carstensena's review against another edition
4.0
Completely engaging and entertaining, quick read. The sister relationship is a highlight, as is the depiction of a post-World War III Manhattan. (Cannibals in the subways!)
On the other hand, it's not terribly original -- I've read this all before. Also, it is not at all graphic. I'm surprised this wasn't published YA.
On the other hand, it's not terribly original -- I've read this all before. Also, it is not at all graphic. I'm surprised this wasn't published YA.
faithstuff's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
There are a lot of post-apocalyptic novels featuring spunky, female heroines out there these days. Alot. So in order to get the 5 stars from me, a book either has to have some kind of fresh approach or having very compelling characters who undergo Emotional Arcs of Significance.
And City of Savages almost does it. There's a sextet of relationships here that could yield emotional gold. There's two sisters--one tough, one cerebral-- who love each other fiercely but don't get each other at all, a mother with a secret past who has kept them apart from the other survivors/prisoners, a prison warden named Rolladin with a heartless reputation, and two British boys who come to the island/prison of New York searching for hope.
And once in a while in Phee and Sky's relationship I got some emotional depth. They learn to appreciate each other-- up until the jealousy over the boy happens. Then I want to hit them both over the head. Sky is much, much too whiny about how the boy likes Phee so much, and Phee is much, much too dismissive of Sky and overwhelmingly blind to how little she has in common with the boy. Or maybe it's the story hitting us over the head with how Phee is so unsuited.
a
Or the story hitting us over the head with the obviousness of who Rolladin is.
Or maybe its the stock-character "Feeders" that no one but the mom believes in (cannibalistic tunnel dwellers...I keep wondering who they were eating all these years if everyone is either in Rolladin's Park or the Standard) who are much like zombie/vampires in many other post-apocalyptic novels.
But there's adventure, danger, street-fights, escaping from sexually repressive cults (but I thought the shying away from the night Trevor spent with Phee in the Standard was a disservice to the emotional arcs of the main characters. Thus the 4 stars).
This is ye olde post-apocalyptic novel with some love triangle thrown in. It's certainly engaging, but just not meaty enough for me to want to follow up on.
And City of Savages almost does it. There's a sextet of relationships here that could yield emotional gold. There's two sisters--one tough, one cerebral-- who love each other fiercely but don't get each other at all, a mother with a secret past who has kept them apart from the other survivors/prisoners, a prison warden named Rolladin with a heartless reputation, and two British boys who come to the island/prison of New York searching for hope.
And once in a while in Phee and Sky's relationship I got some emotional depth. They learn to appreciate each other-- up until the jealousy over the boy happens. Then I want to hit them both over the head. Sky is much, much too whiny about how the boy likes Phee so much, and Phee is much, much too dismissive of Sky and overwhelmingly blind to how little she has in common with the boy. Or maybe it's the story hitting us over the head with how Phee is so unsuited.
a
Or the story hitting us over the head with the obviousness of who Rolladin is.
Or maybe its the stock-character "Feeders" that no one but the mom believes in (cannibalistic tunnel dwellers...I keep wondering who they were eating all these years if everyone is either in Rolladin's Park or the Standard) who are much like zombie/vampires in many other post-apocalyptic novels.
But there's adventure, danger, street-fights, escaping from sexually repressive cults (but I thought the shying away from the night Trevor spent with Phee in the Standard was a disservice to the emotional arcs of the main characters. Thus the 4 stars).
This is ye olde post-apocalyptic novel with some love triangle thrown in. It's certainly engaging, but just not meaty enough for me to want to follow up on.
raven_morgan's review against another edition
3.0
This was a case where I wanted to read the "shadow book" (to borrow a term from The Writer and The Critic's Kirstyn McDermott) instead of the book that this was. It's not bad, but leaned too far into generic YA territory for me.
damnthereiam's review against another edition
5.0
This was a great book and I really want more, I hope the author decides to continue the series. I was so into the story, I kept wanting to know what would happen next. I feel like this was so relevant for the changes we are seeing with our new government. I could see something like this actually happening. I also think a parallel series would be cool, seeing what is happening in other parts of the country. Sky was my favorite character because she seemed to be the only one that was easy to relate to.
lsoccer12's review against another edition
Bah. Good writing, original ideas, good characters- at least for the first couple chapters. Then it just got confusing. Plus, the cussing was not necessary and became too much of a distraction for me.
