Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Description: Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water. 

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

My thoughts: It is an apocalyptic world where chaos is guaranteed. Using spare language, Lynn's world is revealed in a drab color built on hard work and discipline. Lynne and her mother are alone. They protect what they have with everything they can and don't ask questions before squeezing the trigger. One exception is a man named Stebbs, a neighbor.

The story played out in my head as a movie at times and the humor caught me off guard. New characters make their way into the story which is surprising given how Lynn is raised to treat strangers and the unknown. Each character brought a new perspective and more than a few times, there is an ironic twist of fate and they have to make ethical decisions that seem different than what they have done or been taught. They discover later that sometimes there were lessons learned via quiet example even as one loudly protests.

I actually would give this a full four star rating except that I am experiencing my own temper tantrum regarding one character. This is my protest. Aside from the cavalier event that wronged my expectations, I recommend it.