Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Defiance
(Defiance #1)
C.J. Redwine
Release: August 28, 2012
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Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Review:

“Silent acquiescence in the face of tyranny is no better than outright agreement.”

Defiance is one of those young adult releases that has been steeped in hype. It has a beautiful cover and an exciting synopsis - two things that tend to leave bloggers in a drooling frenzy. Going in to this book I feared it wouldn't live up to its hype, ala Shadow and Bone, and I would be forced to painfully turn the pages in boredom.

After finishing this story from debut author C.J. Redwine, I feel elated to say that I loved this book! Redwine is a talented new author and I am now in the group of bloggers drooling for the sequel. The writing is strong and the characters are complete. I didn't feel like this book lacked for anything and there's nothing I could say could be added to make it better. I had knots in my stomach for several chapters and I was constantly anticipating what would happen next!

The book is told through the alternating points of view of our main characters Rachel and Logan and I wasn't surprised that I loved this decision. Rachel is fierce, stubborn, smart, and brave. There weren't any moments when she succumbed to "wimpy heroine syndrome", which is a big pet peeve of mine. Her decisions made sense and I appreciated that she was written as beautiful but tough at the same time. Her father has trained her to be able to take care of herself and she uses those skills throughout the story to show how extremely loyal she is to those she cares about. She is tender and scared when she should be and tough as crap when its called for. I really loved her.

But my love for Rachel cannot equal my love for Logan. He is everything the hero in this type of book should be. I'm tired of reading YA books where I'm told over and over again how great the male love interest is. I'm not an idiot, if the author writes him as admirable and swoon worthy I'll see him that way. Redwine doesn't keep pushing Logan's awesomeness in our face, instead she shows us how wonderful he is over and over again. He fights tooth and nail for Rachel even before he realizes his feelings for her. He's smart and calculating in an oddly sexy way. And, man, is he swoon worthy. He is emotional about his feelings for Rachel, but not in a sappy way. The things he does for Rachel are amazing and I just adored him.

“I ache to hear her tell me she loves me, but forcing her to put words to how she feels pushes her further into the silence she seems comfortable calling home now. I tell myself to be patient and understanding, but inside there's a longing only those words will fill, and it hurts to ignore it.”

This story is a kind of a dystopian fantasy. Set in a world many years after an apocalyptic type of destruction, the walled city of Baalboden seems more like the villages seen in fantasy stories but with the advanced technologies from dystopians. Baalboden is both a protection from the scary monster (a dragon-like creature) living just outside and a terrifying place governed by the mean and nasty Commander. The Commander is a wonderful villain and I hated him, of course. He does some things in this book that made me so angry, but then that's exactly what his character is supposed to do.

I highly recommend this book to those who love to read YA fantasy or dystopian, but also for those who have been burned in this genre in the past and need a book to redeem the genre as a whole. This is that book. Go, read it. Now!

Recommended for fans of: young adult fantasy, young adult dystopian, strong YA characters, deceitful and tyrannical leaders, and exciting stories that keep you on the edge of your seat.

     

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