Carey, Jacqueline - Santa Olivia

[oyceter]

In a not-too-distant future, a bout of infectious disease and possibly other things have lead the U.S. government to cordon off pieces of Texas as outposts. These outposts are walled off and supposedly exist to protect U.S. borders from Mexican people intent on either crossing the border or sabotaging the U.S. Loup Garron grows up in one of these outposts, the daughter of a local and a mysterious soldier who was the product of the army's genetic experiments, and the constant limitations on all her abilities chafe at her. But the only way out of Outpost is by winning a boxing match, and not only has no one in their town done so, no one is even sure the army general will keep his promise.

The plot isn't exactly what the book is about; rather, the book is about giving hope to those who have lost it, from the people of Outpost who don't know what's outside the walls to the church orphans who are Loup's friends to Loup herself.

Loup is a great protagonist. Yes, she can kick pretty much anyone's ass thanks to genetics, but the most interesting thing about her is not her physical ability, but rather the need for her to keep her abilities hidden so that she's not taken away by the army. I love her relationship with the church orphans and how we see those relationships change as everyone grows up and grows through puberty, along with her relationship with her big brother and another person who comes in halfway through the book. Also, she is POC! Not just that, but I think she is POC/POC multiracial (Latina?/Black).

I think this is Carey's best work to date, with the note that I haven't read the Banewreaker duology. The futuristic setting and the third-person narrative means much less of the occasionally over-the-top prose that's in Carey's Kushiel books, and much of what I loved about the book was Loup's distance and reserve, which also differs from Carey's other protagonists. That said, although there's not nearly as much sex as in the Kushiel books, there's the same fairly positive attitude toward sexuality. However, the relationships are much more couple-focused than her other books, and there's much less bi- and homosexuality. Still, the lesbian relationship is the main romantic and sexual focus of the book. (I wish Loup and the love interest would identify as lesbian or bi, instead of the slash trope of "This is just who I happen to love," but oh well.)

The ending of the book isn't the strongest—I think it is a little too easy—and although I think the book is a standalone, I actually wish it were the first book of a trilogy or a series. The entire situation on why the outposts were created and what's really going on in the U.S. and Mexico begs answering, and I personally wanted to see Loup out there dismantling things and changing things. And although it's pretty obvious that the U.S. is the bad guy in the scenario, I wish there had been more information on Mexico and what was happening there. Of course, I'm not sure how Carey would have fit that in, given that all her POVs are in Outpost and therefore have limited information, but that's why I really want more books in the universe.

Fun and recommended if you like X-Men-type stories, boxing, and/or stories of unlikely heroes.

Comments

[daedala]

If you like Carey at all, I recommend avoiding the Banewreaker duology. I read the first one, and it was what made it so I couldn't read anything of hers ever again. It's just so much that it was offensive -- maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, I honestly don't remember -- it's that I found it incredibly stupid.

This book sounds neat, though. Maybe it's been long enough?

[oyceter]

I think I am going to avoid it like the plague, given everything I've heard of it (all bad)!

Hopefully it has been long enough? Also, I can't tell if she was not completely successful changing her voice or if it was my reader expectations kicking in, because sometimes the slang and etc. I did get the sense that she was like, "Whoo! I can use 'fuck' now!" which rather amused me.

[oniko.livejournal.com]

Yay, I'm totally picking this up on the strength of this review. I've heard good things about Carey, but was scared off by That One Giant Series (Kushiel?) with all the wacky sex. A standalone about a POC mutant-lady sounds awesome, though!

[oyceter]

Yay! I hope you enjoy!

[rachelmanija]

I like all of those things, and Carey too! Whee!

[oyceter]

I was reading this and thinking you might like it! It's not quite psychic kids, but almost!

[sigelphoenix]

I didn't know Carey even had another book coming out - thanks for spreading the word. I love the original Kushiel trilogy, except for the twitchy race parts, so I'm glad to hear the protagonist is POC. I worry that the setup of the book would make for skeevy Othering of Mexico/Mexicans, but from your review it sounds like the book makes then more invisible than mangled, at least. In any case, I'm glad to see your commentary, because I find your reviews very reliable, so I'll pick this one up.

[oyceter]

Yeah, she mostly ignores the Mexicans. I wish they had been in there more, thought you do at least get the sense that the population of Outpost is heavily Latin@. And thanks! I'm glad the posts are helpful!