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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
Originally posted on citygirlscapes.com.
The description of The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid was unique and intriguing and something I wanted to read as soon as I could. Usually when I’m looking forward to a book, I’m slightly disappointed after the build up but I actually really enjoyed this book a lot.
I thought the concept was strong, I really liked Nemesis as a character (my adoration kind of reminded me a bit of how I felt towards Cinder when I first met her), I liked the world that this all took place in, with mad heirs and advance space tech and a large political platform. And I loved the bond that Nemesis had with Sidonia and how Sidonia always just wanted the best for Nemesis. They had a really strong female friendship that you don’t see a lot; there was no jealousy and no hierarchy even though one was human and the other a servant robot bodyguard.
I especially loved the dynamic between Tyrus and Nemesis. At first I was hoping this would just be about a strong bond between a Diabolic and her owner, but when Tyrus came into the picture I could tell the direction things would move. I wanted to resist it, but the more I read, the more I actually grew to like him and like the two of them together. It wasn’t insta-love, it also wasn’t some pathetic attempt to avoid the connection despite an overwhelming attraction. Though both situations are accurate, Nemesis approached the first with a sense of curiosity as she experienced feelings for the first time and the later with a stubborn, mechanical determination that was drilled into her being. This ended up being one of my favourite connections in the book.
There was a very heavy political story line here that stemmed much deeper than heirs wanting to take over their empires; there were votes and strategic moves and a lot of these were described in detail. I also found there were a few scenes that were a bit more in depth than they needed to be and probably could have been tightened up a bit. There were some points that lagged for me, but I read through this quite quickly and enjoyed it through and through.
This is supposed to be a standalone book, though I suppose the ending is kind of left open for a sequel. I like it as a stand alone, though. It was written well and ties up nicely in the end, even if it was a bit quick to end. Definitely worth checking out.
The description of The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid was unique and intriguing and something I wanted to read as soon as I could. Usually when I’m looking forward to a book, I’m slightly disappointed after the build up but I actually really enjoyed this book a lot.
I thought the concept was strong, I really liked Nemesis as a character (my adoration kind of reminded me a bit of how I felt towards Cinder when I first met her), I liked the world that this all took place in, with mad heirs and advance space tech and a large political platform. And I loved the bond that Nemesis had with Sidonia and how Sidonia always just wanted the best for Nemesis. They had a really strong female friendship that you don’t see a lot; there was no jealousy and no hierarchy even though one was human and the other a servant robot bodyguard.
I especially loved the dynamic between Tyrus and Nemesis. At first I was hoping this would just be about a strong bond between a Diabolic and her owner, but when Tyrus came into the picture I could tell the direction things would move. I wanted to resist it, but the more I read, the more I actually grew to like him and like the two of them together. It wasn’t insta-love, it also wasn’t some pathetic attempt to avoid the connection despite an overwhelming attraction. Though both situations are accurate, Nemesis approached the first with a sense of curiosity as she experienced feelings for the first time and the later with a stubborn, mechanical determination that was drilled into her being. This ended up being one of my favourite connections in the book.
There was a very heavy political story line here that stemmed much deeper than heirs wanting to take over their empires; there were votes and strategic moves and a lot of these were described in detail. I also found there were a few scenes that were a bit more in depth than they needed to be and probably could have been tightened up a bit. There were some points that lagged for me, but I read through this quite quickly and enjoyed it through and through.
This is supposed to be a standalone book, though I suppose the ending is kind of left open for a sequel. I like it as a stand alone, though. It was written well and ties up nicely in the end, even if it was a bit quick to end. Definitely worth checking out.
Omg such a good book!!! I didn’t expect to fall so in love with the world, the concept, and especially the characters!! Tyrus and Nemesis are so dear to my heart now and I can’t wait to read the next book!! But the romance was so deep and magnificent!! Reading it was so pleasurable!! Omg I’m so excited!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Let me start by saying that I don't intend to go into any spoilers here. But even though the things I'm about to say aren't really "spoilery", it kind of takes away the surprise for some minor things. So if you're someone whose really sensitive to spoilers, hold off on reading this.
