The Wilds: Donna Augustine

[Leighann-Marie]

The Wilds by Donna Augustine.

The Wilds centers on a few main characters in a world destroyed by a plauge. The Bloody Death runs rampant around the world, wiping out the majority of the worlds population. The few who survive the plauge are labeled plaugers and are avoided at all costs.

Dal is a plauger who spent most of her life in the Cement Giant, a compound for plaugers and anyone deemed mentally ill.
She knows that not everyone is as they seem, some of them aren't even human, but no one believes her. Surviving the plauge has altered her in more ways that one, including being able to identify Dark Walkers.

Dal is rescued from The Cement Giant by Dax, a dark haired, light eyed stranger with an ulterior motive. Dal knows that her only hope of surviving The Wilds in her state is to go with him, but there is a price. Dax offers to teach her how to survive in The Wilds if she helps him identify Dark Walkers for reasons he is not willing to share. Though the idea is scary for Dal she agrees anyway and their path is set.

From there, Dal and Dax spend their time travelling around the Wilds on his mission to identify any Dark Walkers they can find. They go from one run down watering hole to another looking for Dark Walkers.

When they're not on the road looking for Dark Walkers, they're at the farm that Dax is from where Dal is introduced to multiple different characters that fill different roles in her new daily life. Fudge, who makes the best food Dal has ever tasted. Tiffy, the 4 year old who seems wise beyond her years but is constantly talking about her invisible friends that she wants Dal to meet. Finally, Bookie. Named for his love of books, Dal falls finds in Bookie the close friend she is lacking in her new life.


Following Dal on her journey is a ride worth taking. Her lack of knowledge of the world around her, learning most things second hand or from novels, she is as innocent as she is tainted. Never having the opportunity to experience life has left her a lot like an innocent child but she has also been through so much for her 18 years.
Overall, this is the kind of book that keeps you on edge, has so many twists and turns that you never know for sure what is coming and keeps you excited through out. There are so many different levels to this book and you find yourself excited to uncover each level.