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zhogg's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thepennotthesword's review
4.0
Set a century in the future, after an environmental disaster has caused Africa to be inhabitable, this young adult sci-fi / fantasy dystopian novel focuses on Adina who believes she has caused the deaths of 14,756 people, by not completing the maintenance tasks she was given. What follows is the fight for survival of Adina, our 16 year old FMC, as well as her six other companions; including an old man and his dog, her two sisters, her best friend, and her crush, as they make their way across the wastelands in an attempt to reach sanctuary.
This book reminded me of the 2010s dystopian novels, like The Maze Runner and Gone series. It was a lot darker than I expected, but this really added to the tension and suspense the characters, and by extension the reader, felt as you followed their adventure.
Adina is a character I couldn’t help but hate in the beginning, but this was an original concept as in most books I have read, they are designed so that you like and therefore root for the main character. Adina is an incredibly complex character and because of this, feels all too real. Someone who you can enjoy reading about, but experience anger, shock and annoyance at too. But through this decision, the author allows us to see Adina grow over the course of the book, from a spiteful and self-involved main character, to a character who will do anything for those she loves.
There was a lot of foreshadowing, especially at the ends of chapters, which kept me invested and meant that I just couldn’t put the book down! A little foreshadowing nugget would be dropped at the end of a chapter, kind of like a mini cliffhanger, which meant i just couldn’t not turn the page! I had to read it in one sitting and find out how it was all going to end!
The ending was so shocking - definitely one I didn’t anticipate - and I cannot wait to continue reading this series. This first book in the Feast of Ashes trilogy is a great book one, and sets up the series brilliantly, wrapping up most of the first book but still leaving you with unanswered questions. I will definitely be continuing this series!
This book reminded me of the 2010s dystopian novels, like The Maze Runner and Gone series. It was a lot darker than I expected, but this really added to the tension and suspense the characters, and by extension the reader, felt as you followed their adventure.
Adina is a character I couldn’t help but hate in the beginning, but this was an original concept as in most books I have read, they are designed so that you like and therefore root for the main character. Adina is an incredibly complex character and because of this, feels all too real. Someone who you can enjoy reading about, but experience anger, shock and annoyance at too. But through this decision, the author allows us to see Adina grow over the course of the book, from a spiteful and self-involved main character, to a character who will do anything for those she loves.
There was a lot of foreshadowing, especially at the ends of chapters, which kept me invested and meant that I just couldn’t put the book down! A little foreshadowing nugget would be dropped at the end of a chapter, kind of like a mini cliffhanger, which meant i just couldn’t not turn the page! I had to read it in one sitting and find out how it was all going to end!
The ending was so shocking - definitely one I didn’t anticipate - and I cannot wait to continue reading this series. This first book in the Feast of Ashes trilogy is a great book one, and sets up the series brilliantly, wrapping up most of the first book but still leaving you with unanswered questions. I will definitely be continuing this series!
daydream_reader_'s review
3.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This was an easy-to-read, climate dystopia book with plenty of twists and turns.
It is definitely a YA, and I did find some of the writing quite juvenile at times. Although, this doesn’t mean the writing was bad! It just means it was definitely for a younger audience. I didn’t find myself particularly bonded with the MCs and didn’t care so much for the PG “romance”. I took this book for face value and it did the job
This was an easy-to-read, climate dystopia book with plenty of twists and turns.
It is definitely a YA, and I did find some of the writing quite juvenile at times. Although, this doesn’t mean the writing was bad! It just means it was definitely for a younger audience. I didn’t find myself particularly bonded with the MCs and didn’t care so much for the PG “romance”. I took this book for face value and it did the job
piperkitty's review
4.0
The story takes place in the year 2123 and begins with the statement: "...This is the day I killed fourteen thousand seven hundred fifty-six people." Well, that got my attention!
The idea of a world in which nothing grows, prospers, or survives because our planet's ecosystems have succumbed to our abuse and become completely toxic to all things. life is so relevant that it attracts one's attention.
Entering Adina's world without a biohazard suit or a blood-filtering biofilter placed via a pin in the back of the neck - would kill anyone who tried it.
