this journey with the second book, Hydra Lily & The Pillars of Iron.

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