2012 Book 10: Latitude 38

LATITUDE 38 by Ron Hutchison takes place in the future when America has been split into two countries, Pais Nuevo and United Secular States of America, which are divided by the 38th latitude. Pais Nuevo is corrupt and has eliminated essential American freedoms. Anyone caught trying to cross the border into the USSofA are subject to being shot on sight. 

The story follows a group of eight people attempting to cross the border. They are being led by Arnold Cutbirth, who is on his last smuggling trip across the border. Each person is from different background and has a different reason for wanting to cross. They must learn to work together to get across latitude 38.

I found this to be a very intriguing story, though there were some fairly graphic scenes I wish weren't included. Also I think the author could had gone into more detail about how the two countries had come to be formed. In some ways it reminded me of The Hunger Games. Unfortunately the ending is not a happy one.

Excerpt from the book:

What had once been the envy of the world was now two separate republics—neurotic, broken, and put-upon—and the border somehow seemed to symbolize their sense of loss.