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A review by kenzima
The Gender Game by Bella Forrest
4.0
A Great Take on the Classic Gender Equality Debate!
Two countries, the perfect dichotomy. Matrus versus Patrus. Women versus men. So similar, yet polar opposites. Both want but one thing, for one gender to have complete control. And they will do anything to achieve their goals.
Meet Violet, an outcast on both sides who is wanted for multiple cases of womanslaughter, Violet doesn’t have many options left for life. If she denies the queen’s offer, she’ll be killed immediately but if she follows through with this crazy mission, she’s putting her life on the line for a cause she doesn’t even understand. With so few options, Violet chooses the lesser of two evils and is whisked away from everything she knows. She’s lived in Matrus her whole life, she’s used to having complete freedom, well as free as one can get in a detention center. But things won’t be like that from now on. In Patrus she’ll have nothing, the dog probably has more rights than her, but she’ll make it work. Soon she’ll realize that “trying to make sense of rules that didn't make sense was rather a losing proposition” and instead follow her own path. Along with some troublesome males and a confused heart, Violet risks everything, which honestly isn’t that much anymore, to get her old life back.
I really liked Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into The Gender Game, but I knew it was a unique topic. Sure, almost everyone knows sexism exists, and some have even gone so far as to create a matriarchy in their story, but who has included both a matriarchy and a patriarchy? It’s almost unthinkable, it seems it would never work. I was worried that I would start the story and be severely underwhelmed by the writing. But luckily I was wrong, the writing was great, the storyline was well thought out, and the characters, while few in number, were extremely well developed. They weren’t static, instead they change before the reader’s eyes. With each new development, the characters act realistically and adequately, both for basic human nature but also their formed characteristics. I found myself getting sucked into the story, as if I was watching with my own eyes and for that reason the ending DEVASTATED me! A cliffhanger guys! A CLIFFHANGER! WHY DO AUTHORS THINK THIS IS ACCEPTABLE? IT IS NOT BY ANY MEANS OKAY TO USE CLIFFHANGERS! TAKE NOTES FUTURE AND CURRENT AUTHORS.
Now for the moment you've all been waiting for folks, the part where Kenzi loses her head over absolutely nothing. It happens everytime, but I promise this time it's relevant. I HATE romance. It's a fact of life. I am to romance as Severus Snape is to Harry Potter. Romance and I just don't get along, it's a reality I have come to accept. However, this book had a great example of a romance done right. The romance ADDED to the plot instead of BECOMING the plot. IT'S A MIRACLE! A teenage girl actually managed to keep her head long enough to do what she needed to do and somehow, the world didn't stop turning. A long overdue plotline I'm sure.
*SPOILERS AHEAD! I REPEAT SPOILERS AHEAD!*
You're probably wondering what romance I'm talking about and it is, of course, that of Viggo and Violet. I knew it would happen from the beginning, and let me tell you I was DREADING it. I was waiting for that moment where the stupid girl fell in love and fell into the normal romantic trope. Anyways, it wasn't like that!! If you watch Riverdale you'll remember the iconic scene in the trailer with Betty and Juggy and THAT HAPPENED AND I WANTED TO SCREAM!
*SPOILERS END HERE! IT IS SAFE TO READ NOW!*
But anyways, the tension and the relationship developed over time, and they actually had lives outside the romance too. It was incredible! So yes, this is my belief on the romance of this story, it is well done, and doesn't make me want to cry or set the book on fire, although I can't say the same for that CLIFFHANGER!
I recommend The Gender Game for lovers of science fiction and futuristic dystopias, as the novel fits almost perfectly in these two categories. I feel that while the story does include some classic dystopian archetypes, *cough* rebellious girl falling in love with the bad boy *cough* it still has a sense of originality to it, rather than sounding like a cookie cutter book, which I can't stand. (I'd like to point out that somebody compared this book to Twilight and I almost lost it. I felt so attacked in that moment, I just wanted to cry. [Sorry if you're a Twilight fan but I can't stand the novel, and the writing is atrocious honestly.]) I can't wait to read the next book in the series and I'm starting Monday so wish me luck guys!
