Review Detail

This is the sequel to Outside In, to which I had a mostly meh response. I am very happy to report that I really liked the sequel. I cannot say with any assurance whether this stems from my altered expectations, a change in my mood, a decrease in frostiness in Trella or a general improvement in the story. Perhaps all three. Outside In definitely had less crawling through the pipes and a bit more character development for everyone.

I really appreciated the position Trella found herself in after the revolution completed and the real governing began. She, much like Katniss in The Hunger Games, has unintentionally found herself the figurehead of a revolution, and everyone has expectations of her. As she says on page 64: "I've done my part. It's time for other people to step in and set up a better system. I wouldn't know the first thing about running a society." She fears the authority that gives her and would prefer to continue exploring. Trella really grows through the course of this novel, way more than in the last one, but she does so very naturally.

As a last comment, I have to give Snyder some major props for the steamy (if sadly brief) scenes between Riley and Trella. She can write some good stuff that definitely leaves you wanting to find a Riley of your own (not to mention a shower). I will be definitely be reading Snyder's Study series soon!