2.5 stars out of 5.The GOOD- Character development (except later in the book). When Deuce was underground (at the beginning of the book), the author really took her time to develop her characters. Deuce is a soldier underground. In the beginning, Deuce does what she is told, thinks what she is told and doesn’t question authority. However, it is clear to the reader that there is more to Deuce than her brutal surroundings and life. Fade, her partner, is mysterious not only to Deuce but to everyone underground. The author portrayed him as dark and dangerous but only from Deuce’s initial viewpoint. I loved how Fade’s true nature was so different and how Deuce learns this along the way. Fade really was a great character and well constructed.The story underground.Seriously, when the author takes her time, she writes a good story. I loved the plot when the characters were underground. The world building was great. It was simple but hey, this is a YA book.The BAD- The end and no climax-The book is 259 pages, that is it. Here is my theory; the author had something else in mind- a longer, better-crafted COMPLETE story. Someone, somewhere, decided that this was going to be a series and said to the author “end this book right here since they do arrive at a location so that looks like a good ending”. On the other hand, maybe, the author was under a time crunch. I don’t know. In fact, I’m hoping my theory is correct because I cannot plausibly explain why there would be no real climax to the story. They are moving, surviving, struggling, surviving, fighting, surviving, and that is it. They go from one location to another location and so on. I'm guessing the climax is in book 2.Character development (later in the book)-The addition of Stalker. So at this point, I think it might be good that the author just arbitrarily cut off the end of her book. Because if she was going to lead towards the infamous YA love triangle with this character known as Stalker, I would have thrown this book in a cave and sealed the book in the cave for good. Once Stalker is in the story, the relationship between Deuce and Fade all but fades (couldn’t help myself). Stalker was the leader of his own gang before he joined up with Fade and Deuce. Stalker forcefully made Tegan (another character in the book) be a breeder in his “gang” because well, of course, that is all she is good for. She was raped. Gang-raped. Over and over again. In fact, even though the details are sketchy, I believe Tegan gave birth three times? Don’t hold me to that fact but I think it was three times. This is the guy that Deuce, the soldier, and Fade, the survivor wants in their group? This is the guy that Deuce would risk her relationship with Fade for? Here is the really bad part. I don’t think the reader is supposed to hate Stalker. I think the author’s intentions were to make Stalker a redeemed character and in the next book (book 2 aka the 2nd half of book 1) there will be a horrible love triangle in it.OVERALL-I’ve gone back and forth on the ratings for this book. I’ve gone as high as 5 for the 1st half of the book and as low as 2 for the 2nd half. Because of my dislike for the 2nd half, I’m forced to go with 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
