BOOK REVIEW: Listed by L.J. Kerry

Listed

Author: L.J. Kerry

Genre: YA / NA Dystopian

Publication Date: 1st November 2020

Book Description:

They should have never met. . .

When Judas Wells is ordered to send Nadine Ellis to her execution, he defies orders for the first time in his life by concealing Nadine in The Rebellion. However, once it is revealed that Nadine has actually been kidnapped from a neighboring country, The Rebellion and Judas realise her experience as an outsider could bring down their own country's ruthless regime and restore freedom to the nation.

Yet this proves no simple task when the government starts hunting them all down. As an uprising looms over the country in retaliation, nowhere is safe. With the help of The Rebellion, Judas and Nadine must survive long enough to see freedom restored—or face their demise. 

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

In order to survive in the Republic of Denmé, all citizens must be Listed. The barcode tattooed on the right arm of each citizen is a legal requirement. Those who are unlisted risk being executed. Joseph Wells - aka Judas Wells - lives a double life, working both above ground for the Denmé regime while at the same time being a member of a secret underground organisation known as The Rebellion. When Judas and Nadine Ellis's world collide, everything changes for both these characters. Judas defies order and rescues Nadine, taking her to The Rebellion for protection after discovering that she was drugged and kidnapped from the neighbouring country known as Olympia. Judas's and Nadine's lives turn upside down when they join forces to overthrow the Denmé regime and get Nadine back to safety in her homeland of Olympia. Who will survive and who will fall at the hands of Sanchez, the leader of Denmé? Only time will tell.

This story is full of action, adventure and a lot of danger. It's very fast paced, so you end up going through a lot of different emotions in what felt like a short space of time, which isn't a negative thing, it just made it sometimes hard to catch your breath. I loved the characters. I'm actually surprised that I remembered them as there were a lot of characters who all had important roles to play. Thankfully, they had distinct characteristics that made it easy to tell them apart and the fact that they were different and unique with their own morals and principles made them memorable. It was hard to choose a favourite character, but the three that had the most effect on me were Judas, Carlos and, not really surprising, Samhain. What a character he was. Guy wears a black cloak with a goat skull on his head. I mean, really, what's not to like? He flirts with anyone and just says whatever is on his mind. No filter whatsoever. My kind of character. Although I liked Nadine, I didn't fully grasp her motive, not necessarily because it wasn't presented to me, but more so because she herself didn't elaborate on it other than the fact that she wanted to feel more worthy as she felt like a nobody back in Olympia. Perhaps she will come out of her shell more in the sequel and we can delve a little deeper into her character.

What I especially liked about this book was that it didn't attempt to excuse itself in favour of societal norms. It delivered some very important and thought-provoking messages. There was an incident with Judas and a guard that didn't end too well, and I appreciated that none of the characters lingered on morals or questioned Judas's character. Sometimes shit happens and you have to get on with life. Same with the relationship between Judas and Carlos. Despite the punishment that comes with their lifestyle, there is no attempt made to try and justify why they would choose to risk their lives. They're not naive; they know the risk, but at the end of the day, you have to decide how you want to live your life, even if it's a short one. They lived the way one should live in a totalitarian society as the one they live in: as if life was right now.

I must say, I found the threat of Sanchez derived more from the guards than it did from Sanchez, and I wanted to feel the leader's authority a little more than what I experienced. Nonetheless, I did get a sense of the danger posed by the government of Denmé, and it was terrifying. This story made me think of other books I read such as The Handmaid's Tale, Brave New World and The Hunger Games. The world building was great and a very authentic and realistic portrayal of a society on the brink of chaos.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

VERDICT

Award: Platinum

Rating: 5 Stars

Source: Own copy