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brilee92's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Kidnapping
Minor: Addiction, Blood, Violence, Confinement, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Murder
katenovah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Sexual content, Blood, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Child death, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Violence
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"Poster Girl" follows a young woman named Sonya. Sonya long believed in the Delegation's moto: " WHAT'S RIGHT IS RIGHT". She followed it without question or second thought. But when the Delegation fell, and she is locked up with other important members of the Delegation in the Aperture, she begins to rethink everything. She is given the opportunity to earn her freedom and get out from under their watchful eye. Sonya is tasked with finding a missing girl, a second born to a family who should not have had a second child under the rules of the Delegation. Through her investigation, Sonya uncovers decades old secrets that could destroy her community's reality.
I really liked the idea of this book and the exploration of how surveillance is slowly encroaching on every part of our lives. It is easy to feel like wherever you are, technology will find you, and that might not be such a great thing. I also greatly appreciated that this book does not get too techy in explanation. I have a very visceral understanding of technology, so too much detail about the cloud would have really taken be out of the story.
Sonya as a character felt kind of flat to me. I wanted to see her complete her task, but I was never rooting for her. She is flawed and we learn something about her that is heartbreaking, but I never felt super connected to her as a person.
I think Veronica Roth does dystopian well, but this particular story just did not grab me like her others. Perhaps this was too futuristic with technology for me personally? Overall, I felt like this story was fine. I am happy I read it, but I likely will not think much about it.
I will probably pick up Veronica Roth in the future, just maybe not anything set in this world
Graphic: Death, Child death, Suicide, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Death of parent
starrymess's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, and Child death
kari_f's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Kidnapping, Suicide, and Child death
Minor: Sexual assault and Classism
honuzbubbles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Drug use, Murder, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Alcohol, Suicide, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, and Forced institutionalization
arantzazureads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Medical content, Violence, Grief, and Suicide
marareading's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
This is a slow burn and I couldn't put it down. Perfect for a dystopian weekend read. Highly recommend, and eerily relevant to the times.
Graphic: Trafficking, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Drug use, Medical trauma, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts
starrysteph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Addiction, Police brutality, War, Child abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Child death, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
When I saw that one of the "classic" dystopian authors was releasing a new dystopian, I was excited to check it out - and very excited to get an advanced copy! I know that some people still hold Allegiant against Roth, but while it definitely wasn't my favourite series ending, I don't hold any grudges about it. I was excited for an adult dystopian!
This book was kind of a dystopian crossed with a mystery, with a lot of social and political commentary. It had a really good combination of these things, and I did really like the commentary. There were some really interesting things said and discussed between characters, or just commented on by the main character.
The one thing I was kind of excited about, even though it was so small, is that this book is set in the Pacific North West - or I guess what would have been it? - and it mentions places like Portland, Seattle, and even Vancouver! It was kind of exciting to see a Canadian city included - oh the small things that make us happy! I did also really like the writing of the book, and how short it was. Roth was able to pack so much into a shorter novel without missing anything integral to the story.
I did really enjoy the story, but I admit there were just a couple things that made me not give it a higher rating. Even though I loved how short the story was, there were a couple parts that felt almost like filler. We got a lot of background information, or more details on the way the new dystopia works - as one has taken over after a different one - but some of those sections made things drag just a little. I almost wish the pace had been kept up a bit more, especially through certain sections.
I also guessed a couple of the twists. Don't get me wrong! There are some absolutely fantastic twists and reveals throughout the book that I did NOT see coming - two that I could name right away as being fantastic twists in the book! But there were a couple others that felt a little predictable. And the ending, well, I have very mixed feelings on it. While it was the type of ending that I wanted for so many other dystopians I read during the height of that genre, it felt a little lackluster for this story.
But perhaps my biggest reason I couldn't rate this higher is that the characters weren't as developed as I would have liked them to be. I couldn't ever fully get a grasp on Sonya. She didn't feel developed enough for me to really have feelings about her through the story. The same went for Alexander, even the other side characters. I think somehow the ones that were developed were characters who were integral to the story but had such short little moments. It was a strange combination.
Overall though, if you are looking for a plot-focused dystopian that has some great twists and brings you back to the dystopian novels that we used to read - it will deliver on those fronts, in a short novel even!!
Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
The suicides are referenced back to, and they are drug overdose related.