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The Reflections Trilogy #1
The Reflections
Everyone in the Alliance knows about the Reflections. It’s the opportunity to get into the University, the only government-recognized form of education, and those accepted are guaranteed success and comfort for the rest of their lives. Thus, when Em Gades receives the silver invitation, her future is secured. The worst that could happen is she gets sent home, right?
Until she arrives, and the rumors about the Reflections prove true. The only way to live is to get into the University, and to do that you must be one of the four remaining Chosens at the end of the competition. Although she was warned beforehand to trust no one, Em quickly forms attachments to her fellow teammates with the hope that as many of them can survive as possible. However, as Chosens are rapidly executed for failing competitions, Em struggles to understand that, if God is real, why he would let something so terrible happen to a group of mostly innocent teenagers. With likely no more than a few days left to live, she and the other Chosens must navigate life or death situations and find answers to the question:
Are their lives worth the deaths of others?
Until she arrives, and the rumors about the Reflections prove true. The only way to live is to get into the University, and to do that you must be one of the four remaining Chosens at the end of the competition. Although she was warned beforehand to trust no one, Em quickly forms attachments to her fellow teammates with the hope that as many of them can survive as possible. However, as Chosens are rapidly executed for failing competitions, Em struggles to understand that, if God is real, why he would let something so terrible happen to a group of mostly innocent teenagers. With likely no more than a few days left to live, she and the other Chosens must navigate life or death situations and find answers to the question:
Are their lives worth the deaths of others?
462 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2022
1 person is currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
Em Seaver
2 books58 followersTo find an E. K. Seaver, you must set a trap. The best option is to lure her in using chocolate, blankets, and a typewriter, but if none of those are on hand, spare books and Broadway music can be easily substituted.
She prefers to be wild and free, though. Whether it includes adventuring through the Rocky Mountains or curled up at a local bookshop, she uses her freedom to produce art. From books to scarves to paintings, Ms. Seaver strives to honor her King in every aspect of her creative works. She desires her stories to hold meaning beyond the tale and attempts to follow in the footsteps of storytellers who came before her.
You can find her and her wild adventures at ekseaver.wordpress.com or on Instagram @ekseaver.author
She prefers to be wild and free, though. Whether it includes adventuring through the Rocky Mountains or curled up at a local bookshop, she uses her freedom to produce art. From books to scarves to paintings, Ms. Seaver strives to honor her King in every aspect of her creative works. She desires her stories to hold meaning beyond the tale and attempts to follow in the footsteps of storytellers who came before her.
You can find her and her wild adventures at ekseaver.wordpress.com or on Instagram @ekseaver.author
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 31, 2022
Characters: Em was a great main character. Her struggle to come to terms with the horrors of the dystopian government was well written, and her efforts to save her friends were inspiring. I did tend to get some of the side characters confused as there were a lot of them at the beginning. Near the end, they’d dwindled in number thanks to being in a dystopian novel. So there were definitely some sad parts in this book :(
Language: Clean.
Moral: One of the big themes in this novel was the value of life. Another theme was salvation as Em realized her need for a Savior.
Plot: Although this book had lots of suspenseful/action moments, those were interspersed with some well-deserved humor.
Romance: Clean. Just some romantic feelings.
Writing: This is the first book I’ve read by E.K. Seaver, and I really enjoyed her writing style. She wrote Em’s first-person perspective well and described all the dystopian elements in an understandable way.
Overall: The Reflections was an exciting read, and I’d recommend it to those who enjoy Christian fiction and YA dystopian.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Language: Clean.
Moral: One of the big themes in this novel was the value of life. Another theme was salvation as Em realized her need for a Savior.
Plot: Although this book had lots of suspenseful/action moments, those were interspersed with some well-deserved humor.
Romance: Clean. Just some romantic feelings.
Writing: This is the first book I’ve read by E.K. Seaver, and I really enjoyed her writing style. She wrote Em’s first-person perspective well and described all the dystopian elements in an understandable way.
Overall: The Reflections was an exciting read, and I’d recommend it to those who enjoy Christian fiction and YA dystopian.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
April 2, 2022
Stars: 4
Synopsis: The day Em Gades received the summons letter that she, of all the nine thousand people left on earth, had been chosen to compete in The Reflections, she had no idea what she’d be up against. When she arrives a few days later, she’s met with a corrupt government, danger on all sides, willful murder, betrayal, and more questions than there are answers.
Y’all, it seems like just yesterday that I was signed up to beta-read The Reflections, and yet it’s been a year and a half! I’d only just “met” E.K. the month before on Kingdom Pen (a Christian writers forum), and we’d talked back and forth about biblical worldview in fiction, portraying death and murder, and more.
Here we are many months later, and this amazing dystopian novel is finally coming out into the world! (And Seaver and I are buds now...who still talk about death occasionally.)
First of all, I am SO excited to see Christian elements woven into The Reflections (there weren’t originally)! Seaver did a fantastic job of weaving the faith elements (or...lack-of-faith elements...maybe?) into this story in a way that was relatable, simplistic, and genuine! Em’s doubts and questions were geared toward the circumstances of The Reflections, but we’ve all asked the same ones ourselves, and I really enjoyed reading about her spiritual struggles and what will hopefully become her relationship with Christ!
Second, I personally though the death/murder was portrayed rather well. A bit gruesome at times (which doesn’t bother me), but Em saw it as wrong and even without her perspective on it, there were still obvious consequences and affects that drove the point home. Murder certainly wasn’t brushed off like it is in secular fiction (or in the absolutely vile Lady Alyssa’s mind).
Now, on to the meat of the story!
For me, this was a unique concept. I don’t read a lot of dystopian/speculative fiction, so naturally I didn’t have a lot to compare this too and I thought the premise was intriguing. Yes, it’s a lot like The Hunger Games (from what I’ve read on Wikipedia about it *winks*) and To Best the Boys by Mary Weber, but it has its own style and personality (some of which can be attributed to Seaver herself). For some, maybe it’s cliché. For me, I enjoyed it!
I feel like there could’ve been a little more development, though, because the beginning and ending were so rushed! I know most people advise writers to jump into the action on the opening page, but I prefer to get to know the main character and come to care for them before they’re thrust into that precarious situation. As for the ending...either I read it too fast (I was cramming so I could get this review in, after all) or the Death Maze and everything came and went very quickly. It did leave things open for the second book, though, which works out great!
Some instances didn’t flow well, as if we were missing scenes or information, and I still feel like there should’ve been more on how everything operated! Maybe I wanted Lady Alyssa’s POV...or I needed some explanation on why she did what she did and how it furthered her plans (then again, she could just be insane). Hopefully that’ll be addressed in the next book, because I do feel like there were some serious loose ends.
