Title: The Gender Game
Series: The Gender Games
Designation: Volume One of Ongoing Series, Full-Length, Not A Standalone, Cliffhanger
Author: Bella Forrest
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction/Action/Adventure/Young Adult Romance
My Rating: Five Divinely Entertaining Stars*****
Wow! I loved, loved, loved The Gender Game! I've been a diehard Bella Forrest fan for several years and have read (and reread) every single release in her international bestselling A Shade of Vampire Series. When I learned Forrest was debuting a new series, one vastly dissimilar to anything she has published to date, I immediately raced to Amazon to preorder my copy. I could hardly wait to get it in my hot little hands and Forrest did not disappoint. She not only met all my expectations, she surpassed them! I love romance, adore fantasy, completely smitten with action/adventure and totally obsessed with mystery, intrigue, and suspense, but give me a combination of these elements in one great read and I'm in heaven! And that's exactly what Forrest has delivered in The Gender Game. Forrest is a truly gifted storyteller and has once again demonstrated her incredible talent, exceptional skill and unparalleled imagination with the creation of a vividly depicted and beautifully detailed world, populated with complex, well-developed characters and masterfully layered with mystery, suspense, and unexpected plot twists. If asked to describe this book in one sentence, I would simply say, imagine the melding of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner into one extraordinary story and you would have The Gender Game. But make no mistake, the obstacles, adversity, and misfortune suffered by the characters in this story is no game as the title implies. It's a life and death struggle for not only their very existence but also for the fate of the nations of Matrus and Patrus, two societies divided by much more than a toxic river and a tragic history. The narrative was beautifully written with a first-person perspective from the female protagonist, Violet Bates of Matrus. The dialogue is smart, natural, well executed and flows effortlessly. But without a doubt, my favorite component is the cast of intriguing and engaging characters. They are captivating, realistic and relatable, literally exploding from the pages to capture my imagination as well as my heart. I fell in love with the heroine, nineteen-year-old Violet Bates, who has been branded by the Matrus legal system as a dangerous criminal. In reality, Violet is simply a victim of her own fate, forced into an untenable existence and desperately trying to survive despite the tragic circumstances of her life. I was in awe of Violet's strength, tenacity, and sheer will to live. But despite the adversity, she remains innocent and naive in matters of the heart and the opposite sex. The fact that she has never known any men other than her younger brother combined with the tragic events of her life has caused Violet to harden her heart, not only to men but to everyone and as a result has become uncharacteristically jaded for someone her age. It quickly becomes apparent that Violet is an incredibly complex character with multiple layers of emotion and feelings she discovers and explores for the very first time throughout the story. Violet is a remarkable young woman and truly a worthy heroine. This story came to life for me. I felt as if I were there with Violet through every step of her perilous journey. I cried for her, sympathized and empathized with her; my heart even broke for her. I desperately wanted to wrap her in my arms and console her. I have such high hopes for Violet, wanting so badly for her to find happiness. I can hardly wait to continue the heart-wrenching coming of age adventure with this brave young heroine in the next book of the series.
When reviewing and rating a book, there are several questions I ask myself. First, did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Once I started reading this story, I simply could not stop. I was completely enthralled, glued to my seat, white knuckling my ereader with my heart fluttering wildly in my chest as the hours passed as quickly as the pages, and loved every single minute. It was magnificent! Second, would I recommend this book? You bet and I am, for a wide variety of ages. Although there is some violence included, it's not gory or graphic, and there's no profanity(except one little word). There is a sweet blossoming romance but no explicit sex. I would probably give this book a PG rating, ages thirteen to one hundred. Third, will I read this author again? Abso-freaking-lutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book! And finally, was I entertained? Good gracious, YES! Completely and totally entertained. No spoilers from me, but I will say, if you're looking for an intriguing, riveting and somewhat dystopian saga featuring a gutsy, selfless, troubled but compassionate kick-butt underdog heroine perfectly paired with an intense, gruff yet surprisingly sensitive, ruggedly handsome unlikely hero, and filled to the brim with danger, drama, action, adventure, fantasy, hardship, angst, bravery, loyalty, betrayal, mystery, suspense, intrigue, espionage, plot twists and the hopeful promise of forbidden love, then this book is definitely for you! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!
