The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
reading_leaf's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely marvelous book extremely well written and beautiful if this is the last review you’re reading that is helping you decide either way on whether or not you should read this you should absolutely read this and then make everyone else in your circle read this. I was expecting something much more grotesque and dark and looming and instead I was left at the end of the book smiling and crying tears of much more mixed feelings than that . Many of them being positive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Gore, Religious bigotry, and Cannibalism
valyn_grebe's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book is a mix of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Hunger Games. The story can become depressing at some parts due the way the society is shaped and how the grace year girls treat each other also Tierney’s lover, Ryker, dies towards the end of the book .
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Violence, Death, Bullying, Blood, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Animal death, Cannibalism, and Confinement
aravenclawlibraryx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
You can read this review and others like it at aravenclawlibraryx.wordpress.com
A special thank you goes out to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for giving me access to this egalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Holy cow, what a fantastic book! Minus the end being a bit disappointing. I’ll get to that later. But this book is up there as one of my favorite books of the year. It had everything I was looking for in a dystopian novel. It reminded me of why dystopia will always be a favorite genre of mine.
Tierney was an excellent main character. She reminded me of Katniss but I think I like Tierney more. Nothing against my girl, Katniss, but there was just something about Tierney. She was so unlikable but in a good way. I found myself rooting for her, even in the times where she annoyed me. Luckily those were far and few inbetween. Everything Tierney did was calculated and cunning. She was selfish but entirely giving at the same time, often risking her life for others.
The concept of the world upset me but it was like a good upset. If that makes any form of sense. Honestly, I was just terrified the whole time. Terrified for Tierney and terrified for all the women in this book. One of the scariest things about this world was how much it could actually become a reality. It reminded me so much of the Handmaid’s Tale, which I think was where a lot of the inspiration for this book came from. As I type out this review, I get a chill thinking about this world and how truly messed up it is. I would love to have a prequel to see just how this world came to be.
My one complaint about this book, which ultimately prevented me from giving it the full 5 (five) stars (but not enough to prevent me from buying this beautiful book) was the ending. I won’t give away any details or spoil it for you guys but dang, that ending sucked. I expected something major to happen, something that would tilt the world on its axis but nope. I was so disappointed. I hope that maybe Kim Liggett will write a second book and perhaps explain what happens after the events of the grace year but I’m not holding my breath. I will just have to sit in my disappointment.
Overall, this book was fantastic. My only problem was the ending but other than that tiny issue, I highly recommend this book. If you enjoyed the Handmaid’s Tale (the book, not the show because I’ve only seen one episode of the show and I wasn’t impressed by it) or 1984 by George Orwell, I highly recommend you check this book out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and Adult/minor relationship
This is a rough book to read in terms of the violence that is inflicted on women.
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