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Darkness
“Any man who takes control of a woman’s rights at any stage of her life is a terrorist.”
The West has fallen – defeated at home by economic collapse and abroad by war and environmental catastrophe. But not everyone wants to rebuild the world the way it was.
In the former United Kingdom, a group of female terrorists, RAZR, is seizing the opportunity to destroy the patriarchal state for good.
Laura is the sole survivor from her block of flats. When her attempt to reach safety is sabotaged by a surprise attack from RAZR, she finds herself swept up in their crusade, under the sway of their dangerously charismatic leader, Jane.
But is Jane the enemy? Or is she a saviour? And what kind of future is she fighting for? As Laura battles her way through a ruined landscape, she will need to choose whose side she’s on. For in the fog of war, it can be hard to tell light from darkness…
The West has fallen – defeated at home by economic collapse and abroad by war and environmental catastrophe. But not everyone wants to rebuild the world the way it was.
In the former United Kingdom, a group of female terrorists, RAZR, is seizing the opportunity to destroy the patriarchal state for good.
Laura is the sole survivor from her block of flats. When her attempt to reach safety is sabotaged by a surprise attack from RAZR, she finds herself swept up in their crusade, under the sway of their dangerously charismatic leader, Jane.
But is Jane the enemy? Or is she a saviour? And what kind of future is she fighting for? As Laura battles her way through a ruined landscape, she will need to choose whose side she’s on. For in the fog of war, it can be hard to tell light from darkness…
300 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2016
3 people are currently reading
609 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Sadler
2 books74 followersVictoria is an arts and culture writer based in London.
Twitter: @victoriajsadler
YouTube: www.youtube.com/victoriasbookreviews
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Twitter: @victoriajsadler
YouTube: www.youtube.com/victoriasbookreviews
TinyLetter: www.tinyletter.com/victoriasbookreviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 11, 2019
I was very happy when I found out I'd won Darkness in a Goodreads giveaway!
It's set in a post-apocalyptic UK where a group of women called RAZR are fighting to destroy what they believe is a corrupt, army-run government.
We follow Laura as she leaves the block of flats she has been living in since the world collapsed and tries to decide if she should follow the new government, or fight for the cause of RAZR.
Laura is a likeable narrator and is refreshingly logical and sensible. There's a good balance of action to keep it moving but not overwhelming, and it's very well written. I liked the way we see what Laura is thinking when she is in a conflict.
Up until the last part of the book I was following it ok, but at the end I started to find it hard to understand the different characters motivations, why they made the choices they did. It was lacking in explanations.
It might just be me not keeping up, but I feel a bit more interaction between Laura and the other characters would have helped me to understand them better. For me this stops it being a 5 star book, but it came close!
It's set in a post-apocalyptic UK where a group of women called RAZR are fighting to destroy what they believe is a corrupt, army-run government.
We follow Laura as she leaves the block of flats she has been living in since the world collapsed and tries to decide if she should follow the new government, or fight for the cause of RAZR.
Laura is a likeable narrator and is refreshingly logical and sensible. There's a good balance of action to keep it moving but not overwhelming, and it's very well written. I liked the way we see what Laura is thinking when she is in a conflict.
Up until the last part of the book I was following it ok, but at the end I started to find it hard to understand the different characters motivations, why they made the choices they did. It was lacking in explanations.
It might just be me not keeping up, but I feel a bit more interaction between Laura and the other characters would have helped me to understand them better. For me this stops it being a 5 star book, but it came close!
August 22, 2018
We meet Laura, our narrator, in a post-apocalypse Britain where RAZR are trying to defeat the patriarchy. Through Laura's life we see how she joins RAZR and debates whether she should stay with them or leave. This book is written well and is full of suspense. I recommend it to lovers of The Power and The Handmaid's Tale.
May 19, 2023
This book was very frustrating, and does not read well. Too long, the main characters are not very believable. This story could have been better but together, and I got cross with the waste of women killed. There was no plan for the new world.The story starts after the great fall[ The west has fallen]
and the people still alive are living in lock in block of flats. The army are running the country and a group of women under the leader Jane are fighting back.
I would not read this book.
and the people still alive are living in lock in block of flats. The army are running the country and a group of women under the leader Jane are fighting back.
I would not read this book.
August 25, 2018
I was ultimately disappointed with this book.
I am so tired of the overflow of violence in so many good Sci-Fi's!
I am so tired of the overflow of violence in so many good Sci-Fi's!
October 29, 2019
Interesting premise, but flat characters, and confusing (and sometimes ridiculous) plot. Not terrible, but not good.
In terms of the MC it was unclear what she was about. She was fighting for a cause, apparently, but at the end when she had a chance to save dozens of women, but she just says they don’t have time… Come on! Heroes are supposed to do heroic things, and that sacrifices themselves for something. At one point another character was in shock and stated that she wanted to leave and the MC said she just needed to get over it and this was what she had signed up for (well that was kind of you). Overall, I didn’t like the MC and didn’t really know what the point of her journey was about.
