“What is happening to the planet isn‘t somebody else’s problem -it’s mine, it’s Dad’s. Every one of us who lives and breathes on our earth has the same problem, and ignoring it won’t make it go away.”
I read this book months ago, the second the proof hit my kindle, and it was everything I hoped it was going to be and more. Dark Blue Rising, the first book in this series blew me away and left me desperate for the sequel; the same is true of Red Sky Burning.
It picks up where Dark Blue Rising left us: Tabby is on the run after losing her mother in a huge storm and discovering some terrifying things about her school and her other family members. Red Sky Rising is dual perspective, joining Tabby’s story to that of her school friend Denzi.
Denzi’s dad works for the government and is heavily involved in the government’s management of The Circle and the ongoing climate crisis. Denzi lives with him and his other dad. He spends much of the book analysing his relationship to his mother, why she wasn’t there for him and what happened. Through this he discovers a link between himself and his classmates: The Penrose Clinic, an IVF clinic which forms much of the mystery of this book. I loved trying, and failing, to work out what was happening at the clinic and why it kept popping up all over the place.
Tabby is not in a good place. She is scared of everything and everyone, except the sea. She finds so much comfort in being by the sea, which I loved initially. As the book goes on though, she becomes increasingly obsessive about being near the sea and struggles to be away from it. This adds even more tension to an already stressful read. We are aware that Tabby is bbeing followed and constantly on edge expecting her to be caught. There is a very real sense of danger, and it is hard to trust anyone in Tabby’s life at this point.
Climate change is a huge theme in Red Sky Burning. There are climate change protests and many of the disasters are thought to be caused by protestors. The government are reacting badly to this. There are a lot of echoes to real life, and it’s not the first time I’ve read one of Teri’s books and wondered if she has a crystal ball.
Red Sky Burning is a phenomenal sequel to Dark Blue Rising. I loved the development in these characters and their story. I am obsessed and I need to know what happens next. Immediately.
Charlotte, Somewhere 
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