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A review by literallytara
Taken by Erin Bowman
3.0
Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full review from The Librarian Who Doesn't Say Shhh!
None of the men in Claysoot make it past eighteen. Without fail, on their eighteenth birthdays, all men disappear in a flash of light and sound and shaking ground. Poof. Gone. Never to be seen again. They call it the Heist. Gray Weathersby is mentally preparing for his own Heist, but then he discovers a secret (there's always a secret, right?) that might lead him to the truth about the Heists, about Claysoot, and about the wall surrounding their quiet society.
Now here's a book that does something a little different. I've been reading a lot of YA dystopian trilogies, and they seem to follow a pattern for how the plot will unfold over the three books. I thought I knew what the plot arc might be with this one, but Bowman actually surprised me when she messed with that. She doesn't draw things out. Which I'm glad for, because I was prepared for a really boring middle section. NOPE. What I thought would happen at the end happened early on. The story went an awesomely different direction, while still holding on to the key mysteries presented at the beginning. The pacing, in that sense, is spot on (at least for me. I like action). However, it also felt like a lot was going on throughout the novel. By the end of the novel, I felt like I'd already read a trilogy. Or at least the first two books. I'd like that, because it was different and surprising, but also felt strangely disconnected from the story.
Also, I do have a little beef with authors who have characters withhold their secrets for justalittlelonger than necessary. For example, when a character says something like, "I will reveal the truth to you, but not today. Get some dinner and clean up and go to bed, and I'll explain it all to you tomorrow." Really? Why? Who does that in real life? It's just a manipulation of the plot to keep readers waiting, but I find it lazy. I'm also a wee bit tired of the love triangle thing. Oh, the sweet girl-next door that the main character grew up with versus the kick-ass, passionate girl the main character just met. YAWN. We all know who the main character always ends up with.
FINAL GRADE: C This is a good book. Really. As a dystopian fan, I enjoyed it simply for the world-building and figuring-out-the-mystery elements. The flaws listed above knocked from a B to a C, since I just can't give it the same grades I gave to books like The Madman's Daughter, Wonder, and The Holders (all earned a B). Dystopian is my "I don't care if it's not actually that good, Imma read it anyway!" genre, so that's why I'm glad I read the book. It's also why I might continue the series.
Required Reading: Required for dystopian fans.
Library Recommendations: I would buy it for a middle or high school library. Either audience would appreciate it. Be aware of frank references to sex...in this world, men must have regularly scheduled sex from an early age to ensure survival of the society since they are all heisted at eighteen. If I remember right, it is wrapped up in euphemisms that keep the focus on the society rather than the sex. There are also scenes of violence and death.
Full review from The Librarian Who Doesn't Say Shhh!
None of the men in Claysoot make it past eighteen. Without fail, on their eighteenth birthdays, all men disappear in a flash of light and sound and shaking ground. Poof. Gone. Never to be seen again. They call it the Heist. Gray Weathersby is mentally preparing for his own Heist, but then he discovers a secret (there's always a secret, right?) that might lead him to the truth about the Heists, about Claysoot, and about the wall surrounding their quiet society.
Now here's a book that does something a little different. I've been reading a lot of YA dystopian trilogies, and they seem to follow a pattern for how the plot will unfold over the three books. I thought I knew what the plot arc might be with this one, but Bowman actually surprised me when she messed with that. She doesn't draw things out. Which I'm glad for, because I was prepared for a really boring middle section. NOPE. What I thought would happen at the end happened early on. The story went an awesomely different direction, while still holding on to the key mysteries presented at the beginning. The pacing, in that sense, is spot on (at least for me. I like action). However, it also felt like a lot was going on throughout the novel. By the end of the novel, I felt like I'd already read a trilogy. Or at least the first two books. I'd like that, because it was different and surprising, but also felt strangely disconnected from the story.
Also, I do have a little beef with authors who have characters withhold their secrets for justalittlelonger than necessary. For example, when a character says something like, "I will reveal the truth to you, but not today. Get some dinner and clean up and go to bed, and I'll explain it all to you tomorrow." Really? Why? Who does that in real life? It's just a manipulation of the plot to keep readers waiting, but I find it lazy. I'm also a wee bit tired of the love triangle thing. Oh, the sweet girl-next door that the main character grew up with versus the kick-ass, passionate girl the main character just met. YAWN. We all know who the main character always ends up with.
FINAL GRADE: C This is a good book. Really. As a dystopian fan, I enjoyed it simply for the world-building and figuring-out-the-mystery elements. The flaws listed above knocked from a B to a C, since I just can't give it the same grades I gave to books like The Madman's Daughter, Wonder, and The Holders (all earned a B). Dystopian is my "I don't care if it's not actually that good, Imma read it anyway!" genre, so that's why I'm glad I read the book. It's also why I might continue the series.
Required Reading: Required for dystopian fans.
Library Recommendations: I would buy it for a middle or high school library. Either audience would appreciate it. Be aware of frank references to sex...in this world, men must have regularly scheduled sex from an early age to ensure survival of the society since they are all heisted at eighteen. If I remember right, it is wrapped up in euphemisms that keep the focus on the society rather than the sex. There are also scenes of violence and death.