Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy of this book. I’m on the fence about this one. The plot is interesting and doesn’t feel recycled from every other YA out there but the main character did feel a bit recycled. She was the young rebel who knew more than the adults. A bit cliche. The setting was interesting though and I think those who enjoy Victoria Aveyard’s books will enjoy this book.

Danger waits at every turn in this fast-paced adventure.

Zadie is a blank, her hands branded to make sure everyone knows she's part of the lowest class. Non-blanks posses magic and look down on her. But Zadie has come to terms with that...more or less. Her town is the only inhabitable place left on the planet and protected by the leader who lives in a castle beyond the deadly labyrinth. No one has ever survived even being a few minutes in the labyrinth, only her best friend has been able to dash in and out to save someone who gets dragged in by the labyrinth's evil resident—Dex. But when her town is take over by evil forces and her friend disappears into the labyrinth, Zadie is determined to do her best to save them all. If she can survive Dex and the other deadly dangers.

When I started reading this, I was quickly reminded of The Maze Runner. Unlike Dashner's world, the people living in the town are doing fairly fine and aren't trying to escape. The break between the talented and blanks creates instant sympathy for Zadie, who is a kind young woman and knows 'her place'. She still has a bit of a rebel streak in her, but it doesn't overpower her personality. There's also a bit of sibling problems thanks to her older sister being talented and not wanting to show her care for Zadie in any open way.

The first chapters of this book had me bound to the pages. There is a lot of tension and secrecy surrounding the maze and Zadie's circumstances. Even the slight romance begins with her best friend hold and are sweet. It's when she enters the maze and meets Dex that things wobbled a little bit.

Dangers lurk around every corner in the maze—brutal and evil ones. The various traps and creatures are rich and create a very intriguing atmosphere. There is no easy way through, and to see how Dex and Zadie make their way through the maze did keep me on the edge of my seat. There are tear jerking moments and enough depth as well to make the characters vivid and worthy to root for. Still, there were holes in some of the world building, and logic didn't always hold or was simply contradictory. Even Dex...a character with so much dark potential...quickly fell into a normal, young adult role. The read was still intriguing, but it seemed to miss it's mark and left me a little disappointed. Even the ending wasn't what I expected and rushed through. Despite all of this, I still enjoyed the read, though. So, I'm giving it 3.5 stars and rounding up.

I received a complimentary copy and was drawn enough into this story to want to leave my honest thoughts.

At first glance, this book sounds similar to The Maze Runner (which I was not very fond of) but Red Labyrinth is much more and exceeded all of my expectations.

Trinnea, a town surrounded by a mysterious and magical labyrinth in which the Skilled (people with extraordinary powers) are elites while Blanks (people with no extraordinary powers) are oppressed and isolated to the outskirts of society. Meanwhile, the menacing and elusive Dex haunts the labyrinth keeping Trinnea's citizens from leaving.

I was hooked from the first few pages. Meredith Tate does an excellent job developing this post-apocalyptic world and weaving it into the plot without info-dumping everything. I enjoyed the fast-paced plot and the intrigue of the character's backgrounds- it kept me engaged in the story.

I liked that Zadie was an ordinary girl. She's a Blank in a society full of Skilled and combined with her abusive past, she doesn't have much self-worth or confidence. But by no means is she a weak character- she's determined and is trying to do her best with the skills she does have.

I also really liked Chantry and hope for some more character development from her. She came across as a compelling character especially with her complicated relationship with her sister, Zadie and I can't wait to read more about her.

Dex and Landon... even though they are part of a love triangle I liked how they enhanced Zadie rather than taking away from her character. Their clashing perspectives and motives were interesting and I liked that there was no "right" answer to the overarching conflict.

I didn't really like the ending though. The plot is building up to this major climax but it felt so rushed that it feels as if the climax is cut short. I did like the plot twist- didn't see it coming but I didn't like that the "villain" just info-dumped his evil scheme (I wanted it to be more of a suspenseful discovery and not the villain revealing everything).

Overall, this book was way better than I expected it to be. Cannot wait for the sequel because I need a resolution after that abrupt cliffhanger ending.

*Thank you to NetGalley and its publishers for providing a free ARC*

Although the writing was fairly average, the pacing felt off, and many of the twists were somewhat predictable, the concept was fairly interesting (and occasionally dark) and Zadie was a likable and relatable main character.