__ Try it! You’ll probably like it (wasn’t for me, but it’s well-written).
_x_ Meh. If you have nothing else to read, try it.
__ Don’t waste your time with this one!
__ Try it! You’ll probably like it (wasn’t for me, but it’s well-written).
_x_ Meh. If you have nothing else to read, try it.
__ Don’t waste your time with this one!
teacher2library's review against another edition
2.0
Meh.
It was an interesting premise. Felt like the author never really wove all the strings together well, though. The stereotypical love triangle was incredibly irritating, and there were way too many gratuitous plot twists. You know the feeling when you're reading and it starts to sound like this: and then... and then... but then... and then this... The predictable ending felt forced and very underwhelming.
It was an interesting premise. Felt like the author never really wove all the strings together well, though. The stereotypical love triangle was incredibly irritating, and there were way too many gratuitous plot twists. You know the feeling when you're reading and it starts to sound like this: and then... and then... but then... and then this... The predictable ending felt forced and very underwhelming.
wrenlee's review against another edition
3.0
18300869
Amazon / Goodreads
It’s been nearly two decades since the Red Allies first attacked New York, and Manhattan is now a prisoner-of-war camp, ruled by Warden Rolladin and her brutal, impulsive warlords. For 17-year-old Skyler Miller, Manhattan is a cage that keeps her from the world beyond the city’s borders. But for Sky’s 16-year-old sister, Phee, the P.O.W. camp is a dangerous playground of possibility, and the only home she’d ever want.
When Sky and Phee discover their mom’s hidden journal from the outbreak of the war, they both realize there’s more to Manhattan—and their mother—than either of them had ever imagined. And after a group of strangers arrives at the annual P.O.W. census, the girls begin to uncover the island’s long-kept secrets. The strangers hail from England, a country supposedly destroyed by the Red Allies, and Rolladin’s lies about Manhattan’s captivity begin to unravel.
Hungry for the truth, the sisters set a series of events in motion that ends in the death of one of Rolladin’s guards. Now they’re outlaws, forced to join the strange Englishmen on an escape mission through Manhattan. Their flight takes them into subways haunted by cannibals, into the arms of a sadistic cult in the city’s Meatpacking District, and, through the pages of their mom’s old journal, into the island’s dark and shocking past. Sky and Phee are dependent on each other, and their ragged posse, for survival, but as their feelings grow toward the handsome English boy Ryder, love and jealousy threaten to break them apart.
While primarily a thriller, City of Savages is also a story about the many meanings of sisterhood, told across two generations of New York women—those who survived a terrible tragedy, and those who were raised to live in its aftermath.
For the characters...I liked the bond between the two sisters.
Sky was really cool. She is a reader. (Which is surprising in this world.) Someone who keeps her emotions in check. I felt a connection to Sky. She was older, but she was ignored. In this new world, she was not good for much. At least in her eyes. She was a scholar. Not a fighter. It was interesting. And she forgot about reality in her books. I do that as well. (That's why I read.) She was interesting. Her mindset is this way for most of the book. Until she meets Ryder and starts to think otherwise. She does end up doing something quite amazing. I did like that. She had hidden in the shadows for a long time. But then she broke free.
I didn't really like Phee. Sure, she was pretty badass. But I didn't care too much for her personality. She was a bit cocky. And, as Sky said, she was accepting of things. The Standard. Rolladin's Park. She wasn't a bad sister or anything. She just didn't pique my interest as Sky had.
