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raecat23's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this book. The love story was strange, but the science and the diabolics, and all the cunning people in the chrysanthemum were amazing. I really really want more of nemesis and tyrus
emmishangg's review against another edition
4.0
read this for english class - i think it was pretty good
mxharriet's review against another edition
4.0
Dark, raw and addictive, The Diabolic is a unique and thrilling perspective on the future of robots and genetic science.
The novel is predominantly based around a community in space which has developed the Diabolic to protect their children; the Diabolic are robots. And personally I believe this is enough to pull anyone in! I went into this novel knowing nothing, and that is honestly the best way to have gone into this world.
Our characters were intriguing. Nemesis is a Diabolic, grown to have no emotion or conscience, and to do everything and anything to protect their master. It was an intriguing concept, and as Nemesis is put in more difficult situations, we see her character grow and develop into a more caring individual; she becomes more human. But the thing is, is that I don't feel like you will never completely like or know Nemesis due to her nature, because even though she is trying to do the right thing, she will always be a loose cannon; she would kill in a second, with little push. This makes for a rather intriguing and unusual character to read about, as she is unpredictable and hence, a character to watch.
The families you encounter are complex and riddled with secrets. You will not like any of them, it is simple as that. Their morals and beliefs will never alter and the complexity and how deep-rooted these beliefs are is what makes the families so foreboding and rememberable throughout; however problematic they are, the novel and its plot would not be what it is without them. I certainly found the politics of the whole system to be rather intriguing; usually I am not a fan of politics in novels as I find too much time is spent explaining, and it is always used to simply justify despicable actions, but Kincaid was very clever in the way she set this out, and for that I could not help but be intrigued to read further.
The plot of the novel certainly does take a while to get into. You really do have to persevere as Kincaid is setting up the world for you, but once you get past this stage, the plot really does pick up, and makes for an incredibly dark yet addictive read. The ending did however feel rushed; it would speak of something at one point, and switch topics the next, and then it would all miraculously come together and bang, done, that was it, onto the next book. It felt rushed and I really would have liked for it to have been slowed down a little to create a more solid standing and base for the sequel. But obviously, I am really excited to reading the sequel and what it has in-store.
*Received in exchange for an honest review*
The novel is predominantly based around a community in space which has developed the Diabolic to protect their children; the Diabolic are robots. And personally I believe this is enough to pull anyone in! I went into this novel knowing nothing, and that is honestly the best way to have gone into this world.
Our characters were intriguing. Nemesis is a Diabolic, grown to have no emotion or conscience, and to do everything and anything to protect their master. It was an intriguing concept, and as Nemesis is put in more difficult situations, we see her character grow and develop into a more caring individual; she becomes more human. But the thing is, is that I don't feel like you will never completely like or know Nemesis due to her nature, because even though she is trying to do the right thing, she will always be a loose cannon; she would kill in a second, with little push. This makes for a rather intriguing and unusual character to read about, as she is unpredictable and hence, a character to watch.
The families you encounter are complex and riddled with secrets. You will not like any of them, it is simple as that. Their morals and beliefs will never alter and the complexity and how deep-rooted these beliefs are is what makes the families so foreboding and rememberable throughout; however problematic they are, the novel and its plot would not be what it is without them. I certainly found the politics of the whole system to be rather intriguing; usually I am not a fan of politics in novels as I find too much time is spent explaining, and it is always used to simply justify despicable actions, but Kincaid was very clever in the way she set this out, and for that I could not help but be intrigued to read further.
The plot of the novel certainly does take a while to get into. You really do have to persevere as Kincaid is setting up the world for you, but once you get past this stage, the plot really does pick up, and makes for an incredibly dark yet addictive read. The ending did however feel rushed; it would speak of something at one point, and switch topics the next, and then it would all miraculously come together and bang, done, that was it, onto the next book. It felt rushed and I really would have liked for it to have been slowed down a little to create a more solid standing and base for the sequel. But obviously, I am really excited to reading the sequel and what it has in-store.
*Received in exchange for an honest review*
xodandee's review against another edition
4.0
I'll start off by saying that science fiction novels are usually not my cup of tea. While I've always enjoyed fantasy novels, science fiction is the genre I typically stay away from, only because I've had such poor experiences with it in the past.
But what makes the online book community so amazing is that these feelings towards a certain genre can be broken based on a good recommendation. It's no surprise that I watch Sasha Alsberg and Regan, two popular Booktubers, and when they announced that The Diabolic would be their Perustopia Bookclub book for the month of November, I knew that I needed to look more into this novel. Needless to say, I got this book for Christmas and read it within a week of starting it.
I want to address the point of view first. Most of you know I am not a big fan of first person point of view because of how limiting it can be to the reader. I respect authors who can successfully utilize the first person point of view because as a writer, it's never been something I've been able to achieve or like in my own writing for that matter. However, The Diabolic is told from the point of view of our main character Nemesis.
