Author: Rachel Vincent
Series? Yes, a duology
Pages: 272
Publication Date: May 9, 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: I checked out a copy of Brave New Girl from my local library!
We have brown hair. Brown eyes. Fair skin. We are healthy and strong and smart. But only one of us has ever had a secret.
Dahlia 16 sees her face in every crowd. She’s nothing special—just one of five thousand girls created from a single genome to work for the greater good of the city.
Meeting Trigger 17 changes everything. He thinks she’s interesting. Beautiful. Unique. Which means he must be flawed. When Dahlia can’t stop thinking about him—when she can't resist looking for him, even though that means breaking the rules—she realizes she’s flawed, too. But if she’s flawed, then so are all her identicals. And any genome found to be flawed will be recalled.
Destroyed.
Getting caught with Trigger would seal not only Dahlia’s fate, but that of all five thousand girls who share her face. But what if Trigger is right? What if Dahlia is different?
Suddenly the girl who always follows the rules is breaking them, one by one by one…
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Brave New Girl is the first book I've read by Rachel Vincent, but she is an extremely popular author who might be best known for her Shifter series. Let me start of with this though: if you are looking for a hard-hitting dystopian that draws parallels to our real world and scary could-be's of our society, don't read this. If you are in the mood for a light sci/fi dystopian novel, then this book is for you. Brave New Girl is fun. It's basically a YA romance in a dystopian world, and I wasn't upset about it!
What I found a bit weird about this book is that it is seemingly inspired by Brave New World. However, the only thing in common with the dystopian/sci-fi classic is that the main character can think for themselves and that people are mass produced. But the rigidity and strictness of the government in Brave New Girl is vastly different from Brave New World. Here's a BNW spoiler for you: Bernard and the others are punished for trying to overthrow their government by being sent out to an obscure part of the world and basically admonished my society. The only death in Brave New World is a suicide. However, the way that the government punished people in Brave New Girl was more reminiscent of 1984. There are mass murders enforced through the government in Brave New Girl, and it was a completely different feel from Brave New World. While I completely understand spinning a story around and giving it a fresh go, I don't think the book has enough parallels to Brave New World to give the book a title so similar to the classic. While that complaint is pretty inconsequential, my next one isn't.
Unfortunately, the romance really wasn't convincing and has a good case of insta-love. If you despise insta-love, I would not recommend this book. It'll just make you angry. The start of Trigger and Dahlia's romance starts in a broken down elevator when Dahlia starts to panic. Trigger and Dahlia aren't supposed to talk to each except for some key phrases, but in this elevator they start to verge outside of them. Instead of feeling as if Trigger and Dahlia were this great couple, I feel as if they're together solely because they have no other choice. I mean, it's not like Trigger or Dahlia could go up to another person and start a relationship, considering relationships and talking to someone outside your station are both forbidden. Instead of feeling as if Trigger and Dahlia had this whirlwind dangerous romance, I feel that they are together out of necessity and are in this mess together.
What I did like about this book was the whirlwind part of the "whirlwind romance". This book moves at such a quick pace, and it was an easy read. If I just wanted to take my mind off things and dive deep into a dystopian world, then this was an easy solution. Vincent does a great job of capturing the readers into her story and sinking her claws in. I read this book in two sittings, and I could have easily done it in one if I really wanted to (I didn't). The fast pace kept me on my toes even when the plot was a tad predictable.
The ending of Brave New Girl was also pretty intriguing. While is was pretty abrupt, I didn't mind it too much at all. It set up for what I am sure will be an entertaining sequel. These two distinct worlds are going to clash together, and I am ready. Plus, this series is a duology (yay!) so the second book won't just act as a bridge for the third.
So at the end of the day, would I recommend this book? Yes, I would! It's not a masterpiece by any means, but it sure was fun and I'm interested in reading more from Rachel Vincent. It's obvious that Vincent is an experienced author in Brave New Girl; she draws the reader in and does a great job of keeping them there. The relationships need a bit more work (and not just the romantic ones, all of them), and that's the big downfall of this book. If Brave New Girl was a food, it would probably be cotton candy. It doesn't have too much sustenance, isn't the best food ever, and doesn't last long, but it sure is good when you're eating it, and you're left wanting more.
