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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I think this is a good story with a few twists and turns along the way. It kept my attention and really gives the impression the kids are grown-up. Similar to the Maze runner stories.
3.5 Stars
After an unnamed apocalyptic event, children and teens are born and live in the tunnels beneath New York, with few making it very far into adulthood due to rough conditions. Deuce and Fade (our heroine and hero) are hunters, venturing out into the tunnels for food while trying to avoid "eaters", zombie-like creatures willing to eat humans to survive. When banished from their enclave, they head to the surface, encountering old and new problems.
This was much better written the other teen dystopian books I've read in the past year or so. The writing is good and characters well-developed. The reason I'm not giving it higher marks is because although I liked it, I found it depressing, grotesque at times, and am not feeling an overwhelming desire to finish the trilogy.
After an unnamed apocalyptic event, children and teens are born and live in the tunnels beneath New York, with few making it very far into adulthood due to rough conditions. Deuce and Fade (our heroine and hero) are hunters, venturing out into the tunnels for food while trying to avoid "eaters", zombie-like creatures willing to eat humans to survive. When banished from their enclave, they head to the surface, encountering old and new problems.
This was much better written the other teen dystopian books I've read in the past year or so. The writing is good and characters well-developed. The reason I'm not giving it higher marks is because although I liked it, I found it depressing, grotesque at times, and am not feeling an overwhelming desire to finish the trilogy.
Part One was great. I couldn't put it down. The main character - Deuce - was strong, the setting was well-developed, the tone was consistent, and I felt like I understood her world.
Part Two was like a summary of what happened when Deuce and Fade left the subway tunnels and sewers. A summary told by an eight-year-old. Even though "topside" everything was new and Deuce was somewhat out of her league, she was supposed to be a mature fighter, and I couldn't buy the new, lost version of her. Between that, the unbelievability of the new characters, and the total lack of plot, it didn't work for me at all. I would give Part One four stars. I don't know if I can give Part Two even two whole stars. It was bad. I'm only giving it two stars because I liked the first half so much.
Part Two was like a summary of what happened when Deuce and Fade left the subway tunnels and sewers. A summary told by an eight-year-old. Even though "topside" everything was new and Deuce was somewhat out of her league, she was supposed to be a mature fighter, and I couldn't buy the new, lost version of her. Between that, the unbelievability of the new characters, and the total lack of plot, it didn't work for me at all. I would give Part One four stars. I don't know if I can give Part Two even two whole stars. It was bad. I'm only giving it two stars because I liked the first half so much.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The first half of this book I liked. I thought it was descriptive, the intrigue was cool, Deuce was badass, and the cute budding romance was sweet. But after they got banished and went above ground, the story kind of lost my interest. It was a lot of boring filler info about hunting, travelling, not getting much done. HOWEVER, the reason I hated the second half of this book was because I just couldn't handle that. BUT THEN so yeah, the book gets like 2.5 stars from me because of that. But I hope that the rest of the series will be better!
Spoiler
THERE'S A FREAKING RAPIST WHO JOINS THEIR GROUP AND ALSO A GIRL THAT WAS RAPED REPEATEDLY BY HIS PEOPLE. DEUCE LITERALLY SAYS YOU NEED TO GET OVER IT AND THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE FOUGHT UNTIL SHE WAS DEAD SO IT WAS HER FAULT SHE GOT RAPED OVER AND OVER ANDSpoiler
DEUCE STARTS FLIRTING WITH SAID RAPIST AND IT CREATES A STUPID LOVE TRIANGLE AND I MEAN WHAT THE FUCK HE IS A RAAAAAAAPIST AND HE WILL NEVER NOT BE ONE YOU CANNOT UNDO THAT PAST. EVER.
1) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
2) Genre: Young Adult
3) Synopsis: When you turn 15, you get a name and become an adult. Deuce becomes a huntress, which means she needs to roam the tunnels outside the Enclave. The only problem is there are monsters in the tunnels known Freaks.
4) Feelings: I love post apocalypse stories. This one even includes Freaks, which are really just Zombie type creatures. I did enjoy this book and the idea of a bunch of people living underground banding together to avoid being eaten.
5) Final recommendation: If you like this type Zombie society worlds. I have always wanted to write a post apocalyptic book and this is a fun one to read.
Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
www.RyanJamesBurt.com
2) Genre: Young Adult
3) Synopsis: When you turn 15, you get a name and become an adult. Deuce becomes a huntress, which means she needs to roam the tunnels outside the Enclave. The only problem is there are monsters in the tunnels known Freaks.
4) Feelings: I love post apocalypse stories. This one even includes Freaks, which are really just Zombie type creatures. I did enjoy this book and the idea of a bunch of people living underground banding together to avoid being eaten.
