Author: Jordana Frankel
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Shelves: Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance, Adventure
Recommended for Fans Of: Demitria Lunetta, Veronica Roth, Mindy McGinnis
Synopsis (From Goodreads): Sixteen-year-old Ren is a daredevil mobile racer who will risk everything to survive in the Ward, what remains of a water-logged Manhattan. To save her sister, who is suffering from a deadly illness thought to be caused by years of pollution, Ren accepts a secret mission from the government: to search for a freshwater source in the Ward, with the hope of it leading to a cure.
However, she never expects that her search will lead to dangerous encounters with a passionate young scientist; a web of deceit and lies; and an earth-shattering mystery that’s lurking deep beneath the water’s rippling surface.
Jordana Frankel’s ambitious debut novel and the first in a two-book series, The Ward is arresting, cinematic, and thrilling—perfect for fans of Scott Westerfeld or Ann Aguirre.
Review: I admit it, I've been avoiding dystopians for the past couple of months. But when I picked up Jordana Frankel's debut novel and decided to give it a chance, well I was absolutely thrilled that my return to YA dystopia was such a exhilarating read. I was completely infatuated with the world Jordana Frankel created. A disease and scandal ridden NYC, and ruled by dragsters of all ages too. I loved the idea of making the main character, Ren, a totally badass female racer, who uses her skills and power to save the citizens of New York. The plot was filled with twists and turns, and just like a real race, the spectators (which is, in this case, the reader) are kept in anticipation.
The only issues I had with The Ward were the overall details that I felt were overlooked. While Jordana writes a great new dystopia set in a futuristic city, I can't help but wonder what happens to the rest of the world. I don't recall there being a mention of how the rest of the United States was affected by the disease ridden on the citizens of the Ward. Not only that, but I also had issues with the characters.
I was expecting an epic romance, maybe not one that was defined right away, but towards the end of the book, the reader would be shipping them already. But sadly, I was disappointed. There were so many blurred lines between Ren and her two possible love interests, Callum and Derek. I am not going to spoil this book, but I was truly feeling despondent when Ren made her choice. If you're looking to read a dystopian with a strong romance, that is the one element The Ward is lacking.
Conclusion: While it could be improved, I truly did enjoy the thrilling and adventurous feel behind The Ward. Jordana Frankel is a great storyteller and I can't wait to see where she takes Ren's story.
xoxo,
Fiction_TheNewReality
The only issues I had with The Ward were the overall details that I felt were overlooked. While Jordana writes a great new dystopia set in a futuristic city, I can't help but wonder what happens to the rest of the world. I don't recall there being a mention of how the rest of the United States was affected by the disease ridden on the citizens of the Ward. Not only that, but I also had issues with the characters.
I was expecting an epic romance, maybe not one that was defined right away, but towards the end of the book, the reader would be shipping them already. But sadly, I was disappointed. There were so many blurred lines between Ren and her two possible love interests, Callum and Derek. I am not going to spoil this book, but I was truly feeling despondent when Ren made her choice. If you're looking to read a dystopian with a strong romance, that is the one element The Ward is lacking.
Conclusion: While it could be improved, I truly did enjoy the thrilling and adventurous feel behind The Ward. Jordana Frankel is a great storyteller and I can't wait to see where she takes Ren's story.
Fiction_TheNewReality
You know I've been on the fence for a while with this one debating on read or not to but the review make me want to give a shot and just see! :) I've been looking for an awesome dystopians and this looks worth a try :)
ReplyDeleteI have stayed away from Dystopia's for a while now because I felt like I was reading the same story over and over with different characters. The Ward sounds like it might be a unique dystopia, for a change. I may have to ease back into the genre with this one!
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, my interest in this book is because of the cover. It's intrigues me. I think this is the first review of it that I've read of it. I really like twisty, turny books, though, so I wouldn't mind reading it if I had the opportunity. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are not the only one avoiding dystopians. I have been doing the same, because I feel that a lot of the dystopians YA novels out there are telling the "same" story...
ReplyDeleteThis was another book that just didn't work for me. :/ I just couldn't believe most of the book. Glad you were able to enjoy this book though!!
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