On my final negative note, the writing. Like, to me, Seaver’s third-person novella The House That Didn’t End had better prose. It was sarcastic, it was poetic, it was balanced, the characters’ voices shone...but in TR? Nope. I hate to say it, but there were so many instances where the story read like this: “I trip and fall. I hit the ground. I land on my hands and knees.” Very stilted, unemotional, unengaged (not a word, but you get my point). I felt more like Em was narrating rather than experiencing at times, which didn’t work for first-person present tense.
I needed more flow, more balance between action and emotion. Even more clarity sometimes too.
That said, there were times where paragraphs flowed better, and Seaver made use of many fantastic metaphors/similes/analogies that gave her prose some of the flavor it was missing!
As for the almighty characters...y’all. Em was great. Sure, she wasn’t the best narrator and I didn’t connect to her character (I rarely ever connect to heroines; y’all know that), but she was still fabulous. She was real. Relatable. Normal. Not a feminist! Like, thank You, Jesus, because I am SO fed up with bratty, sarcastic heroines who act like they’re better than everyone else...when they’re not and they have no personality at all.
Not Em. Nope, she was just an average sixteen-year-old who was struggling with everything. She cried. She ran and hid. She trembled with fear. And then she had moments where she stood up. She dried her eyes. She helped others. So, yeah, perfect balance. Loved it.
And the secondary characters? Y’ALL. They were so vibrant and real and perfect and I just loved them all. I needed more. So. Much. More.
Like Flinn, for example.
*pauses for a moment*
You’ll understand after you read.
The characters really were the best part, I think.
Oh, and this: “I thought I had nothing to live for...but I found something better to die for.”
I think that about sums it up, folks. Would you die for your friends? Would you die for a stranger? Would you die to further an evil agenda?
More than that...what—or who—would you live for?
Long story short (actually not that long this time)...The Reflections quite literally had its ups and downs. Some things could’ve been paced better, written better, developed better...but in the end, the beautiful characters and themes redeemed this intense, insanely high-stakes YA dystopian novel!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy from the lovely author. All opinions expressed are my own.
Synopsis: The day Em Gades received the summons letter that she, of all the nine thousand people left on earth, had been chosen to compete in The Reflections, she had no idea what she’d be up against. When she arrives a few days later, she’s met with a corrupt government, danger on all sides, willful murder, betrayal, and more questions than there are answers.
Y’all, it seems like just yesterday that I was signed up to beta-read The Reflections, and yet it’s been a year and a half! I’d only just “met” E.K. the month before on Kingdom Pen (a Christian writers forum), and we’d talked back and forth about biblical worldview in fiction, portraying death and murder, and more.
Here we are many months later, and this amazing dystopian novel is finally coming out into the world! (And Seaver and I are buds now...who still talk about death occasionally.)
First of all, I am SO excited to see Christian elements woven into The Reflections (there weren’t originally)! Seaver did a fantastic job of weaving the faith elements (or...lack-of-faith elements...maybe?) into this story in a way that was relatable, simplistic, and genuine! Em’s doubts and questions were geared toward the circumstances of The Reflections, but we’ve all asked the same ones ourselves, and I really enjoyed reading about her spiritual struggles and what will hopefully become her relationship with Christ!
Second, I personally though the death/murder was portrayed rather well. A bit gruesome at times (which doesn’t bother me), but Em saw it as wrong and even without her perspective on it, there were still obvious consequences and affects that drove the point home. Murder certainly wasn’t brushed off like it is in secular fiction (or in the absolutely vile Lady Alyssa’s mind).
Now, on to the meat of the story!
For me, this was a unique concept. I don’t read a lot of dystopian/speculative fiction, so naturally I didn’t have a lot to compare this too and I thought the premise was intriguing. Yes, it’s a lot like The Hunger Games (from what I’ve read on Wikipedia about it *winks*) and To Best the Boys by Mary Weber, but it has its own style and personality (some of which can be attributed to Seaver herself). For some, maybe it’s cliché. For me, I enjoyed it!
I feel like there could’ve been a little more development, though, because the beginning and ending were so rushed! I know most people advise writers to jump into the action on the opening page, but I prefer to get to know the main character and come to care for them before they’re thrust into that precarious situation. As for the ending...either I read it too fast (I was cramming so I could get this review in, after all) or the Death Maze and everything came and went very quickly. It did leave things open for the second book, though, which works out great!
Some instances didn’t flow well, as if we were missing scenes or information, and I still feel like there should’ve been more on how everything operated! Maybe I wanted Lady Alyssa’s POV...or I needed some explanation on why she did what she did and how it furthered her plans (then again, she could just be insane). Hopefully that’ll be addressed in the next book, because I do feel like there were some serious loose ends.
On my final negative note, the writing. Like, to me, Seaver’s third-person novella The House That Didn’t End had better prose. It was sarcastic, it was poetic, it was balanced, the characters’ voices shone...but in TR? Nope. I hate to say it, but there were so many instances where the story read like this: “I trip and fall. I hit the ground. I land on my hands and knees.” Very stilted, unemotional, unengaged (not a word, but you get my point). I felt more like Em was narrating rather than experiencing at times, which didn’t work for first-person present tense.
I needed more flow, more balance between action and emotion. Even more clarity sometimes too.
That said, there were times where paragraphs flowed better, and Seaver made use of many fantastic metaphors/similes/analogies that gave her prose some of the flavor it was missing!
As for the almighty characters...y’all. Em was great. Sure, she wasn’t the best narrator and I didn’t connect to her character (I rarely ever connect to heroines; y’all know that), but she was still fabulous. She was real. Relatable. Normal. Not a feminist! Like, thank You, Jesus, because I am SO fed up with bratty, sarcastic heroines who act like they’re better than everyone else...when they’re not and they have no personality at all.
Not Em. Nope, she was just an average sixteen-year-old who was struggling with everything. She cried. She ran and hid. She trembled with fear. And then she had moments where she stood up. She dried her eyes. She helped others. So, yeah, perfect balance. Loved it.
And the secondary characters? Y’ALL. They were so vibrant and real and perfect and I just loved them all. I needed more. So. Much. More.
Like Flinn, for example.
*pauses for a moment*
You’ll understand after you read.
The characters really were the best part, I think.
Oh, and this: “I thought I had nothing to live for...but I found something better to die for.”
I think that about sums it up, folks. Would you die for your friends? Would you die for a stranger? Would you die to further an evil agenda?
More than that...what—or who—would you live for?
Long story short (actually not that long this time)...The Reflections quite literally had its ups and downs. Some things could’ve been paced better, written better, developed better...but in the end, the beautiful characters and themes redeemed this intense, insanely high-stakes YA dystopian novel!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy from the lovely author. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 26, 2022
3.5 stars.
We need more Christian dystopian books. This story was gripping and intense (with a touch of Maze Runner vibes). There were several times that it felt a bit slow and a lot of the characters’ emotions/reactions to things confused me a bit. I had trouble connecting with the main character, but this story is a powerful one and I look forward to seeing how it continues.
