Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Ann Aguirre website here // $9.99 from {amazon}
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (April 12, 2011)
Hardcover: 272 pages
Source: Publisher
Summary:

WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE. In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.

As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning.

Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn't like following orders. At first she thinks he's crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don't always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she's never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.

As Deuce's perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy... but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she's ever known.

Rating: View my rating system.
 


 
My Thoughts:

Dear Enclave, I thank you. Your grittier, bloodier reality is a breath of fresh air in a genre quickly focusing more on the romance and less on the harsher, dystopian aspects. Not to say both sides of the spectrum don’t each have their merit, but I needed a balance, a change – and Enclave was it. On face-level, Enclave is essentially a post-apocalyptic zombie read, with the zombies replaced by eerie, flesh-eating Freaks and the killer, a literally kick-Freak-ass protagonist Deuce. But factor in scarred bad boy Fade, impending cannibalistic doom, and generous bloodshed, and Enclave proves to be a one-way ticket to an intriguing, suspenseful ride packed with action and hardships galore.

The first thing I noticed when starting Enclave was, of course, the enclaves. Granted, Ann Aguirre isn’t the first, and most certainly won’t be the last, to make use of an underground dystopia, but she adds her own twists: the interconnected societies, the name-picking process, the assigned jobs based on natural capabilities, and much, much more. Everything’s lined with a subtle undercurrent of militant order, and Enclave certainly doesn’t shy away from the cutting edge of pragmatism. The strongest survive, the weak... are eaten.

One of my favorite aspects is, without a doubt, the action. The fighting is spot-on, with enough detail for me to envision the characters’ astounding, Matrix-reminiscent moves, yet not so much as to be completely revolted by the amount of blood spilt – and for someone who becomes nauseous at a finger cut, that’s saying something. Don’t be mistaken, there’s definitely blood and very much of it, but the violence is done in a tasteful way that while thrilling, shouldn’t be a trial on anyone’s stomach. Though I can honestly say those Freaks are freaky.

But if asked what I liked the most about Enclave, it would definitely be Ann Aguirre’s development of Deuce. I can see where readers may feel apathetic towards her character, given her early, unquestioning submission and seeming lack of feeling, and even I’ll admit that I couldn’t exactly empathize with her most of the time. But Deuce was Deuce, and she was real. She was brought up in a society with an overarching survival-of-the-fittest mentality, and this background is perfectly reflected in her short, punctuated thoughts and realistic, yet kind, attitude. If that makes Deuce hard to relate to, so be it. For me, it wasn’t as much of a relatable issue as my admiration of, again, Deuce's development. Ann Aguirre masterfully shaped a character that has history yet is dynamic and able, albeit reluctant, to change.   

And of course, I can’t end this review without mentioning the love triangle. The focus isn’t really on romance, but the formula is there: one wavering girl, two different, devoted guys. Deuce’s ignorance made me want to scream at her a couple times, but I’m sure it’s mostly because I am TEAM FADE, all the way. I'm definitely intrigued to see where this will go!

Romance: Two or three kissing scenes, if I remember correctly. Not much in this department.
Cover: 4.0 -- It's definitely not a beautiful cover, but it actually fits Enclave. Originally, I was going to give the cover a lower score, but then I asked myself what would I want the cover to be? I couldn't come up with any answer except what wouldn't suit the story at all: the overused blown-up face, pretty fonts, bright or soothing colors. So I suppose I'm pretty content with it. I also had to give some extra points because I saw the real book in person today (courtesy of my book buying friend) and it's shiny. Mad props there.

Liked: Characters, Plot, Writing, Originality, Setting
Disliked: A bit more detail on the setting would have been useful, Deuce's occasional passivity and ignorance

Bottom Line: Enclave presents a gritty and bloody peek into the darker side of dystopian fiction. (Think The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan on a lighter scale.) It's solid on all fronts, but don't go in expecting a deep, emotional character connections or a danger-filled romance -- because I highly doubt that's what you'll take from it. Terror, perhaps. Thrill, most likely. Intrigue, definitely. All-in-all, Ann Aguirre is a welcome addition to the dystopian and YA community with her fabulous debut, and I'm eagerly anticipating who-knows-what in the second book of this series, Outpost.

Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Lauren DeStefano's website here // $11.02 from {amazon}
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (March 22, 2011)
Hardcover: 368 pages
Summary: from {goodreads}

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

Rating: View my rating system.




My Thoughts:

Wither is a captivating tale that finds beauty in loss and hope in despair. Despite my few misgivings, its unique plot and fluid prose guarantees Wither a top spot on my dystopian shelf for this year.

What ranks Wither so highly is Lauren DeStefano’s writing, which somehow manages to be extremely lyrical yet simplistic. I loved her poetic descriptions, small details that quietly held up Wither’s characters, setting, and the twisted world in general. Taking a scene between Rhine and a shall-not-be-named someone:

"He weaves his fingers through mine, and I allow it, feel the clammy warmth of his palm against mine. Flush. Alive. Eventually I realize that I am holding on to him just as tightly as he holds on to me. And here we are: two small dying things, as the world ends around us like falling autumn leaves."

-pg. 147 (ARC)

Yes, Wither may be depressing at times, but it balances the hopelessness with small, scattered rays of light – particularly Cecily, Jenna, and Rhine, the three wife-sisters’ relationship. DeStefano develops an amazingly genuine, close-knit sisterhood by merging three distinctive personalities and differing views on life; Cecily is the forever-optimist who embraces her new life, Jenna is the polar opposite, and Rhine is somewhere caught in the middle. I could relate to each one of them to varying extents, which is especially impressive considering that they’re trapped not only in marriage, but in an unfathomable polygamous one.

Another abnormality, the twenty or twenty-five year lifespan in Wither brings up intriguing ethical questions, though I would have liked to see this concept of what humans would do with an extremely limited amount of time. Maybe I have a pessimistic view of humanity, but I definitely expected more aggression and partying and less of the refined detachment.

Rhine’s character triggered some questions as well, my main question being: where does Rhine find her strength and motivation? Her motivation seems to stem from romantic love and desire for freedom, both of which I found to be too unsubstantiated. And as much as I respect Rhine’s persistence and perseverance, a number of her actions I found more impulsive and self-indulgent rather than brave, a likely result from my skepticism. I also never fully believed in the “evil” of the villain, who was disquieting with his refinement and role in one disturbing scene, but whose persona seemed to be more speculation and abstract threats than proof. Overall, the characters were reasonably well-developed and enjoyable, though many could have benefited from a little additional molding.

Romance: There are some kissing and vague mentions of sex, but nothing explicit. For those of you that have read Wither already: I wave the Team Linden flag. <3
Cover: 5.0 -- I LOVE this cover. The colors are gorgeous (dark and very dystopian-y), the picture is accurate, and I can tell how all the little details tie into the story. Am I the only one who'd like to see that dress in person? ;)

Bottom Line: In Wither, we’re given a tantalizing peek into a world of glittering falsehoods and stimulating paradoxes, complete with tentative romance and a sketchy villain. I recommend dystopian readers try this solid debut, though Wither has many aspects that I feel are either very subjective or very controversial, which can be seen a wide variety of ways. Personally, I'm not very enthusiastic about where and whom Wither ended with, so I may or may not continue The Chemical Garden trilogy, depending on where the series goes. However, I will definitely be looking out for more of Lauren DeStefano’s beautiful prose in the future, and the creativity involved in Wither is a mark of her potential to be a stand-out author.

**Thank you to Simon& Schuster for the ARC.

Also read as part of Dystopian February at Presenting Lenore.

Review: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Maria V. Snyder's website here // $9.99 from {amazon}

Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (April 1, 2010)
Paperback: 320 pages 
Summary: from {goodreads}

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous - the only neck I risk is my own. Until I accidently start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. I should have just said no...

Rating: View my rating system.

My Thoughts: I absolutely loved The Study series by Maria V. Snyder - and I mean loved, loved, loved. I can't exactly say why I enjoyed the series so much, but the fact remains that it was captivating and got me addicted from book one. (So considering my adoration for Valek the series, I'm sorry I can't refrain from just a couple references.) -end propaganda- However, that love does not impact my opinion of Inside Out whatsoever, though if you want to take it with a grain of salt, feel free to do so.

