Scan barcode
cc222's review against another edition
4.0
um how did this book take me 10 hours ( w lots of breaks) to read?
going into this book I had very low expectations. this book exceeded my expectations. evidence: I started this book around noon at school, and finished just before 11 at night, the same day. I loved this dystopian, dark theme. the plot and main idea for the book was really well thought out and it was genius. on a side note, I am currently in love with Bowan; sorry Fo
going into this book I had very low expectations. this book exceeded my expectations. evidence: I started this book around noon at school, and finished just before 11 at night, the same day. I loved this dystopian, dark theme. the plot and main idea for the book was really well thought out and it was genius. on a side note, I am currently in love with Bowan; sorry Fo
toyosi0's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
a_strix_named_strix's review against another edition
DNF at page 200ish.
I just got sick of this book tbh. There wasn't anything really going on that intrigued me enough to keep pushing on.
I just got sick of this book tbh. There wasn't anything really going on that intrigued me enough to keep pushing on.
goldendreams's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Medical content, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Excrement, Gun violence, Slavery, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Pedophilia and Rape
princzukos's review against another edition
2.0
[DISCLAIMER: Some minor spoilers!!]
The first word that pops into my mind when I think of this book is "disappointing".
Stung is about a girl named Fiona who wakes up from a medically induced coma in her bedroom full of rat feces, leaves, and dirt. Sounds creepy and weird right? Just wait.
She later realizes that her body is more feminine than she remembers, and she looks more like an adult. At this point you're probably thinking that she woke up in her mid-20s, centuries later in a world without bees .... well, it's only been 4 years.
So, from the beginning I've been disappointed because I was really hoping this book would be a dystopian with a non-teenage protagonist.
The other disappointing thing about this book was that Fiona hasn't mentally matured during her coma. Her mentality is supposed to be of a 13 year old (even tho she's technically 17), but it seems as if she's 10. Disregarding that fact that she's confused about the world she lives in now, she still says and does some really stupid things.
She was even stupid before she got the vaccines and was put into a coma. For example, her mom told her that her twin brother (who was at the hospital at the time) would have to be put in a coma in order to stay safe, and that she'll have to go to the hospital too. Her reaction was to ask her mom if they're going to get more IV or other medications for sickness. Like are you seriously that stupid!??? You've both been infected by the vaccine and had taken the same number of shots, yet you still expect to not have to go through the same things as your brother?? How dumb are you!???
Last but not least, the romance in this book is so painful! She first "fell in love" with Duncun (Dreyden's older brother) because he was cute, and she used to watch him make-out with all his girlfriends on the front porch. Extremely creepy rightEspecially since she was 10 once she started stalking Duncan.
And Fiona's and Dreyden's "love story" is just so awkward and rushed. Like they meet after 4 years in an army camp, and try to run away from there once he finds out that she's a girl, and then declare there love for each other in there hiding place. What the heck?? If my childhood crush goes into a coma then shows up again after 4 years I'd probably completely forget about them. Yes, I'd definitely help them but my feelings for them would never spark again. And if I were the one to wake up from the coma, then it would've taken me quite a while to fall in love with the person that protects me.
But the thing that's even worse than their romance, is the way that she describes their kisses, and her feelings towards him.
This doesn't happen till more towards the end of the book, but Fiona says this at least 3 times:
or vise-versa.
In my opinion, that's the worst way to describe a kiss, or compare a kiss to anything else. Also, whenever Dreyden gets hurt or is on the verge of death she acts as if her whole world would end without him. No, just no! You've only been with each other for less than a week, stop acting like he's your soulmate. Please!!
However, I did like the concept of the story. Bees go extinct and humanity's in danger, so they created artificial ones, and vaccines that are supposed to keep citizens healthy but eventually turns them into a beast ... different levels of vaccination ... bee tattoos ... a corrupt government ... blah blah blah. It's all cool and interesting, but the main character and writing style just ruined it for me.
************
[EDIT: 05/20/16] I've been reading some 1 star reviews on this book, and I found some important things that I forgot to mention in my review that I'd like to add.
- Here's another icky romance scene that made me want to barf out all my organs:
- And I forgot to mention this, but the book is pretty sexist. There's only 1 female to every 7 males, so girls are stereotyped to be either housewives or used for sex (even rape victims), and men are stereotyped to be either sex addicted soldiers or gang leaders. Even Fiona's and Dreyden's relationship start off as abusive and sexist. He basically beats the shit out of her until he finds out she's a girl.
The first word that pops into my mind when I think of this book is "disappointing".
Stung is about a girl named Fiona who wakes up from a medically induced coma in her bedroom full of rat feces, leaves, and dirt. Sounds creepy and weird right? Just wait.
She later realizes that her body is more feminine than she remembers, and she looks more like an adult. At this point you're probably thinking that she woke up in her mid-20s, centuries later in a world without bees .... well, it's only been 4 years.
So, from the beginning I've been disappointed because I was really hoping this book would be a dystopian with a non-teenage protagonist.
