Nowhere Review

Nowhere

Jon Robinson 

Publisher: Puffin

 'No one's coming for us.No t our families, not the police. No one.'

Alyn, Jes, Ryan and Elsa are Nowhere.A concrete cube in the middle of a dense forest.
Imprisoned inside are one hundred teenagers from all over the country.
They're all criminals. But none of them remember committing any crimes.
Who has put them there. What do their captors want?
And how will they ever break free...?

Set in the near future, this is about a country that is slower dissolving into one of those dystopian worlds we keep reading about. But for these teenagers it is just their world. They find themselves arrested and taken to a prison somewhere having been found guilty of crimes they don’t remember committing. This is an intrigue premise and while the adult clearly know what they are doing, the teens – and us – are kept in dark. Unsure about who is right and who is wrong and why they are hidden away from the world and forced to admit to their crimes. There are a lot of different characters with most of the focus on the children but occasional flashes of the Prime Minister and how he agreed to set up this prison. 

I loved the way some of the teens become institionalized and believe what the adult tell them, while cling desperately to what they know as the truth and plot escape and some telling on others to the guards in exchange for an easy life. The depiction of the inside of a prison feels very real and increases the tension with the kids being their own enemies at times. There is plenty of action with some frantic escapes attempted, while the differences in the teens characters show are pleasing to see. 

The writing is competent and engaging. The brisk pace means you will not stop reading until the end where there are some shocking events that will make you gasp and cry out. This is definitely not a book to read if you hate cliffhangers as this is a doozy! I can hardly wait to see what happens next and really hope that some answers are given to us. I have to admit to being a little bored of YA stories but this one really pulls you and manages to challenge as well as entertain. I certainly feel like I’m ready to read some more YA books now!

Recommended for fans of Veronica Rossi and Richelle Mead. 9 out of 10