kyla_stroud's review against another edition
adventurous
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death
beth_ro's review against another edition
5.0
Sweet story that has real emotions without smugness or bitterness.
jinxofthedesert's review against another edition
2.0
I remember checking this book out from a library once when I was young, but never got around to reading it, and, after so many years, I finally decided to give it a go.
And it was . . . . egh. Honestly, this was almost one star if not for the beginning.
Pros:
A really good beginning. I was so invested! Starting off with a death, in any book, always gets me interested, and then the way the cities were made, the promise of something bigger with the mystery surrounding the walls and what's outside. I was seriously on board with where this was going and couldn't wait.
The interactions: I found Alexa's conversations with the other adults to be quite wholesome.
There was a comfy vibe at the start even though it had an underlying edge to it from the death we're treated too right at the start.
Cons:
Pervis and Alexa's relationship is really strange to me. She should be much more unsettled. The part where she worries that he'll come and dig around her room while she's sleeping as if it were something he does A LOT, should unsettle anyone. Yet she doesn't seem to be, she's just preparing for when he does. Why?? Shouldn't she automatically have told her father about this? Or anyone? I'm sorry, but from the moment I met him, I got full red flag vibes and if he'd turned out to be a pervert or potential pedophile, I wouldn't have been surprised because he screamed that at me from their first interaction and onwards. Also, even if he does good work at his job, someone who continuously questions leaderships; is rude, inconsiderate, and outright hostile to one of the leader's kids, should be let go. No questions asked. And it baffles me that he wasn't at multiple key scenarios.
The moment we're about to get answers, we are forced into a different direction, literally. And it continues to do that for chapters. I started to feel as if I were being strung along and it got annoying very quickly. Even when we're finally given some, it's a small irritating amount in comparison to the long wait we had to get there.
Alexa's reaction to being outside the wall was . . . lacking to me. Like she's spent so long trying to get out and it seemed glossed over. I didn't even realize we were outside the walls until a few pages past her entrance out. It was very anticlimactic.
Why does Alexa follow someone she doesn't know into the woods? I get it, their society is safe and all, but someone you don't know, at all, is leading you off into the woods, the very woods you've been warned against, and this person isn't answering any of your questions and continues to do so until literally the next night (after they've traded you off to someone else to follow) and you just willingly follow? I don't care how young she is, she is old enough to have some stranger danger bells going off.
Once we're outside the walls, the whole story suddenly starts to drag which I wasn't expecting. Reading started to become a chore and finishing the story became harder and harder.
With how the story starts, it hints at something bigger, at something almost dangerous and it made me so curious. But then, I finally realized what was going on halfway through and . . . well it was very very far below the bar I had set.
There were no real hints as to who the spy was. Like the moment I heard there was a spy I just kinda guessed the most wholesome nice person there was and stuck with that, expecting hints and such to sway me away, but nope. I was right. No hints, just me guessing right off the bat. There were a few red herrings; but the moment they were mentioned I knew it couldn't be them because the book had started to feel predictable.
I understand this book is for younger readers, but leaving some kind of bread crumbs about for us to figure out on our own who the spy is would've been appreciated.
I saw a previous review that mentioned there were no women, apart from Alexa, who spoke and rarely even seen and . . . yeah! I didn't even realize it until I got near the end. We didn't have a word from any female animals, let alone female women. Not. One. Word. I find that odd.
And Alexa was . . . ok as a protagonist. I liked her more at the start but still, it felt off at times.
Final verdict: Good if you're younger or if you want to be lost in a simple story that doesn't make you think too hard. If you loved this, I'm happy for you! Just wasn't for me.
And it was . . . . egh. Honestly, this was almost one star if not for the beginning.
Pros:
A really good beginning. I was so invested! Starting off with a death, in any book, always gets me interested, and then the way the cities were made, the promise of something bigger with the mystery surrounding the walls and what's outside. I was seriously on board with where this was going and couldn't wait.
The interactions: I found Alexa's conversations with the other adults to be quite wholesome.