In the premise for this story, the two neighboring sovereign states of Matrus and Patrus are the only remaining survivors of the once great country of America whose land was devastated and population very nearly destroyed during The Last War centuries earlier. Originally they were one group, but as the result of political discord between genders, the two factions became divided into two very different nations, Matrus with a matriarchal government ruled by a queen, and Patrus with opposing patriarchal beliefs and governed by a king. The female party was convinced the political viewpoints of men combined with their aggressive behavior were directly responsible for the war, blaming them for the annihilation of the once great America. They believed women should be allowed to govern society using a peaceful doctrine as the basis for their new civilization with the national motto of 'Freedom In Peace'. The men refused to address or even acknowledge the concerns of the female party giving the women only two options: remain and keep silent...or leave to form their own society. Quite obviously they chose the latter. Thus, the two opposing nations of Matrus and Patrus were born. Both now attempt to exist on a small strip of territory located in Appalachia separated by the toxic Veil River but with very little interaction between the two. As you can imagine, there's extreme prejudice and gender discrimination against the few males residing in Matrus and in turn, the same holds true for females in Patrus. Men have no rights in Matrus, but neither do women living in Patrus. A woman cannot live in Patrus unless she is owned by a male citizen, and must have a male guardian with her at all times. I found the concept and premise for this story to be new, unique, original, fresh, imaginative, exciting, fascinating, and actually quite realistic. With the current political climate in our country, I can truly envision this happening in our society today.
Violet Bates has never had an easy life and, consequently, has found herself always battling her anger. Growing up as an orphan, she was constantly taunted by others and called Violent instead of Violet. At only nineteen, she has already been marked as a criminal in Matrus. Sadly, she lived the majority of her life in orphanages after her mother died giving birth to her brother Timothy when she was only three. At eleven, she was caught trying to help her then eight-year-old brother, Tim, escape to Patrus, and charged with obstruction of justice. Then at fourteen, she was convicted of womanslaughter when she tried to defend herself against a young woman who was accidentally killed by a fork during the struggle. She was sentenced to seven years of confinement along with hard labor and bounced from one horrible detention center to another. Now at nineteen, with only two years remaining before she can claim her freedom and reenter Matrian society, another tragic turn of events results in Violet having to once again defend herself, and in doing so, another young woman has been accidentally killed. This would be her third and final conviction, for in Matrus, three strikes and you're out...permanently...as in dead. The death of this bully, no matter that it was unintentional, would cost her everything, including her life. There would be no more second chances. Fortunately for our young heroine, fate intervenes and she is offered an opportunity to serve her country by accepting an undercover mission in Patrus where she is expected to recover a mysterious object stolen from a Matrian lab in an act of espionage by a Patrian sympathizer. If she can successfully complete her assignment, she will be granted her life, her freedom, and finally allowed to see her brother with whom she's had no contact at all for eight long years. But women residing in Patrus have no rights and must be owned by a male citizen. They must submit to men and are only allowed out of the home when accompanied by a male guardian. A woman in Patrus is in constant danger with perils at every turn, especially a Matrian woman like Violet who is unfamiliar with the laws and customs of Patrus. No self-respecting woman of Matrus would ever allow themselves to be owned, subjugated and treated as chattel by any man. Yet, if she is to complete her mission, she must acquiesce and submit. It seems either way, Violet is at risk of losing her life; so clearly, her only choice is to accept the assignment and become a pawn in the centuries-old struggle between Matrus and Patrus. Violet quickly realizes she must use her keen intelligence along with every skill she possesses if she is to complete her mission and survive. But never having known a man other than her brother, the one thing Violet could never have anticipated is the effect of meeting the ruggedly handsome Viggo Croft, a natural born male citizen of Patrus who stirs her blood and clouds her senses with emotions unlike anything she's ever experienced. And even worse, Viggo is a warden of Patrus, an enforcer of the law, and should be her enemy. Facing unimaginable danger and insurmountable odds, can Violet defy fate and once again find a way to survive??? We'll see!
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Popular Highlights in this book
Better to remain always self-reliant. Self-reliance means you're in control. Don't ever think you need a man for happiness.Highlighted by 2,377 Kindle readers- "It's called life," he replied dryly. "Things lose their shine when you get too close to them."Highlighted by 1,667 Kindle readers
- "I guess I just wonder what happens to someone who doesn't feel they belong on either side of the river.”Highlighted by 679 Kindle readers
About the author
Amazing read!!!
Amazing book!!! It has all the wonderful twists we have come to love from Bella Forest. She defently never ceases to amaze me!!! I can wait to see where the story goes from here.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2016
- Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2017
Top reviews from other countries
-
- SueyReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 24, 2016
The next BIG THING! Unique and brilliant!
-