We need more Christian dystopian books. This story was gripping and intense (with a touch of Maze Runner vibes). There were several times that it felt a bit slow and a lot of the characters’ emotions/reactions to things confused me a bit. I had trouble connecting with the main character, but this story is a powerful one and I look forward to seeing how it continues.
August 28, 2022
Wow. that was intense and SO GOOD. I LOVE dystopian/evil government/rebelling people kind of books. Hunger Games, A Time to Die, now the Reflections. It was a very intense book though so that's definitely something to keep in mind before reading. *nods* Very good book tho!
March 21, 2022
I read this a few years ago in an earlier draft and thought it was pretty cool! Looking forward to reading the final product when it's published. Also I love the cover :) Congratulations E.K.! Super happy for you.
July 29, 2022
4.5 Stars
Why? Why did she do this to me? My heart is like, shattered! Ugh, I become way too attached to fictional characters.
Wow! This was really good...I will say the details on some deaths was a little more than I was comfortable with, but besides that the book was so good!
There was so many characters and I could spoil so much with just a slip of the fingers here so this review is gonna ramble more than my last ones.
Characters:
As I said I became way too attached to characters, Choi was one of my favs! He was so much fun! Flinn was also great! Daemon I did not like...and Em (the MC) was likable for a girl. If you follow my reviews you know that for some unknown reason I'm not big on girl characters. *shrugs* oh, I did like Flame though, she seemed sweet!
Violence:
Pretty violent book if you can't tell from reading the blurb. It's sort of got (I haven't read them but it seems similar) a Hunger Game feel but with less gore. There were a few parts where I skimmed because it was a little much for me.
Lots of people die, a character is murder(that scene was too much for me and I skimmed), a minor commits sucide, Em has suicidal thoughts at one point because everything seems hopeless, and a lot of people get hurt.
Theme:
I'm having a hard time summing the theme up, just because my emotional state is so hurt. *glares at Miss Seaver* But it was a great book!
Language:
A mentions of heck, side word my brother uses it I prefer not to but there weren't many and they were in pretty intense situations so it was fine.
Romance:
*wipes eyes* sweetest little blossoming romance and I won't say anymore.
Overall:
Grab a box of tissues, your favorite thing to cuddle, and be prepared to have you heart ripped out. :)
Seriously, it was a beautiful book, with a gory spot or two (to me), and I really enjoyed reading it even though I'm gonna go cry for a little while, jk.
Definitely recommend for 15+ just because of all the deaths, murder, and intensity.
Why? Why did she do this to me? My heart is like, shattered! Ugh, I become way too attached to fictional characters.
Wow! This was really good...I will say the details on some deaths was a little more than I was comfortable with, but besides that the book was so good!
There was so many characters and I could spoil so much with just a slip of the fingers here so this review is gonna ramble more than my last ones.
Characters:
As I said I became way too attached to characters, Choi was one of my favs! He was so much fun! Flinn was also great! Daemon I did not like...and Em (the MC) was likable for a girl. If you follow my reviews you know that for some unknown reason I'm not big on girl characters. *shrugs* oh, I did like Flame though, she seemed sweet!
Violence:
Pretty violent book if you can't tell from reading the blurb. It's sort of got (I haven't read them but it seems similar) a Hunger Game feel but with less gore. There were a few parts where I skimmed because it was a little much for me.
Lots of people die, a character is murder(that scene was too much for me and I skimmed), a minor commits sucide, Em has suicidal thoughts at one point because everything seems hopeless, and a lot of people get hurt.
Theme:
I'm having a hard time summing the theme up, just because my emotional state is so hurt. *glares at Miss Seaver* But it was a great book!
Language:
A mentions of heck, side word my brother uses it I prefer not to but there weren't many and they were in pretty intense situations so it was fine.
Romance:
*wipes eyes* sweetest little blossoming romance and I won't say anymore.
Overall:
Grab a box of tissues, your favorite thing to cuddle, and be prepared to have you heart ripped out. :)
Seriously, it was a beautiful book, with a gory spot or two (to me), and I really enjoyed reading it even though I'm gonna go cry for a little while, jk.
Definitely recommend for 15+ just because of all the deaths, murder, and intensity.
August 30, 2025
4.5 Stars
July 4, 2022
4.5 stars
The Reflections is an incredibly intense, properly chilling addition to the world of dystopian YA fiction. This book isn't a piece of cake. For all that it's YA, it conveys a frightening, confusing battle between light and darkness, and gives readers plenty to chew on (while wrenching out their hearts). I'll admit, the ending stunned me - but in the best possible way. It's bitter with a tinge of sweet, and it's shocking in its normalcy, and it gave me a real sense of heavy, heavy loss. And yet, somewhere in there, there's a sliver of hope, slowly growing... and it makes me so excited to read the next book.
This book won't be for everyone. It's dystopian, it's fast-paced, and it's YA. To be honest, I'm cutting half a star because it was just a bit too quick-paced in the beginning for me to get my bearings. But the powerful storytelling and themes were so well done, I found it very much worth my time.
The Reflections is an incredibly intense, properly chilling addition to the world of dystopian YA fiction. This book isn't a piece of cake. For all that it's YA, it conveys a frightening, confusing battle between light and darkness, and gives readers plenty to chew on (while wrenching out their hearts). I'll admit, the ending stunned me - but in the best possible way. It's bitter with a tinge of sweet, and it's shocking in its normalcy, and it gave me a real sense of heavy, heavy loss. And yet, somewhere in there, there's a sliver of hope, slowly growing... and it makes me so excited to read the next book.
This book won't be for everyone. It's dystopian, it's fast-paced, and it's YA. To be honest, I'm cutting half a star because it was just a bit too quick-paced in the beginning for me to get my bearings. But the powerful storytelling and themes were so well done, I found it very much worth my time.
April 6, 2022
I enjoyed this book. It was a little hard to keep track of, and not the most emotionally gripping book I’ve ever read, but I enjoyed it all the same.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of. I got Nathanael and Michael mixed up at least once. A lot of the other characters I just didn’t even try to keep straight because (honestly) I figured they would die, anyway. The 4-6 core characters were mangeable, so I stuck with those and with whatever other characters had notable enough features to cement them in my brain.
I didn’t connect a whole lot with Em, but y’all know I don’t normally connect with MCs anyway. Her thoughts on things did more waffling than I might have liked, going back and forth between “FIGHT THE ALLIANCE” and “go along with the Alliance ’cause maybe we can change it later,” which might have stuck out to me less if those transitions had been smoother; they felt a little choppy and unexpected a lot of times.
I did like Flinn. Flinn was great. A little more forward than I generally like, even with a flirtatious type, but still fun to read overall. And I liked the way he made Em feel safe. I’ve known guys like that, guys who take care of those around them and just feel safe, so I could connect with him and with Em’s feelings toward him.
Choi deserved more page time. I wanted to know more about him, about his relationships with his girlfriend and his sister. He was such a sweet character and I would have liked to see more of him.
