DARK MADE DAWN by JP Smythe

THE EPIC SERIES BEGAN WITH WAY DOWN DARK, SHORTLISTED FOR THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD.

IT CONTINUED WITH LONG DARK DUSK.

IT CONCLUDES... NOW.

There was one truth on Australia, the prison ship on which Chan was born and raised: you fight or you die. Usually both.

But everything on Australia was a lie. Abandoned and alone, Chan was forced to live a terrible existence on the fringes of society, Australia's only survivor after a terrible crash-landing on Earth.

But Chan discovered she was not alone. Together with the unlikeliest of allies, Chan carved out a place for herself on Earth. And now the time has come: she's finally found a reason to keep going. But friends have become enemies, and enemies have become friends. It's time for Chan to create her own truths, and discover a life beyond fighting and death.

A life beyond Australia.

I absolutely LOVED Way Down Dark and Long Dark Dusk, so I was very excited about reading the last book in The Australia trilogy.

Chan lives just outside the walls of Washington with Rex and a group of nomads. She also has access in and out of the city--along with Rex--because they work for Hoyle. They help the police by taking care of the matters that require a bit more force. Something that Rex is almost exploited for.

No matter how much time passes, Chan is still determined to locate and reunite with the little girl she lost. But Mae is hard to find, and even though Hoyle's supposed to be helping, he seems to be withholding information.

Taking matters into her own hands is something Chan is used to doing, but when she does, it leads to some uncomfortable revelations, and sets her on a one-track route to disaster...

Okay. This book just didn't work for me the same way as the previous two. I mean, it once again felt different--which is cool--but my mind kept wandering. Chan's voice usually consumed my brain when reading her narration, but this time it sadly didn't. I found myself losing interest. And for once, started to find Chan's pursuit frustrating.

I liked the unexpected friendship between her and Rex. I liked her friendship with Fiona. I liked that she got herself an actual job. I didn't like her 'relationship' with Hoyle. I'm sorry, I just didn't buy it. At all. I didn't like her flimsy connection to Ziegler. And I especially didn't like where the Mae story ultimately leads. Not after her all-consuming obsession with finding the kid.

Overall, I was disappointed. I honestly wanted to love this book as much as the previous two, but it's nowhere near as strong.

Oh well. It happens.

Dark Made Dawn is the final action-packed installment to a trilogy, that until this book, I was totally invested in. Unfortunately, for me, the conclusion just didn't deliver.

I still enjoyed getting here, though.

Dark Made Dawn, October 2016, ISBN 9781444796391, Hodder & Stoughton