Adina is a technician at Gardens of Eden Five in Africa. She's good at her job and has natural talent, but she also has a lot of distractions at times. Her father and mother had a strained relationship, and her father had an affair several years earlier that resulted in the birth of a sister, Chiku, whom Adina hated. However, Tash, her younger sister who lives with Adina and her parents, is the one in her eyes. A boy, Otienno, also distracts Adina from what she should be doing.
His best friend is Dejen and they have known each other for a long time. Dejen is especially talented as a scientist and works in the lab - where Adina often visits him to inform him of his next wild plans! An older character, Baba Weseka, is a bit of an outcast. It is said that when he was young, he spent a short time outdoors, and this brief exposure changed his brain, causing him to become strange, and now he has convulsions. jerking, he then manifested visions and prophecies. Adina was in danger of being eliminated but still helped him as best she could.
And then there's the apple. A red fruit, juicy and smooth, ripe and ready to pick. Adina is determined to eat that perfect apple.
When Adina helps Baba get out of trouble, he encounters another crisis and tells of a disaster that began with an apple and ended with a terrible fire. She dismisses this as just Baba's ramblings...but is it?
#feastofashes
The idea of a world in which nothing grows, prospers, or survives because our planet's ecosystems have succumbed to our abuse and become completely toxic to all things. life is so relevant that it attracts one's attention.
Entering Adina's world without a biohazard suit or a blood-filtering biofilter placed via a pin in the back of the neck - would kill anyone who tried it.
Adina is a technician at Gardens of Eden Five in Africa. She's good at her job and has natural talent, but she also has a lot of distractions at times. Her father and mother had a strained relationship, and her father had an affair several years earlier that resulted in the birth of a sister, Chiku, whom Adina hated. However, Tash, her younger sister who lives with Adina and her parents, is the one in her eyes. A boy, Otienno, also distracts Adina from what she should be doing.
His best friend is Dejen and they have known each other for a long time. Dejen is especially talented as a scientist and works in the lab - where Adina often visits him to inform him of his next wild plans! An older character, Baba Weseka, is a bit of an outcast. It is said that when he was young, he spent a short time outdoors, and this brief exposure changed his brain, causing him to become strange, and now he has convulsions. jerking, he then manifested visions and prophecies. Adina was in danger of being eliminated but still helped him as best she could.
And then there's the apple. A red fruit, juicy and smooth, ripe and ready to pick. Adina is determined to eat that perfect apple.
When Adina helps Baba get out of trouble, he encounters another crisis and tells of a disaster that began with an apple and ended with a terrible fire. She dismisses this as just Baba's ramblings...but is it?
#feastofashes
seluniteloki's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
booksnest's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
thepennotthesword's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Set a century in the future, after an environmental disaster has caused Africa to be inhabitable, this young adult sci-fi / fantasy dystopian novel focuses on Adina who believes she has caused the deaths of 14,756 people, by not completing the maintenance tasks she was given. What follows is the fight for survival of Adina, our 16 year old FMC, as well as her six other companions; including an old man and his dog, her two sisters, her best friend, and her crush, as they make their way across the wastelands in an attempt to reach sanctuary.
This book reminded me of the 2010s dystopian novels, like The Maze Runner and Gone series. It was a lot darker than I expected, but this really added to the tension and suspense the characters, and by extension the reader, felt as you followed their adventure.
Adina is a character I couldn’t help but hate in the beginning, but this was an original concept as in most books I have read, they are designed so that you like and therefore root for the main character. Adina is an incredibly complex character and because of this, feels all too real. Someone who you can enjoy reading about, but experience anger, shock and annoyance at too. But through this decision, the author allows us to see Adina grow over the course of the book, from a spiteful and self-involved main character, to a character who will do anything for those she loves.
There was a lot of foreshadowing, especially at the ends of chapters, which kept me invested and meant that I just couldn’t put the book down! A little foreshadowing nugget would be dropped at the end of a chapter, kind of like a mini cliffhanger, which meant i just couldn’t not turn the page! I had to read it in one sitting and find out how it was all going to end!
The ending was so shocking - definitely one I didn’t anticipate - and I cannot wait to continue reading this series. This first book in the Feast of Ashes trilogy is a great book one, and sets up the series brilliantly, wrapping up most of the first book but still leaving you with unanswered questions. I will definitely be continuing this series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
tessa_talks_books's review
I hit one of my triggers and I couldn’t finish.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death
acascadeofbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0