Mara's unconventional, off-the-grid childhood taught her all there is to know about survival. As an adult, she spends her days teaching those skills to wealthy clients at Primal Instinct, a survival school aimed at replicating a true overnight survival experience under the guidance of experienced instructors.
When a TV production crew arrives at Primal Instinct to scout potential cast members for an upcoming survival reality show called "Civilization," Mara's mundane daily life is suddenly shattered with the glittering possibility of prize money beyond her wildest dreams--a ticket out of her life into a future of endless possibilities.
Under both the cameras and near-constant supervision of the crew, Mara and the four strangers chosen with her find "Civilization" an interesting albeit challenging replica of true survival: an undisclosed location, no shelter, one item of their choosing to aid their efforts, and 6 weeks to last for the prize money. Simple enough for Mara, whose entire life has prepared her for survival.
That is, until one morning everything mysteriously changes and "Civilization" takes a sinister turn nobody (readers included) could have predicted.
Even for someone like me who has only mild (at best) interest in outdoor survivalism, there's a lot to love about Blair Braverman's "Small Game." It's a quick, immersive read that seems plausible enough and boasts an intriguing cast of characters. While the first half of the story is mostly atmosphere-setting and character-building, there is a very palpable moment where the story is totally spun on its head. I dare you to see if you can put the book down at that point.
Something to note that's bound to emerge in other reviews; the ending (no spoilers here!) does not do the story as a whole justice. It feels rather abrupt and incredibly unfinished, but I was okay with that because of the unsettling mystery that kind of ending brought to the story. I interpreted the end as simply not knowing--and that felt like an intentional rather than lazy choice from the author to me. Others may disagree, but I wholly enjoyed this & think others will too, so long as they prepare themselves for the inevitable untied loose ends.
Rating: 4 Stars
Publication Details: Out Now, Ecco Books
*Huge thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing my review copy!*
