The Flow series is an experience to be had. Following our 16-year-old protagonist, Quin, along her journey is a completely engrossing way to live in a world ruined by catastrophic flooding. A quick rundown: Book 1, Flow - The world is in shambles after devastating flooding. Society is encouraging the complacency of its citizens, but Quin is having none of it. She lives in one of the few savior societies, communities risen from the destruction, named The Beck. She knows that the rules exist for a reason and that they sustain the life they are accustomed to, but something is calling her to break them. Once Quin discovers the truth of the laws she knows, she realizes she cannot stay silent or complicit for much longer.
In Book 2, Break, Quin is back and struggling to understand her future in the harsh world she is only starting to see. After discovering the truth about those in charge of The Beck (Governance), she vows to protect her loved ones no matter what. In order to do this, she joins the Resistance. Rebellion is hard though, and it has to remain a secret no matter the cost. As the safety of those closest to her is threatened, Quin knows it's time to stand up. With Governance stopping at nothing to protect the world they know, Quin has to decide how far her loyalty extends.
In Book 3, Drift, Quin must decide if she should follow her head or her heart while fighting her way through a world she is completely unfamiliar with. Quin hoped that freedom from The Beck would mean happiness. Unfortunately, she finds herself on the outside sooner than she planned, leaving her unprepared for the harsh reality. She is haunted by memories day in and day out. The band of escapees makes their camp on a small island, where shaky bonds are formed and then broken. Quin realizes that freedom doesn't always mean peace. When one of her fellow escapees puts everything on the line (and everyone in danger) to save his loved ones, she realizes just how precarious their position is.
In the finale, Book 4: Quell, Quin and the allies she has made along the way choose to engage in the ultimate battle to save their loved ones and The Beck as a whole. After surviving the virus that endangered her small community, Quin learns that this same illness is endangering the citizens of The Beck. With Governance in control, Quin knows her friends and loved ones are in unparalleled danger. Quin's community knows they aren't strong enough to take on Governance alone, so they ally with another survivor society, The Ridge. This allyship is tenuous, at best, and one wrong word or action could destroy all their dreams. As the groups prepare for battle, Quin is faced with a revelation that makes her question everything. She will have to decide what she is willing to sacrifice for freedom, and what this sacrifice will mean for the future.
My thoughts: I am a huge fan of dystopian literature. I mean it's the genre I chose for my second thesis, so obviously I like it. I think that this series has a unique perspective, as I hadn't read a dystopic piece based on the world after flooding. There was a nice blend of apocalyptic events combined with dystopic society, so I never really knew what was coming next. Knowing the society was based on survival and fear made it feel very tangible. There was also a very real element of the way the society was divided between the elite members and those lower-level citizens that have to work hard to survive. The series is fast-paced and really involved. The world-building was done well and didn't feel gratuitous, as it happened over the span of the series. The way each book melds into the next made it very compelling to keep reading, especially because there wasn't the agony of waiting for the next book. There were so many gripping and exciting moments, but also moments of total heartfelt emotion. I think that learning all the characters' names was my biggest difficulty, but because this was an e-book, it was extremely easy for me to make a note every time a new character was mentioned. I think that this series is perfect for fans of dystopian societies who may be a little nostalgic for characters like The Hunger Games' Katniss Everdeen or Divergent's Tris.
Clare Littlemore has attached the following warning to this series: "Contains violence and some upsetting scenes. Recommended for a 13+ audience."
Overall rating: 4/5
The Flow Series Complete Collection will be available for purchase on September 1st. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's sold here. Also, be sure to check out Clare Littlemore’s website here!
I received a copy of this book series in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Clare Littlemore for the opportunity to read her work!
