Publication Date: October 2011
Pages: 318
Series: 1st in the Eve series
Acquisition: BEA 2011
Summary:
Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—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 Arden, her former rival from school, and 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.
In this epic new series, Anna Carey imagines a future that is both beautiful and terrifying. Readers will revel in Eve’s timeless story of forbidden love and extraordinary adventure.
I was: A little underwhelmed by the adventure but curious as to how things will turn out for Eve and her friends.
My thoughts:
A dystopian world on the edge but on the edge of what, I'm not quite sure. A confusing description perhaps, but Eve was a bit of a confusing read for me. It's dystopian world lacked some cohesion. I'm still not quite sure exactly what’s going on or rather, I was confused by the actions of those in power. There is this force driving society but it isn't really explained. I can only assume more answers will be revealed in book 2 but even knowing a book is the first in the series, I still expect some closure at the end. Have to say, at the end of Eve I wasn't very happy at all.
That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the story. Eve herself is an interesting character. She starts off very naive about her world - very much in the dark about her place and purpose. I liked the fact that she is thrown into things and has to adapt and change her way of thinking very quickly. I didn't like how it happened however. I didn't feel like I got enough information about where Eve came from and I didn't understand the place she was hoping to find. Some things are explained as the story progresses but it still very much felt like a book 1 with too many holes in the story.
Will I read book 2? I think yes. Even though I didn't fall in love with the characters or the setting of Eve, I did feel invested in the story and I really do want to know how it turns out. I do have to say though, that ending really had me. I very much felt like I was missing a page or two. There is this build up to a climax that doesn't really happen and for me, I'd have to say Eve suffers from Titanic movie ending syndrome aka make room on the damn raft for him already!
Highlight below for a spoiler filled explanation on what I mean:
So Eve and Caleb makes this perilous journey to...San Francisco was it? In any case, they travel long and hard and they face danger and they are pretty much in love with each other. So they get where they are going and Caleb is hurt and the rulers of the sanctuary they seek are all like 'sorry, no boys allowed' and Caleb's all like 'it's cook, I knew' and Eve's all "oh..ok...well don't die! I'll see you soon right?" - What? Why did she leave him? Why did she go with these strangers and leave her friend alone and hurt and possibly dying? Make room on the damn raft for him! Or rather, don't go with the creepy man hating strangers - find some other way!
End spoilers...and mini rant :)
Again, I hoping things will make a bit more sense in book 2.
Final verdict:
Don't let my lack luster review steer you away from Eve. Overall, it's a book I'm happy to have read. If dystopian is your thing, I think you'll enjoy Eve's story. If series books aren't, you might want to skip it.
There are a few very specific questions I'm really looking forward to have answered and I'm really curious as to how they are going to be answered.
Overall Rating:
3.5 / 5 Stars
Eve
Once (July 2012)
Linkage Love:
Harper Teen
Author's Website
Goodreads
IndieBound
Read an excerpt
I know what you mean, Eve was definitely not one of my favorites. It felt lacking in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteEve was an interesting read, and the first story I had ever read with this kind of genre. It was fast paced and a bit bland. It lacks in some excitement, but in all is a fascinating story. I am looking forward to Anna Carey¿s next book.
ReplyDeletei liked Eve, but i know what you mean about the end. things could have been more wrapped up
ReplyDelete