Book Review: Inhuman by Kat Falls

#1 in the Fetch series
Release Date: September 24, 2013 
Publisher: Scholastic 
Pages: 384
Received: ARC from publisher, via NetGalley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Summary

From Goodreads:

America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.

Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.

Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.

Review

Lane is a character I can get behind

She's level headed in the face of crises, determined, loyal, and knows how to handle a love triangle in a way that makes me want to invite her over for a sleepover party so we can squee over her choices.

She's also taken a bizillion self-defense and survival classes, so that's good too (even though I started to doubt her actual level of accomplishment in said classes once she gets into the danger zone. She wasn't awful by any stretch, but eh, she was no Penryn).

I also like her even if she is a little dumb and naive sometimes. But she totally has a good excuse! See, Lane's been living in a super sheltered world her whole life where her penchant for nurturing the ugliest, most damaged shelter pets she can find was allowed free rein (not that that's a bad thing, but it gives you an idea of her approach to life).

So, when she finds herself suddenly thrust out of her comfy bubble world and tossed into a disease ravaged post-apocalyptic world filled with horrifically mutated animal-human hybrids who are slowly going insane as the animal strains they've been infected with begin to overtake the remaining human parts of their brains, she does stupid things.

Like want to cuddle and make nice with the murderously insane animal-human hybrids.

Are you face palming? 'Cause I was totally face palming.

But it's ok, because, well, let's just say Kat Falls doesn't coddle her characters (THANK YOU).

About that love triangle

Thankfully plague-infected looney tunes hybrids weren't the only things Lane wanted to cuddle.

Sadly, yes, this is a love triangle book. BUT, luckily the only sad thing about this is that Lane will have to choose between two equally eligible men (though I've clearly made my choice).

First up is the coddled good guy Everson who comes complete with sciency smarts, compassion, a drive to make a positive mark on the world, a non-alpha male protective streak, and a soldier's uniform (hey, they add bonus points).

And then there's Rafe. Swoon. This is the swaggering rugged bad boy with a heart of gold locked up tight behind sarcasm, sass, and a tragic past. Bonus points from me for his storybook history (you'll see) and his heartbreakingly sweet relationship that makes me want to cry NONONONONONO  and yell at Kat Falls (you'll see).

Lane doesn't string either guy along because she's too busy what with being on the run, fighting for her life, evading animal-human hybrids, and trying to find her father in a desperate race against time. So, high stakes and not much time for actual romance. 

So, plot

I don't even know. It was kind of all over the place, but in a good way. Kat Falls kept the action so high that I could barely pause for breath let alone actually think about the plot in any critical way.

I guess the basics aren't hugely original, but the world building was super and I was totally invested in exploring all the horrifying and original things Inhuman had to offer. The hybrids were especially cool, and not just the animal-human hybrids, but the animal-animal hybrids, too.

There's this one, ooh oh and this other one, ok, ok, look, I won't spoil it, but suffice it to say that learning about all these crazy mash ups was totally entertaining in itself (bonus points for the fact that most will kill in horrific ways and are all chasing after our heroes).

The opening of the book was boring and I really disliked it because it made me think of the Uglies series and eh, I don't like that series. The characters seemed so bubble-headed and soft and I was really dreading the dystopian "awakening" phase that I thought would drag out interminably.

But Kat Falls didn't plod me through that tired plot. Granted, the actual explanation given for getting Lane into the danger zone was a little contrived (ok, a lot contrived), but who cares? Not me! And it only took a short chapter or two to get to the good stuff, so stick with it (and, ah, yeah, that means I contemplated putting the book down after a page or two. Oops).

Once I actually got into the post-apocalyptic left-for-dead-but-so-obviously-not-dead-zone things took a distinct turn to the awesome. The whole thing had a very Incarceron feel to it, but with more heart-pounding action.

And the villain is excellent. A perfect mix of gentility and depravity with a lair that is, gah, I can't even! So creepy, twisted, and excellent. And that whole thing with the queens? AWESOME. Every part.

Bottom line

I will definitely be picking up the sequel (aw jeez, it's not even up on Goodreads yet!), and not only because of that KILLER cliffhanger of an ending (HOW COULD YOU KAT FALLS??? You'd best fix this bloody mess you've left my heart in!)

Ahem. So, yeah. This whole book was a whirlwind for me and I'm feeling a little dazed from it all, but I'm also feeling that giddy book rush that leaves me feeling like I just pounded a few Red Bulls and ate a bunch of Pixy Stix, so really, that's not a bad thing.

Explanation of rating system: Star Rating Key 

Do you have any questions about Inhuman that I haven't addressed?
Feel free to ask in the comments!

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