A solar flare scorches the Earth, creating a world of struggling survivors and and evil corporation, The Hive, hoarding supplies and safe structures for themselves. With supplies dwindling, step-sisters Mille and Rose must leave their safe bunker with their baby brother and try to find Mille's Seminole grandmother in the hopes she has survived, too. Along the way, they meet the Lost Boys, a group of theater kids from a summer camp and their councilor, who are traveling around to in a modified bus to try and find the kids families in the hopes they survived. Hope, heartbreak, and the desperate need for survival is layered through the scorched Appalachian landscape. Millie is is desperate to find her grandmother because she needs the stories and learning of the Indigenous people to try to help survive in the world. Rose wants to be rid of Millie, but won't leave because she loves their brother. As the story progresses, family bonding and found-family with a little levity help break up the bleak, heartbreaking world of the Flicker. Give to fans of post-apocalyptic and survival stories.

In a post-apocalyptic world (a result of significant climate crisis), a pair of step-siblings must navigate a newly dangerous world and find some kind of long-term safety. They connect with a theatre troupe - safety in numbers - and work their way toward 'Sanctuary' where they should find safety and perhaps relatives. But it's a dangerous journey as lawlessness reigns and ruthless bands of thugs are looking to take whatever they can, including people.

The journey becomes a metaphor for one of the siblings who is on a personal journey as well, struggling to understand their own sexual identity, coming to terms with and admitting to those around them, that they are trans.

I think it's important that young readers who struggle with their sexual identity have books and characters that they can identify with. In this sense, this book works quite nicely. It's an important part of the character development, but it's not the focus of the story which is appreciated.

But...

The story is extremely generic. There is nothing special about this post apocalyptic world. It's a tamed-down version (it's soft YA) of every post-apocalyptic story you've ever read or watched. As a sci-fi adventure it struggles to set itself apart from overflowing bookstore shelves. As a character study, unless you are specifically looking for a young trans character with whom to identify, there's really nothing here. This is a passage of time, focused on some young adults making their way in a depressing world. <shrug>

I definitely didn't hate anything here. Nothing rubbed me the wrong way, but I waited and waited for something interesting to happen. Is waiting for a character to realize that they are a 'they' enough? Perhaps for some, but not for this reader.

Looking for a good book? The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon is a YA adventure in a post-apocalyptic (climate crises) world with one of the main characters coming to terms with being trans. Sadly, not much happens.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.