Taking place a thousand years into the future, The Crash by Isabelle Semas is a dystopian novel about the dangers of a society reliant on technology and the ruling of a corrupt leader. Written through the point of views of teenagers Phybe and Taelor, the novel focuses on a war between the United Lands Government Organization (ULGO) and the rebel group Circuit Breakers. Despite their different upbringings, both teenagers have the same goals in common: keeping the ones they love safe and stopping ULGO from taking over the world.

Phybe, who was once the rule-following Officer’s daughter, finds herself forced into war on the side of the rebels, who tell her the haunting truth about the leadership she trusted whole-heartedly.  However, knowing only a society with strict rules and complete dependence on technology, she finds herself struggling to get her feet back on the ground. The event that starts the war, the “Crash”, results in a complete disconnect between civilians and technology, meaning Phybe has to learn how to function independently, and she has to do it quickly. With the support and complete trust between her and her brother, Merek, Phybe finds herself capable of more than she could have ever imagined and willing to do whatever it takes to take power away from ULGO.

Taelor, on the other hand, grew up outside of civilization as a “Variable” where nobody knows order and children are sold into labor. Living as a Variable, all Taelor really had to care about was keeping his younger brother and sister safe. Yet, when Taelor’s sister gets taken by service workers, he and his brother are determined to get her back. What neither of them could have ever predicted, however, was that their journey to get their sister back would lead them into a war. Constantly torn between doing what is best for a civilization that rejected him and what is best for his own personal beliefs, Taelor has to decide how far he is willing to go alongside the rebels. 

The Crash is a perfect Young Adult novel for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. The journey that both Phybe and Taelor go on is empowering for readers who find themselves struggling to move forward in life towards independence and adulthood. Just because they are teenagers does not mean they are incapable of fighting for what’s right and does not make them unable to do whatever means necessary to stay alive. Overall, The Crash serves as a novel that will stick with readers for years to come.

ABOUT EMILY MCDERMOTT

Emily is a recent graduate of  Bridgewater State University where she completed a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a concentration in Literature. While at Bridgewater State, Emily worked in the Academic Achievement Center as a writing consultant where she helped enrolled students with any stage of the writing process. Being in this position helped Emily realize that working as an editor might be something she could see herself doing as a career. Currently, she is employed for a small business in her hometown of Bridgewater, MA while actively searching for jobs within the publishing field. She spends most of her free time reading books, playing with her dogs Neely and Kevin, going on coffee runs with her friends, and watching the Bruins with her dad. 

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