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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
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Chalk this one up to "mature" "Young" Adult fiction. One of our main characters is a prostitute, and the other two are involved in the drug running trade. Death, disease, and famine run rampant in their home town. It ain't a happy place. Rape, drug administration and the resulting addiction, and torture feature prominently at one point or another. It's a story that tries to shock you at every turn...but is actually quite predictable.
Dai has a chip on his shoulder...and it's pretty easy to suss out what it is, based solely on what he's doing now and who he's involved with. For chapters and chapters he "alludes" to a loss in his past. And it's very obvious what it's from (hint: it has to do with what he's running now...) Mei Lee doesn't get to do a lot, as she's locked in a brothel, promised to one customer only, and simply moons out of her window for a boy who leaves tiny presents outside of her window. A poor, rather pitiful, character with so little to do. Jin is searching for her sister, although she's already really figured out where she is (which brothel she's in)...and in my mind it'd be pretty easy to get in there to see her (she could pretend she's a customer. She's already impersonating a boy). So at the story's start, everyone's basically stalling for time. Twiddling their thumbs, as it were. They all know what they need to get, but it's a waiting game to get it. There are some unnecessary obstacles put in their way that seem to be in there just to prolong the story.
The action ramps up appropriately in the last fourth of the novel. The last three days or so, everyone's running places, bleeding out, holding their breath, waiting for rescue, reuniting with people from their past. The author does keep you turning pages then, and hurdle after hurdle is placed before each character, so that at some point you are sure that all of them are dead, that they can't possibly come back from it all.
The conclusion is strong, although there's a lot of nice-nice in the end. Everything is just a little too neat, in juxtaposition with all the nastiness the book tried to shock you with. So, overall, too direct and ugly out of the gate, a little implausible towards the end. Not a very strong contender.
Chalk this one up to "mature" "Young" Adult fiction. One of our main characters is a prostitute, and the other two are involved in the drug running trade. Death, disease, and famine run rampant in their home town. It ain't a happy place. Rape, drug administration and the resulting addiction, and torture feature prominently at one point or another. It's a story that tries to shock you at every turn...but is actually quite predictable.
Dai has a chip on his shoulder...and it's pretty easy to suss out what it is, based solely on what he's doing now and who he's involved with. For chapters and chapters he "alludes" to a loss in his past. And it's very obvious what it's from (hint: it has to do with what he's running now...) Mei Lee doesn't get to do a lot, as she's locked in a brothel, promised to one customer only, and simply moons out of her window for a boy who leaves tiny presents outside of her window. A poor, rather pitiful, character with so little to do. Jin is searching for her sister, although she's already really figured out where she is (which brothel she's in)...and in my mind it'd be pretty easy to get in there to see her (she could pretend she's a customer. She's already impersonating a boy). So at the story's start, everyone's basically stalling for time. Twiddling their thumbs, as it were. They all know what they need to get, but it's a waiting game to get it. There are some unnecessary obstacles put in their way that seem to be in there just to prolong the story.
The action ramps up appropriately in the last fourth of the novel. The last three days or so, everyone's running places, bleeding out, holding their breath, waiting for rescue, reuniting with people from their past. The author does keep you turning pages then, and hurdle after hurdle is placed before each character, so that at some point you are sure that all of them are dead, that they can't possibly come back from it all.
The conclusion is strong, although there's a lot of nice-nice in the end. Everything is just a little too neat, in juxtaposition with all the nastiness the book tried to shock you with. So, overall, too direct and ugly out of the gate, a little implausible towards the end. Not a very strong contender.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved it! ♥
The Walled City is a book that I've been itching to get my hands on, and with good reason. The amount of buzz surrounding this book is ridiculous and so addictive. The premise sounded fantastic, everyone's anticipation was dragging me in and I couldn't wait to find out what Jin, Dai and Mei Yee had in store for me. Having devoured this 400+ page book in just two days, I can 100% ensure you that this book is worth every single squee and ounce of anticipation that it's created. This book is easily one of my favourite reads of 2014; an instant purchase once it's out and an author that I am guaranteed to add to my 'stalk-next-release' pile.
I think what captivated me the most about The Walled City was the absolute darkness of Hak Nam and the realisation that, although this book is said to be dystopian, it's actually based on a real place; the Kowloon Walled City, China. After reading this book, if it isn't enough to give you the chills I don't know what will be. Graudin paints an absolutely terrifying picture of poverty, of gang culture, and the power of drug lords in such settings. It's safe to say I was captivated from the word go. This book was not letting me go any time soon. I'm still thinking about this book days after finishing it. It's taken all I've got not to post this review right now rather than scheduling it for October!
All three of the protagonists are entirely loveable. I was definitely on their sides throughout the entire book and I was praying for their happy ending. I so desperately wanted them to succeed in what they were doing and found myself gripping the book in anticipation. The language that Graudin uses is so intense, so visual and so realistic that I found myself shying away from the violence in certain areas. You know the descriptions that actually make your face alter? That was me on a bus on my way home from London. I couldn't keep the physical cringes and gasps of shock inside. This book. This book is actually the best thing since sliced bread. It really is.