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| A quote from the 56th page for this Friday 56 post! |
Unfortunately, the romance really wasn't convincing and has a good case of insta-love. If you despise insta-love, I would not recommend this book. It'll just make you angry. The start of Trigger and Dahlia's romance starts in a broken down elevator when Dahlia starts to panic. Trigger and Dahlia aren't supposed to talk to each except for some key phrases, but in this elevator they start to verge outside of them. Instead of feeling as if Trigger and Dahlia were this great couple, I feel as if they're together solely because they have no other choice. I mean, it's not like Trigger or Dahlia could go up to another person and start a relationship, considering relationships and talking to someone outside your station are both forbidden. Instead of feeling as if Trigger and Dahlia had this whirlwind dangerous romance, I feel that they are together out of necessity and are in this mess together.
What I did like about this book was the whirlwind part of the "whirlwind romance". This book moves at such a quick pace, and it was an easy read. If I just wanted to take my mind off things and dive deep into a dystopian world, then this was an easy solution. Vincent does a great job of capturing the readers into her story and sinking her claws in. I read this book in two sittings, and I could have easily done it in one if I really wanted to (I didn't). The fast pace kept me on my toes even when the plot was a tad predictable.
The ending of Brave New Girl was also pretty intriguing. While is was pretty abrupt, I didn't mind it too much at all. It set up for what I am sure will be an entertaining sequel. These two distinct worlds are going to clash together, and I am ready. Plus, this series is a duology (yay!) so the second book won't just act as a bridge for the third.
So at the end of the day, would I recommend this book? Yes, I would! It's not a masterpiece by any means, but it sure was fun and I'm interested in reading more from Rachel Vincent. It's obvious that Vincent is an experienced author in Brave New Girl; she draws the reader in and does a great job of keeping them there. The relationships need a bit more work (and not just the romantic ones, all of them), and that's the big downfall of this book. If Brave New Girl was a food, it would probably be cotton candy. It doesn't have too much sustenance, isn't the best food ever, and doesn't last long, but it sure is good when you're eating it, and you're left wanting more.
With that, I give this book
3 out of 5 Stars!
I've never read any books by Rachel Vincent as well. And even though dystopian series has always been my thing, YA romance in a dystopian story is an entirely different thing. Thanks for the heads up, Genni! Great review!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you czai! I like dystopia, but once romance (especially one like this which is so heavy handed) is introduced it makes me less excited. Thanks czai!
DeleteI love fast-paced, easy reads, but I do hate insta love!! And I hated Brave New World when I read it for school :(
ReplyDeleteI love that you say it would be cotton candy! That's such an awesome description! I still want to read it now :)
Amy @ A Magical World Of Words
The insta-love is what really bothered me with this one. Really?? That's a bummer. I thought it was weird, but I actually really liked it, especially once we had discussions. I would for sure read it again so that I could get a better grasp.
DeleteHaha, thank you!! I hope you like it Amy!
I hated BNW too! I had to read it for high school ick.
DeleteAhh no BNW haters are uniting! I liked it a lot actually, haha!!
DeleteNice! I ADORE Rachel's books and still need to read this one. Though since I now know it's a duology--which I don't think I remember looking into its length--I might just wait until next year because I love binging duologies! It's so much more satisfying that way! Lol! I would pretty much recommend all her books if you're wanting to read more! I LOVED her Shifters series, though I do remember ranting about the heroine more than once with friends. But in the end I still loved her too! Her Soul Screamers series was truly awesome! Truly, I can rave about all her books, so I guess I'm biased! LOL! Great review though!!
ReplyDeleteI love binging duologies as well! There's something so satisfying as knowing that there isn't too much commitment and you get a whole story all at once! You've made me soo excited to pick more of her up! Haha, who cares if you're biased? You're obviously a huge fan! :D Thank you Jessica!
DeleteI'm not sure how much I would like this, but the concept does sound interesting. I might give it a try just for the fun of it.
ReplyDeleteIf you do, I hope you like it!
DeleteI've been eyeing this at the library - I may decide to pick it up. :)
ReplyDeleteLauren @ Always Me
I hope you do! It's a pretty quick read. :)
DeleteI've read the first book in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series and liked it! Your review has reminded me to pick up book 2 of the series! (You should definitely check it out! It's fantasy and has such a unique premise though details are a little rusty now)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds interesting but honestly I did think it was going to be a serious dystopian book like The Maze Runner or Red Rising..Romance as the major genre in such a setting is ..new? I am intrigued though! Great review Genni :)
I hope you like the second too! I'll be sure to check out the series on goodreads!
DeleteI thought it was going to be a serious dystopian book as well, so I was really taken aback when the romances was at the forefront. Thank you Uma!