New Charity Blues

by Camille Griep

In this intense, post-apocalyptic reimagining of the Trojan War epic, two women clash when loyalty, identity, community, and family are all put to the ultimate test. After a devastating plague, two communities emerge as bastions of survival. One is called the City, and its people scrabble for scraps in the wasteland. The other, New Charity, enjoys the bounty of its hydroelectric dam and refuses City denizens so much as a drop of precious water. When City-dweller Cressyda inherits her father’s ranch within New Charity, she becomes intent on opening the dam to all―no matter the cost. But when Syd reunites with her old best friend, Casandra, a born seer and religious acolyte, she realizes that her plans could destroy the fragile lives they’ve built in order to survive. What’s more, the strange magic securing the dam’s operations could prove deadly if disturbed. Yet when Syd discovers evidence that her father might have been murdered, she is more determined than ever to exact revenge on New Charity’s corrupt. Pitted against Cas, as well as her own family, Syd must decide how to secure the survival of both settlements without tipping them over the brink to utter annihilation.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Fiction, Dystopia, Sci Fi Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

286 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2016

About the author

Camille Griep lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews

[Magen - Inquiring Professional Dog Trainer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting and engaging. I enjoyed listening to it. I'd recommend Griep's other book, Letters to Zell, over this one. I didn't connect to the voice of Cass for most of the book, even though I expected to understand her. She wasn't particularly well written. I was frustrated by not understanding the rules of this world and annoyed by obviously improbable things. The ending was just too much and then tied too neatly in a bow. I was disappointed.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the story could have been so good but the characters were all so underdeveloped and so much was not explained. I definitely would have watched if it was a TV show.

[Pretty Sassy Cool · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is also posted on Pretty Sassy Cool.

As soon as I saw this was supposed to be a sort-of retelling of the Trojan War, I couldn't wait to check this out. It works as that, but I honestly wish I had gone into it with no expectations.

After the population is practically wiped out by a plague, the survivors congregate into communities. It's a classic case of a kind of wealthy vs. poor, with water being the most important thing in society. The group that lives in New Charity live behind a wall and have access to a hydroelectric dam while the poor inhabitants of City have basically nothing, including access to clean water. Like the description says, Cressyda (aka Syd) lives in City but inherits land within New Charity and decides to do something about what's going on. There's lots going on here--mystery and standing up for what you believe in, along with the entire society being on the brink of being destroyed.

New Charity Blues had well-developed characters and a gripping plot. I was surprised by how much is going on here and that there was magic, which is so different for me. It was well-written, and I definitely want to read Griep's future books. There were a few things I didn't like, namely the lack of romance, and though I thought it was different to include magic, parts of it didn't make sense to me. I felt that was an element that honestly could have been omitted. Regardless, this book is so different from anything else I've read, yet it resonates with what's going on today, too. If you love post-apocalyptic stories, you really have to check out New Charity Blues.

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For more reviews and bookish talk, visit our blog at Pretty Sassy Cool.

[Sandy Affer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. The writing was too choppy for me. I felt like the story started in the middle and didn't explain. What was really going on until chapters into the book. By that time there were several other side stories goi g on that did not comment merely make sense. I'm assuming the book all wraps up neatly by the end, but I could not stick with it long enough. I was curious to see if other readers enjoy this kind of writing, and judging by the reviews I guess some must.

[Cynthia Frazer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't remember why I picked this up.

[Starr ❇✌❇ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3

I'm going to start this by just straight out saying that this book isn't what I expected it to be. This book is extremely YA, and I thought it was going to be much cooler and much more speculative, but it was more of a basic dystopia that occasionally borrowed references from The Trojan War.

If you're looking for a cool retelling of the Trojan War, don't read this book. But if you want a dystopia about magic and droughts, then this might be your thing. It might have been mine, if I hadn't been so let down by what I actually wanted it to be.

Some people are confused that there's magic in this, which is... hilarious. Because Cassandra is a main character. Y'all know what Cassandra's whole deal is, right? There's magic in every Greek story. That super didn't bother me, that's one of the only things that stayed in line with it being a "retelling" (though it really, really wasn't).

I didn't like the world, I feel like there were a lot of lost opportunities to talk about the elemental magic, the choice of using pathos via old memories when we, the readers, don't connect to it was a poor one, and this story ultimately is not going to stay with me,

[Tere Land · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is very versatile! The first book of hers I read was Letters to Zell, which was very clever. To go from Storybook land to a post-apocalyptic mystery/thriller takes some skills!! I'll be reading more of her work this summer, for sure.

The only thing that stood out as a mistake she nor her editor/copy editor caught is small, but embarrassing (especially for the editor(s)) and that was the incorrect name for Canada Geese. She called them "Canadian" Geese, which is incorrect. See? I said it was small. This was a good read and I'll be reading more of her work this summer.

[Falbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really as close to Homer as you would imagine it would be, which might be either good or bad. That also adds a touch of mystery as to what might happen. I did really love some of the characters, but the mix of magic and future-tech just rang wrong on several levels. All-in-all, I think it's worth the read because of the complexity of the main characters (Cressida and Cassandra), but there seems to be a lot more that could have been explored more deeply here.

