I’m over here looking at the back of the book where they’ve got review quotes, and this one from Teen Vogue is like “Katniss and Tris would approve.” No? No they won’t? This is one of those books I’m only reading because it’s supposed to be popular even though it sucks ass and is overhyped? (I definitely ragequit like two chapters in during my initial readthrough and already have it listed it as one star on my personal Goodreads because this is dumb and boring and would have wasted potential if it didn’t sound like it was attempting to rip off so many other YA dystopian novels and failed.)
Shinobu and Quin are getting woken up in the middle of the night because of course they are.
OK, so they have to go to the Secret Abandoned Castle Hideout In The Woods Because The Family Is Under Attack. Or something.
Also, why does this author have a hard time explaining anything already? On the one hand, throwing the readers into the action immediately, but on the other hand, I remember “not explaining shit” being a huge problem here.
Who the hell is this vaguely henchman-like dude chasing the kids?
So, Quin’s gutsy just for being the generic Badass Chick Just For The Sake Of Being A Badass Chick already?
And they just fell into a dark sub-crypt just because Extra Scary Trapped Kids Moment.
Quin’s complaining about how she didn’t bring a flashlight? So we’ve got a weird mix of medieval and modern here? Also, if these kids are Scottish, why aren’t they calling it a torch? To drill in the fact that it’s medieval-modern-dystopian and using the term “torch” would make it more confusing? Or because the author’s an American Who Doesn’t Know UK Slang?
Oh, fun. Now they’re trying to make an Actual Torch? Or a campfire? Or something? Because they conveniently have fire-making materials hiding in their shoes In Case Of Survival Emergencies and skills that their dads drilled into their heads for some reason. Why. Are. We. Not. Getting. Explanations. For. Anything?
This stranger’s trying to lure Shinobu out saying that his dad asked him to. Because that’s not suspicious.
Oh, lovely. Shinobu’s apparently going to conveniently forget the whole incident as he grows up because of course he is.
OK, yeah. We’ve got no explanation as to who the woman all the adults were arguing about finding was. And why it was so important she would get found. Because explaining things is apparently not a thing here.
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