Review: A well-told story with a unique dystopian perspective
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 12, 2014
This is an excellent opening to what promises to be a thrilling series! I found The Woodlands very easy and enjoyable to read, it was well-written with a great plot that moved at the perfect pace to enjoy the opening of a very grand adventure.The dark and oppressive world that Lauren Nicolle Taylor has created sends shivers up my spine because the vision she has portrayed is so alarmingly close to reality. Nothing in this dystopian drama is very far away from becoming real in our own world if power fell into the wrong hands, so it makes the setting and political structure all the more frightening to behold.I must admit, I didn't get on with the characters in this story, but that is just me not enjoying happy-go-lucky types and people with faith and love in their hearts (I know, I know, I'm an awful person for saying that). I'm sure that most people will find all of the characters delightful, but for me it was only Rosa that I could connect with, especially when she was frustrated with the system around her and struggling to cope with the horrors she has to face.That said, The Woodlands contains many superb and popular elements of teen dystopian fiction that are dealt with from a fascinating new angle. There are plenty of shocks and surprises in this volume, Taylor is a masterful storyteller, one whose books I'll be returning to soon!