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    Santa Olivia
    Santa Olivia
    Santa Olivia
    Audiobook12 hours

    Santa Olivia

    Written by Jacqueline Carey

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Loup Garron was born and raised in Santa Olivia, an isolated, disenfranchised town next to a U.S. military base inside a demilitarized buffer zone between Texas and Mexico. A fugitive "Wolf-Man" who had a love affair with a local woman, Loup's father was one of a group of men genetically manipulated and used by the U.S. government as a weapon. The "Wolf-Men" were engineered to have superhuman strength, speed, sensory capability, stamina, and a total lack of fear, and Loup, named for and sharing her father's wolf-like qualities, is marked as an outsider.

    After her mother dies, Loup goes to live among the misfit orphans at the parish church, where they seethe from the injustices visited upon the locals by the soldiers. Eventually, the orphans find an outlet for their frustrations: They form a vigilante group to support Loup Garron, who, costumed as their patron saint, Santa Olivia, uses her special abilities to avenge the town.

    Aware that she could lose her freedom, and possibly her life, Loup is determined to fight to redress the wrongs her community has suffered. And like the reincarnation of their patron saint, she will bring hope to all of Santa Olivia.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJul 2, 2009
    ISBN9781400182527
    Santa Olivia
    Author

    Jacqueline Carey

    New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Carey was born in 1964. After receiving BA degrees in Psychology and English Literature, she embarked on a writing career. Kushiel’s Avatar is her third fantasy novel, completing the Kushiel’s Legacy trilogy, which also includes Kushiel's Dart and Kushiel's Chosen.

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    Reviews for Santa Olivia

    4/5

    394 ratings53 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I didn't even know about Santa Olivia until I saw someone else mention it a month or so ago. Maybe that's a good thing, because I was in just the right mood to read Santa Olivia right now. It's not high fantasy, like the Kushiel books: it's speculative fiction, with a bit of flu pandemic apocalypse and an oppressive government. And Loup isn't like Phèdre.

      Loup is the daughter of a genetically modified man. She's something like a female Wolverine, if you know your superheroes. She's stronger and faster, and she doesn't know how to feel fear. Her brother gets killed in a boxing accident, after somebody cheats, and she's determined to fight back, and she trains to be a boxer herself. I thought I'd find that aspect boring, but the other characters surrounding her, their motivations and how they begin to change, make even that interesting.

      She's also in a relationship with another woman. The attitude toward love isn't like in Kushiel -- "love as thou wilt" -- but thankfully the point isn't belaboured either. It feels closer to realistic than the Kushiel books without hammering home that hey, people aren't comfortable with lesbian relationships. I was worried that this would be brushed off at the end of the book, that the love story aspect would just peter out, but it stays present right to the end, so yay.

      Looking forward to seeing more of it, I think. It isn't as amazing as Kushiel, as far as I'm concerned, but I want to see more of the characters.
    • 5/5
      Second time listening to this book and love it as much as the first time.
    • 4/5
      Carey creates a world that is technically in the realm of science fiction, but it is also a world that could come true very very soon. When bird flu mutates to the point of human-to-human transmission, I can see a scenario where the US government decides to create a no-man's land around its borders to keep out non-citizens trying to get in.Santa Olivia is a town near the US-Mexico border that is unfortunate enough to exist in the no-man's land, and is taken over by the military and its population put under martial law. No one outside knows they exist. The town is renamed the outpost and its people are no longer citizens of the US. This is the world Loup is born into. This book grabbed me from the first page and refused to let me go. I had to keep reading to learn not just what happens to Loup, but to all of the Outpost, and the cliffhanger-ish ending makes me gnash my teeth. Good thing the second book is out already. Santa Olivia is a wonderful tale of finding hope and life in a hopeless world.
    • 4/5
      A girl who doesn't feel fear, who can move faster and hit harder than a normal human. All because her father had been experimented on as a child by the government. Sounds intriguing. Right? It was. Loup is different from the moment she's born, but while her mother and brother can't teach her to fear, they can teach her to be careful. Most of the time she is. I enjoyed watching Loup grow up, limiting herself, letting it all out when masquerading as Santa Olivia. I liked the realistic love and heartbreak. Carey's writing is wonderful as well. It made what could have otherwise been a boring story (As I'm not a fan of boxing) a very entertaining read. It was also heart-wrenching, and humorous and thrilling and a zillion other things. It seems to have it all. Loup is a hero that I'd love to stick with. I've already got the next book on hold and am looking forward to it immensely.
    • 5/5
      Completely different from both of her other series, this one once again makes its own world entirely and then sweeps you off into it entirely. It's a completely different feel and setting from both her other series, but it will captivate you all the same. With the relationships and working through life and where things go.

