Tuesday, June 28, 2011

ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre

A Razorland Series book 1
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends/Macmillian
Date published: April 12th, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-312-65008-7
Dystopian YA
Hardcopy
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Library


A plague has wiped out humanity and now freaks, mindless animals bent on finding meat, be it human or otherwise, are getting smarter, more organized. Girl15 finally moves from the ranks of being a brat and is now ready to be one of the three groups (Breeders, Hunters or Builders). Life is different once you get your marks and job. Soon Girl15 is now known as Deuce and is a hunter. Partnered with another hunter named Fade, they find life in the enclave is not all that it seems. Soon Deuce find herself questioning the world she lives in. Sent to find out why the Freaks are wreaking havoc, Fade and Deuce find that though they warned the elders, a darkness is rising and it is about to sweep Deuce away from all she knows. Can she find a way to survive with Fade?

ENCLAVE is Ms. Aguirre’s first young adult story and one that had me glued to the pages for three hours. It was lyrical, action packed and very well written. This is an author who deviates from the usual apocalyptic stories and delivers a story that will thrill and chill the reader. I have read a few of this author’s adult books and found them highly entertaining. Her newest release and debut into the young adult genre is pure perfection. The world building alone is quite complex and very intriguing. You can see how much work this author did in creating the world that encompasses ENCLAVE.

The characters are very well written. Deuce or formerly Girl15, is a person who grew on me. She believes in her enclave until she starts to question the world she lives in. The secondary characters kept the story flowing nicely and a few twists tossed in had me gasping in disbelief. I do have to warn that if you are looking for a hearts and roses kind of story this is not it. It’s dark, gritty and can be quite heart pounding. Nothing is sugarcoated in ENCLAVE. Ms. Aguirre delivers a stellar introduction into her new young adult series, Razorland, and I cannot wait to see what happens next for Deuce. I have got to warn you that you will not be able to put ENCLAVE down. It is a thrilling roller coaster of a ride that leaves you breathless in the end. If you are looking for a new kick on dystopian young adult, then I recommend ENCLAVE. Ms. Aguirre is a breath of fresh air in this genre and one I am adding to my auto-buy list. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for the characters of Razorland. I just hope it won’t be too long of a wait.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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