Thank you Walker Books for this book in exchange for honest review

Synopsis:

There are two peoples living in the city of Ursa: the Cerels and the Travesters. Travesters move freely and enjoy a fine quality of life. Cerel men are kept in wild camps and the women are no longer allowed to have children. The Director presides over all with an iron fist. Fifteen-year-old Leho can’t remember a time when Cerels lived without fear in Ursa. His parents once tried to organise an uprising – his mother was blinded, and his father was taken away. But now his world is changing. Revolution is coming. People will die. Will Leho be able to save his family?

Review:

You know you how you get a really great idea but you just need a little more planning to set that idea into motion?

That was this book. There were a lot of great ideas and great aspects of this book but it dragged on a little too long.

Ursa is ruled by Directors, people of power, and who have power of life and death. In Ursa, the poor and the rich are divided, with the poor not in favour of the Directors. The world building was really well set out, with the descriptions adding value to the story.

Leho, our main character, struggles with making his way in the harsh reality of being poor. Getting close to age, he would be able to work to soon but he craves to work with the rebellion.

I liked Shaw’s style of writing, her words were smooth and her work was sewn together wonderfully. The characters were wonderfully written, the world building, again, was fantastic.

There was only two things that really brought the book down for me, and yes it might be because I am fussy but I can’t help it.

The first was there really wasn’t much a plot, weird right? The story flowed but it was kinda like we were hovering and watching a week in Leho’s eyes but there really wasn’t any plot to drive the story, or a lack of a story. I kept predicting massive rebellions, bombings and the masses taking over the city but it didn’t really happen.

Another point that wasn’t a plus, was that I found the pace of the book was slow, I needed it to be faster and engaging.

Overall there were great aspects of the book, but then there weren’t. I might be fussy in saying this but it was honestly an okay book. Didn’t hate it but also didn’t love it.

Rating: 3/5

Publisher: Walker Books

ISBN: 9781760651244