Rut - Scott Phillips

This is the latest installment from Concord Free Press, a great idea that's long overdue.  Essentially, they publish a limited amount of each book and give them away - for free.  Then the recipients (such as myself) read the book, donate money to a charity/organization of my choice, log onto their site and let them know where I've donated along with my book number.  Then I pass the book on - again for free - to someone who will do the same.  And we all get to read good books and help others.  I like it.  But go check out their website, they describe it better than I do.

Anyway, the latest book is Rut.  Wow.  This would be a great book for a discussion group, because there are so many questions that I have that aren't answered.  The book is set about 40 years in the future, and something has happened that's pretty much destroyed our infrastructure and has radically separated the haves from the have-nots.  Was it environmental destruction?  Was it climate change?  Was it a war?  It's never stated.  The book takes place in a small town, and we get to know some of the locals.  We get pieces of what this new world is like (and fascinating pieces they are!) and we also get to know some pretty cool people.

I'm tempted to say that Bridget is the main character, just because she's the first character we really get to know, but she isn't.  There really is not one central character; it's about everyone...it's about the town.  And it really is a great story.  In a world where the rules don't always match the ones we have today, I was curious as to what would happen next, and even what was possible.  There was one scene that just really shook me, it was so well done and so - well, so possible.  Which is what makes it scary.

As much as the obsessed-with-details side of me wanted everything explained (what exactly happened? how can people regenerate parts of their body? why is the novel called Rut?), once I let go of my anal-retentiveness (never easy for me) and let myself go in this new and strange world, it was a crazy place to discover.

Don't buy this book - you can't right now, anyway.  But I'll be happy to give it to you so that you can read it, donate and pass it on.  Who wants it?