Published by: Balzer+Bray, May 28th 2015
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Aliens
Pages: 400
Format: Ebook
The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughtertrilogy.
When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.
Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.
As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?
I left it WAY too long to write my review of this, and it wasn't in any way because this book is bad. It's because I loved it, for some reason I can't explain, and those are the hardest reviews to write.
So here's what I didn't love, first:
- Every other character but Cora and Cassian. UGH stop whining. I don't care about your teenage romance and your drama. You are all stupid, and how can you not see you're being manipulated??? It was SO obvious that the aliens were manipulating everyone into hating Cora, and yet they were like nah, it's not the aliens, IT'S CORA. Sure, buddy.
- Those two lovebirds, whose names I've forgotten because they pissed me off so much. You're kidnapped, put in an alien zoo, with a zookeeper who tells you to have sex and mate and ... you do it? Wow, okay, sure, seems legit.
- Diverse supporting characters, diverse side characters, but a blonde white MC. Okay, you tried, I see that, but it's not enough.
Here's what I DID love:
- Cassian, who was SO much more complex than I ever expected. So, he's a shiny gold alien, so what, he's kind and mysterious and he shows Cora that she's strong (and he's evil for a good cause, which is 100% my thing)(and he's vulnerable underneath everything, which is 1000% my thing.)
- Cora, who was strong in a natural, human, weak way. I liked that she was hurt and cried and acted like a typical 'girl' but still stayed strong, got back on her feet, and got them the hell out of there. I really REALLY liked her, and I expected to hate her from the first chapter because she came off as whiny. Which she was - she whined, she despaired, and then she got the thing done anyway.
- ALIEN. FRICKING. ZOO.
- The menageries, the hint at what's to come in future books, the world, the bustling marketplace selling human kids. JUST EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WORLD MEGAN SHEPHERD CREATED.
Just a side note to say there are plenty flaws in this book, and plenty I hated and skimmed pages of, but it wormed its way into my heart anyway, and I LOVE this book.
So here's what I didn't love, first:
- Every other character but Cora and Cassian. UGH stop whining. I don't care about your teenage romance and your drama. You are all stupid, and how can you not see you're being manipulated??? It was SO obvious that the aliens were manipulating everyone into hating Cora, and yet they were like nah, it's not the aliens, IT'S CORA. Sure, buddy.
- Those two lovebirds, whose names I've forgotten because they pissed me off so much. You're kidnapped, put in an alien zoo, with a zookeeper who tells you to have sex and mate and ... you do it? Wow, okay, sure, seems legit.
- Diverse supporting characters, diverse side characters, but a blonde white MC. Okay, you tried, I see that, but it's not enough.
Here's what I DID love:
- Cassian, who was SO much more complex than I ever expected. So, he's a shiny gold alien, so what, he's kind and mysterious and he shows Cora that she's strong (and he's evil for a good cause, which is 100% my thing)(and he's vulnerable underneath everything, which is 1000% my thing.)
- Cora, who was strong in a natural, human, weak way. I liked that she was hurt and cried and acted like a typical 'girl' but still stayed strong, got back on her feet, and got them the hell out of there. I really REALLY liked her, and I expected to hate her from the first chapter because she came off as whiny. Which she was - she whined, she despaired, and then she got the thing done anyway.
- ALIEN. FRICKING. ZOO.
- The menageries, the hint at what's to come in future books, the world, the bustling marketplace selling human kids. JUST EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WORLD MEGAN SHEPHERD CREATED.
Just a side note to say there are plenty flaws in this book, and plenty I hated and skimmed pages of, but it wormed its way into my heart anyway, and I LOVE this book.
Characters ★★★☆☆ (take out the other characters and I'd probably rate this a high 4)
Setting/world-building ★★★★★
This is my first time actually reading synopsis and seeing a review for this one. I've noticed that authors have been Addis lot of diversity to books....except they're all background characters. Close but no cigar.
ReplyDeleteThe love interest sounds really interesting. Do I detect a bit of a villain?
You do indeed detect villain (spoilers, kinda)(he turns out to be more villainy than seems, which as a human zookeeper is pretty villainous.)
DeleteUgh, yay for diversity but yeah, side charaters. >.< And I know who you're talking about...and now when I think what their names are I can't remember, haha. But exactly, I mean, I just WAKE THE FUCK UP. But, I do love how she herself (the one basically sleeping with all of them) was manipulating them, too. I didn't like Cassian in the beginning, but started to by the end, even though I cannot with the romance, nope. BUT THAT TWIST I DID NOT SEE COMING AT ALL.
ReplyDelete