Title: Three Degrees and Gone
Author: J. Stewart Willis
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
ISBN: 168433361X
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 326
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington
Pacific Book Review
Author J. Stewart Willis’ story Three Degrees and Gone is both thrilling and somewhat disheartening. The reader experiences a fusion of emotions throughout the book as one virtually follows the characters in the journeys they take.
The first chapter starts in Texas City, in the fall of 2086. The reader is introduced to Frank Wilkins, who at the time works for Gibson Petroleum. The thing about the character you first read in the book is that you get obsessed with them. I felt like I knew Frank Wilkins in person and always wanted to follow him as he moved. I was not sure if I would like or dislike him in the book as the author gave him indeterminate traits at the beginning. Frank lived with his wife Dana and daughter Embrey.
The United States has transformed into something unforeseen by many. The good old USA is not the same anymore. Through the transformation, we see how lives change and how extreme the effects of change can be to people. Cities and towns have to adopt new models for the survival of its inhabitants. The weather is not what it used to be anymore. Residents in cities experience coastal floods and the state is turned into a nation of migrants. How do you readjust from living a comfortable life to surviving as a displaced person? We see the rise of tent cities and temporary shelters due to the extreme weather as life stops being what it used to be.
The reader follows different families; especially three family groups that strain with the minimum resources to survive. With problems arising, solutions have to be explored. The families though from different parts of the country, join forces to look for illegal traffickers to help them cross over to Canada as they know this is going to be a complicated and dangerous task. They are to live as illegal immigrants in Canada. I enjoyed this bit in the story as we see how determined human beings can be when they have a set goal. The families went through hurdles and challenges to get to the border which ironically enough had a physical and electronic wall. Life was not what they had expected and they were doing the impossible. I admired their courage and the traits the author gave them.
We learn about patience, determination and not giving up through the plight of the displaced families. I appreciated the lessons that were demonstrated in the story. Is it wrong to break the law for one to survive? Three Degrees and Gone is a refreshing book for readers that love drama and adventure fiction books. The storyline is irresistible with charming characters. The author’s excellent narration of the story in the book gives one the impression of experiencing the events in the present. The plot develops slowly, eventually getting to be more and more adventuresome and very intriguing. Readers will enjoy the themes in the book: politics, power, poverty, immigration, lawlessness, human behavior and family unity. It is a book not to be missed for readers seeking a unique book which will linger long in their minds after finishing the story.
