Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely

Author: Lyndsay Ely

Narrator:  Christie Moreau

Title: Gunslinger Girl

Format: Unabridged 

Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins

Publication: 2018

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Source: Library

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James Patterson presents a bold new heroine—a cross between Katniss Everdeen and Annie Oakley: Serendipity Jones, the fastest sharpshooter in tomorrow's West. 

Seventeen-year-old Serendipity "Pity" Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She's been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great....

In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.

Review 

This was an okay read. Pity's tired of her life in the commune and wants nothing more than to escape from her abusive father. He's decided to trade her to another commune because she's fertile and they are short on women that can bear children. Pity's determined that won't be her life and plots to escape on her own. She gets her chance when her friend, Fin decides that she wants to see the world and won't let Pity leave without her. The moment doesn't last long and Pity finds herself in Cessation without Fin. This place is new and thrilling at first but she has to earn her keep by becoming part of the show. Pity discovers that life in Cessation is much grittier than she thought when she's asked to do something she's not comfortable with doing, a Finale. She finds herself at the mercy of Selene and involved in a dangerous plot to save the town or lose what she loves. Pity realizes falling in love makes you vulnerable to those that seek to use you and Selene has her strung tight. 

I liked Pity, she has an innocence about her that was appealing. She has some growth in this book as she learns that life is hard and scary no matter where you go but it's worth the risk try for something better. I would have liked to get to know Fin more because she seemed the most interesting character to me.  Now, the world didn't feel western to me. The only aspect of that was Pity and her guns. It felt more futuristic with a circus vibe. Overall, the writing is good and the pace moved rather fast for this one. I think anyone that likes westerns with a futuristic twist and political backstabbing may enjoy this one. 

Narration: Moreau does a good job bringing the characters to life but it was strange that Pity was the only one that had a deep country accent or maybe it just stood out more to me.