I received an advance review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I found this book while looking through selections on the BookSirens review
site. The first thing that caught my eye was the opening to the blurb: "In
1960, the plagues came to Galina. Today, they came back for the survivors'
descendants." I do enjoy a good historical sci-fi story, so I took the
dive.
I found Red Hail a great story I enjoyed immensely. The characters were
interesting and written well, and there were several I cared about. The
interactions between characters was well written and believable. I felt as
though I was in the places being described by the settings. There was nothing
about this tale I didn't like. The story itself flowed very well and as it
bounced between the two eras it covered, 1960 and 2020, I was always able to
distinguish between the two.
There are some uncomfortable moments as it unfolds. Plot points include
racism, sexism, religious conflict, and a few depictions of violence that may make some
uncomfortable, but nothing was in any way gratuitous or sensationalized.
It's 1960 in the town of Galina, Arizona, located close to the border
between the US and Mexico. A young woman goes to see a friend for help with a
precarious situation. While they visit, there is a storm with red hail falling
from the sky. Before long, many of the people of the town start showing
strange, unexplainable behaviors. There doesn't seem to be anything medically
wrong with those affected, but one group of people begin to blame the Hispanic
population for the plague brought by the storm.
Move forward to 2020. Colin and his partner, Alonzo, have moved into their
own place to live their lives together. A sociology Ph.D. candidate, Colin
works on his dissertation on the Galina Plague. He does not know just how close
he will get to his subject matter until Alonzo begins displaying symptoms sixty
years after the event.
These two stories come together in a satisfying and fascinating way at the
end of the tale.
My favorite characters in Red Hail follow Esperanza Kearney (known to most
as Anza) and a salty older woman named Dove McNally.
Anza lives with her father in Galina. At sixteen, she is an intelligent and
hard-working young woman with a lot of potential. When she discovers she is
pregnant, she seeks the help of Dove, a kind of expert on how to use plants for
numerous things. Anza has ambitions for her future and isn't ready to have a
family, and she is also petrified that her father would be more than a little
upset at her situation. He also wishes to see Anza reach her full potential,
and as a dedicated father, he will do just about anything to see his little
girl be successful in life.
Dove has a lot of life experience and isn't afraid to use it. She is handy
with cures and with a shotgun as well. She helps Anza as best she can through
the story and is someone I would like to know. Dove is a truly fun character
through the book as she helps those in need in whatever way she can.
My favorite point of plot in Red Hail is when the two stories come together.
It had me laughing out loud, but not because it was funny, but because of how
well the story was out together and how unexpectedly the plot twisted. It was
worth the time to read to get to the end because of how neatly it was all
wrapped up.
My takeaway from this tale is how one must be ever vigilant to watch out for
superstition as an explanation for something that cannot be explained. Nothing
can replace good, old-fashioned research and finding the empirical evidence.
The beliefs of some of the town members turned Galina into a war zone for a
time, and there was a lot of avoidable strife and loss of life.
Red Hail is a fun and entertaining story for any sci-fi fan looking for a
good read. There is plenty of action and suspense, lots of interesting
characters, and an out of this world ending.
I recommend this book for genre fans as well as those looking for a good
story. It is on the light-side of science fiction and more character driven.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jamie's short stories and flash fiction have appeared in dozens of
anthologies and magazines. She is also a writer and director of several dark
fiction podcasts.
Originally from Arizona, Jamie now lives in Texas with her longtime partner.
When she isn't writing, she enjoys practicing her mixology skills by inventing
new and exciting designer cocktails. She also likes craft beer, travel, and
cuddling with her two adorable rescue mutts.
Well, there it is...
Qapla!
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