Drop by Drop by Morgan Llywelyn

DROP BY DROP by Morgan Llywelyn is based on an intriguing premise: everything plastic is melting so modern necessities – like ATMs, medical devices, computerized navigation and communications, even plastic pens – all stop working. This, of course, results in a catastrophe and Llywelyn then intermixes that with the personal struggles of several small town inhabitants.  However, the story itself does not seem to really hang together. The time period is unclear, too, with references to Adolf Hitler as if he was a contemporary leader while also describing AllCom, a device that could be considered advanced even in our time.  Overall, this is a confusing read.

I do want to positively acknowledge the fabulous, eye-catching cover which I originally thought would help to make this title an easy, appealing booktalk candidate for high school students.  Sadly,  however, the publisher of DROP BY DROP (Tor, a division of Macmillan) has decided to restrict eBook sales to libraries like ours.  Here are links to two recent articles – from the ALA (“New Tor delay on library ebooks hurts readers, authors and libraries”) and Publishers Weekly – with more information on this unfortunate decision. Libraries and librarians promote discovery of new titles and authors. We encourage reading and merit timely, equal access to new titles.