TRIGGER WARNING
*Just a warning if you're thinking of picking up this book; it has a lot of mention of sexual assault. While the assaults are not actually depicted, there is a scene when Alexa travels through the house, and you see the aftermath, which was a little too much for me.*
Author: Sara B. Larson
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre:YA, Fantasy
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Blurb: Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.
The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?
The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?
REVIEW:
Defy was one of those books that the cover always drew me in, but the synopsis was never enough to make me buy it. I've never been a fan of the "girl disguised as a boy" thing, or a fan of love triangles, which the synopsis states very clearly. But as a fantasy lover, I decided to give it a shot.
I'm glad I did! While there were quite a few moments I had to stop my eyes from rolling, Defy was still a good book. The story is interesting the entire way through, and Alexa was one of those heroines that always got back up, even if she didn't want to, and she always took action in the face of danger (which is the true definition of bravery if you ask me!). As predictably as the love triangle went, and the development of romance between the characters, in the end Defy really did focus on the main issue at hand: overthrowing a kingdom.
The world that was built could have been stronger. While many descriptions were given, they tended to focus on the same few descriptors (like the heat of the jungle, the sunshine vs. shadows). It got a little tiring hearing about how sweaty everyone was. However the descriptions given for characters was plentiful, and they came to life right off the page!
Fans of The Hunger Games should definitely check out this book.
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