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The Broken Trilogy #1
Broken Sky
Welcome to a “perfect” world. Where war is illegal, harmony is enforced, and your date of birth marks your destiny. But nothing is perfect, and in a world this broken, who can Amity trust? Friends? Family? Her one true love? An electrifying new series of heartbreak and deception from L.A. Weatherly, bestselling author of the ANGEL trilogy.
512 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2016
112 people are currently reading
4977 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Weatherly
36 books1,865 followersLee Weatherly was born in 1967 and grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. She lives with her husband in Hampshire, England, where she writes, goes on walks, tries out new recipes and has a cat named Bernard.
L.A. Weatherly is the pseudonym for Lee Weatherly. You can follow her on Twitter at @LA_Weatherly
L.A. Weatherly is the pseudonym for Lee Weatherly. You can follow her on Twitter at @LA_Weatherly
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
October 14, 2018
Original and fresh. Somewhat lacking in consistence, though too much of it could have bored the YA audience to tears.
Top-notch pilots, all bearing names of peace.
Ritualistic approach to deciding things (reminiscent of the trial by ordeal in Medieval Ages).
Intrigue and astrology and cold reading.
Q:
For me, though, I had to know. I couldn’t stand not knowing something so important. Even before I became a Peacefighter, I always read the paper front to back, trying to understand what was going on in the world through all the flowery prose. (c)
Q:
“‘A peaceful loss is better than war’.” That idea was what the World for Peace had been founded on. (c)
Q:
“Why would I strangle a polar bear?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you don’t like polar bears.”
“So you see me as violent and erratic.”
“Strong and spontaneous,” (c)
Q:
He’d instead cultivated people sympathetic to him – manoeuvred them into key positions in other countries and then seen them rise slowly through the ranks. Numerous countries would now be horrified to learn how many of their high-ranking citizens were Gunnison loyalists: senators, councillors, CEOs of major companies. (c)
Q:
It was vital that she steer the conversation that she was about to spark in the way that would be most advantageous to her. (c)
Q:
I didn’t know anyone here. ... And nobody here knew me.
The loneliness felt as if it might crush me. (c)
Q:
“Well, it does make you look kind of rugged. Masculine.”
“I’m glad you and your mother approve. Anything else I should break?”
I pretended to consider it. “No, I think you’ll do.” (c)
Q:
“This is insane,” he said. “My girlfriend is talking to other girls, your boyfriend is talking to another man – and here we both sit, alone together. Do you think there’s something wrong with us?” (с)
Q:
You have lethal eyes. (c)
Q:
“Skip it … You wouldn’t get anywhere with me anyway.”
“Probably not. Story of my life.” (c)
Q:
“What’s so funny? I wouldn’t have pegged you as one of those people who think women shouldn’t fly.”
“I think you shouldn’t, the number of times you’ve shot me down,” he said. “Women like you should definitely not be flying. You’re a menace.” (с)
Q:
“Are you a wolf? You’re not acting very wolflike.”
“I’m not trying.” (c)
Q:
He eased my clothes off as if I were a child. (c)
Q:
I started thinking about masks a lot. Did everyone wear them? I didn’t think I did. (c)
Q:
Insult me however you like, but don’t insult my intelligence. (с)
Q:
You really are a hag of the air. (c)
Q:
Fire and fury. … We’ll make them harmonious even if it destroys them. (c) Harmonious/democratic/communist... it seems that's what people do all along.
Top-notch pilots, all bearing names of peace.
Ritualistic approach to deciding things (reminiscent of the trial by ordeal in Medieval Ages).
Intrigue and astrology and cold reading.
Q:
For me, though, I had to know. I couldn’t stand not knowing something so important. Even before I became a Peacefighter, I always read the paper front to back, trying to understand what was going on in the world through all the flowery prose. (c)
Q:
“‘A peaceful loss is better than war’.” That idea was what the World for Peace had been founded on. (c)
Q:
“Why would I strangle a polar bear?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you don’t like polar bears.”
“So you see me as violent and erratic.”
“Strong and spontaneous,” (c)
Q:
He’d instead cultivated people sympathetic to him – manoeuvred them into key positions in other countries and then seen them rise slowly through the ranks. Numerous countries would now be horrified to learn how many of their high-ranking citizens were Gunnison loyalists: senators, councillors, CEOs of major companies. (c)
Q:
It was vital that she steer the conversation that she was about to spark in the way that would be most advantageous to her. (c)
Q:
I didn’t know anyone here. ... And nobody here knew me.
The loneliness felt as if it might crush me. (c)
Q:
“Well, it does make you look kind of rugged. Masculine.”
“I’m glad you and your mother approve. Anything else I should break?”
I pretended to consider it. “No, I think you’ll do.” (c)
Q:
“This is insane,” he said. “My girlfriend is talking to other girls, your boyfriend is talking to another man – and here we both sit, alone together. Do you think there’s something wrong with us?” (с)
Q:
You have lethal eyes. (c)
Q:
“Skip it … You wouldn’t get anywhere with me anyway.”
“Probably not. Story of my life.” (c)
Q:
“What’s so funny? I wouldn’t have pegged you as one of those people who think women shouldn’t fly.”
“I think you shouldn’t, the number of times you’ve shot me down,” he said. “Women like you should definitely not be flying. You’re a menace.” (с)
Q:
“Are you a wolf? You’re not acting very wolflike.”
“I’m not trying.” (c)
Q:
He eased my clothes off as if I were a child. (c)
Q:
I started thinking about masks a lot. Did everyone wear them? I didn’t think I did. (c)
Q:
Insult me however you like, but don’t insult my intelligence. (с)
Q:
You really are a hag of the air. (c)
Q:
Fire and fury. … We’ll make them harmonious even if it destroys them. (c) Harmonious/democratic/communist... it seems that's what people do all along.
June 23, 2016
My first Dystopian read, I did not expect that much. The blurb didn't give that much teaser as well, so I did not expect anything at all.
The prologue had me intrigued immediately, then the first chapter and the preceding were told in the past. But there's no need for a prologue! Prologue or not, readers- I think, will still be intrigued to read the book. So what's the use.
I was in the verge of putting the book down. Because even with an intriguing line, it's slow paced. Being a reader with patience, it's a good thing I waited for the pace to be fine, and it did.
Amity Vancour isn't your typical female lead. A skilled pilot, a skilled peace-fighter. But she isn't a fighter per se. Amity found out something that she shouldn't. And in order to reveal how their world is full of corrupt politicians, she put herself in danger. She plays a really important role, and she isn't your badass main character.
The romance between her and Collie- who's also a peace-fighter, was favored. Though there are times I suspect Collis. They're best friends who drifted apart suddenly one came back. Suspicious, right?
There's this one character, Kay, who's dying to get herself into the villain's circle for whatever her reasons are. Which made me eager to know more about her.
The world building was quite confusing at first, you'll get the hang of it. The make-believe world was fresh, realistic, and it was skillfully done. Detailed in a way that I can actually imagine being in that world and seeing through Amity's eyes.
A Star chart that literally manipulates, controls one's destiny, watched by a domineering dictator. That's pretty unique, one of a kind I must say. And it's really impressive. I never thought that astrology can be a major part of a dystopian book with a plot like this one.
The writing style is indeed exquisite. The book was well-written. Though I admit, there are times that I'm having difficulties for there are terms I can't understand, technicalities to be specific. Things about aircrafts, pilots, whatsoever.
The plot was really unique, it was interesting. I've never encountered any book like this one. I enjoyed the book, I was engaged. But I wasn't pulled by the book, I'm not invested emotionally. I continued reading just to know what happened and what will happen next. Indeed Amity must know who to trust. I can only imagine how surprised I was by the twists and turns. There were betrayals, deceptions.
The book has this impenetrable mystery that it kept me anticipated until the very end.
The ending made me scream. I will definitely read the second installment.
The prologue had me intrigued immediately, then the first chapter and the preceding were told in the past. But there's no need for a prologue! Prologue or not, readers- I think, will still be intrigued to read the book. So what's the use.
I was in the verge of putting the book down. Because even with an intriguing line, it's slow paced. Being a reader with patience, it's a good thing I waited for the pace to be fine, and it did.
Amity Vancour isn't your typical female lead. A skilled pilot, a skilled peace-fighter. But she isn't a fighter per se. Amity found out something that she shouldn't. And in order to reveal how their world is full of corrupt politicians, she put herself in danger. She plays a really important role, and she isn't your badass main character.
The romance between her and Collie- who's also a peace-fighter, was favored. Though there are times I suspect Collis. They're best friends who drifted apart suddenly one came back. Suspicious, right?
There's this one character, Kay, who's dying to get herself into the villain's circle for whatever her reasons are. Which made me eager to know more about her.
The world building was quite confusing at first, you'll get the hang of it. The make-believe world was fresh, realistic, and it was skillfully done. Detailed in a way that I can actually imagine being in that world and seeing through Amity's eyes.
A Star chart that literally manipulates, controls one's destiny, watched by a domineering dictator. That's pretty unique, one of a kind I must say. And it's really impressive. I never thought that astrology can be a major part of a dystopian book with a plot like this one.
The writing style is indeed exquisite. The book was well-written. Though I admit, there are times that I'm having difficulties for there are terms I can't understand, technicalities to be specific. Things about aircrafts, pilots, whatsoever.
The plot was really unique, it was interesting. I've never encountered any book like this one. I enjoyed the book, I was engaged. But I wasn't pulled by the book, I'm not invested emotionally. I continued reading just to know what happened and what will happen next. Indeed Amity must know who to trust. I can only imagine how surprised I was by the twists and turns. There were betrayals, deceptions.
The book has this impenetrable mystery that it kept me anticipated until the very end.
The ending made me scream. I will definitely read the second installment.
March 2, 2016
“We'd stared into the face of Death, and Death blinked first. You'd think that would make us feel brave and invincible. It didn't.”
----Rick Yancey
Lee Weatherly, an American best-selling author pens her new YA fantasy book, Broken Sky which marks the first book in The Broken Trilogy under her pseudonym L.A. Weatherly. This story is set far back in time and history when technology has recently touched the base of the civilized society of mankind, and a new world has arisen from the ashes of destruction due to the war. And this unfolds the story of a young pilot who is a peace-fighter but when her homeland is under attack, this pilot needs to save the lives of those who matter the most by trusting no one.
Synopsis:
Welcome to a ‘perfect’ world.
Where war is illegal, where harmony rules.
And where your date of birth marks your destiny.
But nothing is perfect.
And in a world this broken, who can Amity trust?
Amity is an eighteen year old peace-fighter (a pilot) for her homeland which are divided and has their own rules and the peace-fighters are there to protect the territory of their homeland. There is a central state which is dominated by a leader who believe in the birth-star signs where the citizens must live with obedience and disobedient individuals are marked as "discordant" and are then sent off to correction camps where death is the final destiny. When the leader of this state attacks Amity's homeland, Western Seaboard, Amity must decide quickly on how to save her little brother and widow mother, before it's too late. (Divergent much!!?!)
Imagine a world you live in where your birth star signs mark your fate on whether you are eligible to be a citizen of that world or not!! All in the name of Harmony. Sounds superstitious, I know. But being superstitious in that world will not do any good to you, it didn't do any good to Amity who never believed in them. But it seems there is corruption hidden under the name of Harmony.
Well, the world building is slow and it also takes a great deal of time to slowly adjust with the author's make-believe post-apocalyptic world, but this world building is done quite skillfully by the author. The author explains the development with great detailing and depths and history behind it thus making it sound believable. Moreover, this post-apocalyptic world is set in the 1940s USA and to prove that the author have included the effect of then-technology in the lives of the citizens. Otherwise, the time-shift was not much evident either through the demeanor of the characters or from any details mentioned in the story line.
The writing style is absolutely fantastic, which is layered perfectly with a myriad of emotions as well as adrenaline-rushing action above the ground level and a great deal of riveting mystery that keeps the readers on their edges till the very end. The narrative style is strong and engaging and it immediately pulls the readers into the story along with it's flow. As the story progresses, the mystery around it becomes deeper and darker, thus keeping the readers turning the pages of this book till the very end, which once again ends with a mind-blowing cliff-hanger.
The characters are well-developed, especially the main character who feels a bit like Tris from Divergent- brave, fearless, fighter, speaks her mind, mature and above all curious. Amity is social and at times she is funny. She makes a strong and promising female heroine for a YA fantasy series. The supporting cast are a real gem to this book, especially the negative character, who is so well-developed that his demeanor fills the readers' hearts with hate and rage.
Behind all the action, there is a sweet love story that unfolds between the main character, Amity and her childhood boyfriend, Collie, who reunite once again in the Western Seaboard state against all the evil and murders and especially with the fear of being killed, keeps them strong. Their story is depicted with lots of passion and evocative emotions that makes the readers root for them till the very end. Thank god, there is no love triangle in this story, which makes me love the book even more.
This series is completely based on astrology and star sign readings, thus making it a fascinating as well as enlightening book for the readers. Yes, the concept is very unique and fresh thus making it an addictive read for the readers. The mystery is so tight that it keeps the readers anticipating till the very end.
All-in-all, the book is like a roller-coaster ride filled with bone-chilling action scenes, which unfold like it is happening right in front of the eyes of the readers, with a twisted and complex mystery, that keeps the readers glued to the book and with a passionate love story that makes the readers hold on to the story line. Well as for me, I can't wait to read the next book in the series as the author dropped an unpredictable bomb at the end of this engrossing story.
