Review Comparison: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Review Comparison: Enclave

Review Comparison is a feature I do where I pull out the pros and cons of the featured book mentioned in my review and other bloggers' reviews to provide a snapshot of opinions.

Click for my original review: 

Enclave by Ann Aguirre
4 out of 5

The following bloggers kindly allowed me to include their reviews in this feature: 

The Book Vixen: 5 out of 5
The Bookish Brunette: 5 out of 5
Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories: 5 out of 5
Books of Amber: 5 out of 5 
Books From a Shelf: 5 out of 5 
Books Before Bed: 5 out of 5
BookAHolics Anonymous: 5 out of 5
A Bird's Eye Review: 4 out of 4
A Tapestry of Words: 4.5 out of 5
Ruby's Reads: 5 out of 6
Rainy Day Ramblings: 4 out of 5
Taming the Bookshelf: 4 out of 5
Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books: 3 out of 5
Stalking the Bookshelves: 3 out of 5
Black Fingernailed Reviews
Madigan Reads
Book Chewer
Blackplume

Please click on the links to read their full reviews!

~Conclusions~ 

Agreement among the reviewers was notably high on almost every point mentioned. The fast-paced, engaging plot and Deuce's fierceness were mentioned by most reviewers and almost unanimously liked. The romance between Fade and Deuce was overall well-received, but the love triangle and other romantic interest fell flat for most reviewers.

Though reviewers were mostly (but not completely) in agreement on the quality of the world building, they were divided on their preferences for the first half (more dystopian) or the second half (more post-apocalyptic). 

 
 

~General~

• "I'm really not one for the dystopian type novels. Well I think I may have found the exception" (BookAHolics Anonymous)
• "I'm not normally into the zombie scene, but I loved this!"(A Bird's Eye Review)
• "I'm not a big fan of the dystopian genre...[but Enclave was] A pleasant surprise; a book definitely worth reading" (Rainy Day Ramblings)

• "I could not physically put the book down or look away. I sat for hours spellbound by the fantastic writing and interesting story and amazing characters" (Black Fingernailed Reviews)
• "I finished the book in one sitting...I could not put it down" (Books From a Shelf)
• "Cancel any plans because you'll be staying up all night, if need be, to finish Enclave" (The Book Vixen)
• "...it pulled me in to the universe so completely, that I found myself devoting a nice solid five hours or so to solidly reading through this imaginative journey into a dark future" (Madigan Reads)
• "...be prepared to sit down until the last page is done!"(Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories)
• "...I totally could not put down until finished!"(Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories)
• "An engrossing read that will keep you flipping the pages"(A Tapestry of Words)
• "I was sucked in from page one and couldn't put it down until I had finished"(Small Review)
• "This is a gritty, heart pounding adventure that has you flipping the pages eager to see how our characters will overcome the many adversities tossed in their paths" (Rainy Day Ramblings)

• "This is one of my favorite books" (Books From a Shelf)
• "It was fantastic!" (Books Before Bed)
• "I quite frankly loved this book" (Ruby's Reads)
• "It definitely earned a spot on my top ten reads of this year...It's going to be a hard one to beat" (The Book Vixen)
• "Enclave was FANTASTIC" (The Bookish Brunette)
• "Ranks right up there in my favorite reads of 2011"(Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories)
• "This book is gritty, feral and wow...just amazing" (Taming the Bookshelf)
• "...just insanely good!"(Book Chewer)
• "Even characters you want to hate have deeper layers that make you think uncomfortable, philosophical thoughts" (Ruby's Reads)

• "...keeps a fast paced throughout the novel--I can't think of one dull or slow moment"(Books of Amber)
• "...the tension keeps building and building...fantastic fighting scenes...Some parts were downright scary"(Books of Amber)
• "There is plenty of action happening here!"(A Tapestry of Words)
• "Fast-paced...with intense action...The constant running and brutal fight scenes kept up a thriller like pace, but its really some of the slower, quiet moments that I loved the most" (Stalking the Bookshelves)
• "...packed with action and was very fast paced" (Book Chewer)
• "Action-packed" (Blackplume)
• "The fight scenes were awesome...the fighting and near-constant peril make for a brisk pace"(Small Review)

