Review: A new dystopian series with potential
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 11, 2014
Banded is a book about a dystopian society were citizens are divided and segregated by the government according to their aptitude. They are given permanent bands on their arms which deduct points anytime they cross the government. If they reach 0, the bands kill the wearer. Kalenna is sorted into the Altrustric group (doctors, etc.) and sent to HQ to for training. While there she learns more about the secrets the government is hiding, and the secrets her father had before he disappeared.I enjoyed reading this book and following the story of Kalenna. The world is interesting, and Kalenna and her friends are well developed and likable. She is a strong heroine, but a realistic one as well as she has some flaws and weaknesses. The pacing seemed great to me, with an easy-to-follow plot, and I was able to finish this book quickly.There were just a few things that bothered me. First off, it explains that a failed revolution of 2012 caused the society to be the way it is. That right there (reading this in 2014) ruins it for me. Perhaps if that date was set to something farther in the future, it would not have taken me out of the fantasy. Also, I felt like Kalenna's roommate was a useless, underused character. Perhaps she will feature prominently in a sequel. And lastly, it just ended too soon without much being resolved or happening...it just needed more of something. In the end, the government and society is unchanged, but Kalenna is not so perhaps she will be primed for more upheaval and change in a future novel.Overall, a good start and introduction to a new dystopian series with a ton of potential. I look forward to seeing what the author does with it.NOTE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.