The Perfect YA dystopia novel
I have had to think a lot about how to start this review on this particular book, because - wow - there is no other word than just wow 𤩠for how to describe what the author has done with Awakening: The ALPHA generation. I have just not seen a story of this quality on Inkitt for a while, perhaps not ever. The premise is so original and the character building so complex it is astounding. There are so many aspects to compliment the writer on that it is really hard to even begin.
(( this review is going to be very long - so if youāre looking for a quick verdict on whether or not you should read this book then the answer is a definitive YES and also I recommend reading right to the end - you wonāt regret it!! ))
Nevertheless, I have to start somewhere, so Iāll start with the characters:
All the characters in this novel are either very likeable, very dislike-able, or somewhere in between according to the needs of the plot and development. However Iām going to focus on just a few of my favourites for a more in depth review.
(Warning - contains MAJOR spoilers)
1. Natalie Spearse: Natalie is,in my view at least, the major protagonist of Awakening: the ALPHA generation, as the majority of chapters are written from her perspective. I really like Natalie as a character, she is very determined and emphatic as well as passionate, both about those she cares about, and her rebellious cause. She receives a lot of character development throughout the novel, especially after other major character deaths and when she finds out about the truth about the redeemers. She does have a few Flaws ( pun intended ) like ever character ever, including slight naivety and letting emotions cloud her judgment, but these help the plot grow, and enhance the story. The ending with her mother is a nice addition too.
2.ALPHA: For an AI program created but evil murderers, ALPHAās chapters are actually quite often an emotional read, leaving me almost always completely confused as to whether I symphasise even with ALPHA or not. Even when a chapter isnāt written from ALPHAās perspective it is still constantly being discussed, considered, and developed. What I also like, is how ALPHA never once considers that it could be the one in the wrong or that itās cause is wrong, perhaps unable to see outside of its code. This is a nice touch.
3. Darren: This might be a surprise to any other readers who have read the story the full way through, but Darren is quite possibly my favourite character, for no other reason then that he is so, purely, despicable and borderline psychotic. I love the twist regarding him, I always had an iffy feeling about Darren but the way it is revealed is absolutely perfect, and I feel awful for Nat. Some of my favourite moments are also after the twist is revealed and Nat and Darren have some dialogue together, and it is revealed just how evil he really is, as he attempts to exploit his own sisters worst fears and torment her. Other writers take notes - this is how you write a good villain!! š¤
4. Xander: I absolutely cannot write about the characters on this book without mentioning Xander *sniffs* š. Right up until his death Xander is always developing in his character. He is always wanting to help others, and even in his last moment she manages to do just this. The bird song metaphor is also beautiful, and I love how it is reflected on later in the story.
Plot: Now that Iāve discussed the characters Iāll move into the plot.
The plot of Awakening: The ALPHA generation is just absolutely brilliant full of wonderful side plots, from Nat losing her life savings to the Truth to The Spearse familyās backstory. Towards the end of the book, I found myself racing through the chapters just to see what happened next. I also didnāt find that anything move too fast or too slow at any point.
Writing style: Easy to read and clever the writing style in ATAG is yet another winning feature for this book. Quite often I have a fairly limited attention span when it comes to ebooks on Inkitt, but I didnāt find that particularly with this,and it felt like I was reading a published novel by a professional author. Paired with the realistic dialogue and wonderful descriptions, Awakening: The ALPHA generation becomes an unstoppable force.
World building: the world building in this book is the best Iāve seen ever before on Inkitt. Before you even realise it, the author has casually explained an entirely new society to readers so smoothly itās like weāve known the facts about the bloodletting and cleansing about whole lives. I also loved the addition of new technology such as Clikbooks and the āCliking hobbyā. Again, so professional!!
I just think perhaps the author could add a few more details about how thing work and more details about the past.
Things to improve on: There isnāt much to fault in this novel, but I would just recommend checking over a few typos and grammar errors and perhaps a bit more of a resolution to Natās possible feelings for Gray as it kind of felt like that was just forgotten about, although I do congratulate you for the general lack of romance as a filler.
Anyway, overall Iām so impressed with this story, and I canāt wait to see what else the author has written!
Bye! :)
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