Review: Resist by Sarah Crossan

Resist by Sarah Crossan
Series: Breathe #2
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Source: Edelweiss
ISBN: 9780062118721
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Pages: 242

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The sequel—and conclusion—to Sarah Crossan's Breathe. Three teen outlaws must survive on their own in a world without air, exiled outside the glass dome that protects what's left of human civilization. Gripping action, provocative ideas, and shocking revelations in a dystopian novel that fans of Patrick Ness and Veronica Roth will devour.

Bea, Alina, and Quinn are on the run. They started a rebellion and were thrown out of the pod, the only place where there's enough oxygen to breathe. Bea has lost her family. Alina has lost her home. And Quinn has lost his privileged life. Can they survive in the perilous Outlands? Can they finish the revolution they began? Especially when a young operative from the pod's Special Forces is sent after them. Their only chance is to stand together, even when terrible circumstances force them apart. When the future of human society is in danger, these four teens must decide where their allegiances lie. Sarah Crossan has created a dangerous, and shattered society in this wrenching, thought-provoking, and unforgettable post-apocalyptic novel.

Resist picks up where Breathe left off. Bea and Quinn are separated from the Resistance and the rest are slowly making their way to Sequoia, a second rebel stronghold. The story is told from four perspectives this time, Alina, Bea, Quinn, and Ronan. I think this may be too many characters for a lot of people, but I enjoyed each one of them. They all added to the story and each character’s path was imperative to the outcome they all dream about.

Bea and Quinn are apart for most of the book. Neither wants to leave the other, but they know they must split up to support the Resistance. Somehow Quinn became stronger throughout his journey and was willing to step up and lead. This could have a lot to do with his relationship with Bea. He wants to prove he is worthy of her and somehow tries to proves it.

“What does that girl do to people? Bea Whitcraft turns boys into men.”
Jude Caffrey

There are a lot of new characters added to this book. My favourite was Ronan, the son of the previous pod minister. Ronan took part in the slaughter of The Grove. After he returns to the pod he starts to see his world differently. Before he was sent out of the pod Ronan didn’t understand what it was like for the lives of Auxiliaries. He took everything for granted and believed in the lies that the Ministry fed everyone. He truly believed the Resistance were terrorists wanting to destroy the pod, but after the massacre he changes and it doesn’t take a lot for this to happen. Then shortly, after meeting Bea he starts to have feelings for her and like Quinn he wants to prove his worthiness.

“She’s pretty and smart and brave and kind, but Jude’s right—she doesn’t look at me with eager eyes. Maybe that’s why I’ve never let myself be drawn to her. I know it would be hopeless, and hopeless is not the love I want.”
Ronan

Alina was by far my favourite in this book. She outshone the rest. She was tough and determined. You could see glimpses of her vulnerable side at times, which only made you want to cheer for her more.

“We have no food, our air is low, and we have one gun between us, I’m not sure we’re in a position to be saving anyone.”

The last half of the book is filled with action and once I got to this point I finished it in an afternoon. I really enjoyed how Sarah Crossan ended the series. It makes you want to see the hope that they have to continue to survive.

Overall, Resist was a pretty refreshing change to YA series. The sequel is also the concluding book in this series. I liked how there are only two books and not a trilogy as it told the story in the perfect amount of novels instead of filling space with nonsense. Resist was a much stronger book than Breathe. A lot of the issues I had with Breathe were resolved in this book. Bea, Alina, and Quinn are all stronger characters and I was not annoyed once by any of them.

My Rating:

Review: Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Series: Breathe #1
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Library
ISBN: 9780062118714
Release Date: October 2, 2012

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Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . .The world is dead. The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

Alina has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful.

Quinn should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

Bea wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

When I began reading this book I thought here we go again with another typical ya dystopian book. The first third of the book was pretty unimpressive almost bordering on boring, but something happened half way through and I just got sucked into the book. By the end my mind was saying "I want more!"

Humans now live in a pod after The Switch. The earth's population was in crisis and scientists decided it would be a good idea to plow down all the earth's forests and trees it make way for more farmland. While doing so they depleted the earth's oxygen, so people were dropping dead all over the place.

The earth no longer habitable, humans now must live in pods, which are divided into three castes. The pod is supposed to protect them. There is no longer weather. No rain or snow, and always at an even perfect temperature. Only there are severe issues with the pod as the Premiums have everything while the Auxiliaries work their entire life to just get by.  Everyone is monitored to make sure they don't move too quickly so they don't use up extra oxygen. Equality between Premiums and Auxiliaries does not exist.

I really didn't like Bea at the start of the book. She just irritated me. She was jealous and whiny about how much prettier Alina was, and how Quinn won't notice her more than a friend. She did get better by the end of the novel, but she wasn't really my favourite. I think that might have been the problem with me and this book. I just didn't love any of the characters. They were either okay or the irked me. And Quinn, I just don't think he was strong of enough for a leading guy. He seemed weak willed and bland.

I will probably read the next book in the series and hopefully it will be a bit better.

My Rating: