Science fiction is a genre that I really like and try to read often. When I heard the premise for this one, I thought it was absolutely perfect for me! Thanks to NetGalley, and Penguin Random House’s First to Read program for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Summary (Goodreads): In the burned-out, futuristic city of Empire Island, three young people navigate a crumbling metropolis constantly under threat from a pair of dragons that circle the skies. When violence strikes, reality star Duncan Humphrey Ripple V, the spoiled scion of the metropolis’ last dynasty; Baroness Swan Lenore Dahlberg, his tempestuous, death-obsessed betrothed; and Abby, a feral beauty he discovered tossed out with the trash; are forced to flee everything they’ve ever known. As they wander toward the scalded heart of the city, they face fire, conspiracy, mayhem, unholy drugs, dragon-worshippers, and the monsters lurking inside themselves.
Review: I wanted to love this book so much. But I could barely make myself get through it.
This novel was well-written…. but that’s about the only positive thing I can say about it. Oh, and I really liked the cover.
I think what bothered me about this novel was the way its characters acted. I know that you don’t always like to love the characters; in fact, sometimes, having characters that are despicable can be great. But I couldn’t handle the vile acts. I’m not someone who is very sensitive and I can handle sensitive content but this time, I just couldn’t deal with the way the author talked about women and people’s bodies and rape. I understand that it was for satirical reasons but … just, no.
Maybe this is a novel I can come back to at another time. But for now, I’m putting it away and I’m sticking to my rating of 1/5 stars.
Happy reading ~