Two countries, the perfect dichotomy. Matrus versus Patrus. Women versus men. So similar, yet polar opposites. Both want but one thing, for one gender to have complete control. And they will do anything to achieve their goals.
Meet Violet, an outcast on both sides who is wanted for multiple cases of womanslaughter, Violet doesn’t have many options left for life. If she denies the queen’s offer, she’ll be killed immediately but if she follows through with this crazy mission, she’s putting her life on the line for a cause she doesn’t even understand. With so few options, Violet chooses the lesser of two evils and is whisked away from everything she knows. She’s lived in Matrus her whole life, she’s used to having complete freedom, well as free as one can get in a detention center. But things won’t be like that from now on. In Patrus she’ll have nothing, the dog probably has more rights than her, but she’ll make it work. Soon she’ll realize that “trying to make sense of rules that didn't make sense was rather a losing proposition” and instead follow her own path. Along with some troublesome males and a confused heart, Violet risks everything, which honestly isn’t that much anymore, to get her old life back.
I really liked Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into The Gender Game, but I knew it was a unique topic. Sure, almost everyone knows sexism exists, and some have even gone so far as to create a matriarchy in their story, but who has included both a matriarchy and a patriarchy? It’s almost unthinkable, it seems it would never work. I was worried that I would start the story and be severely underwhelmed by the writing. But luckily I was wrong, the writing was great, the storyline was well thought out, and the characters, while few in number, were extremely well developed. They weren’t static, instead they change before the reader’s eyes. With each new development, the characters act realistically and adequately, both for basic human nature but also their formed characteristics. I found myself getting sucked into the story, as if I was watching with my own eyes and for that reason the ending DEVASTATED me! A cliffhanger guys! A CLIFFHANGER! WHY DO AUTHORS THINK THIS IS ACCEPTABLE? IT IS NOT BY ANY MEANS OKAY TO USE CLIFFHANGERS! TAKE NOTES FUTURE AND CURRENT AUTHORS.
Now for the moment you've all been waiting for folks, the part where Kenzi loses her head over absolutely nothing. It happens everytime, but I promise this time it's relevant. I HATE romance. It's a fact of life. I am to romance as Severus Snape is to Harry Potter. Romance and I just don't get along, it's a reality I have come to accept. However, this book had a great example of a romance done right. The romance ADDED to the plot instead of BECOMING the plot. IT'S A MIRACLE! A teenage girl actually managed to keep her head long enough to do what she needed to do and somehow, the world didn't stop turning. A long overdue plotline I'm sure.
*SPOILERS AHEAD! I REPEAT SPOILERS AHEAD!*
You're probably wondering what romance I'm talking about and it is, of course, that of Viggo and Violet. I knew it would happen from the beginning, and let me tell you I was DREADING it. I was waiting for that moment where the stupid girl fell in love and fell into the normal romantic trope. Anyways, it wasn't like that!! If you watch Riverdale you'll remember the iconic scene in the trailer with Betty and Juggy and THAT HAPPENED AND I WANTED TO SCREAM!
*SPOILERS END HERE! IT IS SAFE TO READ NOW!*
But anyways, the tension and the relationship developed over time, and they actually had lives outside the romance too. It was incredible! So yes, this is my belief on the romance of this story, it is well done, and doesn't make me want to cry or set the book on fire, although I can't say the same for that CLIFFHANGER!
I recommend The Gender Game for lovers of science fiction and futuristic dystopias, as the novel fits almost perfectly in these two categories. I feel that while the story does include some classic dystopian archetypes, *cough* rebellious girl falling in love with the bad boy *cough* it still has a sense of originality to it, rather than sounding like a cookie cutter book, which I can't stand. (I'd like to point out that somebody compared this book to Twilight and I almost lost it. I felt so attacked in that moment, I just wanted to cry. [Sorry if you're a Twilight fan but I can't stand the novel, and the writing is atrocious honestly.]) I can't wait to read the next book in the series and I'm starting Monday so wish me luck guys!