Review: Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

Title:  Arclight 

Author: Josin L. McQuein
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publishing Date:  April 23rd 2013

Pages: 400
Genre:  YA Sci-Fi/ Post Apocalyptic 

Series: Arclight #1
Source: Audio 

  

        

No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one girl who doesn’t remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. A harrowing, powerful debut thriller about finding yourself and protecting your future—no matter how short and uncertain it may be.

The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams is the Dark. And between the Light and the Dark is the Grey, a narrow, barren no-man’s-land. That’s where the rescue team finds Marina, a lone teenage girl with no memory of the horrors she faced or the family she lost. Marina is the only person who has ever survived an encounter with the Fade. She’s the first hope humanity has had in generations, but she could also be the catalyst for their final destruction. Because the Fade will stop at nothing to get her back. Marina knows it. Tobin, who’s determined to take his revenge on the Fade, knows it. Anne-Marie, who just wishes it were all over, knows it.

When one of the Fade infiltrates the Arclight and Marina recognizes it, she will begin to unlock secrets she didn’t even know she had. Who will Marina become? Who can she never be again?

I really love the cover for this book. I was very excited to read the book and when came out on audio, I knew I wanted to listen to the book. I love a good post apocalyptic book and this one had a quite a creepy vibe going one.  I enjoyed the read. It was a great story and the writing was well done. I didn't get quite what I wanted out of it, but I felt satisfied at the ending of the book and I do want to read more. 

Marina is a girl, the only survivor of the Fade, and she has no memory of her life before or during her time with the Fade. She was rescued and since that day she only knows of what came next. She is searching and she finally has a chance when one of the Fade is captured. What she finds is nothing like what she wanted to find and now she must discover a way to live with what she knows and the truth behind her story. 

I thought this was a very intriguing story. I loved the plot and I very much liked the characters. The writing was great but the entire time I was listening to this story, I felt a little lost, like I was missing something important or I was waiting for something bigger to happen. The pacing was not slow, but it just didn't quite have the umph I was expecting. 

The world building was also lacking. I think the idea was wonderful but I needed more of the how and when. I think this may have been the exact thing the story was missing for me. The mystery of the Fade and what the Fade was, was a big part of the story. When I finally got to the point of learning their purpose, their past, their reason for existence and how they came to be... I didn't quite get it. I think I got the main gist of it but I still feel lacking. I would have loved to learn more about them and everything that led up to them taking over. I am hoping the next book will have more of this. 

The story was good and their are some twists. Some were easy to see coming, some not so much. I liked the feel of the story. The tone was amazing and it was for sure what kept me going. It wasn't quite horror but wasn't all sci-fi. The story is told from Marina's point of view and she is one confused and lost girl. The tone fed her mood or her mood fed the tone perfectly. Definitely my favorite part of the writing. 

I really liked the characters too. Marina was a very strong heroine and she was determined, very stubborn, and very independent. She had many reasons to whine but she didn't whine. She dealt. I loved that about her. Marina grows up and into herself quite a bit in this book. She starts with knowing nothing about herself or her past to knowing things she wished she didn't to accepting what she knows and then she starts to embrace what she knows. Just a little and I have a feeling she will bunches in the next book. 

Tobin, the love interest was a pretty cool character. I wanted to like him more than I did. He had his amazing moments where he was very sweet and a very stand up guy, but then he would have moments where I wanted to knock him out. He has a lot of growing to do and he did get a good start towards the end of the book and I think I will love him when I get further into the story. 

 There were many other great characters too. I adored Anne-Marie. She cracked me up. She was so sweet and so real. The good guys were good, the bad guys were bad and then there were many in between. Great characters in the book. 

There was a romance budding in the book. I liked that it wasn't rushed and was building very slowly. There was a different kind of love triangle that fit with the story very very well and I'm not sure where it will go but the story wouldn't be the same without it. It made perfect sense. I am not one who roots for love triangles but this one is right for the book.  

I really did love much about the book. I think if it wasn't for the lack of world building for me, I would have really loved it!  I think its a great start to an amazing story.

A great and enjoyable read. Intense in moments, creepy in others.... I look forward to reading more.