Last Girls

May 25, 2020
In this slow-boiling YA thriller, Brodsky (Dive Smack) immerses readers in the fraught lives of three sisters living in a doomsday survivalist commune and prepping for The End of the World as We Know It. Under the oppressive rule of an increasingly tyrannical group leader and the siblings’ deceptive mother, oldest sister Honey does everything in her power to keep her sisters safe, while “weird” baby sister, Blue, spouts ominous predictions foretelling radical change, and middle sister Birdie falls into a heady first love that pitches the Juniper sisters into a fight for survival. From the first page, Brodsky’s main characters are difficult and contradictory, yet also devoted and uncommonly courageous—sisters in every sense of the word. Despite a sluggish start, heavy-handed application of the survivalist concept, and unconvincing, at times overly mature dialogue, the story comes into its own as the conflict escalates and the twists pile up, leading to a conclusion that, while not surprising, is satisfying. For readers enduring an uncertain future, much of the Juniper sisters’ perspective will feel relatable. Ages 13–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend and Devin Ross, New Leaf Literary.