“Trashtown is the poorer part of Gypsum, Missouri, and home to sixteen-year-old Hailey Tarbell. She's always been naturally athletic, but her grandma won't let her participate in anything that doesn't bring home the bacon. Meanwhile, Alice Tarbell makes money by drug-dealing, and probably also collects payment from the government for fostering five-year-old Chub, who has developmental disabilities...or does he?
Generations back in Ireland, a community of Seers and Healers moved elsewhere. Trashtown now plays home to some, and these Banished will do anything to keep their bloodlines flowing - including pimping out one's thirteen-year-old daughter. So that's bad, but otherwise being a Healer is quite decent - note Hailey's athleticism, never being ill, and healing quickly if a mishap does happen. Though if she tries to heal someone, or something, that's already dead...she turns them into zombies.
A rich dude runs a lab that has acquired some Healer DNA, and employs scientists to bring the dead back to life. After all, zombies respond to direct commands, making them perfectly obedient soldiers. The mastermind has found out about Hailey, and sets about capturing her...
There's something insulting about someone fabulous who pretends to be less so. (Some of us are just naturally uncoordinated.) Another semi-insulting thing: supernatural abilities can cure developmental disabilities. I really like how Hailey looks after Chub, but if he doesn't need her so much, then that relationship factor will go. Then the romance factor with another character (introduced late in Banished) will kick in, and I'll lose interest. But hopefully the plot will still keep me going. We'll find out in Book 2, Unforsaken, whenever I get my filthy mitts on it.”
Tez Miller wrote this review Sunday, January 15, 2012.
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