Catalyst

Catalyst is a book with enormous ideas. It takes on fracking, environmental degradation, thoughts, human relationships, religion, archaeology, and familial relationships. Those ideas are a lot to cover in 248 pages. Frankly, if you focused on even one of these ideas, you could cover it, but all is a tall order. But, in general, Catalyst conveys what it sets out to. It is a story about an archeological dig site and how environmental degradation is happening all over the planet.

One of the main focuses of the story is the relationships between the main characters. Mainly, the protagonist of the story is Marcie. Marcie is supported by her brother Eric, girlfriend Renee, and possible love interest Leo. These four characters come together at a dig site to do some summer work. Their advisors are grad students Loraine and Zeke, who also play pivotal roles in Marcie'sMarcie's development. There is something different about Loraine and Zeke. Something that takes the four main characters by surprise and changes their lives forever. I can't tell you more than that because.... spoilers. But, know the story does not go where you think it will.

I think some of the difficulties I faced reading this story are the pacing. It felt choppy. I think if it had another two hundred pages of story development, I would have connected with the characters on a deeper level. I enjoyed the environmental aspects of the story. I think a book that takes on fracking is essential. Not many people know the degradation that fracking does to the land, and I am glad that the author took the time to explain why it damages everything so much.

Even though this was not a book for me, I don't connect with YA as much as some readers do, this story has a lot of good. It is interesting, and I am curious about what the next book will look like. Plus, if you are interested in the metaphysical aspect of the human consciousness that this is an even better book for you as a reader.

All in all, Catalyst did not connect with me, but I think that readers of YA with a metaphysical or environmental theme will love this.