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Agency and Family
They’re Not Here to Save Us is the compelling story of a young man searching for his sister and a young woman battling with the loss of her father, both trying to survive in post-apocalyptic North America. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
From the beginning, this story was about two things: agency and family. Catch-It and Penny live in a world where are there are greater, magical forces shaping its landscape. I wanted to reflect the conflict that we all have between our own personal lives and our part in the bigger picture. Family was also an important aspect – specifically the relationship between siblings. The love we have for our brothers and sisters is unique and invaluable. My sister, Gabri, was my first friend. My brother, Griffin, is my Best Man. There are enough stories about romance – this one’s a love letter to all the brothers and sisters out there.
How long did it take you to imagine, draft, and write the world your characters live in?
I had the general concept floating in the back of my mind for six or seven months, but the actual drafting went rather quickly. I wrote the first draft in two and a half months. I worked my 9-5, came home to feed and walk the dogs, then drafted in the cafe of a Barnes & Noble until they kicked me out every night.
What were some of the trials that you felt were important to highlight in your characters’ development?
I wanted to force hope upon these characters. Catch-It by nature is very untrusting. He’s taught himself to be resilient so that he wouldn’t have to rely on anyone else. But when he meets Penny, an equally untrusting person, he’s forced to admit that there are good people out there. This forces Catch-It to question his outlook on the world around him and his role in it.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
There certainly will be a follow-up. In fact, I just wrapped the first draft, so stay tuned. In They’re Not Here to Save Us we see what happens when someone challenges the powers that be, and fights to reclaim their agency. I don’t want to spoil too much, but in the next book, some folks in Arla are saying that it’s better the Devil you know than the Devil you don’t.
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Although the Recruits are rumored to possess magical powers capable of restoring humanity’s lost potential, Catch-It knows all too well that their interventions often lead to pain and suffering. When an order compels Catch-It to report to a bell tower for recruitment, he faces a critical choice: obey the summons and surrender to the unknown or forge his own path. During his arduous journey, Catch-It encounters Penny, a gun-wielding survivalist, and together they uncover a perilous truth about the Recruits that could prove fatal: they are not here to save us.
In this gripping tale of survival and self-discovery, Catch-It and Penny navigate a treacherous world, grappling with their own desires for safety and the pursuit of truth. As they unravel the dark secret of the Recruits, they must confront the difficult choice between submission and resistance, knowing that the fate of their shattered world hangs in the balance.
They’re Not Here to Save Us
In the realm of dystopian fiction, where societies often crumble for a myriad of reasons, They’re Not Here to Save Us, by M.P. Kidd, stands out. We’re introduced to a transformed North America, now christened Arla, a change brought about by the ravages of war.
At the heart of this tale are several compelling characters, each carved with their distinct narratives. We meet Catch-It, whose driving ambition is to find his estranged sister, and Penny, a young woman grappling with the loss of her father. As their paths cross, they encounter three enigmatic immortal siblings.
Kidd masterfully constructs a world in chaos. Instead of laying out the entirety of Arla’s history, he subtly sprinkles hints, keeping readers intrigued about the fate of the former North America. The presence of the formidable antagonists, the Recruiters, casts a shadow of menace, emphasizing their role in this new world order.
The narrative is replete with unexpected twists that, when unraveled, align seamlessly with prior hints, exemplifying Kidd’s storytelling skills. A case in point is the revelation surrounding Penny’s father, which once uncovered, brings the plot full circle.
A standout element of Kidd’s tale is its portrayal of human resilience. Characters like Catch-It, though not initially heroic, rise to the occasion, harnessing their unique abilities for the collective good. This theme is echoed in the journey of the immortal siblings.
The book’s climax has a rapid pace, with swiftly unfolding resolutions. Some readers might prefer a more extended buildup to the tension, but this pacing choice doesn’t detract from the overall strengths of the book.
M.P. Kidd brings a refreshing twist to the dystopian genre, making They’re Not Here to Save Us a must-read for both readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic novels and newcomers to the genre as well.
Pages: 430 | ASIN : B0CFC7PBL8
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