Genre: Dystopian
Source: Library
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Synopsis: “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.”Review:
To be completely honest, I fully believe that this book was a victim of over hype. I have been wanting to read this book for so long (complete with long discussions with myself in my head while standing in a barnes and noble on why I really wanted it, but couldn’t get it for whatever reason) and have heard such good things about it, that I was so enamored and had too high of expectations. I went into reading Defiance expecting angsty romance, a daring plot, and fantastic characters. What I experienced was more along the lines of confusing attraction (perhaps insta-love), a somewhat exciting(yet predictable at points) plot, and infuriating characters.
Let me just start off this rant about the irritating romance by stating that I love the romance in most books, even if it is insta-love. However, in Defiance, the love was so…lacking. From the beginning of the book, it was quite obvious to me that Rachel was still in love with Logan. What wasn’t fully developed was why Logan didn’t feel like he could love her back when she confessed her love for him the first time. Yes, his status in society prevented him and his want to drag himself out of that staus prevented him. BUT, this wasn’t fully explained or developed. I don’t know I just felt that the whole romance was a problem throughout the whole book. Coupled with the fact that the characters were in such great denial of this love did nothing to help, while they did incredibly stupid things because of the love. Overall, the romance felt like an obstacle to the plot at points and bothered me throughout the book.
The plot was good, even great at parts. The action was exciting and pulled the storyline forward instead of stalling it. However, the middle was somewhat boring and dull. They traveled through a forest where it kept being repeated that they felt like they were being followed. They found a sign and kept going. Repeat. Repeat after others join the group. Repeat until arrival at town. Also, some parts were predictable, like so predictable that I wanted to punch the book after an event happened that I easily guessed. Overall, the plot was one of the best parts of the book.
For the love of all that is holy, please help these characters. There was hardly any character development besides the realization of love and Rachel turning more and more lifeless inside ( which I don’t think counts as development, maybe more like character decline?). Logan himself was irritating; he was just so analytical that it pretty much took away all suspense. Also, their actions are more and more annoying to me until the end where Logan and Rachel basically toss of the guilt of what they’ve done( this is the most irritating thing to me!!) I like how driven Rachel was by all the bad things that happened to her, but it really made it hard to relate and connect with her when she didn’t allow herself to feel at all and focused solely on revenge. Overall, the characters were underdeveloped and irritating.
I feel really let down by Defiance, but I have some hope for its sequel. I’m particularly looking forward to the plot and how the characters proceed from that disastrous ending. I liked the plot of Defiance, but the characters and romance didn’t allow me to fully enjoy this book.
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