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The Bond Trilogy #1
The Bond
If you had to choose who would sacrifice her life for you, could you?
Dinitra believes the Sower who engineered her made a mistake. She only finds joy after she's drafted into the Legion to train a mutant battle dog called 12. Dinitra and 12 will help in the final battle for their home, the Weave. They’ll destroy the rebels who stand in the way of the Weave’s ultimate goal: a world without males.
In a surprise attack, rebels kidnap Dinitra and 12. She learns that rebels also engineer children, but they make males, lots of them, to topple the Weave. All of her beliefs are challenged as she learns the ugly secrets the Weave has kept from most of its citizens. Worse, Dinitra feels attraction to one male warrior—a shameful crime in both societies, where only wild beasts mate.
As war approaches, Dinitra must make an agonizing decision as she learns what love and loyalty mean in a world of engineered humans and not-so-monstrous mutants, while war threatens them all.
Dinitra believes the Sower who engineered her made a mistake. She only finds joy after she's drafted into the Legion to train a mutant battle dog called 12. Dinitra and 12 will help in the final battle for their home, the Weave. They’ll destroy the rebels who stand in the way of the Weave’s ultimate goal: a world without males.
In a surprise attack, rebels kidnap Dinitra and 12. She learns that rebels also engineer children, but they make males, lots of them, to topple the Weave. All of her beliefs are challenged as she learns the ugly secrets the Weave has kept from most of its citizens. Worse, Dinitra feels attraction to one male warrior—a shameful crime in both societies, where only wild beasts mate.
As war approaches, Dinitra must make an agonizing decision as she learns what love and loyalty mean in a world of engineered humans and not-so-monstrous mutants, while war threatens them all.
314 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2018
18 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
Robin Kirk
29 books69 followersKirk's nonfiction book about human rights heroes, Righting Wrongs: 20 human rights heroes around the world, is available from Chicago Review Press. The book won the 2022 Foreward Reviews Silver for best YA nonfiction in 2022. Kirk is the author of The Bond Trilogy: The Bond, The Hive Queen, and The Mother's Wheel. Foreward Reviews awarded The Bond its Bronze award for best YA in 2018. Kirk's other books include More Terrible Than Death: Massacres, Drugs and America’s War in Colombia (PublicAffairs) and The Monkey’s Paw: New Chronicles from Peru (University of Massachusetts Press). She coedits The Peru Reader: History, Culture, Politics (Duke University) and is an editor of Duke University Press’s World Readers series.
Kirk is a Faculty Co-Director of the Duke Human Rights Center at the Franklin Humanities Institute and is a founding member of the Pauli Murray Project, an initiative of the center that seeks to use the legacy of this Durham daughter to examine the region’s past of slavery, segregation and continuing economic inequality. An author and human rights advocate, Kirk is a lecturer in Duke's Department of Cultural Anthropology.
Subscribe to her newsletter at https://robinkirk.substack.com. More of Kirk's work is available at robinkirk.com, through her Facebook Page or on Twitter at @robinkirk.
Kirk is a Faculty Co-Director of the Duke Human Rights Center at the Franklin Humanities Institute and is a founding member of the Pauli Murray Project, an initiative of the center that seeks to use the legacy of this Durham daughter to examine the region’s past of slavery, segregation and continuing economic inequality. An author and human rights advocate, Kirk is a lecturer in Duke's Department of Cultural Anthropology.
Subscribe to her newsletter at https://robinkirk.substack.com. More of Kirk's work is available at robinkirk.com, through her Facebook Page or on Twitter at @robinkirk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 30, 2019
Kirk's incredible story is spell binding from start to finish. Through Dinitra's story, Kirk invites readers to ask larger societal questions, and then asks them again. The large amount of characters referred to in other reviews are evidence of the depth and breadth of Kirk's world. Her ability to paint pictures of unique characters, for example the draft Sil, have stuck with me. Well thought out and thoroughly executed, The Bond was enthralling. I can't wait to see what Kirk does next.
August 23, 2018
In the end, this is a book about a girl and her dog. But it is the best book about a girl and her dog that I've ever read. It also has hovercraft, mutants, and a corrupt dictatorship. Science fiction fans can't go wrong here. I loved it.
August 28, 2020
I received this book for free from the Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: A thrilling and thought provoking tale,
The Bond
had me riveted from start to finish.
I waited far too long to pick up The Bond , and I have to admit the upcoming release of the sequel, The Hive Queen , spurred me to finally read it. And wow, I was blown away by this story! Robin Kirk has written a searingly emotional tale set in a unique and unfamiliar world, exploring such themes as motherhood, coming-of-age, loyalty and what it means to be human.
