Friday 28 March 2014

Enclave - Ann Aguirre

In Deuce's world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed 'brat' has trained into one of three groups-Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember. As a Huntress, her purpose is clear--to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She's worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing's going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce's troubles are just beginning. Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn't like following orders. At first she thinks he's crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don't always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she's never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace. As Deuce's perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy... but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she's ever known. 

My thoughts:
I gave it a 3 in the end cos it was good, it could have been a 4, and I really should have given it a 1 because of last part. So I give the beginning  4, the middle part a 3 and the latter part a 1.

Right, good things:
It was a creepy freaky world. You can become a breeder, a hunter or a builder. And then die when you are 25. You live your whole live underground and do not know what the sun is. I liked all of this. It was dark, people died, there was injustice. People were stupid and it was just cool.

The narrator did a good job (not with Face though) and I was never bored.

Bad Things: 
Spoiler alert
The shit hits the fan when Fade and Deuce leaves the tunnels and heads up. This is where I started to question the world building. How the hell did it all break down so fast, how did people forget so fast, and why do people die so young, but start working so late? Maybe if a class of 5 year olds where the only ones to survive I can believe it.

But that was not the worst thing, no, that was the victim blaming. Deuce was all cool and thought about how if anyone abused a woman they would be cut and thrown at the freaks. Ok, good. BUT, why the hell does she then blame poor Teegan for getting raped? Yes it's SO her fault that she never learned how to defend herself and was gang raped by 20 guys. Had lots of stillborn children and almost died. SO her fault. Stupid Teegan, you should just have fought and died. What a stupid slut.

Ok can it get worse? YES. Ok so the guy who was the boss of the raping gangers comes along when Fade, Deuce and Teegan. No one except Teegan questions it. And suddenly we are supposed to think that he was the only one who did not rape Teegan (or anyone else). HA, are you kidding me? Of course he raped everyone, he was the leader. Yes just invite him along and do not think he would not rape you while you sleep. And and, omg. HE comes a love interest of Deuce. No fuck no! You did not think of the raping murderer as a love interest. How am I supposed to handle that? 

And honestly Deuce, you are sad over some blind kid but do not give one damn when you leave the city that you are leaving young girls and children to get eaten by freaks. I get that Stalker does not care.

I am torn, I want to see what happens but wtf Stalker wtf. I can not forgive that.WTF

Audio CD, 6 pages
Published April 12th 2011 (first published April 11th 2011)
(Razorland, #1)
YA Dystopia

48 comments:

  1. Friday!

    Ugh, the WTF stuff from that book. I completely understand not being able to forgive that.

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    1. OMG YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES! I am home, I am eating cake!

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  2. I had no idea that you moved your blog!

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    1. Actually this was always my blog, that was just my back up blog I was too tired to update

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  3. Although I disagree with how Deuce thinks, I thought it really showed how she grew up and was brainwashed by her elders. Stalker is a very interesting if nasty and harsh character. It's worth it to read on imo.
    Also to reassure you a bit: Aguirre doesn't consider Stalker a love interest.

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    1. I just can't forgive it, cos she thinks rape or hurting anyone in Enclave is wrong, but outside it's suddenly the woman who is at fault. I just felt that she changed when going outside, and not in a good way. She turned idiot.

      But Deuce thought it, I can't forgive that either

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  4. In a way I understand what you think about Stalker, but you need to consider that's what he knows, how he grew up and sadly he didn't know anything different than that life. :(

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    1. He was not the proble, if you are raised by rapists, surrounded by rapists and all is about rape then I get you are fucked up. It was Deuce who bugged me, no one gave a fuck

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  5. I know the whole thing with Stalker really struck a bad chord with a lot of readers but I don't recall it really rubbing me the wrong way when I read it. I will tell you that it is worth continuing the series, you will be surprised by Stalker's growth.

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    1. I think it was cos I listened to it, it just felt different that way

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  6. I have this on my TBR list from so many other reviews who really enjoyed the read. I like to see how passionate you are about your feelings towards this book and now I'm even more interested to read it and see what my reaction is. LOL. Hopefully book 2 gives you more of what you're needing in this series!!

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    1. Arghhhh it ate my comment ;/

      Le sigh. Anyway most LOVE this book and I was all why am I the only one who got upset?

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  7. Well, this sounds like an up and down book, too bad not consistently good.

