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ladymacbeth_1985's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
4.75
A rich, visceral, violent romp, The Prince of the Wasteland is one of those post-apocalyptic books that takes the genre from sci-fi into dark fantasy and in a tense and exciting way.
This book is mesmerizing. Much like a car crash, you can’t look away from it. And unlike a car crash, while it’s gory, it’s more warped and weird than entirely disturbing. This, of course, depends on what you find disturbing. A person bathing in sewage versus violence, for example. This book has both. There is no sexualized violence in this novel, though the word for it is mentioned in passing a few times.
It’s very short, extremely easy to follow, and keeps up a steady sense of dread and tension the entire book.
It’s multi-POV, following several characters, some of whom have magical powers and work for Michael, the prince, and two who do not. All the characters, even the gross weirdos, are so compelling. We don’t get a ton of time with any of them, but all of them are well-developed and their motivations and choices work. I liked all of them, somehow, even Splice. Perhaps “like” isn’t the best word, as, aside from Lucy and Dina, none of these people are morally gray - they are full-on evil - but some of them struggle with this aspect of their persona and, as such, it’s somehow made understandable and, if not quite sympathetic, palatable.
Of all of them, of course Dina, an absolute badass, was my favourite, but all of their narratives are equally fascinating and conceptually rich. It’s a book about people who think if they can just restart the world, they can make it better, but they somehow make it worse. It’s also about manipulation and abuse. It’s carries such a heavy thematic weight.
The book is so short, but there’s so much to talk about! The magic system is interesting and the different skill sets are fun (it’s kind of like mutant powers in a way). The setting is a typical nuclear wasteland post-apocalyptic city (New York) but with a drastically reduced population. The plot is kind of all over the place, but in a good way. I did wish we had a bit more time with the how of the nuclear bombs, like how Michael and team were in that position and how he collected and convinced these people to follow him - that part while not necessary to the plot, would have been interesting to know.
Did I love the book? Not quite love, but definitely found it fascinating and unputdownable. And that cover is gorgeous.
This book is mesmerizing. Much like a car crash, you can’t look away from it. And unlike a car crash, while it’s gory, it’s more warped and weird than entirely disturbing. This, of course, depends on what you find disturbing. A person bathing in sewage versus violence, for example. This book has both. There is no sexualized violence in this novel, though the word for it is mentioned in passing a few times.
It’s very short, extremely easy to follow, and keeps up a steady sense of dread and tension the entire book.
It’s multi-POV, following several characters, some of whom have magical powers and work for Michael, the prince, and two who do not. All the characters, even the gross weirdos, are so compelling. We don’t get a ton of time with any of them, but all of them are well-developed and their motivations and choices work. I liked all of them, somehow, even Splice. Perhaps “like” isn’t the best word, as, aside from Lucy and Dina, none of these people are morally gray - they are full-on evil - but some of them struggle with this aspect of their persona and, as such, it’s somehow made understandable and, if not quite sympathetic, palatable.
Of all of them, of course Dina, an absolute badass, was my favourite, but all of their narratives are equally fascinating and conceptually rich. It’s a book about people who think if they can just restart the world, they can make it better, but they somehow make it worse. It’s also about manipulation and abuse. It’s carries such a heavy thematic weight.
The book is so short, but there’s so much to talk about! The magic system is interesting and the different skill sets are fun (it’s kind of like mutant powers in a way). The setting is a typical nuclear wasteland post-apocalyptic city (New York) but with a drastically reduced population. The plot is kind of all over the place, but in a good way. I did wish we had a bit more time with the how of the nuclear bombs, like how Michael and team were in that position and how he collected and convinced these people to follow him - that part while not necessary to the plot, would have been interesting to know.
Did I love the book? Not quite love, but definitely found it fascinating and unputdownable. And that cover is gorgeous.
maria_ionela's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
chelleyrenee's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a good time. Fast paced, interesting premise and characters. I’m slightly confused as to where we go from here but I’ll definitely be continuing the journey.
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