Verdict: Definitely a must-read and for all YA fans out there, do not miss this epic and promising YA fantasy series.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Lee Weatherly's publicist, for giving me an opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
----Rick Yancey
Lee Weatherly, an American best-selling author pens her new YA fantasy book, Broken Sky which marks the first book in The Broken Trilogy under her pseudonym L.A. Weatherly. This story is set far back in time and history when technology has recently touched the base of the civilized society of mankind, and a new world has arisen from the ashes of destruction due to the war. And this unfolds the story of a young pilot who is a peace-fighter but when her homeland is under attack, this pilot needs to save the lives of those who matter the most by trusting no one.
Synopsis:
Welcome to a ‘perfect’ world.
Where war is illegal, where harmony rules.
And where your date of birth marks your destiny.
But nothing is perfect.
And in a world this broken, who can Amity trust?
Amity is an eighteen year old peace-fighter (a pilot) for her homeland which are divided and has their own rules and the peace-fighters are there to protect the territory of their homeland. There is a central state which is dominated by a leader who believe in the birth-star signs where the citizens must live with obedience and disobedient individuals are marked as "discordant" and are then sent off to correction camps where death is the final destiny. When the leader of this state attacks Amity's homeland, Western Seaboard, Amity must decide quickly on how to save her little brother and widow mother, before it's too late. (Divergent much!!?!)
Imagine a world you live in where your birth star signs mark your fate on whether you are eligible to be a citizen of that world or not!! All in the name of Harmony. Sounds superstitious, I know. But being superstitious in that world will not do any good to you, it didn't do any good to Amity who never believed in them. But it seems there is corruption hidden under the name of Harmony.
Well, the world building is slow and it also takes a great deal of time to slowly adjust with the author's make-believe post-apocalyptic world, but this world building is done quite skillfully by the author. The author explains the development with great detailing and depths and history behind it thus making it sound believable. Moreover, this post-apocalyptic world is set in the 1940s USA and to prove that the author have included the effect of then-technology in the lives of the citizens. Otherwise, the time-shift was not much evident either through the demeanor of the characters or from any details mentioned in the story line.
The writing style is absolutely fantastic, which is layered perfectly with a myriad of emotions as well as adrenaline-rushing action above the ground level and a great deal of riveting mystery that keeps the readers on their edges till the very end. The narrative style is strong and engaging and it immediately pulls the readers into the story along with it's flow. As the story progresses, the mystery around it becomes deeper and darker, thus keeping the readers turning the pages of this book till the very end, which once again ends with a mind-blowing cliff-hanger.
The characters are well-developed, especially the main character who feels a bit like Tris from Divergent- brave, fearless, fighter, speaks her mind, mature and above all curious. Amity is social and at times she is funny. She makes a strong and promising female heroine for a YA fantasy series. The supporting cast are a real gem to this book, especially the negative character, who is so well-developed that his demeanor fills the readers' hearts with hate and rage.
Behind all the action, there is a sweet love story that unfolds between the main character, Amity and her childhood boyfriend, Collie, who reunite once again in the Western Seaboard state against all the evil and murders and especially with the fear of being killed, keeps them strong. Their story is depicted with lots of passion and evocative emotions that makes the readers root for them till the very end. Thank god, there is no love triangle in this story, which makes me love the book even more.
This series is completely based on astrology and star sign readings, thus making it a fascinating as well as enlightening book for the readers. Yes, the concept is very unique and fresh thus making it an addictive read for the readers. The mystery is so tight that it keeps the readers anticipating till the very end.
All-in-all, the book is like a roller-coaster ride filled with bone-chilling action scenes, which unfold like it is happening right in front of the eyes of the readers, with a twisted and complex mystery, that keeps the readers glued to the book and with a passionate love story that makes the readers hold on to the story line. Well as for me, I can't wait to read the next book in the series as the author dropped an unpredictable bomb at the end of this engrossing story.
Verdict: Definitely a must-read and for all YA fans out there, do not miss this epic and promising YA fantasy series.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Lee Weatherly's publicist, for giving me an opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
March 13, 2016
**4.5 stars**
I'm a fan of the "Angel" series of which I am on book 2 but when I saw this in the bookshop during my latest browsing session I had to pick it up. The cover on its own was enough even if the story had not sounded so excellent.
This the first book in the "Broken" series has a very different vibe to the other - and is a highly imaginative take on the world with some great characters and an intriguing developing mythology. The author has managed to get a beautiful "Noir" feel to the narrative, in some places almost like an old school detective novel despite the dystopian storyline and young adult focus.
The idea of our star chart literally controlling our destiny under the watchful eye of an often charismatic dictator, the story follows Amity Vancour, peacefighter in a country not yet under this rule of thumb, as she watches things fall apart around her and uncovers a deadly conspiracy. On the other side of the fence is Kay, astrologer, desperate to survive in a country where being discordant is a crime - she will do whatever it takes to climb the ladder and remain close to the man who holds the fate of many in his hands.
Some genius plotting and genuinely surprising twists and turns make this an intensely enjoyable read throughout, you are never quite sure what is going to happen and the question "Who should Amity trust" is played on really well. The dual structure is brilliant as events unfold and you watch the actions of one girl impacting on the other, with neither of them aware, sometimes you are holding your breath to see where the road will lead..
The ending is killer and absolutely guarantees that I will be sitting on my doorstep waiting for the postman to deliver book 2 when it comes out later this year - but this would probably have been true even without that, this is beautifully written and a damn good story to boot. Therefore it comes highly recommended from me.
I'm a fan of the "Angel" series of which I am on book 2 but when I saw this in the bookshop during my latest browsing session I had to pick it up. The cover on its own was enough even if the story had not sounded so excellent.
This the first book in the "Broken" series has a very different vibe to the other - and is a highly imaginative take on the world with some great characters and an intriguing developing mythology. The author has managed to get a beautiful "Noir" feel to the narrative, in some places almost like an old school detective novel despite the dystopian storyline and young adult focus.
The idea of our star chart literally controlling our destiny under the watchful eye of an often charismatic dictator, the story follows Amity Vancour, peacefighter in a country not yet under this rule of thumb, as she watches things fall apart around her and uncovers a deadly conspiracy. On the other side of the fence is Kay, astrologer, desperate to survive in a country where being discordant is a crime - she will do whatever it takes to climb the ladder and remain close to the man who holds the fate of many in his hands.
Some genius plotting and genuinely surprising twists and turns make this an intensely enjoyable read throughout, you are never quite sure what is going to happen and the question "Who should Amity trust" is played on really well. The dual structure is brilliant as events unfold and you watch the actions of one girl impacting on the other, with neither of them aware, sometimes you are holding your breath to see where the road will lead..
The ending is killer and absolutely guarantees that I will be sitting on my doorstep waiting for the postman to deliver book 2 when it comes out later this year - but this would probably have been true even without that, this is beautifully written and a damn good story to boot. Therefore it comes highly recommended from me.
October 23, 2019
First review: OMG PLOT TWIST. HOW THE HELL WILL THIS END????
Thank you to those who "liked" this review so that I could be reminded to actually write more than just an exclamation.
Broken Sky : where do I begin? Well, as usual, this book JUMPED out at me during one of my trips to the library. Boy oh boy, am I ever glad that I actually sat down and read it when I got home.
This book is a "dystopian" YA fiction about Amity Vancour: a young adult who has the noblest of hearts and intentions. In this world, wars are no longer waged as a result of a big nuclear fallout/war that happened before Amity was born. Thus, states fight battles over contentious issues usually via fighter pilot. Amity is one of these pilots.
The story takes place in a society that is like an alternate-universe WWII-reality where the "Hitler"-type character is a madman that uses star charts and astronomy, rather than ancestry to persecute groups of people; they are flagged as troublesome individuals that will impede the success of the master plan, and must be taken care of.
I will be honest and say that this book was MAYBE a solid 3/5 for me until the end. It has predictable YA tropes -- which I will not spoil here because I do not want to turn anyone off from reading this -- and Amity can be like the Rory Gilmour type -- where you love her and you hate her but you love her but, oh if it wasn't for those things she does, we wouldn't have a fun story to read.
My biggest issue was this weird AU WWII scenario; as a WWII fiction fan, I didn't know how to react to that exactly. I ended up LOVING the story, however, because of the last quarter of the book. WOW I did not see that plot twist coming and wow what I fun story, so far!
I ended up purchasing the sequel because my library doesn't have the means to obtain the rest of the series.
Thank you to those who "liked" this review so that I could be reminded to actually write more than just an exclamation.
Broken Sky : where do I begin? Well, as usual, this book JUMPED out at me during one of my trips to the library. Boy oh boy, am I ever glad that I actually sat down and read it when I got home.
This book is a "dystopian" YA fiction about Amity Vancour: a young adult who has the noblest of hearts and intentions. In this world, wars are no longer waged as a result of a big nuclear fallout/war that happened before Amity was born. Thus, states fight battles over contentious issues usually via fighter pilot. Amity is one of these pilots.
The story takes place in a society that is like an alternate-universe WWII-reality where the "Hitler"-type character is a madman that uses star charts and astronomy, rather than ancestry to persecute groups of people; they are flagged as troublesome individuals that will impede the success of the master plan, and must be taken care of.
I will be honest and say that this book was MAYBE a solid 3/5 for me until the end. It has predictable YA tropes -- which I will not spoil here because I do not want to turn anyone off from reading this -- and Amity can be like the Rory Gilmour type -- where you love her and you hate her but you love her but, oh if it wasn't for those things she does, we wouldn't have a fun story to read.
My biggest issue was this weird AU WWII scenario; as a WWII fiction fan, I didn't know how to react to that exactly. I ended up LOVING the story, however, because of the last quarter of the book. WOW I did not see that plot twist coming and wow what I fun story, so far!
I ended up purchasing the sequel because my library doesn't have the means to obtain the rest of the series.
September 7, 2018
I honestly don't understand why Broken Sky isn't getting more attention - it's a delicious read in an ever-popular genre: YA Dystopian (although it is also suitable for adult audiences). There's neither instalove nor love triangle. The characters are rounded and imperfect but not idiotic. The premise is really interesting - global disputes being resolved through a kind of champion warfare to avoid the catastrophic results of all-out war.
The time setting is unclear with references from the 40s and (IMHO) the 20s - jazz clubs, speakeasies etc which I loved but also references to a "cataclysm" which would seem to have been nuclear war but which had taken place in the distant past. As far as the 40s go, the main villain of the piece, one John Gunnison is an almost Hitler-like figure (although the writing doesn't delve too deeply into any atrocities), complete with genocidal intent, killings and correction camps. I couldn't decide if he was insane or actually believed in his rhetoric. Maybe that's the point. Either way, Broken Sky is certainly not one of those ridiculous light fluffy dystopians.
Read it already!
March 1, 2016
I read a lot of YA and children's books. A lot. But BROKEN SKY has that rarest of qualities - it feels utterly fresh and unique. Set in what at first appears to be an alternate history version of the 1940's, with all the delightful Noir-ish trappings you might expect (diners, speakeasies, fighter planes, radio broadcasts and jazz music), we soon come to suspect that this is actually OUR world - but in the far future, after a nuclear apocalypse which threw the technological development of the human race back into the dark ages.
Following centuries of painfully clawing back civilisation, the human race decided: no more war. Now a neutral body, World for Peace, oversees all disputes between territories and countries with absolute fairness. No armies, no bombs, no death. The outcomes of such disputes are decided via thrilling aerial dogfights between 'Peacefighter' pilots - the best of the best - from each territory, in souped up fighter planes. The aim is to force your opponent to bail, but without killing them.
It's a set-up that is brought vividly and beautifully to life by the first person viewpoint of our heroine - Amity, otherwise known as 'Wildcat' - one of the best Peacefighters the Western Seaboard has. Scarred by a tragedy which destroyed her childhood, Amity's passionate devotion to the Peacefighter Corps and its ideals is not surprising. She's serious, focused, and dedicated, with a brilliant quality of moral resolution that I admired (I loved the fact that, even when things fell apart, she didn't blame herself - she knew she'd done what was right). Reconnecting with her childhood love, Collie, and imagining another life with him, after they both retire, doesn't really impact on her devotion to the ideal of 'A peaceful loss is better than war'. It was her grandmother and her father's ideal before her, after all. That's why she's called Amity.
Which makes it all the more horrifying for her when she learns that the Peacefighter Corp is, in fact, corrupt down to its roots. Not only do they routinely fix the outcomes of fights which decide the fates of millions, they also murder any Peacefighters that don't play along. A horrified Amity discovers that World for Peace have been firmly in the pocket of an insane, astrology-obsessed dictator, Gunnison, for at least a decade. Gunnison has already imposed his vision of 'Harmony' on his own territory. Now he's plotting a violent takeover of Amity's country (and the world), destroying everyone who opposes him. The Corp's betrayal rips Amity's life apart - and exposes secrets from her own past.
Adding depth and a shivering sense of creepiness to this powerful narrative are third person sections from the PoV of Kay, a cynical astrologer in Gunnison's territory who lies, schemes and manipulates her way into a favoured position in the dictator's government. Although Kay is despicable - a sort of inverse shadow of Amity's moral resolve, strength and integrity - she's also all too easy to sympathise with because her fears are completely reasonable: it's not hard to imagine how desperate YOU would be to avoid being sent to a 'correction camp' and question how far you might be willing to go to achieve a place of safety.
Forced to go on the run - hunted everywhere not only by the traitorous agents of the Peacefighter Corps, but also her own countrymen, as they fall under the sway of Gunnison's teachings - Amity desperately fights to get the truth out and protect her family and Collie. The story winds up to a devastating ending with a sucker-punch twist - setting things perfectly in motion for the sequel, Darkness Follows. I really admire authors who have the courage to set up layers and layers of elaborate world-building and make sure their universe is perfectly realised... before they take a hammer to it (ala Garth Nix and the destruction of the Wall in his Abhorsen books). It's harrowing in the very best way.
BROKEN SKY is so good, people. So, so, soooo good. Honestly. It's out today. GET IT.
