The earth is dry and loathe to give up its Water. Day after day the Congregation coaxes it out of plants in the forest. It is back bending difficult labor, but it is all Ruby has ever known. The Congregation must collect Water. They must collect Water and they must endure, as they wait for the return of their savior, Otto. Darwin, the monster in charge, and owner of the last they live and work on sells the magical healing water the Congregants harvest and lives a life of luxury while they suffer.
Little does he know that it is not the Water, but Ruby’s blood, for she is Otto’s daughter, that causes healing and a lengthening of life. Since she was small, Ruby has known and that was nearly 200 years ago. Finally, she reached womanhood, but it comes with its own curses. She wants more that the life she has. She longs for Otto’s return, she longs for love, and she longs for escape. A chance at some of these things seems to appear in the form of a new guard, who is kinder and views the congregant as humans and not slaves. But what can she really do, how can she risk everything and everyone else lives, just to have what she wants?
Wow, starting this book was like being dropped into the middle of a very confusing, albeit fully formed, world. When I finished the story, I half expected to go out into the woods near my home and find these people. The Congregants are straight out of a provincial cult setting, knowing nothing of the modern world. They dress in the clothes of the time they came from, use lanterns and marvel at electricity. They also follow an absent leader, whose blood lengthens their lives.
The things I found so amazing is that in their suffering they are so willing to wait. No matter what. The parallels to modern religion are not lost on me, with the waiting for a prophet or Messiah for real change to happen. In the end, I was just so very disappointed. Not with the writing or the story as a whole, but with the choices of so many of the characters. They are so true to what people might do in a similar, if not magical situation.
Once again, Pam Bachorz makes a town that could really be out there somewhere, longevity of life notwithstanding. If you are looking for an interesting story, some thought provoking content and a chilling look into the coping mechanisms people develop to survive, you should definitely read Drought by Pam Bachorz.
- Author website: http://www.pambachorz.com/
- Publisher: Egmont
- Date of Publication: January 2011