Zadie Kalver is a Blank, a person without a Skill, and she lives in Trinnea, a town where Skills are the only thing that matters and Blanks are treated as less than human. But when the entire town mysteriously forgets that her best friend—and town hero—Landon Everheart even exists, she realizes she must enter the deadly Red Labyrinth in the hopes of finding help to save everything she loves most in the world.

The Red Labyrinth is a ya-level fantasy-dystopia novel with a lot of heart at its heart. Author Meredith Tate spends a great deal of time exploring the backstory and motivations of its main characters Zadie while she is inside the Red Labyrinth, and it’s that time that was most compelling to me as a reader. The interplay between Zadie and the so-called Devil of Trinnea dives deep into the motivation of each, and makes this book a thoroughly worthwhile read.

The Red Labyrinth doesn’t pull any punches on how it treats the main character. Zadie is an outcast, a lower-class citizen with few legal rights and even fewer fans in town. There were times when I was physically cringing at the abuse Zadie received from some of the townspeople, but that just made me like her even more for her spunk, determination, and loyalty to the people she loves. Zadie is powerless and yet one of the bravest people in the novel, and will drop everything to help someone in need.

The world building of the Labyrinth’s interior is unique and intriguing, and presented interesting challenges for the characters as they made their way through. Again, this portion of the novel was the strongest for me. Where I felt the world building could have improved was during the opening segment while the main character was moving around in her hometown of Trinnea. Simple terms were used, such as “bike” and “airbike” that didn’t give me enough information to know what this bike was like and how it might be different from the objects I already know. I felt as if the author relied a bit too much on the reader’s imagination for filling in these kinds of details. There is a broad stroke of “dystopia” painted over the lives of the Trinneans but few descriptive characteristics to tell me how this dystopia is unique. The juxtaposition of technology and magic/fantasy elements without those concrete details left me unable to visualize the world.

However, the worldbuilding overall is extremely rich, and there are a lot of questions raised and answers hinted at in this first novel that make me want to read more. In addition, the emotional resonance of the characters is intense and compelling, and is something that stuck with me for a long time after I finished reading. That kind of emotional connection to a character is like making a new friend, and I found myself wanting to go back for more.

For readers who look to make a strong emotional connection to characters in novels, this book is definitely for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Flux for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC copy from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

**There are a lot of thematic concepts talked about here that aren't really touched upon in summaries. If you want to go in blank, avoid this review. No plot spoilers will be divulged.**

What a novel! The start definitely wasn't slow, and it only got more intriguing from there. The characters are beautiful, they gays aren't buried, and the settings are haunting. What more could a girl ask for?

The Red Labyrinth is broken into three acts, and I loved them all. In the first, we're introduced to a few characters, and our world, in tidbits. We aren't dumped with information, but rather it is fed to us and we make our own conclusions with the context until the whole picture is painted. The second act, naturally, is the meat: this is where the plot we are given in the summary actually gets going. Zadie enlists the help of a notorious criminal to save the boy she loves. The third is the conclusion. This is where you get to see if all the wild theories you were concocting in your head during act two were correct. (Mine sort of half were but not really? Tell me how you do.)

Our main character is Zadie. She is self-conscious about her lack of super powers (called skills) in a society that shuns such a thing. She lives in a drought-stricken post-apocalypse where an immortal leader controls their resources and provides the powered people with water and safety. Non powered people, or "Blanks" are exiled from the city, and have to pay their way back into society.

All Trinneans live in terror of the labyrinth that protects the Leader's palace, as well as Dex, a murderous mystery character whose motivations are unclear. All anyone knows is that anyone who goes into the labyrinth guarding the Immortal Leader's palace loses their mind, dies, or is never seen again, and much of this is blamed on Dex.

The story, in essence, is about Zadie overcoming her physical and mental limitations and accepting that she doesn't have to lie down and wait to be saved just because she doesn't have any skills. And I am here for it.

It's clear from the start that one of her love interests is childhood friend Landon. He has stunning good looks, a lack of racism (in a society absolutely swimming in it), and general popularity with anyone who meets him. He has battled Dex, his nickname is literally "Limitless" because of his sheer number of powers (having even three is considered impressive), he seems to love Zadie even though she is considered the lowest of society, and all in all, he appears to be completely without fault. Naturally, his flawlessness had me rooting for him to be the loser in any love triangles from his very introduction.