Following centuries of painfully clawing back civilisation, the human race decided: no more war. Now a neutral body, World for Peace, oversees all disputes between territories and countries with absolute fairness. No armies, no bombs, no death. The outcomes of such disputes are decided via thrilling aerial dogfights between 'Peacefighter' pilots - the best of the best - from each territory, in souped up fighter planes. The aim is to force your opponent to bail, but without killing them.
It's a set-up that is brought vividly and beautifully to life by the first person viewpoint of our heroine - Amity, otherwise known as 'Wildcat' - one of the best Peacefighters the Western Seaboard has. Scarred by a tragedy which destroyed her childhood, Amity's passionate devotion to the Peacefighter Corps and its ideals is not surprising. She's serious, focused, and dedicated, with a brilliant quality of moral resolution that I admired (I loved the fact that, even when things fell apart, she didn't blame herself - she knew she'd done what was right). Reconnecting with her childhood love, Collie, and imagining another life with him, after they both retire, doesn't really impact on her devotion to the ideal of 'A peaceful loss is better than war'. It was her grandmother and her father's ideal before her, after all. That's why she's called Amity.
Which makes it all the more horrifying for her when she learns that the Peacefighter Corp is, in fact, corrupt down to its roots. Not only do they routinely fix the outcomes of fights which decide the fates of millions, they also murder any Peacefighters that don't play along. A horrified Amity discovers that World for Peace have been firmly in the pocket of an insane, astrology-obsessed dictator, Gunnison, for at least a decade. Gunnison has already imposed his vision of 'Harmony' on his own territory. Now he's plotting a violent takeover of Amity's country (and the world), destroying everyone who opposes him. The Corp's betrayal rips Amity's life apart - and exposes secrets from her own past.
Adding depth and a shivering sense of creepiness to this powerful narrative are third person sections from the PoV of Kay, a cynical astrologer in Gunnison's territory who lies, schemes and manipulates her way into a favoured position in the dictator's government. Although Kay is despicable - a sort of inverse shadow of Amity's moral resolve, strength and integrity - she's also all too easy to sympathise with because her fears are completely reasonable: it's not hard to imagine how desperate YOU would be to avoid being sent to a 'correction camp' and question how far you might be willing to go to achieve a place of safety.
Forced to go on the run - hunted everywhere not only by the traitorous agents of the Peacefighter Corps, but also her own countrymen, as they fall under the sway of Gunnison's teachings - Amity desperately fights to get the truth out and protect her family and Collie. The story winds up to a devastating ending with a sucker-punch twist - setting things perfectly in motion for the sequel, Darkness Follows. I really admire authors who have the courage to set up layers and layers of elaborate world-building and make sure their universe is perfectly realised... before they take a hammer to it (ala Garth Nix and the destruction of the Wall in his Abhorsen books). It's harrowing in the very best way.
BROKEN SKY is so good, people. So, so, soooo good. Honestly. It's out today. GET IT.
February 7, 2017
Another version of this review can be found here
Received with thanks in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.
Broken Sky was a thrilling dystopian fantasy set in "a daring and distorted echo of 1940s America", as the blurb put it. Reading that the first time had me confused- would it be set in an alternate universe of America in the 1940s? But then that would hardly be dystopian, so what exactly would be the case here?
Well, giving a unique twist to the Dystopia we usually see, the author has built a world set in the future, but there has been a strange regression in terms of technology and lifestyle that it all resembles what we know of America in the 1940s. And if that isn't intriguing in itself, we also have a power-hungry dictator obsessed with astrology, and it is astrology he uses to aid him in weeding out people with the "wrong" birth chart. These peope are said to be the root cause of the society's ills and they are ultimately arrested and sent to a correction camp. Terrifying, isn't it? Quite like the World War Two scenario and Hitler. You see what the blurb meant now?
While I definitely don't believe in astrology, I've always been fascinated by how the personality traits and things described by it are often on point, so while this book didn't at first look like my usual cup of tea, there was no way I would have not tried this either. Am I glad I did? You bet I am. Broken Sky turned out to be a unique story told in the POVs of two kickass female leads. Read on to know exactly why this turned out to be a perfect first book in an trilogy!
The plot was extremely original, and I wouldn't hesitate to say I've never come across a concept quite as intriguing as this. I loved the setting, and the 1940s vibe throughout matched the narrative perfectly. While I took my own sweet time to feel comfortable with the world (this happens to me in fantasy usually, so it's an it's-not-you-it's-me thing here), the world-building itself was terrific.
The use of astrology, and that too in a dystopian world is really remarkable indeed, and I loved how fresh and realistic it all was. Everything was established very efficiently by the author within the first few chapters, and from thereon, the story was very comfortably paced, with things accelerating brilliantly towards the ending. I found the politics involved a bit tedious at the beginning, but then things started heating up and I was pretty much glued to the pages.
The story is narrated in the POVs of two fierce, kickass heroines- Amity, a peacefighting pilot and Kay, an astrologer (who both quite ironically think astrology is a pile of sh*t)- and they both exhibited slow but sure development throughout the course of the story and had me rooting for them which is exceptional considering the fact that while one is working to bring down the dictator, the other is helping him for reasons which aren't very clear. There are a host of other secondary characters who contributed towards the story in their own way- though they admittedly could have done with more depth.
The romance was allowed to take a backseat here (and what a welcome change that was!), however it did still have a significant impact on the story. I wasn't all that impressed by it at the beginning, largely thanks to Collie, Amity's boyfriend, but I loved how their relationship evolved so much to the point where I was really worried when things took a bad turn. There were various other relationships that were of much importance and I'm pleased with how the author dealt with them all.
The writing was fantastic, and the action sequences were done very brilliantly indeed. In fact, the author's flair for them should definitely be lauded. There was no point where I was wishing things would go faster or slower- it was all just right. The mystery was built very well and I loved how the twists were done. The sense of suspense throughout the story made for a very engaging read, and I loved how the story ended- how very fortunate I have the second book right in my hands- I wouldn't have liked waiting to know how things turn out for Amity, Kay and the rest, that's for sure!
Overal, Broken Sky was the perfect first book for a trilogy- it ended with just the right amount of suspense to keep me excited for the next book, while still tying up everything satisfactorily. This is a book you just can't miss if you're a fan of dystopia- the unique twist to the genre only makes it all the more exciting!
The story idea: 5/5
The realization of the story: 4/5
The characters: 4/5
The cover: 5/5
Enjoy factor: 5/5
Final rating: 5/5
Received with thanks in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.
Broken Sky was a thrilling dystopian fantasy set in "a daring and distorted echo of 1940s America", as the blurb put it. Reading that the first time had me confused- would it be set in an alternate universe of America in the 1940s? But then that would hardly be dystopian, so what exactly would be the case here?
Well, giving a unique twist to the Dystopia we usually see, the author has built a world set in the future, but there has been a strange regression in terms of technology and lifestyle that it all resembles what we know of America in the 1940s. And if that isn't intriguing in itself, we also have a power-hungry dictator obsessed with astrology, and it is astrology he uses to aid him in weeding out people with the "wrong" birth chart. These peope are said to be the root cause of the society's ills and they are ultimately arrested and sent to a correction camp. Terrifying, isn't it? Quite like the World War Two scenario and Hitler. You see what the blurb meant now?
While I definitely don't believe in astrology, I've always been fascinated by how the personality traits and things described by it are often on point, so while this book didn't at first look like my usual cup of tea, there was no way I would have not tried this either. Am I glad I did? You bet I am. Broken Sky turned out to be a unique story told in the POVs of two kickass female leads. Read on to know exactly why this turned out to be a perfect first book in an trilogy!
The plot was extremely original, and I wouldn't hesitate to say I've never come across a concept quite as intriguing as this. I loved the setting, and the 1940s vibe throughout matched the narrative perfectly. While I took my own sweet time to feel comfortable with the world (this happens to me in fantasy usually, so it's an it's-not-you-it's-me thing here), the world-building itself was terrific.
The use of astrology, and that too in a dystopian world is really remarkable indeed, and I loved how fresh and realistic it all was. Everything was established very efficiently by the author within the first few chapters, and from thereon, the story was very comfortably paced, with things accelerating brilliantly towards the ending. I found the politics involved a bit tedious at the beginning, but then things started heating up and I was pretty much glued to the pages.
The story is narrated in the POVs of two fierce, kickass heroines- Amity, a peacefighting pilot and Kay, an astrologer (who both quite ironically think astrology is a pile of sh*t)- and they both exhibited slow but sure development throughout the course of the story and had me rooting for them which is exceptional considering the fact that while one is working to bring down the dictator, the other is helping him for reasons which aren't very clear. There are a host of other secondary characters who contributed towards the story in their own way- though they admittedly could have done with more depth.
The romance was allowed to take a backseat here (and what a welcome change that was!), however it did still have a significant impact on the story. I wasn't all that impressed by it at the beginning, largely thanks to Collie, Amity's boyfriend, but I loved how their relationship evolved so much to the point where I was really worried when things took a bad turn. There were various other relationships that were of much importance and I'm pleased with how the author dealt with them all.
The writing was fantastic, and the action sequences were done very brilliantly indeed. In fact, the author's flair for them should definitely be lauded. There was no point where I was wishing things would go faster or slower- it was all just right. The mystery was built very well and I loved how the twists were done. The sense of suspense throughout the story made for a very engaging read, and I loved how the story ended- how very fortunate I have the second book right in my hands- I wouldn't have liked waiting to know how things turn out for Amity, Kay and the rest, that's for sure!
Overal, Broken Sky was the perfect first book for a trilogy- it ended with just the right amount of suspense to keep me excited for the next book, while still tying up everything satisfactorily. This is a book you just can't miss if you're a fan of dystopia- the unique twist to the genre only makes it all the more exciting!
The story idea: 5/5
The realization of the story: 4/5
The characters: 4/5
The cover: 5/5
Enjoy factor: 5/5
Final rating: 5/5
March 23, 2016
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
Holy shit that cliffhanger, I WAS NOT expecting that. Amity better end up fucking bad-ass because of this and if she doesn't I'll write a formal complaint. Guys legit just read this for the cliffy. That was insane.
Holy shit that cliffhanger, I WAS NOT expecting that. Amity better end up fucking bad-ass because of this and if she doesn't I'll write a formal complaint. Guys legit just read this for the cliffy. That was insane.
March 28, 2016
Full review at Beatrice Learns To Read.
I received a finished copy of this book from Usborne Publishing in exchange for an honest review. By no means have my review been affected and/or influenced.
In a post apocalyptic 1940s, political disputes by opposing countries are reconciled through aerial battles. Amity Vancour is a Peacefighter pilot from the Western Seaboard. She and other Peacefighters must defend their country and make sure all disputes against other countries are won.
John Gunnison is the leader of the Central States. He believes in a political theory that everyone’s fate is written in the stars and the key to harmony is taking away those who were born “discordant” based on their birth chart. But even with the stars aligned, Gunnison will stop at nothing to remove anyone he sees a threat to the world, and Amity is the biggest one. With Central States slowly taking over Western Seaboard, and the whole world, Amity must stop Gunnison before he takes away everyone she dearly loves.
A moment of silence for my dear heart… Broken Sky just left me “broken” and elated and extremely in awe about every single thing about it. I opened this book with zero expectations and finished it with a thousand and more praises for it.
To start, there were only a few words describing what Broken Sky is about (based on the synopsis). I tried to pay attention to what the covers say and get as many details as I can before diving into this unfamiliar book. The back cover of did say “Set in a daring and distorted echo of 1940s America, BROKEN SKY is an exhilarating epic of deception, heartbreak and rebellion.”. And indeed there was deception, heartbreak and rebellion and so much more! Broken Sky is such a gripping story that won’t make you put it down and keep wanting more.
The world Ms. Lee has created is realistic and immensely detailed. I didn’t have a hard time going around in an alternate 1940s (well, I haven’t experience the real 1940s too). The world in Broken Sky started after a Cataclysm that destroyed every nation. A few years after, a system has developed and all disputes are resolved through Peacefights. There are only 62 countries including Western Seaboard, European Alliance, Central States and a neutral territory called Heatcalf City or The Heat for the peacefighting base.
Evidently, Peacefighting is a major part of the book. It’s an aerial battle between pilots of different territories. Amity is a Peacefighter of the Western Seaboard, and a skilled one. She performs her duty well as a Peacefighter and goes to the extreme for her country. But not every dispute lies on the pilot’s skill alone, some are actually influenced through bribery. The perfect world doesn’t seem to be perfect after all.
Astrology was also a major part of the book. At first, I thought it was an uncanny combination for a plot but it was well incorporated in the story. It was perfect actually, that it was used to see how fast and great Gunnison’s influence is that even territories across his borders are starting to adapt to his beliefs.
One thing that I love about this book among a million other reasons are the characters. I just love how every character in this book has a significant role in the story and not just some display. Broken Sky has a great plot and a laudable world building, but even it’s characters are greatly portrayed. It clearly shows the effort that was put into each characters and how vital their roles are in the book.
The narration though, wasn’t consistent in Amity’s POV. I was surprised with the sudden shift from Amity’s 1st POV narration to Kay, an astrologer in Central States, in a 3rd POV perspective. Even with the shifts, it didn’t affect the continuity of the story and personally, I think it was better that way since it left Kay’s thoughts as mysterious as her character.
The story goes through Amity as a Peacefighter, some backstory about her past and her father that was a Peacefighter too, Kay’s POV that gives a glimpse on what’s happening in the Central States, and Amity and Collie’s relationship.
I don’t know but the Amity and Collie relationship made me think that it is becoming necessary to have a romance aspect in every YA book. I honestly didn’t mind it since I’m a sucker for swoon but I’m actually surprised to see myself not really getting into it. Okay, I did enjoy the romantic scenes but there were parts that I just want to tell Amity to stop thinking about Collie just for a second and think about herself.
