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Pure by Julianna Baggott

Published February 2012

Summary:  It’s post-apocalyptic! (Note: this may seem novel at this point but once I post a few reviews you’ll start to notice a trend. I have a real think for post-apocalyptic YA and lucky for me there’s a lot of it. ) The world as we know it ended with a nuclear explosion. Some were able to escape the nasty fall-out by going into the Dome, a sort of biosphere with genetically engineered everything. Those who were left on the outside were disfigured and became part of whatever was around them at the time of the explosion. Enter Pressia and Partridge (ignore their names, yes they’re weird). Pressia grew up in the desolate landscape outside of the dome. She has a doll fused to her hand and lives in fear of the dangers lurking outside her door. Partridge grew up in the Dome and had the privileged life of a leading politician’s son. Both think the grass is greener on the other side.

Bechdel Test?: Surprisingly it passes with flying colors! Pressia befriends the wife of another politician and they have several interactions about how to overthrow the current system. Even better? Pressia’s mother isn’t entirely absent.

Series Potential?: Sure! There’s a lot more to be unpacked about the politics of the Dome and I would love to see more about what made Patridge’s father become as he is.

Rating: 4/5
For a post-apocalyptis YA it’s original and so interesting. It’s hard not to compare Pressia to Katniss Everdeen with all of the Hunger Games hype right now. This doesn’t necessarily bother me–I like to think the YA world is big enough for more than one kick-ass female hero!