In terms of characters, I quickly forgot what people looked like as there was no mention of their appearance at later stages. I mixed characters up as some names were similar (anne and andrea), and all of them were bland typical English names. There was no diversity, and nothing interesting about any of them. The characters lacked “life” and personality, so it felt like a waste of time to even include so many anyway. I even went as far as deciding to just merge some characters into one, as they offered nothing anyway and none of them had an arc going on, so what's the point.
The story was inconsistent and at some points outright ridiculous. At one point the MC is in the rebel base and exposes herself as a mole during an argument (despite meant to be a spy), is arrested, and put in a jail. The army then leaves the base. The MC then escapes, but the army is waiting for her outside in the trees. This makes no sense. Why wait until the MC escapes, when you already have her in custody and go wait in the trees, when 5 minutes ago you controlled the whole building she was in? What.... Also, later on, the MC is captured, and is tortured and told to give up the rebel base position (at this point I had lost track completely as to what side the MC was on). But she knows the rebels have moved on, so why didn’t she just avoid being tortured and tell them that? Also, the MC has been fighting the State for all these times, and knows about their brutal oppression, but decides randomly to go and join them, and is immediately tortured (why?)
Other problems exist in the story also: The women apparently cannot fight due to their periods. I’m not a woman, but I’m quite sure a period is not so heavy to literally stop you from engaging in armed combat during a civil war, implying that ¼ of your army is always unable to fight? Also, the women apparently use towels for their periods and throw them away into the mountains. Why not just wash them in the warm showers everyone keeps having? And where are they getting all these towels from? While the rebel army have supply issues and can’t get basic medicine, they seem to be taking warm showers all the time. At one point the MC sees a lot of stored blood in the rebel army clinic. A few pages later, casualties come in, who’re dying of blood loss, yet no one thinks to just grab some from a few rooms down and they just die.
General problems such as clunky writing and odd use of words and sentences. The first person should only be used when the author really has a plan on how to develop the narrator (think Katniss Everdeen). I sometimes lost track of who was speaking during dialogue. The chapter titles gave the plot away at times i.e. The Assassination, The Revolt, The End…. Scenery description also lacking, and I was finding myself having to make it all up myself. I was sometimes lost as to where the action was. There was unnecessary gratuitous violence throughout that offered nothing in my opinion. Gore can be used to good effect, such as in a Stephen King novel, but here, it was everywhere and just detracted from the action. It was clear the author had done little (if not none) military research. It seemed like all the action scenes were straight out of Rambo. The women could effortlessly mow down the baddies. I was kind of like “surely two people can’t just run through and kill dozens of entrenched professional soldiers, this is ridiculous”. Also, at one point a character threw a grenade at a truck and it flipped it over; come on. Also, the characters could just talk over combat, which is unrealistic. Gunfire is deafening, and conversation is over once a firefight ensues.
At times I enjoyed the book and liked the basic premise, but to be honest, I thought it was too long when it contained so many problems. Honestly, I think the author just needs to pick up one of those basic novel guides (like on Writing, or How to Kill a Cat) and just get to grips with the basics of writing a good story; I think with that imagination they could write something great. While not absolutely awful, it was not good, and with all the great literature out there, I’d honestly say give it a miss (unless you’re specifically interested in the premise). I know how hard it is to write a book, there it isn't that hard to avoid basic errors. Perhaps the author was rushed? I don't know.
But I would say all this, being a man :p
In terms of the MC it was unclear what she was about. She was fighting for a cause, apparently, but at the end when she had a chance to save dozens of women, but she just says they don’t have time… Come on! Heroes are supposed to do heroic things, and that sacrifices themselves for something. At one point another character was in shock and stated that she wanted to leave and the MC said she just needed to get over it and this was what she had signed up for (well that was kind of you). Overall, I didn’t like the MC and didn’t really know what the point of her journey was about.
In terms of characters, I quickly forgot what people looked like as there was no mention of their appearance at later stages. I mixed characters up as some names were similar (anne and andrea), and all of them were bland typical English names. There was no diversity, and nothing interesting about any of them. The characters lacked “life” and personality, so it felt like a waste of time to even include so many anyway. I even went as far as deciding to just merge some characters into one, as they offered nothing anyway and none of them had an arc going on, so what's the point.
The story was inconsistent and at some points outright ridiculous. At one point the MC is in the rebel base and exposes herself as a mole during an argument (despite meant to be a spy), is arrested, and put in a jail. The army then leaves the base. The MC then escapes, but the army is waiting for her outside in the trees. This makes no sense. Why wait until the MC escapes, when you already have her in custody and go wait in the trees, when 5 minutes ago you controlled the whole building she was in? What.... Also, later on, the MC is captured, and is tortured and told to give up the rebel base position (at this point I had lost track completely as to what side the MC was on). But she knows the rebels have moved on, so why didn’t she just avoid being tortured and tell them that? Also, the MC has been fighting the State for all these times, and knows about their brutal oppression, but decides randomly to go and join them, and is immediately tortured (why?)
Other problems exist in the story also: The women apparently cannot fight due to their periods. I’m not a woman, but I’m quite sure a period is not so heavy to literally stop you from engaging in armed combat during a civil war, implying that ¼ of your army is always unable to fight? Also, the women apparently use towels for their periods and throw them away into the mountains. Why not just wash them in the warm showers everyone keeps having? And where are they getting all these towels from? While the rebel army have supply issues and can’t get basic medicine, they seem to be taking warm showers all the time. At one point the MC sees a lot of stored blood in the rebel army clinic. A few pages later, casualties come in, who’re dying of blood loss, yet no one thinks to just grab some from a few rooms down and they just die.
