Orleans
*Starred Review* In Smith’s compelling and disturbing novel, the Gulf Coast has been formally separated from the U.S. since 2025, after a deadly plague called Delta Fever emerges from the horrific conditions following years of increasingly destructive hurricanes. A brief but effective “Before” section summarizes years of backstory with a time line showing the dates and casualties of seven hurricanes (starting with Katrina in 2005 and ending in 2019). There are also excerpts from the “official” declarations of quarantine (2020) and separation (2025). The “After” section begins with the dialect narrative of 15-year-old orphan Fen de la Guerre. Survivors have divided themselves into tribes based on blood type, which now matters more than race, religion, or wealth. Fen’s tribe is ambushed, and her leader and best friend, Lydia, dies in childbirth, leaving Fen to care for the baby girl. Determined to honor Lydia’s dying request to get the infant outside the Wall to the safety of the Outer Lands, Fen begins her journey and meets Daniel, a determined, naive young scientist who has illegally crossed the Wall, believing he can find a cure for Delta Fever. Alternating chapters of Fen’s strong and often lyrical voice and a third-person account from Daniel’s point of view move the complicated plot briskly. There are a few too many plot threads, but ultimately, they do not detract from the powerful, relevant themes: global warming, racism, political corruption, and the complexity of human nature. Grades 8-12. --Carton, Debbie--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.