Reviews

Fractured by Sarah Fine

cjyu's review against another edition

5.0

THIS IS NOT OKAY
THIS IS NOT OKAY
THIS IS NOT FUCKING OKAY

TAKE IT BACK SARAH FINE REWRITE THIS
I TAKE BACK MY WORDS FROM WHAT I SAID IN MY REVIEW OF SANCTUM
THIS IS NOT FUCKING OKAY
I WANT FUCKING UNICORNS AND RAINBOWS AND SUNSHINE AND FLOWERS

THIS IS NOT FUCKING OKAY

eastofthesol's review against another edition

5.0

“I was never meant to wear dresses. I was meant to wear fucking armor.”

Normally, I would choose a beautifully poetic quote from the novel to place at the top of a review. Maybe one about love or life struggles or something. I mean, there were several I had lined up from the story. But instead, I chose this one. I felt that this one really encapsulated Lela’s strength. No, she isn’t one of those characters to reject notions of femininity or anything like that. She’s a fighter and fighters wear fucking armor.

One of the many things I liked about this book, and Lela’s character development as a whole, is that she doesn’t ever try to portray herself as unlike other girls (you know what I’m talking about). She doesn’t view women who like dresses or makeup or things like that as inferior. Instead, she has respect for them. This is actually really important because there are many, many young adult novels that feature female characters who demean other women for caring about their appearances and sleeping with different guys and so on. The fact that Lela doesn’t demean these women or ostracize herself from them is not radical, but it is wholly refreshing in the YA genre, especially for a character who kicks serious ass.

Moving on, I didn’t think I was going to like Fractured at all. Sanctum was just so good and so different that I couldn’t imagine enjoying a story where the characters go from a purgatory-like world to high school, of all places. However, it surprisingly worked for me. I thought Fine would water everything down and primarily focus on the angst between Lela and Malachi, throw in some bullshit high school cliches, add Mazikin drama, and that would be it. But it was so much more than I expected. (Sorry for ever doubting you Mrs. Fine.)

The stakes were much higher this time around than in The Dark City. This worked because of the real life limitations imposed upon Lela and her guards as they tried to prevent the Mazikin from reeking havoc on Rhode Island. Having to balance out her guard life while maintaining a teenage social life and avoiding the law was actually interesting to read, as it added a sense of urgency and authentication to the plot.

The primary characters, including the new ones that we meet, were all very organic to me. I felt that they were more than just plot points and background characters, but actual contributors to the story and to Lela’s growth as a person. She truly pushed herself this time around, really appreciating the life she’s made for herself, despite the shitty (Mazikin) circumstances.

Lela is one of the few YA narrators that I don’t get tired of. Her inner dialogue doesn’t annoy me. I empathize a great deal with her pain and her struggles. She's tough but has vulnerabilities. I only occasionally roll my eyes at her thoughts and interactions with Malachi. I mean, what more can you ask for in a YA heroine? She’s mentally and physically strong as fuck and I think she’s incredible.

Overall, Fractured did not suffer from Second Book Syndrome. It was occasionally slow to read in parts but Fine’s writing is way too good for me to even be bothered. I loved this novel, with all it’s nail biting, yelling-at-the-book moments. This is diverse, intelligent, and dark YA paranormal/fantasy and it is exactly the kinda story I enjoy to read. It does not disappoint.

That ending though.....

electri7's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

iphi_kc13's review against another edition

4.0

I need the final book!!

cvanders's review against another edition

5.0

What?!

How could that happen? No, no, no!!!! Why??!!!!! I am it this book is amazing, it was a little slow at first but it's amazing.

abulmahn's review against another edition

4.0

I need NEED NEEEDDDD this book now.
Ugh, Malachi in highschool? With Lela? IS SHE TRYING TO SUFFOCATE ME FROM THE FEELS

lizzy_22's review against another edition

4.0

BRUTAL ENDING, OMG..

There are no words for that ending ---- only feels!




How could you do that to me Sarah Fine??! How could you leave me this way, with my heart torn out and bleeding?!

