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megnut's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Blood, Miscarriage, and Infertility
soundslikejeff's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this first entry into an intriguing new series that I'd classify more as mystery and less as post-apocalyptic. However, the sci fi elements made the setting interesting, which set this book apart from most of the other mystery/thrillers I read. In all, I found it well-thought-out and the world building well developed. I look forward to reading the next book.
piebelly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse
adeliepenguin's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
steadman_slick's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
moniquersqueek's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Pregnancy
Moderate: Grief and Blood
Minor: Miscarriage and Pandemic/Epidemic
myriadreads's review
5.0
I absolutely loved this genre-bending murder mystery set in a post-apocalyptic future. Vaughn expertly layers a tightly plotted mystery with the world building and atmosphere of the best speculative/post-apocalyptic novels. In the area once known as California, the Coast Road cities share a cooperative system that includes population control and resource quotas. People live in households of cooperating adults, and must earn the right to have a child by demonstrating that they have the resources to care for one. Enid is a novice investigator in this world that no longer has the forensic technology that we count on now. Interviews and observation carry a lot of weight. Generally, investigators mediate disputes over resources, or investigate charges of surpluses or hoarding. Murder is rare. In this novel of the Coast Road, a suspicious death has occurred, and it is up to Enid and her longtime friend and investigative partner to determine what happened. As in the best post-apocalyptic, the details of the world after the fall emerge slowly, organic to the story, rather than in a front-loaded "this is the world we live in now" narrative. Slowly finding out bits of what happened, seeing ancient technology, seeing how people move forward--these are the elements that bring me back over and over to post-apocalyptic fiction. Shifting the focus of the plot to a specific event, a mystery, and then solving that mystery was a brilliant way to focus in on the action of the characters while letting the world load in the background. I immediately started the second Bannerless book, The Wild Dead, and I'm finding it just as immersive as the first. I have a feeling I'll finish that book still wanting more.
ameyawarde's review
5.0
I'm not usually interested in murder mysteries, but I picked this up on a whim at the library in the sci-fi section and i'm glad I did. It's a dystopian/utopian world with a lot of interesting features. Of course the idea of "earning" the right to have children is both offensive and intriguing in different ways, but I like seeing how it plays out in this world. Especially contrasted with the "wild" folks who live in the old city's ruins and are free from such rules, but really do struggle to keep their kids alive. I think there's a whole lot of space to go into both sides of this idea deeper in this series, and I'm hoping Vaughn will in subsequent books. I also am an amateur historian of 19th century utopianism and so I really love the concept of the households in this world (they are small communal groups, not nuclear families) and am hoping to see those more fleshed out in upcoming books as well!
This was an enjoyable and interesting summer read, very well written and quick to read!
This was an enjoyable and interesting summer read, very well written and quick to read!