I wanted to give this a million stars so badly because I'm such a fan of Hoyle's work. Overall this one is a 3.8 from me on the first read.
Basically, I loved it. I would definitely recommend reading it to anyone who loves this genre, and I can't wait to talk with my friend about it and discuss our theories.
This rest of this review is best read AFTER you read the book. Compare your opinions with mine afterwards. You've been warned!
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Let's start with the stand out things I loved.
-One is the theme of mortality/grief. As Pria's attachments deepen, so does her capacity for being grieved. The comparison of the two poems and Pria's further reflections on grief through their words was so good. As she experiences deaths in a personal way, the words come back to her that express her inner heart, like they would for any of us. It was an insightful reflection of the very real human condition of mortality, and how we who are living must deal with mortality over and over; both others' and our own. Really moving.
-I give 10 gold stars to Hoyle for Pax & Pria's romance. Yes, please! I loved the way they are drawn together, the way they increasingly respond to one another, the way they slowly become aware of their affection for each other. I loved the thread of innocence weaving it all together. It was like they were the first man and first woman in the world; the mystery of the stirring toward one another was just so lovely. It demonstrates an innocent romance to be a thing of great beauty, which makes my heart sing. I so appreciate the substance of the love between them, too. So much "romance" in current day lit is based in obsessive infatuation or a very carnal sexual gratification. This relationship has underlying substance. It's as quirky as the two members themselves, but there are values and considerations underneath it beyond the typical "I can't stop thinking about his hotness".
-I reread Breeder beforehand, so I actually appreciated the lack of recap others have complained about. To each his own.
-The diversity of the cast was masterful. In race, in gender, in personality type, in relationships of all sorts of families and friends, in all the right ways. Hoyle's kaleidoscope of people is lovely. Even the secondary and tertiary characters aren't cardboard like you come to expect in other novels. They have backstory and motive- they're 3D too.
-On that same note, it was also refreshing to have the reversal from the typical fair/dark types between the lead couple. Great way to break the mold there.
Now for explaining the mark downs.
-The middle lagged. I'm having trouble putting my finger on why. With that being said, by the end the "story grip" really picked up.
-The "geniuses" and wise, experienced authority figures were oddly lacking, which kept getting in the way of the suspense of disbelief. This is a pet peeve of mine in several books these days, so I'll explain, but feel free to take it with a grain of salt. Maybe I'm over sensitive to it and it won't bother anyone else.
The characters emphasized to be geniuses had moments of advanced vocab, extraordinary memory, super fast synthesis of facts into conclusions, etc, but missed things they shouldn't have. Similarly with the highly experienced figures. For example, If Pria's our narrator, she should probably notice "that thing" (avoiding spoilers) about the same time we do or before. If she's spending all this time pondering Pax's behavioral/mood swings, if she keeps conveying to us his habit/tics as she notices them, if she's so analytically advanced, and she's seen this "thing" installed in the same location before elsewhere... I don't understand why the revelation is delayed til the end of the book... She should have at least speculated or noticed sooner. I feel the same way about all the doors being magically opened at the end of book one. Why does this bother none of the characters who should be highly suspicious (Pria, Pax, Holly, Luther...)? These are the very same people who say "the UWO never does anything without a motive" and "it's impossible to break into Sanctuary". The only reason I can think of is control of when the reader makes certain discoveries, but we'll have to wait to see about how that particular item resolves in book three. Another time was when Pria suggests "what if they bugged me?" and Luther blows it off. After the big discovery I was expecting P&P to get kicked out or majorly checked over, and instead a flimsy excuse (they'd be here by now) is regarded as solid and everyone disregards it. This gets me into mind games. Is this just supposed to make us feel smart for figuring it out? The odd thing is I know that Hoyle has pet peeves about teen stories that cast adults and authority figures as dum-dums, too. Is this a hidden-in-plain-sight thing that's supposed to dawn on us later? If we are supposed to notice, should it cause us to wonder about Luther? Or is it simply a plot device to help the cast stay together for now? Killing me, Smalls.
Alongside that too-detailed criticism, I want to give Hoyle her due: I loved the world building. If the universe she created weren't so consistent, those little inconsistencies wouldn't stick out. The rest of it is sooo well-made. I'll give just one example: Hoyle's attention to detail to what sorts of language/subjects/vocab the different characters would be familiar with based on their membership in the society was outstanding. Loved that. For example, the dialogue between UWO members in the Denver Commune was just fantastic. "Nonsense. He was lax [in his surveillance of my house] and should be reprimanded" Ha! It completely immerses you in their diametrically different set of values. She doesn't even bat an eye at being watched. The idea of the state's objectives completely supersede personal liberty even at an individual level. Nicely done. I could give other examples, but suffice it to say I find it well-crafted at every turn.
Basically, I loved it. I would definitely recommend reading it to anyone who loves this genre, and I can't wait to talk with my friend about it and discuss our theories. There were just a few snags keeping me from giving it full marks. K.B., you go girl. You keep doing your thing. We are blessed by your artful work, and this one just shows you continue to be a splendid author.