mcastle1998's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
alexisnasya's review
3.0
January 2021 Reread: I feel pretty much the same as before, although I’d give it a solid 3 stars now. I don’t think it’s bad. I just think elements of it are confusing and I guess I just don’t feel emotionally invested in any of the characters. I don’t particularly feel that anyone’s method in the story is quite the right one, though I appreciate that you must fight fascism however you can. However, I feel like it’s inauthentic to believe there wouldn’t be secret underground groups of people working to fight it, and we know that groups of people fighting against injustice are actually much more common and effective than single actors alone.
I only reread this so soon because it’s up for review in our juniors’ social commentary and perspective book club unit. While I think it’s perfect for that, I highly doubt parents will let it through. Though it does not contain very clear nudity, there is nudity, sex, and drug use, and those seem to be the main targets of censorship for other books in this process. I’ll do my best to defend it as an option, but honestly, I’m not hopeful.
***3.5 Stars*** This story was a bit confusing to follow, as I had a hard time tracking many of the characters working for the fascist government in the story. I think this was exacerbated by the fact that I was reading this on the Kindle app, and the ebook is not adapted for a digital version, so it was hard to maneuver technically.
The idea of the story itself is compelling. England is under a fascist regime after experiencing something akin to the Holocaust to rid the country of immigrants from other countries, especially Southeast Asia, Black and Brown people, and the LGBTQ+ community. V is a person who has been meticulously planning their revenge against actors who specifically harmed them in the war, as well as the destruction of the overall police state. In this process, V takes Evey under their wing to show her their ways. The story serves to point out the level of corruption in governments that seek only to benefit those in power. It shows the lengths to which some will go to exert power over others and the way in which wielding power leads to the degradation of all morals. This story illuminates where those with power might take us if we continue to exclude and condemn anyone who doesn’t fit what we’ve deemed “normal” or who threatens that status quo.
I only reread this so soon because it’s up for review in our juniors’ social commentary and perspective book club unit. While I think it’s perfect for that, I highly doubt parents will let it through. Though it does not contain very clear nudity, there is nudity, sex, and drug use, and those seem to be the main targets of censorship for other books in this process. I’ll do my best to defend it as an option, but honestly, I’m not hopeful.
***3.5 Stars*** This story was a bit confusing to follow, as I had a hard time tracking many of the characters working for the fascist government in the story. I think this was exacerbated by the fact that I was reading this on the Kindle app, and the ebook is not adapted for a digital version, so it was hard to maneuver technically.
The idea of the story itself is compelling. England is under a fascist regime after experiencing something akin to the Holocaust to rid the country of immigrants from other countries, especially Southeast Asia, Black and Brown people, and the LGBTQ+ community. V is a person who has been meticulously planning their revenge against actors who specifically harmed them in the war, as well as the destruction of the overall police state. In this process, V takes Evey under their wing to show her their ways. The story serves to point out the level of corruption in governments that seek only to benefit those in power. It shows the lengths to which some will go to exert power over others and the way in which wielding power leads to the degradation of all morals. This story illuminates where those with power might take us if we continue to exclude and condemn anyone who doesn’t fit what we’ve deemed “normal” or who threatens that status quo.
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