And just as a recommendation, I think this is a book that is way better going into knowing nothing at all.
As for the rest of ya, boy so I have some thoughts.
I came into this book knowing nothing other than the small description on the book. As soon as I saw the words "empire" and "space", I was getting myself hyped for a Star Wars esque type of story.
That is not the case here. And that's not a bad thing. The story this book has is very original and unique, making it stand out in the YA sci-fi genre. There were certain elements in this book that really impressed me, and the reason for my rating of it only came down to personal preference.
Our main character, Nemesis, was an interesting person to follow. She's not my favorite though. I understand that she's a Diabolic which means that she's stronger and faster than everyone else and sees the human race as a feeble existence, but being constantly reminded of it in her inner-thoughts was aggravating to me. Like I said, I understand, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. This issue I had could probably have been resolved if the book was told in third-person instead of first, but it's not a big deal. Nemesis became a very complicated character to follow as she starts to examine her humanity, and let's these new emotions cloud her judgement and make choices that harm those around her. Hey, but at least this never makes her a dull MC. She is conflicted and confused and interesting. I couldn't help rooting for her though this book.
The side characters all played a purpose in the story, even those mentioned only briefly. Almost all of them are brutal, entitled snobs high on vapors (a term used in the book. They're basically drugs) I actually had this small, desperate hope that this book was going to focus on platonic relationships and completely forsake having a love interest.
Such a hopelessly naive thought.
Because what better way to discover your humanity than through romance?
And just as a recommendation, I think this is a book that is way better going into knowing nothing at all.
As for the rest of ya, boy so I have some thoughts.
I came into this book knowing nothing other than the small description on the book. As soon as I saw the words "empire" and "space", I was getting myself hyped for a Star Wars esque type of story.
That is not the case here. And that's not a bad thing. The story this book has is very original and unique, making it stand out in the YA sci-fi genre. There were certain elements in this book that really impressed me, and the reason for my rating of it only came down to personal preference.
Our main character, Nemesis, was an interesting person to follow. She's not my favorite though. I understand that she's a Diabolic which means that she's stronger and faster than everyone else and sees the human race as a feeble existence, but being constantly reminded of it in her inner-thoughts was aggravating to me. Like I said, I understand, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. This issue I had could probably have been resolved if the book was told in third-person instead of first, but it's not a big deal. Nemesis became a very complicated character to follow as she starts to examine her humanity, and let's these new emotions cloud her judgement and make choices that harm those around her. Hey, but at least this never makes her a dull MC. She is conflicted and confused and interesting. I couldn't help rooting for her though this book.
The side characters all played a purpose in the story, even those mentioned only briefly. Almost all of them are brutal, entitled snobs high on vapors (a term used in the book. They're basically drugs) I actually had this small, desperate hope that this book was going to focus on platonic relationships and completely forsake having a love interest.
Such a hopelessly naive thought.
Because what better way to discover your humanity than through romance?
2.5 stars. [b:The Diabolic|26836910|The Diabolic (The Diabolic, #1)|S.J. Kincaid|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459485169s/26836910.jpg|46870277] was a really painful book to get through not so much for its lack of coherent characters but the complete and utter detachment I felt towards everything happening here. Reading Diabolic was akin to watching a flashy trailer for what, ultimately proves to be, a mediocre movie. Initially, it raised some excellent questions about the nature of AI and other sub-humanoid creatures created by man and if they can ever truly be considered human. Certain questions of morality of accountability are brought up within the book that I found quite interesting. But ultimately Diabolic fails to answer any of these questions satisfactorily.
I also have an issue with the blasé attitude towards death in this book. Characters are killed off left and right with very little fanfare before moving on to the next scene. I don't have an issue with the violent nature of these acts; we have already established from the beginning just how violent the Diabolic world really is. However, by treating character deaths with so little emotion it doesn't leave much room for the gravity of the situation to sink in.