Remember “deception, heartbreak and rebellion”? It got stuck in my head while I was reading this book and that’s why, I saw IT coming. That freaking plot twist that will make you want to jump and flail and throw yourself onto your bed. The twist wasn’t much of a surprise since I obviously took the warning (refer to cover) VERY SERIOUSLY but my my my… there’s no difference if you’re aware that you’d get hurt or not. It just hurts the same. Seriously, this book is good. Really, really good.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to everyone, will shove it to you (nicely) if I have to. Maybe even buy this book as a birthday gift for you, or an I’m-so-happy-I-bought-this-book-for-you-to-read-gift. No, but seriously, you’ll be missing a whole lot if you ditch this book so go now and read it! And as for me, give me book 2, NOW!
I received a finished copy of this book from Usborne Publishing in exchange for an honest review. By no means have my review been affected and/or influenced.
In a post apocalyptic 1940s, political disputes by opposing countries are reconciled through aerial battles. Amity Vancour is a Peacefighter pilot from the Western Seaboard. She and other Peacefighters must defend their country and make sure all disputes against other countries are won.
John Gunnison is the leader of the Central States. He believes in a political theory that everyone’s fate is written in the stars and the key to harmony is taking away those who were born “discordant” based on their birth chart. But even with the stars aligned, Gunnison will stop at nothing to remove anyone he sees a threat to the world, and Amity is the biggest one. With Central States slowly taking over Western Seaboard, and the whole world, Amity must stop Gunnison before he takes away everyone she dearly loves.
A moment of silence for my dear heart… Broken Sky just left me “broken” and elated and extremely in awe about every single thing about it. I opened this book with zero expectations and finished it with a thousand and more praises for it.
To start, there were only a few words describing what Broken Sky is about (based on the synopsis). I tried to pay attention to what the covers say and get as many details as I can before diving into this unfamiliar book. The back cover of did say “Set in a daring and distorted echo of 1940s America, BROKEN SKY is an exhilarating epic of deception, heartbreak and rebellion.”. And indeed there was deception, heartbreak and rebellion and so much more! Broken Sky is such a gripping story that won’t make you put it down and keep wanting more.
The world Ms. Lee has created is realistic and immensely detailed. I didn’t have a hard time going around in an alternate 1940s (well, I haven’t experience the real 1940s too). The world in Broken Sky started after a Cataclysm that destroyed every nation. A few years after, a system has developed and all disputes are resolved through Peacefights. There are only 62 countries including Western Seaboard, European Alliance, Central States and a neutral territory called Heatcalf City or The Heat for the peacefighting base.
Evidently, Peacefighting is a major part of the book. It’s an aerial battle between pilots of different territories. Amity is a Peacefighter of the Western Seaboard, and a skilled one. She performs her duty well as a Peacefighter and goes to the extreme for her country. But not every dispute lies on the pilot’s skill alone, some are actually influenced through bribery. The perfect world doesn’t seem to be perfect after all.
Astrology was also a major part of the book. At first, I thought it was an uncanny combination for a plot but it was well incorporated in the story. It was perfect actually, that it was used to see how fast and great Gunnison’s influence is that even territories across his borders are starting to adapt to his beliefs.
One thing that I love about this book among a million other reasons are the characters. I just love how every character in this book has a significant role in the story and not just some display. Broken Sky has a great plot and a laudable world building, but even it’s characters are greatly portrayed. It clearly shows the effort that was put into each characters and how vital their roles are in the book.
The narration though, wasn’t consistent in Amity’s POV. I was surprised with the sudden shift from Amity’s 1st POV narration to Kay, an astrologer in Central States, in a 3rd POV perspective. Even with the shifts, it didn’t affect the continuity of the story and personally, I think it was better that way since it left Kay’s thoughts as mysterious as her character.
The story goes through Amity as a Peacefighter, some backstory about her past and her father that was a Peacefighter too, Kay’s POV that gives a glimpse on what’s happening in the Central States, and Amity and Collie’s relationship.
I don’t know but the Amity and Collie relationship made me think that it is becoming necessary to have a romance aspect in every YA book. I honestly didn’t mind it since I’m a sucker for swoon but I’m actually surprised to see myself not really getting into it. Okay, I did enjoy the romantic scenes but there were parts that I just want to tell Amity to stop thinking about Collie just for a second and think about herself.
Remember “deception, heartbreak and rebellion”? It got stuck in my head while I was reading this book and that’s why, I saw IT coming. That freaking plot twist that will make you want to jump and flail and throw yourself onto your bed. The twist wasn’t much of a surprise since I obviously took the warning (refer to cover) VERY SERIOUSLY but my my my… there’s no difference if you’re aware that you’d get hurt or not. It just hurts the same. Seriously, this book is good. Really, really good.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to everyone, will shove it to you (nicely) if I have to. Maybe even buy this book as a birthday gift for you, or an I’m-so-happy-I-bought-this-book-for-you-to-read-gift. No, but seriously, you’ll be missing a whole lot if you ditch this book so go now and read it! And as for me, give me book 2, NOW!
Want to read
March 17, 2023(Recommended by Patronusgranger12)
September 30, 2016
I love the dystopian genre. I love all of the "what ifs" that it lays out for the reader to think about: 'what if our government did this?', 'what if our world decided to do that?' I find it very intriguing, it's one of the reasons why I enjoyed Divergent (not so much Insurgent or Allegiant).
L.A Weatherly had previously written the Angel trilogy. I had read the first two books and then given up because they were so big. I saw Broken Sky, realised that it was a dystopian and decided to get it. I love a good book about government secrets!
Welcome to a "perfect" world. Where war is illegal, where harmony rules. And where your date of birth marks your destiny.
But nothing is perfect.
And in a world this broken, who can Amity trust?
Amity is a Peacefighter, just like her father was and she lives in the Western Seaboard. The country is divided into two sections: the Western Seaboard and the Central States. The Central States is run by a man called Gunnison who believes that the stars and star signs marks your destiny and decides whether you're a threat to his twelve-year-plan or not (if you are labelled a threat, you're 'Discordant' and are thrown into camps)
War is illegal in the world that Amity lives in and any political issues and debates are solved through Peacefights where the two countries concerned put forward a pilot each. That pilot has to fight the other pilot (without any killing) and the pilot who wins, wins the debate.
It sounds confusing when I put it like that, I know, but at least it gives you a tiny bit of background to the story.
The blurb also states that Broken Sky is a distorted echo of 1940s America... Now, when I was reading this book it seemed to be set more in the future - maybe in about 1000 years time - but there were shadows of the 1940s that cropped up. There are a lot of comparisons to World War II, for example the camps, if you were found Discordant, you were made to wear a 'D', a country being split into two, dictatorship... The list goes on. I found it very very interesting how Weatherly had used aspects of the war to make the book seem like it was set in 40s, but then also made it feel like it was set in the distant future.
Broken Sky was tremendous. I absolutely loved every second of it. The prologue had me hooked but what I loved the most about this book was the dual perspectives, the point of view of Amity, and then the point of view of Kay. I found Kay to be such an interesting character and I absolutely loved reading from her perspective, it was so tense and exciting.
The writing was fantastic, the build ups were brilliant and the way that secrets were revealed was amazing. Beware of the ending. You will get major major feels. I literally threw the book across my living room and stared at the wall for half an hour before going over to pick the book back up. I also tweeted L.A Weatherly saying that the book had ruined my life. Because it really did...
But it was such an amazing book and I definitely cannot wait til Darkness Follows comes out. As soon as it's 1st October, I'm going to my nearest Waterstones, buying it and then reading it straight away. I need to find out what happens next because THAT ENDING WAS JUST... AGGGHHHHHH!
I THOROUGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THIS BOOK. RIGHT NOW. GO. GO AND GET IT. ANYWHERE. I'LL JUST WAIT HERE...
L.A Weatherly had previously written the Angel trilogy. I had read the first two books and then given up because they were so big. I saw Broken Sky, realised that it was a dystopian and decided to get it. I love a good book about government secrets!
Welcome to a "perfect" world. Where war is illegal, where harmony rules. And where your date of birth marks your destiny.
But nothing is perfect.
And in a world this broken, who can Amity trust?
Amity is a Peacefighter, just like her father was and she lives in the Western Seaboard. The country is divided into two sections: the Western Seaboard and the Central States. The Central States is run by a man called Gunnison who believes that the stars and star signs marks your destiny and decides whether you're a threat to his twelve-year-plan or not (if you are labelled a threat, you're 'Discordant' and are thrown into camps)
War is illegal in the world that Amity lives in and any political issues and debates are solved through Peacefights where the two countries concerned put forward a pilot each. That pilot has to fight the other pilot (without any killing) and the pilot who wins, wins the debate.
It sounds confusing when I put it like that, I know, but at least it gives you a tiny bit of background to the story.
The blurb also states that Broken Sky is a distorted echo of 1940s America... Now, when I was reading this book it seemed to be set more in the future - maybe in about 1000 years time - but there were shadows of the 1940s that cropped up. There are a lot of comparisons to World War II, for example the camps, if you were found Discordant, you were made to wear a 'D', a country being split into two, dictatorship... The list goes on. I found it very very interesting how Weatherly had used aspects of the war to make the book seem like it was set in 40s, but then also made it feel like it was set in the distant future.
"No one can judge your actions unless they've been there."
- L.A Weatherly, Broken Sky
Broken Sky was tremendous. I absolutely loved every second of it. The prologue had me hooked but what I loved the most about this book was the dual perspectives, the point of view of Amity, and then the point of view of Kay. I found Kay to be such an interesting character and I absolutely loved reading from her perspective, it was so tense and exciting.
The writing was fantastic, the build ups were brilliant and the way that secrets were revealed was amazing. Beware of the ending. You will get major major feels. I literally threw the book across my living room and stared at the wall for half an hour before going over to pick the book back up. I also tweeted L.A Weatherly saying that the book had ruined my life. Because it really did...
But it was such an amazing book and I definitely cannot wait til Darkness Follows comes out. As soon as it's 1st October, I'm going to my nearest Waterstones, buying it and then reading it straight away. I need to find out what happens next because THAT ENDING WAS JUST... AGGGHHHHHH!
I THOROUGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ THIS BOOK. RIGHT NOW. GO. GO AND GET IT. ANYWHERE. I'LL JUST WAIT HERE...
November 1, 2019
NL: aaaaah DIT BOEK!
ENG: I’m quite angry with myself for not having picked this up sooner. I was such a fan of the Angel Trilogy that I should’ve known L.A. Weatherly’s next trilogy wouldn’t disappoint! The world building was amazing. Kind of like the Warverse in the Firebird Trilogy, mixed with Captain America vibes, a bit of Marie Lu’s Legend and a whole cart full of its own original story elements. The astrology angle - so epic. Damn it I loved it!
ENG: I’m quite angry with myself for not having picked this up sooner. I was such a fan of the Angel Trilogy that I should’ve known L.A. Weatherly’s next trilogy wouldn’t disappoint! The world building was amazing. Kind of like the Warverse in the Firebird Trilogy, mixed with Captain America vibes, a bit of Marie Lu’s Legend and a whole cart full of its own original story elements. The astrology angle - so epic. Damn it I loved it!
April 28, 2016
A heart-pounding adventure of Amity Vancour as a Peacefighter of the Western Seaboard - being the one who fights other jet pilots with something large at stake to keep the country's "peace" from other - started with a prologue that overshadows the climax of the story. Then, the book continued with chapters that spoke about the past before the prologue happened which made me intrigued to read more.
To be honest, the start of the book was incredibly slow which made me want to drop this book and start a new one. But since being a good reader and reviewer, I opt myself to finish the book without thinking that it is also hefty. I don't like hefty books especially when it is really losing my interest as I read it. Fortunately, as I read on, the book slowly picked up its pace and was starting to get interesting. I have also problems regarding the sudden shift of character's perspectives because in some part, it is Amity we are talking about, then it moves on to the perspective of Kay, an astrologer who desperately wants to be noticed by Gunnison.
With a touch of astrology, the people were affected by the power of Gunnison, the leader of Central States, who believes that the birth chart is the guide to knowing whether people are a threat to him or not. "Discordants" are what they call them and Gunnison is quickly eradicating their existence. With the help of astrology and some Tarot cards which he strongly believed in, he is slowly taking over to defeat the Western Seaboard's pilots. This is one aspect that I admirably loved about the book because astrological signs were mentioned that determine the person himself as Discordant or not.
The style of writing brought about was beautiful to read. There were times that it was difficult to read because of the technicalities it focused like the parts of the fighter jet the pilots used to fight other countries. Despite this, like I said, the writing was beautiful especially when used in fantasy books because its descriptions are detailed and will definitely give you a good picture of what is happening around.
Another thing commendable about this book is its romance. Not too light nor too much-- just a perfect blend of romance with perfect characters to portray it. The romance had a fantastic role in bringing the audience a message that love is powerful, be it for another person or for family, but you have to control love to be able to accomplish your mission.
Ultimately, with the things mentioned above, they played an important role to creating a book filled with complexities in regards to the world-building. What I liked most about this book is the plot executed well by the author herself. This book also ended with a great cliffhanger, which I don't like but giving this book an exception because it completely made me want to acquire the second installment. Definitely recommended to post-apocalyptic and flying-and-fighting jets lovers.
To be honest, the start of the book was incredibly slow which made me want to drop this book and start a new one. But since being a good reader and reviewer, I opt myself to finish the book without thinking that it is also hefty. I don't like hefty books especially when it is really losing my interest as I read it. Fortunately, as I read on, the book slowly picked up its pace and was starting to get interesting. I have also problems regarding the sudden shift of character's perspectives because in some part, it is Amity we are talking about, then it moves on to the perspective of Kay, an astrologer who desperately wants to be noticed by Gunnison.