One of the major conflicts in this novel is the prejudices that come with being a humanoid creature (Diabolics, Servitors, etc.). In this world, society looks down upon these creatures because they were made for the sole purpose of protecting or serving actual human beings. I liked that the novel was told from Nemesis's point of view because it was interesting not only to see her reactions to how society viewed her, but also how their opinions influenced her feelings towards herself.
Another problem I have with first person point of view is that I typically end up not liking the main character (not sure why this happens, but I have noticed a pattern). Nemesis was really easy to like, however. As a reader, it's always nice to have a main character who is strong and willing to stick up for themselves, and I got that impression from Nemesis right away since she was designed to be strong, but to protect Sidonia---not herself.
One of my favorite parts of reading this novel was watching Nemesis discover her ability to feel human emotions such as anger, jealousy, fear, but most importantly---love for another person that she was not chemically bonded with. I also enjoyed her reactions to the different emotions she was feeling, as well as her attempts at trying to understand why she was feeling these emotions. I think that's what made her extremely relatable, even though she's supposed to be perceived as this inhumane being. Can you name one person out there that hasn't questioned why he or she is reacting or feeling a certain way? It was also one of the major moments where the reader could see Nemesis in a vulnerable state, which was rare given what she was created to do.
In terms of pace, there were times while I was reading when I questioned whether or not certain scenes really needed to be there. It wasn't that they felt like filler, per say---I enjoyed reading them, but I wasn't understanding how they helped push the story forward. This novel also contained a lot of action, which really helped me plow through it. There were moments where I couldn't physically put it down and kept flipping page after page after page. I think that helped in terms of the scenes where I couldn't identify their significance, meaning there was never really a time when I was bored, so it didn't take away from my reading experience.
In regards to the romance (yes, there was one of those), I thought that Kincaid incorporated it very nicely throughout the story. A romance was extremely important to Nemesis and this assumption that creatures like her couldn't feel human emotions (without being chemically forced to, that is). However, it didn't take focus from the plot of the story, nor did it really distract either party from the actions/plans they set out to do. Romances in young adult fiction are either a hit or miss, and this romance, thankfully, did not annoy me.
But what makes the online book community so amazing is that these feelings towards a certain genre can be broken based on a good recommendation. It's no surprise that I watch Sasha Alsberg and Regan, two popular Booktubers, and when they announced that The Diabolic would be their Perustopia Bookclub book for the month of November, I knew that I needed to look more into this novel. Needless to say, I got this book for Christmas and read it within a week of starting it.
I want to address the point of view first. Most of you know I am not a big fan of first person point of view because of how limiting it can be to the reader. I respect authors who can successfully utilize the first person point of view because as a writer, it's never been something I've been able to achieve or like in my own writing for that matter. However, The Diabolic is told from the point of view of our main character Nemesis.
One of the major conflicts in this novel is the prejudices that come with being a humanoid creature (Diabolics, Servitors, etc.). In this world, society looks down upon these creatures because they were made for the sole purpose of protecting or serving actual human beings. I liked that the novel was told from Nemesis's point of view because it was interesting not only to see her reactions to how society viewed her, but also how their opinions influenced her feelings towards herself.
Another problem I have with first person point of view is that I typically end up not liking the main character (not sure why this happens, but I have noticed a pattern). Nemesis was really easy to like, however. As a reader, it's always nice to have a main character who is strong and willing to stick up for themselves, and I got that impression from Nemesis right away since she was designed to be strong, but to protect Sidonia---not herself.
One of my favorite parts of reading this novel was watching Nemesis discover her ability to feel human emotions such as anger, jealousy, fear, but most importantly---love for another person that she was not chemically bonded with. I also enjoyed her reactions to the different emotions she was feeling, as well as her attempts at trying to understand why she was feeling these emotions. I think that's what made her extremely relatable, even though she's supposed to be perceived as this inhumane being. Can you name one person out there that hasn't questioned why he or she is reacting or feeling a certain way? It was also one of the major moments where the reader could see Nemesis in a vulnerable state, which was rare given what she was created to do.
In terms of pace, there were times while I was reading when I questioned whether or not certain scenes really needed to be there. It wasn't that they felt like filler, per say---I enjoyed reading them, but I wasn't understanding how they helped push the story forward. This novel also contained a lot of action, which really helped me plow through it. There were moments where I couldn't physically put it down and kept flipping page after page after page. I think that helped in terms of the scenes where I couldn't identify their significance, meaning there was never really a time when I was bored, so it didn't take away from my reading experience.