• "[The second part of the book is] not bad or dragging but it's not as good as the first part" (Blackplume)
• "The first half of the book grabbed my attention a little more because it was so different...however, the last few chapters started getting really interesting" (Books Before Bed)
• "This book is absolutely thrilling until three quarters of the way through, then it stumbles and falls flat" (Rainy Day Ramblings)
• "I found the beginning to be a bit frustrating, as your introduced to a lot of characters very quickly and it was difficult to remember who was who and who did what." (Stalking the Bookshelves)
• "The beginning is a bit boring...but towards the middle, the book took a wild turn to the interesting and i just could not put it down after that!"(Book Chewer)

~World Building~

• "I absolutely loved the world building in it" (BookAHolics Anonymous)
• "Ann did a marvelous job recreating a degenerated society, one that was easy to follow and understand" (Books Before Bed)
• "I adore the post-apocalyptic world that Ann Aguirre created" (Ruby's Reads)
• "The world building was a-maz-ing...dark, gritty and bleak post-apocalyptic world" (The Book Vixen)
• "...intriguing and well thought out world"(Books of Amber)
• "The combination of the dystopian society of the underground enclave and the post-apocalyptic setting of the world above in Topside worked really well, and I was glad that we get a chance to see both"(A Tapestry of Words)
• "It's unbelievable how Ann Aguirre was able to create such a world" (Book Chewer)
• "The world building is phenomenal...[Ann Aguirre] takes her time paying careful attention to detail until I felt as if I was [there]" (Rainy Day Ramblings)
• "Ann Aguirre's world building has two things going for it: 1) It makes logical sense, and 2) I can picture it perfectly" (Small Review)
• "The underground world is compelling and intriguing...dystopia at its best!" (Blackplume)

• "I'm thinking maybe the only complaint Ihad was I would have liked a little more of the underground" (BookAHolics Anonymous)
• "A lot of the world is portrayed in broad stereotypes rather than delving into intracicies...there is an oversimplification of what could be a very complex landscapes" (Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books)

• "...had a cinematic feel to it; it read like a movie playing in my mind" (The Book Vixen)
• "...you can taste, hear, smell and feel what is going on with the characters"(Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories)
• "Reading Enclave was like watching a movie unfold before my eyes"(Small Review)
• "Ann Aguirre did a great job with her descriptions" (Taming the Bookshelf)

~Characters~

Deuce:

• "...terrific narrator...From the beginning, Deuce appealed to me" (Ruby's Reads)
• "I truly loved this character" (Rainy Day Ramblings)
• "I wasn't overwhelmed with over-processed thoughts...[Deuce is] a strong, fierce and loyal young woman trying to survive" (The Book Vixen)
• "I loved Deuce I thought she was a strong character, and held her own" (BookAHolics Anonymous)
• "Deuce is one serious tough cookie...She has a big heart and she's loyal and protective of those she loves" (Black Fingernailed Reviews)
• "She was just plain kickass!" (Books From a Shelf)
• "Deuce was an amazing heroine! She is fierce, brave and completely confident in her role as a Huntress...flat out breath-taking, and probably my favorite heroine of the year!"(The Bookish Brunette)
• "Deuce was a strong female lead...I felt as thought I was right there with her--her voice was so clear" (Books of Amber)
• "Deuce is a tough girl" (Book Chewer)
• "I really loved Deuce; she is one tough girl!"(A Bird's Eye Review)

