I was going to get all upset at the end, but I was mollified. A solid five star read here. Although I can't say that I loved every bit of this book, it's a masterful story. A refreshing change from the YA-centric dystopians. I like those too, but this was better, more mature, more in-line with what I know. It feels authentic rather than fantastical, and respects (at least in my mind) the experiences of real human beings in extreme situations. It also didn't come across to me as a cautionary tale, which was nice, though I suppose I could have missed the warning if it was there. I feel politically battered in real life, and this book didn't add to my burdens and fears. I didn't feel like this was a 'message' book, though I may be missing the point on that score too. I freely admit I'm not the most astute person by a long shot. Maybe I was supposed to feel something other than what I felt, which was transported away from political bluster and superhero fantasies to a place that's both extreme but also as possible as all the real places of atrocity past and present are, where people could be people, in all their flawed and beautiful and yes, even heroic ways.