The story takes place in a world called the Weave, where humans are created in labs by Sowers and are brought to term in Vessels. In the Weave, men are nearly obsolete because of their violent nature, and the women of the society are working on a plan called the Great Quest to obliterate those that remain. Dinitra is a student at the Collegium and is about to graduate, but graduation day is fraught with worry because the students will soon be receiving their future assignments based on how well they did in school. Dinitra’s worst fears are realized when she and several friends are assigned to the Legion, a militaristic group trained to protect the Weave against males. Dinitra is horrified when Kesh, the legionary who recruited her, assigns her to work with and train battle dogs—Dinitra was bitten by a dog as a child and is terrified of them.
She meets the kennel keeper Benit, who explains that she will be training a hyba cross named 12. 12 is a fearsome creature, an odd combination of dog, tiger and lynx, but Dinitra and 12 soon develop a bond and become fiercely protective of each other. When Kesh sends Dinitra and 12 on a mission with a woman named Trisk—to spy on a rebel Captain who is breeding sons for a battle against the Weave—Dinitra finds her world turned upside down when she learns that everything she believed about the Weave might be a lie. With 12 by her side, Dinitra must navigate an unfamiliar world and try to forge a future that makes sense.
I didn’t want to give too much of the story away, because a lot happens in The Bond, and it’s fun to experience all its unique elements yourself. This is a bleak world filled with battle dogs, rogue male Warriors and ships that can harness lethal energy to obliterate their enemies, but it has pockets of hopefulness scattered throughout the story, mostly due to the resilience and determination of Dinitra. Dinitra has lots of hurdles to overcome—her fear of dogs, leaving her home for the first time, and learning how to think differently about the world—but she seems to take everything in stride. Along the way she forms different kinds of bonds with those she meets, hence the title. Of course, my favorite bond in the story is the unshakable one that grows between Dinitra and 12!
I absolutely loved the world-building. The Bond is described as fantasy, but the world has elements of science fiction as well, which means the story will appeal to fans of both genres. Kirk has created an intricate world that feels both old and new. The Weave is a society of women who each have their own place and job to do. The Sowers create new babies by combining different genetic traits—beauty, intelligence, endurance, etc.—and fertilizing the egg with “male extract.” Vessels are women who carry the babies to term, and each new child has a “life fiber” inserted under the skin on the back of their necks, a chip which contains information on their genetic makeup. There are men in this world, but they live beyond the Weave and they are considered the enemy.
Kirk’s world is full of lots of unfamiliar terms that do take some getting used to, but I loved the fact that she never “tells,” but simply incorporates everything into the narrative. Words like scrags, drafts, hyba, docking and many more seem odd at first, but it didn’t take long for me to immerse myself in this strange world. And speaking of “drafts,” I absolutely loved these sad and misunderstood creatures who are the results of experiments where human, animal and plant DNA are combined in order to create creatures who make up the working class. Dinitra meets several drafts who become beloved friends, like Sil, who was bred to work in underwater mines and has a serpent-like appearance.The drafts were heartbreaking because many people see them as “mistakes” and not worthy of a decent life, but Dinitra is such a kindhearted girl, and she befriends and takes care of several drafts during the story.
But by far my favorite part of the story is the relationship between Dinitra and 12. You know me, I’m always on the hunt for a great dog companion story, and boy did this deliver! I adored 12, who is intimidating and is bred to kill, but at heart she’s just a puppy and comes to rely on Dinitra for everything. I loved the way Dinitra loves and defends 12, because there are some horrible characters in the story who want to kill her. I wish someone would do some 12 fan art because I’d love to see some visual interpretations of how she looks! She isn’t exactly a dog, but she does have dog DNA and many canine qualities, like the ability to be trained and loyalty towards her master. And although this is a brutal story in many ways, animal and dog lovers should rest assured that 12 survives to the end of the book.
Kirk gives us a teaser near the end that leads directly into the sequel, and the last chapters are a heady combination of thrilling danger, emotional heartbreak and a hopeful yet uncertain future, as Dinitra and her friends start a new adventure. I hope after reading this review you are tempted to try The Bond , because I think you’ll be hooked by Kirk’s fascinating world and compelling characters just like I was.
Big thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
I waited far too long to pick up The Bond , and I have to admit the upcoming release of the sequel, The Hive Queen , spurred me to finally read it. And wow, I was blown away by this story! Robin Kirk has written a searingly emotional tale set in a unique and unfamiliar world, exploring such themes as motherhood, coming-of-age, loyalty and what it means to be human.
The story takes place in a world called the Weave, where humans are created in labs by Sowers and are brought to term in Vessels. In the Weave, men are nearly obsolete because of their violent nature, and the women of the society are working on a plan called the Great Quest to obliterate those that remain. Dinitra is a student at the Collegium and is about to graduate, but graduation day is fraught with worry because the students will soon be receiving their future assignments based on how well they did in school. Dinitra’s worst fears are realized when she and several friends are assigned to the Legion, a militaristic group trained to protect the Weave against males. Dinitra is horrified when Kesh, the legionary who recruited her, assigns her to work with and train battle dogs—Dinitra was bitten by a dog as a child and is terrified of them.
