Violet Black
Eileen Merriman
2021
Penguin Books

July 22, 2022

I loved Violet Black by Eileen Merriman. I couldn’t stop reading: what got me at first was the introduction of a dystopian world post-pandemic. It reminded me of The Maze Runner by James Dashner. And then I kept searching for more information, and I am still craving it after finishing the book.

A deadlier strain of measles circulates, and the author holds anti-vaxxers accountable for allowing it to spread. What makes the plot thicken, is that some vaccinated teenagers, infected by the virus, wake from a coma to discover that they have special powers. If you have powers, a greater threat comes around; the government might get in your face, capture you, and use you. So these powers seem to be both a gift and a burden, as life and death are in the balance. I think it depends on who you are, but if I lived in this dystopia, I would have no idea: who do you trust? Scientists, the government, or the anti-vaxxers. Basically, you can’t trust anyone.

Violet and Ethan are the main characters, and they tell the story from their first-person point of view. Violet is the most dominant of the characters, in personality and in her importance to the plot. She always seems to get the most important parts of the narrative; the book is called Violet Black, after all. Violet is the one who kept me interested because of all of the drama that seemed to surround her, while Ethan serves as the love interest and an ineffectual sidekick. There could have been more action or more character development for Ethan since he got sidelined for Violet near the end of the book. I found Ethan was the most relatable of the characters – he’s just your average teenage boy. I wished I could make more sense of Violet’s actions sometimes.

I was left wondering about the significance of Ethan because as a character, he is easily replaced. However, he did balance the point of view, and offered a world-building perspective. He helped me understand the dystopian context of this world, where telepathy, astral projection, and healing powers exist. For example, he explains a future where our diets change significantly: “We’re tucking into a Meatlover’s pizza, which the Virtual Pizza Shack drone dropped off a few minutes ago. It’s not real meat, which most people have given up now, but the advertisements would have you believe the taste is no different.” The author adds a commentary on veganism, perhaps Ethan wishes meat had not been shunned by society? It is not hard to consider, as global warming and environmental concerns are a large factor for many people in contemporary society switching to plant-based diets. But I did wonder what they actually ate, seeing as the food supply was so limited.

Something that I love about this dystopia, is that the author does not tell us everything. I found that I was left with a lot of questions about how this new world works. The author led me into a trap of wanting to read the next book, which was a smart move on her part. The book ends in a cliffhanger, which opens more unanswered questions, both for the future of the characters, namely Violet, and in the hopes that we come to understand their society more. One thing I would love to know is, who does the evil group that Violet tries to undermine work for, and what is their agenda?

The author seems to enjoy playing with her reader’s emotions, most notably through the building and destroying of relationships. But while enduring the struggles of the characters, it is worth it because we can unravel mysteries within this new dystopian world, and follow the action. After reading this book, at a time when we face our own pandemic, it seems the author is warning us about the dangers of global warming and encourages us to take a look at how we respond to a pandemic. Overall, this book is interesting, thought-provoking, and a great read for young adults.

• Trillion lives in Auckland.