The Scorpion Rules

Erin Bow is my favorite author, and THE SCORPION RULES is another bullet point on the list of reasons why. Erin can write prose like no other YA author I know. I consistently must stop to sit here and think “holy shit, what a beautiful line” after a particularly compelling piece of it.

As always, Ms. Bow's world building is extensive and fascinating. Her other books have been based on existing cultures, but in this futuristic novel, Bow builds an entirely new and rich culture to explore. I loved every detail, every anecdote, every moment of hilarity and gravity in this brave new world.

I believe, however, that Erin Bow's greatest strength lies in her ability to construct and develop wonderful characters. I adore and feel for them all. Talis, especially, is a gem. The struggles that Greta and her friends face are more serious than those faced by protagonists in most adult books, and they make and break themselves in rising to meet the challenges. My heart broke and knitted itself back together multiple times over the course of this book, each time more acutely than the last. The feeling that THE SCORPION RULES left in my chest is the reason that I read.

Additional props for a strong, well-developed, totally heartrending queer romance of the kind that every YA novel attempts to achieve but rarely does. Seriously, holy shit.

Basically, Erin Bow has outdone herself and I am so glad that this book is the first in a series because I cannot wait to read more.