Dex, Devil of Trinnea: okay, let me tell you something about YA: If your protagonist says the person in front of them "can't be much older than I am," then short of a literal neon sign wired to the page, that's as obvious a signal as they come that this is a love interest. He is cold and broody, which I don't tend to go for in a love interest, but from the very first moment Zadie made him blush I knew that even if Wonder Boy Landon was really flawless and perfect, I'd still be rooting for Dex the murderer. What does that say about me? I don't know. Bad things, probably. At least I'm not one of those people who wants to pork Pennywise the clown, okay? Leave me alone. Anyway, Dex has his own very strong motivations which you learn about very slowly, alongside Zadie's. They spend the bulk of the book in each other's company doing some slow burn character development, and trying not to get themselves killed.

I'm gonna say it: I really liked The Red Labyrinth, far more than I thought I would. Zadie goes through some real character development. She has real flaws and has to overcome them to reach her goal. She enters the Labyrinth, and leaves it as a different person. I also love that even though there was a love triangle, the author used the two boys in a very delicious juxtaposition that comes to a head in the third arc. The way they view themselves as people is extremely important. Their differences tell a story about Zadie and how she matures. I honestly feel, for once, that having two points of romantic interest actually served a purpose!

Also important: Zadie's relationship with her half sister. It's very complicated for reasons that don't become clear for a long time.

The labyrinth itself was AWESOME, you guys! And in a horrific way. It wasn't one of those lame labyrinths where a cat with a dude's face asks three riddles and then they're on their merry way. No, there was a point where I had to put the book down for a few minutes and bleach my brain because I was so disturbed. You'll know it when you come to it.

I won't say that I didn't realise a twist was coming, but my guesses weren't spot on, so there were still a good few moments of realisation in that final act.

My biggest problem is that it does end on something of a... Well, there's no delicate way to say 'cliffhanger'. It wasn't the kind you give a pass for, either, where the climax has already happened and it's leading into the sequel's plot. No, instead it just felt like the whole thing ended right before the spot where the climax would happen. I felt there should have been another hour of reading where a big fight happens and the heroes leave broken, but with new information and more urgent goals.

The ending did let me down a bit, but honestly I love these characters so much that I am already chomping at the bit for the sequel. They were so endearing, even though their struggles break your heart. Zadie is adorable. She makes dumb mistakes and then *gasp* learns from them!!!! Landon is more faceted than I originally thought he would be. Dex is very sure of himself until he isn't and it's WONDERFUL.

I am honestly looking forward to any sequels that might (read: had better) be coming. I need my resolution, damnit!

Though Red Labyrinth's plot sounds like a Maze Runner clone, it has nothing in common with the series from James Dashner except the fact that there's a maze.

In Red Labyrinth, people with special skills live under the close watch of The Leader - a person who lives in a palace separated from the rest of the populace by a dangerous, trap-filled maze. Those who enter the maze - if they escape at all - return as a hollow shell of themselves, unresponsive and with vacant stares.

Zadie is a blank - a person with no skills who's shunned by the others. She quickly finds herself in harm's way when she must enter the maze to save her loved ones. Traps, strange creatures, and other maze-related difficulties stand in her way of reaching the palace.

I was leaning towards a 5 based on enjoyment - while typical YA tropes abound, Tate's writing flows well and the world building works well enough. The maze's traps are unique and it's a pleasant read.

However, I disliked where things went. The finale's turn of events seemed rushed, and a certain aspect feels very, very familiar if you've read many other popular YA novels, such as Red Queen. I was disappointed by this and also didn't buy why it happened. Plus, Zadie's goes full-on trope with statements of rebellion and revenge. Groan :(

Hence the reduction of 1 star. Overall still a great read and I look forward to the sequel, but I hope that the story can focus on its unique elements rather than staying its course on a well-worn path.

*Received a free ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Who is Dex? And the secret of the Labyrinth?

The town Zadie lives in has very little love for her. She was born a Blank, a person who has no Skills. The laws in Trinnean requires that Blanks be exiled to the wastelands, and to survive most sign their life away to work in the Bunks, to receive food, a place to stay, and back breaking work. The Bunk is where she meets Landon, who becomes her closest friend. Somehow her ma pays the fee for reentry into Trinnean.

Trinnean is surrounded by desert and the only way out seems to be to the home of The Great Leader, protected by the Red Labyrinth. And the labyrinth is haunted by Dex.

