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laurenabayne's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
We are living in a sapphic supernatural renaissance and I am LIVING (or un-living?) for it.
Before we get into the romance, let's talk about the epic world-building. In this post-apocalyptic world, a virus unleashed from Antarctica due to climate change has infected people. The Tick acts almost like the an implant in the brain - the hosts are helpless to the Tick's insatiable appetite and are kept alive just enough for the Tick to attack other humans. A new drug allows the Ticks to be subdued so the hosts can be semi-real people, and a new government program allows these Altered to be released into the custody of their kin. Not that everyone is happy about the people who costs the deaths of their loved ones! Enter a dictator keeping control of his island community, manipulation of the masses, and scapegoating of the Altered for all issues in society. This story is less about the apocalypse and more about taking down a dictator!
PHEW. This world is set up PERFECTLY. Archer never shies away from the gore or the tragedy in this world. It's grisly and heartbreaking at the same time. Our heroines are battered (Mara is missing fingers, Rory has a chronic leg injury), but what matters it that they are beautiful to each other.
And my goodness. The romance here gave me hope in the genre again. The angst? The second chance romance? The way that love conquers even a virus threatening to turn Mara back into a zombie? Perfection. In the world that doesn't have much hope, these two girls find each other and cling to one another. Even as Rory blames Mara for the destruction of her family. Even as Mara's Tick causes her to forget Rory's name. They support one another even when they can't explain why (spoiler: it's love!)
The book is dedicated to the girls who are angry, but this truly is a story of love and sapphic joy. There isn't room for homophobia in the post-apocalyptic world, and Mara and Rory get to revel in one another. I don't want to spoil too much but making out saves lives, y'all.
Five stars. And that's coming from a girl who is terrified of horror and would definitely not see this if it was made into a movie (side note: this should be made into a movie).
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Before we get into the romance, let's talk about the epic world-building. In this post-apocalyptic world, a virus unleashed from Antarctica due to climate change has infected people. The Tick acts almost like the an implant in the brain - the hosts are helpless to the Tick's insatiable appetite and are kept alive just enough for the Tick to attack other humans. A new drug allows the Ticks to be subdued so the hosts can be semi-real people, and a new government program allows these Altered to be released into the custody of their kin. Not that everyone is happy about the people who costs the deaths of their loved ones! Enter a dictator keeping control of his island community, manipulation of the masses, and scapegoating of the Altered for all issues in society. This story is less about the apocalypse and more about taking down a dictator!
PHEW. This world is set up PERFECTLY. Archer never shies away from the gore or the tragedy in this world. It's grisly and heartbreaking at the same time. Our heroines are battered (Mara is missing fingers, Rory has a chronic leg injury), but what matters it that they are beautiful to each other.
And my goodness. The romance here gave me hope in the genre again. The angst? The second chance romance? The way that love conquers even a virus threatening to turn Mara back into a zombie? Perfection. In the world that doesn't have much hope, these two girls find each other and cling to one another. Even as Rory blames Mara for the destruction of her family. Even as Mara's Tick causes her to forget Rory's name. They support one another even when they can't explain why (spoiler: it's love!)
The book is dedicated to the girls who are angry, but this truly is a story of love and sapphic joy. There isn't room for homophobia in the post-apocalyptic world, and Mara and Rory get to revel in one another. I don't want to spoil too much but making out saves lives, y'all.
Five stars. And that's coming from a girl who is terrified of horror and would definitely not see this if it was made into a movie (side note: this should be made into a movie).
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Moderate: Child death
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