Book Review: Forever, Cedar Key

Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell

Only the lucky and the connected survive in this post-apocalyptic world—but here, even the strongest communities become targets.

Nearly a year after a nuclear event devastated the planet, the people from the island town of Cedar Key are still learning what it means to live in the new world.

Disconnected from any other civilization, this small town community is finally settling into their new normal. But the Colonel has just returned with bleak news—most of Florida is a barren wasteland and enemies will soon approach the shores of Cedar Key.

This sophomore novel picks up right where book one, Godspeed, Cedar Key, left off. The town is on the brink of war for their territory. Weaving through the past and present, Bobbitt tells the story of fathers and sons, the losses they endure, and the strength of community in a book that stands strongly on its own.

“There comes a time in every father’s life when they can no longer protect their sons from the dangers of the world, when they have to let them become the men they will become.”

Bobbitt writes so beautifully about the end of times—and no, that’s not a contradiction. This community has suffered great tragedy and the world as they know it has ended, but we focus instead on the ways in which a group of people can flourish when they work together. Through the devastation, the author allows his characters to experience the joys of life through the celebration of love, togetherness, and the friends that turn into family. And when the bleakness of the current time begins to take over, he switches the narration back to the past and provides deeper understanding for how these characters came to be. I was pleasantly surprised at how hopeful this book could be despite being about the end of the world.

The book centers around a man named Isaac Skipjack, who tragically lost his father when he was just a boy. The mystery surrounding his death haunts Isaac his whole life, but community member Mark David and his son give him new purpose just months after losing him. He works with them, planting clams in the ocean, and over time, their relationship blossoms in a way that restores the boy. But then he leaves without a trace.

Thirty years later, he returns with a fleet in tow and with plans to ambush the town. His return rattles the men of Cedar Key as they question his motives and fear his understanding of the land and water surrounding it. This isn’t their first time dealing with intruders, but this fight will be nothing like the others. This forthcoming battle is what drives the book forward with suspense.

Forever, Cedar Key captures the feeling of home better than anything I’ve ever read. It’s not just the physical setting—though the environment does play a big part—it’s also the community that pulls the characters back in when they’ve lost their way. This is why they fight so hard to protect what they’ve built. It’s easy to see and understand these characters’ why after getting to know Cedar Key.

“Life in a small town in like a Shakespeare play—the secrets are constantly being overheard and misunderstood to tragic effect.”

We’re introduced to the impending arrival of Isaac Skipjack in the first few pages of the book, but as the battle draws closer and closer, a sense of stagnancy arrives. I was happy to read anecdotes from the past—those breaks really contribute to the story in a positive way—but the suspense turns into impatience for how and when the conflict will eventually develop.

I left this book wanting to join the community of Cedar Key. Readers will love the sense of community, the hope for the fate of the town, and the heart-wrenching story of a boy who lost his father and never found peace.

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