A review by libscote
Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really enjoyed this one. It's sort of like The Scorpio Races mixed with a dash of Hunger Games. Koral and her brother Emrik catch maristags for the Glory Race, an event that happens every 4 years and is usually reserved for the upper class. If they don't catch maristags, they don't get paid, and then they starve and can't afford medicine for their sick younger sister. When they lose the last maristag of the season, Koral makes a desperate bid to enter the Glory Race. Can she win despite all the odds?

It's definitely a hard book to read at times. There's an upper class determined to hold onto their place at any cost, and the lower class is balanced between trying to survive and being resentful of anyone who earns a little more. There's a rebellion happening, but it's complicated. The way the rebellion is portrayed I actually really enjoyed, because it felt very realistic. The ending leaves space for a sequel. 

I read an ARC of this title.
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