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erine's review against another edition
4.0
Fast-paced with minimal romance, this story features two small town girls on the racing circuit who get swept up into the reality-show-style major race in the big city. The prize is two tickets to a space station where they would be waited on hand and foot -- until they are voted off. Will Cassica and Shiara win those tickets? It's a long shot from the start, but grit and determination, great mechanical skills, and a willingness to push the limits should take them a long way.
Features bleak references to the armageddon of nuclear war that is now in their country's past, as well as some graphic descriptions of violence and death. The friendship between Cassica and Shiara is realistically depicted as it fractures and mends and they try to figure out what their goals really are.
Features bleak references to the armageddon of nuclear war that is now in their country's past, as well as some graphic descriptions of violence and death. The friendship between Cassica and Shiara is realistically depicted as it fractures and mends and they try to figure out what their goals really are.
gjj274's review against another edition
3.0
So this was the book I chose to get me back into reading after not even picking up a book for three months and this did exactly what I wanted it to do. I wanted something easy to read with a fast paced plot that wasn't too hard to follow or full of detail and that was just what this was.
I enjoyed the fast paced nature of this book. I read it really quickly and it kept me wanting to turn the page. I was hooked from beginning to end and there wasn't any point in which I found the story beginning to drag or where I found myself loosing focus. As I said before this was an easy story to follow and it wasn't bogged down with detail which is what I wanted from this book however, I do feel it would of benefited from some more world building. We were thrust into this dystopian, seemingly post-apocalyptic, world in the aftermath of a robot war and that's as much information as we got. I would of liked to know a bit more, what started the war, how it ended and some more detail in how the society was divided. That being said it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
On the other hand I really enjoyed the characters and how they broke the gender stereotypical norms. The stories main focus is on this suicidal car race (think the film Death Race) and the competitors of this race and, this sort of thing is often seen as a very male heavy topic. However, our two main characters were female which I think was great, especially as someone who has an interest in cars and racing. They did experience some gender stereotypes within the story but nothing that they couldn't overcome and I particularly enjoyed their growth as characters throughout the book.
Overall this book did exactly what I wanted it to do and that was to provide me with a fast paced story to get me back on my reading game. It offered me the escape I needed to realise why I love reading and hopefully this has now brought me out of the slump I've been in. Don't go into this book looking for literacy brilliance but if your looking for a fast paced, fun escape then I would recommend this one.
I enjoyed the fast paced nature of this book. I read it really quickly and it kept me wanting to turn the page. I was hooked from beginning to end and there wasn't any point in which I found the story beginning to drag or where I found myself loosing focus. As I said before this was an easy story to follow and it wasn't bogged down with detail which is what I wanted from this book however, I do feel it would of benefited from some more world building. We were thrust into this dystopian, seemingly post-apocalyptic, world in the aftermath of a robot war and that's as much information as we got. I would of liked to know a bit more, what started the war, how it ended and some more detail in how the society was divided. That being said it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
On the other hand I really enjoyed the characters and how they broke the gender stereotypical norms. The stories main focus is on this suicidal car race (think the film Death Race) and the competitors of this race and, this sort of thing is often seen as a very male heavy topic. However, our two main characters were female which I think was great, especially as someone who has an interest in cars and racing. They did experience some gender stereotypes within the story but nothing that they couldn't overcome and I particularly enjoyed their growth as characters throughout the book.
Overall this book did exactly what I wanted it to do and that was to provide me with a fast paced story to get me back on my reading game. It offered me the escape I needed to realise why I love reading and hopefully this has now brought me out of the slump I've been in. Don't go into this book looking for literacy brilliance but if your looking for a fast paced, fun escape then I would recommend this one.
thatlibrarynerd's review against another edition
5.0
A post-apocalyptic NASCAR race? Normally, my love of post-apoc would be overridden by my need to roll my eyes at NASCAR. A challenge, I know. But it's Chris Wooding, so I gave it a shot and I'm glad I did. A sports-type fight to the death may not be original, but if that's the bare bones, then the sinew, muscle, tendons, and blood are what matters.
Cassica and Shiara are interesting, dynamic, flawed characters. At certain points I found myself really not liking Cassica, but I didn't dislike her as a character--I disliked her as a person. She felt real.
The setting is well developed. While we learn bits and pieces throughout the story, it never feels like a history lesson. Readers don't get all the answers, but aren't left feeling like they're missing something, either. There are monsters, bandits, and everything one would want in a post-apocalyptic Western.
Plot is where this story really shines. There's always a clear goal: win the race. This requires that various obstacles be overcome along the way, leaving a consistent sense of urgency and frequent sense of intimacy, and an ultimate uncertainty as it becomes clear that when characters are racing for paradise, they better agree on what paradise ought to look like.
Cassica and Shiara are interesting, dynamic, flawed characters. At certain points I found myself really not liking Cassica, but I didn't dislike her as a character--I disliked her as a person. She felt real.
The setting is well developed. While we learn bits and pieces throughout the story, it never feels like a history lesson. Readers don't get all the answers, but aren't left feeling like they're missing something, either. There are monsters, bandits, and everything one would want in a post-apocalyptic Western.
Plot is where this story really shines. There's always a clear goal: win the race. This requires that various obstacles be overcome along the way, leaving a consistent sense of urgency and frequent sense of intimacy, and an ultimate uncertainty as it becomes clear that when characters are racing for paradise, they better agree on what paradise ought to look like.
baranchi's review against another edition
3.0
This book reminded me more of the Speed Racer movie than Mad Max in style and in plot. Except instead of safety devices activating and drivers bouncing away harmlessly in crashes, they died horribly and the camera lingered on the burned and mutilated bodies of teenagers. It was jarringly dark and felt unearned.
Despite that the races were interesting. Once they got going, the book was smart enough to keep the downtime between the races short, so the last two thirds kept me engaged.
Despite that the races were interesting. Once they got going, the book was smart enough to keep the downtime between the races short, so the last two thirds kept me engaged.
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