Failsafe: A Novel ~ Anela Deen

★★★☆☆

Actual rating: 3.5

I received this eARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book in any way.

"I am the Failsafe."

#RollCredits

The Writing and Worldbuilding

The writing style was really hard to get used to at first, I gotta admit. It is first person and very much stream of consciousness, which was difficult to adjust to. For instance, the word "craptastic" is used. And besides that, the first chapter was extremely rushed. I thought there'd be an introduction to Sol's life and family, but no, that was all done in exposition, with the first chapter consisting of things I thought would happen in the third or fourth chapter. Besides that, there were so many typos. It was really hard to ignore them, being a grammar nazi and all. Also, sometimes, scenes were just completely skipped, like Deen wanted them in the plot but didn't want to bother writing them. It was very jarring sometimes. Also, it was never explained how Sol got into the other settlements when she did supply runs; like, wouldn't they have thought she was just a Wraith and never let her in?

He was different in ways I didn't fully understand, but different didn't mean less. It was just another way to be. You'd think after all I'd been through in the last year I'd have the concept down.

Once I got used to it all and the story really picked up, I found myself totally loving it!!! Echo was so wonderful and his and Sol's banter was just so cute! I loved the themes as well, and I thought they were well executed for the most part. Choice and humanity were two of the biggest themes. I loved the world too. The atmosphere was great and very tangible. And despite the rushed plot at the beginning, the love story was thankfully slow-burn, and I really loved it. It warmed my cold dead heart I'd thought incapable of love.

I'd rate the writing 2 stars, but the plot and characters 4 stars.

Inaction was as much a choice as one made by conviction.

Also, the heck is a "heat cylinder"??

The Characters

First, I gotta say, what the heck is the deal with these "unique" YA names?? They're driving me crazy! Centhea, Margrit, Devid, and don't get me started on Mykel. It's just Michael! Spell it like a normal person, for goodness sake! The world ended, but they still had language and knew how to spell! *reins in frustration* Okay, let's begin.

"I have no need of constellations with you as my guiding star."

Soleil: She was pretty annoying at first but once I got used to her, I really liked her. She is pretty introspective (being mostly alone in a dark, grey cyberscape definitely encourages that) but sometimes wasn't asking questions I thought obvious to ask (like where her schematic dreams come from, for instance). Also, her painting was thrust upon my suddenly as if I already knew, which with the rushed first chapter, really made me feel like I'd missed some vital prologue chapters. I liked how she had epilepsy.

"You are my guiding star...I go who where you lead."

Echo: MY HEART! I'm dead. I love this adorable android man so much, you don't understand. He really saved this book and made me even keep reading past chapter 2, because he had so much potential and really delivered on it. I loved his caring personality and found his dialogue so adorably stilted and awkward.

"You are a separate entity," he said softly, "independent of me in every respect, yet I have come to see you as an integral part of myself. Vital to my core functions. I will not leave you. I cannot."

The Override: He was pretty creepy.

Conclusion

Survival was indeed a human being's primary directive but we had our own overrides. The heart was one of them.

I really liked this book. I've already gushed about to my family and now I'm gushing about it to you. It's great. Go read it.

Buy the book here:

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