Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Jun 16, 2011 by shanyn

Title: Enclave
Series: Razorland #1
Hardcover, 259 pages
Author: Ann Aguirre
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: April 12, 2011
Source: Author
Buy: Amazon

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Book Summary:
WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE

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.

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Review:
Enclave is an odd book for me to review, because I really enjoyed myself when reading, but in thinking about it afterwards had a few things I didn’t much like. So I’m going to give you both perspectives the best I can, though keep in mind I’m not reading it now so those feelings are a little off.

Action, adventure? Tons. Lots. It keeps you reading, and you’re more enthralled because it’s a different world and you’re wanting to learn more. I’m actually not huge into fights and action, but it does keep me reading (Steve is the action reader of the family… and when he saw the cover of Enclave he said it looked good so you may get his perspective on this one soon as well).

While I was reading, I also really enjoyed the different characters we meet – and this is something that changed for me after the fact. I liked the different populations, but in my reflection I did not like that they weren’t entirely woven into the story. Some people appeared, served one purpose, and then we did not hear from them again – seems like the easy way to keep the plot moving. I much prefer characters that end up having a purpose, even if it ends up being 100 pages or 200 pages later. Enclave is part of a series (which I didn’t know going in), so my harshness may not be fair, if the author plans on reincorporating some later… but I doubt it.

A lot happens in this book, and the title doesn’t seem quite as fitting to me now that I’ve read it, since it has a lot happening nowhere near the Enclave. It actually could have been broken into two books – one dealing with the Enclave (and getting us more invested in that environment) and one dealing with the other things.

So, overall, I enjoyed myself while reading because it is fast paced, lots of action, many things happening. Afterwards I found myself not enjoying how some elements were not fleshed out and how the world wasn’t built very deep. If the second book ends up on my bookshelf I would probably give it a try to see what happens.

Buy: Amazon

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