Way Down Dark by JP Smythe

Blurb:

There's one truth on Australia: You fight or you die. Usually both.

Seventeen-year-old Chan's ancestors left a dying Earth hundreds of years ago, in search of a new home. They never found one.

The only life that Chan's ever known is one of violence, of fighting. Of trying to survive.

But there might be a way to escape. In order to find it, Chan must head way down into the darkness - a place of buried secrets, long-forgotten lies, and the abandoned bodies of the dead.

Review below:

Review:

Quality of Writing: ♥♥♥

Originality: ♥♥♥♥

Characterization: ♥♥♥

Setting: ♥♥♥♥♥

Overall: ♥♥♥♥

This certainly is an enjoyable book, and I have given Setting five stars simply because Smythe has created such a brilliant location and world to set her thrilling novel in. I love anything to do with the end of the world and a society surviving on fear and science to move forward, and this is just that. Perhaps if there was a tiny bit more sci-fi to it, I may have given it a higher rating, but right now, I feel it's a comfortable four stars over all. Below are my clearer points on the good and the not so good things. Enjoy! (There may be small spoilers in these notes. Beware!)

Likes:

• ·         The world created by Smythe- Australia is a ship that was sent from Earth by the characters ancestors to find a new living space when Earth was being destroyed by humans and natural disasters.
• ·         Most characters are interesting, especially the baddies.
• ·         I love how it's totally different to Divergent and The Hunger Games, so this is a new concept pretty much.
• ·         There is pretty much no soppy romance to ruin the tension of the terror they are living in- a relief from the typical love stories grounded in dystopian YA novels
• ·         A lot happens despite the novel being a bit short. Story moves on.
• ·         Twists in it are pretty good although I sort of half-guessed them, but still quite enjoyable.
• ·         Love the title and the cover!

Dislikes:

• ·         Sometimes Chan's character wasn't likeable at all- a bit unbelievable, too foolish. First person voice too amateur now.
• ·         I felt there was something missing to the story - small plot holes that kept creeping up. To enjoy the novel, you have to ignore these as best as you can.
• ·         Too fast- ended too soon!
• ·         Fighting scenes sometimes unbelievable- she gets stabbed too many times to survive, but I guess it's Hollywood?