The other disappointing thing about this book was that Fiona hasn't mentally matured during her coma. Her mentality is supposed to be of a 13 year old (even tho she's technically 17), but it seems as if she's 10. Disregarding that fact that she's confused about the world she lives in now, she still says and does some really stupid things.
She was even stupid before she got the vaccines and was put into a coma. For example, her mom told her that her twin brother (who was at the hospital at the time) would have to be put in a coma in order to stay safe, and that she'll have to go to the hospital too. Her reaction was to ask her mom if they're going to get more IV or other medications for sickness. Like are you seriously that stupid!??? You've both been infected by the vaccine and had taken the same number of shots, yet you still expect to not have to go through the same things as your brother?? How dumb are you!???
Last but not least, the romance in this book is so painful! She first "fell in love" with Duncun (Dreyden's older brother) because he was cute, and she used to watch him make-out with all his girlfriends on the front porch. Extremely creepy right
And Fiona's and Dreyden's "love story" is just so awkward and rushed. Like they meet after 4 years in an army camp, and try to run away from there once he finds out that she's a girl, and then declare there love for each other in there hiding place. What the heck?? If my childhood crush goes into a coma then shows up again after 4 years I'd probably completely forget about them. Yes, I'd definitely help them but my feelings for them would never spark again. And if I were the one to wake up from the coma, then it would've taken me quite a while to fall in love with the person that protects me.
But the thing that's even worse than their romance, is the way that she describes their kisses, and her feelings towards him.
This doesn't happen till more towards the end of the book, but Fiona says this at least 3 times:
"I kiss him like l am the blood transfusion he needs to stay alive.."
or vise-versa.
In my opinion, that's the worst way to describe a kiss, or compare a kiss to anything else. Also, whenever Dreyden gets hurt or is on the verge of death she acts as if her whole world would end without him. No, just no! You've only been with each other for less than a week, stop acting like he's your soulmate. Please!!
However, I did like the concept of the story. Bees go extinct and humanity's in danger, so they created artificial ones, and vaccines that are supposed to keep citizens healthy but eventually turns them into a beast ... different levels of vaccination ... bee tattoos ... a corrupt government ... blah blah blah. It's all cool and interesting, but the main character and writing style just ruined it for me.
************
[EDIT: 05/20/16] I've been reading some 1 star reviews on this book, and I found some important things that I forgot to mention in my review that I'd like to add.
- Here's another icky romance scene that made me want to barf out all my organs:
"You might as well have eaten my heart straight from my living body. I would rather die a thousand times on your hands than see you captured. Even if you eat my heart. Because you already own it." ~ Dreyden to Fiona
- And I forgot to mention this, but the book is pretty sexist. There's only 1 female to every 7 males, so girls are stereotyped to be either housewives or used for sex (even rape victims), and men are stereotyped to be either sex addicted soldiers or gang leaders. Even Fiona's and Dreyden's relationship start off as abusive and sexist. He basically beats the shit out of her until he finds out she's a girl.
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure about reading this. I heard many mixed reviews about it. There is the side that hates it, and you got the side that loves it.
In the end, I am really really really happy I read this. It was even better than I expected.
Welcome to the world where everything is different. People are marked, people turned to beasts, women are exploited (and seen as weak, the only thing I didn't really like (exploited and being weak)) and there is practically nothing left but ruins.
It had a very fast going story, I loved the little plot twists. And ofcourse, it had romance. And not just crappy romance, no good romance. Only at the end we get a I love you, which made me all so happy. :) I don't really tend to like instant love, and while they seemed to really like each other and there were some tensions between them, it took them long enough (a few days) to say I love you.
Also I am not so sure if I will read the next book. For me this book is done. Sure there is a bad guy still running around, and maybe others. But for me, it is done.
In overall I would recommend this to everyone who likes: Dystopian, romance, action. :)
In the end, I am really really really happy I read this. It was even better than I expected.
Welcome to the world where everything is different. People are marked, people turned to beasts, women are exploited (and seen as weak, the only thing I didn't really like (exploited and being weak)) and there is practically nothing left but ruins.
It had a very fast going story, I loved the little plot twists. And ofcourse, it had romance. And not just crappy romance, no good romance. Only at the end we get a I love you, which made me all so happy. :) I don't really tend to like instant love, and while they seemed to really like each other and there were some tensions between them, it took them long enough (a few days) to say I love you.
Also I am not so sure if I will read the next book. For me this book is done. Sure there is a bad guy still running around, and maybe others. But for me, it is done.
Spoiler
The cure is here, the girl survived, found her love, her long lost brother (and he is cured too) and more.In overall I would recommend this to everyone who likes: Dystopian, romance, action. :)
danthan421's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
waitaminuteash's review against another edition
3.0
I re-read this after a few years and now the book doesn't feel as magnificent as I always thought it was. The biggest ick for me was Bowan and Fiona's relationship. Everything felt very rushed to confess love within a few short chapters.
heather_19's review against another edition
5.0
Read it in one sitting only to discover there is a sequel. And now I have to wait for it to get here.