A review by candority
Wonderblood by Julia Whicker

3.0

Wonderblood takes place 500 years in the future, in a post-apocalyptic landscape ravaged by a disease called “Bent Head” and filled with carnivals, space shuttles, bloodletting, magic and more. It was very different from what I normally read, and while I enjoyed it, there was also room for improvement. The writing was beautiful, but the story itself fell a bit flat. There was little to no character development, the majority of the characters were unlikable, and I kept confusing John and Marvel’s parts. Additionally, I kept waiting for two of the characters to meet, but that never happened. I think I was expecting something more… whether that was more action or more explanation. As a reader, I felt like I was thrust into this world without really understanding what the world was. I think flushing that out a bit more would have been helpful. I also thought the ending could have been a bit more conclusive, but it seems as though Whicker has set the stage for a sequel.

Overall, I think Wonderblood had a unique and interesting premise. While there were flaws, it was a fairly quick read, and I think fans of dystopian novels will enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of Wonderblood in exchange for an honest review.