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abby_ace_of_books 's review for:
Fable for the End of the World
by Ava Reid
This book truly is a love letter to the early days of YA dystopian.
The best way I can describe Fable for the End of the World is if The Hunger Games and Uglies were written by Marie Lu. It's one of those traditional dystopian novels that plays off of the ones that came before, but I just enjoyed the vibes in general. I've seen other reviews saying the social commentary was a little shallow, but I honestly enjoyed it - especially how the internet, AI, and climate change were highlighted.
Inesa is a taxidermist living in the slums and barely scraping by. Melinoë is an Angel, a living weapon created solely for assassinations and entertainment. When Inesa's mother signs her up for the Gauntlet - a televised bloodbath where Angels hunt down Lambs - to pay off her death, Inesa and her brother Luka must team up to survive. The story itself was fast-paced, and while there weren't any crazy plot twists, I really enjoyed learning about Melinoë's backstory and seeing the worldbuilding expanded out. I do think there could have been a better build-up for the main relationship and the climax. And I know it's a standalone...but I think the ending is going to live rent-free in my mind, and not in a good way.
I'd like to start my character rant by mentioning Inesa and Luka's mother...I can't remember the last time I had this much beef with a character. She's so hateable, it's insane. I liked Inesa's character and enjoyed seeing her resourcefulness mixing with her background to create a strong protagonist. Melinoë intrigued me as well because the lab-made living weapon trope is one of my all-time favorites, although her character arc felt a bit rushed. The romance between Inesa and Melinoë was fine. I thought it could have spent more time developing, but I grew to appreciate it very quickly. I also enjoyed how Luka's character was addressed (the criticisms on masculinity and conventional attractiveness), but I wish he got a bit more closure.
Fable for the End of the World is a YA standalone dystopian story that features the vibes that brought the dystopian genre to life with a sapphic twist.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
4/5
The best way I can describe Fable for the End of the World is if The Hunger Games and Uglies were written by Marie Lu. It's one of those traditional dystopian novels that plays off of the ones that came before, but I just enjoyed the vibes in general. I've seen other reviews saying the social commentary was a little shallow, but I honestly enjoyed it - especially how the internet, AI, and climate change were highlighted.
Inesa is a taxidermist living in the slums and barely scraping by. Melinoë is an Angel, a living weapon created solely for assassinations and entertainment. When Inesa's mother signs her up for the Gauntlet - a televised bloodbath where Angels hunt down Lambs - to pay off her death, Inesa and her brother Luka must team up to survive. The story itself was fast-paced, and while there weren't any crazy plot twists, I really enjoyed learning about Melinoë's backstory and seeing the worldbuilding expanded out. I do think there could have been a better build-up for the main relationship and the climax. And I know it's a standalone...but I think the ending is going to live rent-free in my mind, and not in a good way.
I'd like to start my character rant by mentioning Inesa and Luka's mother...I can't remember the last time I had this much beef with a character. She's so hateable, it's insane. I liked Inesa's character and enjoyed seeing her resourcefulness mixing with her background to create a strong protagonist. Melinoë intrigued me as well because the lab-made living weapon trope is one of my all-time favorites, although her character arc felt a bit rushed. The romance between Inesa and Melinoë was fine. I thought it could have spent more time developing, but I grew to appreciate it very quickly. I also enjoyed how Luka's character was addressed (the criticisms on masculinity and conventional attractiveness), but I wish he got a bit more closure.
Fable for the End of the World is a YA standalone dystopian story that features the vibes that brought the dystopian genre to life with a sapphic twist.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
4/5