This novel offers so much potential but is ultimately a great dissapointment. The plot jumps around between deus and diabolus ex machina, with the protagonists plight being dependent solely on the intentions of the latest group to barge in from nowhere and impose its will. I must admit, the portrayal of these groups with their conflicting interests, where none is unequivocally 'bad' or 'good', is refreshing--unlike other commenters, I appreciated the author's willingness to veer from stereotypes like the scumbag pirate and the polite Canadian. Instead, we see protagonist and antagonist alike making tough and sometimes dubious decisions in difficult circumstances. Unfortunately, the novel's merits are outweighed by its failings. It suffers from poor execution and ends with an unconvincing, feel-good victory which left me questioning if anything would really change. And so a mediocre read deserves a mediocre rating.

another dystopian novel which i expected more from. this novel turned out to be average, but it was nothing too exceptional. the story itself was enthralling and i found that the author could have taken a much different and better approach. still, i think the characters are very well likeable for a teen novel like this one, and there was a lot of potential behind the story. i wonder if there would be a second to this, as the way it ended off was sort of unsatisfactory.

This started out so promising then quickly nosedived. I don't like being preached at and, sorry, making the Canadians the bad guys? Too unbelievable. And why are the pirates the good guys - didn't they shoot at and capture the kids in the story?

As an avid reader of dystopian novels, THE WATER WARS was a no-brainer for me to pick up, but because of the many books I've read from this category, I found myself disappointed in this novel for a variety of reasons. For one, Vera's relationship to this strange boy named Kai seemed off. She'd only known him for a short while yet was ready to risk her life. The characters and their drive to save Kai was strange and didn't seem to follow suit with how a regular person would act. The relationship was forced, to say the least. Another thing I didn't enjoy was the way the novel seemed to jump around, primarily at the beginning. It took a lot of time for something to happen, yet when it did, the novel didn't flow. Parts seemed clumped together and messy. On the plus side, the set up of the novel was amazing. The setting seemed tangible and terrifying and stirs readers into thinking about what they use and how much they use. Had the book been written with a stronger plot and more reliable characters, it could easily have been a book to impress ideas of conservation into the teenage generation, but it fell short of strong standards set before it and was a disappointment.

Water Wars was okay. I'm glad it was pretty short because I don't think I would've wanted to read much more. Overall it was a pretty interesting concept and the idea is really great, but I think it was executed poorly

this book is a must-read if you love futuristic or even adventure books. also, if you enjoyed the hunger games, you'll probably like this one too. nicely plotted, and the action really builds throughout the book, so you will keep reading. [: