Book: “Skyhunter” by Marie Lu
Genre: YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Blogger’s Note: Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
“Skyhunter” is a novel that tells the tale of Talin, a strong female, refugee main character in a dystopian sci-fi world who fights as a “striker” against mutant “Ghosts.” Caught in a place where she is an outsider fighting for survival, Talin knows hardship. When her fighting partner dies, she needs a new shield to protect her. In a twist of fate, she ends up being paired with another outsider who may end up being the person who saves her.
This book was entertaining, well written and full of the glorious world building that fantasy/sci-fi readers love! The book starts off with a focus on Talin and then slowly starts to incorporate new characters as readers begin to understand the world and the complexities of life within the novel. Marie Lu does a great job of slowly ramping up and taking her time to really create a world that will be understood in a reader’s mind.
One of the unique features of the book is that the main character uses sign language to communicate. I loved this. I found it to be unique and interesting and provided a different dimension to the characters and how they communicated with one another.
I also loved the initial dynamic between Talin and Red. Their instant connection was palpable and their plot line gave me all the similar feel good notions that accompany most YA novels. However, I felt like there was something missing. This story is definitely a great read and worth the time… but it didn’t stick with me after putting it down. I feel like the best stories are those where the characters take up residence in your heart, but this crew just didn’t impact me in that way.
In terms of the audiobook, the narration was excellent. The narrator’s voice is crisp and clear and she speaks at the perfect pace. At first, the tone in her voice was a bit off putting for me. It sounded almost mechanical in a way, but once I got used to it… I was able to settle into the audio and really enjoy the presentation of the book.
Overall, this one was good but just not a perfect 5/5.
Recommendations: If you are a die hard YA sci-fi or YA fantasy reader, give this one a try.
Literature & Lattes 