Monday, November 28, 2011

Aguirre, Ann Enclave


Aguirre, Ann      Enclave    
Feiwel&Friends/Macmillan Child Pub Gr     2011  262p  16.99
978-0-312-65008-7 ms/hs Misc.       E-BN 

Skilled huntress, Deuce, is exiled from her underworld kingdom with partner Fade. 
Both face the Freaks, a sinister group which feeds on humans, and gangs which
live aboveground, as all try to eke out an existence in a post-apocalyptic world.
      The summary to this novel does not truly show how strong a writer Ann
Aguirre is!  In Enclave, she has written a novel that rivals Hunger Games for
best of its genre.  Aguirre’s characters are skilled, yet willing to learn more
to survive, they are emotional, yet cold when facing their adversaries, and they
are loyal to their cause and to each other.  In this case, the young couple
Deuce and Fade are forced from their society called the Enclave when they claim
responsibility for a crime they did not commit.  Thankfully, Fade knows the
above ground culture, having survived there with his father before his father‘s
death.  He knew that the way to survive was to go north, through the big city
full of gangs who killed for sport, and Deuce was an able partner and huntress,
trained to kill.  The fight scenes are among the best, with riveting detail and
vivid realistic description at which Aguirre excels.  The reader is drawn into
the fights, and relieved that injuries plague the “good guys”.  The book is more
realistic that way, especially since Deuce and Fade are often outnumbered in
their battles.  When they meet gang member Stalker and his young, reluctant
helper Tegan, the drama intensifies, a competition between Stalker and Fade
develops for Deuce’s affection and the reader is left frustrated, having to
await the next novel to see what happens.  What will happen to the foursome in
their new camp?  Only Aguirre knows, and all readers will await her answers
impatiently.            Squaresky, Martha

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