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alex_pcbff 's review for:
Capture The Flag: The Flag That Has Never Been Found
by Carol Thompson, M.L. Williams
fast-paced
I was drawn to this book because of the interesting concept, but overall it was not for me.
The concept is really neat. Very typical for a dystopian YA novel, with similar vibes to the Hunger Games and Divergent. I love the concept of having to find something that no one has found before.
Personally though, I found the pacing was very rushed and the characters and plot were underdeveloped. The story moves very very quickly, and I felt like there wasn't enough time to get to know the characters and get drawn into the plot. We barely get any time with the protagonist's brother, Leo, before Juno is being taken. Then, she barely gets a chance to settle in before she's meeting Jecob, who gives her maps and information almost immediately. It just lacks a lot of nuance and build-up.
I also feel that the author could have done a lot more with the worldbuilding. The book would have benefited from more small details about this world to make it feel more real. It only really focused on the plot-relevant details.
When it gets to the reveal that the search is rigged and the purpose of the capturers is as a distraction, I would have liked to see more foreshadowing to get to that point. It just felt very rushed that Juno immediately figured that out.
Overall, I think the story and concept had a lot of promise, but I found it difficult to connect to the characters, and the plot felt very rushed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The concept is really neat. Very typical for a dystopian YA novel, with similar vibes to the Hunger Games and Divergent. I love the concept of having to find something that no one has found before.
Personally though, I found the pacing was very rushed and the characters and plot were underdeveloped. The story moves very very quickly, and I felt like there wasn't enough time to get to know the characters and get drawn into the plot. We barely get any time with the protagonist's brother, Leo, before Juno is being taken. Then, she barely gets a chance to settle in before she's meeting Jecob, who gives her maps and information almost immediately. It just lacks a lot of nuance and build-up.
I also feel that the author could have done a lot more with the worldbuilding. The book would have benefited from more small details about this world to make it feel more real. It only really focused on the plot-relevant details.
When it gets to the reveal that the search is rigged and the purpose of the capturers is as a distraction, I would have liked to see more foreshadowing to get to that point. It just felt very rushed that Juno immediately figured that out.
Overall, I think the story and concept had a lot of promise, but I found it difficult to connect to the characters, and the plot felt very rushed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.