by Tahereh Mafi
YA Fantasy, 2011 by Harper, 338 Pages
What I Didn’t Like:
- Similar in basic story elements to many other dystopian stories. The background, in other words, is cliche.
- If I’m being picky, the romance is too instalove and cutesie. I get it, it sort of fits the story, but it is a bit heavy handed.
- A few minor inconsistencies in the story. Our main character will say things in opposite ways often as she’s processing. Sometimes, however, it isn’t said as processing but as fact. Then, later, it will be the opposite way. This is an inconsistency that can pull you out of the story and leave you confused.
What I Did Like:
- The way the audiobook addresses the crossed out sections of the book is brilliant. Also, the way the audiobook narrator races through sections and words as if emotion has gripped her brings this to life in a BEAUTIFUL way. I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook, or maybe both at once. They’re equally powerful.
- Poetic and beautiful. There are parts of this that are complete poetry and parts that are a story. The language is absolutely the best part of this one. Even if you’ve heard a version of this dystopian story before, you’ve never heard it from a heroine who is so emotionally raw and poetic. It’s captivating.
- The characters are intriguing enough to carry you into book 2. They have set the stage for the next book with this ending and put a twist on the tropes enough to keep you interested.
Who Should Read This One:
- Readers who like a heavy dose of YA romance with their dystopian books.
- Readers who like figurative and poetic language in their stories.
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