A chilling take on the opioid epidemic by the New York Times bestselling Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman.
Above our world is a toxic wonderland where the party has raged for centuries.
Humans know the partygoers simply as “narcotics”, “opioids”, “drugs”. But here they are malevolent gods, toying with the fates of mortals. Roxy and Addison have made a wager to see who can be lethal the quickest.
Isaac and Ivy Ramey are their targets. Ivy is understimulated and overmedicated. Isaac is desperate to recover from a sports injury that jeopardizes his chance of a scholarship. This is the start of a race to the bottom that will determine life and death. One Ramey will land on their feet. The other will be lost to the Party.
The only question is... Which one?
Creators
Neal Shusterman is a New York Times bestselling author whose books include the acclaimed Arc of a Scythe series (Scythe, Thunderhead and The Toll) and Dry, as well as the Unwind series and Challenger Deep, which won a National Book Award. He also writes screenplays for film and television, for shows such as Goosebumps and Animorphs. Follow him on Twitter: @NealShusterman
Jarrod Shusterman writes for film and television, and his talents extend to directing films and commercials. He and Neal are adapting Dry for the screen. Jarrod lives in Los Angeles but enjoys traveling internationally, and is currently studying Spanish. He can be found on Instagram @JarrodShusterman.
Reviews
I found this book to be creative, compelling, and frightening. It carries a poignant message for both the individual and society as a whole.
Reading Time
The authors sustain the illusion of chemical compounds as Gods operating in a different plane as does British author Neil Gaiman in his fantasy novel, American Gods (2001). Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series was also transferred to screen using this same device.
Read Plus
It’s a well-written tale about two regular high schoolers trying to make their way in the world, never knowing of the whirlwind of addiction that is preparing to sweep them up in its wake. The book is written from numerous characters’ viewpoints, a technique that works quite well in telling the story from different angles and unravelling the narrative in a way that builds suspense. The characters are well crafted, and the pacing of the story is perfectly timed to meet its ultimate crescendo. it is a compelling story that has been impeccably and poetically written, and for those in the 16-18 age bracket who are less likely to take certain aspects literally, it would make an engrossing read.
Reading Time
