In a ravaged future ruled by the descendants of those who caused the climate collapse, a teenager with a remarkable gift must flee for her life – and fight to save the last hope for humanity. The searing, unforgettable conclusion to the internationally acclaimed The Forcing trilogy.
The year is 2082. Climate collapse, famine and war have left the world in ruins. In the shadow of the Alpha-Omega regime – descendants of the super-rich architects of disaster – sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth and her uncle risk everything to save what’s left of human knowledge, hiding the last surviving books in a secret library beneath the streets of Hobart.
But Boo has a secret of her own: an astonishing ability to memorise entire texts with perfect recall. When the library is discovered and destroyed, she’s forced to flee – armed with nothing but the stories she carries in her mind, and a growing understanding of her family’s true past.
Hunted and alone, and with the help of some unlikely allies, she must fight to save her loved ones – and bring hope to a broken world.
Spanning three generations before, during and after the fall, The Hope is the shattering conclusion to Paul E. Hardisty’s critically acclaimed climate-emergency trilogy – a devastating, visionary thriller that dares to imagine the possibility of redemption in the face of near-total collapse. In a dying world, it asks the most urgent question of all: what if there’s still time?
What did I think?
The Hope is the third and final book in The Forcing Trilogy and it is the perfect ending to a magnificent and hugely thought-provoking series.
Each book focuses on three generations of one family and The Hope is Boo's story. I remember Boo from the previous book The Descent so it was good to catch up with her and other members of the family to see what happened next. Although it is still a very dark and devastating story, the book is called The Hope after all so there is a more hopeful and uplifting end to this poignant tale.
It's almost like a book within a book as Boo's amazing memory recalls every word from her Uncle Kweku's book, The Descent. I just love how all of the books link together to create one memorable and relevant story but you could read each one independently and still enjoy each book.
The world that Paul E Hardisty has built is disturbingly easy to imagine and although this is a fantastic dystopian novel, I don't want to pick it up in 40 years time (if I'm still alive) and see how much has come true. Novels like this have the power to change the world and I just hope that people take notice.
Unmissable, unforgettable and powerful, The Hope is a thrilling conclusion to an outstanding trilogy that every reader should read. Very highly recommended.
I received a gifted copy for the readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