"Our heartbeats thudded together even through his jacket and my coat. I buried my face against his neck, breathing him in - the smell of machine oil, summertime, a thousand memories."
With a touch of astrology, the people were affected by the power of Gunnison, the leader of Central States, who believes that the birth chart is the guide to knowing whether people are a threat to him or not. "Discordants" are what they call them and Gunnison is quickly eradicating their existence. With the help of astrology and some Tarot cards which he strongly believed in, he is slowly taking over to defeat the Western Seaboard's pilots. This is one aspect that I admirably loved about the book because astrological signs were mentioned that determine the person himself as Discordant or not.
The style of writing brought about was beautiful to read. There were times that it was difficult to read because of the technicalities it focused like the parts of the fighter jet the pilots used to fight other countries. Despite this, like I said, the writing was beautiful especially when used in fantasy books because its descriptions are detailed and will definitely give you a good picture of what is happening around.
"No one can judge your actions unless they've been there."
Another thing commendable about this book is its romance. Not too light nor too much-- just a perfect blend of romance with perfect characters to portray it. The romance had a fantastic role in bringing the audience a message that love is powerful, be it for another person or for family, but you have to control love to be able to accomplish your mission.
Ultimately, with the things mentioned above, they played an important role to creating a book filled with complexities in regards to the world-building. What I liked most about this book is the plot executed well by the author herself. This book also ended with a great cliffhanger, which I don't like but giving this book an exception because it completely made me want to acquire the second installment. Definitely recommended to post-apocalyptic and flying-and-fighting jets lovers.
September 10, 2016
Thank you Usborne for sending out a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first ever book by LA.weatherly .
The synopsis of the book should be changed because it does not shows how amazing the book is.
After reading the synopsis i did not expected anything form the book at all. But I was wrong.
After reading the prologue I was so so so intrigued. The plot was so good.
The lead female character Amity Vancour shows so much power and how she is ready to expose Gunnison and his people at any cost. She doesn't even cares for his life. Amity is a peace fighter, and not only this in their world people's lives are decided on their stars.
The writing style of author is fantastic. Every character is so welly explained. The lead character Amity is fearless and brave.
And behind all this there are some negative characters too which make the book more amazing.
There is a cute love story too of Amity and his childhood friend Collie who is a fighter pilot too. After four years of no contact they are re united again at the base.
The story is set in 1940's in USA.
The ending was no doubt killer, I can't wait for book two to read. The book was a roller coaster ride.
I would recommend this book to everyone of you. Go and read this NOW !
This was my first ever book by LA.weatherly .
The synopsis of the book should be changed because it does not shows how amazing the book is.
After reading the synopsis i did not expected anything form the book at all. But I was wrong.
After reading the prologue I was so so so intrigued. The plot was so good.
The lead female character Amity Vancour shows so much power and how she is ready to expose Gunnison and his people at any cost. She doesn't even cares for his life. Amity is a peace fighter, and not only this in their world people's lives are decided on their stars.
The writing style of author is fantastic. Every character is so welly explained. The lead character Amity is fearless and brave.
And behind all this there are some negative characters too which make the book more amazing.
There is a cute love story too of Amity and his childhood friend Collie who is a fighter pilot too. After four years of no contact they are re united again at the base.
The story is set in 1940's in USA.
The ending was no doubt killer, I can't wait for book two to read. The book was a roller coaster ride.
I would recommend this book to everyone of you. Go and read this NOW !
January 24, 2019
This one book. So good and yet so miserably underrated. I wonder why tho
I found this book exhilarating. Unlike other YA fantasy novels, this one starts out unusually slowly and picks up pace progressively. The plot is a utopia-turned-dystopia. I liked it but still felt that some filler right at the beginning could be modified with some plot-building elements but nonetheless, when the story picked up full pace, I kept gripping the book trying to find what happened next. Two key words tho, Astrology and fighter pilots. The story was unexpectedly amazing
One other teensy problem is with the ending. I feel that the book should have ended on a cliffhanger because its a trilogy and the writer should leave out some major questions for the reader to ponder on.
And those questions shouldn’t be “what happened to the city or the world in this book?” because thats not the priority. The questions in the readers mind should be “what happened to the main characters?”. I was a bit troubled (happy too) by the happy ending because it could have been better. I finished the book at 2 am and slept. Had there been a majorrrr cliffhanger I would have leapt to my bookshelf to get the next book right away. HOWEVER, I loved the book.
I found this book exhilarating. Unlike other YA fantasy novels, this one starts out unusually slowly and picks up pace progressively. The plot is a utopia-turned-dystopia. I liked it but still felt that some filler right at the beginning could be modified with some plot-building elements but nonetheless, when the story picked up full pace, I kept gripping the book trying to find what happened next. Two key words tho, Astrology and fighter pilots. The story was unexpectedly amazing
One other teensy problem is with the ending. I feel that the book should have ended on a cliffhanger because its a trilogy and the writer should leave out some major questions for the reader to ponder on.
And those questions shouldn’t be “what happened to the city or the world in this book?” because thats not the priority. The questions in the readers mind should be “what happened to the main characters?”. I was a bit troubled (happy too) by the happy ending because it could have been better. I finished the book at 2 am and slept. Had there been a majorrrr cliffhanger I would have leapt to my bookshelf to get the next book right away. HOWEVER, I loved the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2024
3.5 stars
liked the writing but the 1940s vibes were not as apparent as i would have liked them to be. the prologue was intriguing but a good third of the book was very slow (maybe the brainrot is talking). hv a bone to pick with how predictable it was as we neared the second third + the constant astrology talk threw me off because i genuinely dgaf abt the nitty gritty details of the alignment of stars. i liked the chemistry between the fmc and mc tho was so sweet !! wish the author had explored the villains' origin stories for turning to the path they chose... would have made me root for everybody more. regardless, for its time, this was a good ya book that graciously lacks cringe dialogue and tropes with a relatively fresh dystopian world :)
read for a friend... congrats i don't hate it !!!
liked the writing but the 1940s vibes were not as apparent as i would have liked them to be. the prologue was intriguing but a good third of the book was very slow (maybe the brainrot is talking). hv a bone to pick with how predictable it was as we neared the second third + the constant astrology talk threw me off because i genuinely dgaf abt the nitty gritty details of the alignment of stars. i liked the chemistry between the fmc and mc tho was so sweet !! wish the author had explored the villains' origin stories for turning to the path they chose... would have made me root for everybody more. regardless, for its time, this was a good ya book that graciously lacks cringe dialogue and tropes with a relatively fresh dystopian world :)
read for a friend... congrats i don't hate it !!!
Read
July 15, 2017I'm so so SORRY but I'm really, really not into this one. I don't like the characters, the story doesn't grab me and I don't "believe" in the world, which is one of the most important things for me in Dystopian or Fantasy novels. I don't buy the Peacefighters and the horoscopes and whatnot. It makes no sense. I'm so sorry, I know a lot of people loved this, including people who I really trust and care about... but no, this was not for me.
February 16, 2019
*A generous four*
July 8, 2017
Thanks to Usborne for sending me the physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't go into the book with high expectations because the plot doesn't give anything away which I think is unfair. But, I'll try to summarize it as good as I can;
Amity is a Peacefighter and a very skilled one. She lives in Western Seaboard and their world is free from wars because war is illegal, so all the conflicts between countries are solved through the Peacefighters which involves pilots, planes, and etc like air fighting. Their neighboring country is Central States and the President is John Gunnison who believes in Astronomy. "Believe" is a small word. Like he makes all of his decisions through it and he also believes in "Harmony" and wants the world to live in"Harmony" but it doesn't even matter what measures he has to take to make it happen. Now, our Amity also has a role in all of it, of course.
Are you confused now? Sorry, I'm worst at summarizing. xD
Amity is a proficient Peacefighter and Pilot. She isn't my "most favorite character" but she's definitely an interesting one. What I admire the most about her is that she stands for the fair, justice, and right which I think is a commendable quality.
The book is also written from the POV of Kay who's an astrologer for money and not because she believes in it. She's trying hard to impress John Gunnison for whatever reasons.
And then we also have Collie who was Amity's best friend before they drifted apart for four years for some mysterious reasons too. And now that he's back, they're in a relationship.
The prologue is what piqued my interest and intrigued me to read the book. At first, I was all confused and puzzled because I couldn't understand the world, the astronomy or the Peacefighters stuff but I half blame it all on myself since I was hung up on the last book I read. But, the world building was really confusing at the beginning of the book. It also confused me at some points afterward. And sometimes I felt like there were too many characters and I even forgot some of them so whenever any of them popped up, I was like
However, I must praise the author for her impressive writing style. The book is very well-written. As I have already mentioned, the prologue intrigued me and I was really keen to know more. The book kept me on edge. It was slow at the beginning but it picked up the pace later. The story anticipated me. I was hooked and I couldn't put the book down. I wasn't so emotionally invested in the book or even connected with the characters a lot but I enjoyed it, nonetheless.
It's been quite a while since I have read a Dystopian book and this one was not just different but unique which I admire the most about it. Most Dystopian books are almost same these days with similar storyline or characters. However, this one is really different. I love the elements of Astronomy in it though they were really confusing because I don't believe in Astronomy so I don't even know the basics of it. But that's not a big problem because almost everything is explained well. This book is also set in the 1940s but it's not like Historical Fiction. It's more like a Futuristic 1940s. People dresses the same way that people in the 1940s used to dress but it's not all same because it's a dystopian society.
So I have this really bad quality that I always try to predict the endings or even plot twist (because I'm insane) and I tried to do the same with it. But, no, the ending was unpredictable. I did not see that coming or even that way. And after that ending, I'm definitely picking up the second book.
Do I recommend it?
Yes! I totally recommend this book to you especially if you're a fan of dystopia.
I didn't go into the book with high expectations because the plot doesn't give anything away which I think is unfair. But, I'll try to summarize it as good as I can;
Amity is a Peacefighter and a very skilled one. She lives in Western Seaboard and their world is free from wars because war is illegal, so all the conflicts between countries are solved through the Peacefighters which involves pilots, planes, and etc like air fighting. Their neighboring country is Central States and the President is John Gunnison who believes in Astronomy. "Believe" is a small word. Like he makes all of his decisions through it and he also believes in "Harmony" and wants the world to live in"Harmony" but it doesn't even matter what measures he has to take to make it happen. Now, our Amity also has a role in all of it, of course.
Are you confused now? Sorry, I'm worst at summarizing. xD
Amity is a proficient Peacefighter and Pilot. She isn't my "most favorite character" but she's definitely an interesting one. What I admire the most about her is that she stands for the fair, justice, and right which I think is a commendable quality.
The book is also written from the POV of Kay who's an astrologer for money and not because she believes in it. She's trying hard to impress John Gunnison for whatever reasons.
And then we also have Collie who was Amity's best friend before they drifted apart for four years for some mysterious reasons too. And now that he's back, they're in a relationship.
The prologue is what piqued my interest and intrigued me to read the book. At first, I was all confused and puzzled because I couldn't understand the world, the astronomy or the Peacefighters stuff but I half blame it all on myself since I was hung up on the last book I read. But, the world building was really confusing at the beginning of the book. It also confused me at some points afterward. And sometimes I felt like there were too many characters and I even forgot some of them so whenever any of them popped up, I was like
However, I must praise the author for her impressive writing style. The book is very well-written. As I have already mentioned, the prologue intrigued me and I was really keen to know more. The book kept me on edge. It was slow at the beginning but it picked up the pace later. The story anticipated me. I was hooked and I couldn't put the book down. I wasn't so emotionally invested in the book or even connected with the characters a lot but I enjoyed it, nonetheless.
It's been quite a while since I have read a Dystopian book and this one was not just different but unique which I admire the most about it. Most Dystopian books are almost same these days with similar storyline or characters. However, this one is really different. I love the elements of Astronomy in it though they were really confusing because I don't believe in Astronomy so I don't even know the basics of it. But that's not a big problem because almost everything is explained well. This book is also set in the 1940s but it's not like Historical Fiction. It's more like a Futuristic 1940s. People dresses the same way that people in the 1940s used to dress but it's not all same because it's a dystopian society.
So I have this really bad quality that I always try to predict the endings or even plot twist (because I'm insane) and I tried to do the same with it. But, no, the ending was unpredictable. I did not see that coming or even that way. And after that ending, I'm definitely picking up the second book.
Do I recommend it?
Yes! I totally recommend this book to you especially if you're a fan of dystopia.
February 7, 2017
Full disclosure: I have both a B.A. and an M.A. in International Relations, so this was right up my alley. Even so, I found it to be better than expected.
The World Building: At the risk of repeating myself: I'm an International Relations geek. So the world building was fascinating for me. You see, one of the main international relations theory postulates that war is inevitable. However, this author deals with it in an original way. Rather than going to open war, states solve their conflicts through one on one pilot fights. This means a whole lot of this:
The other main aspect of the world building was not that interesting: a dictator obsessed with astrology. A country where birth charts can send people to correction camps. But it wasn't enough to really derail the book, though it was a bit annoying and nonsensical at times (like dowsing to determine where to attack).
The Characters: Now things get a little rougher.
I just want to start with Collie. Really, they call him Collie. I don't know about you, but I'd keep thinking of this whenever I read Collie:
None of the characters really stood out. I didn't feel there was much development. They were dealt some hard blows, but didn't actually grow or change because of it. The one who takes the Most Annoying Character award was Amity's mother.
Also, the amount of characters named after Peace in one way or another was too high! For a world that hasn't seen war in a century, it sure felt too high.
