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honeyreads1066's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
I did not expect to like this book as much as I did.
Honestly, did I like the characters? No. Was I a massive fan of the writing? Also no. But this plot had me in a gorilla grip and I honestly had no idea where it would go. The fact that this followed teenagers and incredibly young kids. The fact that this was set in a store where they could have everything they want and needed. I have no idea why it worked so much but it is so different from anything that I have ever read.
The characters I was not a fan of probably for the reason that they really did act like teens. Idk how Laybourne managed to write them to be so realistic but honestly, I'm gonna pretend that I was never like that. Being around kids quite often, the way the kids were written was also incredible. The hysterics, how annoying they are, the fact they feel like they know everything, it was incredibly realistic. The characters did do things or think things that really gave me an icky feeling but I have chosen to ignore it because the other characters make it clear the majority of the time that it's not okay.Mainly the way they view Sahalia, they all gawk at her even though they make it clear they all see that she's a child and her behaviour isn't really seen as that bad even though she is literally 13.
The plot was its biggest success. A series of natural disasters force these kids to be stuck in a supermarket with no adults and they can't leave.A chemical leak that affects people based on their blood type (which nobody knows so it's a toss-up as to which person is going to have which effect). I really just had no idea where it was gonna go until the very end.
Overall, was it an absolute masterpiece of literature? No. But I will read the rest of the series and greatly enjoy the nostalgia for that era of dystopian fiction that it gives me.
Honestly, did I like the characters? No. Was I a massive fan of the writing? Also no. But this plot had me in a gorilla grip and I honestly had no idea where it would go. The fact that this followed teenagers and incredibly young kids. The fact that this was set in a store where they could have everything they want and needed. I have no idea why it worked so much but it is so different from anything that I have ever read.
The characters I was not a fan of probably for the reason that they really did act like teens. Idk how Laybourne managed to write them to be so realistic but honestly, I'm gonna pretend that I was never like that. Being around kids quite often, the way the kids were written was also incredible. The hysterics, how annoying they are, the fact they feel like they know everything, it was incredibly realistic. The characters did do things or think things that really gave me an icky feeling but I have chosen to ignore it because the other characters make it clear the majority of the time that it's not okay.
The plot was its biggest success. A series of natural disasters force these kids to be stuck in a supermarket with no adults and they can't leave.
Overall, was it an absolute masterpiece of literature? No. But I will read the rest of the series and greatly enjoy the nostalgia for that era of dystopian fiction that it gives me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual violence
magnoliabloomfield's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
So the safest place to start without spoiling anything would be with trigger warnings and boy are there some doozies.
Triggers:
Underage drinking
Drug use made worse by it being minors
A promiscuous 13 year old child
Pedophilia
Pregnancy
Black characters described as chocolate and mocha colored. Actually, I felt like a lot of ethnic and racial descriptions were a bit off but as a super white girl I couldn’t say exactly how with any knowledge or confidence in the accuracy.
As a 30 year old that likes reading YA to AVOID “spicy” scenes I must say that it was uncomfortable to read some scenes. I hate to use this phrase but most people get the idea, it’s very Wattpad, or it could also be described as a CW show too.
The writing style got to me a few times, especially using the same word multiple times in the same sentence. I mean, yeah, don’t resort to calling eyes orbs just to avoid repeating the same word, but there’s just something off about a sentence like
“A monster hailstone hit Josie on the forehead and a big pink gash opened on her dark forehead.”
Oddly enough it was the adults that seemed the most unrealistic, especially the ones on the news describing the events. Maybe I’m numb from the pandemic but I just wasn’t buying the way the kids were affected by the chemicals.
Also I don’t buy sobbing over a dead body one second and then making out the next.
Triggers:
Underage drinking
Drug use made worse by it being minors
A promiscuous 13 year old child
Pedophilia
Pregnancy
Black characters described as chocolate and mocha colored. Actually, I felt like a lot of ethnic and racial descriptions were a bit off but as a super white girl I couldn’t say exactly how with any knowledge or confidence in the accuracy.
As a 30 year old that likes reading YA to AVOID “spicy” scenes I must say that it was uncomfortable to read some scenes. I hate to use this phrase but most people get the idea, it’s very Wattpad, or it could also be described as a CW show too.
The writing style got to me a few times, especially using the same word multiple times in the same sentence. I mean, yeah, don’t resort to calling eyes orbs just to avoid repeating the same word, but there’s just something off about a sentence like
“A monster hailstone hit Josie on the forehead and a big pink gash opened on her dark forehead.”
Oddly enough it was the adults that seemed the most unrealistic, especially the ones on the news describing the events. Maybe I’m numb from the pandemic but I just wasn’t buying the way the kids were affected by the chemicals.
Also I don’t buy sobbing over a dead body one second and then making out the next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Violence
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