Review Detail

I was confused at first by all the terminology and the groups of people. Even though the synopsis tells a bit, I still was floundering. But the letters between Elliot (also confused me a bit, because she is a girl) and Kai when they were children cleared up some of it. It also served the purpose of setting up their history together, the friendship that spanned years and even though there was a difference in class, they still were smart and had many similarities. After a while though, I began to get tired of the letters, I think mostly because I just don't normally do that format, and skimmed them.
Even with the initial confusion, the writing was good, and Elliot's voice really got me. I wanted for her to succeed, and I admired the responsibility she felt toward those under her in class, to make sure they were fed, and how she truly cared about them as people.
But like Ashley at Nose Graze said better than me... Not a lot happened, it was a lot of talk about what should be right, and if Elliot is doing the right thing, or if she is doing what got the previous generations in so much trouble. And the romance... Kai is pretty mean to Elliot when he comes back, and there is just no justification for that. The things he said about her and her family when she is doing the best she can... Maybe the lit feeling and some of Kai's actions are because of the Persuasion influence and I just don't get it because I have never read it... I don't know.
But I surely cannot deny the chemistry between Kai and Elliot. In their clipped conversations and meetings, it is igniting, and I have to remind myself how mean he was. That he is seeing a 14 year old--which was another thing I hated, but had a feeling that the triangle and age gap is also an Austen influence. I had to remind myself that he was either leading on an innocent and sweet girl, or Elliot would get her heart broken in those moments.
So, even for the world building that confused me, the romance that at the same time enthralled me and that I hated, and the lit feeling, I still couldn't put it down. I had to know what would happen, and I couldn't look away.
For everything that was wrong with this book, the ending was right. It touched me and almost made me cry how everything came together when I didn't see how it possibly could. I will be reading the next one!

Bottom Line: I had my issues, but I couldn't put the story down.