      I definitely never expected the last ten pages and can't wait to get my hands on book two.
    • 3/5
      Carey leaves the fantasy utopia of her Kushiel series for a future dystopia of a long barricaded town on the US/Mexico border. There aren't many surprises in the story of Loup the by-blow of a genetically modified soldier. It sometimes chugs along slowly. I liked her but she was just a little boring.
    • 4/5
      This book was a surprise for me. I wasn't sure if I would like it as much I did by the end. It was a really interesting take on a werewolf story and a heroine. Really refreshing to have a heroine who isn't straight too.
    • 4/5
      Interesting! Queer, engrossing, and vivid.
    • 5/5
      First, the bad, or at least what I thought would be bad. The hero's father made her promise to name the baby Loup. Loup Garron. Because he is genetically modified and the name reminds him of loup garou, which, as we all know, means werewolf. I thought I would hate it, but, you know, Carey made me love it. She hung a lantern on it, went with it, and made it sweet when her brother calls her by it.

      Carey managed to write a heroine who is different. She's young but because of her father's genetic modifications does not feel or understand fear so she isn't a typical child. She also doesn't run recklessly into harm's way (well, not often) because her father explained things to her mother and brother and they taught her to think deeply about every situation. She is, as I said, a child, with a child's resources, despite her incredible strength and speed. And maybe, like a child, she loves big.

      Who does Loup love? Her brother, Tommy, who dies tragically but teaches her how to be a hero before he does. Her fellow orphans, the Santitos, who support her and keep her secrets. And Pilar, her girlfriend, her lover, the one person who feels right to her.

      Pilar was a favorite of mine. Trapped in the Outpost, a no-man's land not acknowledged by our government, all Pilar wanted was an easier life. A husband who was reasonably cute, reasonably rich, and who could enable her to work less than she now does. At first she tried to deny her attraction to (and love for) Loup, but when they became involved Pilar embraced it, publicly and happily acknowledging their relationship. There's a scene toward the end of the book where she talks about her fear but I think Pilar is brave nearly beyond measure.

      Another favorite was Miguel Garza. Miguel is that guy, the asshole who knows he's an asshole. Tommy died in a fight that should have been Miguel's and Miguel has always felt responsible and as if he owed Loup. That's how their friendship starts. By the end of the book she's calling him her "big, grumpy, pervy older brother" and he's jokingly cursing her because she almost makes him want to not be an asshole. I think if Miguel got out he became the hero inside of him.