I was pretty lukewarm about the other characters; since there were so many, very few characters really got a chance to develop as deeply as I would have liked for getting to know them, but I think that’s just one of the hazards of a large cast when the large cast is a necessity of the setting.
The plot had moments that felt quite reminiscent of other dystopian stories (notably Divergent and The Hunger Games), but that didn’t bug me too much. I enjoyed those setups, and dystopian seems to be more trope-heavy than some other genres.
I would have liked to know more about the world. (I know, I know.) It wasn’t under-described, exactly. We did technically know everything we needed to know about the setting. But I was never able to get clear on why The Alliance thought The Reflections were a good idea (or why they’re called The Reflections), or exactly how the government connects with the school, or what is the bigger picture of the world… I would have liked more depth and cohesion to all of that, and more on how it impacts everyday life and not just The Reflections.
I did like the faith elements woven in. They felt organic to the character and they added a depth and a bit of a different dynamic to the story.
Overall… I guess I would have liked more depth all-around (and more research into ballroom dance and the relaxation of muscles after death, but that’s just me being a nerd and knowing things), but The Reflections was an enjoyable story, a good balance of “oh no we’re going to die” and down time for the character relationships to develop, and an interesting introduction to a larger world. I’m curious to see where Emily goes next, both with this series and her writing as a whole.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of. I got Nathanael and Michael mixed up at least once. A lot of the other characters I just didn’t even try to keep straight because (honestly) I figured they would die, anyway. The 4-6 core characters were mangeable, so I stuck with those and with whatever other characters had notable enough features to cement them in my brain.
I didn’t connect a whole lot with Em, but y’all know I don’t normally connect with MCs anyway. Her thoughts on things did more waffling than I might have liked, going back and forth between “FIGHT THE ALLIANCE” and “go along with the Alliance ’cause maybe we can change it later,” which might have stuck out to me less if those transitions had been smoother; they felt a little choppy and unexpected a lot of times.
I did like Flinn. Flinn was great. A little more forward than I generally like, even with a flirtatious type, but still fun to read overall. And I liked the way he made Em feel safe. I’ve known guys like that, guys who take care of those around them and just feel safe, so I could connect with him and with Em’s feelings toward him.
Choi deserved more page time. I wanted to know more about him, about his relationships with his girlfriend and his sister. He was such a sweet character and I would have liked to see more of him.
I was pretty lukewarm about the other characters; since there were so many, very few characters really got a chance to develop as deeply as I would have liked for getting to know them, but I think that’s just one of the hazards of a large cast when the large cast is a necessity of the setting.
The plot had moments that felt quite reminiscent of other dystopian stories (notably Divergent and The Hunger Games), but that didn’t bug me too much. I enjoyed those setups, and dystopian seems to be more trope-heavy than some other genres.
I would have liked to know more about the world. (I know, I know.) It wasn’t under-described, exactly. We did technically know everything we needed to know about the setting. But I was never able to get clear on why The Alliance thought The Reflections were a good idea (or why they’re called The Reflections), or exactly how the government connects with the school, or what is the bigger picture of the world… I would have liked more depth and cohesion to all of that, and more on how it impacts everyday life and not just The Reflections.
I did like the faith elements woven in. They felt organic to the character and they added a depth and a bit of a different dynamic to the story.
Overall… I guess I would have liked more depth all-around (and more research into ballroom dance and the relaxation of muscles after death, but that’s just me being a nerd and knowing things), but The Reflections was an enjoyable story, a good balance of “oh no we’re going to die” and down time for the character relationships to develop, and an interesting introduction to a larger world. I’m curious to see where Emily goes next, both with this series and her writing as a whole.
April 18, 2022
“𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵.”
The Reflections is a spectacularly written story I was blessed to able to ARC read!
The prose is beautiful, and E.K. Seaver’s words just flow off the page. The Reflections is intense and dark, with humor and lighthearted moments woven in. It will raise questions about faith, human nature, the confines of society, and what must be done in order to survive.
Seaver takes elements of a classic dystopian and spins them into something far more intriguing. It’s refreshing to see a dystopian with Christian themes. Do not be fooled, however- no one is safe, and far less are spared.
I truly enjoyed the worldbuilding, characters, and conflicts. The dialogue and description were great as well. Each character, from the minor ones to the main protagonists, and the ones who stuck around and the ones who didn’t, was diverse and uniquely their own person. They were not all carbon copies or NPC’s, if you will, of each other.
If you enjoyed The Reflections and are looking for another fast-paced, intriguing read (you can certainly finish this book in a day- I flew through it!), then here are a few recommendations:
Untouchable by MC Pending
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Alive by Scott Sigler
My favorite character by far was Micheal, Nathaniel and Nina being close seconds, as well as Zac and Marco. Em Gades, the main character, was a refreshing heroine. Her thoughts and feelings were very real, and I found myself connecting to her rather deeply at times.
The Reflections is a riveting, action-packed, high stakes read that will leave you with your mouth hanging open, and your eyes glistening with both tears of loss and rage at the evils in this story.
Note: I received a free, digital file of this book from the author. I applied to be an ARC reader, though I have still purchased the book because I'd like to support her, and it's very beautiful! <3
The Reflections is a spectacularly written story I was blessed to able to ARC read!
The prose is beautiful, and E.K. Seaver’s words just flow off the page. The Reflections is intense and dark, with humor and lighthearted moments woven in. It will raise questions about faith, human nature, the confines of society, and what must be done in order to survive.
Seaver takes elements of a classic dystopian and spins them into something far more intriguing. It’s refreshing to see a dystopian with Christian themes. Do not be fooled, however- no one is safe, and far less are spared.
I truly enjoyed the worldbuilding, characters, and conflicts. The dialogue and description were great as well. Each character, from the minor ones to the main protagonists, and the ones who stuck around and the ones who didn’t, was diverse and uniquely their own person. They were not all carbon copies or NPC’s, if you will, of each other.
If you enjoyed The Reflections and are looking for another fast-paced, intriguing read (you can certainly finish this book in a day- I flew through it!), then here are a few recommendations:
Untouchable by MC Pending
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Alive by Scott Sigler
My favorite character by far was Micheal, Nathaniel and Nina being close seconds, as well as Zac and Marco. Em Gades, the main character, was a refreshing heroine. Her thoughts and feelings were very real, and I found myself connecting to her rather deeply at times.
The Reflections is a riveting, action-packed, high stakes read that will leave you with your mouth hanging open, and your eyes glistening with both tears of loss and rage at the evils in this story.
Note: I received a free, digital file of this book from the author. I applied to be an ARC reader, though I have still purchased the book because I'd like to support her, and it's very beautiful! <3
March 7, 2022
Wow. Seaver has crafted a mind-bending, heart-throbbing story. You think it’s gonna be the typical “dystopian world and corrupt governments are bad, be good people” story, but Seaver managed to avoid that. Instead, I found myself questioning my morals in particular situations just as the MC, Em Gades, did. You really won’t know what is right or wrong in this world. And, well, it was kind of weird to have an internal crisis like that—but refreshing!