As you can gather from this review, this book is definitely top shelf material. The Walled City will be sitting proudly next to my J. K. Rowling books. It's been a long time since I read a book that is so exciting, heart-wrenching, gut-churning and thrilling. I'm overwhelmed by the perfection that is this book and I really can't wait for you all to read it. If you're going to read just one other book this year, please make it The Walled City.
The Walled City is a book that I've been itching to get my hands on, and with good reason. The amount of buzz surrounding this book is ridiculous and so addictive. The premise sounded fantastic, everyone's anticipation was dragging me in and I couldn't wait to find out what Jin, Dai and Mei Yee had in store for me. Having devoured this 400+ page book in just two days, I can 100% ensure you that this book is worth every single squee and ounce of anticipation that it's created. This book is easily one of my favourite reads of 2014; an instant purchase once it's out and an author that I am guaranteed to add to my 'stalk-next-release' pile.
I think what captivated me the most about The Walled City was the absolute darkness of Hak Nam and the realisation that, although this book is said to be dystopian, it's actually based on a real place; the Kowloon Walled City, China. After reading this book, if it isn't enough to give you the chills I don't know what will be. Graudin paints an absolutely terrifying picture of poverty, of gang culture, and the power of drug lords in such settings. It's safe to say I was captivated from the word go. This book was not letting me go any time soon. I'm still thinking about this book days after finishing it. It's taken all I've got not to post this review right now rather than scheduling it for October!
All three of the protagonists are entirely loveable. I was definitely on their sides throughout the entire book and I was praying for their happy ending. I so desperately wanted them to succeed in what they were doing and found myself gripping the book in anticipation. The language that Graudin uses is so intense, so visual and so realistic that I found myself shying away from the violence in certain areas. You know the descriptions that actually make your face alter? That was me on a bus on my way home from London. I couldn't keep the physical cringes and gasps of shock inside. This book. This book is actually the best thing since sliced bread. It really is.
As you can gather from this review, this book is definitely top shelf material. The Walled City will be sitting proudly next to my J. K. Rowling books. It's been a long time since I read a book that is so exciting, heart-wrenching, gut-churning and thrilling. I'm overwhelmed by the perfection that is this book and I really can't wait for you all to read it. If you're going to read just one other book this year, please make it The Walled City.
This book is so good. Action packed and fierce and intense with characters to match. The walled city is such an interesting, terrifying, unreal thing. I appreciate the stories of kids forced to live on the streets and those forced into brothels. They are the kind of stories that will never not hold my attention because of how unreal and fictitious they seem, even though they are so real and so true that I probably would not have to look too far to find them in my life. That’s fucking terrifying. But it always reaffirms the fact that my deepest wish is to be able to help. One day.
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Summary:
”Run Fast. Trust No One. Always Carry Your Knife.” Those are the rules that have kept Jin alive in the walled city of Hak Nam. Jin is actually a girl named Jin Ling who left her home after her father sells her sister to the Brotherhood—the organized crime syndicate run by Longwai. For two years she has hidden, disguised as a boy and a vagrant to try and locate her sister Mei Yee. When Dai approaches her with a job as a runner for the Brotherhood, Jin sees her chance to try to find her sister, but Dai has a secret of his own for wanting access to the Brotherhood.
Review:
This action packed novel is told from the points of view of the three main characters, Jin Ling, Mei Yee, and Dai. All three characters are motivated by their own needs and goals and all three have trouble trusting others, and knowing how to trust. All three also have many secrets they keep to protect themselves. The character development with these three characters is well done. Each character has something to motivate their actions.
There is a lot of action in this book. Despite being over 400 pages, this book was a surprisingly fast read. You had to know what was going to happen next and much of the action leaves the reader on the edge of their seats wanting more.
The setting of the walled city is believably drawn. Graudin used much of the information that she had found about the walled city of Kowloon in Hong Kong as a resource for her own walled city of Hak Nam. While the events of the book are fictional, the walled city itself was based on fact.
When I first started reading this novel, I thought I was reading something that was fantasy, then elements of the real world started appearing and I was having trouble dating the time period in the book. Eventually, the more I found out, and the more I read about the real Kowloon Walled City, the easier it was to place the book in a timeline. I say this because it may be difficult for readers who don’t know about Kowloon Walled City to figure out the time period and the setting as there is very little introduction—the book jumps right to the action.
Overall:
Overall this was an interesting read. I love it when I learn something from a book, and I really learned a lot. The author’s notes at the end were very informative about the Kowllon Walled City which helped me envision her city or Hak Nam—it might have been more helpful if these had come at the beginning of the book instead. I would definitely recommend this to readers who like realistic fiction, interesting settings, and nonstop action.
Cautions for Sensitive Readers:
Sex: Mei Yee is sold by her father to a brothel. While you know that she is a prostitute, there are no graphic sexual descriptions.
Violence: Lots of violence.
Drugs/Alcohol: The primary bad guy is a drug lord who addicts one of the girls to heroine after she tries to run away.