In regards to the romance (yes, there was one of those), I thought that Kincaid incorporated it very nicely throughout the story. A romance was extremely important to Nemesis and this assumption that creatures like her couldn't feel human emotions (without being chemically forced to, that is). However, it didn't take focus from the plot of the story, nor did it really distract either party from the actions/plans they set out to do. Romances in young adult fiction are either a hit or miss, and this romance, thankfully, did not annoy me.
bluebabybreaths's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
payton_spool's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
pupada's review
5.0
1st Read(11:50pm):This book really amazing and the world was really interesting and the politics and everyone thinking their 10 steps ahead of each other. I really loved Nemesis and Tyrus a lot and the plot was awesome. The idea of Nemesis having a purpose and then that purpose is taken away and given back to her after she already found a new purpose and the struggle between choosing between both of her paths was really amazing.
aprilreads_andwanders's review against another edition
Synopsis (From Amazon)
Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.
When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.
As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.
Ok so this was really enjoyable! It had allll the things that just keep me turning the pages!
I loved Nemesis immediately and one of my favorite aspects of the story was her growth. Nemesis is introduced as a child (a thing really) completely unfeeling and ruthless. She is selected to protect a senator’s daughter, and if need be forfeit her life to keep Sidonia safe. Kincaid handles this really well. A character completely devoid of any and all emotion…how they would react, how foreign it would feel, things we take for granted (how to react to someone, how to act in a social situation)…Kincaid paid attention to detail and it felt believable. I loved experiencing that transformation through Nemesis’s perspective…not knowing or understanding emotions, not being able to name or label what your feeling and navigating a world that way and then discovering/learning/acknowledging sparks of connection.
Kincaid also didn’t scrimp on the world-building. The world was complex and fully developed. I loved learning about the history, religious systems, mythology, as well as its social structure and political climate. I would have loved a map!
The story was interesting and I was fully invested in it! I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. There were some moments of obvious foreshadowing but there were still plenty of plot twists, intrigue, and action! It was recently announced that there will be additional installments and I will definitely be reading them!
Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.
When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.
As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.
Ok so this was really enjoyable! It had allll the things that just keep me turning the pages!
I loved Nemesis immediately and one of my favorite aspects of the story was her growth. Nemesis is introduced as a child (a thing really) completely unfeeling and ruthless. She is selected to protect a senator’s daughter, and if need be forfeit her life to keep Sidonia safe. Kincaid handles this really well. A character completely devoid of any and all emotion…how they would react, how foreign it would feel, things we take for granted (how to react to someone, how to act in a social situation)…Kincaid paid attention to detail and it felt believable. I loved experiencing that transformation through Nemesis’s perspective…not knowing or understanding emotions, not being able to name or label what your feeling and navigating a world that way and then discovering/learning/acknowledging sparks of connection.
Kincaid also didn’t scrimp on the world-building. The world was complex and fully developed. I loved learning about the history, religious systems, mythology, as well as its social structure and political climate. I would have loved a map!
The story was interesting and I was fully invested in it! I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. There were some moments of obvious foreshadowing but there were still plenty of plot twists, intrigue, and action! It was recently announced that there will be additional installments and I will definitely be reading them!
tbechtel29's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting...
The first 300 pages of this book were fantastic. I got sucked into the writing, which is such a rare thing for me. I didn't want to stop reading. The writing style is so compelling, and there have only been a few book where I can say the pages flew by. The only problem I had is with the ending. To describe it in one word: anticlimactic. I was getting ready for this kick-ass, battle it out ending and it was not delivered. It almost felt too easy. I think that this could have been a duology because I want more from this world, and I think this book could have ended with a little more action. What was given was not bad, but I find myself dissatisfied walking away from this book. Overall, I give the book 4.5 stars.
The first 300 pages of this book were fantastic. I got sucked into the writing, which is such a rare thing for me. I didn't want to stop reading. The writing style is so compelling, and there have only been a few book where I can say the pages flew by. The only problem I had is with the ending. To describe it in one word: anticlimactic. I was getting ready for this kick-ass, battle it out ending and it was not delivered. It almost felt too easy. I think that this could have been a duology because I want more from this world, and I think this book could have ended with a little more action. What was given was not bad, but I find myself dissatisfied walking away from this book. Overall, I give the book 4.5 stars.
batsinthecastle's review against another edition
3.0
I received this as an ARC at BEA this year. Having loved Sj's previous series (Insiginia), I was excited to get into this one. But, and maybe it's because so many books right now are doing the Sci Fi humanoid/android thing, I wasn't over the moon for this one.
I know my teens will enjoy it because it's a little different, but I found the setting and characters just okay. The beginning action (pg.1-100) is very slow and requires a lot of patience.
That being said, it was interesting reading the story from an anti-hero's perspective. I call Nemesis that because, in this world, she isn't human and her programming tells her to be ready to kill someone every so often. It's weird, and yet we still cheer for her.
I know my teens will enjoy it because it's a little different, but I found the setting and characters just okay. The beginning action (pg.1-100) is very slow and requires a lot of patience.
That being said, it was interesting reading the story from an anti-hero's perspective. I call Nemesis that because, in this world, she isn't human and her programming tells her to be ready to kill someone every so often. It's weird, and yet we still cheer for her.