Melancholy: Episode One by Charlotte McConaghy

Published April 9th 2015 by Momentum/ Pan Macmillan Australia

Reviewed In Series Fury (The Cure #1)

New-Adult, Dystopia, Science-Fiction

eARC provided by Netgalley

My Rating 5 Stars

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Here in the west they know a lot about hope. They know how to ration it just as they do with food and water.

Josephine is at last free of the blood moon. But in a desperate rush to find help for a comatose Luke, she discovers the strange and dangerous world of the resistance, and it is unlike any world Josi has known.

In the west they believe in fury – they cultivate and encourage it. The unruly people of the resistance know that to survive means to fight. But can they fight the inevitable cure for sadness that rushes steadily closer?

In the action-packed sequel to Fury, everything Josi believes about herself will be challenged. Haunted by atrocities and betrayals, she must find the strength to trust again, and decide how far she is willing to go to fight the inevitable.

At times both brutal and sweet, Melancholy is the story of second chances and finding love in a ruined world.

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Actual rating 4.5 Stars

REVIEW It’s so great to get back into this story! I love Josi and Luke, even though they aren’t seeing eye to eye right now. This episode ends with a major cliff hanger, which was expected. I’m just not going to read the other episodes, I’ll wait for the omnibus edition to release next month.

This story picks right back up at the end of Fury. Josi and Luke are being taken to the Resistance camp, and Luke is still not conscious. Will, Hal and Pace are some great characters to add to this story – especially Pace. Love her wry sense of humor, and the girl can spot BS a mile away. Quinn and Raven on the other hand, I distrust. It was nice to get Raven’s POV, because the woman is truly sinister. I don’t like her because of the way she thinks every man should want her. And the fact that Luke isn’t interested in her, pisses her off something fierce. Josi is right to keep her true identity a secret, because there’s no telling what Quinn and Raven will do to her.

I didn’t like the tension between Luke and Josi, but I knew to expect it. He lied to her, and it’s hard to admit that you love someone who would do that. I’m not sure what to expect from Luke with that virus in his blood. Will he go on a murdering rampage every blood moon? I hope not, but surely Josi will see the signs and lock him in a cell until it’s over. I think if they manage to get Dr. Ben, he and Dodge could put those genius brains together and find a cure.

I enjoyed this episode, but I’m waiting to read the whole book next month. I highly recommend this series, especially for Dystopia lovers. Do Not, I repeat, Do Not read this episode (or the omnibus edition) before reading book 1. You will not know what is going on with these characters, trust me. Charlotte has created a great world and awesome characters with this series. I can’t wait to read more.