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    1. It was just the whole, oh sighs, and I do get upset also when the world building makes no sense

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  8. lol Well you know this is one of my favorite series ever but I respect what you're saying about it. And everyone responds to it in a different way. I know a lot of people who felt like you do.

    I will say that it's not quite how it appears and a lot of it is set up to show how they grow and change their behavior and ideas over time as they are exposed to more of the outside.

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    1. I really wanted to like it, and I did. Just, some things rubbed me the wrong way. It made Deuce an ass, and she was so cool.

      I do not mind darkness, it's dystopia, I understand they are sheltered in a way, just, she just changed, it felt weird.

      And now I wonder what you mean ;) I also felt like maybe the audio made me angrier, it was like it multiplied the bad parts

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  9. LOL! I have to say that I didn't love the ending too, but still want to read the rest of the series. :D

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  10. i have the series and the last book is signed..I hope to start them soon, at least now I know to be prepared for the ending..LOL

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    1. I am sure you will love it, everyone else does

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  11. I think the character falling in love with the rapist would ruin the story for me. Sounds like you enjoyed some bits, and hated others.

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    1. She only thought of it but enough for me

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  12. Yikes. Sounds like what turned me off of The Warded Man. Going good, going good, victim blaming and completely unnecessary rape scene.

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    1. I actually read and likedbook 1 but could then not stomach book 2

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  13. Never read this series before but I would love to check out the author. I actually have one of her other books on my list for this spring, Bronze Gods from her adult steampunk series which she writes as A.A. Aguirre. Should be interesting.

    ~Mogsy

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    1. I so want Bronze Gods, it just sounds so cool and I do love steampunk

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  14. Yikes! Sorry it gotten progressively worse. :( Eh, I'm skipping this one. I think I've had enough of the YA dystopian (at least for now) - I keep getting disappointed with them.

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    1. I know there are lots of excuses for what happens but in a YA book I just do not want such blatant victim blaming

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  15. Ah yes I can understand the problem. It's sad when it's like that. I liked this oneI confess but I still need to read book 2 now.

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  16. I'm sorry you didn't like this one. I remember loving it, but it's been years, so I don't know . . .

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  17. ....wow....that is all I have to say to this book.
    0.0

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  18. Great review, Linda! I think I'll take it off my wishlist. HATE when someone blames a victim of rape. I had the same reaction when I was reading The Farm by Emily McKay because the main heroine was blaming the secondary heroine for getting pregnant to survive in a dystopian society. She was calling her all sorts of names. Put me off that author completely. :(

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    1. I have heard of that book, it looked interesting, but I do not want victim blaming in any form

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  19. I almost bought this today at the used bookstore. I think I made a good decision.

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  20. Holy crap ... don't know what to think. I like dark too but ughh that's some serious shit!

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    1. I was just...wtf? Why does everyone think this is ok? It's not ok

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  21. The Stalker thing was strange. To let him go along with them. I didn't understand that either. But I guess it's because they all couldn't die? I did read the second book and enjoyed it. I have to get the third book yet though. I see your thoughts though. Very clearly.

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    1. It was really weird, do not let him go. Him I understood and he would totally have done something

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  22. I totally understand your reaction to Stalker, I felt the same way in the first book. I will say he grows tremendously as the series progresses. Deuce and Stalker's attitudes both change drastically when they are taken out of their violent, lord of the flies style worlds and forced to live in more of a society. I'd love to hear what you think of the next two books, hope you are happier with them than this one! Great honest review :-)

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    1. He grows...even worse, I mean ok good he is not a rapist anymore, still....

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  23. I just finished this series. I had the same feelings as you. I found that Deuce just annoyed me a ton but maybe that was the second book more than this one. There's a lot of growth in her character though. BUT *spoiler alert* the love interest thing isn't anything you really have to worry about. And I hate to say this but Stalker might grow on you. I don't know whether you should read/listen on. But for me, the third book was the best of the bunch so it might be worth it to get to that one.

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    1. I wouldn't really want Stalker to grow on me, euwww.

      But if Deuce annoyed you in book 2 then I am sure she would annoy me too as she annoyed me already in book 1

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  24. I am not a fan of dystopian, but this really is not a book I want to read now, even though I know Ann Aguirre has so many amazing fans.

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    1. The worldbuilding had too many holes for me

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