From Goodreads:
The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.
This book was shoved into my hands by a friend (Thanks Cheryl!) a few weeks ago, and I didn't really think much of it. I'd heard a ton of mixed reviews, so I wasn't sure if I'd like it or not. But the summary sounded good, and I love love LOVE dystopian books, so I finally picked it up and started reading.
On the one hand, I can see where some of the negative reviews come from. The pacing is extremely fast and Eve is not the awesome, kickass heroine I was hoping for.
But despite that, I really loved this book. Within three chapters, things were HAPPENING. There wasn't a lot of time to muse on my feelings about the book so far, because I was rushing to keep up with the events that were occurring. And I think that's a good thing. It made me not want to put the book down. I was just dying to know what happens next. I read this book in a single sitting (with a terrible headache, by the way) because I refused to put it down.
The main character, Eve, is not who I thought she'd be. She isn't all that tough or incredibly badass. She is timid and naive and book-smart, but not so much street-smart. And what I like most about her is that she's CAUTIOUS. It seems like there are so many girls in YA books nowadays that don't think, they just do. They are very trusting of people-- complete strangers, even. And sure, that works sometimes. But it can also extremely backfire. When a boy comes rushing in on on horse to save Eve, she does not just blindly accept his help. She is wary of him, and not willing to trust him. I think this is an important trait. It shows that she is a smart girl.
Eve is very careful and cautious. But as the book progresses, we get to see her loosen up a little. Eve definitely goes through a transformation throughout this book, and as she continues to change, I like her more and more. I think Eve is a very strong girl, but not in the way a lot of YA characters are strong. Eve thinks things through, and she uses her brain. She is aware of potential consequences of her actions.
There are so many books where there's that immediate insta-love, but this is not one of them. There is romance of course, but it builds up very slowly. It is a very realistic relationship, and Eve's thoughts are not constantly on Caleb. She is busy with her own life and her own troubles, and the romance kind of takes a backseat to that.
The dystopian world that was created in this book is very interesting. After a plague that wipes out most of the population, there are not that many people left. A king takes over in an attempt to rebuild society. There are a lot of dystopian novels out that, but I haven't read one with a king until now. It's very intriguing, and I really enjoyed reading about Eve's world.
Overall, I think this is an excellent book. If you are a fan of dystopian, I definitely recommend it.
-Rachel
P.S. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to go to a Dark Days tour date in NYC in April... with Anna Carey, Tahereh Mafi, and Veronica Rossi. *squeals* I am so excited!
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