And Seaver keeps you on your toes! The first couple chapters are setup chapters, so not much action, but trust me: keep reading if you want to finish this book in a day. It’s more than possible.
***MASSIVE SPOILERS***
I’m used to authors (including myself) reserving death for only unimportant characters or 1–2 big characters.
I was SO SURPRISED how Seaver managed to let go of the ENTIRE cast like that! Especially because it felt like we formed those bonds with all the characters in a way that makes us feel, “Ohhh, okay, so they’re not gonna die because they play an actual part in the story and aren’t just a background character.” No. That was so wrong.
At the same time, I respect and commend Seaver for it! Personally, I struggle with that. It’s why I don’t write stories that require me to do that. It’s hard! But Seaver kept it realistic, and at the end of the day, that’s one of the best aspects of RF. She stayed true to her story and world.
***END OF SPOILERS***
All in all, E.K. Seaver has written a dystopian world set apart from most others. This was a rather refreshing book, and I’m excited for her future with it, as well as for the next book. :)
And Seaver keeps you on your toes! The first couple chapters are setup chapters, so not much action, but trust me: keep reading if you want to finish this book in a day. It’s more than possible.
***MASSIVE SPOILERS***
I’m used to authors (including myself) reserving death for only unimportant characters or 1–2 big characters.
I was SO SURPRISED how Seaver managed to let go of the ENTIRE cast like that! Especially because it felt like we formed those bonds with all the characters in a way that makes us feel, “Ohhh, okay, so they’re not gonna die because they play an actual part in the story and aren’t just a background character.” No. That was so wrong.
At the same time, I respect and commend Seaver for it! Personally, I struggle with that. It’s why I don’t write stories that require me to do that. It’s hard! But Seaver kept it realistic, and at the end of the day, that’s one of the best aspects of RF. She stayed true to her story and world.
***END OF SPOILERS***
All in all, E.K. Seaver has written a dystopian world set apart from most others. This was a rather refreshing book, and I’m excited for her future with it, as well as for the next book. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2022
First things first, I must apologize to EK for taking a literal eternity to start reading this masterpiece.
But I guess it serves you right for breaking my heart OVER and OVER and OVER. 😤
This is probably one of the first books I’ve read that I can say had a PLOT that shine brighter than any element of the story.
Even if I didn’t find certain characters interesting or distinguishable, it didn’t matter. I just needed to keep turning that page to see what would happen next. This freaking book had NO RIGHT to keep me so hooked.
It’s very rare for a book to leave me with a ..feeling. It’s something I can’t describe, but it takes a very special writer to physically rattle you and leave you breathless when you close the book.
It gave me creeps. In the best possible way.
EK was ruthless, and that’s where she excells. She took my predictions and expectations (especially with the romance) and twisted them all up into a ball, threw them into a trash can, and lit on fire.
And I was THRILLED.
EK, this was fantastic. You should be proud. Hands down one of the finest examples of dystopian fiction, indie or otherwise, and written be a TEENAGER no less.
Also #justicefornessa
Content Warning: bloody. People die. A lot. Suicide, thoughts about suicide, severed bodies briefly described. Scars described. Violence is a big one.
Romance ENTIRELY clean (almost non existent). No kissing, only hints.
But I guess it serves you right for breaking my heart OVER and OVER and OVER. 😤
This is probably one of the first books I’ve read that I can say had a PLOT that shine brighter than any element of the story.
Even if I didn’t find certain characters interesting or distinguishable, it didn’t matter. I just needed to keep turning that page to see what would happen next. This freaking book had NO RIGHT to keep me so hooked.
It’s very rare for a book to leave me with a ..feeling. It’s something I can’t describe, but it takes a very special writer to physically rattle you and leave you breathless when you close the book.
It gave me creeps. In the best possible way.
EK was ruthless, and that’s where she excells. She took my predictions and expectations (especially with the romance) and twisted them all up into a ball, threw them into a trash can, and lit on fire.
And I was THRILLED.
EK, this was fantastic. You should be proud. Hands down one of the finest examples of dystopian fiction, indie or otherwise, and written be a TEENAGER no less.
Also #justicefornessa
Content Warning: bloody. People die. A lot. Suicide, thoughts about suicide, severed bodies briefly described. Scars described. Violence is a big one.
Romance ENTIRELY clean (almost non existent). No kissing, only hints.
September 2, 2022
Oh, my goodness. This book just had my heart! I cried. Actually cried. Multiple times. The characters became so dear and I felt like I could feel their emotions and pains through the writing.
There were so many amazing characters in here. My favourite were namely Flynn, Nina, Choi, and Em. Each unique with such tragic backstories that play into who they were and their roll in the book. And the most amazing romance that broke my heart. Flynn’s statement at the end *tears* I will say no more for spoiler’s sake.
I loved that this book had Em’s faith (or lack of it?) journey. She asks all the hard questions when life can’t get any worse for her and in the end realizes she needs God to help her through.
Also, good and bad; right and wrong were portrayed very clearly and distinctly in here. Right as right and wrong as wrong. There’s murder, deceit, and other things that the character might excuse at the time but it is showed to be wrong in the end and are not without consequences.
There were some graphic scenes of some of the deaths in there. Though I didn’t find them overdone. Just enough detail to sympathize and yet not be excessive.
All in all a great read which I would read again. Amazingly written prose and characters.
There were so many amazing characters in here. My favourite were namely Flynn, Nina, Choi, and Em. Each unique with such tragic backstories that play into who they were and their roll in the book. And the most amazing romance that broke my heart. Flynn’s statement at the end *tears* I will say no more for spoiler’s sake.
I loved that this book had Em’s faith (or lack of it?) journey. She asks all the hard questions when life can’t get any worse for her and in the end realizes she needs God to help her through.
Also, good and bad; right and wrong were portrayed very clearly and distinctly in here. Right as right and wrong as wrong. There’s murder, deceit, and other things that the character might excuse at the time but it is showed to be wrong in the end and are not without consequences.
There were some graphic scenes of some of the deaths in there. Though I didn’t find them overdone. Just enough detail to sympathize and yet not be excessive.
All in all a great read which I would read again. Amazingly written prose and characters.
March 29, 2022
Overall, this book was extremely good. It was unlike any other dystopian novel I heave ever read. Most dystopian series and books are very morally gray. The whole point of books like the Hunger Games is to make you question what is actually right and wrong. It’s to blur the lines of what’s okay and what’s not okay when it comes to society. This novel was the opposite. Despite the main character, Em Gades, questioning whether or not something was worth it, she always seemed to have a very clear view of right and wrong. Not many characters in a dystopian setting have a very strong moral compass like Em.
On the other hand, I never really got to understand the characters on an emotional level. Especially, the main character. I could not relate to her at all. Nothing made me weep for them in the end. I felt like they told me things about themselves as though they were listing off facts, not as though they had gone though horrific and terrible things. I normally cry over character deaths, but I didn’t know enough about them to weep for them.