There is no sign of a book 2 slump in Fractured, action packed right to the end and a bitter, balls to the wall ending. No spoilers..just read it and be prepared to weep.

Lela, my love, get ready girl because you have your work cut out for you from here. You can do it.

avora's review against another edition

4.0

3.5

Entertaining, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first one because it was predictable (IT'S A TRAP HOW DO YOU NOT SEE THAT) and set in the human world. Instead of learning about an alternate world and its dangers, we got Lela in her human element, full of insecurities and doubt. She wasn't as strong and focused as when she went to find Nadia. However, a lot of that had to do with the Lela-Malachi drama, which was so over sweet and then so overwrought with love square teenage angst. Bleh. The only person from that square who came out looking good and sane was Ian. Love me some Ian.

Anyway, I'm actually looking forward to reading the third book because I think it will be better with Lela in the Mazikin world. No more mopey boohooing crap to deal with, just good ol' slicing and dicing, kicking ass and taking names.

novelheartbeat's review against another edition

4.0

This one wasn't quite as awesome as the first book, but I still enjoyed it! The premise is very interesting, and the Mazikin were totally creepy! I am sad that it took place in the real world instead of in hell, like the last book. I think that's what made it a bit less interesting, honestly. In the first book, the world was painted so vividly, and it was such a gritty and interesting setting that I couldn't help but love it. That was missing in this book. I do have to say, though, that Sarah Fine's prose has vastly improved since the last book! That was one of my only complaints about Sanctum: That the prose was a bit sophomoric. It wasn't at all in this one!

The breakup kind of killed me. It made me feel sick, like I was in Lela's shoes. I actually felt jealous for her. I wanted to punch Laney, and Malachi both!! Malachi is a freaking idiot in this book. I actually kinda wanted her to give Ian a shot.

I really enjoyed the relationship development between Lela and Tegan. They strongly dislike each other, but once they got to know each other they both realized the other wasn't as bad as they thought. And they became friends. I loved the cathartic quality there! Tegan grew on me, too. I have to admit that I quite like her!

I hate comparing books, but this book felt exactly like Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter. (Which is interesting, because they were released about a month apart!) The breakup was very similar - the stupid "I'm doing this because I need to keep my head in the game" excuse, and also fighting paranormal creatures, and I'm pretty sure there was even a dance in TtZG too (although I may be wrong…it's been a while since I read it). It was crazy similar, and it had the same feel to it, too. Not in a bad way - not like one book was a rip-off of the other or anything. I loved TtZG, so it's not a bad thing at all! (And the ending was certainly WAY different…) But the realistic feeling of the breakup made me just as ill in both books. It was hard to swallow.

Um, that ending?! I never saw that coming!

Spoiler

With the HEA in the first book, I was sure that it wouldn't go the way it did in this one. Boy, was I wrong!

Talk about a cliffhanger! I need to hurry up and read the third book asap!

Favorite quotes

"From the moment I met you, nothing has been the same. You were a burst of color and fire after decades of gray."

"This beats for you. It has for some time. And it always will. No matter what happens now, no matter how you feel, that's how it is for me."

"Because you look like exactly what you are. Wild and fierce and strong. Unstoppable and unbreakable. Beautiful and dangerous."


This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.

alexperc_92's review

5.0

A strong sequel to a series which made most readers grip the book as if it had life! Lela and Malachi will have more to focus and fight for except from their feelings for each other. The Mazikin have plans and even Lela's classmates are not safe anymore.

The novel in an extend is packed with action and strong scenes. Lela is a fighting character, I like that on her, but Malachi also doesn't luck emotions. We are too used on fiction guys who are hot and HOT but we don't usually see the depth of their emotions. Malachi is one of them and despite the mistakes he makes in the book, he finally tries to rendeem for them.

It is obvious that there is bigger picture on the story and only a part of it clears at the ending. The ending is teary and more tearing than the first book! (cries).

But only Lela will be able to solve this mystery. How? Let me read the next book "Chaos" and we'll know!