I was reassured that this book is dark, very dark, and I was excited to read a YA novel that isn't afraid to test the boundaries of creepy, scary and evil. It's one of the reasons I can really appreciate Kresley Cole's YA novels. I like dark things because they show the nature of reality. I've been told often that I'm an idealist, but that's only partly true. I like to consider myself an idealistic realist which I am positively, kind of sure, might be a real thing.
That being said, this book really isn't very dark at all. Part of my disappointing reading experience lies with me: I was just too excited for this dark and disturbing world that Bracken created. But I didn't find it dark. I didn't find it disturbing. I found her world to be implausible and riddled with inaccuracies.
I'm not a psychologist by any means, but I am reasonably sure that if you separate children from each other based on their sex then when they finally live co-ed again there is going to be a decent amount of sexual awakening, awkwardness and inappropriate come-ons. There was none of this. I really think that Bracken missed out by not exploring the sexual side more. She could have made that part really dark and disturbing, but, other than a brief moment of intimidation in the beginning, the kids get over their meeting very fast... and fall in love even faster.
I was trying to let Ruby and Liam's relationship slide because they had been barred from the opposite sex for so long, but the more I thought about it, the more the relationship seemed impossible. I could easily believe Liam capable of falling in love with someone in two weeks. He's a perfect setup: positive, idealistic, good natured, laid-back... But Ruby is a different story. She is reserved and wary. Of course, these traits are due to her traumatic past, but they are still traits she possesses and I did not believe that she lost her inherent wariness of people in two weeks over a boy.
There was a big problem with the government in this novel. People protect their young. It is an instinctual trait that we all share. No "normal" and "sane" person wants to see a child get hurt. I cannot fathom an entire world turning on their children because they have turned into "monsters". I can believe the rehab part of it, but not the torture chamber aspects. It just doesn't make any sense and the more I think about it, the more I feel like it was just a hodgepodge of "what-if" scenarios thrown together to create another YA dystopia. This would've been more believable if only a section of the children had "problems," but basically all children were there. So, we're going to torture an entire generation?
I gave this two stars because the ending flew by for me, which means there is a lot of good-storytelling abilities. Personally, I will not be picking up the sequel, but I hope that others have a better reading experience than I did. You may enjoy this if: you're looking for a quick read, you love sensitive and kind heroes, and/or you love reading about road trips.
