When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure I would like it. The formatting and writing style seemed minimally edited, and the whole book has the air of a first or second draft about it -- that not-quite-polished clumsiness I know all too well.
However, as I adjusted to the head-hopping and accidental tense changes, I found myself unable to put it down. The world Joanne has built holds the authenticity and realism of someone who I can only assume lives or lived, as I have, in one of the more impoverished areas of the UK and, as such, their descriptions of the lives Tom and Steph live are starkly vibrant and scarily believable. Living in a time where I have had to ration hot water and fresh meat is a luxury, only to read similar on the page of a dystopian future, had me reeling for a long moment.
The Cull concept, although spottily explained for a few chapters before the actual details of this cull are laid out at last, is an interesting and grumly believable concept, and the main characters' conflict and different responses to the situation they're in are too. I enjoy the complicated relationships between them and their respective families, and their complicated inner turmoils alike, and the two have some sweet interactions when they finally start to come together.
Unfortunately, the romance aspect feels incredibly forced towards the end. By the time they actually interact at length it feels like they've only just reached a stage of bonding as friends, yet a couple of chapters later they're experiencing what I can only describe as bursts of crush-like horniness in the midst of literally fighting for their lives. Perhaps I'm a little too asexual to understand it, but there just doesn't seem to be as much romantic chemistry and tension between them as the author wants us to believe -- as if they only remembered within the final at of the story that these two are supposed to end up together and has to shove all of the "electric touch" cliches in as quickly as possible. The romance could be removed from this story altogether and basically nothing would change.
All in all, this is a wonderful concept and interesting story bogged down a bit by rough editing and inexperience, but I implore everyone to give it a chance and I can't wait to see what the sequel will be like now Joanne has a bit more experience under their belt!