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A review by thenerdynook
Twenty-Five to Life by R.W.W. Greene
4.0
Twenty Five to Life follows Julie, two years shy of being the legal age of 25, as she struggles with being left behind for the end of the world. Determined to break free from a monotonous life spent in virtual reality, she runs away from home to join the Volksgeist: a system of travelers living out their days in RVs and converted vans. Taken under the wing of an older woman named Ranger, Julie travels the wasted remains of America and submerges herself in a lifestyle full of the unknown. Faced with obstacles and danger, Julie soon learns that a life based in reality isn't always easy.
I really enjoyed the blend of an apocalyptic and dystopian setting. On one hand, you have a society that chooses to live in government provided cubes and waste away in virtual reality. On the other hand, you have a sliver of society that has abandoned the lifestyle of guaranteed "comfort" and health for an uncertain life on the road. I appreciate how thought-provoking this story turned out to be. Would you abandon a life of monotony for a life that could be riddled with hunger and danger? It's not hard to see that, even with this story taking place far into the future, we as a society are already there in some aspects. The constant loop of wanting to escape reality while also remaining in reality hits very close to home.
Faced with death, no matter what lifestyle you choose, Twenty Five to Life is a captivating coming of age tale. The relationships that Julie forges on the road propel her towards a future rather than one stuck in the past. While the story is mostly character driven, the constant change of location and set of new faces held my attention until the very end.
I highly recommend this book if you love: character driven stories, found family trope, full-time RV life, apocalyptic settings, and dystopian slice-of-life/coming of age plots.
I really enjoyed the blend of an apocalyptic and dystopian setting. On one hand, you have a society that chooses to live in government provided cubes and waste away in virtual reality. On the other hand, you have a sliver of society that has abandoned the lifestyle of guaranteed "comfort" and health for an uncertain life on the road. I appreciate how thought-provoking this story turned out to be. Would you abandon a life of monotony for a life that could be riddled with hunger and danger? It's not hard to see that, even with this story taking place far into the future, we as a society are already there in some aspects. The constant loop of wanting to escape reality while also remaining in reality hits very close to home.
Faced with death, no matter what lifestyle you choose, Twenty Five to Life is a captivating coming of age tale. The relationships that Julie forges on the road propel her towards a future rather than one stuck in the past. While the story is mostly character driven, the constant change of location and set of new faces held my attention until the very end.
I highly recommend this book if you love: character driven stories, found family trope, full-time RV life, apocalyptic settings, and dystopian slice-of-life/coming of age plots.