I love this book! There is so many different things to touch upon, that this review can go into many of the rich details. This story is well crafted with a plot that hooks you from the beginning and a great twist in the ending. Meredith Tate is now on my favorite author list and this is my new favorite book!

I did receive an ARC in exchange for a review.

Thank you NetGalley and Flux for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love dystopian tropes, which is why I was originally drawn to this book.

Right away, we emerge into a grin, post-apocalyptic world that consists of Blanks (magically inept) of Skilled (varied magical abilities on a ranking system). The caveat? You’re born into these classes.

The story follows Zadie, a Blank, whos best friends with a Skilled, Limitless Landon...and of course, love is blossoming!! YES!!!

Once Zadie actually goes through the challenges of the Labyrinth, the plot loses a bit of steam. Additionally, the end of the story is a bit rushed, which is unfortunate.

Overall, I enjoyed the story.

3.5/5 stars.

3.5/5

One of the first movies I remember watching when I was a kid was Labyrinth from Jim Henson. The fantasy tale starring Jennifer Connelly as Sarah and David Bowie as the goblin King Jareth gripped me from the start. I was about 8 or 9 when I first saw it and since that fateful first viewing, I’ve probably watched it over 1000 times. Also since that fateful first viewing, I’ve easily been intrigued by any movie or book that focuses on labyrinths.
Which brings me to The Red Labyrinth.

I’m a newer Net Galley person, and I thank the author, publisher and website for sending me an ARC copy to review. I still feel such a rush and it’s such a privilege to be approved to review a book.

I typically don’t read many YA releases, but over the last number of years, I’ve become more intrigued with the burgeoning genre. Mix in some sci-fi and fantasy and I knew I’d enjoy this tale. The cover art hooked me and I couldn’t wait to delve into it.

I found Meredith to be a deft story teller. She laid out the basic premise of this post-apocalyptic world quickly and efficiently and I believed in the “new way” of life rapidly. The town they live in has two types of people, Skilled and Blanks. Skilled have powers, physical abilities that allow them to do different things. Your number (1, 2, 3 etc) indicates how many Skills you’ve been born with. Blanks have none and are considered the low class citizens. They’re either tossed outside the border wall that surrounds the town or they’re enslaved to work in the mines.

Zadie, the main character is a Blank. The story follows her as she tries to reconcile her past with her current life. She’s best friends with Limitless Landon, the towns golden boy. They’ve been friends for ages and it’s now bordering on love.

In the middle of the town lies the labyrinth. Myth has it that it was created to protect the Leader, who lives in the centre in his golden palace.

The Labyrinth is a mysterious fixture. Within is the character Dex who’s a monster and is blamed for the mindless blanks that return to the town after entering for one reason or another.

The story gets going after the town is held hostage by some new arrivals and Landon goes missing. Zadie decides to enter the Labyrinth and hopes Dex will help her get to the palace in order to save her mom, sister and Landon.

The story starts to lose some of its luster the further along we go through the labyrinth. It’s clear this story was written to be a part of a longer story arc, I’m assuming a trilogy, and Tate gives us bits and pieces of character back story as it goes, compelling us to continue reading and getting further into the tale.

The ending fell rushed and jumbled. As though everything we’ve read up to that point was undone within a few paragraphs and I was left angry and confused over this odd turn of events. I think it would’ve been better served overall to have ended the story when the palace comes into play and let the ideas after it be expanded upon in a second book.

As much as it fell apart at about the 75% mark, I still want to know what happens. I want to find out the resolution for these characters and find out just what the heck the end game is. That speaks to Tate’s character development and how invested I was able to get into this story.

Overall a decent introduction to this world, but I was left wanting more.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2672683380

From the beginning i knew i was not going to like this book. The writing with poor, as well as the plot and characters. There was no life to the story at all. And just like the main character was described as blank, so was the entire book. Nothing kept me interested nor was there a desire to keep reading.

I received a copy of The Red Labyrinth by Meredith Tate from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first novel by Meredith Tate that I have read and I am pleased to have had an opportunity to find a solid new author through this advance copy!

The good: I found the novel to be well written and the plot was different from many other novels currently available. Even though this was a YA/fantasy novel, the underlying theme and romance (misdirected though it turned out to be) was not juvenile. I liked the world of The Red Labyrinth and the protagonist Zadie Kalvers. Although young and very much a victim of her world's society - Zadie is a Blank (no skills/powers) and the lowest of society, Zadie grows so much during the novel with each challenge and obstacle. You can't help but empathize with her.

The bad: my main critique was that the end of the story felt very rushed. It is obviously to set up the next novel, but I thought it could have been smoother.

*I received an ARC of The Red Labyrinth via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. *

It's been quite some time since I read a dystopia, and I would argue that The Red Labyrinth, while most definitely a fantasy novel, has some of those classic dystopian tropes. It was great to be back in a world with a corrupt system and a girl who feels powerless. Zadie is introduced as a helpless character, and it was great to see her become more confident and strong throughout the book.

However, it was hard to suspend my disbelief on some of the fantastical elements. Some were so bizarre and felt out of place in a world full of magic. I would have liked more time fleshing out the maze, its structure, its rules, etc., because it seemed like a place where anything could happen in a way that made the world lack cohesion.

Despite my issue with the world (a bit too zany without a common thread tying all the magic together), I did enjoy The Red Labyrinth. Maybe it's because I've read a lot of fantasy and dystopian novels, but I did think that the antagonist was a little obvious. The pages leading up to said revelation were done really well, and answered some of the questions I had since the beginning of the book. The ending was probably my favorite part of the book and left me anticipating the sequel.

3.5 Stars!

There were some wonderful aspects of this book. My first thoughts were it was sort of like The Labyrinth meets Hunger Games with a little Darkling/Peeta action going on. The story concept, Dex, and the labyrinth were my favorite parts. I was hooked to the story from the beginning and the twist at the end was a good one that I wasn't fully expecting. Zadie was mostly helpless through out the book. I get that, it's all part of her journey from not having any powers as a blank. But she also didn't listen when Dex gave her good reasons to listen. That was at times frustrating as a reader. I enjoyed this book. I can see myself recommending it to my daughters and some friends. Ratings wise it's more of a 3.5 for me. Mostly because it became a bit repetitious that things kept happening in the labyrinth even though that's what we expect from the challenge of making it through.

Fantasy novel where a girl, at first apparently weak, comes to find her power, survives a nutso labyrinth and makes a surprising friend.

This YA fantasy novel has many of the tropes of the genre, including seemingly powerless heroine surround by nasty girls. While some of the book has a familiar feel, there is enough different to make this worth the read. The plotting and storyline are excellent. Zadie is somewhat weakly drawn, well, in part because she is struggling with her own perceptions of her lack of strength. The monster in the labyrinth, as it were, Dex is wonderfully drawn, really making the story.

The book ends with a cliffhanger. The last third of the book is by far the best. So if you are a little lost at the beginning, keep going. The book was strong enough that I will definitely put the next book on my TBR.

I would love to read book two of Red Labyrinth right now!

I really loved the story and practically flew through the pages. The author's writing style pulled me in, painting this world in vivid colors and creating characters that are real, flawed, facing struggles and hardships. Nobody is clearly good or bad, everyone tries to hide something.

The Red Labyrinth itself, it's traps, mechanisms and inhabitants are surprising, scary and affect the mind not only of the characters but also the reader's.
At least, it made me feel and fear with the ones navigating through it, because when a trap snaps it demands something unique from you.

From the protagonists introduced to us, I liked Zadie and Dex best. Zadie clearly is strong in her own way but it takes some time for her to realize that.
And Dex... he is something else that I won't give away because it would spoil the travel.

The Red Labyrinth is a clear 4.5 Stars read for me.
I fell in this world, got lost in the Labyrinth alongside the characters, and am hoping that book two is happening soon(ish) because that ending was cruel!

I received this book by request from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

I was so excited to into this book and for the first half I was not disappointed. Tate wrote an interesting world with great characters and a good quest to get into. As the story went on, although, things started to drag on and got tough to slog through.

The world building in this book was actually quite simple, yet was very mysterious and interesting. It was a dystopian world that was easy to picture while the labyrinth towered in the background, unfathomable and shrouded in mystery. The isolation of the town adds to the unknown elements of the world. Is this our future, a different world, or something else? The familiarity of the plants and language gave way to the added magical elements, making them more believable and realistic.

The characters were pretty well done. Zadie was a likeable narrator with a thorough past. She has been through so much already and has to take on so much more. Dex is a great match for Zadie. He is dark and mysterious to match the labyrinth and complement her personality with wit of his own. I will say that most of the growing that the characters did was through flashbacks on their lives. I don’t feel that they changed much on their own, but rather the reader began to look at them differently as they learned more of what happened to Zadie and Dex in the past.

