Review: Project Firebird

Project Firebird (Firebird #1) by Nick Green

 

 
Title: Project Firebird

Series: Firebird, #1

Author: Nick Green

 

Published: Pashki; 2014

230 pages, kindle edition

 

Source: Author (through Goodreads)

 
Rating: 4 stars
 
First Line:- Everyone was here for a reason, weren't they?

 

Description:

How do you save the world when it’s already too late?

Don’t ask Leo Lloyd-Jones. Ask him how to steal a car, or why he got excluded from every school in Salford, but don’t come to him for help. This whole thing must be a daft mistake – and if anyone finds out, he’s done for.

Earth is on a deadly collision course that nothing can prevent. The only real hope is Project Firebird, deep inside a blast-proof bunker that shelters the brightest and bravest young people. Leo has got mixed up with the likes of Rhys Carnarvon, the celebrated teenage polar explorer, and other child prodigies chosen to kick-start a new civilisation.

There’s also the streetwise Paige Harris, a girl Leo likes a lot (but not in that way). Paige is desperate to rescue her little sister from London before the catastrophe strikes. But no-one is crazy enough to try that. Almost no-one.

Leo is about to find out why he’s here.

My Thoughts:

How many times have we read a dystopian book set in a post-apocalyptic word? The characters are forced into survival mode and struggle against the problems of this "new world". We only hear about what happen to cause all this through them. What about getting to experience the world ending in front of us? How many times have we got to read about apocalypse happening right now? For me that answer is never, which is one of the biggest reason I loved this book so much. I have never read anything like it before and originality is something the genre of dystopian tends to lack. The characters were also a highlight. I really liked our protagonist, Leo. He was funny, smart and very realistic. Paige and Skye's sisterly bond was so cute and Skye was hilarious. Summer and Rhys were also great characters - as was everyone really. Their were no faults character-wise. As I have mentioned above, the plot is what made it though. It wasn't as action-packed as I would have thought it would be but there were some great moments. Action wasn't really necessary in the end anyway. What really worked for me is how realistic I found it. The character's reactions were spot on. The right amount of panicking, cool collectedness and confusion. Overall, I really enjoyed this. It was definitely one of the best dystopians I have read this year and I am eager for the sequel now to see what is going to happen to Joe and his friends. Note: a copy was provided courtesy of Nick Green through the YA Buddy Readers' Corner group in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given or taken during this process.