The Shell Collector by Hugh Howey

Amy    
Lynnie 


dystopian, fiction, romance

Amy & I are both fans of Hugh Howey's writing. In a setting very different than his previous work, The Shell Collector takes us into a future where the oceans have changed- coastlines have moved inland, flooding is common, and the water has warmed so much that the sea life is dying off, making shells one of the most popular (& profitable) collectibles on the planet. Maya Walsh is a reporter doing an expose on oil magnate and shell collector Ness Wilde when he invites her to to talk personally. 

Amy's Review:

I was given the opportunity to read The Shell Collector prior to the release date of 12/14/14. I jumped at the chance because I loved Hugh Howey's Wool series.

The Shell Collector is entirely different from Wool. This is a romantic mystery adventure filled with lush oceanfront and underwater scenes that made me wish I was experiencing these locations firsthand. The adventure, made possible by the wealth of Ness Wilde, was spectacular. The mystery of Ness' motivations and actions kept me engaged in the story and the possibility of romance kept me interested. The eco-message was clear and well thought through.

The only complaint I had while reading was that both Ness and Maya seemed untrustworthy. I kept wanting to shake sense into our wishy-washy narrator, Maya. Her decisions were often rash and conflicting which confused me.

Overall, it's a fun read and I enjoyed it!

Lynnie's Review:

Once again, Hugh Howey has created a world that is so richly detailed and full of interesting places and characters that, even though you've never seen these things with your own eyes, it's easy to picture them in your mind.

The story was interesting- ecological intrigue, romance, and lush locations all blend together to present a future where oil drilling has ruined the Earth's environment and altered the oceans so much that species are dying out and shells have become a valuable commodity. I did think the ecological message was a little heavy handed at times, and the romance was a bit far-fetched but both was necessary to set the story and keep it in motion. Hughey seems to specialize in worlds that are created out of the hubris of humanity and The Shell Collector is no different in that regard. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable adventure to explore.