Reviewed by Angie on
The world that the authors created for Branded is seriously screwed up, but I loved this premise! It’s a dystopian society where the seven deadly sins are the only crimes. Get accused of one, and you’re sent to The Hole and branded so everyone knows which sin you’ve committed. There’s no trials, no chance to prove your innocence. There’s just accusations, and that’s how Livvie ends up with a blue brand on her neck marking her as a perpetrator of lust. Now she must live and work in beyond substandard conditions, but at least she has a guard to keep her alive, right? But what’s so special about Livvie that Cole is commanded to be with her around the clock? Well, you’ll have to read to find out because that is one messed up twist of an ending!
Did I say the seven deadly sins are the only crimes? Well, that’s not entirely true. The lowest crime is for a guard to fall in love with a sinner. Of course this means that Livvie and Cole have to fall in love. Predictable, cliche, but I loved it! I really cannot not get behind a forbidden romance. The stakes are super high for both of them, and they try to fight the attraction, but they can’t. Even after viewing a guard and his lover get executed. Don’t worry, there’s no love triangle or insta-love to overly complicate things. It’s just Livvie and Cole, and they’ve been sharing a room day in and day out for several weeks before feelings pop up. I also think it’s totally believable to develop feelings quickly when you’re constantly with someone, especially in life threatening situations.
Branded is super action packed and pretty fast paced once the plot picks up. There’s also tons of violence and gore, but not so much that I felt overly squeamish. The plot is the typical dystopian rebellion, but I enjoyed it, since I was totally engrossed in this dark, dirty, depressing world. However, I think that this could have been a pretty fabulous standalone if the ending had been slightly different. But as it is, I’m definitely invested enough to want to know what comes next.
If you’re looking for a slightly more mature YA Dystopian, I would definitely recommend Branded. It’s dark and gritty, and I thought the premise was unique even if the plot isn’t. I also enjoyed Livvie as a character. She’s a fighter, and not content to just accept her fate. She’s sick of being the victim and is ready to take her revenge and save the world.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 15 June, 2013: Finished reading
- 15 June, 2013: Reviewed