Written by Blake Smith
Our entire nation had been lied to for decades. Millions murdered to fit a narrative. We had no idea what was taking place outside the Walls. Whether we were being protected as we were told, or caged. We lived lives guided primarily by fear.
I was given The Seclusion in exchange for an honest review! I am so happy to have had the opportunity to read and review Jacqui Castle’s debut novel!
Set in a dystopian future in the year 2090, America has enclosed itself to the outside world by building walls around all surrounding borders to keep out unwanted immigrants and terrorists. The Wall is meant to protect the residents of America. Sound familiar? The government controls everything. Where people live, what they watch, what they eat, where they go; every aspect of their lives is controlled by a faceless entity referred to as “The Board”.
The Board provides. The Board protects. I am grateful for the protection.
This phrase is ingrained into every citizens’ brain—including Patch. Patch is the protagonist of the story and wants nothing more in this life than to keep her head down. She wants to do her job by taking samples of the earth to determine the toxicity levels, and tend to her tiny garden in front of her apartment. Patch has always obeyed the laws, taking every video and public service announcement the Board sends out to heart. She shuns and steers clear of others who have turned their backs on the government and is constantly questioning why anyone would ever question the Board or want to leave the comfort of the Walls.
However, her point of view starts to shift when Patch and her friend Rexx discover an old broken-down van while on one of their assignments. Despite her initial reaction to immediately report the van, Patch and Rexx search the vehicle for any clues of what life was like before the Wall. What they find is simply a glimpse into life many years before their time. The van is loaded with maps and books; contraband that is illegal now that The Board is in charge. Hiding this discovery would surely mean punishment or perhaps even death. It’s too late to turn back now though, as Patch’s curiosity has sparked into a burning flame.
The duo decides to confide in her parents and show them the vehicle to hopefully garner some more information and truly understand what is happening. After an awkward car ride to the van, Patch and Rexx show them their discovery. Although shocked at the finding, her father is familiar with the books and recounts what his life was like during The Board’s overtaking of the country. Patch and Rexx are dumbfounded and can’t believe what they are hearing. They have been lied to their entire lives; knowing nothing other than what their parents and the Board has been feeding them.
After digesting this information, they return to their homes. However, after dropping off her parents and taking Rexx back to his apartment, they receive a message. “Geoffrey Collins is being held in federal custody on charges of treason. An investigation into the charges has begun. You will be informed of the results.” Patch’s father had already been taken into custody only shortly after returning home. Thoughts and fears race through their minds as they know it’s only a matter of time before The Board will be after them as well. They must decide—run and try to find life beyond the Wall, or stay, and most likely face their death for committing treason.
Rexx and Patch ultimately decide to take their chances to try to find a new life for themselves beyond their polluted city. The journey they embark on is filled with adventures, quirky new characters, and dangerous encounters.
I don’t want to further spoil anything, but this novel has been a fun surprise to read. The world that Jacqui Castle creates could potentially be a very relatable one sooner than we think and it is interesting to even think about this type of dystopian future.
Overall, I give this book an 8 /10. If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games or Divergent series, I highly recommend The Seclusion to you. The only reason I didn’t rate it higher is because of detail. I wish she would have delved into life before the Wall and maybe even did a deeper back story on Patch’s family. The full book is around 290 pages, but I sincerely believe it could have easily been 600 if she would have added more detail. Other than that, the book was a fantastic and exciting novel. I look forward to following Patch’s journey and other work from Jacqui Castle.
The Seclusion is now available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
Will you be checking out The Seclusion? Or have you read it already? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
In the year 2090, America has walled itself off from the rest of the world. When her father is arrested by the totalitarian Board, a young woman sets out to escape the only country she’s ever known.
While on a routine assignment scouting the viability of dwindling natural resources outside the massive urban centers most American citizens call home, Patricia ’Patch’ and her co-worker Rexx discover a relic from the past containing dangerous contraband―unedited books from before The Seclusion. These texts will spark an unquenchable thirst for the truth that sees Patch’s father arrested by the totalitarian Board.
Evading her own arrest, Patch and Rexx set out across a ruined future United States, seeking some way to escape the only home they’ve ever known. Along the way, they learn about how their country came to be this way and fall in love. But their newfound knowledge may lead to their own demise.
