Review by dsskipper -- Seeds of Hope by Debbie Tremel
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dsskipper
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Review by dsskipper -- Seeds of Hope by Debbie Tremel
[Following is a volunteer review of "Seeds of Hope" by Debbie Tremel.]
Debbie Tremel’s Seeds of Hope is an apocalyptic novel unlike any other I’ve read. The book opens with Daniel being the lone survivor of a rock slide that kills his father, best friend, and best friend’s father. Daniel must now hike the rest of the way alone to rejoin the other half of his group that is being led by his mother, Sophie. The group has been preparing to move into the wild for years: learning primitive skills, storing seeds for planting, and living off the land. A fungus has decimated global wheat and rice crops causing widespread famine and poverty while unprecedented storms have destroyed vast areas, rendering them uninhabitable. Once the borders start shutting down, the group knows it is time to head towards their new homes in the wilderness.
The book follows the ups and downs of the family as they learn to live in harmony with the Earth. Although they knew it was going to happen, nothing truly prepares them for the depravity into which humanity falls. Debbie Tremel does an excellent job of showing, while living in the wilderness is possible, it is not easy or simple, and her love of the Earth shows brilliantly through her writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The first half of the book is a little slow and focuses mainly on the primitive skills the characters must use to survive; however, the second part does an amazing job of character building. I already felt connected to the characters from the beginning, but following them through their trials and seeing how they respond to grief and happiness brought them closer to my heart. I mourned and rejoiced with Daniel and Sophie throughout the last half of the book. Tremel’s cast of characters strive to uphold the beautiful Vision despite the various challenges they face. They are forced to make difficult decisions and live with those consequences.
I was pleasantly surprised by how Tremel approached the apocalyptic aspect of the novel. I have read numerous post-apocalyptic and dystopian society books, as they are two of my favorite genres to read. This is the first book that I have read that focused more on the survivors’ struggles rather than the apocalypse itself. It puts you into the position of the survivor, cut off from the rest of the world, building a feeling of suspense. This strategy also helped me feel more in touch with the survivors since I had only as much knowledge as they did.
The main problem I had with the book was the number of grammatical errors I encountered. There were a lot of missing or added commas that pulled me out of the story because I had to mark them. There were also several run-on sentences and a few typos. The other issue I had was that I wanted to know more about the prophecies that guided the characters. It wasn’t mentioned often and only in passing. I think more details regarding the prophecies would have fleshed the story out nicely.
Overall, I give Seeds of Hope by Debbie Tremel 3 out of 4 stars. I don’t feel that I can give the book 4 stars because of the number of grammatical errors I encountered. If I was judging purely on the story, however, I would give 4 out of 4 stars. The characters are likable and realistic which helped me get close to them and understand their motivations and actions. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys nature. It offers an eye-opening experience into the realities of what it takes to live a primitive life and what humanity is currently doing to our planet. I would not recommend this book to children or anyone sensitive to violence. There are two scenes of rape, not explicit, and torture that would not be suitable for young audiences.
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Seeds of Hope
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Debbie Tremel’s Seeds of Hope is an apocalyptic novel unlike any other I’ve read. The book opens with Daniel being the lone survivor of a rock slide that kills his father, best friend, and best friend’s father. Daniel must now hike the rest of the way alone to rejoin the other half of his group that is being led by his mother, Sophie. The group has been preparing to move into the wild for years: learning primitive skills, storing seeds for planting, and living off the land. A fungus has decimated global wheat and rice crops causing widespread famine and poverty while unprecedented storms have destroyed vast areas, rendering them uninhabitable. Once the borders start shutting down, the group knows it is time to head towards their new homes in the wilderness.
The book follows the ups and downs of the family as they learn to live in harmony with the Earth. Although they knew it was going to happen, nothing truly prepares them for the depravity into which humanity falls. Debbie Tremel does an excellent job of showing, while living in the wilderness is possible, it is not easy or simple, and her love of the Earth shows brilliantly through her writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The first half of the book is a little slow and focuses mainly on the primitive skills the characters must use to survive; however, the second part does an amazing job of character building. I already felt connected to the characters from the beginning, but following them through their trials and seeing how they respond to grief and happiness brought them closer to my heart. I mourned and rejoiced with Daniel and Sophie throughout the last half of the book. Tremel’s cast of characters strive to uphold the beautiful Vision despite the various challenges they face. They are forced to make difficult decisions and live with those consequences.
I was pleasantly surprised by how Tremel approached the apocalyptic aspect of the novel. I have read numerous post-apocalyptic and dystopian society books, as they are two of my favorite genres to read. This is the first book that I have read that focused more on the survivors’ struggles rather than the apocalypse itself. It puts you into the position of the survivor, cut off from the rest of the world, building a feeling of suspense. This strategy also helped me feel more in touch with the survivors since I had only as much knowledge as they did.
The main problem I had with the book was the number of grammatical errors I encountered. There were a lot of missing or added commas that pulled me out of the story because I had to mark them. There were also several run-on sentences and a few typos. The other issue I had was that I wanted to know more about the prophecies that guided the characters. It wasn’t mentioned often and only in passing. I think more details regarding the prophecies would have fleshed the story out nicely.
Overall, I give Seeds of Hope by Debbie Tremel 3 out of 4 stars. I don’t feel that I can give the book 4 stars because of the number of grammatical errors I encountered. If I was judging purely on the story, however, I would give 4 out of 4 stars. The characters are likable and realistic which helped me get close to them and understand their motivations and actions. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys nature. It offers an eye-opening experience into the realities of what it takes to live a primitive life and what humanity is currently doing to our planet. I would not recommend this book to children or anyone sensitive to violence. There are two scenes of rape, not explicit, and torture that would not be suitable for young audiences.
******
Seeds of Hope
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko by Matthew Tysz