The Plot: It was intriguing, albeit predictable in its twists. Even the very final one, the author forced the foreshadowing too much, and that considerably lessened the weight of the punch.
The World Building: At the risk of repeating myself: I'm an International Relations geek. So the world building was fascinating for me. You see, one of the main international relations theory postulates that war is inevitable. However, this author deals with it in an original way. Rather than going to open war, states solve their conflicts through one on one pilot fights. This means a whole lot of this:
The other main aspect of the world building was not that interesting: a dictator obsessed with astrology. A country where birth charts can send people to correction camps. But it wasn't enough to really derail the book, though it was a bit annoying and nonsensical at times (like dowsing to determine where to attack).
The Characters: Now things get a little rougher.
I just want to start with Collie. Really, they call him Collie. I don't know about you, but I'd keep thinking of this whenever I read Collie:
None of the characters really stood out. I didn't feel there was much development. They were dealt some hard blows, but didn't actually grow or change because of it. The one who takes the Most Annoying Character award was Amity's mother.
Also, the amount of characters named after Peace in one way or another was too high! For a world that hasn't seen war in a century, it sure felt too high.
The Plot: It was intriguing, albeit predictable in its twists. Even the very final one, the author forced the foreshadowing too much, and that considerably lessened the weight of the punch.
June 4, 2016
While I wasn't amazed by Angel, Broken Sky was wonderful! The MC was awesome, it was fast paced and (while outlandish and completely unbelievable) I got super sucked into the plot. The air of mystery was fantastic as well, keeping me hooked and wondering what the end game was. And then we got all sorts of revelations that made it worthwhile!
Amity (yes the rest of the names in this book suck just as much as hers) was a strong, kick-ass heroine with so much goodness in her. Sure she had her negatives, but I thought she was super well developed. I also loved Kay. She was actually a completely selfish bitch, but you could see that she was really just making the best out of a rotten situation. Yeah, she did some bad stuff, but I think in the end she will either atone or she'll be killed and realise it was her own fault. I can't wait to see more about these two opposing leading ladies!
My biggest criticisms would be the meh romance, the lack of depth in the secondary characters and the stupid prologue. I used to love prologues, but with a good few hundred YA books under my belt now, I can see where it doesn't work. In Broken Sky it didn't work; I already knew what was going to happen and I felt a bit peeved about that.
The romance wasn't fully developed, and while it wasn't insta-love, it felt pretty darn close. I also really didn't like Collie all that much. He was possessive, secretive and annoying. Ingo on the otherhand.. Man I hope there's a love triangle in the next book and she ends up with him! Actually hoping for a love triangle has never happened to me before, but I think it could work so well, especially if she did end up with Ingo. Swoon!
All in all, it was definitely a good read and I'm excited for the next two books! And only six months apart!!! WOO!
Amity (yes the rest of the names in this book suck just as much as hers) was a strong, kick-ass heroine with so much goodness in her. Sure she had her negatives, but I thought she was super well developed. I also loved Kay. She was actually a completely selfish bitch, but you could see that she was really just making the best out of a rotten situation. Yeah, she did some bad stuff, but I think in the end she will either atone or she'll be killed and realise it was her own fault. I can't wait to see more about these two opposing leading ladies!
My biggest criticisms would be the meh romance, the lack of depth in the secondary characters and the stupid prologue. I used to love prologues, but with a good few hundred YA books under my belt now, I can see where it doesn't work. In Broken Sky it didn't work; I already knew what was going to happen and I felt a bit peeved about that.
The romance wasn't fully developed, and while it wasn't insta-love, it felt pretty darn close. I also really didn't like Collie all that much. He was possessive, secretive and annoying. Ingo on the otherhand.. Man I hope there's a love triangle in the next book and she ends up with him! Actually hoping for a love triangle has never happened to me before, but I think it could work so well, especially if she did end up with Ingo. Swoon!
All in all, it was definitely a good read and I'm excited for the next two books! And only six months apart!!! WOO!
June 15, 2016
After being so fond of L.A. Weatherly' Angel series I was a little apprehensive for this book as I wondered how it could compete with such an amazing series but this definitely did not disappoint. It followed such a unique story from the idea of star signs deciding your fate to important political matters being settled through 'Peacefights' as opposed to more traditional debates and discussions. As well as the amazing world that was built upon throughout the book a web of lies, deceit and mistrust was continuously unraveled which, by the end of the story, had left me gasping for the second book.
April 5, 2016
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book as there is very little detail on the back cover.
I won't write details but wow. It exceeded my expectations. If you liked Hunger Games you will like this. It is set in 1940s America but feels futuristic. The author did keep to the technology of the time, it would have been very easy to stray from this. I liked how this made the characters and scenes look in my imagination but I had to keep drawing myself back to that era. Probably because other books like this are set in the future.
There were twists and turns all of the way through to the last page. I cannot wait to read the next instalment.
I won't write details but wow. It exceeded my expectations. If you liked Hunger Games you will like this. It is set in 1940s America but feels futuristic. The author did keep to the technology of the time, it would have been very easy to stray from this. I liked how this made the characters and scenes look in my imagination but I had to keep drawing myself back to that era. Probably because other books like this are set in the future.
There were twists and turns all of the way through to the last page. I cannot wait to read the next instalment.
September 27, 2016
In Broken Sky, we live in a post-war world where the Central States and the Western Seaboard fight for resources, assets, estates, everything. This is combat you have not possibly imagined. A pilot, ranked through Tiers (1 being the highest), fight an opposing pilot using mechanical birds that blasts ammo and more stuff combat jets normally do. That's quite badass in my book. And our hero(ine) here is a girl. Bad... Ass...
review on my site :D
review on my site :D
August 22, 2016
Yep. That's it. That's all the synopsis you're getting. I could expand on it but then I went in to the book only knowing that and while I was expecting good things, I was still surprised and I completely loved this book! I read the Angel trilogy back in school, or started it back in school rather! I completely loved it and eagerly waited for each new book, I loved how original it was and the spins and twists to it, and so while I didn't know much about this book...I trusted Weatherly to do something completely awesome and she really, really did! This should legitimately be a movie. Like I said on Twitter, Broken Sky has broken me!
I was intrigued from the start, the book has an air of mystery to it, if you read the synopsis above, you probably have a million possibilities running through your head. Literally. I ran a few options and none of them came close to the book! The prologue hooked me from the start, and I had to sit back and digest everything for a minute because I immediately knew that whatever I was expecting or had conjured up as a possible plot was really wrong, and this was going to be way bigger than the prologue lead you to believe.
Right away you want to know what Amity's done. Why she's done it. What happened and so on. As you're reading you're taking note of things that must be very, very bad. She has a heart pounding escape, and like I said, there's hints of something much larger going on. I was immediately hooked. I'm hesitant with what to describe this book to be honest. The beginning felt like a WW2 spy movie, as did other parts of it, while other parts of the book where very dystopian, and others hinted at WW2 itself. But I'll get in to that later! But there are a lot of elements to the book that all blend together to give you a unique and atmospheric world and a plot that has you glued to the page. I read the book in one sitting. One.
My curiosity wasn't satisfied. We go back to before the mysterious event, and the build up was so perfectly done. It's building up to the event that has Amity in trouble, and you know it is. Everything is being set up, and you're desperate to find out what happened. You're piecing all the clues together, every time someone or something is mentioned that was from the prologue...you get a sinking feeling in your stomach. The entire time you're reading, it's building up and setting up the main event, and you're getting a bigger and bigger sense of foreboding because you know something bad is going to happen, but you don't know what or the specifics, and I felt incredibly tense reading the book especially in the last part because that bit really ramped up the tension. You've got puzzle pieces falling to place, and a picture forming and you've become so attached to characters that you're on the edge of your seat, as the tension becomes a palpable thing. It was so, freaking, brilliantly done.
Broken Sky is full of tension, and foreboding, but it's also full of betrayal. So much betrayal and lies and secrets. Some of them come out, particularly from the past and some of them don't. Some of them are hinted at, some of them you figure out just in time for the book to end as you scream in to a pillow in rage! There where so many plot twists that completely blew me away and left me shocked. Don't get me wrong some things I guessed, but they where small fry. I can't even. The ending in particular. Every time a new twist happened, I was left gaping mouthed, staring at the book and trying to digest the information.
There's a lot to untangle. The plot is brilliantly done, besides the twists, you have so many plot threads. There's threads from the past, threads in the present involving both countries, and more. All of these many threads come together to give us a complex and completely engrossing plot. I tried to work it all out, really I did, some of it I did, smaller things like an affair, but not all of it, and certainly not the big revelations that had me reeling. It was fun to try and work it out though, I was never sure who was a trustworthy character and who wasn't. The plot has so much going on, and keeps you hooked. There's fights, if you know what a WW2 dogfight is, think along those tracks but different. There's always something going on, whether it's action or romance, or a mystery to be solved, or a clue to try and work out, there's never a dull moment and the book gets more and more compelling.
I particularly enjoyed the trips back to the past, they where a nice break in the narrative, helped you get to know Amity and Collie a bit more, and provided more mystery and more puzzle pieces. I liked how seamlessly they fit in with the narrative, they didn't seem out of place, they where vivid and they always added something to the story, especially when it came to characters. I also like how the narrative caught up with the prologue, it was very well done, I've seen authors ignore the prologue but in the actual narrative as if it didn't happen and others make us read it all again, and Weatherly brilliantly catches us up and moves us on.
Weatherly's writing is fantastic, it really is. I've said multiple times already, compelling, intriguing and so on, but she also writes very vividly, I could picture each scene, each setting so perfectly. So perfectly in fact that I'm going to go ahead and say it was ridiculously cinematic. I could picture the fights up on a big screen, picture other scenes in dark streets and so on. So cinematic and vivid. So atmospheric. The atmosphere was fantastically done, each setting had a different one, each one you could feel like a tangible thing and towards the end of the book, like I said, things where very tense. Edge of the seat, hold your breath tense.
Now's the part where I tell you we have to POV's. Amity's obviously, and a woman called Kay. Now Kay lives in Central States. They are the bad guys of this book, Amity is from Western Seaboard. I don't want to give too much away but Central States has a leader called Gunnison and he's a complete nut job. I've debated how much to tell you and decided to axe half my notes and give you next to nothing, sorry guys! Anyway, Kay is in the "bad guy" country, and I liked the dual POV. We didn't hear from Kay much, but she had her own, distinct, narrative, she offered another perspective, the switches where smooth and both narratives worked well together.
Having Kay's perspective allowed us to see what both countries where like. What the atmosphere was, because each had a very different one up to a certain point. I don't think this book would have worked without Kay's perspective because it helped you to learn about the situation the world of the book was in, learn what was really going on, provided you with an even greater sense of foreboding, and allowed you to get to know the bad guy. Not to mention showed you a perfect contrast between the two different countries, that I found downright chilling, especially at the end.
The world of the book fascinated me from the start, I wanted to know what had happened in the past, I wanted to know what the current situation was with the world and I loved how rich it all was. The history to the world, the politics and so on, it was all so rich and so well explained without taking pages and pages and destroying the pace of the book. I was so eager to learn about the world and enjoyed every new bit of information and putting things together. We get a feel for the world and an idea of how it works straight away, that goes in to more depth as we go on. The history of the world is intriguing to say the least! I thought it was incredibly original and well thought out, and the world building was so well done that you could get lost in the book. It was also incredibly terrifying because thinking about being in the position of someone in CS made me feel so helpless, like I'm sure a lot of the characters felt.
For me, the book had huge echoes of World War Two. Yes it's set in the 40's, but the world and events are entirely different. You have a leader, giving people to blame for all the wrong that's happened. A leader who decides to persecute people for something they have no control over. You have said persecuted people having to wear a letter on their clothes to mark what they are. Correction camps. The group called the Guns who where pretty much the Secret Police. Behaviour exactly like what I imagine it was like in WW2 Germany. A mindset of do what you can to survive even if you have to betray people. Any of this sounding familiar?
Obviously it's not all exactly like WW2 because then this would be a WW2 alternate and it's not. But there where so many little bits that so strongly echoed WW2 that it really hit me hard. I felt how helpless and hopeless these people must have felt, and it made me feel incredibly sad and angry for them, despite the fact it's a book. Ya know. Just fiction. It's the echoes of the truth and the past in this book that hit me emotionally. Especially as a school trip to Berlin and some of the sites and museums there are permanently etched in my mind.
Character wise we had a great cast of characters. I loved the banter between everyone on Amity's team! I liked Amity and how blunt she was, I connected to her, I rooted for her! She shields herself a little from being hurt, but she's brave and she's courageous and determined to do what's right. I understood her motivations and I understood her thanks to snapshots of her past. Collie I was suspicious of from the start considering his whole vanishing trick, but I liked him, I liked his determination. I never really stopped being suspicious of him though...well alright, maybe I did for a little bit. I loved Ingo and I desperately need to know what happened to him!
Kay is tricky for me. I understand her motivations perfectly, and in some ways I can't really blame her, she just wants to save her own skin. But I never really liked her. She was in a position to do so much, but instead she decided to play with people's lives with no thought or method to it. She choose who had to die, and messed with Amity and Collie and yeah. I'm kinda wondering if she might redeem herself in book two, but I've not got high hopes! We then have Gunnison our bad guy. The problem is...he may be crazy, like if you believe in all that stuff the fair play, but he's just gone way past that and is just not okay. But he's so damn charismatic. Which is why he's so popular and gotten where he is, and at points I thought okay maybe he's not full crazy, but then at the end I was like okaaaayy you're a full on raving loony. He's a very good villain though, to be fair. Villains that believe they're right and doing the right thing and the best thing are always good villains in books because they're so damn realistic.
