Review: The Survival Game

The Survival Game by Nicky Singer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What is it about :

A grim dystopian tale, set in the near future after climate change has changed the planet and its politics.

Mhairi Bain is left alone after her parents are killed and she’s travelled back from Sudan to her home in Scotland. She has suffered severe hardship and trauma and comes across a young, mute boy she calls Mo and claims to authorities , that he’s her brother. But this is called into question and she is brought to court for bringing an ‘illegal’ into the country.

There are detention centres for people without documents and these are harsh, and there are deportations and punishments. To control the population people are given the needle when they reach 75, and in some circumstances you can gift your life years to others.

What did I like :

I liked Mhairi, a 14 year old that has seen and done too much already at such an age. She is clearly traumatised and uses the ‘castle’ to store bad memories. Much like Sherlock Holmes has a mind palace. .


What I didn’t like so much:

I would have liked a little more background into how the world climate had changed.

Would I recommend:

Absolutely, Nicky Singer has created a believable and awful world, which at times mirrors the current refugee crisis and the heartbreak this causes



I would like to thank the The author/the Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review


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