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A review by emilyinherhead
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- 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? Yes
3.0
I absolutely love the premise of this book, which is similar to what books like The Power by Naomi Alderman are doing but tied here to testosterone production instead of gender. Gretchen Falker-Martin is definitely filling a gap in the post-apocalyptic speculative genre, one that previously excluded trans folks and their stories. Manhunt is intense and violent; the stakes are high. It also has a lot of vulnerability and tenderness in it, which I loved. Despite a couple of particular quirks in the author's writing style that pulled me out of the story a bit, I thought this was a wild ride and a refreshing take.
Overall, perhaps a tiny bit too heavy on the action and gore for my personal taste (me, the person who falls asleep during the intense fight sequences of action films because *yawn* I'm just not that impressed with bit explosions and cool flips, I'm here for the emotions and the interpersonal drama). But a worthwhile read, and a fun one to discuss with a book club.
Overall, perhaps a tiny bit too heavy on the action and gore for my personal taste (me, the person who falls asleep during the intense fight sequences of action films because *yawn* I'm just not that impressed with bit explosions and cool flips, I'm here for the emotions and the interpersonal drama). But a worthwhile read, and a fun one to discuss with a book club.