Have You Ever Been Blue? In the Pink? Green with Envy? Lost Your Mind? Yes! The Colors in This Book Can Do That! A Review of the Shamshine Blind.

 This is one of the most original stories I've read in a long time. Also, one of the most dystopian. Things are a mess after the United States loses a war to Argentina. And how does Argentina win? By making weapons that control human emotions through color. Oh boy, now everybody from criminals to police to addicts want their hands on these molecules.

All the major cities of America are destroyed, leaving Boise Idaho as the largest town in the country. (That alone is kind of scary) There are catastrophic color events that wipe out the memories of thousands of people or make thousands lose their minds.  Meanwhile, fascists are taking over the whole world. 

Sounds terrible, right? That's what dystopian books are supposed to sound like!  This one isn't all frightening all the time. The main character, Officer Kay Curtida is funny, smart, and one tough lady. There's a meddling mother, a little romance, and several really likeable characters. Some stinkers, too.

And lots of people get shot with pigmented bullets. Think paint gun games but in this one you lose your mind if you're hit. Or breathe it. Or get too near it. This stuff is everywhere. I felt like wearing a hazmat suit while reading  Shamshine.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Press for allowing me to read and review an eARC of The Shamshine Blind.

For some reason, they really don't want me to print the cover. Too bad because it is a nice cover.