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thenovelmaura's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was a hard review to write because I loved the concept of this book but found the execution to be lacking. I'm so glad I read it with the Bad Bitch Book Club fantasy group, because I had a lot to talk about during our discussion. Veronica Roth is also the author of the hit Divergent series, which follows the typical YA chosen one narrative. Because of this, I was excited to see Roth was writing about the aftermath of teens having to save the world. This book dealt heavily with PTSD, trauma, drug use, and suicide, all things you would expect from children (now adults) who were taken from their parents and forced to fight for their lives. In a unique twist, there are five "chosen ones" in this story, since the government sought out any child who fit the criteria of a prophecy about a person could bring down the villain known as the Dark One. I know this sounds terribly dark and depressing, but I was interested in an adult spin on this YA fantasy concept!
Unfortunately, the five chosen ones didn't really pan out because Roth had zero interest in writing about anyone who wasn't Sloane, who was basically described as a white supermodel. Despite the fact that we were given a slate of diverse heroes, including implied Black, Asian, and Latina (yes, implied, because this was never explicitly stated in the text) chosen ones, they were all given reasons to conveniently disappear from the narrative. I don't have a problem with Sloane being the main character, I just don't understand why this attempt at diversity was made when there was no follow-through.
It's hard to talk about the plot without spoilers, but I'll say it was slow at times. However, I was intrigued enough by the world-building that I didn't mind too much when the characters weren't actively progressing the story. I really enjoyed the ending and I think Roth did an excellent job tying all the threads of the narrative into a satisfying conclusion. The way that parallel universes were incorporated into this story and the ways that the events in one universe would influence another was super cool. While I can't whole-heartedly recommend this book, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been expecting five leads, so hopefully this review will help someone else who's thinking about picking it up!
Unfortunately, the five chosen ones didn't really pan out because Roth had zero interest in writing about anyone who wasn't Sloane, who was basically described as a white supermodel. Despite the fact that we were given a slate of diverse heroes, including implied Black, Asian, and Latina (yes, implied, because this was never explicitly stated in the text) chosen ones, they were all given reasons to conveniently disappear from the narrative. I don't have a problem with Sloane being the main character, I just don't understand why this attempt at diversity was made when there was no follow-through.
It's hard to talk about the plot without spoilers, but I'll say it was slow at times. However, I was intrigued enough by the world-building that I didn't mind too much when the characters weren't actively progressing the story. I really enjoyed the ending and I think Roth did an excellent job tying all the threads of the narrative into a satisfying conclusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Death, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Gore
Moderate: Torture, Drug use, and Addiction
ciarastud's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I honestly enjoyed this book. I am a sucker for books with an unknown past. Usually, I read in the form of romance and the main character runs into a past lover, but this was fresh and interesting topic of YA chosen heroes after they’ve saved the world. It’s a different type of dark take on the topic. Because children/teenagers are a vulnerable population and these older people with power are telling them they are the only ones that can save the world. And no book I’ve read before has talked about the toll it would take. I think that’s why I liked the book so much because it deglamorizes the trope. I think the book was fast-paced as you were always kind of learning something new. The only thing I didn’t like was the end. Like all the stuff you learned didn’t really cumulate to much. And it was quick. And I was kinda just like okay. But the journey was interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, and Gore
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Cancer, Vomit, and Racism
Moderate to graphic: child neglect, emotional manipulation of childreniviarelle's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is not a story for everyone, but if it clicks, it may click real hard.
I don't often find myself reading books I consider medium-paced, that nevertheless don't let my attention stray. I'd go a few days between reading, but I couldn't read less than 10% at a sitting and I had to tear myself away. My biggest complaint is that the clippings from top secret documents and news articles threw me out of the story as often as they supplemented my feeling of knowledge about this story's background. Mostly, I just wanted to get back to the story I was increasingly invested in. That being said, the mysteries and twists are seeded wonderfully throughout the text, and the climax and resolution speak to me in a way very, very few stories do.
Which brings me to Sloane. Sloane is definitely way up there in my top 5 "relating way too hard to a character" characters. She's all rough edges, sharp tongue, and stubbornness, and I love her like I would another self because in some ways I used to be her and still am to a great degree. She grows and learns over the course of the book, but she never stops being the jagged, marshmallow-free queen she begins the story as. She will definitely NOT be relatable to everyone, but oh boy am I glad to know her now.
I don't often find myself reading books I consider medium-paced, that nevertheless don't let my attention stray. I'd go a few days between reading, but I couldn't read less than 10% at a sitting and I had to tear myself away. My biggest complaint is that the clippings from top secret documents and news articles threw me out of the story as often as they supplemented my feeling of knowledge about this story's background. Mostly, I just wanted to get back to the story I was increasingly invested in. That being said, the mysteries and twists are seeded wonderfully throughout the text, and the climax and resolution speak to me in a way very, very few stories do.
Which brings me to Sloane. Sloane is definitely way up there in my top 5 "relating way too hard to a character" characters. She's all rough edges, sharp tongue, and stubbornness, and I love her like I would another self because in some ways I used to be her and still am to a great degree. She grows and learns over the course of the book, but she never stops being the jagged, marshmallow-free queen she begins the story as. She will definitely NOT be relatable to everyone, but oh boy am I glad to know her now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Medical content
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