On top of that, I felt like the beginning and introductions were a bit rushed. I didn’t get enough of a base layer of knowledge to know or understand the setting or (again) the main character.
I would still recommend this book though. It is unique and worth the read despite any and all imperfections.
On the other hand, I never really got to understand the characters on an emotional level. Especially, the main character. I could not relate to her at all. Nothing made me weep for them in the end. I felt like they told me things about themselves as though they were listing off facts, not as though they had gone though horrific and terrible things. I normally cry over character deaths, but I didn’t know enough about them to weep for them.
On top of that, I felt like the beginning and introductions were a bit rushed. I didn’t get enough of a base layer of knowledge to know or understand the setting or (again) the main character.
I would still recommend this book though. It is unique and worth the read despite any and all imperfections.
April 24, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! One of my favorite things was that it’s CHRISTIAN dystopian fiction, which is not something you see a lot. (And for all those who are now concerned: no, it’s not “preachy,” whatever that means.)
I was pleasantly surprised by all the random elements of humor. I LOVED the frog. The character dynamics were fun and interesting. I loved the fact that all the romance is completely clean. I did feel like the OTP was a tiny bit forced or something - I felt like I knew more about some of the other boys than the love interest (and since it’s in first person, that means I also felt like Em was closer to some of the other boys than the love interest). But also, tbh I know nothing about how love works anyway and I still ship the OTP forever sooooo draw from that what you will 🤷🏻♀️
Oh yeah, last thing (this might be a super super minor spoiler, idk): this book ripped out my heart and crushed it but like, y’know, it’s fine.
I was pleasantly surprised by all the random elements of humor. I LOVED the frog. The character dynamics were fun and interesting. I loved the fact that all the romance is completely clean. I did feel like the OTP was a tiny bit forced or something - I felt like I knew more about some of the other boys than the love interest (and since it’s in first person, that means I also felt like Em was closer to some of the other boys than the love interest). But also, tbh I know nothing about how love works anyway and I still ship the OTP forever sooooo draw from that what you will 🤷🏻♀️
Oh yeah, last thing (this might be a super super minor spoiler, idk): this book ripped out my heart and crushed it but like, y’know, it’s fine.
April 4, 2022
Okay, Seaver. You didn’t have to break my heart like that. I have some ranting to do, but first, for an actual review . . .
E.K Seaver’s, The Reflections, is a Christian Dystopian novel that deals with the heavy topics of death, grief, trust, and corruption within a government. Yet Seaver creates a perfect balance by giving promises of hope and glimpses of light throughout the course of the story. Her talent shines through in each and every paragraph.
The characters were well developed, and all rather diverse. I was gripped by the action, and thought that the descriptions of the injuries and deaths were realistic and logical. The way she handled the main character’s doubts about God were well done, and relatable.
I appreciated how Seaver wasn’t afraid to write a character who doubted God, questioning Him through the hardships of life. Being a Christian doesn’t mean we always believe fully all the time. There are seasons throughout our lives where we wonder if God cares for us, if He sees us. And that is often when He comes through in His perfect timing and reminds us of the Truth.
The story does contain a lot of violence, especially near the end, but in my opinion, those scenes were needed. They helped show just how corrupt the Alliance (Their government) truly is, and the horror of what the Reflections actually are.
I would highly recommend The Reflections to readers who enjoy Dystopian stories with a deeper meaning, competitions of both mental and physical strength, and a large cast of characters that are all diverse!
Now time for my ranting. And some fan-girling. But mainly a lot of ranting.
[SPOILERS AHEAD!]
First off . . .
EVERYONE DIED. *cries in despair*
I should have been expecting this, because almost always in a book, all of my favourite characters end up dying. Somehow I always choose to favour the characters doomed to die. I have no idea why, and it’s horrible.
Secondly,
FLINN.
Flinn Waters. This boy. I absolutely loved him and will forever be heartbroken because E.K Seaver just HAD to murder him. Probably one of the best characters in the book, the comic relief, but also a super genuinely sweet dude.
R.I.P, Flinn. You deserved better. I hope he is growing lots of lemon trees and making lots of lemonade and lemon meringue pie in book character heaven.
Thirdly. . .
MICHAEL.
What the heck. The dude is part robot or something? Totally wasn’t expecting that, but I always had a weird feeling about him . . .
I also suspected that someone in the Dragon team was responsible for Rani. Also that the Alliance was somehow controlling certain people.
And fourthly and lastly . . .
CHOI’S FROG.
Not much to say here. I just loved that Choi for some reason had a FROG in the Reflections of all things. It was hilarious and random. Also Choi in general was just so random and funny. Great character. He will be missed.
Anyways, that’s it. That’s all I had to rant about.
Go read The Reflections.
You might cry, but I recommend it
E.K Seaver’s, The Reflections, is a Christian Dystopian novel that deals with the heavy topics of death, grief, trust, and corruption within a government. Yet Seaver creates a perfect balance by giving promises of hope and glimpses of light throughout the course of the story. Her talent shines through in each and every paragraph.
The characters were well developed, and all rather diverse. I was gripped by the action, and thought that the descriptions of the injuries and deaths were realistic and logical. The way she handled the main character’s doubts about God were well done, and relatable.
I appreciated how Seaver wasn’t afraid to write a character who doubted God, questioning Him through the hardships of life. Being a Christian doesn’t mean we always believe fully all the time. There are seasons throughout our lives where we wonder if God cares for us, if He sees us. And that is often when He comes through in His perfect timing and reminds us of the Truth.
The story does contain a lot of violence, especially near the end, but in my opinion, those scenes were needed. They helped show just how corrupt the Alliance (Their government) truly is, and the horror of what the Reflections actually are.
I would highly recommend The Reflections to readers who enjoy Dystopian stories with a deeper meaning, competitions of both mental and physical strength, and a large cast of characters that are all diverse!
Now time for my ranting. And some fan-girling. But mainly a lot of ranting.
[SPOILERS AHEAD!]
First off . . .
EVERYONE DIED. *cries in despair*
I should have been expecting this, because almost always in a book, all of my favourite characters end up dying. Somehow I always choose to favour the characters doomed to die. I have no idea why, and it’s horrible.
Secondly,
FLINN.
Flinn Waters. This boy. I absolutely loved him and will forever be heartbroken because E.K Seaver just HAD to murder him. Probably one of the best characters in the book, the comic relief, but also a super genuinely sweet dude.
R.I.P, Flinn. You deserved better. I hope he is growing lots of lemon trees and making lots of lemonade and lemon meringue pie in book character heaven.
Thirdly. . .
MICHAEL.
What the heck. The dude is part robot or something? Totally wasn’t expecting that, but I always had a weird feeling about him . . .
I also suspected that someone in the Dragon team was responsible for Rani. Also that the Alliance was somehow controlling certain people.
And fourthly and lastly . . .