She meets the kennel keeper Benit, who explains that she will be training a hyba cross named 12. 12 is a fearsome creature, an odd combination of dog, tiger and lynx, but Dinitra and 12 soon develop a bond and become fiercely protective of each other. When Kesh sends Dinitra and 12 on a mission with a woman named Trisk—to spy on a rebel Captain who is breeding sons for a battle against the Weave—Dinitra finds her world turned upside down when she learns that everything she believed about the Weave might be a lie. With 12 by her side, Dinitra must navigate an unfamiliar world and try to forge a future that makes sense.
I didn’t want to give too much of the story away, because a lot happens in The Bond, and it’s fun to experience all its unique elements yourself. This is a bleak world filled with battle dogs, rogue male Warriors and ships that can harness lethal energy to obliterate their enemies, but it has pockets of hopefulness scattered throughout the story, mostly due to the resilience and determination of Dinitra. Dinitra has lots of hurdles to overcome—her fear of dogs, leaving her home for the first time, and learning how to think differently about the world—but she seems to take everything in stride. Along the way she forms different kinds of bonds with those she meets, hence the title. Of course, my favorite bond in the story is the unshakable one that grows between Dinitra and 12!
I absolutely loved the world-building. The Bond is described as fantasy, but the world has elements of science fiction as well, which means the story will appeal to fans of both genres. Kirk has created an intricate world that feels both old and new. The Weave is a society of women who each have their own place and job to do. The Sowers create new babies by combining different genetic traits—beauty, intelligence, endurance, etc.—and fertilizing the egg with “male extract.” Vessels are women who carry the babies to term, and each new child has a “life fiber” inserted under the skin on the back of their necks, a chip which contains information on their genetic makeup. There are men in this world, but they live beyond the Weave and they are considered the enemy.
Kirk’s world is full of lots of unfamiliar terms that do take some getting used to, but I loved the fact that she never “tells,” but simply incorporates everything into the narrative. Words like scrags, drafts, hyba, docking and many more seem odd at first, but it didn’t take long for me to immerse myself in this strange world. And speaking of “drafts,” I absolutely loved these sad and misunderstood creatures who are the results of experiments where human, animal and plant DNA are combined in order to create creatures who make up the working class. Dinitra meets several drafts who become beloved friends, like Sil, who was bred to work in underwater mines and has a serpent-like appearance.The drafts were heartbreaking because many people see them as “mistakes” and not worthy of a decent life, but Dinitra is such a kindhearted girl, and she befriends and takes care of several drafts during the story.
But by far my favorite part of the story is the relationship between Dinitra and 12. You know me, I’m always on the hunt for a great dog companion story, and boy did this deliver! I adored 12, who is intimidating and is bred to kill, but at heart she’s just a puppy and comes to rely on Dinitra for everything. I loved the way Dinitra loves and defends 12, because there are some horrible characters in the story who want to kill her. I wish someone would do some 12 fan art because I’d love to see some visual interpretations of how she looks! She isn’t exactly a dog, but she does have dog DNA and many canine qualities, like the ability to be trained and loyalty towards her master. And although this is a brutal story in many ways, animal and dog lovers should rest assured that 12 survives to the end of the book.
Kirk gives us a teaser near the end that leads directly into the sequel, and the last chapters are a heady combination of thrilling danger, emotional heartbreak and a hopeful yet uncertain future, as Dinitra and her friends start a new adventure. I hope after reading this review you are tempted to try The Bond , because I think you’ll be hooked by Kirk’s fascinating world and compelling characters just like I was.
Big thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
February 5, 2021
Since I retired from teaching, I don’t often pick YA sci-fi novel to read. However, a good friend of mine gave me The Bond and thought I would like it. And I did! Robin Kirk has created believable characters who exist in a futuristic world of women where men are created to be warriors and hard-working slaves. Breeding is done through science with Sowers choosing the formula for their offspring who are implanted in Vessels, raised by Keepers, and sent to schools appropriate for their talents and future worth in society. However, as happens in all dystopian societies, things don’t always go as planned. Dinitra, the heroine of the novel, feels that she doesn’t belong in her school, and she would rather sketch, paint, and daydream instead of studying for her lessons. And on the date of her Collegeum graduation, things drastically change. Kirk skillfully crafts the worlds of the Weave and the Bounty and their inhabitants. Dinitra is tasked with raising and training 12, an enormous dog-like creature designed with genetic code from several species to be a powerful weapon. Dinitra is able to soothe this savage beast and their loving bond is one of the best parts of the book. I won’t divulge any more of this well-written tale. The book was written to be the first in a series, and I have just learned that the sequel has been released. If you like this type of fiction, then I highly recommend The Bond.