[Joze · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.
I had a great time reading every page and am sad that these characters won't be part of my days any longer.

Griep takes a unique approach to this genre that was refreshing and forced me to consider the story with a different perspective.
The characters were believable and human and I loved getting to know them.

All in all a great read.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the book sounded interesting, but it took a while for me to get through it. Usually I can get through a similar book in one or two sittings, but I wasn't hooked and forced myself to finish. There was an interesting mix of magic and a dystopic future, but it didn't mesh very well together, and some of the magic seemed thrown in randomly.

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more, but I found the pacing confusing. Also, I don't remember the Trojan War story enough to catch the parallels beside the obvious. Still, worth reading.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Pat Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel opens on a post-apocalyptic City where SpaghettiOs and canned tuna are eaten cold in the dark—or by the light of a candle—and where books are just easy fuel for a fireplace. A world where 90% of the city's populace has perished from a plague. One in which people routinely die from simpler infections that might have been cured had the medicines survived the death of refrigeration.

But this is also a world in which a nearby rural community, New Charity, has most of the region's water impounded behind their dam. They have plenty of electric power and a suspicious immunity to the plague.

Griep has added a potpourri of extrasensory talents to her tale of two communities dealing with the plague. Dwellers in New Charity routinely call music from the air, push plows and build dams with earth magic, cast fire from nothing, or boost the speed of racehorses by lending them air magic. At least they once did, before Cressyda left for the city to attend ballet school. Now, she would be barred from returning to the power-rich New Charity, except that she does have immunity, and she inherits a ranch from her late father, who had remained behind.

Cressyda (Syd) takes her late mother's Cressida (Toyota) back to the town above the dam, determined to release the water and power for the benefit of the city. But when she arrives, she finds a community that has surrendered power to its religious leader, and a dam and power station that is carefully guarded against seizure or diversion. Syd is drawn into the community like a Trojan Horse, holding the seeds of its destruction within her.

Speaking of which, if you're not prepared for it, the growing resemblances to the tale of the siege of Troy can be disturbing. Names that are given as nicknames early in the story are revealed as short versions of the Greek and Trojan names we are familiar with. By the time you get to a famous sculpture being dragged within the gates of the besieged community, well...

I almost put the book down when I reached that point. I'm glad now that I didn't. There is a less-distant echo from history in this tale, one that tastes slightly of grape Koolaid, and smells of a Guyanese jungle—and ever so faintly, of cyanide.

[Joe Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, kudos to Camille Griep in writing such a starkly different novel from debut Letters to Zell. I say this not because I disliked Letters to Zell; quite the opposite as you see from my reflections, more reflections , and review. (I pre-ordered New Charity Blues without knowing anything about it simply based on my love for Letters to Zell.) Rather, she avoided the temptation to play it safe and to be pegged as a certain kind of writer or the tried-and-true route of writing a sequel. Granted, this is still speculative fiction; there are, after all, magical elements, but her previous world was fantasy grounded in overlapping reality whereas this novel provides a gritty, post-apocalyptic reality with magical elements. Moreover, the overall tone is grittier (while remaining less dark than the prevalent writing fashion of the day) even as she deals with similar issues of community and individuality such as: Where do our roles and obligations start and stop and when does feeling obligated result from self-abuse? How do we communicate and remain connected in the midst of having made different/difficult choices over which others differ or disapprove? When does cooperation roll-over into selling out? As much as this book is about fighting the status quo, it also speaks to how we fight. How do we avoid adopting our enemy’s worst characteristics when there seems to be no other way to “win?” Finally, how the heck can a writer so deftly handle these humorous riffs on fairy tales and gritty post-apocalyptic tinged with hope stories? Seriously, if Ms. Griep was considered an up-and-coming writer before, New Charity Blues announces her as a force with which to be reckoned. Simply consider that she has pulled this 50+-year-old man into stories tied around twenty-something fairy tale princess and a twenty-something former ballerina (not a huge call for dance after the plague) and her friends.

I highly commend her book to your reading pleasure. For full review: wp.me/p2XCwQ-1pC

[Chris Bauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"New Charity Blues" by Camille Griep is an engrossing and highly entertaining novel which challenges the reader with multiple levels of subtext, imagery and theme. The author uses some advanced narrative mechanics to create an utterly unique novel, the likes of which I've not read before.

The novel contains a multitude of interesting themes and conflicts - all disguised as a post-apocalyptic retelling of the Trojan War. Read that last sentence and let it sink in. The parallels are subtle but rewarding to recognize. The bonds of friendship vs changing times, conflict between the "haves" and "have-nots", magic vs mundane are just a few of the topics explored.

The characters depicted are incredibly vivid and well-rendered. Even "spear carrier" characters are given a breath of life by Griep. The plot moves at a perfect pace, imparting just enough background to the reader without resorting to ungainly infodumps. The story just FLOWS...

Of particular interest to me, was the decision to write the novel using dual first person narrators. While off-putting at first, after the first few chapters, I fell into the groove created by the author and came to recognize each character's distinct voice.