Each and every character, whether secondary or main, was brilliantly written. They really did come to life, you could picture them and they where so realistic and believable. I loved getting to know all of the characters and there are some I'd like to know better like Vera and Harlan! Each character had a load of depth to them, I mean you could see how past events made them who they are in some cases. A lot of the characters clearly have more going on with them than you originally thought. I grew so attached to some of these characters, it's insane!
Now I believe I mentioned some romance? If I haven't yet, then this is me doing it! The romance between Collie and Amity was so freaking perfect. I loved watching it develop past and present, it was organic and they had some of the best scenes together. I loved them as a couple, you could feel the chemistry and they made sense. They're childhood best friends, the feelings grew, and then stuff happened and then they where reunited and then it all came back. Because of that and the relationship they had, the romance they had made sense, the very strong feelings they had, like strong enough to warrant declarations and certain actions, made sense. I am, however, still suspicious, and after the end of the book I have such a sense of foreboding for my ship.
We have to talk about the end chunk of the book briefly, because the tension was at an all time high and when everything comes to a head and war starts....that scene. That scene was fantastically written. It was chilling. It was hair raising. It sent a shiver down my spine. Especially as it was so vivid. I have never read such a passage before, that caused that kind of reaction. I think I was kind of staring in horror at the book, but admiring at the same time, like DAMN those are some insane writing skills! It also has to be said, I had a sinking suspicion about Sandy and I was right, like throw the book in rage kinda right, I was wrong however and had it confirmed before the book ended! It makes the end of the book a little easier to bear, but not much and I desperately need the next book! I'm so excited it's out in Autumn! According to the back of the book that is...helloooooo maddeningly intriguing book two synopsis, thank you for briefly distracting me from picturing all the horrifying things than can happen to my ship because of "Sandy". Then ya know...making it worse!
Broken Sky is a book that will blow you away with every aspect. From the palpable atmospheres of the book, to the vivid settings, to the cinematic and heart pounding fight scenes, to the world building that brings you entirely in to the book, to the complex plot full of shocking twists to the characters you come to love and root for. There are so many surprises in this book, and it's such a brilliant one to dive in to, it's original, it has a strong romance in it that doesn't over power the plot, it has mystery and action and it's a read-in-one go kind of book. I don't know what else to say, other than it's a fantastic start to a brilliant new trilogy that I can tell I'm going to be obsessed with because it's going to be very, very good!
I was intrigued from the start, the book has an air of mystery to it, if you read the synopsis above, you probably have a million possibilities running through your head. Literally. I ran a few options and none of them came close to the book! The prologue hooked me from the start, and I had to sit back and digest everything for a minute because I immediately knew that whatever I was expecting or had conjured up as a possible plot was really wrong, and this was going to be way bigger than the prologue lead you to believe.
Right away you want to know what Amity's done. Why she's done it. What happened and so on. As you're reading you're taking note of things that must be very, very bad. She has a heart pounding escape, and like I said, there's hints of something much larger going on. I was immediately hooked. I'm hesitant with what to describe this book to be honest. The beginning felt like a WW2 spy movie, as did other parts of it, while other parts of the book where very dystopian, and others hinted at WW2 itself. But I'll get in to that later! But there are a lot of elements to the book that all blend together to give you a unique and atmospheric world and a plot that has you glued to the page. I read the book in one sitting. One.
My curiosity wasn't satisfied. We go back to before the mysterious event, and the build up was so perfectly done. It's building up to the event that has Amity in trouble, and you know it is. Everything is being set up, and you're desperate to find out what happened. You're piecing all the clues together, every time someone or something is mentioned that was from the prologue...you get a sinking feeling in your stomach. The entire time you're reading, it's building up and setting up the main event, and you're getting a bigger and bigger sense of foreboding because you know something bad is going to happen, but you don't know what or the specifics, and I felt incredibly tense reading the book especially in the last part because that bit really ramped up the tension. You've got puzzle pieces falling to place, and a picture forming and you've become so attached to characters that you're on the edge of your seat, as the tension becomes a palpable thing. It was so, freaking, brilliantly done.
Broken Sky is full of tension, and foreboding, but it's also full of betrayal. So much betrayal and lies and secrets. Some of them come out, particularly from the past and some of them don't. Some of them are hinted at, some of them you figure out just in time for the book to end as you scream in to a pillow in rage! There where so many plot twists that completely blew me away and left me shocked. Don't get me wrong some things I guessed, but they where small fry. I can't even. The ending in particular. Every time a new twist happened, I was left gaping mouthed, staring at the book and trying to digest the information.
There's a lot to untangle. The plot is brilliantly done, besides the twists, you have so many plot threads. There's threads from the past, threads in the present involving both countries, and more. All of these many threads come together to give us a complex and completely engrossing plot. I tried to work it all out, really I did, some of it I did, smaller things like an affair, but not all of it, and certainly not the big revelations that had me reeling. It was fun to try and work it out though, I was never sure who was a trustworthy character and who wasn't. The plot has so much going on, and keeps you hooked. There's fights, if you know what a WW2 dogfight is, think along those tracks but different. There's always something going on, whether it's action or romance, or a mystery to be solved, or a clue to try and work out, there's never a dull moment and the book gets more and more compelling.
I particularly enjoyed the trips back to the past, they where a nice break in the narrative, helped you get to know Amity and Collie a bit more, and provided more mystery and more puzzle pieces. I liked how seamlessly they fit in with the narrative, they didn't seem out of place, they where vivid and they always added something to the story, especially when it came to characters. I also like how the narrative caught up with the prologue, it was very well done, I've seen authors ignore the prologue but in the actual narrative as if it didn't happen and others make us read it all again, and Weatherly brilliantly catches us up and moves us on.
Weatherly's writing is fantastic, it really is. I've said multiple times already, compelling, intriguing and so on, but she also writes very vividly, I could picture each scene, each setting so perfectly. So perfectly in fact that I'm going to go ahead and say it was ridiculously cinematic. I could picture the fights up on a big screen, picture other scenes in dark streets and so on. So cinematic and vivid. So atmospheric. The atmosphere was fantastically done, each setting had a different one, each one you could feel like a tangible thing and towards the end of the book, like I said, things where very tense. Edge of the seat, hold your breath tense.
Now's the part where I tell you we have to POV's. Amity's obviously, and a woman called Kay. Now Kay lives in Central States. They are the bad guys of this book, Amity is from Western Seaboard. I don't want to give too much away but Central States has a leader called Gunnison and he's a complete nut job. I've debated how much to tell you and decided to axe half my notes and give you next to nothing, sorry guys! Anyway, Kay is in the "bad guy" country, and I liked the dual POV. We didn't hear from Kay much, but she had her own, distinct, narrative, she offered another perspective, the switches where smooth and both narratives worked well together.
Having Kay's perspective allowed us to see what both countries where like. What the atmosphere was, because each had a very different one up to a certain point. I don't think this book would have worked without Kay's perspective because it helped you to learn about the situation the world of the book was in, learn what was really going on, provided you with an even greater sense of foreboding, and allowed you to get to know the bad guy. Not to mention showed you a perfect contrast between the two different countries, that I found downright chilling, especially at the end.
The world of the book fascinated me from the start, I wanted to know what had happened in the past, I wanted to know what the current situation was with the world and I loved how rich it all was. The history to the world, the politics and so on, it was all so rich and so well explained without taking pages and pages and destroying the pace of the book. I was so eager to learn about the world and enjoyed every new bit of information and putting things together. We get a feel for the world and an idea of how it works straight away, that goes in to more depth as we go on. The history of the world is intriguing to say the least! I thought it was incredibly original and well thought out, and the world building was so well done that you could get lost in the book. It was also incredibly terrifying because thinking about being in the position of someone in CS made me feel so helpless, like I'm sure a lot of the characters felt.
For me, the book had huge echoes of World War Two. Yes it's set in the 40's, but the world and events are entirely different. You have a leader, giving people to blame for all the wrong that's happened. A leader who decides to persecute people for something they have no control over. You have said persecuted people having to wear a letter on their clothes to mark what they are. Correction camps. The group called the Guns who where pretty much the Secret Police. Behaviour exactly like what I imagine it was like in WW2 Germany. A mindset of do what you can to survive even if you have to betray people. Any of this sounding familiar?
Obviously it's not all exactly like WW2 because then this would be a WW2 alternate and it's not. But there where so many little bits that so strongly echoed WW2 that it really hit me hard. I felt how helpless and hopeless these people must have felt, and it made me feel incredibly sad and angry for them, despite the fact it's a book. Ya know. Just fiction. It's the echoes of the truth and the past in this book that hit me emotionally. Especially as a school trip to Berlin and some of the sites and museums there are permanently etched in my mind.
Character wise we had a great cast of characters. I loved the banter between everyone on Amity's team! I liked Amity and how blunt she was, I connected to her, I rooted for her! She shields herself a little from being hurt, but she's brave and she's courageous and determined to do what's right. I understood her motivations and I understood her thanks to snapshots of her past. Collie I was suspicious of from the start considering his whole vanishing trick, but I liked him, I liked his determination. I never really stopped being suspicious of him though...well alright, maybe I did for a little bit. I loved Ingo and I desperately need to know what happened to him!
Kay is tricky for me. I understand her motivations perfectly, and in some ways I can't really blame her, she just wants to save her own skin. But I never really liked her. She was in a position to do so much, but instead she decided to play with people's lives with no thought or method to it. She choose who had to die, and messed with Amity and Collie and yeah. I'm kinda wondering if she might redeem herself in book two, but I've not got high hopes! We then have Gunnison our bad guy. The problem is...he may be crazy, like if you believe in all that stuff the fair play, but he's just gone way past that and is just not okay. But he's so damn charismatic. Which is why he's so popular and gotten where he is, and at points I thought okay maybe he's not full crazy, but then at the end I was like okaaaayy you're a full on raving loony. He's a very good villain though, to be fair. Villains that believe they're right and doing the right thing and the best thing are always good villains in books because they're so damn realistic.
Each and every character, whether secondary or main, was brilliantly written. They really did come to life, you could picture them and they where so realistic and believable. I loved getting to know all of the characters and there are some I'd like to know better like Vera and Harlan! Each character had a load of depth to them, I mean you could see how past events made them who they are in some cases. A lot of the characters clearly have more going on with them than you originally thought. I grew so attached to some of these characters, it's insane!
Now I believe I mentioned some romance? If I haven't yet, then this is me doing it! The romance between Collie and Amity was so freaking perfect. I loved watching it develop past and present, it was organic and they had some of the best scenes together. I loved them as a couple, you could feel the chemistry and they made sense. They're childhood best friends, the feelings grew, and then stuff happened and then they where reunited and then it all came back. Because of that and the relationship they had, the romance they had made sense, the very strong feelings they had, like strong enough to warrant declarations and certain actions, made sense. I am, however, still suspicious, and after the end of the book I have such a sense of foreboding for my ship.
We have to talk about the end chunk of the book briefly, because the tension was at an all time high and when everything comes to a head and war starts....that scene. That scene was fantastically written. It was chilling. It was hair raising. It sent a shiver down my spine. Especially as it was so vivid. I have never read such a passage before, that caused that kind of reaction. I think I was kind of staring in horror at the book, but admiring at the same time, like DAMN those are some insane writing skills! It also has to be said, I had a sinking suspicion about Sandy and I was right, like throw the book in rage kinda right, I was wrong however and had it confirmed before the book ended! It makes the end of the book a little easier to bear, but not much and I desperately need the next book! I'm so excited it's out in Autumn! According to the back of the book that is...helloooooo maddeningly intriguing book two synopsis, thank you for briefly distracting me from picturing all the horrifying things than can happen to my ship because of "Sandy". Then ya know...making it worse!
Broken Sky is a book that will blow you away with every aspect. From the palpable atmospheres of the book, to the vivid settings, to the cinematic and heart pounding fight scenes, to the world building that brings you entirely in to the book, to the complex plot full of shocking twists to the characters you come to love and root for. There are so many surprises in this book, and it's such a brilliant one to dive in to, it's original, it has a strong romance in it that doesn't over power the plot, it has mystery and action and it's a read-in-one go kind of book. I don't know what else to say, other than it's a fantastic start to a brilliant new trilogy that I can tell I'm going to be obsessed with because it's going to be very, very good!
September 1, 2016
First of all, who the hell wrote this blurb? Because not only does it do nothing for the book, it's also misleading as fuck. I honestly had no clue as what this book was about until I read the prologue. There were just so many questions. So, before I get to actually reviewing this, I'm going to clear up a few questions you may have had upon reading the blurb.
What is this about?
Going to take this moment to write my own summary of this book. I've seen other people do this in their reviews. I've just been too lazy.
What gives with the setting? An echo of 1940's America? Is this, like, an AU historical fiction?
I was worried about this, too. 1940's America? It... it wasn't the most pleasant time. Racism, flimsy women's rights, WW2? Yeah, no. A book set in this time, AU or not, would have been messy - especially if the author chose to gloss over how bad it was an only focus on, what, the glamour of it.
But I'm pleased to report that, no, this is not a historical fiction AU. It's a dystopian novel set in the future. Waaay in the future, if I had to guess. It just feels very 1940's. From the clothes people where when they're off duty, the music they listen to, the fighter pilots, the WW2 and Hitler parallels. All these elements scattered throughout the novel come together in a way that feels a little 1940's.
But it's set in an America very far in the future. Many wars have taken place, and for some reason, we've regressed technology-wise, which, I'll admit, does contribute to the confusion of when the events of this book take place. But I can tell you it's definitely in the future. All the signs are there: It's Sacrament now, not Sacramento. It's Angeles, minus the Los. It's the Western Seaboard and the Central State, not the West Coast and East Coast. The central part of Hollywood, where the walk of fame would be, is now called The Heat (short for Heatcalf City). The Hollywood Hills are now called the Holy Hills, because most of the letters from the infamous and iconic Hollywood sign are gone.