December 31, 2018
The Bond, Robin Kirk’s first novel, is a fun, beautiful and engaging read. Fans of The Hunger Games and Margaret Atwood, will love her interpretation of the dystopian genre. And even if you're not an avid Science Fiction or Dystopian reader, you’ll fall in love with Dinitra and her journey. READ A FULL REVIEW: sarahfoil.com/blog/a-review-of-the-bond
February 20, 2020
I recently found this book online and decided to give it a chance. I started reading it in my math class and after that, I knew more about heartache than math. I recommend this book to people wanting a good read.
December 30, 2018
Moves quickly, despite a complicated plot and lots of characters. I am excited to see what direction Kirk takes us with the next book in the series! (there are many possibilities...)
December 4, 2018
The Bond is about a girl named Dinitra, nicknamed Dini, who is enrolled in an all-girls school called the Collegium. The school is designed to test students’ abilities so they can be sorted into their appropriate life-long jobs. On assignment day, the eldest students at the school receive their job assignments. The best job is to be asked to enter the Legion, the all-girl military whose purpose is to keep women and girls safe from wild men and traitors. With all of her markdowns and demerits (especially being disrespectful to teachers) Dini has little hope of getting a good assignment--until by chance her goodbye gift to her friend ends up in the hands of the Legion commander. The commander offers Dini a deal. If she tells the Commander what her friend’s name is, she will give Dini any assignment that she wishes. Dini refuses, and runs off to the assignment ceremony. To her surprise, she is selected for the Legion and is thrust into a world of manipulation, danger, and survival, so very different from the one where she grew up. She has to use her wits and her friendships to outsmart the Legion commander and make it back alive. The Bond is a page-turner, which you won’t want to put down until the very last word. If you liked the Hunger Games and the Arc of a Scythe series, you will love The Bond.
November 26, 2018
I have to admit I was skeptical of the book at first. I felt that the young adult dystopian novel was overused and had become repetitive. After reading just the first few chapters, however, I was drawn in and began staying up late until one or two every night to read. (maybe this is why the dystopian storyline is used so often!) I loved t the development of the main character and her relationship with 12, I thought it well planned out and executed. I do wish that Fir and Dinitra's relationship would have been further developed, however, I understand that their relationship wasn't meant to be the focal point of the story. Overall I think the book was exciting and engaging, leaving me wanting to read more.
February 5, 2019
This absorbing speculative novel will have you questioning the many bonds formed in your life: with your parents, the animals in your life, your friends, and society. With excellent world-building and well-paced action, this is a riveting story for fans of dystopias, science-fiction, and fantasy. Kirk raises interesting questions about gender and genetic engineering. I spent much of the novel imagining the world she creates -- so many vivid and sensory details -- and wishing for my own hyba (she had me at part bearcat!).
August 20, 2022
The Bond was not what I expected at all. It is about a girl and her dog at the most basic, but also so much more than that. In a matriarchal society where men are seen as little more than beasts and women are perfected in a lab by the Weave, Dinistra is a young woman who has never felt like she belonged. When she is assigned to work at the militaristic Legion, she discovers her home may not be the utopia she was taught to believe. Her loyalty is further tested when she is captured by rebels and discovers the shameful secrets the Weave has kept from its own people. But as she tries to adapt to her new place, she forms a bond with a dangerous male warrior who leads her to question even more.
Although this is appropriate for a young adult audience, the book never feels YA, so much so that I was surprised after reading to find out it was even designated as YA. Despite its deceptively simple prose, the book offers a lot of depth and brings up moral quandaries about what it means to be truly free and ask how much you are willing to compromise for it. With some casual flippant violence, the book really shakes you up and makes you question whether there really is even a good and a bad side in this conflict of ideologies.
The dystopian world the author has created feels all too real as does the cruelty and duality of humanity she showcases. Dinistra is a deeply conflicted character who can be stubborn and difficult, but her bond with her dog hybrid will resonate with pet owners and animal lovers. Her relationship with the male warrior Fir, which never really gets the chance to bloom, shows a lot of promise, and I look forward to reading where it goes. (I was very happy to note that the sequel will follow Fir.)
The Bond is a promising start to a dystopian scifi series about the bonds we make as humans—a mother to her child, the created to their purpose and their creator, and people to the society they live in.
Although this is appropriate for a young adult audience, the book never feels YA, so much so that I was surprised after reading to find out it was even designated as YA. Despite its deceptively simple prose, the book offers a lot of depth and brings up moral quandaries about what it means to be truly free and ask how much you are willing to compromise for it. With some casual flippant violence, the book really shakes you up and makes you question whether there really is even a good and a bad side in this conflict of ideologies.
The dystopian world the author has created feels all too real as does the cruelty and duality of humanity she showcases. Dinistra is a deeply conflicted character who can be stubborn and difficult, but her bond with her dog hybrid will resonate with pet owners and animal lovers. Her relationship with the male warrior Fir, which never really gets the chance to bloom, shows a lot of promise, and I look forward to reading where it goes. (I was very happy to note that the sequel will follow Fir.)
The Bond is a promising start to a dystopian scifi series about the bonds we make as humans—a mother to her child, the created to their purpose and their creator, and people to the society they live in.
March 15, 2025
Spiciness level: very mild
I look at the level of profanity and sexual references in every book I review, so I'll start there. There is very little profanity in this book, which actually surprised me. Some crude words like "piss" are prevalent, but that didn't bother me enough to stop me from reading. I was also pleasantly surprised that there were no sex scenes. The spiciest it gets is a couple of kisses - another plus in my view. The story is violent (it's war, so to be expected) with some gruesome descriptions, but gore doesn't bother me either.
I was a little weirded out at first by the all-female society that Kirk sets up. It also took a little while to get a feel for the setting since the terms of the world aren't really defined in the story. But once I got started, I couldn't stop. I had to know what happens next! Now that I've finished, I still need to know what happens next. The ending is just too tantalizing. I'll be starting book 2 as soon as I can get it!
I look at the level of profanity and sexual references in every book I review, so I'll start there. There is very little profanity in this book, which actually surprised me. Some crude words like "piss" are prevalent, but that didn't bother me enough to stop me from reading. I was also pleasantly surprised that there were no sex scenes. The spiciest it gets is a couple of kisses - another plus in my view. The story is violent (it's war, so to be expected) with some gruesome descriptions, but gore doesn't bother me either.
I was a little weirded out at first by the all-female society that Kirk sets up. It also took a little while to get a feel for the setting since the terms of the world aren't really defined in the story. But once I got started, I couldn't stop. I had to know what happens next! Now that I've finished, I still need to know what happens next. The ending is just too tantalizing. I'll be starting book 2 as soon as I can get it!
March 29, 2020
Interesting read where women rule and about the heroine who finds new truths. I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.
February 18, 2020
Robin Kirk has written a delightful, engrossing and fun to read first novel. “The Bond” transforms the early twentieth century utopian vision of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “Herland” into a dystopian world for the twenty-first century reader. A hundred years later, the concept of ridding a community of violent male energy has been twisted into something dangerous. The ideals which may have begun the Weave as a society have been corrupted by power, by the possibility of controlling the genetic design of living things, by the fight for access to limited natural resources. It is not so distant from our own times.
Can “the bond,” between humans (even genetically engineered ones), our relational connection, defeat the worst aspects of human nature, of an ideal gone terribly wrong? Kirk sets out to explore these questions, essential to our time.
Dinitra’s relationship with 12, the genetically engineered creature, may prefigure how powerful a bond may be. Like the mother’s love which saved the infant Harry Potter from Voldemort, like Lyra’s daemon in Phillip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy, the connection between us, when we become parts of each other, has a power greater than anything a sole individual can muster. When the power is love, and connection, it may be able to defeat great evil. At least, that is my hope for Dinitra and her world, from reading this first installment in Kirk’s trilogy.
Not to overthink this, though... “The Bond” can be read completely as a fantasy, a delightful read with a great female protagonist, a plus from my point of view. The world of The Weave is fully realized, vibrant with the smallest details and an accessible history. The reader is drawn in and then completely immersed in this colorful and intriguing landscape. As Ged does in Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea books, Dinitra's awakening leads us to our own, as she navigates this world. Kirk captures adolescent uncertainty and the dawning of realization with accuracy and grace. Young adult readers will find much to relate to.
I am eagerly awaiting the second installment! These would make great gifts for any young adults you know. I am lending my copy to my daughters, right now!
His Dark Materials Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Herland and Selected Stories The Earthsea Trilogy
Can “the bond,” between humans (even genetically engineered ones), our relational connection, defeat the worst aspects of human nature, of an ideal gone terribly wrong? Kirk sets out to explore these questions, essential to our time.
Dinitra’s relationship with 12, the genetically engineered creature, may prefigure how powerful a bond may be. Like the mother’s love which saved the infant Harry Potter from Voldemort, like Lyra’s daemon in Phillip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy, the connection between us, when we become parts of each other, has a power greater than anything a sole individual can muster. When the power is love, and connection, it may be able to defeat great evil. At least, that is my hope for Dinitra and her world, from reading this first installment in Kirk’s trilogy.
Not to overthink this, though... “The Bond” can be read completely as a fantasy, a delightful read with a great female protagonist, a plus from my point of view. The world of The Weave is fully realized, vibrant with the smallest details and an accessible history. The reader is drawn in and then completely immersed in this colorful and intriguing landscape. As Ged does in Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea books, Dinitra's awakening leads us to our own, as she navigates this world. Kirk captures adolescent uncertainty and the dawning of realization with accuracy and grace. Young adult readers will find much to relate to.
I am eagerly awaiting the second installment! These would make great gifts for any young adults you know. I am lending my copy to my daughters, right now!
