Sunday, April 29, 2018

Review: Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill

Read: Aug. 15-Sept. 11, 2017
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Format: hardcover, 406 pages
Publication: May 2015 by Quercus
Genres: dystopia, sci-fi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Blurb from Goodreads:

"Where women are created for the pleasure of men, beauty is the first duty of every girl. In Louise O'Neill's world of Only Every Yours women are no longer born naturally, girls (called "eves") are raised in Schools and trained in the arts of pleasing men until they come of age. Freida and Isabel are best friends. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year, they expect to be selected as companions--wives to powerful men. All they have to do is ensure they stay in the top ten beautiful girls in their year. The alternatives--life as a concubine, or a chastity (teaching endless generations of girls)--are too horrible to contemplate.

But as the intensity of final year takes hold, the pressure to be perfect mounts. Isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty--her only asset--in peril. And then into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride. Freida must fight for her future--even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known.
"

I gotta say, the blurb at the back of the book really interested me.....but the actual reading of the book.....not so exciting. This was one of those books for me.....where nothing was particularly wrong, but nothing was exciting enough to really keep my attention.

Freida, one of the main characters.....really, really, REALLY bothered me. And when the main character is unlikable.....we have a problem! I guess I didn't really mind it at first, I mean, I can understand wanting to fit in, I can understand peer pressure....but when Freida completely betrays her friend...or when Freida completely abuses a promise she swore to keep because of a mean girl?! THAT. I CANNOT STAND.

Gosh, I was so mad at Freida, I don't think I've been so mad at book character in a really long time.

Surprisingly(?), I'm not mad at Megan (aka, the mean girl). I mean...yeah, sure....she can go ahead and be mean. She was just looking out for herself. I can understand that! But Freida....ugh. She just tried so hard to please and fit in....

Isabel! Oh, my heart goes out to her! Even if she did show indifference in most of the book, from all the history Freida shared with Isabel, she seemed like such a nice person! And when I find out that *censors spoilers*, oooh, I just love Isabel even more! She may not have made the best decision, but it's the thought that counts, right? Isabel. She's my absolute favourite character in this book!

Another character I quite adored....Darwin! Okay, yes.....he also tried really hard to please his father...but at least he didn't BETRAY anyone! And even after Freida messed up big time, he still cares about her! How sweet!

Huh. I realise my "review" is pretty much comprised of what I thought of characters. Interesting.

Well....I guess all the action and the drama at the end of the book made up for the first half of the book. I'd love to read a sequel about what happens to Freida after though!

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