      Read this. Read this now. A hero who is not stereotyped by her gender. A lesbian. A racially diverse cast. Genetically modified "superhumans." What it means to be a hero and how we can all be one.
    • 5/5
      I liked this. A lot. (Skip the sequel.)
    • 5/5
      Another very good page-turner story by Carey, somewhat reminiscent of Kushiel's series but in a post-apocalyptic setting. A bit too much emphasis on boxing for my taste, but overall very enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      Loup Garron has an inability to feel fear along with super strength and speed, all heritage of her genetically engineered father. However, she’s been born into the town that once was Santa Olivia, but which is now part of a militarized buffer zone between the United States and Mexico. The residents are trapped in a town ruled by the military and the gangs they allow. If she wants to stay safe, Loup must hide who she is and what she can do. But what if risking everything is worth it?Going into Santa Olivia, I had the vague impression it was YA. It’s not. There’s certainly coming of age elements involved, but the tone of the book is much older. It’s a dark, gritty book. I think “grimdark” might be a good description for it.As you might be able to guess from my description of it’s protagonist, Santa Olivia riffs off the superhero genre. However, I wouldn’t call it a superhero book. For a section of the novel, Loup dons a costume and enacts vigilante justice under the guise of the town’s namesake, Santa Olivia. But this is a limited section of the book, and there’s not a whole lot of acts of justice. The problem isn’t just the gangs or criminals, it’s the entire power structure where the townspeople are ruled over by the military. What can Loup really do against them? If she goes too far, the entire might of the army will come crashing down on the town. She can never be more than an annoyance, but she might be able to provide some form of hope to the townspeople.Since Santa Olivia is largely about oppression, it’s fitting that Loup exists at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities. She’s the child of a Texan Latina women and a black Haitian, she’s female, and she’s either bisexual or lesbian as well. I think the inability to feel fear is also important here, but it’s interesting that it creates a whole different set of problems for Loup. She doesn’t have the emotional incentive to make the “smart” choice.Loup’s major romantic relationship is with a girl named Pilar. I think Pilar’s existence was important, as she gave Loup something to lose. She now has a stake in staying safe. However, I don’t know how much I buy into Loup and Pilar’s relationship or them being in love. The relationship presented on page was mostly physical. When they were together, it felt like the majority of their scenes were sexual. It was hard for me to get a sense of them having an emotional connection. Loup in general could feel emotionally distant to me, so that could be part of it.The plot and construction of the book could have been stronger. The novel starts with how her parents met, and Loup herself isn’t born until after forty pages in. There’s not a strong overarching plot, and the book sort of slides from one thing to another. The structure could have worked if the characterization had been stronger, but as is it didn’t really do it.I’m not sure who I’d recommend Santa Olivia to. It’s distinctive enough that I can’t really give it a subgenre, and it’s hard to pick out specific elements to recommend it upon. Perhaps the focus on oppression and power structures? A female lead who’s either gay or bisexual? If either of those interest you, you may want to try Santa Olivia.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
    • 5/5
      That was probably one of the best books I've read in quite awhile. What a good writer! It wasn't what I expected at all (won't give spoilers, but if you're expecting classic supernatural/paranormal genre style, it's not here) but thoroughly enjoyable.
    • 3/5
      The story takes place in a US Government instituted DMZ sort of place in Texas between the US and the Mexican border. The Outpost. Loup Garron is born into the place. But like all the other residents she's not a US Citizen and because of that the Outpost is sort of Lord of the Flies crossed with the Wild West (with a bit of the 60s through 80s thrown in). It's a place where strength of spirit, and more importantly strength of fists matter. Boxing is the central thrust (or job) of the story. The General in charge of The Outpost has a deal, win a fight against one of his Olympic champion (now in the military) fighters and get a ticket (or two, that's never made totally clear) up North.Loup and her brother Tommy both get involved in the boxing, and it eventually touches all the main characters in town in some way or another.I thought the characters were the best part of the novel. Each of them were all wicked interesting with even more interesting relationships between the characters. They were real characters and relationships as well, not glossed over and always happy, but with bumps and bruises.I mean it' snot often that you read about something along the lines of Anna/Father Ramon/Sister Martha in a mainstream novel.Unfortunately, a lot of the descriptions in the book sorta fell flat. When I read them I knew what the author was talking about and could picture it, but I couldn't see it, I didn't feel like I was there.Also, a lot of the history of the place and the history of the characters that we had to know for the rest of the story to make sense sorta made the beginning of the book drag on a bit. After we got into the meat of the story though, it flowed much better, but, the beginning was hard to get through in places.Overall it was a fun and yet depressing book to read because of how easily I could see the fiction turning into fact in the world we live in.
    • 4/5
       Billed to me as a story of a werewolf who becomes a superhero in a dystopian world, I struggle to describe it more accurately and yet retain its actual meaning. Santa Olivia is a story about surfacing from oppression, creating your voice and living full speed. It is also a story about boxing and military-control.In the first few chapters we view life in Outpost Number 12, née Santa Olivia, in polaroids. Carmen Garron is thirteen when the land upon which the town sits is seized and declared a buffer between Mexico and the United States. This is no longer Texas, this is no longer the United States, these are no longer citizens of any country, as far as anyone outside is concerned, they don’t exist.Carmen Garron meets a soldier and falls in love, giving birth to her first child, a boy. Her love will come back for her after his tour, he says. But that won’t happen.She falls in love with a stranger, a rover, a deserter, and he stays as long as he can before he is chased away. All he leaves is a mystery and another child, a daughter. She is as strange as he was, with a calm unlike children, an inability to cry, and is completely and utterly fearless.Loup Garron grows up hyper-sensitive of all the things she can’t do, and of the horrible life they lead in Outpost. She dresses as Santa Olivia, the child saint, and brings hope back to the town. Meanwhile, her brother dreams of winning a match against the boxers the military posts to Outpost, winning two tickets out of there.The book has ultimately relatively little to do with Superheroes (or Superheroines), Santa Olivia might wear a cape for a single escapade in this book, but her presence is felt throughout the book. She’s a patron of peace, and specifically for the protagonists, a beacon of hope, a reminder of the spirit the town had when it was free. Loup