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protoman21's review against another edition
3.0
Along the lines of dystopian YA from the early 2000s but breaks no new ground so it feels like a tired copycat well behind the times. I have zero desire to read on in the series.
smartinez9's review against another edition
3.0
Everything I wanted Under the Never Sky to be. With plausible world-building, real stakes, and a heroine made for and from the demands of a shattered, starved world, it was gripping and perfectly bloody. Plot-wise, I enjoyed it. BUT—
Two things really bothered me: 1) naming the protagonist “Deuce” (just why) and 2) the validation of Striker. Given that he enabled, if not participated in, the rape of countless women, his inclusion in the group and the excuses they made for him were verrry uncomfy, as was Deuce’s disregard for Tegan’s feelings. All that aside, I personally still enjoyed the book as a whole, and understood the author’s point about Deuce having to acknowledge her own complicity and start to identify with Striker as someone who did what they thought they must to survive in the context of their ravaged world. For some readers, however, I think this would be insurmountable and unnecessarily triggering. Proceed with caution.
Two things really bothered me: 1) naming the protagonist “Deuce” (just why) and 2) the validation of Striker. Given that he enabled, if not participated in, the rape of countless women, his inclusion in the group and the excuses they made for him were verrry uncomfy, as was Deuce’s disregard for Tegan’s feelings. All that aside, I personally still enjoyed the book as a whole, and understood the author’s point about Deuce having to acknowledge her own complicity and start to identify with Striker as someone who did what they thought they must to survive in the context of their ravaged world. For some readers, however, I think this would be insurmountable and unnecessarily triggering. Proceed with caution.
sarmende's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this story line! I only rate it four stars because of how short it was! I needed more with the ending. Thank god there’s two more books in this series! It was a fast pace plot but not too rushed! Characters are extremely likable.
The advertisement for this book is wrong. Aguirre explores something completely different than the concept of hunger games. If you’re more a fan of Walking Dead or the video game The Last of Us, this book is for you. The vocabulary was expansive, which I did not expect for this book.
Beautiful story!
The advertisement for this book is wrong. Aguirre explores something completely different than the concept of hunger games. If you’re more a fan of Walking Dead or the video game The Last of Us, this book is for you. The vocabulary was expansive, which I did not expect for this book.
Beautiful story!
badseedgirl's review against another edition
3.0
I think I may be sick of female YA protagonist. These books all seem to be getting fairly formulaic to me. The young heroine faces hardship with the help of a slightly older, much more worldly young man. He will be dark and brooding (even if he's fair haired and tanned) because he is misunderstood by his friends and peers (such as they are. He is usually some kind of outsider in his society also.) Together these two "unlikely" partners will solve all of societies problems with their pluckiness and fortitude against overwhelming odds.
As far as Enclave goes, it was an enjoyable, if ultimately forgettable YA tale. Good enough so I will be getting to the rest of the series at some point.
Seriously someone please point me to a YA genre series with a male protagonist. I think I need a dose of testosterone!
As far as Enclave goes, it was an enjoyable, if ultimately forgettable YA tale. Good enough so I will be getting to the rest of the series at some point.
Seriously someone please point me to a YA genre series with a male protagonist. I think I need a dose of testosterone!
renuked's review against another edition
3.0
Enclave is the story of Deuce, a girl who lives underground after a plague/apocalypse/thing happened aboveground and destroyed the world years ago. She lives in the Enclave, a place where people are sorted into Breeders, Builders, and Hunters. She aspires to become a Huntress and protect her people from the Freaks, former people or zombie things that eat other people. It was all very intense and action packed.
The biggest issue I came up with this book was the pace at which it happened. Action-packed is good....things happening in choppy instants is bad. I wasn't able to absorb some aspects. Example: Deuce was supposed to love Stone and Thimble, she was supposed to care about her Enclave so intensely she wanted to be a Huntress...but I didn't really feel much of that. The only time Deuce met someone worth protecting was Girl26. Deuce became a Huntress, fought Freaks, got kicked out, and messed about Topside. That's about it. It just flashed by too quickly. It could have been better paced, and less sporadic. It was too choppy.
