Enclave (Razorland #1)
Author: Ann Aguirre
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 259
Rating: 5 Stars!
Team: I want to say Fade, i really do! but i honestly have a thing for Stalker too! :P
WELCOME TO THE APOCALYPSE
In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.
As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.
Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first she thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.
As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.~Goodreads
THIS is why I freaking LOVE YA DYSTOPIANS!! Enclave was brutal and intense and scary and harsh and plain fantastic!
Deuce has got to be the fiercest female lead I have ever read about. But then again she was raised to be that way. Deuce is so strong, yet in her thoughts she has this vulnerability of thinking she’s not good enough and worrying she won’t live up to her huntress status & that just made her seem really genuine to me. The enclave she comes from just boggles my mind. Where there are breeders and hunters and everyone is assigned to a specific task for the rest of their lives. Deuce's task is to protect her enclave from freaks.
Then we have Fade, another hunter & Deuce's partner! Where do I even begin… Fade was just fabulous. Rugged and harsh on the outside but inside he just wants to be a protector, especially to the people he cares about.
Deuce and Fade’s partner ship was a match made in heaven. I feel like they balanced each other out in everyway. I’m not sure how to explain it, except I liked them together…. a lot! Seeing them grow to trust each other was honestly amazing! They would literally be fighting back to back, forming this strong connection that oozed right off the page! & the small intimate moments between them were almost overwhelming. There’s so much intense emotion behind all Deuce and Fades actions, that when they aim those emotions at each other: SPARKS!
Another character that really grew on me in the book was Stalker. The way in which we meet him isn’t a pleasant one but after a certain situation, he changes. He exposed his weaknesses and I admired him for that. Honestly totally not hatin’ on him at all.
But the ultimate scenes in this book are when Deuce and Fade are put against the Freaks.... it’s magic! The fights, oh my god the fights! I want to be a huntress, holy crap. Mrs. Aguirre sure knows how to write a brawl. Bloody and violently written but like so elegant you cant help to stop and think that the clashes are beautiful. <--- weirdo alert! Right?! But oh my goodness for real, this book is so vivid in its violence, like an in-your-face-guts-blood-disease-death way, that it’s simply awesome.
Then we come to the ending….the ENDING… in a way I was happy with it, but then again….not. I don’t know, it definitely leaves the story wide open & I canNOT wait for the sequel!!
I can’t put into words how bomb this book was! GO PICK IT UP!!
Kick ass quotes:
“If you were strong, you protected the weak until they had an opportunity to grow into their own power. “
“I admired Stalkers style. He was incredibly fast, using two small blades strapped to the backs of his hands. Slash, slash, slash. Fighting him, you wouldn’t die of one great wound, but instead bleed out slowly, surprised to find yourself weak and dying after a thousand cuts.”
