Defiance by C. J. Redwine
Dystopian. 403 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Defiance by C. J. Redwine is rich postapocalyptic YA fantasy perfect for fans of Graceling and Tamora Pierce.
While the other girls in the walled city-state of Baalboden learn to sew and dance, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. While they bend like reeds to the will of their male Protectors, she uses hers for sparring practice.
When Rachel’s father fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the city’s brutal Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector: her father’s apprentice, Logan—the boy she declared her love to and who turned her down two years before. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself.
As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.
My Review:
This is an interesting story told in an interesting fashion. Kudos to the writer for pulling off the present tense writing style. Very few writers successfully write in the now and I know I most certainly have a difficult time with it. I enjoyed the pov switch up throughout the book. It kept me on my toes, revealed important information to the reader, and helped reveal the development of the characters as well. While they were intriguing characters, I hope in the next book that they become a little deeper. Not to say that they’re shallow, because they as people most certainly are not, but as written characters, they are portrayed in slightly flat style–not entirely, but I hope to see them rounded more as their story progresses. I did thoroughly enjoy the setting and the culture of this world, and I cannot wait to see and learn more of that. I thought the romance was tastefully handled and the tenderhearted moments perfectly executed! There was only one thing I would have considered a little cliché and cheesy between Logan and Rachel, but I won’t spoil. Overall, I think it’s a fine, page-turning story that kept me intrigued and I will definitely buy the second book.
There is some dark, thematic content, but I’d be okay with high-school aged readers and up. I don’t recall any foul language, but it’s been a few years since I read it. There is some mild violence, again if I recall correctly.
More:
The prequel novella is Outcast (5 Stars)
Book 2 in the Defiance trilogy is Deception (4 Stars)
Book 3 is Deliverance (4 Stars)
I have reviewed each of the above on Goodreads. Follow the links to find more info on the books and then scroll down to see the reviews. Mine is among them.
This series should be read in order. The novella could be read before or after, but I read it after.