However, Deuce was one of the physically strongest female protagonists that has narrated. She can fight like nobody's business. Mentally, she isn't independent yet, she depends too much on the Enclave, but eventually she begins to form her own mind, and fights the haze of ignorance. That's one thing I liked about the book, Deuce wasn't too knowledgable, she can barely read, but it focused on a lot on her personal growth. Fade too was pretty cute, but I didn't really feel like I got to know him, mostly because the book went by too quickly. He's a good fighter, mysterious, but sensitive; that's about all I know.
The relationship between Deuce and Fade was too quick. I realized that they were partners for weeks and became accustomed to each other. They learned about each other, and then fell in love. But it felt like only a few pages later that Deuce was falling for him. And then Stalker came in the picture. It was too fast and yet nearly nothing happened. I'm contradicting myself, but I can't express it. It felt like a wave; coming slowly but visibly, then crashing on shore, then receding. Deuce meets Fade....begins to fall in love....BAM Stalker comes in and Fade pulls out. And Stalker....*shudders.*
But anyway, the romance wasn't even supposed to be the pure focus. It's meant to be Deuce's personal journey as she realizes the false lies she's lived her whole life. The action was incredible and they ran into Freaks tons of times, and yes the Freaks are creepy, but no they didn't terrify me (sorry). Most of the book is well done, and hopefully the second book will continue with Deuce's growing understanding and will also slow down a bit.
The biggest issue I came up with this book was the pace at which it happened. Action-packed is good....things happening in choppy instants is bad. I wasn't able to absorb some aspects. Example: Deuce was supposed to love Stone and Thimble, she was supposed to care about her Enclave so intensely she wanted to be a Huntress...but I didn't really feel much of that. The only time Deuce met someone worth protecting was Girl26. Deuce became a Huntress, fought Freaks, got kicked out, and messed about Topside. That's about it. It just flashed by too quickly. It could have been better paced, and less sporadic. It was too choppy.
However, Deuce was one of the physically strongest female protagonists that has narrated. She can fight like nobody's business. Mentally, she isn't independent yet, she depends too much on the Enclave, but eventually she begins to form her own mind, and fights the haze of ignorance. That's one thing I liked about the book, Deuce wasn't too knowledgable, she can barely read, but it focused on a lot on her personal growth. Fade too was pretty cute, but I didn't really feel like I got to know him, mostly because the book went by too quickly. He's a good fighter, mysterious, but sensitive; that's about all I know.
The relationship between Deuce and Fade was too quick. I realized that they were partners for weeks and became accustomed to each other. They learned about each other, and then fell in love. But it felt like only a few pages later that Deuce was falling for him. And then Stalker came in the picture. It was too fast and yet nearly nothing happened. I'm contradicting myself, but I can't express it. It felt like a wave; coming slowly but visibly, then crashing on shore, then receding. Deuce meets Fade....begins to fall in love....BAM Stalker comes in and Fade pulls out. And Stalker....*shudders.*
But anyway, the romance wasn't even supposed to be the pure focus. It's meant to be Deuce's personal journey as she realizes the false lies she's lived her whole life. The action was incredible and they ran into Freaks tons of times, and yes the Freaks are creepy, but no they didn't terrify me (sorry). Most of the book is well done, and hopefully the second book will continue with Deuce's growing understanding and will also slow down a bit.
zenithharpink's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I've read some bad dystopian fiction, so I wasn't thrilled about this book. The story is pretty good - this book doesn't try to do too much. I HATE love triangles, but I otherwise enjoyed the characters. The world-building wasn't too heavy-handed, and I appreciated that there were shades of grey.
I recommend this book to fans of the genre - this is a fun read.
I recommend this book to fans of the genre - this is a fun read.
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
I am not really in the mood to write a normal review, so I will write a good/bad review. :)
Good things:
*The zombies/freaks/whatever they are. They are seriously scary, and I would say maybe scarier than normal zombies. With their longer claws, sharp teeth and seemingly more brains they make up for one scary enemy that you don't want to meet. They are terrifyingly smart, they can make decisions, they can take revenge, they will follow you, they will get rid of their own to get to things they want.
