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A review by whitneymouse
The Q by Amy Tintera
4.0
**Thank you to NetGalley, Libro.fm, and Crown Books for the eARC in exchange for this review. This in no way changed my rating**
Amy Tintera is quickly climbing my list of favorite authors. I really loved the All These Monsters duology, so I was really excited to get to read her newest book, which also didn't disappoint.
The Q imagines a situation where the city of Austin has been quarantined from the rest of the US following a pandemic (which sounds increasingly plausible post-2019). A wall has been erected around the city, effectively keeping anyone who was in the city previous to the outbreak inside. No one leaves. That is, until Lennon Pierce, the son of a candidate for president, is kidnapped and dropped into the quarantine zone, or "The Q". Once inside, Lennon is given 72 hours by the CDC to get to the gate at the other end of the Q and be released from it. To do so, he needs the help of Maisie Rojas, the daughter of a ruthless man who was helping run the South section of the Q. As they journey, Maisie and Lennon discover they has severe misconceptions about the other's respective side of the wall anyhow society has been affected since the split. They each have individual situations they need to work through, as well as larger scale issues as there is a power grab made while Lennon is inside the Q.
One of Tintera's strengths is her characterization. The reader gets a good understanding of both POV characters through the writing. I really liked learning new little surprises about both characters and felt that the characters were fun and relatable. I also really liked the audiobook for this reason because the narrators switch depending on whose chapter it is, which adds to Tintera's writing. The plot is fast-paced and the ticking clock keeps things from ever feeling slow or unevenly paced.
I'm sure there are some people for whom a quarantine novel is too soon to the COVID pandemic and I understand that reservation. However, if you are in a place where you think that won't be a factor for you, I would recommend this book. The characters are great, the plot is well executed, and I'm of the opinion that Tintera's books are worth picking up.
Amy Tintera is quickly climbing my list of favorite authors. I really loved the All These Monsters duology, so I was really excited to get to read her newest book, which also didn't disappoint.
The Q imagines a situation where the city of Austin has been quarantined from the rest of the US following a pandemic (which sounds increasingly plausible post-2019). A wall has been erected around the city, effectively keeping anyone who was in the city previous to the outbreak inside. No one leaves. That is, until Lennon Pierce, the son of a candidate for president, is kidnapped and dropped into the quarantine zone, or "The Q". Once inside, Lennon is given 72 hours by the CDC to get to the gate at the other end of the Q and be released from it. To do so, he needs the help of Maisie Rojas, the daughter of a ruthless man who was helping run the South section of the Q. As they journey, Maisie and Lennon discover they has severe misconceptions about the other's respective side of the wall anyhow society has been affected since the split. They each have individual situations they need to work through, as well as larger scale issues as there is a power grab made while Lennon is inside the Q.
One of Tintera's strengths is her characterization. The reader gets a good understanding of both POV characters through the writing. I really liked learning new little surprises about both characters and felt that the characters were fun and relatable. I also really liked the audiobook for this reason because the narrators switch depending on whose chapter it is, which adds to Tintera's writing. The plot is fast-paced and the ticking clock keeps things from ever feeling slow or unevenly paced.
I'm sure there are some people for whom a quarantine novel is too soon to the COVID pandemic and I understand that reservation. However, if you are in a place where you think that won't be a factor for you, I would recommend this book. The characters are great, the plot is well executed, and I'm of the opinion that Tintera's books are worth picking up.