You never know true freedom until it is taken away from you. What if you were condemned to die in a mall with a thousand other people and no exit? Many would have come just to spend some time with their loved ones, or look for a break after a week's hectic routine. Only, none of them would have thought that leaving wasn't an option.No Safety In Numbers by Dayna Lorentz, depicts this very situation, but told through the eyes of four teenagers, all of whom but one are alone by themselves in the mall. On an otherwise normal day, a biological bomb is found in the air vents of the mall, leading officials to close the mall along with the people inside, for fear that the "disease" that the innocent people would have contracted will only spread to the rest of the population....if they are let out. This gripping tale reminds me of two other books, with similar settings. In Lord of the Flies, the school boys were trapped in an island with a monster of their own sort. And in Gone, a book that I have reviewed previously, the children are restrained in a city, with no way to escape.
This book was captivating and revolved around the personal turmoils that each teen was facing; besides the fact that all of them were trapped. It included lots of mystery, adventure, and a hint of romance too. As to the cons of this book, I felt that there was use of some language and settings, which makes it suitable for people above 14. On the whole though, I enjoyed this book for its ability to provide an interesting plot with some definitely interesting characters. There are totally three books in this series, with the last one still pending for me to read.
