Book Review - The Rain

The Rain
Author: Virginia Bergin
Series: The Rain #1
Genres: Dystopian | Young Adult
Release Date: 17th July 2014
Publishers: Macmillan
No. Pages: 384
Source: Review Copy - Macmillan
Rating: 

It's in the rain.. and just one drop will kill you.

They don't believe it at first. Crowded in Zach's kitchen, Ruby and the rest of the partygoers laugh at Zach's parents' frenzied push to get them all inside as it starts to drizzle. But then the radio comes on with the warning;

"It's in the rain! It's fatal, it's contagious, and there's no cure."

Two weeks later, Ruby is alone. Anyone who's been touched by rain or washed their hands with tap water is dead. The only drinkable water is quickly running out. Ruby's only chance for survival is a treacherous hike across the country to find her father-if he's even still alive.

It's been what feels like a very long time since I reviewed a book in the following method, in fact, it's been almost a year ago when I used it with Deep Blue and from the response it got, I took that as a nod to say you all appreciated the different format, so today, because it's the only way I feel I can put my thoughts and feelings into a coherent piece of written words, I'm using that very same format to talk about The Rain by Virginia Bergin and how it is most definitely one of my disappointing reads in a while.

Ruby Morris, make-up obsessed, snogging-on-the-brain, really infuriating and ignorant annoying character that resides throughout this novel, why oh why did you exist in the way that you did? You're not exactly getting first prize for most frustrating character I've ever read, but you're certainly in the competition, and I can probably guess how it would make you feel, not to be coming first in something you're oh so clearly fantastic at, because that's the kind of character you are isn't it? The kind that, in a post-apocalyptic scenario, would think about material things, like your clothes and your hair, and how you look like a wosit, or how unfair life is being to you, how, maybe, just maybe if you went out in the KILLER RAIN, you might just manage to get your phone, and - I don't know, call people on a network that's down, or you, might, gee, I don't know.. die in process? The type of character that believes you are the focus, you are, of course, superior to everyone else, you are, as one might say, the type of character that thinks the sun shines out of her backside, but the truth is, it's a little cloudy in this series, in case you hadn't noticed, and you're about to get pissed down on. Ruby darling, you are not that amazing, in fact, you're pretty much the most disappointing thing about The Rain, you actually managed to bring what was an amazing sounding story down on it's knees; you pretty much, single-handedly, destroyed you'r entire story, just because of the kind of person you are. Swanning around in your high heels and boots, with your red, messy hair and complaining about how it looks, I mean, personally, I think you should have shaved it off, that way, you could have looked more like the little cry baby you acted like.

I know, what I'm saying seems mighty cruel, after all, your Mother, your Step-Father and your icle brother all died didn't they? It's not an uncommon thing to find happening in dystopian novels, the whole family dying out and leaving you all alone, trust me, you're far from the only orphan to have come out of apocalypses in fiction, but it sure made things a little easier for you, didn't it? After all, there's no way you could have gotten away with doing next to nothing for almost 400 pages, things which included driving to London and back, unsupervised, stealing cars, robbing stores for - oh, of course, not water, or liquids, to possibly keep you going - no, for clothes, and chocolate bars, just what every character going through the end of the world needs. I guess, if you're going to die, may as well die in a sparkly dress and some matching snazzy heels, am I right? I'm sorry Ruby, I cannot help but feel your entire journey was fruitless, and I imagine you feel quite the same, a little disappointed that you'd left the only place you'd even known in order to find the only people you, possibly, had left, all alone, in a scary world where not a single drop of water could be safe, I imagine that is pretty scary, but panic-buying might not have been the solution, that's all I'm saying.

Speaking of the big and scary world, you've got to admit, that whole poisonous water premise, it was pretty damn clever wasn't it? Seriously made you, and myself, think about how much we rely on water to do - well, everything really: shower, brush your teeth (in which, speaking off, you brushed your teeth with cola? How very counter productive of you!), even go for a piddle, it definitely hinders life when that's not an option doesn't it? You were right, rain does look and sound pretty beautiful when your safe from it, but when it's the most life threatening thing out there, it's suddenly pretty terrifying. You even watched Mrs Finch die, I mean, that had to pretty awful, at least, from how it was worded and how you told me about it, it seemed pretty horrifying, disgusting even, you really went to town on the detail and it was a little creepy, I'll admit that, but the actual logicalness and story behind how the rain got infected and the history, it was pretty interesting and really, I admit, sort of impressed me. Just a shame you ruined and, dare I say it, drowned the clever little backstory under your silly, illogical and stupid decisions.

I guess, you weren't all bad, or else Darius would never have bothered with you, in fact, I wonder why he did bother with you, he was the best thing that happened to you and your journeys and you were so focused on bloody make-up that you didn't see it. He was logical, he was quick to react, think of his feet, actually took notice of what was important and what wasn't, looked after you, you even became bearable in those moments he was with you, crazy to believe, it's true. You actually developed a little when he was involved, and he just wasn't involved enough - he perked up your story Ruby, and you pushed him out the picture.. what a strange little fool you are. I also, if I must, admit that you were clever when you put your mind to it, you actually had a little common sense hidden under that brain full of tumbleweeds, and you really did care about your family, putting your focus on survival for them, powering through the tough situations and the moments that seemed useless, for the sake of living on, proving that you could do something with the life you still had. Do what with it I'm not too sure, but you definitely did something.

I don't know Rube, your attitude stank, your brain usage was minimal, your decisions were, nine times out of ten, horrific and honestly, your voice wicked me to no end. Your silly inclusions of things that weren't important, your lack of ability lept of the page, and I'm not surprised you ended up where did in the end, you didn't have many skills, you didn't have much knowledge and you seriously didn't listen to Simon when you were on your own. Number one lesson in an end-of-the-world moment, think, and you just didn't. I've gotten hold of a copy of the next step in your, currently lacking adventure, and I have no idea how you're all somehow going to survive this situation, it seems to me like it's pretty, final, it's in the rain, you're pretty much doomed, but hey, I love a good story that involves death and nerdy boys, even if you don't, so, I'll be seeing what you did next. Please Ruby, for me, make it interesting at least?