General problems such as clunky writing and odd use of words and sentences. The first person should only be used when the author really has a plan on how to develop the narrator (think Katniss Everdeen). I sometimes lost track of who was speaking during dialogue. The chapter titles gave the plot away at times i.e. The Assassination, The Revolt, The End…. Scenery description also lacking, and I was finding myself having to make it all up myself. I was sometimes lost as to where the action was. There was unnecessary gratuitous violence throughout that offered nothing in my opinion. Gore can be used to good effect, such as in a Stephen King novel, but here, it was everywhere and just detracted from the action. It was clear the author had done little (if not none) military research. It seemed like all the action scenes were straight out of Rambo. The women could effortlessly mow down the baddies. I was kind of like “surely two people can’t just run through and kill dozens of entrenched professional soldiers, this is ridiculous”. Also, at one point a character threw a grenade at a truck and it flipped it over; come on. Also, the characters could just talk over combat, which is unrealistic. Gunfire is deafening, and conversation is over once a firefight ensues.
At times I enjoyed the book and liked the basic premise, but to be honest, I thought it was too long when it contained so many problems. Honestly, I think the author just needs to pick up one of those basic novel guides (like on Writing, or How to Kill a Cat) and just get to grips with the basics of writing a good story; I think with that imagination they could write something great. While not absolutely awful, it was not good, and with all the great literature out there, I’d honestly say give it a miss (unless you’re specifically interested in the premise). I know how hard it is to write a book, there it isn't that hard to avoid basic errors. Perhaps the author was rushed? I don't know.
But I would say all this, being a man :p
November 4, 2016
Another one of my first reads books.
Ok , erm wow, what to say about this. Its set in the not too distant future, a scary future that with the current political climate could actually maybe happen. A virus has ripped across the world, towns and cities are not what they were. This is the tale of one woman coming to term with her fathers death, burning him, leaving her home with the clothes on her back, in search.
She finds a group of women, the Razr who rescue her, look after her, make her one of them, in the hope of having some kind of future. I won't go into full details because you should read this. Its quite hard hitting in some places, and one chapter did actually physically make me feel sick, and I don't do that easy, Damn good story telling. I will be looking out for more of Miss Sadlers work.
Ok , erm wow, what to say about this. Its set in the not too distant future, a scary future that with the current political climate could actually maybe happen. A virus has ripped across the world, towns and cities are not what they were. This is the tale of one woman coming to term with her fathers death, burning him, leaving her home with the clothes on her back, in search.
She finds a group of women, the Razr who rescue her, look after her, make her one of them, in the hope of having some kind of future. I won't go into full details because you should read this. Its quite hard hitting in some places, and one chapter did actually physically make me feel sick, and I don't do that easy, Damn good story telling. I will be looking out for more of Miss Sadlers work.
April 21, 2018
Rather difficult to review this book.
On one hand it portrays a a rather terrifying dystopic society with violence aplenty and strong female protagonists. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, and I thought the writing was rather too clunky but for those who enjoy a book with a strong female lead, then this may be to your liking.
However, on the other hand, and the hand I'm leaning more towards, this is a book that is so anti-male that I found it rather disgusting. I'm a feminist, I'm all for equal rights for everyone regardless of gender, colour or creed, but I'm certainly not anti-male and I certainly don't think every man is a rapist in the making or waiting to be unleashed. For that sentiment alone I cannot on good faith reward this book a higher rating.
On one hand it portrays a a rather terrifying dystopic society with violence aplenty and strong female protagonists. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, and I thought the writing was rather too clunky but for those who enjoy a book with a strong female lead, then this may be to your liking.
However, on the other hand, and the hand I'm leaning more towards, this is a book that is so anti-male that I found it rather disgusting. I'm a feminist, I'm all for equal rights for everyone regardless of gender, colour or creed, but I'm certainly not anti-male and I certainly don't think every man is a rapist in the making or waiting to be unleashed. For that sentiment alone I cannot on good faith reward this book a higher rating.
April 24, 2018
This was a free-read from a Goodreads giveaway.
I found this a very difficult book to get through. It is so aggressively violent, so bleak, so equally aggressively anti-male and without hope.
The central character of Laura is well-drawn, strong and conflicted and I particularly liked the drawing of Anne. Jane was a little too stock-tyrant. I did buy into why RAZR exists and why Jane holds her women in her thrall, but her repellant treatment of men and in some cases women lost my sympathy.
Overall I thought this was well written and believable but not a book I would want to read again.
I found this a very difficult book to get through. It is so aggressively violent, so bleak, so equally aggressively anti-male and without hope.
The central character of Laura is well-drawn, strong and conflicted and I particularly liked the drawing of Anne. Jane was a little too stock-tyrant. I did buy into why RAZR exists and why Jane holds her women in her thrall, but her repellant treatment of men and in some cases women lost my sympathy.
Overall I thought this was well written and believable but not a book I would want to read again.