Anyways, onto the real review... the above summary, which is also the back-cover summary, comes straight-out stating the interesting premise. And I quote "I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. I'm nobody." etc. In a way, it's accurate in that it concisely captures the gist of Trella's sentiments regarding her situation; she's a scrub, she's insignificant. Or rather, that's Trella's view of herself. Her negative attitude, which I feel is simply her being pessimistic as opposed to being cynical or a pragmatic, annoyed me a little at first because it made her isolation seem self-imposed. Trella's the only one degrading herself and other "despicable" scrubs when she bemoans her lowly station, yet her closest and only friend Cogon is somehow still able to remain cheerful and popular with everyone - how? I'd chalk it up to making the best of the situation, but no, alas, to Trella this jovial attitude is a miraculous, mystifying mystery. I can fully understand discontent but cannot fully justify Trella's prejudices regarding others.

Ironically, the book is more enjoyable because the summary is not entirely accurate. Trella definitely does not say anything along the lines of a "go-to girl," and the "so what if...?" gives the impression of an immature, rebellious teenager. There's no doubt in my mind that Trella has a defiant, rebellious streak, but she displays an admirable level of maturity and restraint, especially considering the extremely hard choices she has to make throughout the book. I'm not even sure if I'd be as willing to sacrifice myself as Trella is for the good of cause, even if that "cause" contains the promise of ice cream, pizza, or perhaps freedom. She's also determined to the level of being obstinate, but I enjoyed being able to see an actually no-nonsense heroine that's willing to do anything to achieve her goal and doesn't just retreat in the face of the swoon-and-catch-me guy. As a matter-of-fact, Trella wears the pants completely pulled-up, and may I add firmly buttoned, in the relationship between her and Riley. As for Riley, if you've read The Study series, think Valek (and I'm not exactly complaining here). Black hair, blue eyes, sweet, and seriously kick ass. Maria V. Snyder has quite a knack for creating sensitive, caring guys that somehow manage to maintain their manliness while constantly supporting their more independent, domineering female half, and all I can do is sigh and "aw" at opportune moments.

I know I focused two long, rambling paragraphs on the summary, but it basically sums up all my thoughts on Trella. She has some admirable traits, but she's also a bit too rebellious and too courageous, if that makes sense. Trella is almost an ideal rather than a real person and, in that way, falls a bit flat, as do all of the other characters to me. The characters are pleasant enough and enjoyable enough, but they just lack that intangible extra push that's hard to describe through words but you know it's there. The push that makes you cry with the characters and cheer for them in joy, especially during the Inside Out's many plot ups-and-downs. Plot-wise, the action and unraveling of the Inside were non-stop and unrelenting. It's action, action, action 24/7, and it helped me overlook many low points. Concept-wise, I can definitely see Maria V. Snyder going somewhere with her fairly original idea of "Inside" versus "Outside."

Ultimately, what made me give Inside Out a 3.5-star rating were not the flaws, but my simple opinion that the book just wasn't memorable for any reason, other than the general premise. I don't know what else to say; Inside Out was a solid, enjoyable read, but it just didn't make me deeply empathize with or relate to the characters or completely suck me into the story.  

Romance: Very sweet and promotes independence. I mentioned earlier that Riley is sweet, and he is. What else can you say about a boy who's willing to get arrested just to see you? And I liked how Trella isn't absolutely commitment-phobic, but she doesn't immediately consent to Riley's proposal nor gush on for pages about his looks.
Cover: 3.5. Simple, but well-suited and effective.
Writing: 3.0
Characters: 3.0
Plot: 4.0 

Bottom Line: Inside Out is an original, slightly dystopian tale that, with the light seasoning of romance, can be devoured quickly and leave you musing about what will happen next. It's a fairly solid recommendation for those that are just starting to go into dystopian novels or are just looking for a fast, enjoyable action-packed read with a sweet guy and from the POV of a brave heroine.