Rebel
Heart (Dust Lands #2)
Author: Moira Young
Genre: Dystopian
Pages: 432
Summary from Goodreads…
It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.
What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion.
Warning: If
you haven’t read Blood Red Road there may be some slight spoilers...
The
Good, The Bad, and the Krazyness…
The Dust Lands world is definitely one of the more grittier dystopian's I've read and I love it for that. When
I first read Blood Red Road I was
quickly hooked. Young’s unique narration and Saba’s strong character and voice
pulled me into this post-wreaker world that’s inhabited by pioneers, oppressors,
and freedom fighters. My type of world. And who can forget the dreamy rascal Jack? It was definitely one of my favorite books of 2011!
In
Rebel Heart, Young
returns with our heroine Saba, along with Emmi and Lugh, as she struggles
between the decision to leave the area, find a home and settle down or fight
for the man who she gave her heart[stone] to.
Right
in the first chapter, the author pulls you in and makes it hard for you to put
the book down even when you know you should be doing homework. The characters
are instantly alive and you feel for them throughout the book.
Despite fighting so hard to get her twin back, Saba is realizing that things with
Lugh can never be as they had been before. They have both changed so much
through their experiences that they are having a hard time seeing eye-to-eye on
anything anymore. The disappointment of finally getting what you wanted, after so long of fighting, is a hard thing to overcome and you can either mop or get mad... let's see what Saba does. Emmi, who was once the bane of Saba’s existence, is now much
closer to Saba than before, and a lot stronger in her own way. I absolutely
love the development of the relationship between Emmi and Saba from the first
book til now. Having a younger sister myself, I was appalled at the way Saba
treated Emmi in BRR. But seeing their relationship now, and how it’s grown, has
been amazing.
Saba
is definitely a reluctant hero (my favorite type) and while she tries to do
right, she is constantly disappointing those around her. Whether she was right
or wrong in her choices is up to the reader. I wanted to throttle many of the characters because of this. Saba didn't ask to get pulled into anything, or for people to join with her in her quests, and they are constantly berating her for her choices. Under the Angel of Death there is just a girl trying to survive. Young develops her characters so
well that from the first page to the last, my heart constantly broke or soared
for them in their ups and downs.
There’s
more fights, more blushing and kissing, and more DeMalo! I enjoyed the plot and
the pacing worked well. I’m a little unsure about some of the seemingly
mystical stuff that was going on though. Are there magical forces in this world
or is it all just superstition? I’ve been wondering since BRR and I’m still not
sure. My one complaint in this whole thing is that I wish Jack made more of a
presence. I need my scoundrel fix! He was constantly in peoples thoughts but
not there in person as much. It worked well for the story but not for my
obsessive fangirlness!
5 Elf Cookies