His Dark Materials Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Herland and Selected Stories The Earthsea Trilogy
November 1, 2020
I love these Dystopian/Sci-fi stories where I'm in a world where women control EVERYTHING. This sounds like it would be all good or super bad.
The Bond by Robin Kirk isn't questionable at all; it's all good.
Dinitra 584 KxA is a student struggling to pass her courses at the Collegium. It's graduation day, and she has a dismal compendium with one weak merit. Truth be told, she spends most of the time she should be working on her studies drawing or painting. As she has to make and mix her paints--that takes up a lot of time. That's how she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, with two Legion's Commanders questioning her for her artwork.
Oh, this book is sheer brilliance and so twisty-turny. I had no idea where we were going. Robin Kirk lead me around by the proverbial ear, and I read like an addict because the story is pure joy. Well, not joy like it makes you happy because much of it makes your heart a little sore but joy in that it's a damn good book.
I loved to watch Dinitra evolve from this girl from the Weave and all the things she's programmed to believe there, to got to the bounty and all the new BS they wanted to teach her there, while Dinitra had this gift to shut up and see. And she saw all the new propaganda she heard meant to replace the old propaganda. But she found herself. It gave me feels.
I totally loved this book. I loved Dinitra's bond with 12 and her bond with Fir. And I loved the bond she had with Kesh, even if it was a weird one. I am excited for the Hive Queen!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary advance copy of this book.
December 31, 2020
[🌟🌟🌟🌟]
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Thank you @favouritepagesclub & the author for the review copies.
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OMG OMG OMG!! New favourite series alert!!
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The first book follows our main character Dinitra as she navigates her life after 'graduation' from Collegiate and learn to love her life along with her band of friends and her new found love for her mutant ninja warrior.
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Omg can we talk about that blurb? I got hooked when it said we would have mutant battle dog and a kidnapping. Now, coming to the book, I absolutely loved the character introductions and I honestly read this book for my favourite fluffy pumpkin 12. That's it. We have a protagonist and her trusted dog side kick taking over the plot and saving the world. I don't think you guys need more ammunition to read this book. The plot reads a bit like a SciFi fantasy, so even if you don't like one of the either genre, you will still like it.
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The writing was so beautiful and the character portrayal was amazing, and we get to see the difference in the world setting with every scene. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Dini and Fir, (it felt like Romeo and Juliet inspired story but with a SciFi twist and an evil Queen ).
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The ending of that first book gives so much to hope and expect, and
The second book just continues to be amazing. It's told from Fir's point of view after the ending of The Bond and it kept getting better! It deals with a lot of emotions among characters, betrayal, choices with high stakes and a sacrifice that would mean life or death. It had everything on the line and that just made the story so much better! I really loved Fir's pov since we were accustomed to men being 'unwanted' in this world from the first book. Without revealing much, let me just say this book gave me so much feels that I'm rereading it again as I write this review.
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So, basically what I'm trying to say is, GO READ THIS GEM OF A BEAUTIFUL BOOK !! And then come to me so that we can cry over that ending and have happy tears over our precious babies.
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Thank you @favouritepagesclub & the author for the review copies.
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OMG OMG OMG!! New favourite series alert!!
.
The first book follows our main character Dinitra as she navigates her life after 'graduation' from Collegiate and learn to love her life along with her band of friends and her new found love for her mutant ninja warrior.
.
Omg can we talk about that blurb? I got hooked when it said we would have mutant battle dog and a kidnapping. Now, coming to the book, I absolutely loved the character introductions and I honestly read this book for my favourite fluffy pumpkin 12. That's it. We have a protagonist and her trusted dog side kick taking over the plot and saving the world. I don't think you guys need more ammunition to read this book. The plot reads a bit like a SciFi fantasy, so even if you don't like one of the either genre, you will still like it.
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The writing was so beautiful and the character portrayal was amazing, and we get to see the difference in the world setting with every scene. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Dini and Fir, (it felt like Romeo and Juliet inspired story but with a SciFi twist and an evil Queen ).
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The ending of that first book gives so much to hope and expect, and
The second book just continues to be amazing. It's told from Fir's point of view after the ending of The Bond and it kept getting better! It deals with a lot of emotions among characters, betrayal, choices with high stakes and a sacrifice that would mean life or death. It had everything on the line and that just made the story so much better! I really loved Fir's pov since we were accustomed to men being 'unwanted' in this world from the first book. Without revealing much, let me just say this book gave me so much feels that I'm rereading it again as I write this review.
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So, basically what I'm trying to say is, GO READ THIS GEM OF A BEAUTIFUL BOOK !! And then come to me so that we can cry over that ending and have happy tears over our precious babies.
January 11, 2024
This book was absolutely AMAZING!!!! This was one of my downloads on “stuff your kindle day,” and I am ever so thankful I downloaded it! This is a trilogy, and I will be buying the other 2 books ASAP!
