A review by renuked
Enclave by Ann Aguirre

3.0

Enclave is the story of Deuce, a girl who lives underground after a plague/apocalypse/thing happened aboveground and destroyed the world years ago. She lives in the Enclave, a place where people are sorted into Breeders, Builders, and Hunters. She aspires to become a Huntress and protect her people from the Freaks, former people or zombie things that eat other people. It was all very intense and action packed.

The biggest issue I came up with this book was the pace at which it happened. Action-packed is good....things happening in choppy instants is bad. I wasn't able to absorb some aspects. Example: Deuce was supposed to love Stone and Thimble, she was supposed to care about her Enclave so intensely she wanted to be a Huntress...but I didn't really feel much of that. The only time Deuce met someone worth protecting was Girl26. Deuce became a Huntress, fought Freaks, got kicked out, and messed about Topside. That's about it. It just flashed by too quickly. It could have been better paced, and less sporadic. It was too choppy.

However, Deuce was one of the physically strongest female protagonists that has narrated. She can fight like nobody's business. Mentally, she isn't independent yet, she depends too much on the Enclave, but eventually she begins to form her own mind, and fights the haze of ignorance. That's one thing I liked about the book, Deuce wasn't too knowledgable, she can barely read, but it focused on a lot on her personal growth. Fade too was pretty cute, but I didn't really feel like I got to know him, mostly because the book went by too quickly. He's a good fighter, mysterious, but sensitive; that's about all I know.

The relationship between Deuce and Fade was too quick. I realized that they were partners for weeks and became accustomed to each other. They learned about each other, and then fell in love. But it felt like only a few pages later that Deuce was falling for him. And then Stalker came in the picture. It was too fast and yet nearly nothing happened. I'm contradicting myself, but I can't express it. It felt like a wave; coming slowly but visibly, then crashing on shore, then receding. Deuce meets Fade....begins to fall in love....BAM Stalker comes in and Fade pulls out. And Stalker....*shudders.*

But anyway, the romance wasn't even supposed to be the pure focus. It's meant to be Deuce's personal journey as she realizes the false lies she's lived her whole life. The action was incredible and they ran into Freaks tons of times, and yes the Freaks are creepy, but no they didn't terrify me (sorry). Most of the book is well done, and hopefully the second book will continue with Deuce's growing understanding and will also slow down a bit.