The Road to Winter

Several years after a devastating virus caused the collapse of civilization, 15-year-old Finn survives on his own by living off the land and relying on the supplies his father stockpiled before his death. When Finn’s solitary existence is upset by the arrival of Rose, a wounded young woman fleeing a ruthless gang of marauders and slavers, Finn has to decide how much he wants to get involved. Eventually, he agrees to venture out and find Rose’s younger sister, Kas, who was separated from her in their escape attempt. As Finn encounters other survivors, both peaceful and dangerous, he discovers his true place in his altered world and learns what’s worth fighting for. The setting and worldbuilding are fairly standard for this subset of the postapocalyptic genre, but complex and sympathetic characters help compensate for the more generic elements, and there’s a measure of hope in Finn’s story that isn’t always present in similar tales. First in a planned series, it’s a solid debut for Australian author Smith, and future installments may yet find ways to further establish its identity. Ages 12–up. (June)