embodies the child throughout her life, asking for her guidance and unselfconsciously bringing guidance to a people who are nameless.While a quick read might not bare it’s gears as easily — by virtue of consuming a book more quickly, I don’t think about contrivances until afterward — this one only felt like a book when I really thought about the motivation for a certain piece of dialogue. Writing is hard, and I can really appreciate how much work Jacqueline Carey put into this precisely because it felt so effortless. Oddly, I found the alien Loup among the most relatable and realistic. The smallest roles were practically invisible (in a good way!) and the rest are justifiably complicated, flaws and missteps are a part of being supporting characters. At worst Loup could be described as boring, but she’s far from passive. She has a penchant for thinking before jumping which means the plot avoids routine pitfalls. The biggest conflicts (aside from the climax) arise when Loup and her more human compatriots miscommunicate, as cliché as that sounds, it isn’t. Loup distracts herself, but when that doesn’t work, she moves. She is a character of action, and that keeps this whole story (taking place over thirty years) moving fast enough to excuse any careful steps Loup takes to remain undetected.This is a superheroine story.341pp. Grand Central Publishing. 2009.
    • 3/5
      Not as well-written as her Kushiel stories, but still creative and difficult to put down.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book, but it's not Carey's best (that would be the Banewreaker duology). The good points: A genetically modified super-soldiers book, but this one was the child, rather than the original generation. I'm a sucker for genetically modified people (thanks, "Dark Angel") and for people with special gifts on the run from the government (thanks, "Escape to Witch Mountain"), so I bought in. And switch it up to a woman, rather than a man; and have her NOT be intensely sexualized -- that all worked for me. I also liked that the backstory wasn't just backstory -- it was lived, and I liked those characters. And, hey, there's never enough queer girl stories, so that's a plus, as is the three-way stable relationship also discussed. The less good points: Dialog. Carey's dialog never bothered me before in other works. But the switch from her mannered, fantasy books (Kushiel, Banewreaker), to a near future dystopia, in a Mexican/American border town, with mostly young and working class people, really highlighted a certain stiffness in dialog. Character development. Good and bad, here. I liked the central protagonist, and her affect-lessness. I liked that there were loyal friends, and relationships were sometimes complex and multi-faceted. But, but. The scene where Miguel says she's making him less of an asshole, and the other scenes where that was alluded to repeatedly -- oh, those were silly and cheesy. And then it turns out that maybe this is some kind of genetic trait? No. That's just too annoying. And, along with genetic traits -- I liked the idea that people can feel that this person is "wrong", somehow; I even am okay with the idea that some (most) people are bothered by it, but some people aren't. But to try to turn this into a true-mate thing that is also a genetic adaptation -- again, no. Please, just abandon the clichés! Or deconstruct them. Don't just use and abuse them. Upshot? Enjoyable enough, and I'll pick up the sequel, because queer mutant super-soldier runaway kick-ass female protagonist.
    • 2/5
      The town of Santa Olivia lies between the U.S. and Mexican border, but becomes a sort of present day leper colony when it is walled off from the rest of the world. Apparently the epicenter of a particularly nasty flu virus, the U. S. military builds a base there so the soldiers can keep the townspeople in line. And, as governments are wont to do, it decides, "Hey, while we have this super-secret base cut off from the rest of the world, how's about we take the opportunity for a little genetic experimentation? Maybe splice some animal DNA into human DNA and create a super soldier? Anyone have any wolf DNA lying about?" Which is all fine and dandy until your super soldier escapes, impregnates a local waitress, and hightails it for Mexico after the townspeople turn against him. And so Loup Garron is born, a child with super-strength and an inability to feel fear. Following Loup throughout her childhood and teenage years, we witness as she deals with the deaths of loved ones, bands together with others in her orphanage to create miracles and punishments in the name of the town's patron saint, grapples with her identity and her sexuality, and enters into a military sanctioned boxing match as a means of avenging her brother's death. To have focused on any one of these stories might have made for a more cohesive (if not more satisfying) narrative, but, as it is, the plot structure seems clunky and jumps from one idea to the next. It doesn't help that, through it all, Loup doesn't seem to feel much of anything or develop a personality beyond "gee, I feel different from everyone else." The climax of the book leads to the aforementioned boxing match, which lacks any real sense of tension or drama.I've seen summaries of Santa Olivia that claim it gives a new and intriguing slant to both the werewolf mythos and to the superhero concept. Except for it doesn't. Because, really, it's not about werewolves or about superheroes. The whole wolf DNA angle is basically irrelevant; the only wolfy characteristics exhibited by Loup are her super-strength and stamina, a keen sense of hearing, an increased appetite, and some poorly executed idea about her "mating for life." Any animal could have been selected for the same traits--there's no real reason as to why it had to be a wolf. In terms of her superhero abilities, see the list provided above. Not exactly thrilling stuff. She's no Wolverine (although one of the orphans compares her to him). Here she is, blessed with the strength of the big bad wolf, so what's she going to do? She's going to box her heart out, baby! This failed to blow my house down. There were some intriguing ideas here whose executions fell flat, but I did appreciate the inclusion of a strong lesbian character. However, even that feels a little disingenuous in that it seems to exist only as a means of reinforcing the idea that Loup never fits in, in case it's not really coming across that she's different. During her sexual experimentation with boys, the boys always reject her, saying that she just "feels different" when they kiss her or that sex with her is like putting a "penis in a vise." It's almost as if seeking out another female is her only option, although it's later connected to the whole tendency to have only one mate idea. I would have preferred it if her attraction to women had been separated from this strange connection to her lupine heritage.Overall, I feel this is the type of book that was born out of a tongue-in-cheek conceit: "Hey, what if I named the main character Loup Garron? Get it? Like loup garou? As in werewolf? Why aren't you 'howling' with laughter?" Also, I'm pissed about that cover. Because that cover has nothing to do with the book.Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
    • 5/5
      Santa Olivia is the powerful and compelling tale of Loup Garron and her quest for purpose, in which we get to see what it means to be a hero.
    • 3/5
      This book flumoxed me a bit, I remember having a hard time connecting with the characters and world.
    • 5/5
      Yeah, I pretty much read this in one sitting. It's not going to burn down the world with its wild originality or fabulous writing, but it's just a really really good story.