I think I would best place this as a science fiction novel. I also think fantasy lovers would like this as well.
The main character, Dinitra 584-KxA, has reached the end of her schooling at Collegium. She is not sure where her destiny will take her as she is a very sub par student with a talent for drawing that doesn’t really translate to the job force. Dinitra and her collegium mates all receive shocking placements in the job force, but they are placed together- unexpectedly. Thankfully they venture together into the unknown . However, Dinitra soon learns to trust what she sees, not what she has been told, as the world around her is so much more than she bargained for. Her job is to train a rare hyba-cross named 12. Overcoming her fear, she learns that training 12 is an amazing task that she is quite good at. And her journey from there takes a drastic turn. Thankfully, 12 sticks by her side, the ever faithful companion. The bond they have becomes a force to be reckoned with.
I could say so much more, but want you to go on your own journey with Dinitra and 12. I don’t want to give anything away!
My ONLY complaint is the horribly poor editing that ensued with this novel. The typos and errors are very frustrating. They are so numerous, so annoying to read, and I do think they distract from the gorgeousness of this story. Dear Robin Kirk, if you need a new person to edit your work, I am your lady!
I think I would best place this as a science fiction novel. I also think fantasy lovers would like this as well.
The main character, Dinitra 584-KxA, has reached the end of her schooling at Collegium. She is not sure where her destiny will take her as she is a very sub par student with a talent for drawing that doesn’t really translate to the job force. Dinitra and her collegium mates all receive shocking placements in the job force, but they are placed together- unexpectedly. Thankfully they venture together into the unknown . However, Dinitra soon learns to trust what she sees, not what she has been told, as the world around her is so much more than she bargained for. Her job is to train a rare hyba-cross named 12. Overcoming her fear, she learns that training 12 is an amazing task that she is quite good at. And her journey from there takes a drastic turn. Thankfully, 12 sticks by her side, the ever faithful companion. The bond they have becomes a force to be reckoned with.
I could say so much more, but want you to go on your own journey with Dinitra and 12. I don’t want to give anything away!
My ONLY complaint is the horribly poor editing that ensued with this novel. The typos and errors are very frustrating. They are so numerous, so annoying to read, and I do think they distract from the gorgeousness of this story. Dear Robin Kirk, if you need a new person to edit your work, I am your lady!
December 3, 2018
From the first page, the reader is thrown into an immensely thought out, futuristic world, similar to our own, but different enough that it takes a chapter or two to wrap your head around things. The introduction of new characters and terms was a bit fast for me, but when describing a separate world to someone for the first time, confusion can be difficult to avoid. The heroine of the story is not stereotypical in any sense which is refreshing: not exactly proficient in school, not athletic, and a complete fraidy cat, which makes her character arc dramatic and very fun to watch. Overall, it was a fun read!
September 30, 2018
Robin Kirk immerses the reader in her brilliantly imagined society, where children are created through precise genetic engineering and males have been virtually eradicated. Dinitra uncovers secrets that shake the very foundations of her belief system. This story may be fantasy, but the issues it raises are universal: the price of war, loyalty vs. freedom, individual rights vs. the common good. THE BOND is a rollicking adventure story whose underlying questions make for a read that is as thought-provoking as it is highly entertaining.
December 12, 2023
Another beautiful dystopia. In this setting, individuals are created with specific attributes for specific purposes. Only the beast creates by natural mating. The males are created with a deadly virus that binds them to a daily remedy.
All we know is what we're told, shown and taught to belive as we are raised. How are we to cope when we learn is all a lie?
This book had so much potential but it was marred down with a forced love story that was weak and unnecessary.
Some of the writing was truly captivating while at other times it was garbage
All we know is what we're told, shown and taught to belive as we are raised. How are we to cope when we learn is all a lie?
This book had so much potential but it was marred down with a forced love story that was weak and unnecessary.
Some of the writing was truly captivating while at other times it was garbage
August 29, 2020
Up until 60% of the way through, I just was enthrawled. Then the leader ordered the stupidest 'training' exercise (think: "Ok, I want you to walk into that spinning propeller and the rest of you, watch carefully how he gets chewed up so you can learn"). And what followed was an entire window into injustices promulgated by "the good guys" that left them little better than "the bad guys", so who cares at that point?
The whole story fell apart from then on.
The whole story fell apart from then on.
September 1, 2020
Whoa! Absolutely LOVED this debut fantasy about a world in which women and girls rule all and men and boys are "contained" or found only "in the wild." Incredible world-building, inventive elements, and fast-paced storytelling make this an absolute winner for me.
**Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author for purposes of a blog tour for book 2. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.
**Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author for purposes of a blog tour for book 2. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.
January 9, 2024
Sci-fi is not my usual genre, but I’m so glad I discovered this book because I LOVED IT!