February 12, 2018
"Any man who takes control of a woman's rights at any stage of her life is a terrorist"
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and all in all I was very pleased/impressed with it. I thought the cover was professional (designed by Sidonie Beresford-Browne) and reflective of the bold but bleak nature of the world Victoria Sadler portrays from the outset.
"I alone survived. Of all the people that had lived in the block of flats that had been my home, and my prison, for the previous three years, I was the one who made it through. Just me". This catchy opening line and outlook helps us bond with the female protagonist and builds pathos right from the outset, especially with the almost immediate recounting of the death of her father and the state of the world and inequalities within it.
"I knew what I was doing. I'm not a fool. I know gender equality is a myth. We'll never have it. It's just a dream, a fantasy. We'll die out before we get equality with men - but I had to join RAZR" (pg. 84).
Some might find it a bit cold and close to the mark in places. It covers drug addiction/abuse, people locking away mentally ill relatives to starve to death, people jumping off balconies in suicide pacts and their bodies just being left there because they were already out of the way, and the main character also having to drag her father's corpse down the stairs alone and incinerate it. The violent theme progresses to even darker subjects like torture, murder, women being forcibly raped in order to impregnate them and babies being cut out of the mothers wombs without any form of pain relief/anaesthetic. None of these are nice things but the way that Sadler deals with them just contributes to the overall punchy, hard-hitting atmosphere of the novel which I really enjoyed.
Unfortunately, I did also notice some mistakes/typos which were namely extra words being inserted or the wrong form being used (on pg. 128 an extra 'is' occurs in "why is Jane is in the front convoy"/pg. 206 - it says "But I'd had to save those woman" instead of women/pg. 235 - an extra 'saw' in "He had ages so much since I saw last saw his face"). However this is just me being really picky as overall I highly rate the book.
I liked the suspense and the twists in the story as wall as all the internal and external power struggles going on between the various strong female characters. Some of the violence was perhaps a bit too gory/graphic for some readers but it didn't put me off and I remained hooked throughout. I liked the ending as well, but I did feel the last few chapters were a bit too fast-paced and we lost some of the character connection that was so strong in other areas. All in all I would certainly recommend it, although you should bear in mind it does not have a single nice/likeable male character in it (even the protagonist's father is not portrayed in a particularly positive light!) I am certainly interested to see what else Victoria Sadler comes up with in the future and am very pleased that I read this book.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and all in all I was very pleased/impressed with it. I thought the cover was professional (designed by Sidonie Beresford-Browne) and reflective of the bold but bleak nature of the world Victoria Sadler portrays from the outset.
"I alone survived. Of all the people that had lived in the block of flats that had been my home, and my prison, for the previous three years, I was the one who made it through. Just me". This catchy opening line and outlook helps us bond with the female protagonist and builds pathos right from the outset, especially with the almost immediate recounting of the death of her father and the state of the world and inequalities within it.
"I knew what I was doing. I'm not a fool. I know gender equality is a myth. We'll never have it. It's just a dream, a fantasy. We'll die out before we get equality with men - but I had to join RAZR" (pg. 84).
Some might find it a bit cold and close to the mark in places. It covers drug addiction/abuse, people locking away mentally ill relatives to starve to death, people jumping off balconies in suicide pacts and their bodies just being left there because they were already out of the way, and the main character also having to drag her father's corpse down the stairs alone and incinerate it. The violent theme progresses to even darker subjects like torture, murder, women being forcibly raped in order to impregnate them and babies being cut out of the mothers wombs without any form of pain relief/anaesthetic. None of these are nice things but the way that Sadler deals with them just contributes to the overall punchy, hard-hitting atmosphere of the novel which I really enjoyed.
Unfortunately, I did also notice some mistakes/typos which were namely extra words being inserted or the wrong form being used (on pg. 128 an extra 'is' occurs in "why is Jane is in the front convoy"/pg. 206 - it says "But I'd had to save those woman" instead of women/pg. 235 - an extra 'saw' in "He had ages so much since I saw last saw his face"). However this is just me being really picky as overall I highly rate the book.
I liked the suspense and the twists in the story as wall as all the internal and external power struggles going on between the various strong female characters. Some of the violence was perhaps a bit too gory/graphic for some readers but it didn't put me off and I remained hooked throughout. I liked the ending as well, but I did feel the last few chapters were a bit too fast-paced and we lost some of the character connection that was so strong in other areas. All in all I would certainly recommend it, although you should bear in mind it does not have a single nice/likeable male character in it (even the protagonist's father is not portrayed in a particularly positive light!) I am certainly interested to see what else Victoria Sadler comes up with in the future and am very pleased that I read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2017
Darkness by Victoria Sadler was a Goodreads win
Society in Britain has broken down, due to war, economic collapse and illness, both mental and physical. Laura has been isolated in a block of flats, without TV, internet or news of any kind, so she doesn’t know what is happening. She is the last survivor from the flats, and is making her way to central London to find out what is happening.
She is totally confused. The government is saying there are safe enclaves being built, but why are they checking her potential fertility before assigning her to an enclave? (shades of a handmaids tale!) There is an all female army, RAZR, who people fear – are they terrorists or liberators? She is captured by RAZRA while being transported to an enclave, so now must try to make up her mind which side she is on. What she doesn’t realise is that the government has been taken over by the military, which made her judgements extremely difficult, as she tries to understand RAZR’s leader, Jane.
