Review: The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

Vera and her brother, Will, live in the shadow of the Great Panic, in a country that has collapsed from environmental catastrophe. Water is hoarded by governments, rivers are dammed, and clouds are sucked from the sky. But then Vera befriends Kai, who seems to have limitless access to fresh water. When Kai suddenly disappears, Vera and Will set off on a dangerous journey in search of him-pursued by pirates, a paramilitary group, and greedy corporations. Timely and eerily familiar, acclaimed author Cameron Stracher makes a stunning YA debut that’s impossible to forget.

The Water Wars initially drew me in because of its unique dystopian premise, and its warning of the future we could have if we don’t stop wasting one of our most important resources. Another thing that drew me to the book was the beautiful cover art, which is even more lovely when in hand, as you notice the photo on the back as well as the raised drops of water present on the jacket. Unfortunately, this is where my love affair with this book ended. It could have been great, we could have had it all, but in the end we just didn’t mesh. The main characters in the book, Will and Vera, fell flat and were out-shined by their supporting cast; the pirate and female warrior were interesting characters who managed to come to life quickly given the few pages they were given. I also could have cared less about the boy Vera was dead set on rescuing, Kai, and can’t see why Vera and Will would have cared so much about him either. Perhaps they followed the adventure and the promise of hope that he provided and it was more of a rebellion than a rescue mission. Many things happened in this novel but when you don’t feel connected to the characters it’s hard to muster up any interest. It didn’t feel like torture to finish the book but I didn’t enjoy it either. The Water Wars left me feeling very indifferent which is a shame given all of its potential.

Rating: 2/5