I didn't realize how short the book was until it was too late— I was thoroughly absorbed and then, all of a sudden, *boom* it's the end! I would have happily read more because the plot was fascinating!

Firstly, this is a translation from Spanish, and I have to think that the translator did a good job here. It doesn't have any clunkiness or strangeness that sometimes translations have.

The novel is short, only 140 pages, and I read it in one sitting. The story follows a doctor who is escaping underground during a cataclysmic sandstorm which is forcing everyone to live in the subway and sewers. This part is rather brief, and shifts to a boy named Kirmen, who is slowly being turned into a plant. Kirmen's story is somewhat engaging, though most of it is him questioning people and hearing their answers. There's a rather long segment that's just him and the doctor talking back and forth.

The entire story is dystopian, but really only hints as these things and lets the reader work them out. I think there's good bones in this story, but it really does suffer from its length. I feel as soon as we become connected to the young Kirmen, it shifts to him aging and his transformation. Ultimately, it's an interesting story but it feels disjointed and far too brief to have a lasting impact.