Title Unicorns in the Rain Series --- Author Barbara Cohen Cover Art Ruth Sanderson Publisher Collier Books - 1988 First Printing 1980 Category Young Adult Warnings None Main Characters Nikki, Sam Main Elements Unicorns

The world that Nikki lives in is corrupt and dangerous - neither right nor wrong seems to matter any more. Nikki herself has just broken up with an abusive boyfriend, and is on her way from a mother who doesn't care about her to a grandmother who cares less.

Then, while she's on the train, an attractive man strikes up a conversation. He invites her to have dinner at his house; Nikki takes the chance, and accepts. Sam's family seem more than a little mysterious, as if they're hiding some kind of secret. And when Nikki finally learns what it is, she has to make the most important decision of her life.

A retelling of Noah's Ark, but set in a 1980-esque dystopian world where everyone walks around with guns and it was a big deal to be without one's "helmet", the latter never explained. At first I was shocked about how dark this was, thinking it was a middle grade book, but it's really young adult with college age protagonists. Nikki has an abusive junkie boyfriend and a family that doesn't care about her. So on a trip to visit her grandmother (neither of which really looking forward to it), Nikki goes to the home of Sam, who is being oddly evasive and strangely desperate to have someone not just stay for dinner but to stay for a few days.

Well, that's because he's the only member of the family without a mate (but icky as that sounds, he's actually nice guy). Nikki eventually finds out about the animals, and then the ark, and then the end of the world. She tries to leave this house of crazy people (I mean if someone told you there was going to be a flood in a couple of days to wipe out all humans on the planet, would you believe that person?). But the unicorns draw her back. These aren't magical creatures in this world, just very, very rare. But unlike the original tale of how the unicorns were too silly playing to get on the ark in time, it is a much more tragic tale here.

It was...weird. I read a review that said this was kind of common for young adult 80's book, with lots of drugs and sex. I wasn't YA in that decade so I wouldn't know really, but I had to admit this was bizarre, dark, and yet, I loved the unicorn aspect of it which was unique. I wouldn't recommend anyone going out an buying it, but if your library, like mine, still has a copy lurking in a dark corner, might be worth a read.