Hello Readers,
Thank you, NetGalley for giving me access me to an eBook copy of Aurora by David Koepp for free in exchange for an honest review. Possible spoiler warning.
I might be slightly bias, but I really do think this is my favourite genre, like one of my dirty little secrets reads I really enjoy books that are based in our world and follow a world changing event. I also binge tv series and films that have a similar premise I just can’t help myself.
This is the first book I have read that mentions our dear friend Rona and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been wondering what else could possibly happen. You know like that scene round the fountain in Disney’s Hercules. Well in this book we have a solar flare that knocks out most of the world’s electricity fresh off the heels of the COVID pandemic.
Given how some places including the UK mishandled the start of the pandemic and from recently watching Don’t Look Up. I can see the events in this book being completely plausible because despite their efforts the actual scientists are being ignored. Despite the scientists best efforts of warnings and pleas for governments to go off-grid before the storm arrives they are completely ignored and the world goes dark.
One thing I would like to say is please don’t be put off thinking this book is too scientific. Aurora is a book filled with fear, action, thriller, history, science, technology and a sense of community with a slightly scary plot. The scariest part while reading is that little voice that makes you research plot points like solar flares, and you discover that we are apparently overdue a huge solar flare and you have the not today Satan moment.
What makes this book so unique in my opinion and it’s an aspect I love. David has made the decision to have all the action concentrated into a cul-de-sac. It adds to the realism to this type of event as something of this nature would very much play out locally for most people. Let’s be honest as people we can be rather selfish in incidents like this this yes, I am calling you out loo roll panic buyers. The bigger picture so to speak and what else is happening in the world or even the next town over really wouldn't matter as much to you, when compared to how you and your neighbours are able to cope and, hopefully, work together if you don’t like your neighbours you’re a little bit screwed. This may seem like such an odd thing to pick up from the book but for me adds a whole other level of realism and I really enjoyed it.
I know that this my dirty little secret genre and I might be bias, but I was invested from the very first couple of pages. This book is told from various perspectives and while you will like some characters and dislike others, all of them are fully developed and every single one pushes the plot effortlessly and is a real credit to David's writing and character development. This book also manages to have a soft gooey core that’s all about family dynamics and the struggles of not only brother and sister relationships, but of stepparents, teens and divorce.
My advice is to start stockpiling books and canned goods
to wait this all out or go to the Winchester.
L x
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