Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody

I found this book while browsing my libraries Overdrive ebook site and put a hold on it. It took almost two months for me to be able to check it out and by then I had forgotten what it was about.
So I put off reading it for two weeks because somehow in my mind I was thinking it was about fairies. Oberon, Obernewtyn.... sometimes my brain makes weird connections.
Finally I read the blurb again and imagine my surprise when it wasn't about fairies but in fact it was a post apocalyptic book.

My interest rediscovered I quickly read Obernewtyn and was pleased with the book overall.

Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody is set sometime in the future with the location never really being mentioned. After reading the dialogue between characters I came to the conclusion that it was set in Great Britain with a large portion of it taking place in Scotland. However this is never actually mentioned.

After a nuclear blast demolishes most of the population and leaves most of the land tainted by radiation the country is ruled by a council supposedly appointed by Lud, their god. This new community disapproves of anything having to do with technology and anything from Before.

Because of the effects of the Great White (the nuclear bomb) many people are starting to develop abnormalities, from birth defects to mental abilities. The Council believes these people are abminations, signs of Lud's wrath and as such decide to burn those they label Misfits.

Eventually there are so many Misfits that they can't burn them all and instead they start Council Farms, forced labor camps. The most feared of these camps is Obernewtyn, where experiments are supposedly conducted to purge the Misfits of the taint of  the Great White.

In the middle of all of this is Elspeth a young orphan who has been hiding her Misfit abilities. Elspeth has the ability to read minds, something she has successfully hidden for years. However when she is found out she is sent to Obernewtyn.

This story is how Elspeth learns to survive in a hostile world where everything you do is turned against you.

I would rate this book a 3.75/5, its good but there wasn't as much action as I had hoped for.

Recommendations:
Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody - There are a total of seven books in this series so far, if you like the first book then you should check out the rest.

London Eye by Tim Lebbon - This book is set more modern day with a biological disaster happening in London that causes people to develop powers and the government isn't too happy about it. I reviewed London Eye in an earlier post, review can be found here.