      SEQUEL PLEASE.
    • 4/5
      Review can be found at: Written Permission - A Reading and Writing Blog

      First off, the book blurb is a little misleading in my honest opinion. This is, in no way, a werewolf book. I repeat: THIS IS NOT A WEREWOLF BOOK. At no point does Loup (pronounced Lou) sprout fangs and go chasing bad guys. (Or sparkly vampires.) So do not get your hopes up about this being a werewolf book. It isn't. Are we clear? OK. Moving on, then.

      This also, for me, wasn't a superhero book. Was there some vigilante justice being taken? Yes. And Loup and her friends kicked ass at delivering it. Was Loup super-human? Yes. In a scientific way. But while the book blurb claims she was fed up with the injustices, I missed that memo. There was an injustice visited upon one of the orphans, which started it all, and then it kind of snowballed. But we never really get that look into Loup's head that says "I want to be a superhero". And if I had to pick one thing to drive her, it wouldn't be frustration, it would be grief.

      The worldbuilding was vague. I am still not entirely sure why Santa Olivia was isolated the way it was, and why the residents didn't just leave at the start of the issues. They were offered the chance. We are also missing a definitive timeframe. The technology seems to indicate sometime recent. But the views of the town (abortion is outlawed, soldiers are not permitted to wed residents, etc.) seem archaic.

      There are some authors I would sing the praises of all day long for their ability to craft words into amazing... things. Jacqueline Carey is not one of them. Her words don't sing or hum or vibrate or anything. They don't get stuck in your head. I was looking for memorable quotes to put in this review, but I couldn't find anything. However, Carey is a good storyteller. The story read very easily and I felt connected to the characters. There is a fair bit of profanity, though. And sex. And gratuitous use of the word "baby".