Language: Words like “whore” are used to describe Mei Yee and other girls in the brothel and other language may be present, but it wasn’t overly used.
”Run Fast. Trust No One. Always Carry Your Knife.” Those are the rules that have kept Jin alive in the walled city of Hak Nam. Jin is actually a girl named Jin Ling who left her home after her father sells her sister to the Brotherhood—the organized crime syndicate run by Longwai. For two years she has hidden, disguised as a boy and a vagrant to try and locate her sister Mei Yee. When Dai approaches her with a job as a runner for the Brotherhood, Jin sees her chance to try to find her sister, but Dai has a secret of his own for wanting access to the Brotherhood.
Review:
This action packed novel is told from the points of view of the three main characters, Jin Ling, Mei Yee, and Dai. All three characters are motivated by their own needs and goals and all three have trouble trusting others, and knowing how to trust. All three also have many secrets they keep to protect themselves. The character development with these three characters is well done. Each character has something to motivate their actions.
There is a lot of action in this book. Despite being over 400 pages, this book was a surprisingly fast read. You had to know what was going to happen next and much of the action leaves the reader on the edge of their seats wanting more.
The setting of the walled city is believably drawn. Graudin used much of the information that she had found about the walled city of Kowloon in Hong Kong as a resource for her own walled city of Hak Nam. While the events of the book are fictional, the walled city itself was based on fact.
When I first started reading this novel, I thought I was reading something that was fantasy, then elements of the real world started appearing and I was having trouble dating the time period in the book. Eventually, the more I found out, and the more I read about the real Kowloon Walled City, the easier it was to place the book in a timeline. I say this because it may be difficult for readers who don’t know about Kowloon Walled City to figure out the time period and the setting as there is very little introduction—the book jumps right to the action.
Overall:
Overall this was an interesting read. I love it when I learn something from a book, and I really learned a lot. The author’s notes at the end were very informative about the Kowllon Walled City which helped me envision her city or Hak Nam—it might have been more helpful if these had come at the beginning of the book instead. I would definitely recommend this to readers who like realistic fiction, interesting settings, and nonstop action.
Cautions for Sensitive Readers:
Sex: Mei Yee is sold by her father to a brothel. While you know that she is a prostitute, there are no graphic sexual descriptions.
Violence: Lots of violence.
Drugs/Alcohol: The primary bad guy is a drug lord who addicts one of the girls to heroine after she tries to run away.
Language: Words like “whore” are used to describe Mei Yee and other girls in the brothel and other language may be present, but it wasn’t overly used.
I flew through this one a lot faster than I thought I would. While I wasn't quite as attached to the characters in this one as I was with Graudin's other books, this one definitely was just as action-packed as the Wolf by Wolf duology, and just as satisfying.
I'm glad i got this in a book subscription box. Im glad it fell in my hands because I would have never known about this book. I loved it. Every page was good. The grime, the action and the touch of romance. I recommend this book!!!
I believe this book was inspired by a real city in Hong Kong. It was completely ungoverned so it quickly became a den for criminals. This book contained to carry on its strong Asian influences, you could see it in the setting, mannerisms, and culture.
This story was told through three point of views, but mostly through Dai and Jin. These were the POVs I preferred. Dai is older he has been in the city for more than a year. He is working on trying to get closer to the king pin of the city. He met Jin and convinced him to help run drugs for that crime boss.
Jin and her cat were probably my favorite characters. Jin is a young homeless girl dressing as a boy to avoid be taken to the brothels. She is trying to find her older sister and help her escape.
These two characters were more engaging and had more visible character arcs. Mei Yee had a quieter impact compare to the other two. I felt she was more of the driving force that propelled the other two characters forward.
I really enjoyed this story overall. There were gangsters, crime bosses, brothels, friendships, family, and so many trust issues. This story wasn’t afraid to get gritty and dark like the forbidden city it takes place in. This is a long book just over 400 pages and unfortunately it wasn’t always able to keep its momentum. I don’t think the book needed to be that long. Graudin does have a flowerly way of writing and there were so many moments were it didn’t match the situation.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book. I give it a B.
This story was told through three point of views, but mostly through Dai and Jin. These were the POVs I preferred. Dai is older he has been in the city for more than a year. He is working on trying to get closer to the king pin of the city. He met Jin and convinced him to help run drugs for that crime boss.
Jin and her cat were probably my favorite characters. Jin is a young homeless girl dressing as a boy to avoid be taken to the brothels. She is trying to find her older sister and help her escape.
These two characters were more engaging and had more visible character arcs. Mei Yee had a quieter impact compare to the other two. I felt she was more of the driving force that propelled the other two characters forward.
I really enjoyed this story overall. There were gangsters, crime bosses, brothels, friendships, family, and so many trust issues. This story wasn’t afraid to get gritty and dark like the forbidden city it takes place in. This is a long book just over 400 pages and unfortunately it wasn’t always able to keep its momentum. I don’t think the book needed to be that long. Graudin does have a flowerly way of writing and there were so many moments were it didn’t match the situation.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book. I give it a B.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes