The Prisoner (Olrona, #1)

by Sara Allyn

• ISBN10: 1719963258
• ISBN13: 9781719963251
• Publish Date: 31 August 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Independently Published
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 402
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of The Prisoner from Sara Allyn in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Prisoner is a novel that will make you think. It’ll make you question things we’ve taken for granted, while also wondering about the ethics of others. It’s got a little bit of everything, romance, alien planets, drama, political schemes, strong characters…you name it and it’s here.
The novel follows a human woman named Maria. And while it’s quite a long story, Maria suddenly finds herself on a new planet, Olrona. Here she comes up against many challenges, while also being a bit of a challenge herself. Still, Maria is not the type of character to give up, meaning that she’ll make a home for herself in this world. But that doesn’t mean she’ll just go about following orders.



Warnings: The Prisoner covers a lot of heavy subjects. They’re all handled respectfully though. Subjects covered include kidnapping and Stockholm syndrome concerns, questions about owning/controlling people, rape, childbearing laws, and miscarriages.
The Prisoner is a lot of things, but I can promise you it’s nothing that you’d expect or assume it would be. I really enjoyed reading this novel, because nothing was predictable. Every time I thought I got a handle on it, that I knew what was going to happen next, something new was revealed that suddenly changed everything.
This novel was beautifully intelligent and really did make me think. There were so many openings for debate, from the way the Pegasean cultured worked to the ethicality of its laws, and everything in between. Sara Allyn wasn’t afraid to touch on heavy topics, nor was she afraid to speak out in the novel about any concerns readers may have had (such as directly addressing the concern of Stockholm syndrome).
The Prisoner also made me feel very strongly for the main character and some of the secondary characters. I ended up adoring Maria’s character and some of her human friends as well. I liked Orook well enough, but I’m looking forward to seeing more of his true character in the sequel. Sara Allyn did a brilliant job of getting me to invest in Maria’s wellbeing – I was very anxious about things by the time the novel finally wrapped up!
I loved the interactions between the multiple species represented. It was complex and sometimes seemed so strict and foreboding. Other times (and between other species) it felt natural and more companionable. It was an interesting balance – showing the same behaviors under duress versus by choice. It really highlighted a lot of what was going on.
I really enjoyed the Prisoner’s plot as well. I won’t go into that one too much, for obvious reasons. I will say that most of my surprise about this novel came from that direction, and I was very happy with the direction that it took. I honestly do believe that this addition made the novel the fascinating read that it was.
I’m looking forward to the sequel to The Prisoner – though one hasn’t been listed as of yet. The way that this novel concluded though, I can only assume that there’s more to Sara Allyn’s story. I can promise you that I’ll be keeping my eye open for any news about it!


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

This is so good! I was super invested and legit thought about the story when I wasn't home and wanted to get back to reading. That to me is a huge win! And sure, there were a few things I had qualms with, but overall I devoured this one. So much so that I am giving away three copies (so stay tuned!), but let's break it down, shall we?

The Things I Loved:

• •The story itself was compulsively readable. Like, I was jonesing to get back to it while I was at work and such, I was that into the story. I was desperate to find out all the things about the characters and the world. The author would give us answers, and then a few more questions, which is always my favorite. It feels like the story is literally unfolding and it's fabulous.



• •It's so very thought provoking! I mean, Maria didn't exactly plan to be spending her days on another planet. She definitely didn't sign up to be an alien companion. As such, there are so, so many questions of a morally gray variety. Because we are reading this book through the filter of the human/Earth experience. What does it mean when there is a whole other sentient species involved? Is there really a right or wrong answer? So many things to ponder!



• •It's sci-fi that sci-fi fans will enjoy, but it also isn't too heavy if sci-fi isn't really your jam. I loved that the other species were relatable, but also certainly not human. The author did a great job of showcasing that. Not only were all the species different in looks, but in other ways too. Yet, there's that common thread of being sentient beings that held everyone together.We're also on a whole new planet, with its own rules and terrain and customs. Even more exciting, I don't think the part of the story dealing with Earth is over yet, even though nearly the entirety of the story takes place off Earth. That's all I'll say for fear of spoilers, but there is just SO much that can be done with this world (worlds?)!



• •The characters were really well done, even the secondary ones. Speaking of the differences in species, I was really impressed that I was able to feel a connection to characters who were so unlike myself. The Pegaseans were a much more logic-centric group, and I of course understood Maria's emotions. But that doesn't mean that I couldn't see where they all were coming from! Somehow, even when I was so mad at someone, I still understood their motivations, and that's the mark of a well-written character for sure.

A Thing to Mention:

• •This is not (for me, personally) a bad thing, or a good thing, it's just... a thing. So Maria is human, as the synopsis has told us. The Pegaseans are not. Maria, as a human, is considered... less than by the Pegaseans. It isn't because she's female, the female Pegaseans are highly regarded, and the few human men are treated the same as human women. But it's worth noting that Orook is essentially in a role of power over Maria, according to Pegasean society. I don't want to delve into it more than that, because spoilers, but I did feel like it was something to mention, because certainly it might cause someone discomfort, though I found it to be a nonissue in the way it was handled as the book (and relationship) progressed.

The Things I Didn't:

• •A few of the relational dilemmas were resolved a bit too quickly. Or perhaps a better way of putting it, off page. Like- there probably was more to it than we'd see, but that made it seem a little easy? And I don't mean just the romance, I mean all relationship issues. In fact, that was probably my only "big" issue with the book- I just didn't want things to be resolved so seemingly quickly or easily. As for the romance, it isn't really insta-love at all, it's just that I think we don't get to see as many of the little things that lead to them catching feelings.



• •I do wish there was a bit more backstory about Maria's life on Earth. And maybe that is coming later in the series, so I hold out hope! In fact, I feel like there is some kind of connection/story there, but I would even take some of the more mundane aspects for now. Just to connect to Maria a bit more, really!

Bottom Line: After finishing the book, I immediately headed to Goodreads to see when I could expect to read the next one. So I feel like that says all you need to know, yeah?