The story is full of violence, mainly directed towards men –“Any man who takes control of a woman’s rights at any stage of her life is a terrorist”. Laura must decide if all men are evil, and whether the killing is justified.
I like the way that the writing style evokes tension and fear by use of short staccato sentences and words. E.g
“Then I heard them.
Feet
Running quickly.
From behind me.
My head spun round”.
The book is set in the future, but it also gives a chilling warning. There are countries today where women are being abducted and abused, used as sex slaves. There are women today banding together to fight to save them. In some countries, the future is here, and civilisation is fragile – so take heed!
Society in Britain has broken down, due to war, economic collapse and illness, both mental and physical. Laura has been isolated in a block of flats, without TV, internet or news of any kind, so she doesn’t know what is happening. She is the last survivor from the flats, and is making her way to central London to find out what is happening.
She is totally confused. The government is saying there are safe enclaves being built, but why are they checking her potential fertility before assigning her to an enclave? (shades of a handmaids tale!) There is an all female army, RAZR, who people fear – are they terrorists or liberators? She is captured by RAZRA while being transported to an enclave, so now must try to make up her mind which side she is on. What she doesn’t realise is that the government has been taken over by the military, which made her judgements extremely difficult, as she tries to understand RAZR’s leader, Jane.
The story is full of violence, mainly directed towards men –“Any man who takes control of a woman’s rights at any stage of her life is a terrorist”. Laura must decide if all men are evil, and whether the killing is justified.
I like the way that the writing style evokes tension and fear by use of short staccato sentences and words. E.g
“Then I heard them.
Feet
Running quickly.
From behind me.
My head spun round”.
The book is set in the future, but it also gives a chilling warning. There are countries today where women are being abducted and abused, used as sex slaves. There are women today banding together to fight to save them. In some countries, the future is here, and civilisation is fragile – so take heed!
October 11, 2017
I am so glad I won this on a good reads giveaway!
This book surprised me in a million ways. I didn't expect it to be so thought provoking.
We start of with laura who is a young woman dealing with life in. War torn London were the government is fighting RAZR. She's a likeable narrator and seems sensible and clear minded and Carry's the story well without it feeling draggy..
I assumed the government were the good guys and RAZR were the bad guys... Or girls in thus case but then once we meet them I totally shifted and decide RAZR were the good ones... And then again I thought morally there wrong in their actions but I understand the motivation so I get it but I don't agree.. And then I went back to believing in RAZR and what they were doing... And then I wasn't sure who's side I was on if any...
Ithink that's the best thing with this book that it really makes you wonder morally what's right or wrong?? Is it black and white or are morals only applicable depending on the circumstance? ..
This book deals a lot with feminism obviously we have a terrorist group or women killing men.. I don't know if I believe it to be realistic that the equality between men and women is that extreme still that this could possibly happen but It did make me wonder what side would I choose to be on in this case.. Morally I guess I'd be in the middle in the block of flats laura started on.. But as human nature dictates survival I guess I'd end up as part of RAZR and I don't know how I really feel about that!
I found this book to be brilliantly written and I really want to read the rest of RAZR journey in this new world... Or is it a new world or just the same as before with a different gender leading???
This book surprised me in a million ways. I didn't expect it to be so thought provoking.
We start of with laura who is a young woman dealing with life in. War torn London were the government is fighting RAZR. She's a likeable narrator and seems sensible and clear minded and Carry's the story well without it feeling draggy..
I assumed the government were the good guys and RAZR were the bad guys... Or girls in thus case but then once we meet them I totally shifted and decide RAZR were the good ones... And then again I thought morally there wrong in their actions but I understand the motivation so I get it but I don't agree.. And then I went back to believing in RAZR and what they were doing... And then I wasn't sure who's side I was on if any...
Ithink that's the best thing with this book that it really makes you wonder morally what's right or wrong?? Is it black and white or are morals only applicable depending on the circumstance? ..
This book deals a lot with feminism obviously we have a terrorist group or women killing men.. I don't know if I believe it to be realistic that the equality between men and women is that extreme still that this could possibly happen but It did make me wonder what side would I choose to be on in this case.. Morally I guess I'd be in the middle in the block of flats laura started on.. But as human nature dictates survival I guess I'd end up as part of RAZR and I don't know how I really feel about that!
I found this book to be brilliantly written and I really want to read the rest of RAZR journey in this new world... Or is it a new world or just the same as before with a different gender leading???
June 2, 2018
I was provided with a free copy of this book from a Goodreads competition.
While all the pieces are there for a cracking story, I feel that the actual storytelling in itself is lacking. The concept is, in my opinion, still fractured by the end of the book. The UK is post-apocalyptic; we’ve lost the war and our military men have returned home with an STD engineered to bring them down. There’s pollution in the air which is further designed to inflict damage. The population has been shut off, and are kept inside their homes, with rationed food and supplies being delivered to them each month. They develop new ways to deal with the infirm and the deceased, which are handled starkly.
