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breezy610's review against another edition
4.0
it was pretty good. It did remind me of the hunger games, but only just a little. I like the whole underground tribes thing going on. i wonder what happen to the world. i can't wait for the next book in the series.
jgurniak's review against another edition
5.0
This was great, I liked the plot, the characters and everything. It was cool to see Deuce's confusion at everything that existed Topside.
smateer73's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. The character dynamics are interesting, and the story of survival and desperation presented in the Enclave is well written and original. The plot isn’t the most original, but it still reads well. The emotions are raw and real, and you can really feel with the characters. The tensions between characters also really add to the dynamic. The romantic aspect of the book is slightly unrealistic, but also understandable and not overdone.
hirvimaki's review against another edition
3.0
Not a bad YA post-apocalyptic tale. Struggled through the first half which was the obligatory set-up, but it was a bit overlong. A nice payoff and good world building for the books moving forward.
autumn_franks_03's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
jsc55's review against another edition
4.0
Good, dark, violent, graphic... Seriously, think the walking dead... And a little bit of a love story.
kathydavie's review against another edition
2.0
First in the Razorland urban science fiction series for kids?, young adults? about survival in a dystopian world.
My Take
Well, the idea may be to emulate The Hunger Games, but it ain't workin'. It's one thing to want to write for a younger audience, but don't write down to them. Aguirre hasn't got the hang of it. It may be that the short, simple writing style is meant to help create the atmosphere of the primitive times but it just seems as though Aguirre is trying too hard. It's not helped when she throws in the occasional "big" word. Nor does she develop the romance. She's suggesting it and popping in some tension but it goes nowhere.
Deuce's protesting about Fade's radical stance does provide the naivete, but it's all surface, simply filling in the bullet points but not having any depth. It doesn't help that it's such a short book. Something longer may have allowed Aguirre to develop this more.
What?? Deuce and Fade did exactly what they were supposed to do. Why is this considered wrong? This makes no sense. Deuce's revelations are too quick, there's no believability behind them for the reader. It's an interesting culture that Aguirre has picked up from other books. It's too bad she didn't give it her own twist or get me emotionally involved. The Burrowers take Deuce then let her go that easily? Gimme a break. Pearl has survived for how long Topside in the same city and she's taken this easily?
It's always curious to see how a writer has their characters explore the material goods left behind before disaster struck.
It's just too simplistic to be interesting.
The Story
Deuce was born to the tribe, Fade was grudgingly adopted. Both are Hunters for their people. When Deuce finally realizes how the Elders are abusing their power, she steps up and protects her friend Stone when they wrongly accuse him of hoarding. Fade also tries to take the blame off Deuce, but both are banished. To survive, they must go Topside.
It's too much for Deuce. Too different. If Fade hadn't stood up for her...
The Characters
Deuce is her Huntress name. Now that Girl15 has lived long enough and learned, she's accepted as an adult aiding her tribe. Fade is a boy the tribe adopted years before. Feral, different, he's never really been accepted. Nor does Aguirre help us "feel the love". Stone and Thimble are Deuce's best friends.
The tribe is split into Hunters, Breeders, and Builders with the twenty-some-year-olds as the Elders. People don't live much past their early twenties. It's a shame that Aguirre doesn't really go anywhere with this nor does she dig into Deuce's revelations about how she feels about the Elders and how she understands them better. Copper is the cook, Whitewall is the leader with the young Twist as his personal assistant, Wordkeeper is exactly that, the keeper of words and technology, and Silk is in charge of the Hunters.
There are other tribes out there, hiding in the sewers. There are also the Freaks. Evolutionary throwbacks who eat any meat that's dead.
Stalker leads one of the gangs Topside. The Wolves. They certainly act like it. Tegan is one of their victims. Karl Longshot very conveniently shows up with his trading wagon. Mamma Oaks takes them in.
The Cover
The cover is quite urban. The blue-gray background has a metallic sheen and looks like a manhole cover while I assume the crossed pair of knives represents Deuce's pair. The metal plaque for the title does fit with the rest of the metal on the cover.
