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jammytots's review
adventurous
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
poppyjessica's review
3.0
Sarah Govett's gripping trilogy 'The Territory' was recommended to me by one of my students due to my love of reading anything dystopian - he was definitely onto a winner here! The concept of using educational division to solve the issue of environmental decline was a really interesting one, particularly the added layer of the nodes and the ability to upload information needed for exams rather than study. 'Truth' was an appropriately suspenseful third instalment of the series and tied up the story nicely.
One of the highlights for me is the character of Noa. There are of course some elements of teenage romance in here (what kind of YA dystopian novel would it be without it?) but I appreciated Noa's growing awareness of herself and the strength displayed in this text. She was logical and solutions focused where adults couldn't be and I was really rooting for her character. (and her relationship with Raf of course - I'm not completely heartless!)
The pacing of this novel is the main reason for me awarding it three stars. I enjoyed how the plot unfolded but it was uneven in its delivery. The journey from the fence disproportionately took up over half the book and the sections with the opposition were squashed. I wanted more from this end section as it was a really lovely conclusion.
As an aside, I found some of the turn of phrase quite frustrating. Yes, I know I am not the intended age group for this book but the the use of 'malc' and 'denser' every few paragraphs grated.
Overall, Govett has written an excellent trilogy here and I hope to promote these to my students, especially those who love the more mainstream likes of 'The Hunger Games' and 'Divergent'.
One of the highlights for me is the character of Noa. There are of course some elements of teenage romance in here (what kind of YA dystopian novel would it be without it?) but I appreciated Noa's growing awareness of herself and the strength displayed in this text. She was logical and solutions focused where adults couldn't be and I was really rooting for her character. (and her relationship with Raf of course - I'm not completely heartless!)
The pacing of this novel is the main reason for me awarding it three stars. I enjoyed how the plot unfolded but it was uneven in its delivery. The journey from the fence disproportionately took up over half the book and the sections with the opposition were squashed. I wanted more from this end section as it was a really lovely conclusion.
As an aside, I found some of the turn of phrase quite frustrating. Yes, I know I am not the intended age group for this book but the the use of 'malc' and 'denser' every few paragraphs grated.
Overall, Govett has written an excellent trilogy here and I hope to promote these to my students, especially those who love the more mainstream likes of 'The Hunger Games' and 'Divergent'.
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