CHOI’S FROG.
Not much to say here. I just loved that Choi for some reason had a FROG in the Reflections of all things. It was hilarious and random. Also Choi in general was just so random and funny. Great character. He will be missed.
Anyways, that’s it. That’s all I had to rant about.
Go read The Reflections.
You might cry, but I recommend it
September 29, 2022
Ahh this book was so good!! I love the world and all the characters! It got me so emotional! It definitely gives Hunger Games vibes, but at the same time doesn’t glorify death. The characters are upset and impacted when someone dies. They don’t want to kill, and I appreciate seeing that so much— seeing a Christian worldview applied and God present in this story! The author is super talented, and this book will keep you on the edge of your seat! I can’t wait for the sequel! 💜
November 19, 2022
Loved this book! It was such a wild ride and the morals were amazing! 🙌 Read this book if you ever feel unsure or not strong enough, because it is so empowering!!💕💕💕
May 29, 2025
My eyes were likely a blur while reading The Reflections, because the pace is taut and snappy throughout the entire novel. Without hesitation, the author drops her characters, and thus her readers, directly into her world and the tension suffusing it. While I did feel a bit breathless at the beginning and took a minute to grasp my bearings, the story fleshed itself out wonderfully and never slackened, offsetting any moments of confusion.
Thoughtful and perfectly unbalancing, the worldbuilding enveloping the story is fascinating. The construction of the Alliance and the Reflections created an intriguing and believable dystopian world, where the "privileged" are hand-picked yet every person is objectified and denigrated. Trust is nearly nonexistent, and the qualities of humanity feel like a heavily-misted dream.
Em, too, is an excellent main character, one I clicked with after the first couple of chapters. She isn’t weepy and useless, stoic and falsely “strong,” or redundant and flaky. She feels so very real, exactly like a teenager living under the Alliance’s rule would be, shadowed by fear and unrest. And the first-person present perspective works well here. It’s not gratingly emotional, nor irritating and contrivedly angsty. It perfectly captures Em’s personality, thoughts, and observations about her world and experiences without adding or subtracting unnecessarily from the story.
I was a bit confused about the role of certain characters, namely Marco, Lilli, and Zac. Sometimes I also felt confused about characters like Nina and Michael, whose personalities seem to flip dramatically but inexplicably. And I wasn’t a fan of Flinn’s forwardness. But overall, the supporting characters were dynamic and well-rounded, playing their roles admirably, interestingly, and usually heartbreakingly.
The Reflections is compelling in so many ways, and it put me in the same sort of uncomfortable but needed moral pondering as The Hunger Games: how do we kill the selfishness within us and cultivate selflessness and empathy? How do we honor, value, and guard the lives of others? Are our lives ever worth the deaths of others? How is our culture different from the spectators of the Games, or the Reflections? And most impressive of all, the author weaves deeply organic faith content into her story, welling from her heart, not in the least artificial or hollow. It’s raw, honest, aching, and wise, and my heart strained with Em as she prayed, fought, and wondered.
Tightly-plotted and breakneck-paced, The Reflections is the perfect novel for fans of The Hunger Games series, Nadine Brandes's Out of Time trilogy, Mary Weber’s To Best the Boys, and, from what I know about them, the Maze Runner and Divergent series. Truly, I’ve joined the ranks of those eager for the next installments in E.K. Seaver’s profound and gripping series.
I’ll be thinking about it with a shivering spine for quite some time.
🗡 content: intense and sometimes graphic violence, teen romance, one minor character's suicide, and a brief scene of the main character's suicidal thoughts 🗡
Thoughtful and perfectly unbalancing, the worldbuilding enveloping the story is fascinating. The construction of the Alliance and the Reflections created an intriguing and believable dystopian world, where the "privileged" are hand-picked yet every person is objectified and denigrated. Trust is nearly nonexistent, and the qualities of humanity feel like a heavily-misted dream.
Em, too, is an excellent main character, one I clicked with after the first couple of chapters. She isn’t weepy and useless, stoic and falsely “strong,” or redundant and flaky. She feels so very real, exactly like a teenager living under the Alliance’s rule would be, shadowed by fear and unrest. And the first-person present perspective works well here. It’s not gratingly emotional, nor irritating and contrivedly angsty. It perfectly captures Em’s personality, thoughts, and observations about her world and experiences without adding or subtracting unnecessarily from the story.
I was a bit confused about the role of certain characters, namely Marco, Lilli, and Zac. Sometimes I also felt confused about characters like Nina and Michael, whose personalities seem to flip dramatically but inexplicably. And I wasn’t a fan of Flinn’s forwardness. But overall, the supporting characters were dynamic and well-rounded, playing their roles admirably, interestingly, and usually heartbreakingly.
The Reflections is compelling in so many ways, and it put me in the same sort of uncomfortable but needed moral pondering as The Hunger Games: how do we kill the selfishness within us and cultivate selflessness and empathy? How do we honor, value, and guard the lives of others? Are our lives ever worth the deaths of others? How is our culture different from the spectators of the Games, or the Reflections? And most impressive of all, the author weaves deeply organic faith content into her story, welling from her heart, not in the least artificial or hollow. It’s raw, honest, aching, and wise, and my heart strained with Em as she prayed, fought, and wondered.
Tightly-plotted and breakneck-paced, The Reflections is the perfect novel for fans of The Hunger Games series, Nadine Brandes's Out of Time trilogy, Mary Weber’s To Best the Boys, and, from what I know about them, the Maze Runner and Divergent series. Truly, I’ve joined the ranks of those eager for the next installments in E.K. Seaver’s profound and gripping series.
I’ll be thinking about it with a shivering spine for quite some time.
🗡 content: intense and sometimes graphic violence, teen romance, one minor character's suicide, and a brief scene of the main character's suicidal thoughts 🗡
January 15, 2023
The writing style of this book is eerily similar to that of my and my friend's middle to high school attempt at a book. We got three drafts in before giving up, so kudos to Seaver for finishing this. It was a nice nostalgic flashback. My main gripe with this is that it the religious message seems hasty and inconsistent so it threw me off when it showed up.
I do appreciate that there was a real reason for the Alliance to kill off their best members. Typically in a dystopian it isn't explained why a society would want to get rid of its citizens with the greatest potential but the logic that this might prevent a potential rebellion lead by these high-potential individuals checks out.
I do appreciate that there was a real reason for the Alliance to kill off their best members. Typically in a dystopian it isn't explained why a society would want to get rid of its citizens with the greatest potential but the logic that this might prevent a potential rebellion lead by these high-potential individuals checks out.
December 18, 2022
Michael Michael Michael Michael <3333333
August 26, 2023
I would like to start to start this review off by saying the ideas and storyline for this book were quite intriguing (obviously, because I don’t freely read books I have no interest in… that’s wasted time), however the actual execution could have been so much better than it was.
