Monday, October 24, 2011

Review: Prized (Birthmarked #2) by Caragh O'Brien

Prized (Birthmarked #2)
Prized by Caragh O'Brien
Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?
Publishes Nov 18th
Source: Netgalley
2nd in Birthmarked series, 3rd is due in fall 2012

Review:

   I liked Prized, and even though it had the same main character, there was a totally different feel in this second book of the series. That is not necessarily bad, but not quite what I was expecting. I think that this is set up for a really big storm and huge changes in the next book(s?).
   I was still pulling for Gaia throughout this book, and even though I could understand where she was coming from, I totally don't agree with some of her actions. Now, I can't sit here and say that I would've done any differently in her position, in fact, I probably wouldn't have had the bravery to do anything that she did.
   Another thing that I wish could've been pulled off better is the love square. Yes. I said it. It's there. And I can see the appeal, and how it developed, I just wanted more depth. To me, there was always a clear choice for Gaia, and the rest was almost just plot movers.
   And I know this sounds negative, but I really did enjoy this book, I like the conflict that it set up, I adored the new characters added into the story, and Gaia got a chance to learn more about herself by leading, by making mistakes, and by being thrown into a society where everything is not as clear cut as we want things to be. There are no easy answers, but situations that demand action. I am really eager for the next book and to find out what happens to the characters I care about.
I'd love to hear what you think of the book and/or my review.


2 comments:

  1. Hm, this is the second review I've read that claims that the first book was way better, and now I'm concerned that I'll feel the same way. I loved Gaia's strong character in 'Birthmarked', and I'm not too crazy about the idea of the love square. Thanks for the review though.

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  2. I can't believe I haven't started this series yet! It sounds so cool, and especially that it's a sort of dystopian-ish book with a love square. That just adds up to awesome!

    Awesome review, Brandi! It's too bad some aspects weren't perfect for you, but I'm really glad you enjoyed it overall! :)

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