This has similar vibes to Hunger Games and Divergent, a unique dystopian world, but this one is run entirely by women! The main character discovers there is a resistance growing against the government she has grown up serving, with genetically engineered humans. But both sides have corruptions, so which side is actually better? A fascinating world and story, I cannot wait to read book 2!
This has similar vibes to Hunger Games and Divergent, a unique dystopian world, but this one is run entirely by women! The main character discovers there is a resistance growing against the government she has grown up serving, with genetically engineered humans. But both sides have corruptions, so which side is actually better? A fascinating world and story, I cannot wait to read book 2!
March 5, 2024
This book could have really used a good editor. Not having proper paragraph breaks and no new starts for different speakers and missing words and just overall grammatical mistakes pissed me off throughout the book. Maybe it was my online version? But that stuff almost made me stop reading. However, the world building, the characters, seeing where this story goes in the future, all kept me tied to the book and so I finished it! For a middle grade level book, it was honestly pretty good.
January 1, 2021
Fantastic book--does everything speculative fiction should: present a world that causes the reader to question their own society, opinions, beliefs. Best yet, it does so without presenting the answers and truly respects the reader. The writing is consistently truly beautiful, the characters believable and the plot is gripping. A complete package--a great read.
February 2, 2021
The Bond is a riveting dark post-apocalyptic romp that hooked me from its very first line. Set in a dark and unsettling world populated by cyborgs, genetically engineered humans and mutants, at its core The Bond is a story of Dinitra who must make an uneasy choice, her loyalty, bravery and humanity tested in the process
August 31, 2020
Not one for me
January 21, 2023
Enjoyable. Reminiscent of The Giver. Will read the next in the series if I can find it.
July 31, 2023
Dystopian but not even scientifically sound.
October 13, 2020
A dark, apocalyptic thriller that will leave readers with questions but wanting more after the last page is turned.
In a world where males are obsolete and women are all that are known, females have been equipped with enhanced gifts engineered by a group called Sowers and the Weave. Dinitra waits to find out her purpose with the other girls when they turn sixteen. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes the Sowers make mistakes. The Weave is under scrutiny and a group of resistance and rebels are planning to attack with their own breed of humans they created, including males. Dinitra gets her assignment and is sent far away to a group she never thought she would be with and finds out secrets of the Weave and herself that could change everything.
The Bond definitely did not start or end the way I expected. The start was slow and then didn’t seem to mesh with the middle or end very well. I had a hard time with this one, the world building wasn’t really there for me. This is set in an apocalyptic future and no matter how hard I tried, I could not envision what was happening. I needed about a hundred more pages of well-enhanced detail for who these people were, what has happened in history to lead to this point, and where the story is heading. Even though this is labeled a YA, I have a hard time recommending it for that age group because of some of the themes throughout. If I had a hard time following, I’m guessing young readers will as well. By the end, the story did pull me in a little more and I enjoyed the bond between Dinitra and 12, even if the set up to that point was little off. Dinitra did grow a tremendous amount as a protagonist from start to finish; at the beginning I saw her as weak, unskilled and pretty hopeless for what the set up was going for, but by the end she is one of the strongest around and able to better carry the story. I’m still a little unsure of where it is all headed but will follow up with the next in the series to see if I can better connect with the characters and the story. I do think this story will be enjoyable for lovers of Dystopian and Science Fiction. If that is not one of your favorite genres, this one isn’t for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
In a world where males are obsolete and women are all that are known, females have been equipped with enhanced gifts engineered by a group called Sowers and the Weave. Dinitra waits to find out her purpose with the other girls when they turn sixteen. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes the Sowers make mistakes. The Weave is under scrutiny and a group of resistance and rebels are planning to attack with their own breed of humans they created, including males. Dinitra gets her assignment and is sent far away to a group she never thought she would be with and finds out secrets of the Weave and herself that could change everything.
The Bond definitely did not start or end the way I expected. The start was slow and then didn’t seem to mesh with the middle or end very well. I had a hard time with this one, the world building wasn’t really there for me. This is set in an apocalyptic future and no matter how hard I tried, I could not envision what was happening. I needed about a hundred more pages of well-enhanced detail for who these people were, what has happened in history to lead to this point, and where the story is heading. Even though this is labeled a YA, I have a hard time recommending it for that age group because of some of the themes throughout. If I had a hard time following, I’m guessing young readers will as well. By the end, the story did pull me in a little more and I enjoyed the bond between Dinitra and 12, even if the set up to that point was little off. Dinitra did grow a tremendous amount as a protagonist from start to finish; at the beginning I saw her as weak, unskilled and pretty hopeless for what the set up was going for, but by the end she is one of the strongest around and able to better carry the story. I’m still a little unsure of where it is all headed but will follow up with the next in the series to see if I can better connect with the characters and the story. I do think this story will be enjoyable for lovers of Dystopian and Science Fiction. If that is not one of your favorite genres, this one isn’t for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
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