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cosmic_nova_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
lawbooks600's review against another edition
dark
medium-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
3.0
Score: Six out of ten.
To call Hive by A.J. Betts okay would be an understatement. After this novel mysteriously disappeared, the library repurchased it, and I waited for months to read it. I glanced at the intriguing blurb but I should've lowered my expectations considering the ratings. It was underwhelming when I closed the final page.
Betts started on the wrong foot and if her other creations are at the same level, I'll stop reading from her. It starts with Hayley (whose surname is undisclosed) living in a building isolated from the rest of the world. Everyone believes there is nothing outside the Hive. This premise may seem like a dystopian thriller, but it's more introspective than anything. It's like Hive tries to appear like a reimagining of classics for today's audience, since it's built with elements borrowed from The Giver and The Handmaid's Tale but comes off as a poorly thought out narrative.
I liked where it was going with the perfect society from The Giver and the firm roots in religion, almost like a theocratic state from The Handmaid's Tale except I've seen stuff like this before, making it unoriginal. There are around 260 pages, but the pacing is slower than that. I almost thought it was 400 pages for the first half, but the second half is more intriguing as Hayley discovers the truth. Predictably, the government, presumably set in Australia, lied to Hayley, like when she believed there was an old service house that burned down, but when she arrived it never did. The worldbuilding is confusing. Why? I'm unsure. Why did the Hive get cut off? Someone said the community existed for five generations, if so, why didn't anyone bother to escape? Who's stopping them? The finish is heartstopping with more action scenes as Hayley escapes the Hive.
Hive is less dictatorship and more post-apocalyptic setting, which felt familiar as other authors did this location, but better than Betts. Perhaps the following continuation, Rogue, would be an improvement, but for now I'll take a break from this writer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Animal cruelty
Full trigger warnings: Death of a person from an animal attack, grief and loss depiction, near-death experience, firepotplant's review against another edition
Intriguing premise but I found it bland.
louis_likes_to_read's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
It was good
gabrielle_erin's review against another edition
2.0
The premise of this book was so interesting, however the execution was vague and left me wanting so much more! This book gave me major 'The Giver' vibes and I went into it thinking it was a standalone so I was waiting the whole book for the plot to speed up and unravel itself amd then it just never did. The relationship felt jarring and forced to me and I didn't feel any sort of connection to the main character. It was a page turner however! I was desperate to know what was going to happen next, but mainly because I was so confused from the lack of clarity in the world building. Probably won't read the second and concluding book - I'm not that invested.
nedge's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
esshgee's review against another edition
4.0
4 1/2 stars! I devoured this and I need the next book ASAP
starrywatercolorist's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I love the ideas and the story. A world on earth but so different yet realistic.
lauradanby's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? No
3.75
thegingerpageturner's review against another edition
5.0
This book was incredible, it was unique and it was engaging throughout the entire book 😍 I loved the idea that AJ has come up with, the idea of a dystopian society that knows nothing else apart from what they have been taught. It was so interesting reading it and knowing the concepts they didn't know or were lacking knowledge about. The world that AJ has created is intricate and has it's own systems that all function separately but without one it would not function as a whole. The concepts she has created about the world were a unique twist on the things we experience in everyday life. AJ also has this way of writing that is suspenseful, there are things you want to know but you have to be patient and keep reading to find them out.
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I loved the main character, Hayley, it is told from her POV. She was curious, which in her society is not accepted, you just have to accept that what you are taught is how it is. The way that AJ has written it also means you learn new things as Hayley learns them which was great. Her struggles throughout the book are relatable and I liked that there wasn't a heavy focus on romance, it was a nice change. The different characters she interacts with throughout the book all have an impact on the way she thinks and how she is realising that there may be more to the world that they live in.
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This book is full of adventure and intrigue and I am excited to start Rogue, book 2 in the duology, and find out what happens next for Hayley 😊
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I loved the main character, Hayley, it is told from her POV. She was curious, which in her society is not accepted, you just have to accept that what you are taught is how it is. The way that AJ has written it also means you learn new things as Hayley learns them which was great. Her struggles throughout the book are relatable and I liked that there wasn't a heavy focus on romance, it was a nice change. The different characters she interacts with throughout the book all have an impact on the way she thinks and how she is realising that there may be more to the world that they live in.
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This book is full of adventure and intrigue and I am excited to start Rogue, book 2 in the duology, and find out what happens next for Hayley 😊