5) Final recommendation: If you like this type Zombie society worlds. I have always wanted to write a post apocalyptic book and this is a fun one to read.
Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
www.RyanJamesBurt.com
A low 3 stars. I didn't really like this much. There's a good story in there, but the characters are not very well developed. At points the plot just feels like episodes thrown together. Some events are very sketchily described, almost like the author felt the event needed to happen to justify character's feelings and future actions, but couldn't be bothered to lead up to and justify the event within the book's world. Overall, this was just too YA for me. It's target teenage audience might enjoy it more.
This book has an interesting plot but the writing is incredibly lazy and unrealistic. The main character lacks any relate-able characteristics or common sense. This book is trying SO hard to be good, but is just SO bad. That being said - I may continue to hate-read the remainder of the series.
Yes I started this book today and yes I finished this book today. Loved it!! Not sure why I've seen so many bad reviews on it. Action from beginning to end! I fully intend to read the next book!
With that said, if you like dystopian and survival novels you will like this book. The cover compares it to the hunger games but it is nothing like the hunger games, however it is just as good. There's a tough main female character who is not annoying and not slow (as in figuring things out out 10 chapters after the author gave it away.) She was easy to like and didn't make stupid decisions like so many other lead characters of books. For instance I wasn't screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" at her, which was very refreshing. Her weapon of choice was a razor blade, which I also found interesting because I had never read a book where it was the favorite choice of weapon.
There are these creatures called "Freaks" that I have seen a lot of people compare to as zombies. They are not zombies. At least I don't see them as such. They haven't gone over how they came to exist although they talk about a sickness and a cure, so I'm guessing they are the product of the cure gone wrong. There are these other creatures that have big eyes and are short called Burrowers (I hope they make an appearance in the upcoming novels.) They seem interesting enough, I likened them to dwarfs or elves but I'm sure others will disagree with the comparison as I do with the Zombie-Freak comparison. I have no clue as to how they came into existence though but it didn't bother me, I simply accepted there were these wee lil big eyed things living in the world and continued to read.
The story line was very good and takes place in two different settings: the enclave and topside. I loved learning about both settings and cannot wait to find out what the outposts are like in the next book! Love Love Love! This is hands down on my favorite books list!
Oh and there is kind of a love triangle.. Not too intense but I wasn't disappointed. The way the world is in the book doesn't really allow for relationships to happen, they merely exist to procreate and they don't really exist outside of that. So they are all kind of dumb (not dumb as in inmature dumb but dumb as in I know how to be your hunting partner but not as your dating partner because I've never had an example to go by dumb) when it comes to relationships -- but it's to be expected when they were raised as they were. It wasn't corny or inmature, just slow building and I like that in a book. All I really have to say on the matter is, if Duece doesn't end up with Fade, well..l I will go all Huntress on the author.. :)
With that said, if you like dystopian and survival novels you will like this book. The cover compares it to the hunger games but it is nothing like the hunger games, however it is just as good. There's a tough main female character who is not annoying and not slow (as in figuring things out out 10 chapters after the author gave it away.) She was easy to like and didn't make stupid decisions like so many other lead characters of books. For instance I wasn't screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" at her, which was very refreshing. Her weapon of choice was a razor blade, which I also found interesting because I had never read a book where it was the favorite choice of weapon.
There are these creatures called "Freaks" that I have seen a lot of people compare to as zombies. They are not zombies. At least I don't see them as such. They haven't gone over how they came to exist although they talk about a sickness and a cure, so I'm guessing they are the product of the cure gone wrong. There are these other creatures that have big eyes and are short called Burrowers (I hope they make an appearance in the upcoming novels.) They seem interesting enough, I likened them to dwarfs or elves but I'm sure others will disagree with the comparison as I do with the Zombie-Freak comparison. I have no clue as to how they came into existence though but it didn't bother me, I simply accepted there were these wee lil big eyed things living in the world and continued to read.
The story line was very good and takes place in two different settings: the enclave and topside. I loved learning about both settings and cannot wait to find out what the outposts are like in the next book! Love Love Love! This is hands down on my favorite books list!
Oh and there is kind of a love triangle.. Not too intense but I wasn't disappointed. The way the world is in the book doesn't really allow for relationships to happen, they merely exist to procreate and they don't really exist outside of that. So they are all kind of dumb (not dumb as in inmature dumb but dumb as in I know how to be your hunting partner but not as your dating partner because I've never had an example to go by dumb) when it comes to relationships -- but it's to be expected when they were raised as they were. It wasn't corny or inmature, just slow building and I like that in a book. All I really have to say on the matter is, if Duece doesn't end up with Fade, well..l I will go all Huntress on the author.. :)