Publisher: Harper
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
How far will you go when you have nothing left to lose?Since I read the first book in the Eve trilogy, Eve, I've never had especially strong feelings toward the series. I've enjoyed reading the books, but never felt that strong a connection to any of the characters or their plight. I was hoping with Rise, being the last book in the series and everything, that that would be different. I'm sad to report that Rise is not my least favorite book in the series but certainly still couldn't live up to its potential, though I still generally enjoyed it and I know that others have and will.
When she lost her soul mate, Caleb, Eve felt like her world had ended. Trapped in the palace, forced to play the part of the happy, patriotic princess of The New America—and the blushing bride of her father's top adviser—Eve's whole life is a lie. The only thing that keeps her going is Caleb's memory, and the revolution he started.
Now, Eve is taking over where Caleb left off. With the help of Moss, an undercover subversive in the King's court, she plots to take down The New America, beginning with the capital, the City of Sand. Will Eve be able to bring about a new, free world when she's called upon to perform the ultimate act of rebellion—killing her father?
In Rise, Eve must choose who to leave behind, who to save, and who to fight as Anna Carey's epic tale of romance and sacrifice in the chilling dystopia of The New America comes to a stunning conclusion.
The book, in general, is a quick read, only just over 300 pages. It began quickly and ended quickly, but the middle just dragged for me. We get another extended road trip, like in the first book, and it just felt like much of the book was spent treading water instead of forwarding story. I wanted Eve to be more active in the rebellion, after all that she's gone through, and what she ends up doing is important, but she could've done more.
On a little side note, I thought Anna Carey did a good job of making the City of Sand so beautiful sounding, only to destroy it so completely and effectively in this book. We're treated to scenes of the palace and all the beautiful places the rich and powerful go in Once, only to see that very world turned into a war zone. Very effective imagery.
I did like how the story ended (Though I wish there was a prologue! Just a little bit more! Just one teeny tine scene!) and I thought everyone was set in a hopeful, but not perfect situation, which is how it should be (At least in my humble opinion.)
There are a couple of great twists (one I definitely expected, the other I didn't see AT ALL) and the bigger twist, to me, wouldn't work in a lot of YA dystopians. Here, it works. Really well, actually. It's the driving force behind many of Eve's hardest decisions and I think it makes her think of her choices in terms of others, rather than just herself, which makes her a more sympathetic character than she's been for most of this series. I know I felt more connected to her in this book than in the other two.
On the whole, Rise is a serviceable ending to a decent series. I never found exactly what I was hoping for in the last two books, but it was still good to see the progression of Eve and her friends into strong women.
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