The lack of depth in writing was more prevalent in the plotline of the book. Once in the maze, the obstacles that were presented started out quite intriguing. As time went by, these tasks became a little ridiculous and unnecessary. A few of the tasks seemed to be added to lengthen the story. They had no real purpose and led me to an eye roll and mental thought of “another one? Really?”. The story then ended with a somewhat expected twist that led up to the lead in for book two. This could have easily been shortened and, depending on how much farther this story will go, might not have needed a second book. I did like the general plot line of this story and think I would like to continue reading this series. I only hope that things don’t get drawn out again to expand into a trilogy. This was an intriguing story that I think many will enjoy if they can hang on through the untreated writing.

I have never read anything by Meredith Tate. This is a dystopian fantasy novel set in a world where humans have died out. There is this small isolated town that is left called Trinnea. The world has been laid to waste and is nothing but desert. This town that has survived is comprised of mostly people that have abilities (levitate, good eyesight, good hearing, strength, etc.). The thinking behind this is that these people survived because of their abilities and that humans are inferior beings. The individuals that have abilities are called "Skilled." There are people that are born with no abilities in this society. These people are called "Blanks". Blanks are treated terribly. Most of them are cast out into society to fend for themselves. Some of them are used as slave labor. As a blank, you can buy your way back into Trinnea, but it costs a lot of money and most people cannot afford this.

Zadie, our main character, is a Blank. She spent years in slave labor and finally her family has been able to afford for her to come back into Trinnea. Because she's a Blank, she is still looked down on. Her best friend is Landon. Landon is known as Limitless Landon because he has infinite abilities. Skilled are classified by how many abilities they have. She has been friends with Landon since they were very young, and Landon is the only person who doesn't look down on her and treat her like she is nothing. One day, Landon goes missing.
There is a labyrinth. It separates the people from the leader's housing/mansion. This maze was built as the leader's defense so that nobody would be able to cross into his domain. This maze is occupied by several bad things, but one of those things is Dex. He is known as a ruthless killer. He comes and grabs people from the town, pulls them into the maze, and wipes their brains. He does not discriminate, he takes blanks or skilled. Zadie is sure he has taken Landon, and she must save him.

So, this book sounded AWESOME. The whole thing intrigued me. So, this book was very fast paced. This was a good thing at some points and a bad thing in others. It was slow when describing the world, etc. Then when it got interesting, it got so fast you couldn't even process what had happened before it zipped us into something else. Because of this, Zadie's feelings did not come across well, especially when she is faced with death. It was like "oh great, I am staring death in the face. No biggie. I got this." It didn't capture her fear well at all. It was almost like it was just another day in the neighborhood.

Also, there were several discrepancies in the world building. I can't tell you what these were without giving this away. But these were major discrepancies. I thought to myself "did she forget she said it was this way in the beginning?" So it made it confusing because of that. I think Tate ultimately made the world too complicated that even she couldn't keep up with it.

That's not to say that this book wasn't entertaining. It was, and I could not put it down. This is the first book I haven't been able to put down in awhile. Because of this, I gave it a 4. But, I think this book would have been so much better with better pacing.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC.

Really fast read with some interesting twists near the end. Was a little annoyed that there wasn’t much character growth from Zadie until nearer the end of the novel, but if there’s a sequel (please tell me there’s going to be a sequel, because that ending, I just can’t) then I’m looking forward to seeing her build on what was started here.

I really enjoyed the plot — the isolated setting, the oppressive society, and of course the mystery of the labyrinth, which was resolved in a creative way that I did not expect, but really liked. I found Zadie, the main character, to be likeable and admirable for her bravery and determination. I also became quite fond of Dex, and I like how we got to find out more about his past. Zadie's sister, Chantry, was also quite a well developed character, and I hope we get to see more of her, if this becomes a series — which I'm assuming it will, given how this book ended.

However, this book had its flaws. For me, the biggest issue was with the writing. I'm not sure exactly how to describe it, but I personally thought that the writing felt slightly choppy and abrupt; at times, there was too much dialogue, and the author could have perhaps slowed the pace so that we could fully appreciate the significance of certain moments. The plot was certainly interesting and very intriguing, but I think there also needed to be times where both Zadie and readers could be given time to reflect on what had happened, especially during what should have been emotional moments.