      Quick aside: every time I saw Loup Garron or loup-garou, all I could think of was Lou Gherig. It was an association I couldn't turn off. N.B. for aspiring writers (myself included) to be aware of the connections your names may make.

      I like the characters. I like the people at the church who are not really nuns or priests, but they still do what they can to help the little town. Miguel f*cking Garza. He was sleazy and caring in the right measure. I like Loup. I like that even though she has these "super powers" she also has limits. And I really like the fearless aspect. I wish that Carey had explored that more. What would come from a total lack of fear? What would you feel differently about, or not feel at all? I kind of wish that Carey had taken a little more time with her though. We don't get a real sense for what she looks like in the book. And the same can be said for a lot of the characters... not much time and not many words are spent on descriptions.

      On relationships. I really liked how they were built in the book. I am not a fan of the whole "mate for life" concept, as I feel it is a bit of a cop out to forge a true connection between characters. But it wasn't completely horrible. I like that Loup had many failed relationships before she found the right one. I loved her relationship with her brother, from the beginning to the end. And I love love LOVE that Carey is not afraid to explore "unusual" couplings (like lesbian couples, etc.). I say "unusual" in quotes because it is only unusual in literature. You don't see many relationships that aren't the standard straight setup. It is refreshing to break that mold. Love comes in all forms. Love is also imperfect, and that is something Carey doesn't shy away from. Instead of a soft-focus romance where everything is lovey-dovey, she explores the moments of selfishness, the messy breakups, the moment when you are just completely unwilling to compromise. These are all things we see in the relationship between Loup and her lover.

      Bottom Line: Overall, the story was moving and true. It read very easily and it features some unusual elements you don't normally find in today's literature. The worldbuilding was lacking, but the characters were well developed (flaws and all). The story leads very nicely into book two, which I will be reading in the future.
    • 5/5
      I avoided this book for a long time because the back cover copy was so damned unappealing. Plus, werewolves are played. But I finally picked it up at the library, and I am SO glad I did.

      There are no werewolves. This is important.

      This is probably the urban fantasy with the lowest fantasy quotient that I've ever read. It actually works better that way, I think. There's just enough to set up the character conflicts and marginally futuristic setting, and everything else is pure scrappy underdog-makes-good. I doubt that will continue in the sequel - there's a ton of room to expand - but it works really well to make this a tight little story.

      And, minor rant (with spoilers):

