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“And maybe that’s all it takes—at least at the beginning. Just a few people who care. And that caring matters, even if it can’t cool the earth or lower sea levels or turn back time to before a nuclear blast.��

rating: 3.75��

a love letter to dystopians (esp hunger games), reid has imagined us a (not-so-distant, more likely than not) future fully disrupted and firmly altered by climate change and oppressed by the staggering debt to the monopoly corporation, saerus. flooding storms are a regular occurrence, so have your raft on hand!

within the first 15% i was getting some minor but noticeable hints of terminator, blade runner, even ghost in the shell, handmaid's tale. animals have been disfigured and mutated by the chemical pollution in the air, land, and water. evil seagulls!!!

“When we see flowers blooming or hear birds singing, we think it’s beautiful. But when people need each other, it seems so ugly.��
“Caerus has poisoned everything.��

capitalism destroys the idea of community, bc it needs us to rely on IT (buying things) rather than each other. it also allows more control to government/authority bc ppl are divided.

there's also a major theme of the dehumanizing voyeurism of trauma and entertainment brutality. the lamb's gauntlet itself is an apathetic bloodsport twitch/tiktok live, complete with watcher comments. people livestream their own reactions and cameras film 24/7.

there is definitely major commentary on women in media, the expectations of beauty, and objectifying commodification of them in online spaces.
slight spoilers: (view spoiler)[
for melinoe as an assassin, this is a fight for temporary survival as well. as an "angel", she's commodified as a weapon, until she's run her course or someone offers enough money. then she would be rendered into a lobotomized concubine as other angels before her. they're altered w bionic enhancements for killing, but also must be the highest standard of beauty, receiving false lashes, lip injections, permanent makeup, face lifts, rhinoplasties, and more. they even have their individuals brands and market demographic of lambs. (hide spoiler)]

so, the set up and concept were very strong and intriguing to me, with clear parallels to what is currently happening rn and a cautionary tale of what could happen to us all.

however, i did feel the overall story execution was a bit underwhelming for me, as well as the ending. i thought the relationship between inesa and melinoë was well constructed for a YA, but i wanted more from the other characters and subplots/hints.

“Sometimes love isn’t enough.��
“I think it is. I think it has to be. Otherwise, it’s not really love. If the world can break it . . .��

the way this ends feels more open-ended then not with some loose ends. i v much suspect a sequel and hope for it bc there are many questions that i would like the answers to.

I’ll always be able to find my way back to her.

an honest arc review ��