Genre: Young Adult: Classic Retelling
Publication Date: 2013
Status: Has a sequel novel entitled The Island of Excess Love
Page Count: 154
Rating: 3/5
I finally found a few free evenings this past week and decided to pick up something quick. I've had this one on my Nook for quite a while, so I just decided to pick it up, and I'm glad that I did.
Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesa Lia Block is a loose retelling of Homer's The Odyssey. The world has ended in a natural disaster, and Penelope's family is missing. On her journey to find her family, she finds a group of unlikely kids who have survived the disaster as well, and they must ban together for survival.
I really enjoyed this read. I really enjoyed the connections with The Odyssey and thought this story was just the right amount of retelling and unique story. This novel has a mythological feel to it, which fits perfectly with the retelling elements, and makes for a fun and whimsical read. This novel has a darker tone and a number of dark elements, which Block juxtapositions with a number of famous art pieces that Pen calls to mind while wandering the newly ended world. This overlay of art and the end of the world is really interesting.
I loved the inclusion of these art pieces, and I actually discovered a few new artists while reading this, and I loved looking up the artists and pictures as they were mentioned in the book. Another positive about this book is that in true Francesca Lia Block style, it deals heavily with LGBTQ issues. But this element of the story seemed natural and unforced and blended in with the story nicely.
This novel does have a sequel entitled The Island of Excess Love which is a loose retelling of Virgil's Aeneid, which I have not read, and takes place right after the events of this novel. I'm not planning on picking that one up right away, but I might pick it up sometime soon. I recommend giving this one a go, especially if you enjoy Young Adult retellings of Classics or mythological stories.
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