fiepige231's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
madwomaninanattic's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/4 I dig it...reminded me a bit the Selection, Red Queen and Survivor wrapped in one. It didn’t have much going on sometimes but there were many things about the story and the writing that I enjoyed a lot :) It felt a little lack in most areas and not a lot of character establishment where it felt needed but overall I’ll give it an okay rating for anyone who is interested is a nice read. I’m keen to see what the sequel has in store hmm.
raisingself's review against another edition
3.0
I’m here for Serina’s story!
Slight Spoiler:
Nomi’s story has some definite Red Queen vibes.
The book was ok, will definitely read book 2.
Slight Spoiler:
Nomi’s story has some definite Red Queen vibes.
The book was ok, will definitely read book 2.
bookla's review against another edition
4.0
Mi hanno detto "leggi questo libro e dicci a quali altri fa riferimento". L'ho letto e si, la storia ha vagamente qualcosa di già sentito, ma questo passa in secondo piano rispetto al messaggio che porta. Le protagoniste sono donne forti che in modi diversi scoprono la realtà del mondo che le circonda e lottano per cambiarla, ribellandosi alle regole che le vogliono sottomesse. Perché l'oppressione non è una condizione permanente. Anche tra gli uomini non c'è solo chi vuole il potere, ma c'è chi pensa che anche le donne abbiano diritto alla loro libertà di scelta, aiutandole.
Gran bel libro, bella trama scritta molto bene anche nell'alternarsi delle voci delle protagoniste.
Gran bel libro, bella trama scritta molto bene anche nell'alternarsi delle voci delle protagoniste.
amarylissw's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed the overall story, but the characters, plot, and setting definitely could’ve been worked on. This is an easy, fast-paced read, but I really think it could’ve benefitted from another hundred pages or so. This book feels really short and rushed for what it’s trying to portray. I wanted to know more about the world they lived in, the politics, the atmosphere. I wanted to know more about the other Graces and prisoners.
Serina and Naomi aren’t terrible characters, but they fall into tropes — as well as their love interests. (I am a bit partial to Val, but his character hasn’t been explored fully enough for me to make a solid opinion. I do like that Serina didn’t immediately fall in love with him or something.) On the other hand, we have Nomi kissing boys within twenty pages of each other. . . . Honestly, it’s not the overall romance that bothered me but that it just happened so quick, and I barely know these characters.
They were also some small plot holes that I think could’ve been worked out better, but hopefully the next book will address them.
All this being said, I did like this story and I think it has a lot of potential. It’s just not astounding.
Serina and Naomi aren’t terrible characters, but they fall into tropes — as well as their love interests. (I am a bit partial to Val, but his character hasn’t been explored fully enough for me to make a solid opinion. I do like that Serina didn’t immediately fall in love with him or something.) On the other hand, we have Nomi kissing boys within twenty pages of each other. . . . Honestly, it’s not the overall romance that bothered me but that it just happened so quick, and I barely know these characters.
They were also some small plot holes that I think could’ve been worked out better, but hopefully the next book will address them.
All this being said, I did like this story and I think it has a lot of potential. It’s just not astounding.
chloeoliviaa's review against another edition
2.0
just some thoughts;)
I felt this book was an unoriginal mix between the selection and had Red Queen tropes.Meaning I saw the “big” plot twist coming half way through the book,which was disappointing. However,I did appreciate the message of the book and I enjoyed reading about the characters.
I felt this book was an unoriginal mix between the selection and had Red Queen tropes.Meaning I saw the “big” plot twist coming half way through the book,which was disappointing. However,I did appreciate the message of the book and I enjoyed reading about the characters.
katleap's review against another edition
4.0
3.9 stars
I went into this book with a pretty solid opinion of which sister I liked better and where things were going to go. I quite happily, was wrong.
Serena and Nomi are sisters and almost opposites in the way they view their world. Serena bends and blends to men and Nomi rebels as fiercely as she can. When Serena is chose to compete to a grace for the heir, she and Nomi go to the capitol. Where Nomi promptly insults the heir and steals a book. The fallout from those two choices is the rest of the book.
The best thing about this book is the sisterhood. Serena and Nomi love each other and are very much in each other's court. They don't always understand one another and some times they fight. But mostly they do what they can to make each other the best they can be.
I didn't really liked Serena from the get go. She was too easy, too soft. Her name fit her so well. But as she is only the island she finds her fury and in some ways it is more potent than Nomi's. I liked how she finds herself there, in ways she never imagined. And every time the chapter flipped I couldn't wait to get back to Serena.
Nomi on the other hand was almost a disappointment. She starts out so fierce and raging at the beginning and then when everything falls apart, mostly from her carelessness she can't deal. It takes her chapters to find her backbone and it makes her easily manipulated. By then end there are glimmers of the original fire Nomi had but I was disappointed in her. I really wanted her to find ground to stand on in the palace and she never did.
I liked the side characters. Oracle and Jacana and Maris. I want to know more about Malachi. He was really quite the mysterious figure. Val was awesome. I am excited to see where this goes.
I went into this book with a pretty solid opinion of which sister I liked better and where things were going to go. I quite happily, was wrong.
Serena and Nomi are sisters and almost opposites in the way they view their world. Serena bends and blends to men and Nomi rebels as fiercely as she can. When Serena is chose to compete to a grace for the heir, she and Nomi go to the capitol. Where Nomi promptly insults the heir and steals a book. The fallout from those two choices is the rest of the book.
The best thing about this book is the sisterhood. Serena and Nomi love each other and are very much in each other's court. They don't always understand one another and some times they fight. But mostly they do what they can to make each other the best they can be.
I didn't really liked Serena from the get go. She was too easy, too soft. Her name fit her so well. But as she is only the island she finds her fury and in some ways it is more potent than Nomi's. I liked how she finds herself there, in ways she never imagined. And every time the chapter flipped I couldn't wait to get back to Serena.
Nomi on the other hand was almost a disappointment. She starts out so fierce and raging at the beginning and then when everything falls apart, mostly from her carelessness she can't deal. It takes her chapters to find her backbone and it makes her easily manipulated. By then end there are glimmers of the original fire Nomi had but I was disappointed in her. I really wanted her to find ground to stand on in the palace and she never did.
I liked the side characters. Oracle and Jacana and Maris. I want to know more about Malachi. He was really quite the mysterious figure. Val was awesome. I am excited to see where this goes.
womanon's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a good book! It took me a couple of chapters to get into, but from then on I basically floated through it! I can highly recommend it.
rooroo_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know why it has taken me so long to read this. I need the sequel, immediately. It certainly took me for a ride. I will say that it was a little predictable; there was a slightly overused trope in there that I saw coming about halfway through the book. That being said, I was still sucked into this book very quickly, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I didn't want to put it down at all.
Minor spoiler alert, but not necessarily for this book. Possibly this one, definitely for other unrelated books.
Minor spoiler alert, but not necessarily for this book. Possibly this one, definitely for other unrelated books.