A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I need to start this brief review by clarifying that I am not really a fan of dystopian stories. But hearing Nadine state recently that her intent was to add a hopeful aspect to this typically gloomy genre made me want to check out A Time to Die.
It was gloomy. It was gritty, though not over the line graphic. And it wasn’t my normal comfort zone to read. But it was very honest and real and that made it good. Parvin is a relatable character, especially in her family relationships. Her personal growth and pursuit of the truth throughout the book is encouraging.
I love the tech in this book. I’m assuming we learn more about it in the second book, but I would’ve loved to have “spent more time” in Wilbur’s shop, finding out more about his work there. Also, there were times I felt like Parvin wasn’t “feeling” enough. For example, sometimes she would think, “Oh, I feel like *this,*” with no previous actions to back it up. But that may just be a personal preference there. Overall I enjoyed the story and the characters and I’m looking forward to starting A Time to Speak!
| writing & rhythm | 