A review by dreamerfreak
Catalyst by Lydia Kang
4.0
If you've read Control, I probably don't have to convince you to read Catalyst as well. Catalyst picks up a few months after Control. Carus has, having lost funding and protection, is falling apart at the seams. Cy is still trapped with Aureus, and worse yet, Aureus seems to have disappeared. Out of options, it's time for the kids and Marka to move to a new safe house... but first they have to cross the state line without getting caught.
Zelia has to come to terms with a lot of things in this book: her father's history, work, and motives; her own history; her sense of responsibility for the fate of other modded kids; and what the future might hold. She struggles and makes mistakes, but ultimately comes to her decisions with a sense of maturity that feels natural considering her circumstances.
The romance between Zelia and Cy is still strong, but less of a focus in this book. Despite their separation, they are solid in their feelings with only a few bumps along the way. It was nice to be able to focus on other aspects of the story rather than being constantly caught up in teenage hormones. They existed of course, but it was more in the background.
Nothing is perfect, and the futuristic US that they live in proves that thoroughly. Sometimes the politics shown here hit close to home, to be honest. But the ending is hopeful while still being mostly realistic. A satisfying conclusion to the adventure first begun in Control.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
Zelia has to come to terms with a lot of things in this book: her father's history, work, and motives; her own history; her sense of responsibility for the fate of other modded kids; and what the future might hold. She struggles and makes mistakes, but ultimately comes to her decisions with a sense of maturity that feels natural considering her circumstances.
The romance between Zelia and Cy is still strong, but less of a focus in this book. Despite their separation, they are solid in their feelings with only a few bumps along the way. It was nice to be able to focus on other aspects of the story rather than being constantly caught up in teenage hormones. They existed of course, but it was more in the background.
Nothing is perfect, and the futuristic US that they live in proves that thoroughly. Sometimes the politics shown here hit close to home, to be honest. But the ending is hopeful while still being mostly realistic. A satisfying conclusion to the adventure first begun in Control.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]