biblio_phi_l 's review for:

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

3.0

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In a world replete with Katniss Everdines and Tris Priors[Divergent], Sherri L. Smith graces us with a YA FIC shero who's not only beautiful, brilliant, and the bomb; she's also black. Meet Fen De La Guerre the alternative and exceptional female lead character of the dystopian world called ORLEANS. Oh! And she's not romantic. Thank God. While I must admit that I'm a little biased towards Fen, I do have a critique. The story, though well written, was a tad bit rushed. Some things felt unfinished to me. Perhaps that was the authors intent? To make Orleans in the literal sense the place where there are no "happy endings", where no one grows old, where the girl doesn't get the boy, and evil characters that should be dealt with, go on about their half-lives unchecked? I've never read anything like it, at least not as far as works for YA's go. Overall It's a treat and the ending is unexpected--which almost never happens. Eat your heart out Hunger Games.