The protagonist, Laura, becomes the sole survivor in her block of flats and is told to finally leave and head to the safety that the army can provide. We learn of many horrific truths that are kept hidden- devastating things that men have turned to in order to claw back control over life. These are things that are shown in the fictional broken-down society of the UK, but are the real-life truths that many women face in other countries today.
The book retains a strong feminist stance throughout; “Any man who takes control of a woman’s rights at any stage of her life is a terrorist.” It can, at times, seem very extreme, with a band of characters, members of RAZR, seemingly wanting to wipe out the existence of every single man. The story details bleak events, including the rape and torture of women to a graphic extent.
We’re fed little snippets of Laura’s backstory which help us uncover who she really is toward the end of the book. The last couple of chapters seem clunky, with the motivations of characters and twists not really making sense. I remain on the fence.
While all the pieces are there for a cracking story, I feel that the actual storytelling in itself is lacking. The concept is, in my opinion, still fractured by the end of the book. The UK is post-apocalyptic; we’ve lost the war and our military men have returned home with an STD engineered to bring them down. There’s pollution in the air which is further designed to inflict damage. The population has been shut off, and are kept inside their homes, with rationed food and supplies being delivered to them each month. They develop new ways to deal with the infirm and the deceased, which are handled starkly.
The protagonist, Laura, becomes the sole survivor in her block of flats and is told to finally leave and head to the safety that the army can provide. We learn of many horrific truths that are kept hidden- devastating things that men have turned to in order to claw back control over life. These are things that are shown in the fictional broken-down society of the UK, but are the real-life truths that many women face in other countries today.
The book retains a strong feminist stance throughout; “Any man who takes control of a woman’s rights at any stage of her life is a terrorist.” It can, at times, seem very extreme, with a band of characters, members of RAZR, seemingly wanting to wipe out the existence of every single man. The story details bleak events, including the rape and torture of women to a graphic extent.
We’re fed little snippets of Laura’s backstory which help us uncover who she really is toward the end of the book. The last couple of chapters seem clunky, with the motivations of characters and twists not really making sense. I remain on the fence.
February 5, 2018
Something I really hate in fiction (books, TV, film) is when it tells you it's keeping something secret from you. Characters whispering in otherwise empty rooms, specifically so we can't hear. Vague conversations lacking the detail of a real conversation just to stop the viewer from piecing together the information. Or, in this book's case, having the narrator telling us she knows a lot more than she's letting on and not revealing it to us, even though it makes the story feel inorganic. If it's necessary for your story to contain secrets (as most stories do) there's surely no need to brag about something you know but we don't? We should learn with the characters, not in spite of them.
But that's a criticism of all fiction, not just this one book which seems to have the main plot of "men are all bad let's kill them". I'll admit I wasn't paying as much attention as I would have if the book had gripped me a bit more () but it felt like it lacked a certain nuance. Maybe as I get older I'll change and start to see the worst in the world but for now I choose to believe that people are generally good. (I also choose to believe that the similar story of The Handmaid's Tale is far superior.)
I hate being negative about books because I know how much time and effort they take. There are parts of this book that really are gripping, it's an interesting idea to explore, and Laura, while secretive, is a compelling main character. In any case, I'm glad I read it.
But that's a criticism of all fiction, not just this one book which seems to have the main plot of "men are all bad let's kill them". I'll admit I wasn't paying as much attention as I would have if the book had gripped me a bit more () but it felt like it lacked a certain nuance. Maybe as I get older I'll change and start to see the worst in the world but for now I choose to believe that people are generally good. (I also choose to believe that the similar story of The Handmaid's Tale is far superior.)
I hate being negative about books because I know how much time and effort they take. There are parts of this book that really are gripping, it's an interesting idea to explore, and Laura, while secretive, is a compelling main character. In any case, I'm glad I read it.
August 19, 2017
I was very pleased to win a copy of this book here on Goodreads 👍
Set in a dystopian future there's civil unrest, and the army has taken control. A "terrorist" organisation known as RAZR, consisting of a woman only army, headed by a leader named Jane, has taken control of part of the U.K.
Laura lives in a block of flats with her father - they are the only survivors in their block. When Laura's father dies, she must make it to HQ for processing, so she can then go to the safety of the enclaves. On her way there she's attacked by scavenging men and beaten up. She gets rescued by the army, and taken to HQ for processing.
A group of women, including Laura, are on there way to the enclaves, under guard, when RAZR attack the truck and rescue the women. 'Jane' gives them a choice, stay here and be picked up by the army, or go with her and fight for the cause. Laura decides to join RAZR....
Has she made the right decision?
Does she trust Jane?
The plot was really good. I enjoyed the twist....but thought the ending was maybe a bit too rushed. I would definitely recommend this book.
Set in a dystopian future there's civil unrest, and the army has taken control. A "terrorist" organisation known as RAZR, consisting of a woman only army, headed by a leader named Jane, has taken control of part of the U.K.
Laura lives in a block of flats with her father - they are the only survivors in their block. When Laura's father dies, she must make it to HQ for processing, so she can then go to the safety of the enclaves. On her way there she's attacked by scavenging men and beaten up. She gets rescued by the army, and taken to HQ for processing.
