Safekeeping: A Novel of Tomorrow Audiobook

" A new young adult about dystopian USA. A girl returns from volunteering in Haiti to find her own country a nightmare. She travels by foot from New Hampshire to Canada. The beginning and ending of this book were interesting. While Hesse uses her own photos to track Radley's journey, the journey itself was boring to me and that takes up the bulk of the book. "

" When the President of the United States is assassinated and a renegade political party takes over (American People's Party), the country is in chaos. Radley is in Haiti, helping at a children's orphanage when she hears the news. All she wants to do is get home to her parents. But when she arrives back home, there is no sign of them and it seems that the police are after her. Have her parents been arrested for their vocal outcry against the APP? Radley heads to Canada to wait out the chaos. Here she meets Cecilia, a girl who is running not from the chaos of the country, but from the chaos of her own life. A decent plot but things just seem to be a little too convenient throughout the entire story, especially the last third of the book. "

" Decent, thought-provoking survival story that should appeal to teen girls. "

" I cannot express how disappointed I was with this book. I adore the author's earlier work and was so looking forward to reading it. But I just did not connect or buy in to the premise. The contrivances, the timeline, everything was just too convenient to me despite little moments of lovely writing. "

" Great atmosphere but I wish there had been more specifics about the government situation. "

" This feels like such a departure for Karen Hesse, and I often like to see an author branch out in new directions. Protagonist Radley is on a goodwill mission working with children in Haiti when the assassination of the U.S. president and subsequent takeover by the "American People's Party" occurs. Radly makes her way back to the US, but finds a dystopian world unlike any she has ever known. Using photographs by the author, who actually walked the journey she has her main character take, we see a privileged teenager learn to survive, first on her own, then in community. This is a milder HANDMAID'S TALE (Margaret Atwood) but unfortunately, just as possible and chilling. I like how Radley grows and changes from the beginning of the book until the end and think this could be a thought-provoking book for group discussion. "

" Radley arrives home to America during a time of rebel uprising, the country is crippled, and she had now money, no phone, and no way to contact her parents to tell them where she is. So she has little choice but to walk from the airport in New Hampshire to her home in Vermont. She has to forage for food daily, and when she finally arrives at her home it is empty with no sign of her parents. It's a true survival story and gives the reader a lot to think about as the adventure unfolds. "

" Seriously, I'm not going to bother. "

" I loved this book. I wish I could bottle the feeling I had when I finished it. "

" Started out so well, but bogged down in the middle. An unusual story---good for YA. "

" wow, a straight shooting book w/a heavy tone right from the start. i thought i might have stopped reading it but the tone prevailed in such a way that i was hooked. loved the pics throughout the story. nicely done "

" Loved Hesse's photographs in this book. Story kept me interested....nit certain it would do the same with a middle school student. Thoughtprovoking & easy to read. "

" Timely, intriguing story. Love the perspective on parenting and its effects on a person's life. Karen Hesse is such a great writer. "

" This wasn't a bad book. But it wasn't all that great either. I can't really find anything to complain about, but I feel like it was pretty forgettable. It's one of those books that a week from now I won't remember having read it because it just doesn't stand out at all. "

" Survival tale- friendship. Fell apart a little at the end but overall okay "

" Very slow paced for a dystopian novel but still enjoyable. There were a few issues in the plot that bothered me but there were a couple of really breathtaking lines. Quick read because of the photographs! "

" Really amazing story of survival, wonderful photographs. "

" Not at all what I was expecting. It's like two, almost three, different stories. "

" Very good, great storyline "

" Teen Radley was in haiti doing volunteer work when the president is killed. She returns to find her family but instead finds her home country has descended into a military state. She walks from Manchester NH to her home in Vermont and then onto Canada to find safety. "

" I think it is an amazing book so far with what i have read. "