*The main character. Deuce is an awesome character and I loved her from the beginning, though I have to say I started loving her more when she had to go to the surface. She was so amazed by everything she saw, had to be taught new things (and didn't mind, just soaked it up like a sponge does water) and she was so strong. Keeps going on and on no matter what. Of course she was afraid, of course she worried, but that made her human, that made her more real. I think I would have hated it if she would have taken everything for granted, if she hadn't cared or worse, if she had cowered when she saw each new thing.
And she learns so much, you can just see her grow, stronger but also smarter and more world wise.
*Fade, he was a really great side-character, though I want to know more about him, about his father, about his life on the surface before he ran to the sewers/train systems.
*The world-building, there are a lot of questions (see bad things later on), but I at times felt like I was standing next to Deuce, fighting alongside of her in the sewers/train system, seeing her talk to people she knew in the Enclave. Everything is pretty detailed and that made it really a great book to me.
*Several other things, like the situation in the Enclave, I just had my suspicions about what happened there and also the stories they told. Also Stalker turned up to be an interesting character when stuff happened.
Bad Things:
*We have no answers (but a few things) what the hell happened to the world? A disease? Some new vaccine that turned up badly? Some magic occurrence? Aliens? I was hoping that we would get things answered when Deuce and Fade would go to the surface. However, we get some snippets, but nothing much.
It seems that bites or something don't turn people? I can be wrong, but I read something about Deuce being bitten, and yet she didn't turn. So how do people turn into Freaks? Are freaks really zombies? Or aliens?
In the end I am more confused than anything. So many questions and so little answers, I am hoping that they will be answered in the next book. Yes I am buying the next book.
*Why are all the freaks in the sewers/train systems? At least I have to deduce that from the book. During several events it seemed like having Freaks in the city was a new occurrence and that the Wolves didn't even know what they faced.
*The love triangle. Urgh, and with Deuce being still totally oblivious to girl things I am sure this will turn out to be highly annoying.
*The systems in the Enclave. So you can't pick? You are either a Builder, Breeder or a Hunter? I don't think I would like to be forced to be a Breeder. Or for that matter be stuck in Builder or Hunter. I would rather pick something myself.
*More questions, why do people in the Enclave die so soon? The oldest people there were just ~20 years old.
*That cliffhanger. Of course it was expected, because, hey, we have a whole series, but it still annoys me.
All in all a balanced book, and a fun one at that. I will be sure to check out the rest of the series. :)
Review first posted: http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Good things:
*The zombies/freaks/whatever they are. They are seriously scary, and I would say maybe scarier than normal zombies. With their longer claws, sharp teeth and seemingly more brains they make up for one scary enemy that you don't want to meet. They are terrifyingly smart, they can make decisions, they can take revenge, they will follow you, they will get rid of their own to get to things they want.
*The main character. Deuce is an awesome character and I loved her from the beginning, though I have to say I started loving her more when she had to go to the surface. She was so amazed by everything she saw, had to be taught new things (and didn't mind, just soaked it up like a sponge does water) and she was so strong. Keeps going on and on no matter what. Of course she was afraid, of course she worried, but that made her human, that made her more real. I think I would have hated it if she would have taken everything for granted, if she hadn't cared or worse, if she had cowered when she saw each new thing.
And she learns so much, you can just see her grow, stronger but also smarter and more world wise.
*Fade, he was a really great side-character, though I want to know more about him, about his father, about his life on the surface before he ran to the sewers/train systems.
*The world-building, there are a lot of questions (see bad things later on), but I at times felt like I was standing next to Deuce, fighting alongside of her in the sewers/train system, seeing her talk to people she knew in the Enclave. Everything is pretty detailed and that made it really a great book to me.
*Several other things, like the situation in the Enclave, I just had my suspicions about what happened there and also the stories they told. Also Stalker turned up to be an interesting character when stuff happened.
Bad Things:
*We have no answers (but a few things) what the hell happened to the world? A disease? Some new vaccine that turned up badly? Some magic occurrence? Aliens? I was hoping that we would get things answered when Deuce and Fade would go to the surface. However, we get some snippets, but nothing much.