• "I enjoyed reading about Deuce in particular as she faces internal struggles between being a warrior who accepts losses and the human being who wants to save those she knows" (Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books)
• "As much as I loved her tenacity I also appreciated the side of Deuce that doubted herself and her abilities" (Rainy Day Ramblings)
• "Deuce is such an admirable heroine...I loved seeing Deuce at her more vulnerable moments. She was equally brave and yet somehow soft and emotional" (Taming the Bookshelf)
• "What made me keep turning the page?...Watching Deuce change her thoughts about what makes a person strong or weak"(A Bird's Eye Review)
• "She's tough but has a soft spot, one she eventually embraces" (Books Before Bed)
• "...an appealing heroine to root for--one who is physically and mentally tough-as-nails...seeing her grow emotionally...was fabulous"(A Tapestry of Words)
• "I thought Deuce's reaction...was portrayed very accurately"(A Tapestry of Words)

• "I didn't find Deuce the easiest character to relate to...she tends to justify why horrible things have happen, instead of properly dealing with how she feels about them. I do admire the fighter in her though..." (Stalking the Bookshelves)
• "I can't say I exactly like Deuce or relate to her, but i do find her intriguing to read about"(Small Review)

~Romance~

• "Boy, what I would do for [Fade]" (BookAHolics Anonymous)
• "...together [Fade and Deuce] are just about the strongest team you'll ever come across" (Black Fingernailed Reviews)

• "...three cheers for a romance that grows rather than appears out of nowhere" (Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books)
• "I definitely enjoyed the progression of the relationship between them, as they start out wary of each other, and learn to trust one another as hunting partners before anything romantic happens"(A Tapestry of Words)
• "I also really, really, really want more development between Fade and Deuce [in the sequel]" (Books Before Bed)
• "[Fade is] a little more than your typical mysterious love interest. There are so many layers there to be peeled back and explored, i can't wait to find out more about him"(Books of Amber)
• "The romance is there, but for now it's just kindling"(Book Chewer)
• "There was just enough romance to make me happy"(A Bird's Eye Review)
• "I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the bond between Deuce and Fade" (Rainy Day Ramblings)

• "There is a slight love traingle, but I am Team Fade 1000%...I'm smitten with Fade" (Taming the Bookshelf)
• "[regarding the second love interest]...the raping part was over the top. There could have been a better way to make him a bad guy" (BookAHolics Anonymous)
• "...although romance isn't a big factor in Enclave, there is a bit of a love triangle" (The Book Vixen)
• "The only minor flaw in this novel is the damn love traingle! I really didn't like where that took the book. Especially as one half of the triangle was...Well, let's just say he wasn't the nicest person" (Books of Amber)
• "I was loving the romance during the first half of the book. It's a slow burn based on mutual admiration with not a speck of insta-love in sight...But then the author totally KILLED it in the second half! The stupid love triangle rears its head..." (Small Review)
• "MAJOR *SWOON* for Fade...but when Stalker kisses Deuce in the woods...I almost, ALMOST forgot Fade. It was smokin' hot" (The Bookish Brunette)

~Ending~

• "The ending is well done because you aren't left with some huge jaw-dropping cliff-hanger, but rather the door is kept open for a sequel" (Stalking the Bookshelves)
• "The ending of Enclave left me itching for more" (Ruby's Reads)
• "Pretty much a cliffhanger...The plot is actually pretty sparse and unfinished in this installment, but it does set up some interesting questions"(Small Review)
• "...maintains an internal story arc...there is enough resolution to leave the reader feeling satisfied, but still penty more questions to be explored in sequels"(A Tapestry of Words)
• "There is no climax or resolution just an abrupt end. I felt cheated" (Rainy Day Ramblings)

• "I can't wait to read more of the journey" (BookAHolics Anonymous)
• "...I'm now looking forward to the sequel" (Madigan Reads)
• "I'm very interested to see where the story is headed" (Stalking the Bookshelves)
• "I cannot wait for the second book in the Razorland series!" (Taming the Bookshelf)
• "I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!" (Books Before Bed)
• "I was also happy to hear that there will be a sequel to this book"(Book Chewer)
• "I will be the first in line to read the next of this series!"(A Bird's Eye Review)
• "I'm totally on board for more zombie-killing action when Outpost is released in 2012"(Small Review)

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