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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-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
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
One year later after reading Yours for the Taking. It feels like deja vu going back into this dystopian story of the Inside with Ava/Brook, reminding myself that I remember bits and pieces of what happened at the end of the first story. Do note, The Shutouts isn't listed as a direct sequel to the first book, but a book that takes place within the same universe. I do agree with this, as the book is running on two timelines: one that's through a series of letters from 2041, written by a person named Kelly, and the "current" timeline of 2078 (from what the story noted, about 20+ years after Yours for the Taking started.
This new story brings back most of the cast of characters from the previous story and adds a few new names: Kelly, Vero, Cory, and Madhru from the timelines within the letter, and Max and Sterrett from the current timelines. Without spoiling much, the letters do seem out of place within the first couple of days, but they start to explain themselves by the April 11th, 20241 letter, and the reader starts to understand the purpose.
The current timeline, you are reading from the perspectives of the character's name within the title, so it's interesting to shift from one person to another, but it does give the reader a scent of current emotions that the characters are feeling from the events that are happening.
Overall, I wasn't aware that the author wrote another book until I was randomly looking on Goodreads and found it. Similar to the first book, the writing style is easy on the eyes and the choice of words doesn't make the story dull. What I did find uncanny is that the dystopian world that Gabrielle Korn portrays isn't too far from the truth, given the current circumstances, and I would be laughing if there were an actual "force" called the Winter Liberation Army that's based out of Washington State right now.
This new story brings back most of the cast of characters from the previous story and adds a few new names: Kelly, Vero, Cory, and Madhru from the timelines within the letter, and Max and Sterrett from the current timelines. Without spoiling much, the letters do seem out of place within the first couple of days, but they start to explain themselves by the April 11th, 20241 letter, and the reader starts to understand the purpose.
The current timeline, you are reading from the perspectives of the character's name within the title, so it's interesting to shift from one person to another, but it does give the reader a scent of current emotions that the characters are feeling from the events that are happening.
Overall, I wasn't aware that the author wrote another book until I was randomly looking on Goodreads and found it. Similar to the first book, the writing style is easy on the eyes and the choice of words doesn't make the story dull. What I did find uncanny is that the dystopian world that Gabrielle Korn portrays isn't too far from the truth, given the current circumstances, and I would be laughing if there were an actual "force" called the Winter Liberation Army that's based out of Washington State right now.
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t know if I’m just reading this at the wrong time (with everything going on in the world) or it was too long between books but I really didn’t enjoy this sequel. The characters felt flat and homogenous - which made the shifts in perspective and time period hard to keep track of in audio form. I kept getting confused at the start about who was who and their connections in book one. I am glad i read Yours for the Taking first or I think this would have been more confusing.
In terms of plot, this story really kind of wandered lost in the wilderness. The Kelly Green storyline, especially, felt like a missed opportunity. I didn’t understand the choices she was making and found her really hard to sympathize with or relate to. Overall, it was a lot of telling and not much showing in terms of relationships and it didn’t feel like the characters were really growing or getting anywhere.
In terms of plot, this story really kind of wandered lost in the wilderness. The Kelly Green storyline, especially, felt like a missed opportunity. I didn’t understand the choices she was making and found her really hard to sympathize with or relate to. Overall, it was a lot of telling and not much showing in terms of relationships and it didn’t feel like the characters were really growing or getting anywhere.
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-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:
Complicated
I think this officially marks the decision that I will read anything Gabrielle Korn publishes. A five star read, same as Yours for the Taking. Without giving away any spoilers, The Shutouts picks up right from where the previous book left off for some perspectives, but also provides more background by have a perspective in the 2040s. Rather than focusing again on New York, Korn opens the dystopia landscape to encompass the entirety of the United States and explores experiences beyond the Insides.
I appreciate the wrapping up of the storylines without completely closing off this version of Earth's future. I hope that Korn continues with a third installment, but readers will still be satisfied if she chooses not to.
Endless thank yous to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this arc!
I appreciate the wrapping up of the storylines without completely closing off this version of Earth's future. I hope that Korn continues with a third installment, but readers will still be satisfied if she chooses not to.
Endless thank yous to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this arc!
adventurous
medium-paced