It seems that bites or something don't turn people? I can be wrong, but I read something about Deuce being bitten, and yet she didn't turn. So how do people turn into Freaks? Are freaks really zombies? Or aliens?
In the end I am more confused than anything. So many questions and so little answers, I am hoping that they will be answered in the next book. Yes I am buying the next book.
*Why are all the freaks in the sewers/train systems? At least I have to deduce that from the book. During several events it seemed like having Freaks in the city was a new occurrence and that the Wolves didn't even know what they faced.
*The love triangle. Urgh, and with Deuce being still totally oblivious to girl things I am sure this will turn out to be highly annoying.
*The systems in the Enclave. So you can't pick? You are either a Builder, Breeder or a Hunter? I don't think I would like to be forced to be a Breeder. Or for that matter be stuck in Builder or Hunter. I would rather pick something myself.
*More questions, why do people in the Enclave die so soon? The oldest people there were just ~20 years old.
*That cliffhanger. Of course it was expected, because, hey, we have a whole series, but it still annoys me.
All in all a balanced book, and a fun one at that. I will be sure to check out the rest of the series. :)
Review first posted: http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
katyanaish's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun start to a new series. I loved the details of the world, it felt so rich and realistic. Dystopia is always fascinating to me... I love reading about the kinds of societies that struggle together after the modern world crumbles to dust. Something about modern people being reduced to an almost medieval lifestyle is just really fascinating.
Though I wish Aguirre had been less of a miser with some details. What happened? I imagine these details will unfold as the series progresses, but I am greedy, I want to know now!
The one thing I struggled with, which I tend to really struggle with in YA, is the relationship building. The immaturity of the characters tends to be frustrating, as they try and understand the complicated emotions in a budding relationship. That frustration is generally accompanied by a fair bit of angst and melodrama (see: Fade's brooding over Deuce's cluelessness). I really would have liked for them to figure SOMETHING out before the end of the book, make SOME progress there. Also
Anyway, I am definitely looking forward to reading onward in this series. When is the next one due out?
Though I wish Aguirre had been less of a miser with some details. What happened?
Spoiler
We are given indications of a virus... a generation nearly wiped out, sickness a constant fear, and that brief glimpse of a heading indicating that the CDC has failed to develop a vaccine. But who are the Freaks? They eat the dead. The Topsiders called them Muties. How did the virus cause this? Why do they seem to be evolving?The one thing I struggled with, which I tend to really struggle with in YA, is the relationship building. The immaturity of the characters tends to be frustrating, as they try and understand the complicated emotions in a budding relationship. That frustration is generally accompanied by a fair bit of angst and melodrama (see: Fade's brooding over Deuce's cluelessness). I really would have liked for them to figure SOMETHING out before the end of the book, make SOME progress there. Also
Spoiler
the triangle-vibe related to Stalker was mildly nauseating. He's not a good guy. He hunted them. He planned to rape Deuce. He headed up a gang that he allowed to gang-rape Tegan and other girls. I am not saying he can't change - I like complicated characters that evolve in a solid arc. But that kind of change - a change to his entire worldview - doesn't happen over the course of a couple days or weeks. He's dangerous, cold, calculating, and wouldn't risk himself to help them. He shouldn't even be contemplated as a possible pair to Deuce without some serious evolution to his character, and when the book teased that direction, I was irritated.Anyway, I am definitely looking forward to reading onward in this series. When is the next one due out?
stephxsu's review against another edition
1.0
This book reminded me of why I sometimes HATE when writers for adults attempt to write for younger audiences. People, how many times do I have to remind you that having a good premise and combining that with sloppy worldbuilding, a teenaged protagonist, and a love triangle does NOT automatically qualify a book as YA? I managed to finish ENCLAVE, but only because the whole time I kept on expecting it to get better, for it to eventually blow me away. Well, there was definitely no blowing away: my butt remained firmly in my chair, my forehead practically glued to my desk in frustration.
Good things first, I guess. I like Deuce. She belongs in the new, Katniss-esque camp of female protagonists: resourceful, emotionally reserved, tough on the outside, vulnerable and endearing on the inside.
Now for the litany of issues I had with this book, i.e. Why Poor Deuce Deserved a Better Story. Where do I begin? The writing was mediocre. I felt like no sooner was a character or detail introduced then he/she/it either died, got destroyed, or became Significant, rendering all of those introduced characters and details glaringly device-y. Changes in Deuce and Fade’s lives occurred with little regard for logistical backstory: when Deuce is in danger of death by Freak, a random group of dwarf-people who—surprise!—have been secretly living within the tunnels all along come out to save her. Deuce and Fade are cast to the surface for a tradition that, in essence, should make sense as a way that the elders enforced obedience, but, when it actually happens, feels so contrived.
And that’s the problem I continued to have throughout this book. Despite the promising premise, I feel like ENCLAVE only scratched at the surface of its world’s possibilities. For me, a story’s world has to feel like it can exist without an author’s interference: the book has to read like, say, contemporary YA reads to us, which is to say that all the complexities and possibilities of the world have to feel natural. ENCLAVE’s world did not feel natural to me. It felt like the author was writing in aspects of the world as the story went along, and I was left with too many logistical questions and an utter lack of investment. For example, I’m aware that I was supposed to see Deuce’s enclave as a stifling, cruel, and totalitarian governing system, but I never felt stifled on Deuce’s behalf. Everything in this book was begging me to consider it as dangerous, as suspenseful, as intense—which did not allow me to feel anything naturally, except perhaps boredom. It was just not credible.
Deuce was about the only character in this book that I felt like was even remotely well developed, and I’m beginning to suspect that that’s just a trick of the first-person narration. Fade I felt was trying so hard to fit the mysterious-hot-love-interest quota that he ended up being very uninteresting. And OH GOD CAN I JUST RANT HERE ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE LOVE TRIANGLE? So Deuce and Fade get into an altercation with a gang. The gang leader, who displays sociopathic tendencies towards homicide, randomly has a change of heart and joins them on their journey to find utopia, or whatever else is a better word for what they’re looking for. He and Deuce hook up when she’s busy agonizing over Fade. Yawn. The obviousness of the romantic elements of ENCLAVE didn’t help dissuade my snarky notion that the author was trying to fulfill some checklist for How to Write Bestselling YA or something.
I also think ENCLAVE took a big (and ultimately unsuccessful) risk in incorporating “idea-dropping” into its narration. “Idea-dropping” is my just-made-up term for a concept similar to name-dropping. It involves describing common modern items in such a way as to make it clear to us what the characters are describing without actually naming it, since, obviously, the characters don’t know the name for it. The one other time I’ve seen idea-dropping used was in another YA dystopian that ultimately didn’t agree with me. I think it’s a literary technique that panders to readers and doesn’t add anything to the world or the characters. I don’t freaking care that they’re eating Spam. All I needed to know was that they were eating long expired canned food. Spam only has implications for us readers, not the characters. Thus, idea-dropping spoon-feeds the dystopian aspect of a story, but I personally find the spoon-feeding offensive to my readerly intellect. There are better ways to write a dystopian than to idea-drop.
And what is up with the Freaks? Are they supposed to be flesh-eating zombies, or a mutation gone terribly wrong, or something else? Why wasn’t there more of an explanation for their existence so that they would also be less device-y? And are you SERIOUS about the disembodied voice that “speaks” to Deuce (or comes to her in a dream, I couldn’t figure out which) and convinces her to make the right decision, etc etc? I didn’t realize that deus ex machinas were so easily accepted! And don’t even get me started on how Tegan is an expendable ninny who inspires no empathy and is like a girl trying desperately not to be TSTL (“too stupid to live”) but, due to shoddy writing, ends up fitting exactly that expendable role.
My problem with ENCLAVE wasn’t that it read like a setup for the rest of the series. Rather, I just cannot respect a story that skimps so heavily on plot, characterization, and worldbuilding. As far as the trilogy is concerned, this is the end of the road for me. I wish all brave travelers who wish to journey beyond this point the best of luck. I’m going to spend my time on more well written books.
Good things first, I guess. I like Deuce. She belongs in the new, Katniss-esque camp of female protagonists: resourceful, emotionally reserved, tough on the outside, vulnerable and endearing on the inside.
Now for the litany of issues I had with this book, i.e. Why Poor Deuce Deserved a Better Story. Where do I begin? The writing was mediocre. I felt like no sooner was a character or detail introduced then he/she/it either died, got destroyed, or became Significant, rendering all of those introduced characters and details glaringly device-y. Changes in Deuce and Fade’s lives occurred with little regard for logistical backstory: when Deuce is in danger of death by Freak, a random group of dwarf-people who—surprise!—have been secretly living within the tunnels all along come out to save her. Deuce and Fade are cast to the surface for a tradition that, in essence, should make sense as a way that the elders enforced obedience, but, when it actually happens, feels so contrived.
And that’s the problem I continued to have throughout this book. Despite the promising premise, I feel like ENCLAVE only scratched at the surface of its world’s possibilities. For me, a story’s world has to feel like it can exist without an author’s interference: the book has to read like, say, contemporary YA reads to us, which is to say that all the complexities and possibilities of the world have to feel natural. ENCLAVE’s world did not feel natural to me. It felt like the author was writing in aspects of the world as the story went along, and I was left with too many logistical questions and an utter lack of investment. For example, I’m aware that I was supposed to see Deuce’s enclave as a stifling, cruel, and totalitarian governing system, but I never felt stifled on Deuce’s behalf. Everything in this book was begging me to consider it as dangerous, as suspenseful, as intense—which did not allow me to feel anything naturally, except perhaps boredom. It was just not credible.
Deuce was about the only character in this book that I felt like was even remotely well developed, and I’m beginning to suspect that that’s just a trick of the first-person narration. Fade I felt was trying so hard to fit the mysterious-hot-love-interest quota that he ended up being very uninteresting. And OH GOD CAN I JUST RANT HERE ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE LOVE TRIANGLE? So Deuce and Fade get into an altercation with a gang. The gang leader, who displays sociopathic tendencies towards homicide, randomly has a change of heart and joins them on their journey to find utopia, or whatever else is a better word for what they’re looking for. He and Deuce hook up when she’s busy agonizing over Fade. Yawn. The obviousness of the romantic elements of ENCLAVE didn’t help dissuade my snarky notion that the author was trying to fulfill some checklist for How to Write Bestselling YA or something.
I also think ENCLAVE took a big (and ultimately unsuccessful) risk in incorporating “idea-dropping” into its narration. “Idea-dropping” is my just-made-up term for a concept similar to name-dropping. It involves describing common modern items in such a way as to make it clear to us what the characters are describing without actually naming it, since, obviously, the characters don’t know the name for it. The one other time I’ve seen idea-dropping used was in another YA dystopian that ultimately didn’t agree with me. I think it’s a literary technique that panders to readers and doesn’t add anything to the world or the characters. I don’t freaking care that they’re eating Spam. All I needed to know was that they were eating long expired canned food. Spam only has implications for us readers, not the characters. Thus, idea-dropping spoon-feeds the dystopian aspect of a story, but I personally find the spoon-feeding offensive to my readerly intellect. There are better ways to write a dystopian than to idea-drop.
And what is up with the Freaks? Are they supposed to be flesh-eating zombies, or a mutation gone terribly wrong, or something else? Why wasn’t there more of an explanation for their existence so that they would also be less device-y? And are you SERIOUS about the disembodied voice that “speaks” to Deuce (or comes to her in a dream, I couldn’t figure out which) and convinces her to make the right decision, etc etc? I didn’t realize that deus ex machinas were so easily accepted! And don’t even get me started on how Tegan is an expendable ninny who inspires no empathy and is like a girl trying desperately not to be TSTL (“too stupid to live”) but, due to shoddy writing, ends up fitting exactly that expendable role.
My problem with ENCLAVE wasn’t that it read like a setup for the rest of the series. Rather, I just cannot respect a story that skimps so heavily on plot, characterization, and worldbuilding. As far as the trilogy is concerned, this is the end of the road for me. I wish all brave travelers who wish to journey beyond this point the best of luck. I’m going to spend my time on more well written books.