Is anyone else wondering the odds of two book-lovers in a post-apocalyptic world? Seriously. There aren't that many people left. There can't be that many people who rather read than survive...
The plot wasn't bad. It was pretty interesting. The different places. The different people. As well as the sisters' mother's life unraveling. (Did anyone else guess the Rolladin secret?) We got to know not only the After but the Before. (Before and After the world ended.) It was fascinating. It gave depth to the story. The premise didn't promise much actually. At times, I was wondering why the story went like that. It had times when I wanted to stop. It was a bit...long. It was pulling it out a bit. I didn't like that.
The action wasn't bad. It was complicated. It was twisted. It was really interesting. It was fast-paced. And it was something I needed. The action was good. But there were times when I wanted something more. More fighting. More bloodshed. (Dark, I know.)
The love triangle. Ugh. I didn't like it. I ranted about it to anyone who could hear. I hated it even. Why are good books ruined by love triangles? Families torn apart even! I didn't like it. It tore the two sisters apart. For this one guy. Seriously? Wow. That doesn't make sense. I didn't like it. In general, I don't like romance.
I felt like he shouldn't have chosen either. Then maybe they, the girls, could have gotten together. And become better friends and made raunchy jokes about Ryder's lack of kissing experience. I dunno... But it seems like everyone was pairing off. Geez. I didn't like that. Was there a hint of a Sam-Phee relationship? It seemed so. Barely. Maybe. Maybe not.
I didn't care for the way the world ended. It didn't seem right. The premise wasn't...accurate? China wouldn't really attack the US. I don't think so. I was told that China wouldn't dare. They rely on us. But...if China's broke, so is the US. And a lot of other countries as well. That doesn't seem quite likely. I didn't particularly like that the story was told that way. A nuclear war seems more likely.
I'm not trying to sound like a smartass. I'm just stating facts I've learned in my different classes. This doesn't seem possible.
Also. Did China like...just bomb us? I mean...the US has a top military. You don't just bomb the US. I mean...seriously?
The ending is meh. Well...not the best. It's vague. It doesn't truly suit the story. It gives the impression of hope. But we never learn where they end up. I feel that a sequel is coming... (Not that I would care for one.) I don't know if I like how they just...leave. They don't even consider exploring the US. Hey, for all you know, the border with Mexico is fine. You never know. You're assuming other clans/communities never tried to rebuild society. And that isn't necessarily true. There is alway a what if.
Also. It's an ending that reminds of me 'The Sound of Music'. They're going somewhere. You don't know where. But they're going somewhere. You know they are. Are they just going to travel until they find civilization? Or until they run out of food?
Weather:
Sunny with a 50% chance of rain
3/5
Amazon / Goodreads
It’s been nearly two decades since the Red Allies first attacked New York, and Manhattan is now a prisoner-of-war camp, ruled by Warden Rolladin and her brutal, impulsive warlords. For 17-year-old Skyler Miller, Manhattan is a cage that keeps her from the world beyond the city’s borders. But for Sky’s 16-year-old sister, Phee, the P.O.W. camp is a dangerous playground of possibility, and the only home she’d ever want.
When Sky and Phee discover their mom’s hidden journal from the outbreak of the war, they both realize there’s more to Manhattan—and their mother—than either of them had ever imagined. And after a group of strangers arrives at the annual P.O.W. census, the girls begin to uncover the island’s long-kept secrets. The strangers hail from England, a country supposedly destroyed by the Red Allies, and Rolladin’s lies about Manhattan’s captivity begin to unravel.
Hungry for the truth, the sisters set a series of events in motion that ends in the death of one of Rolladin’s guards. Now they’re outlaws, forced to join the strange Englishmen on an escape mission through Manhattan. Their flight takes them into subways haunted by cannibals, into the arms of a sadistic cult in the city’s Meatpacking District, and, through the pages of their mom’s old journal, into the island’s dark and shocking past. Sky and Phee are dependent on each other, and their ragged posse, for survival, but as their feelings grow toward the handsome English boy Ryder, love and jealousy threaten to break them apart.
While primarily a thriller, City of Savages is also a story about the many meanings of sisterhood, told across two generations of New York women—those who survived a terrible tragedy, and those who were raised to live in its aftermath.
For the characters...I liked the bond between the two sisters.
Sky was really cool. She is a reader. (Which is surprising in this world.) Someone who keeps her emotions in check. I felt a connection to Sky. She was older, but she was ignored. In this new world, she was not good for much. At least in her eyes. She was a scholar. Not a fighter. It was interesting. And she forgot about reality in her books. I do that as well. (That's why I read.) She was interesting. Her mindset is this way for most of the book. Until she meets Ryder and starts to think otherwise. She does end up doing something quite amazing. I did like that. She had hidden in the shadows for a long time. But then she broke free.
I didn't really like Phee. Sure, she was pretty badass. But I didn't care too much for her personality. She was a bit cocky. And, as Sky said, she was accepting of things. The Standard. Rolladin's Park. She wasn't a bad sister or anything. She just didn't pique my interest as Sky had.
Is anyone else wondering the odds of two book-lovers in a post-apocalyptic world? Seriously. There aren't that many people left. There can't be that many people who rather read than survive...
The plot wasn't bad. It was pretty interesting. The different places. The different people. As well as the sisters' mother's life unraveling. (Did anyone else guess the Rolladin secret?) We got to know not only the After but the Before. (Before and After the world ended.) It was fascinating. It gave depth to the story. The premise didn't promise much actually. At times, I was wondering why the story went like that. It had times when I wanted to stop. It was a bit...long. It was pulling it out a bit. I didn't like that.
The action wasn't bad. It was complicated. It was twisted. It was really interesting. It was fast-paced. And it was something I needed. The action was good. But there were times when I wanted something more. More fighting. More bloodshed. (Dark, I know.)
The love triangle. Ugh. I didn't like it. I ranted about it to anyone who could hear. I hated it even. Why are good books ruined by love triangles? Families torn apart even! I didn't like it. It tore the two sisters apart. For this one guy. Seriously? Wow. That doesn't make sense. I didn't like it. In general, I don't like romance.
I felt like he shouldn't have chosen either. Then maybe they, the girls, could have gotten together. And become better friends and made raunchy jokes about Ryder's lack of kissing experience. I dunno... But it seems like everyone was pairing off. Geez. I didn't like that. Was there a hint of a Sam-Phee relationship? It seemed so. Barely. Maybe. Maybe not.
I didn't care for the way the world ended. It didn't seem right. The premise wasn't...accurate? China wouldn't really attack the US. I don't think so. I was told that China wouldn't dare. They rely on us. But...if China's broke, so is the US. And a lot of other countries as well. That doesn't seem quite likely. I didn't particularly like that the story was told that way. A nuclear war seems more likely.
I'm not trying to sound like a smartass. I'm just stating facts I've learned in my different classes. This doesn't seem possible.
Also. Did China like...just bomb us? I mean...the US has a top military. You don't just bomb the US. I mean...seriously?
The ending is meh. Well...not the best. It's vague. It doesn't truly suit the story. It gives the impression of hope. But we never learn where they end up. I feel that a sequel is coming... (Not that I would care for one.) I don't know if I like how they just...leave. They don't even consider exploring the US. Hey, for all you know, the border with Mexico is fine. You never know. You're assuming other clans/communities never tried to rebuild society. And that isn't necessarily true. There is alway a what if.
Also. It's an ending that reminds of me 'The Sound of Music'. They're going somewhere. You don't know where. But they're going somewhere. You know they are. Are they just going to travel until they find civilization? Or until they run out of food?
Weather:
Sunny with a 50% chance of rain
3/5
anniemariek's review against another edition
2.0
I wish this book made any sense at all, and that it didn't broadcast its plot twists like CNN disaster coverage.