4.5*
You guys know I am a sucker for a good dystopian, right? Of course. But note the emphasis on good, please! Which this book is. On the surface, it does seem a bit... "typical". Maggie is trying to save her father from a really awful corporation who is basically repressing a bunch of people. So I can see your concerns, I can! But it isn't cookie cutter. In fact, Maggie knows how downright stupid (and probably futile) her goals of getting her father back are, she just doesn't care. Maggie isn't really having a great time of things, she doesn't have any friends, and her mom and brother just wish she'd move on with her life.
But alas, it would have been a really short book if Maggie shrugged, said "eh, okay" and they sat down and ate dinner or something. I don't even know what to say without spoiling stuff, so I am just going to tell you what I liked about the book (and then yes, my one teensy issue with it).
Things I Loved:
- Maggie is a great character. She's kind of mean, and snarky, and isn't so great at the "getting close" to people thing. But really, she's not as unfeeling as she'd like everyone- and herself- to believe. She always thinks the worst about herself, and while she doesn't always make the best choices, she isn't an evil person.
- The secondary characters are fabulous. Maggie is great, but Gus and Quinten (and even the lesser characters) make the book so much more enjoyable. Maggie's head isn't the most fun place to be, so the banter and the jabs and the humor from the other characters lighten the book up in a really believable and appealing way.
- There were definitely a lot of twists I didn't see coming! I liked too that when I realized what was happening, it made total sense in the story- my mind just hadn't gone there yet! I am being vague, because spoilers, but I love when plot twists are super authentic to the story- and these were!
- There's romance, and my goodness, I shipped it! Like, so much shipping. It's a slower romance, but perfect. I like when a romance doesn't take over the characters' lives, but just builds them up to be better versions of themselves, and this was so swoon-worthy while doing just that!
- Mount Weather! As always, I love excuses to fangirl over The 100, and in this book... Mount Weather and the tunnels are a focus from like, Chapter 2. The funny thing is, these books both came out around the same time, so it is absolutely just a happy coincidence that I can relish in and provide you GIFs of.
Anyway, I love the setting- it allows the book a perfect amount of shady business and "real world" society. The setting is in the future, but not overly so. The technology is slightly different from today, and of course more advanced, but it's based off of stuff we use today so it felt very believable. - The story moved SO quickly! I was shocked at how fast I read it- and the sequel, even faster! I just couldn't put the book down, eager to find out what was happening next to Maggie and company!
And what didn't I? Well, a few parts were a bit predictable. Not many, mind you, but a few. It's really the only thing stopping me from giving it a full five stars, but it's close!
Bottom Line: This book was fast paced and enjoyable, with a cast of characters and romance that I adored. So much, in fact, that I had the next book shipped from freaking Australia. So if that doesn't say it all, I don't know what would.