Started reading: December 2nd 2017
Finished the book: December 9th 2017
Pages: 352
Genres: Fantasy, YA
Published: October 15th 2017
Source: Got a digital copy from the author
Goodreads score: 4.45
My score:
Stripped of their birthright and shunned by the people of Ashlund, Una and her family are forced to live on the fringe of society as Scavengers. There is no question that her family's bond is strong, but the law of the Authority is stronger...and soon it will come to collect her. After all, the family is on borrowed time already.
When a night of torment and truth reveals well kept secrets, Una takes new freedoms - free from the Authority, her family, and possibly her fate. Pulled between the life she's always known and a world where status and rituals are everything, Una struggles to understand a culture that has rejected all she holds dear.
My thoughts
Not a bad book! Not a bad book at all. It's a book with some great worldbuilding, everything is explained in a way that it's understandable. The best part was the writing. It was easy to read, fluently and it keeps you reading. For me, the connection wasn't there with the characters and that's what made this book a 3-rating for me. I have been in doubt, because this book was better than some of my 3-ratings, but I just didn't feel connected.
Pros
- Truly brutal: If you have a book with people who are suppressed by others, you have to make it believable. In this book, the Scavengers have no rights what so ever and they are in danger all the time. When that's the case in a book, I want to feel it as well, and oh boy I did! The Citizens are very brutal, they just sell the Scavengers and take whatever they want. There are brutal scenes like murder. Trigger warning; this book also contains rape or almost-rape!
- Worldbuilding: Very strong, with all the different seasons and the way the world revolves around it. It also contains magic and unexplainable twists. I never doubted the worldbuilding whatsoever and I was able to picture everything very vividly. Strong part.
- Writing style: Fluently, easy to read, I loved it. I think this is also one of the biggest parts that helped me through this book. It's very easy to read so the book doesn't feel long. It makes you keep reading, keep reading, keep reading. I like it!
Cons
- Characters: Okay, this is the main part that I gave the book a 3-rating. At first, I totally loved Una. The little fights she had with her brother and the fierceness in her was amazing. Until Blue enters the story. He is awful. I didn't like him whatsoever. He seems spoiled and always wants his way and at other points he is very sweet. I would've been done with that boy for a long time. But because of him, the fierce Una is gone as well. In this book the Scavengers have all the respect for the Citizens, but the things she accepts from him and the choices she makes because of him were not my favorite. I lost the connection with the characters because of the relationship between Una and Blue.
- Tension: There was a part where Una's family is in danger because of the Authority, that was such an exciting part in this book! It totally made me want more action, but after that there is no tension in this book for a very long time. Around 90% in there is a moment, but between those parts, there is a big gap that just felt a bit dull.
Overall
Like I said; Not a bad book! I think that people will love this book if they feel the connection with Una. It just lowered my score, but I see a lot of great reviews for this book on Goodreads. It contains great worldbuilding and the writing is solid. You should try this book, maybe you do find the connection with Una!
Thanks for reading!
Please let me know what you think of this book/review.