A group of women, including Laura, are on there way to the enclaves, under guard, when RAZR attack the truck and rescue the women. 'Jane' gives them a choice, stay here and be picked up by the army, or go with her and fight for the cause. Laura decides to join RAZR....
Has she made the right decision?
Does she trust Jane?
The plot was really good. I enjoyed the twist....but thought the ending was maybe a bit too rushed. I would definitely recommend this book.
August 22, 2017
3.5 stars
The United Kingdom has fallen and after years of seclusion, Laura is the sole survivor from her block of flats. While The State aims to rebuild, Laura makes her way through the city to where some of the other survivors are located. After being selected along with other female survivors to relocate to a different area, the female terrorist group, RAZR, attacks the men in charge of the convoy. Jane, the leader of RAZR, wants Laura to join her group as they fight for a world where no man will ever control a woman again.
I normally don't read dystopian novels so the fact that I really enjoyed this one surprised me. What I liked most about it was it was so unpredictable. The side I was rooting for could switch from one chapter to the next.
The only issue I had with the book was I never truly understood Laura's reasoning, especially in the final chapters. This book brought up some complex issues and I'm still unsure about the author's intent; was it a strictly feminist book or was it to show the extremes people will go to in order to fight for their cause?
I received a free copy of this book but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinions.
The United Kingdom has fallen and after years of seclusion, Laura is the sole survivor from her block of flats. While The State aims to rebuild, Laura makes her way through the city to where some of the other survivors are located. After being selected along with other female survivors to relocate to a different area, the female terrorist group, RAZR, attacks the men in charge of the convoy. Jane, the leader of RAZR, wants Laura to join her group as they fight for a world where no man will ever control a woman again.
I normally don't read dystopian novels so the fact that I really enjoyed this one surprised me. What I liked most about it was it was so unpredictable. The side I was rooting for could switch from one chapter to the next.
The only issue I had with the book was I never truly understood Laura's reasoning, especially in the final chapters. This book brought up some complex issues and I'm still unsure about the author's intent; was it a strictly feminist book or was it to show the extremes people will go to in order to fight for their cause?
I received a free copy of this book but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinions.
May 18, 2017
Received a copy of this book through GOODREADS.
Did not think I would enjoy this book about a group of terrorist women against men running the government. Set in a post-apocalyptic UK this was a great read , full of action & made you think how women & men are portrayed if the world ever came to dog eat dog. Story follows Laura who is rescued by the army & then is taken the RAZR the women terrorist group. a great read.
Did not think I would enjoy this book about a group of terrorist women against men running the government. Set in a post-apocalyptic UK this was a great read , full of action & made you think how women & men are portrayed if the world ever came to dog eat dog. Story follows Laura who is rescued by the army & then is taken the RAZR the women terrorist group. a great read.
August 10, 2020
I feel this book should come with a warning; it's so very dark, violent and with so many references to rape and forced insemination it's quite a disturbing read.
The book throws you in at the deep end, with Laura leaving her quarantined flat after the death of her father to immediately be set upon by a group of men. This is pretty much the theme of the book; a female army fighting back against the place to replenish the human race.
It's a dark and violent read, but fast paced.
The book throws you in at the deep end, with Laura leaving her quarantined flat after the death of her father to immediately be set upon by a group of men. This is pretty much the theme of the book; a female army fighting back against the place to replenish the human race.
It's a dark and violent read, but fast paced.
February 15, 2018
Won this in first reads, goodreads giveaway so happy. All I have to say is Wow, didn’t expect that to happen. Hope there is another to follow can’t believe that Jane died and where are the others, can’t leave them behind. Kept me on the edge of the seat the whole way through. Laura should have listened to her mum.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2017
What a wonderful book, loved Jane and Laura. Just a note to Victoria Sadler you are a wonderful author and I hope there will be a series of these books. Maybe even a book about Jane's story. This was a free book through Goodreads giveaways. Thank you ever so much. LP 8-31-17
December 11, 2017
I got this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
While I understand others may love this read, for me, it is a DNF.
The story is very intriguing however I found that the writing was very jumbled and frantic. I found myself re-reading passages to make sense of it.
While I understand others may love this read, for me, it is a DNF.
The story is very intriguing however I found that the writing was very jumbled and frantic. I found myself re-reading passages to make sense of it.
October 4, 2017
So pleased to have won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
This was something totally different to what I usually read and a very enjoyable one. It is unusual for me to read a book so quick! Recommended.
This was something totally different to what I usually read and a very enjoyable one. It is unusual for me to read a book so quick! Recommended.
October 21, 2017
An interesting book but rather disturbing in its all encompassing feminism. Certainly not for the faint hearted or for any males!! Personally I would have preferred for opposing groups to be of mixed gender and separated by ideals. Saying that I did enjoy the read and would recommend.
December 30, 2017
3.5 stars, rounded up. I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. Really enjoyed it, gorier than I expected. I was a bit sceptical at first about comparing feminism to terrorism, but I thought it was very well-handled and I really liked the ending.
August 11, 2018
I won this a while ago in a goodreads giveaway but just got around to reading it. It's well written but just too monotonously violent for my liking and also too anti-men. There are actually some nice men out there - they don't all deserve to die.