The title could be several things from how these "mole people" refer to their home or simply that any safe place is the Enclave.
My Take
Well, the idea may be to emulate The Hunger Games, but it ain't workin'. It's one thing to want to write for a younger audience, but don't write down to them. Aguirre hasn't got the hang of it. It may be that the short, simple writing style is meant to help create the atmosphere of the primitive times but it just seems as though Aguirre is trying too hard. It's not helped when she throws in the occasional "big" word. Nor does she develop the romance. She's suggesting it and popping in some tension but it goes nowhere.
Deuce's protesting about Fade's radical stance does provide the naivete, but it's all surface, simply filling in the bullet points but not having any depth. It doesn't help that it's such a short book. Something longer may have allowed Aguirre to develop this more.
What?? Deuce and Fade did exactly what they were supposed to do. Why is this considered wrong? This makes no sense. Deuce's revelations are too quick, there's no believability behind them for the reader. It's an interesting culture that Aguirre has picked up from other books. It's too bad she didn't give it her own twist or get me emotionally involved. The Burrowers take Deuce then let her go that easily? Gimme a break. Pearl has survived for how long Topside in the same city and she's taken this easily?
It's always curious to see how a writer has their characters explore the material goods left behind before disaster struck.
It's just too simplistic to be interesting.
The Story
Deuce was born to the tribe, Fade was grudgingly adopted. Both are Hunters for their people. When Deuce finally realizes how the Elders are abusing their power, she steps up and protects her friend Stone when they wrongly accuse him of hoarding. Fade also tries to take the blame off Deuce, but both are banished. To survive, they must go Topside.
It's too much for Deuce. Too different. If Fade hadn't stood up for her...
The Characters
Deuce is her Huntress name. Now that Girl15 has lived long enough and learned, she's accepted as an adult aiding her tribe. Fade is a boy the tribe adopted years before. Feral, different, he's never really been accepted. Nor does Aguirre help us "feel the love". Stone and Thimble are Deuce's best friends.
The tribe is split into Hunters, Breeders, and Builders with the twenty-some-year-olds as the Elders. People don't live much past their early twenties. It's a shame that Aguirre doesn't really go anywhere with this nor does she dig into Deuce's revelations about how she feels about the Elders and how she understands them better. Copper is the cook, Whitewall is the leader with the young Twist as his personal assistant, Wordkeeper is exactly that, the keeper of words and technology, and Silk is in charge of the Hunters.
There are other tribes out there, hiding in the sewers. There are also the Freaks. Evolutionary throwbacks who eat any meat that's dead.
Stalker leads one of the gangs Topside. The Wolves. They certainly act like it. Tegan is one of their victims. Karl Longshot very conveniently shows up with his trading wagon. Mamma Oaks takes them in.
The Cover
The cover is quite urban. The blue-gray background has a metallic sheen and looks like a manhole cover while I assume the crossed pair of knives represents Deuce's pair. The metal plaque for the title does fit with the rest of the metal on the cover.
The title could be several things from how these "mole people" refer to their home or simply that any safe place is the Enclave.
yodamom's review against another edition
4.0
It's a dystopian fiction written with a creative flare. I could not put it down, Ms. Aguirre had me wrapped around her fingers. The world she created was fascinating and very believable. I give it 4.5 stars. It's gritty, dark and has a touch of romance. It ends with a cliffhanger that has me anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.
reader4evr's review against another edition
4.0
I was scrambling looking for an audiobook last weekend and I saw that this was available and it had been on my TBR list for a long time.
I really liked the narrator. The story would definitely be for fans of Hunger Games & The Hands of Forest and Teeth. The great thing about this book that it would appeal also to the lower students because this is a fast pace book.
I thought the storyline was creative and the "freaks" were super scary- kind of reminded me of the things people turned into in I am legend.
I really liked the narrator. The story would definitely be for fans of Hunger Games & The Hands of Forest and Teeth. The great thing about this book that it would appeal also to the lower students because this is a fast pace book.
I thought the storyline was creative and the "freaks" were super scary- kind of reminded me of the things people turned into in I am legend.
tamarella's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0