Name: Vanished
ISBN: 9781635554373

Eden Darry

A storm is coming, and Ellery and Loveday must find the chosen one or humanity won't survive it.

Vanished

Megan Cooper

I'm torn on this one. On one hand, this has an interesting speculative twist - end of the world, last survivors - I'm all over it.   On the other hand, it left me a bit unsatisfied with too many unanswered questions and avenues that were not explored.  It really isn't fair - Darry didn't have 1000 pages to build up to and explore what brought the end of the world (as we know it) about and all that happened after.  This is a very narrow view focused on two women and a few secondary characters, so broad storytelling that fills in the gaps and lays the groundwork isn't really possible.

I really do like Darry's writing  - she creates a great ominous atmosphere in her narrative.  The initial chapters with the storm perfectly sets the stage for what is to come.  There's also a suitably unnerving and creepy feel as Loveday begins to realize that there is no one else in the village and a nice bit of tension while she and Ellery are searching houses.    I really liked the main characters - Loveday and Ellery - they were well developed and engaging and I was happy to read about them regardless of the rest of the novel.  The secondary characters didn't feel quite as developed - particularly with Rosemary being a bit of stereotypical zealot/wingnut.

The premise was interesting - kind of like the Rapture where everyone just disappears, leaving a few people behind - but it just didn't deliver.  There wasn't enough meat or logic to shush the yammering in the back of my brain that kept breaking in to ask "Why"  "But what about" "Where the hell did they come from".  I think if this had been expanded with a stronger underpinning of who, what, why this could have been a pretty good series - but there was too much in too short a time.

If you manage to quieten the nagging logical voice in the back of your mind and focus just on Ellery and Loveday, this is an enjoyable read.

Vanished

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