Hi everyone! How are you all? It’s Friday, which means it’s time for another review, and today, I’m reviewing Together in a Broken World by Paul Michael Winters.
Together in a Broken World will be released in paperback on May 21 2024, by NineStar Press and is 380 pages long.
The Plot
Together in a Broken World tells the story of two boys trying to survive in a deadly world where a virus has decimated the global population. On top of that, a natural disaster, resulting in melting glaciers and rising sea levels, has entirely changed the world’s coastlines.
As they journey across America, growing closer and closer and falling more and more for one another, each struggles with keeping secrets that could just get them killed.
Characters
Zach
Zach was staying with his uncle in the small town of Elk Springs in Montanna when the Infection began. A year later, he is the town’s only survivor, desperate to return to Seatle and be reunited with his family. In the meantime, he has been holed up in the town bank, using it to keep himself safe from the Infected and any militia types who might try to take what he has, and he has quite a bit.
Aiden
Aiden is on a mission to deliver a potential cure to the horrific Infection which has been spreading across the world, all while trying to keep out of the way of the local militias that have sprung up following The Great Collapse. After having a rough go of things lately, Aiden’s life seems to take a turn for the better when he finds himself in a small town in Montanna and meets Zach.
Connor Bishop
Connor used to be a friend of Aiden’s, and he is the one who introduced Aiden and his boyfriend Marcus to the Scientific Collective. Whilst out on a mission, he attempts to assault Aiden and later falls off a bridge during a scuffle with a militia group, leading Aiden to presume he is dead, when in fact he had become tangled in construction netting, saving his life. When he reappears later, he wants revenge on Aiden for leaving him.
Curtis
Curtis is a kind older man living a simple life in the woods, growing produce and trading with others. When Aiden and Zach stumble upon his home needing assistance, Curtis doesn’t hesitate to offer, quickly becoming a good friend and ally to the younger men.
Writing Style
Together in a Broken World is wonderfully gripping right from the first page. The narrative is given in the first person and present tense, which I love; it allows the reader to get deeper into the characters’ minds and to feel the immediacy of the world and the peril the world throws at them. The story also unfolds alternately between both Aiden’s and Zach’s perspectives, with each character having a distinctly unique voice and personality, along with his own reasons for wanting to reach Seattle, which, all told, makes for an often intense but delightful read.
The book is paced well, too; at no point did I struggle to read or find myself plodding through the plot, wishing for more action or poignant, emotional moments. There is a nice mix of drama, adventure and romance without ever becoming too much involved in one over another.
There are some lovely messages in the book, too. Aiden and Zach’s story helps us to see that even in the worst days of our lives, there is light to be found. It also shows that connection and communication with others are essential and that we should not take such things for granted.
Another great thing about the book is that the chapters are just about perfect in length. Although I appreciate that a chapter needs to be as long as it needs to be from a storytelling perspective, I find it frustrating when I’m starting to nod off (I read in bed at night), only to discover the end of the chapter is still 12 pages away. That’s not the case here; the chapters are nicely spaced out, plus there are handy stopping-off points whenever the perspective switches, which, as well as alternating from chapter to chapter, often happens within them, too.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. I love a good post-apocalyptic yarn, and this one is definitely one of the better ones I’ve read. If I had one little gripe – and it is tiny – it would be that I would have preferred to know more about The Great Collapse, both the environmental catastrophe and the collapse of society. Although, realistically, you can only fit so much into one story, and admittedly, this one is about Aiden and Zach.
Overall, I think this book is well worth your time, especially if you enjoy reading gay romance, zombie-like stories (though the zombie-like people aren’t a huge focus here), or if you’re a fan in any way of queer fiction.
I am giving Together in a Broken World an 8/10.
The book is due for release in May 2024, and I was offered an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, as ever, for reading my review. It really means a lot.
Until next time,
George
© 2024 GLT
Categories: Book Reviews, Reading
GEORGE L THOMAS 
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