As with character deaths, major plot points are also carried out very matter of factly with little or no ceremony. It removed all the dramatic tension from the moment and left me oddly detached from the everything. I didn't care much for any of the plot developments or for the characters within the story. Ultimately, it made reading this book very tiresome and I struggled to finish it.
Also, I will say this for the main character. For a creature whose intelligence and uptake is supposed to be in some ways superior to their human counterparts, Nemesis proved to be a catastrophically dense character. I couldn't for the life of me understand how she missed literally everything.
Her perpetual awe of the prince (whose name I have already forgotten minutes after reading this) was also a little grating.
I expected more.
I also have an issue with the blasé attitude towards death in this book. Characters are killed off left and right with very little fanfare before moving on to the next scene. I don't have an issue with the violent nature of these acts; we have already established from the beginning just how violent the Diabolic world really is. However, by treating character deaths with so little emotion it doesn't leave much room for the gravity of the situation to sink in.
As with character deaths, major plot points are also carried out very matter of factly with little or no ceremony. It removed all the dramatic tension from the moment and left me oddly detached from the everything. I didn't care much for any of the plot developments or for the characters within the story. Ultimately, it made reading this book very tiresome and I struggled to finish it.
Also, I will say this for the main character. For a creature whose intelligence and uptake is supposed to be in some ways superior to their human counterparts, Nemesis proved to be a catastrophically dense character. I couldn't for the life of me understand how she missed literally everything.
Her perpetual awe of the prince (whose name I have already forgotten minutes after reading this) was also a little grating.
I expected more.
THIS WAS SO GOOD. I'm going to be honest, I didn't know anything about the plot before starting this book. I think that might have been the best way to go into this one. I was so pleasantly surprised by how this story unfolded. There were some aspects of this that felt like other stories, such as Hunger Games and Red Rising, but this was its own unique tale. I think telling the story from the perspective of the Diabolic was a great choice on Kincaid's part. It was beautiful to watch Nemesis realize she was human and could feel. I think she still has that broken sense of morality at the end, and that makes her all the more interesting.
I loved the political and religious aspects of this book. The war going on between the different factions of the galaxy was a great backdrop for this story about an abused and genetically engineered girl trying to find her place in the universe. I think there were a couple of places where this story faltered a bit. I don't think that Sidonia should've been saved and brought back in the second half of this book. I understand where the story needed to go, but it felt like too convenient of a plot device. The last part of the book where the 'sacrifice' is made was a little far-fetched, as well.
This was a great book overall and was exceedingly enjoyable for me. I could understand why some people wouldn't like it. But, what can I say, I enjoy political thrillers set in space with a girl that could crush me with her bare hands.
I loved the political and religious aspects of this book. The war going on between the different factions of the galaxy was a great backdrop for this story about an abused and genetically engineered girl trying to find her place in the universe. I think there were a couple of places where this story faltered a bit. I don't think that Sidonia should've been saved and brought back in the second half of this book. I understand where the story needed to go, but it felt like too convenient of a plot device. The last part of the book where the 'sacrifice' is made was a little far-fetched, as well.
This was a great book overall and was exceedingly enjoyable for me. I could understand why some people wouldn't like it. But, what can I say, I enjoy political thrillers set in space with a girl that could crush me with her bare hands.
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is such an underrated YA SciFi series. You have romance, politics, scheming, and so much tension. The characters are interesting and have real depth. I think I actually loved watching Nemesis and Tyrus' journey even more the second time around. This is great storytelling with engaging insights about social pressures, spirituality vs science and how these impact our world view. Definitely recommend the audiobook and make sure to have the entire trilogy on hand before starting book 2. No seriously.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"We are all of us but stardust shaped into a conscious being." I loved this book. I'm still even now not sure if Tyrus is trustworthy. I heard this is now going to be a trilogy, after that ending I can't wait to see where it goes!