There was a comfy vibe at the start even though it had an underlying edge to it from the death we're treated too right at the start.
Cons:
Pervis and Alexa's relationship is really strange to me. She should be much more unsettled. The part where she worries that he'll come and dig around her room while she's sleeping as if it were something he does A LOT, should unsettle anyone. Yet she doesn't seem to be, she's just preparing for when he does. Why?? Shouldn't she automatically have told her father about this? Or anyone? I'm sorry, but from the moment I met him, I got full red flag vibes and if he'd turned out to be a pervert or potential pedophile, I wouldn't have been surprised because he screamed that at me from their first interaction and onwards. Also, even if he does good work at his job, someone who continuously questions leaderships; is rude, inconsiderate, and outright hostile to one of the leader's kids, should be let go. No questions asked. And it baffles me that he wasn't at multiple key scenarios.
The moment we're about to get answers, we are forced into a different direction, literally. And it continues to do that for chapters. I started to feel as if I were being strung along and it got annoying very quickly. Even when we're finally given some, it's a small irritating amount in comparison to the long wait we had to get there.
Alexa's reaction to being outside the wall was . . . lacking to me. Like she's spent so long trying to get out and it seemed glossed over. I didn't even realize we were outside the walls until a few pages past her entrance out. It was very anticlimactic.
Why does Alexa follow someone she doesn't know into the woods? I get it, their society is safe and all, but someone you don't know, at all, is leading you off into the woods, the very woods you've been warned against, and this person isn't answering any of your questions and continues to do so until literally the next night (after they've traded you off to someone else to follow) and you just willingly follow? I don't care how young she is, she is old enough to have some stranger danger bells going off.
Once we're outside the walls, the whole story suddenly starts to drag which I wasn't expecting. Reading started to become a chore and finishing the story became harder and harder.
With how the story starts, it hints at something bigger, at something almost dangerous and it made me so curious. But then, I finally realized what was going on halfway through and . . . well it was very very far below the bar I had set.
There were no real hints as to who the spy was. Like the moment I heard there was a spy I just kinda guessed the most wholesome nice person there was and stuck with that, expecting hints and such to sway me away, but nope. I was right. No hints, just me guessing right off the bat. There were a few red herrings; but the moment they were mentioned I knew it couldn't be them because the book had started to feel predictable.
I understand this book is for younger readers, but leaving some kind of bread crumbs about for us to figure out on our own who the spy is would've been appreciated.
I saw a previous review that mentioned there were no women, apart from Alexa, who spoke and rarely even seen and . . . yeah! I didn't even realize it until I got near the end. We didn't have a word from any female animals, let alone female women. Not. One. Word. I find that odd.
And Alexa was . . . ok as a protagonist. I liked her more at the start but still, it felt off at times.
Final verdict: Good if you're younger or if you want to be lost in a simple story that doesn't make you think too hard. If you loved this, I'm happy for you! Just wasn't for me.
maryannsophia's review against another edition
I just couldn't get into the story. The writing was childlike and distracting, explanations anchored the flow to a slow crawl, and the descriptions were boring.
rfelt's review against another edition
2.0
I remember reading this when I was little and loving it so much. So, I recommend it for elementary, maybe early jr. high peeps. The writing is pretty juvenile and the story not as captivating as I remember. But it was a nice trip down memory lane!
onewinternight's review against another edition
3.0
Sort of boring and short, but cute. Appropriate for all ages and a good read for those under ten, in particular.
hoosgracie's review against another edition
4.0
I debated between 3 and 4 stars for this. The first part of the book is excellent – it’s the story of Alexa Daley who lives in a walled city and discovers a way out, where she learns to talk to animals. She also discovers the bad secret of the city. The second half moves to QUICKLY tie up all loose ends. Overall, a good fantasy read.
corkykat's review against another edition
4.0
I read this series so long ago, but I remember that I enjoyed it a lot. It's a good introduction to fantasy worlds for younger readers, but it has so much detail and depth that big kids can enjoy it too. Nothing inappropriate, and it's middle reader level. Hopefully I'll get a chance to reread this series soon.