Author: J.A. Souders
Genre: YA Fantasy/Dystopian
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: Finished Copy from Publisher
Description:
Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.
But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.
Her memories have been altered.
Her mind and body aren’t under her own control.
And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.
Review:
Renegade is the first novel in a YA dystopian series that takes place in an underwater utopia called Elysium. The main character of the story - Evelyn Winters - is known as the Daughter of the People - a very high position in her world. She was selected from an early age because of her unique genetic makeup. For her entire life, she has heard stories of the horrors that are happening on the Surface and why they are better off underwater in Elysium. Evelyn never doubts her life until a Surface Dweller named Gavin gain entry into her world and turns everything she thought she knew and believed upside down. Evelyn learns that everything she's ever known has been a lie and that her "Mother" has been brainwashing her and erasing her memories. Will Gavin and Evelyn be able to escape in time or will Mother destroy them all?
This novel is a fantastic start to a very promising dystopian series. The underwater world that the author creates is intriguing and I loved learning about its history and the history of the world before Elysium was made. The characters were all very easy to like and realistic - and I immediately felt a connection with Evelyn. I found myself rooting for her from the start. The romance between Evelyn and Gavin was interesting and added a different layer to the story, but didn't overshadow the main plot - which I liked. The plot itself was very well written and fast paced, which made it impossible for me to put down until I had finished it. The story was very interesting and a page turner throughout, but really picked up in the last third of the book. That's when I felt that things really got thrilling and there was a ton of great aspects that I hope will get more attention in the upcoming installments. Even though this was a dystopian, there were definitely elements from several other genres incorporated into the book - tons of action, adventure, romance, and mystery - that only served to create an even more enthralling novel. I loved this book and am eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.
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