Review: Five star, except for the ending.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 15, 2013
I hate to be one of those people who judges a book harshly for its ending, but I think I have to be, here.Had the book ended 1% sooner or 1-10% later, it'd be a five star review. Stunningly well realized dystopian setting, mixed with elements of fantasy and science fiction, engaging characters, a dark and brutal quality to the setting... my kind of story. There's a few spots where characters' decisions feel forced, or where they feel as though they weren't as well trained for their situation as they need to have been, or where foreshadowing future events or allies would be beneficial, but still.But the ending completely demands we disregard the trauma of the heroine's experience.My wife read it after I finished it, and I could hardly get a word out of her about the rest of the story because she was so horrified by the ending. She told me never to show her book 2, because she was so offended by how the main character was treated in that ending. She has to be really offended by something in order to not finish the series. There's very few series or books that she puts down midway.I might read book 2 if I stumble across it, but I won't look for it the way I would have before those final paragraphs. It just felt out of sync with the treatment of the rest of the novel, and ruined a lot of the otherwise compelling characterizations and plotting. Even had it been taken one sentence further, and ended on her shocked, hurt, or scared face, it would have given HER a place in events, rather than setting the importance of the sequel exclusively on the revelation.(Serious spoilers below.)(Keep going for the spoilers.)(Not sure how much space to allow to prevent someone from accidentally seeing the spoilers.)(Seriously, these are spoilers. Read at your own risk)Here's my problem with the ending.Had we ended it 1% sooner, and left it at her mourning her friend, but hopeful for her romantic interest, I'd be fine. Had we ended it 10% later, and seen the seeds of a conflict between her and her advisers, and her romantic interest over how to handle the rape-baby she's carrying, or how she's dealing with the trauma, I'd be fine. But ending it with her wise Yoda revealing "You're carrying a piece of the future, child. It's a blessing- it's a baby!"(paraphrased) in reference to that rape-baby, without giving her a chance to react or object... It did an otherwise compelling character a disservice. It tore another element of that character's voice and control away from her, in a way that ultimately does nothing to enhance the ending or the story. It completely silences her.It sets the conflict pertaining to the very reason she was held up as the hope of the rebellion to the side, in favor of the former king's biological child, regardless of how she was affected by that. It felt problematic, and out of sync with the rest of the novel. It didn't sit well with me at all. Especially given how much distaste the character had for the Walidah's(breeders) of her own culture, forcing her to carry a violent rapist's baby away from her home and people without a reaction just felt wrong.