I never felt connected to or cared about the characters at an emotional level, and many of them seemed like the same character, just with different looks. None of them were memorable and I was left flipping back and going “wait, who’s Michael? Who’s Flame?”
Following that, the lack of connection I felt to the characters impacted how I felt when they died. I felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sure, the ways people died were crafted so creatively and exciting, but I still didn’t care when one single person passed away.
And for THAT matter, the deaths were really annoying to read about because for a page or more after a designated character’s death, there was this: “I can’t believe ___ is gone. Was it only yesterday he’d helped me up off the ground when he’d had the chance to kill me? (<— fictional example not a spoiler). Tears well up in my eyes. He’s gone. He’s gone. The sentence doesn’t leave my head; with every step I run from their lifeless body I can’t help but to—“ YOU GET MY DRIFT??? The author would write about the death for so long like trying to rub salt in a wound that the wound didn’t even hurt. The wound was just annoyed.
Fourth, for being completely made up of the smartest teens, the group that was written about were some of the most naïve thinkers I’ve ever read about. It felt more like watching middle school class clowns come up with ideas instead of genius teenagers. Like what Dragon did to Fox? What?
Fifth, why were they allowed to have their cell phones? That makes absolutely ZERO sense.
Sixth, how are the people who hold the reflections supposed to know who the smartest teens were if the teens don’t even go to school? That was never cleared up. And for that matter, why did Em Gades, a character who didn’t know what a TURTLE was, get selected as one of the teen geniuses? It just didn’t make much sense to me. Through both the kids’ actions and actual knowledge, I wasn’t too sure I would call them teen geniuses.
As stated before, with a lot more time and a lot more editing, this book could have been so much better. But unfortunately to me, it was chock-full of plot holes and flat characters.
I will 100% read EK Seaver’s other works because they’re different ideas, different executions, and different writing styles as she grows as a writer, but this book just wasn’t for me.
2.5/5 stars.
I never felt connected to or cared about the characters at an emotional level, and many of them seemed like the same character, just with different looks. None of them were memorable and I was left flipping back and going “wait, who’s Michael? Who’s Flame?”
Following that, the lack of connection I felt to the characters impacted how I felt when they died. I felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sure, the ways people died were crafted so creatively and exciting, but I still didn’t care when one single person passed away.
And for THAT matter, the deaths were really annoying to read about because for a page or more after a designated character’s death, there was this: “I can’t believe ___ is gone. Was it only yesterday he’d helped me up off the ground when he’d had the chance to kill me? (<— fictional example not a spoiler). Tears well up in my eyes. He’s gone. He’s gone. The sentence doesn’t leave my head; with every step I run from their lifeless body I can’t help but to—“ YOU GET MY DRIFT??? The author would write about the death for so long like trying to rub salt in a wound that the wound didn’t even hurt. The wound was just annoyed.
Fourth, for being completely made up of the smartest teens, the group that was written about were some of the most naïve thinkers I’ve ever read about. It felt more like watching middle school class clowns come up with ideas instead of genius teenagers. Like what Dragon did to Fox? What?
Fifth, why were they allowed to have their cell phones? That makes absolutely ZERO sense.
Sixth, how are the people who hold the reflections supposed to know who the smartest teens were if the teens don’t even go to school? That was never cleared up. And for that matter, why did Em Gades, a character who didn’t know what a TURTLE was, get selected as one of the teen geniuses? It just didn’t make much sense to me. Through both the kids’ actions and actual knowledge, I wasn’t too sure I would call them teen geniuses.
As stated before, with a lot more time and a lot more editing, this book could have been so much better. But unfortunately to me, it was chock-full of plot holes and flat characters.
I will 100% read EK Seaver’s other works because they’re different ideas, different executions, and different writing styles as she grows as a writer, but this book just wasn’t for me.
2.5/5 stars.
January 25, 2024
I really like the idea of Christianity being explicit in literature. That was new for me, and I think we could use more of it.
I liked how the hard questions were asked, and I think we could use more of that in Christian literature.
The other big positive of this book was the writing style. I felt like it was very easy to read, and I didn’t get bogged down by needing to reread. The sentence pacing flowed well, and I liked the way she described things.
The concept was interesting, but I think more time and attention needed to go into the worldbuilding, the plot, and the pacing. Much of the world didn’t make sense or seem reasonable even by dystopian standards.
I felt like aspects of the Alliance were just made up and not really thought through.
There were many scenes where the juxtaposition between “someone just died” and “let’s laugh and be happy” was too stark. I think some additional editing may have been able to smooth those out.
As for the characters, I liked the variety of characters, but I felt like we didn’t get to know them well, so we lost out on our emotional attachment to them.
I understand why the author chose to use alternatives to curse words, but I found it a bit unrealistic and awkward. Personal preference for sure, but I much preferred the moments where she mentioned that someone cursed.
One other thing that feels nitpicky, but it’s worth mentioning. I liked the font and general formatting of this book, but there were some chapters that didn’t start on their own page, and often there were pages that looked like the chapter was going to end only to find out that the entire next paragraph was on the next page, so it constantly felt like the chapter was about to end, but then it didn’t end.
I think at the end of this book, I would definitely read another book by this author in the future, but I don’t think this particular series is for me.
I liked how the hard questions were asked, and I think we could use more of that in Christian literature.
The other big positive of this book was the writing style. I felt like it was very easy to read, and I didn’t get bogged down by needing to reread. The sentence pacing flowed well, and I liked the way she described things.
The concept was interesting, but I think more time and attention needed to go into the worldbuilding, the plot, and the pacing. Much of the world didn’t make sense or seem reasonable even by dystopian standards.
I felt like aspects of the Alliance were just made up and not really thought through.
There were many scenes where the juxtaposition between “someone just died” and “let’s laugh and be happy” was too stark. I think some additional editing may have been able to smooth those out.
As for the characters, I liked the variety of characters, but I felt like we didn’t get to know them well, so we lost out on our emotional attachment to them.
I understand why the author chose to use alternatives to curse words, but I found it a bit unrealistic and awkward. Personal preference for sure, but I much preferred the moments where she mentioned that someone cursed.
One other thing that feels nitpicky, but it’s worth mentioning. I liked the font and general formatting of this book, but there were some chapters that didn’t start on their own page, and often there were pages that looked like the chapter was going to end only to find out that the entire next paragraph was on the next page, so it constantly felt like the chapter was about to end, but then it didn’t end.
I think at the end of this book, I would definitely read another book by this author in the future, but I don’t think this particular series is for me.
April 13, 2022
I had the honor to read this book before it’s release date and wow oh wow. I have never read a Christian Dystopian novel before and quite frankly, I was hesitant on whether or not it would be worth it or not. I’m here to tell you that it was worth every second of my time. Seaver is an incredible artist in her way with words, world building, and characters. This world she has created unveils an endless tapestry of possibility and imagination and truly does what many books struggle with; this book truly makes you think. I hope to have the privilege to read this book many more times and look forward to more books in the future! Well done E.K. Seaver!
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