      This may be the ONLY book on my shelves that has a major-character lesbian relationship that a) doesn't end in the death of one or both participants and b) isn't abandoned for a straight relationship. Do you know how happy this makes me? SO HAPPY. Also? The sex scenes are hot. SO HOT.
    • 5/5
      I read this book in one day - a real page turner. Santa Olivia is a border town between two walls - on one side Mexico and the other side Texas, USA. It doesn't exist on any map and no recognized citizens live there anymore. In a 'war' with Mexico, during a time of plague, the ex-United States citizens of Santa Olivia live with the military in this Outpost. It is a depressing place, disconnected from the rest of the world. Until Loup. She is the offspring of a genetically engineered deserter, and she wants justice for Santa Olivia.I had read a couple of other Carey books - two in the Kushiel series - that I enjoyed. I felt this book was very different from those in tone and tempo. I will definitely read more Carey books.
    • 5/5
      This book was oddly fantastic. I say oddly because I don't usually like books like this (boxing). I thought it had the perfect amount of everything. There was humor, love, action, a little bit of mystery, and much more. The characters are relatable and I could not put this book down. I just finished it and I've already bought the next one, that's how good it was. I cant wait to read on and see what happens to Loup and Pilar. 5/5 would definitely recommend.
    • 4/5
      A small town trapped in a no mans land created by plague and war and beholden to the army who have made it their outpost. Amidst this a girl is born, a girl who is faster and stronger than normal and who does not feel fear. I knew this would be unlike Carey's previous work but I was not expecting this sweet tale of a girl separated by her differences and struggling to find her voice. Although there is sex and violence, nothing is that explicit. In fact it feels like a YA book, although I guess that is partly because the core of book centres on a group of teenagers. The setting is well done, I particularly liked the towns relationship with the army (which somehow seems to ground the novel) and the main protagonist is endearing and the exploration of what it is like to be without fear is a lot of fun. Ok so the writing style is different but it fits story, much more action orientated and less poetic than her fantasy novels. In the end it is strangely a happy book for a dystopian book, bittersweet but with much hope.
    • 5/5
      Jacqueline Carey is well known for her epic fantasy, but this book is more science fiction mixed with a little dystopia. It does share one major element with her Kushiel series — love, in all of its forms, is very important to the story.Santa Olivia is a town without a country, caught in a no-man’s land between the U.S. and Mexico and ruled by the military. It’s the town no one knows about, in a world that has been decimated by war and the flu. All the townspeople have to live for is the hope that one day, one of them will be allowed to leave. This honor is supposed to be bestowed upon the man who can beat the army’s choice in a boxing match.Loup is an outcast in a town of outcasts. She’s always been unusual, even as a baby, incapable of experiencing fear. It’s a trait passed on to her by her father, a mysterious man on the run who disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Her older brother Tom is her protector, until they become orphans and he isn’t able to give her the care she needs. She then ends up at the parish church, which doubles as the town’s orphanage.What follows is the struggle for survival in a town where conditions are deteriorating. Between the never-ending boxing losses and suspicions that the war being fought doesn’t really exist, the townspeople are restless and the military is cracking down. The conditions are just right for a savior to appear.Carey’s writing is beautiful and expressive and descriptive without being overdone. One thing that she writes about very well is relationships, whether they are familial, friendly, or romantic, and those relationships are the real star of this story. The heart she injects into this bleak landscape is what makes you keep reading. You care about everyone, from Loup and her friends, to Tom, to the unorthodox clergy caring for them all. You cry when they cry, and cheer when they cheer, and above all, you root for their escape. Because, like them, you have no idea what is truly happening outside of the town’s walls.If it’s not evident, I will definitely be continuing this series. This is the first book I’ve read in a while that I had difficulty putting down.
    • 4/5
      Santa Olivia is a Texas town that becomes a walled-up military outpost when a pandemic sweeps the world. The townspeople are told it is walled up to prevent the spread of the flu. Years pass. Does anyone beyond the walls know they are still there? Why is the military keeping the outpost?The pandemic leaves many orphans, including Loup. Loup's father was a genetically enhanced soldier, stronger, faster, and incapable of feeling fear. But warm and kind and loving. Loup's fellow orphans are a motley crew living in a church run by a polyamorous trio. Loup is a character that will stay with me for a while. She has strength of character and tries to use her preternatural abilities to help others. She experiences an explosive romance. Excellent character development and the author is adept at dialog, creating a story that moves quickly and smoothly. My only quibble is one component of the ending where a conflict is tied up into a too-neat bow.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this departure by Jacqueline Carey and was surprised not to see any sequels yet. I hope there's another book.
    • 3/5
      Picked this up at a book sale to benefit our local library because a couple people I know really like this author. Apparently, this is an atypical story for her, though her fans still really like it. I thought it might be a little like "teen girl-Wolverine fights the bad guys" but it wasn't exactly like that. Well, it was but there was a fair amount of other stuff in there, including teenage lesbian sex. So, if that might offend you, don't read the book. It does however, deliver the story of how the daughter of a genetically altered man fights back (literally -- there's a lot of boxing in this book) against the evils of her world. That it's a dystopian one and she lives in a forgotten town in a no man's land zone between a corridor that separates the USA from Mexico (created as an attempt to halt a pandemic plague) adds more to the story. As do the characters gathered around her in her forgotten town, walled in so they can't escape to the "real" world, creating their own society while surrounded by the military guarding against infiltration and insurrection from "the other side of the wall." I particularly liked the rag-tag bag of orphans (and adults) at the church where Loup Garron is raised after her mother dies (her father having escaped to find his own kind) and their efforts to make right in the name of their patron saint, Santa Olivia. Even one of the bad guys in the town is written in such a way that at the end, I was liking him. And the plot twist to have Loup, born with all the human emotions except fear played out well. This appears to be the beginning of a series. I am not sure that I would pick up another book, but if one stumbled into me, I might read it. The author had a way with descriptions and carrying her story that kept me reading, wondering where she would go.