This novel has something for every reader. Intrigue, conflict, action and fantasy elements. Yet it pulls no punches during the course of the story and I was surprised / impressed by several choices made by Griep in crafting her story. Bold moves in a bold story.

All in all, a rich and rewarding tale which deserves the reader's attention and pays handsomely for the focus.

[Meagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went in to this thinking it would be science fiction, and the post-apocalyptic landscape/dystopian society will certainly feel familiar to sci-fi readers. In the end, though, I don't think it really is sci-fi. There's an ongoing (and vital) theme of power - both social/political power and actual, honest-to-god magical powers. Once that kicked in, I just couldn't think of it as sci-fi anymore. It's more of an urban fantasy, with characters striving to survive in a world decimated by disease and lacking in food and fresh water. The majority of the story takes place in an idyllic town, largely untouched by disease, with plenty of food and water for the citizens, but on permanent lockdown under the thumb of a religious cult leader. The conflict is between the New Charitans, with their relatively comfortable, abundant lifestyle, and the struggling survivors from the city, with Syd (a survivor who was born in New Charity) bringing the whole thing into focus.

It wasn't a bad read, but I'm experiencing some post-apocalyptic fatigue. The addition of elemental powers and psychics is an interesting twist, but in the end it's just not new or exciting enough to really hold my interest.

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

New Charity Blues is marketed as a retelling of the Trojan War, but as such, the comparisons are rather subtle and I wouldn't recommend it being read like that. After a devastating plague survivors have scrambled together to form two communities, one poor, one relatively rich. When one girl is allowed into the New Charity from the City, she is surprised to see the riches there and she might hold the future of the entire world in her hands.

This was an interesting read. The focus was not so much on the post-apocalyptic setting of the story but more about relevant questions of good and evil, what we would like and what we should do. As such, very interesting. The dual POV was not my favourite but I enjoyed reading the novel nevertheless.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Joshlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is about connections, relationships, and the place we call "home". I do not know enough about the Trojan War saga to know how closely this holds to the story, but I do know that it pans out to be a great novel. The imagery and sense of setting were second to none. The story lobs between two female points of view. While this made the story richer, I found that if I put my bookmark in the middle of a chapter, I was confused and would have to go back and confirm who was speaking. Overall, this book was a worthy read and I recommend it to anyone looking for a great story with strong female characters.

[Karl · Rating 1 out of 5]

NEW CHARITY BLUES has an interesting premise (a post apocalyptic survivor's story) but it is let down by its lurching narrative and crippling plot holes. Dramatic events occur with very little set-up or relevance.

Two-dimensional and clichéd characters constantly ruin any chance of establishing that in-the-story, willing-suspension-of-disbelief feeling. Major character motivations are often clumsy and interruptive. There are just too many elements that are not credible, and sadly, they stack up to the point that they are hard to overlook and the world the story inhabits is just not believable.

[Donna Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Griep delivers a post-apocalyptic tale with magical elements that nonetheless feels very real and down-to-earth. Serious but not depressingly dark, the story makes us think about who we are and what really matters when things go very wrong and we are tested in ways we never expected. The well-developed characters draw the reader into the conflict in such a way that we end up asking ourselves “Would I do that? Could I do that?” over and over again. Once again Griep writes a story you just want to keep reading.

[G.G. Silverman · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read in a log time. I read this addictively, couldn't put it down. A unique post-apocalyptic tale that isn't too heavy, but still not without threat of danger or destruction. An interesting form of magic lends the story a unique set of circumstances. I also loved that the charge was led by strong, well-rounded female protagonists, in contrast to most media where women are the sidekicks. Overall, a very satisfying read. Well done.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very satisfying 4.5 stars! This is the second of Camille's books that I've read, and she has absolutely found her groove in creating rich characters who lead challenging, messy lives. While this book is technically a post-apocalypse tale, it's really more of a meditation on friendship, family, and finding the true meaning of "home." Brava.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Post-apocolyptic story about a young woman returning to her home town upon the death of her father. Having lived outside of the society for the past seven years in "The City" she has ties in both places. But which is home?

Interesting premise, but I am left with a lot of questions. I give it 2.75 stars.

[Neve Maslakovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite liked this one. Two childhood friends find themselves, as young adults, on the opposite sides of a society mired in a stand-off over water rights. Unusual, inventive, an exploration of friendship, belonging, home.

[Ginny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Post-apocalyptic with a dash of magical realism. I expected to like this much more than I did. The characters seemed bland and the story rather generic. "Got through it" rather than "enjoyed reading it."

[Lynette Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 3.5 star review to come!

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very catchy, with strong characters. A new genre for me. Thanks Goodreads for the chance to experience this journey.

[Sjoreel]

Ok

[3sm3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

not predicable in its post-apocalypticness; enjoyed.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me so long to read because emotionally it hit me really strongly. Ostracism, the abuse of religious authority, and the precocious child no one listens to in the middle of an isolated people with peculiar religious ideas were themes that really resonated with me. Recommended!