October 25, 2017
Got this as a Goodreads Giveaway. Loved the plot and the twists. Skipped through a couple of the speeches in the middle. Will pass it on.
November 23, 2017
Really enjoyed this book - moved at just the right pace. Highly recommend.
November 23, 2017
Excellent
April 30, 2018
Great story, good characters, well written
May 22, 2018
i won a copy of this book in the good reads giveaway, and really enjoyed it, with strong female characters,
November 7, 2016
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
“Violence always gets results.” But at what cost? Victoria Sadler’s dystopian novel Darkness explores and all too realistic scenario set in a not so distant future. The western world has fallen due to war and economic collapse. London has become a ghost city due to the death of thousands of people. Those not killed by bombs or deadly virus succumb to suicide or death by natural causes – if the cold and starvation can be labeled natural.
Laura Lewis is the sole survivor in her block of flats and now needs to make her way through the dangerous streets to St Paul’s Cathedral where what remains of the State will provide her with safety. However before she reaches her final destination she is ambushed by an army of women, a threat to the nation, known as RAZR – Resistance Against State Reformation. Jane, the leader of the resistance, believes she has saved Laura from a fate worse than death. But, as Laura discovers, RAZR may result in an even crueler future.
RAZR was born from a hatred of men, a guerilla feminist movement seizing the opportunity to obliterate the patriarchal society. Since the beginning of time men have oppressed women, regarding them as possessions with which they can do as they please. Despite the apparent equality achieved through past protests, the government, i.e. men, still control the lives of women. RAZR particularly focus on women’s rights to their own body, and are angry at the State’s current use for women: to procreate.
Darkness is full of radical violence, often ending in the mass death of male soldiers. With barely a break to take a breath, the narrative goes from one action scene to the next, heightening the excitement as the novel reaches its climax. As the reader learns more about RAZR and the State, opinions are constantly changed. Who is good, who is bad? Who can Laura trust? Then, to confuse things even more, Laura is not who she initially appears to be at all.
The amount of violence in this novel is disturbing, particularly as the majority of deaths are caused without guilty conscience. Darkness highlights the horrors of war and the wild nature of humanity. Without men and women being able to live in harmony there is no peace, on the other hand, complete equality is not possible. Furthermore, are RAZR feminists or terrorists? It is an obvious fact that the human race cannot survive with merely one gender of the species, so is RAZR doing more harm than good by fatally punishing all men?
Overall, Darkness poses more questions than it answers, yet it is such a griping novel. Women, particularly feminists will enjoy the powerful messages expressed by RAZR, but equally, readers will understand Laura’s hesitation. With so many plot twists to get your head around, you will never get bored of this story. With such an ambiguous ending, it is unclear whether Darkness will remain a standalone novel, or be continued with a sequel. Whatever the case, it will be interesting to read what the feminist, Victoria Sadler, comes up with next.
“Violence always gets results.” But at what cost? Victoria Sadler’s dystopian novel Darkness explores and all too realistic scenario set in a not so distant future. The western world has fallen due to war and economic collapse. London has become a ghost city due to the death of thousands of people. Those not killed by bombs or deadly virus succumb to suicide or death by natural causes – if the cold and starvation can be labeled natural.
Laura Lewis is the sole survivor in her block of flats and now needs to make her way through the dangerous streets to St Paul’s Cathedral where what remains of the State will provide her with safety. However before she reaches her final destination she is ambushed by an army of women, a threat to the nation, known as RAZR – Resistance Against State Reformation. Jane, the leader of the resistance, believes she has saved Laura from a fate worse than death. But, as Laura discovers, RAZR may result in an even crueler future.
RAZR was born from a hatred of men, a guerilla feminist movement seizing the opportunity to obliterate the patriarchal society. Since the beginning of time men have oppressed women, regarding them as possessions with which they can do as they please. Despite the apparent equality achieved through past protests, the government, i.e. men, still control the lives of women. RAZR particularly focus on women’s rights to their own body, and are angry at the State’s current use for women: to procreate.
Darkness is full of radical violence, often ending in the mass death of male soldiers. With barely a break to take a breath, the narrative goes from one action scene to the next, heightening the excitement as the novel reaches its climax. As the reader learns more about RAZR and the State, opinions are constantly changed. Who is good, who is bad? Who can Laura trust? Then, to confuse things even more, Laura is not who she initially appears to be at all.
The amount of violence in this novel is disturbing, particularly as the majority of deaths are caused without guilty conscience. Darkness highlights the horrors of war and the wild nature of humanity. Without men and women being able to live in harmony there is no peace, on the other hand, complete equality is not possible. Furthermore, are RAZR feminists or terrorists? It is an obvious fact that the human race cannot survive with merely one gender of the species, so is RAZR doing more harm than good by fatally punishing all men?
Overall, Darkness poses more questions than it answers, yet it is such a griping novel. Women, particularly feminists will enjoy the powerful messages expressed by RAZR, but equally, readers will understand Laura’s hesitation. With so many plot twists to get your head around, you will never get bored of this story. With such an ambiguous ending, it is unclear whether Darkness will remain a standalone novel, or be continued with a sequel. Whatever the case, it will be interesting to read what the feminist, Victoria Sadler, comes up with next.
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