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A review by mikkaybear
Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood
4.0
Two months after her mother abandons the family, Iris looks out the window to see a group of Travelers setting up camp in her family's back paddock. What follows is an exploration on themes of friendship, family, and first love in a quiet rural setting, until a tragedy leaves Iris questioning her loyalties and her convictions.
I liked this book. I liked its quietness, its straightforwardness. I especially liked Iris. Naturally, she was the lone voice of reason and the only unprejudiced character, but she was also inquisitive, curious, fierce, and determined. The relationships she had--with Trick, with her brother, with her father, with her mother--were sincere and complicated and authentic. The character development in this book was near perfection.
My only issue stood with the prologue. I do not hesitate to knock off a full star from my rating if a prologue is a) unnecessary and b) detracts from the natural unfolding of plot and/or ruins suspense. The "tragedy" is teased in the summary. We do not need it repeated. If the prologue had not been present, the ending would have been that much more emotional and more meaningful. As it was, I could see through what Flood was doing and thus was unsurprised and (mostly) unmoved by the tragedy I knew was coming. I have literally ripped prologue pages out of books before, and I did it again to this one.
Even so, once you got into the story, it settled around you like a warm, clear night. The setting was simple and rural and beautiful. The people under this sky were infinite. Every character acted in a way they thought was right or necessary. But what is right? What is necessary? What do we hold dear? What do we want to preserve? Family? Freedom? Loyalty? Love? Infinite Sky explored those themes and offers these questions and, most importantly, presses you to find your own answers.
I liked this book. I liked its quietness, its straightforwardness. I especially liked Iris. Naturally, she was the lone voice of reason and the only unprejudiced character, but she was also inquisitive, curious, fierce, and determined. The relationships she had--with Trick, with her brother, with her father, with her mother--were sincere and complicated and authentic. The character development in this book was near perfection.
My only issue stood with the prologue. I do not hesitate to knock off a full star from my rating if a prologue is a) unnecessary and b) detracts from the natural unfolding of plot and/or ruins suspense. The "tragedy" is teased in the summary. We do not need it repeated. If the prologue had not been present, the ending would have been that much more emotional and more meaningful. As it was, I could see through what Flood was doing and thus was unsurprised and (mostly) unmoved by the tragedy I knew was coming. I have literally ripped prologue pages out of books before, and I did it again to this one.
Even so, once you got into the story, it settled around you like a warm, clear night. The setting was simple and rural and beautiful. The people under this sky were infinite. Every character acted in a way they thought was right or necessary. But what is right? What is necessary? What do we hold dear? What do we want to preserve? Family? Freedom? Loyalty? Love? Infinite Sky explored those themes and offers these questions and, most importantly, presses you to find your own answers.