And now for the review:
I'm going to be completely honest with you. I had no idea what to expect going into this book (thanks, blurb) I didn't know what it was about, I didn't didn't really know the setting, and I hadn't read any reviews of it to find out, because I didn't want it to affect my feelings on the book. Hell, the only reason I even chose to read this one was curiosity. That, and I thought the cover was really pretty. I went into this with zero expectations.
Broken Sky turned out to be one of the freshest things I've read in a while. Considering that most of the things I've read in the past year have been retellings, 'cause they're all the rage, this is hardly surprising. But this book was also a very original Dystopian piece. Yes, the old tropes of Evil Dictator, special girl who fights for justice, giant secret that blows up in everyone's faces, are still there. It's the little elements that build up the book that were original.
THE PREMISE:
I liked it. I liked the futuristic, 1940's vibes. The concept of peacefighting (I'm still not over the oxymoron) was weird at first, but, you know, once I let it sit for a while, it kinda made sense ?? I liked the craziness with Gunnison and the whole segregating people according to star signs and horoscopes. I really enjoyed that. I don't think I've ever seen anyone play around with star signs in fiction like this. And unlike a certain series (*cough* Divergent *cough*), the business of finding people Discordant and tossing them into correction camps made sense. You can look at someone's horoscope or whatever and find out how they'll affect your plans. I got it. I liked it. I thought it was a pretty interesting thing to write about.
THE CHARACTERS:
I'm going to be completely honest (and when am I anything but) and say that the character development could have been done better. I liked Amity. She was tough, and noble, and she knew who she was, but she didn't really change all the much by the end of the book. Sure, she's a little more jaded now, but eh, not much has changed. I liked Collie. Cynical, charming, sweet-smartass Collie. I liked him, and I hated that cliffhanger at the end.
(ノ°Д°）ノ︵ |
THE WRITING:
Not really much to say here. It was engaging, concise. Weatherly didn't bother with flowery prose and complicated similes. The strongest tool in her arsenal was her wording. Seemingly normal sentences turned out to mean a great deal in the future.
(Eg: When I finished the book, I hated the twist at the end, because I felt like it came completely off-field. But now that I've let it sit, I've realized that the signs were there all along. Little word choices. Minor details that I didn't pay close attention to in favor of bigger more pressing details. Do I still hate it, regardless? You betcha.)
Pacing was an issue. There were some slow bits in the middle and it took a long time for the book to get to the Complication and the Body of the story - which actually isn't the problem I have. I think the time spent building the story was great - except that then the author went and bloody rushed the ending. Such a crime, because that buildup was great.
THE ROMANCE:
Amity and Collie were cute. Very cute. Their beginning was a little blegh for my taste. (blegh = sugary/ cliche) but once their relationship solidified? Man. They had their fights, but for the most part they were just a very steady couple. They trusted each other, they had each other's backs.
I like Ingo. I love his sardonic way of speaking and his wry air. BUT IF THERE'S A LOVE TRIANGLE IN THE NEXT BOOK I WILL FLIP MY SHIT.
THE PLOT:
Except for a few, not-so-tightly-tied ends at the final bits of the book, I think the plot was pretty good. This also may have something to do with the pacing issues. WHY WAS THAT ENDING SO RUSHED AND CHOPPY. GOD.
TL;DR
I really enjoyed this. Read it in two sittings. It was a fun, engaging read, and it was written so well that even the twists I called were revealed to me with a little surprise tacked on. Really. That's rare. So, yeah, I recommend this book. If you're looking for a well-written, original dystopian, read this. If you're looking for something that has a historical fiction vibe, while still being modern, read this. If, like me, you read the blurb and were simultaneously confused and intrigued, and couldn't decide whether this was work the time; READ THIS.
(Seriously though, that blurb was awful. If I'd seen this book in a bookstore, I'd have put it back on the shelf. And what a shame that would have been)
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
What is this about?
Going to take this moment to write my own summary of this book. I've seen other people do this in their reviews. I've just been too lazy.
What gives with the setting? An echo of 1940's America? Is this, like, an AU historical fiction?
I was worried about this, too. 1940's America? It... it wasn't the most pleasant time. Racism, flimsy women's rights, WW2? Yeah, no. A book set in this time, AU or not, would have been messy - especially if the author chose to gloss over how bad it was an only focus on, what, the glamour of it.
But I'm pleased to report that, no, this is not a historical fiction AU. It's a dystopian novel set in the future. Waaay in the future, if I had to guess. It just feels very 1940's. From the clothes people where when they're off duty, the music they listen to, the fighter pilots, the WW2 and Hitler parallels. All these elements scattered throughout the novel come together in a way that feels a little 1940's.
But it's set in an America very far in the future. Many wars have taken place, and for some reason, we've regressed technology-wise, which, I'll admit, does contribute to the confusion of when the events of this book take place. But I can tell you it's definitely in the future. All the signs are there: It's Sacrament now, not Sacramento. It's Angeles, minus the Los. It's the Western Seaboard and the Central State, not the West Coast and East Coast. The central part of Hollywood, where the walk of fame would be, is now called The Heat (short for Heatcalf City). The Hollywood Hills are now called the Holy Hills, because most of the letters from the infamous and iconic Hollywood sign are gone.
And now for the review:
I'm going to be completely honest with you. I had no idea what to expect going into this book (thanks, blurb) I didn't know what it was about, I didn't didn't really know the setting, and I hadn't read any reviews of it to find out, because I didn't want it to affect my feelings on the book. Hell, the only reason I even chose to read this one was curiosity. That, and I thought the cover was really pretty. I went into this with zero expectations.
Broken Sky turned out to be one of the freshest things I've read in a while. Considering that most of the things I've read in the past year have been retellings, 'cause they're all the rage, this is hardly surprising. But this book was also a very original Dystopian piece. Yes, the old tropes of Evil Dictator, special girl who fights for justice, giant secret that blows up in everyone's faces, are still there. It's the little elements that build up the book that were original.
THE PREMISE:
I liked it. I liked the futuristic, 1940's vibes. The concept of peacefighting (I'm still not over the oxymoron) was weird at first, but, you know, once I let it sit for a while, it kinda made sense ?? I liked the craziness with Gunnison and the whole segregating people according to star signs and horoscopes. I really enjoyed that. I don't think I've ever seen anyone play around with star signs in fiction like this. And unlike a certain series (*cough* Divergent *cough*), the business of finding people Discordant and tossing them into correction camps made sense. You can look at someone's horoscope or whatever and find out how they'll affect your plans. I got it. I liked it. I thought it was a pretty interesting thing to write about.
THE CHARACTERS:
I'm going to be completely honest (and when am I anything but) and say that the character development could have been done better. I liked Amity. She was tough, and noble, and she knew who she was, but she didn't really change all the much by the end of the book. Sure, she's a little more jaded now, but eh, not much has changed. I liked Collie. Cynical, charming, sweet-smartass Collie. I liked him, and I hated that cliffhanger at the end.
(ノ°Д°）ノ︵ |
THE WRITING:
Not really much to say here. It was engaging, concise. Weatherly didn't bother with flowery prose and complicated similes. The strongest tool in her arsenal was her wording. Seemingly normal sentences turned out to mean a great deal in the future.
(Eg: When I finished the book, I hated the twist at the end, because I felt like it came completely off-field. But now that I've let it sit, I've realized that the signs were there all along. Little word choices. Minor details that I didn't pay close attention to in favor of bigger more pressing details. Do I still hate it, regardless? You betcha.)
Pacing was an issue. There were some slow bits in the middle and it took a long time for the book to get to the Complication and the Body of the story - which actually isn't the problem I have. I think the time spent building the story was great - except that then the author went and bloody rushed the ending. Such a crime, because that buildup was great.
THE ROMANCE:
Amity and Collie were cute. Very cute. Their beginning was a little blegh for my taste. (blegh = sugary/ cliche) but once their relationship solidified? Man. They had their fights, but for the most part they were just a very steady couple. They trusted each other, they had each other's backs.
I like Ingo. I love his sardonic way of speaking and his wry air. BUT IF THERE'S A LOVE TRIANGLE IN THE NEXT BOOK I WILL FLIP MY SHIT.
THE PLOT:
Except for a few, not-so-tightly-tied ends at the final bits of the book, I think the plot was pretty good. This also may have something to do with the pacing issues. WHY WAS THAT ENDING SO RUSHED AND CHOPPY. GOD.
TL;DR
I really enjoyed this. Read it in two sittings. It was a fun, engaging read, and it was written so well that even the twists I called were revealed to me with a little surprise tacked on. Really. That's rare. So, yeah, I recommend this book. If you're looking for a well-written, original dystopian, read this. If you're looking for something that has a historical fiction vibe, while still being modern, read this. If, like me, you read the blurb and were simultaneously confused and intrigued, and couldn't decide whether this was work the time; READ THIS.
(Seriously though, that blurb was awful. If I'd seen this book in a bookstore, I'd have put it back on the shelf. And what a shame that would have been)
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2016
I finally found it! The very first dystopian book that I liked and enjoyed, believe me when I say this, I've been having a hard time enjoying books that are under the dystopia genre but I'm so glad that I gave this book a try. NO REGRETS!
The plot was new to me, learned a lot of things about aircraft and about being a pilot since the MC was a Peacefighter. Amity Vancour was such a badass female lead. I liked her point of view, she was always outgoing and when she found out that something was wrong in their "world"/political system, she didn't had second thoughts, she was eager to help and save the people. But before that, enters Collis, her bestfriend who went away for almost 4 years, she didn't had an idea why but as the story progresses every bits and pieces was slowly revealing itself. I have to say that I'm not into Collis, especially the last few chapters of the book, it kept me thinking and wondering why all of a sudden he wanted to be a Peacefighter and be with Amity once more, to be honest I wasn't a fan of the romance but I'll have to see if this was developed in the second book... I got my eyes on you boy!
Some of the characters, I'm dying to see more of them in the rest of the series. It feels like almost all of them has their own secret agendas that most likely will affect the whole plot of the story especially Kay OR Collis.
The writing style didn't bore me at all but the first part of the book was a bit slow-paced but it didn't stop me from finishing the book because I was totally hooked with the story not to mention the world building.Oh I almost forgot the astrology aspect that was included in the story, where star charts or system was a thing that can tell your destiny.
I recommend this to everyone who loves dystopia, will I be reading the second book? Hell yes! Can't wait to continue on with the rest of the series so I can see if all my suspicions and theories are all right...
The plot was new to me, learned a lot of things about aircraft and about being a pilot since the MC was a Peacefighter. Amity Vancour was such a badass female lead. I liked her point of view, she was always outgoing and when she found out that something was wrong in their "world"/political system, she didn't had second thoughts, she was eager to help and save the people. But before that, enters Collis, her bestfriend who went away for almost 4 years, she didn't had an idea why but as the story progresses every bits and pieces was slowly revealing itself. I have to say that I'm not into Collis, especially the last few chapters of the book, it kept me thinking and wondering why all of a sudden he wanted to be a Peacefighter and be with Amity once more, to be honest I wasn't a fan of the romance but I'll have to see if this was developed in the second book... I got my eyes on you boy!
Some of the characters, I'm dying to see more of them in the rest of the series. It feels like almost all of them has their own secret agendas that most likely will affect the whole plot of the story especially Kay OR Collis.
The writing style didn't bore me at all but the first part of the book was a bit slow-paced but it didn't stop me from finishing the book because I was totally hooked with the story not to mention the world building.Oh I almost forgot the astrology aspect that was included in the story, where star charts or system was a thing that can tell your destiny.
I recommend this to everyone who loves dystopia, will I be reading the second book? Hell yes! Can't wait to continue on with the rest of the series so I can see if all my suspicions and theories are all right...
September 24, 2018
Imagine a dystopian world set in the 1940’s where peace fighters flew planes in “tournaments” for oil and natural resources and this perfect world where war is illegal and everyone lives by Astrology where your star sign dictates your destiny, however, in this perfect world of harmony, the world is in fact broken and you just can’t trust anyone. When I first read this, the prologue really gripped me into the book and set up a great mystery that kept me turning the page as I really wanted to know what happened next. Following the prologue, it took me into a whole new world with a step by step, intricate story that developed into a cliffhanger. I really want to read the sequel sooner rather than later!
A book that is action packed full of mystery and epic backstory that shapes a very unique world, I highly recommend this to fans of dystopia Young Adult books.
Many thanks to Harper Collins Publishers for sending me a review copy in exchange for my honest review.
- Annie
A book that is action packed full of mystery and epic backstory that shapes a very unique world, I highly recommend this to fans of dystopia Young Adult books.
Many thanks to Harper Collins Publishers for sending me a review copy in exchange for my honest review.
- Annie
January 27, 2021
DNF at page 68
The prologue had me captivated! Honestly I thought I was in for a great book.
But no. Sadly the events of Broken Sky are set before the protagonist is wanted and on the run; a shame because I would have loved something like that right now.
Instead, we see the MC (forgot her name sorry :/ :P) at a pilot school, and I could already tell the romance was a mess.not sorry collie
This is the third obscure book from a sale that I've had to DNF (others were Burning Glass and As Old As Time) because it just wasn't for me.This is why I read hyped YA books.
The prologue had me captivated! Honestly I thought I was in for a great book.
But no. Sadly the events of Broken Sky are set before the protagonist is wanted and on the run; a shame because I would have loved something like that right now.
Instead, we see the MC (forgot her name sorry :/ :P) at a pilot school, and I could already tell the romance was a mess.
This is the third obscure book from a sale that I've had to DNF (others were Burning Glass and As Old As Time) because it just wasn't for me.
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