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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed the book. I thought it was a pretty cathartic read right now. The main issue I had was the side characters since a lot of them didn't really get much development and felt pretty one note. Nick was really the only of the ALC kids who had more than a one note personality.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I do think that if I read this in high school I would have adored this, but as it is I found the themes and characters far too underdeveloped for such a great concept. However! Excellent gore descriptions. That was the best part of any given chapter for sure.
I definitely think that there is an audience for this... I'm just not it. The LGBTQ representation in this was amazing, (although big triggers for transphobia and homophobia as they're dealing with religious cults). The ending was really fast paced and action packed. Essentially this book is the nightmare that is the Book of Revelation.
My problems with this book stem a lot from "it's me, not you" kind of thing. If nothing else, this year has taught me that I have moved past most YA titles and I'm not getting what I used to from reading them. Which is fine. I'm 33, this book wasn't written for me. The characters felt very young and immature. In some ways, I'd say, that's fine they're supposed to be. But at the same time, it's the end of the world, there's a plague and virus ravaging the population. Why are you so concerned about friends and romance? Doesn't seem like the highest of priorities. (A common problem in YA dystopian stories).
There's also A LOT of gore and body horror in this book. Like A LOT. More than is probably necessary. It was every single page. It started to feel gratuitous and redundant, thus kind of losing its power. Maybe if I enjoyed that type of horror, it wouldn't have bugged me as much, but for me, it was a lot.
My problems with this book stem a lot from "it's me, not you" kind of thing. If nothing else, this year has taught me that I have moved past most YA titles and I'm not getting what I used to from reading them. Which is fine. I'm 33, this book wasn't written for me. The characters felt very young and immature. In some ways, I'd say, that's fine they're supposed to be. But at the same time, it's the end of the world, there's a plague and virus ravaging the population. Why are you so concerned about friends and romance? Doesn't seem like the highest of priorities. (A common problem in YA dystopian stories).
There's also A LOT of gore and body horror in this book. Like A LOT. More than is probably necessary. It was every single page. It started to feel gratuitous and redundant, thus kind of losing its power. Maybe if I enjoyed that type of horror, it wouldn't have bugged me as much, but for me, it was a lot.
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️ 2 stars
I couldn’t get into it. The book throws you into action at page one in a bizarre dystopian world without the “obligatory” 50-100 boring pages fantasy books tend to have in order to ease you into the world and its setting. It would’ve been a lot easier to get into (and had a more of a contrasting impact) had we seen what Benji’s day to day life looked like at New Nazareth before he joined ALC. It would’ve given us time to get to know and care about our protagonist instead of attempting to get us to care and pity him by having Benji immediately lose his dad (who we also do not care about as we have not read about him before his death)
Another thing is that we didn’t spend enough time with the side characters for me to properly develop any attachment to them, which is a massive downfall considering how deeply Benji cares for these people we do not know the names of nor see him talking or interacting with. I did enjoy Salvador’s character, though. Xe was very fun and it made me glad to see another person with neopronouns (same with Lex, who appeared in all of one paragraph)
The descriptions of violence and gore were often read as repetitive and nonchalant in a way that left me feeling bored rather than horrified. The book’s bodily horror descriptions did get more interesting toward the end, though!
All in all, it was the rapid pacing that did it for me. I would’ve enjoyed it so much more had the story taken its time developing the world and its people more
I couldn’t get into it. The book throws you into action at page one in a bizarre dystopian world without the “obligatory” 50-100 boring pages fantasy books tend to have in order to ease you into the world and its setting. It would’ve been a lot easier to get into (and had a more of a contrasting impact) had we seen what Benji’s day to day life looked like at New Nazareth before he joined ALC. It would’ve given us time to get to know and care about our protagonist instead of attempting to get us to care and pity him by having Benji immediately lose his dad (who we also do not care about as we have not read about him before his death)
Another thing is that we didn’t spend enough time with the side characters for me to properly develop any attachment to them, which is a massive downfall considering how deeply Benji cares for these people we do not know the names of nor see him talking or interacting with. I did enjoy Salvador’s character, though. Xe was very fun and it made me glad to see another person with neopronouns (same with Lex, who appeared in all of one paragraph)
The descriptions of violence and gore were often read as repetitive and nonchalant in a way that left me feeling bored rather than horrified. The book’s bodily horror descriptions did get more interesting toward the end, though!
All in all, it was the rapid pacing that did it for me. I would’ve enjoyed it so much more had the story taken its time developing the world and its people more
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes