Review : Defiance by C.J Redwine

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title : Defiance (Defiance #1)
Author : C.J Redwine
Publisher : HarperTeen
Publication Date : August 28th 2012
Goodreads - The Book Depository

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.


Personal Thoughts

Defiance was one of my most anticipated novels of 2012. I've been pining for the book ever since it's cover reveal. The synopsis promised a stunning YA dystopian with strong characters and a sweet budding romance. I think Defiance did a great job at providing that.

When Rachel's father, Jared, is declared dead by the Commander, Rachel is devastated, but deep down she's convinced that he's still alive since he was the community's best tracker. Soon after, Rachel is assigned a new Protector, Logan, the boy to whom she professed her love to two years ago, but got rejected. She doesn't let any of that bother her and attempts to escape in order to find her dad through the wasteland. Logan never expects to be assigned as Rachel's Protector, because he's nothing more than an orphan and an outcast. However, when Rachel is caught trying to escape, he realizes that he will protect her at any cost. 

The characters in Defiance were extremely well-molded. Each and everyone of them had a certain depth and vitality to them. These were characters that remained engraved in my mind for a few days after I finished the book. The book was told in the POVs of both Rachel and Logan. In that way, it became easier to scrutinize their personalities even more than the secondary characters. Rachel and Logan were both characters that were easy to grow fond of because of the way the author gave them life. They weren't only names on paper, but in fact, they felt like people I personally knew in real life. Rachel, with her fierce determination, easily became one of my top heroines. She was smart, strong and independent. If she wanted something, she made sure to achieve it, but never depending on others to bring it to her. I loved this about her. I also loved how willing she was to risk her own life to find her dad. This ,in my eyes, is what bravery looks like. She had this confidence to her, that never bordered on conceit, that I found truly admirable. How she managed to put up such strength in the midst of all her troubles was beyond me. Rachel was ,in a way, everything that I wasn't, but I want to be. Logan ,too, was a beautifully written character. At first, he seemed like a very quiet and normal guy, but as the story progressed and I got to know his character developed, I was surprised to see the shocking profoundness and maturity he possessed. For someone his age and for someone who had gone through all the obstacles that he had, Logan was smart, sensible and just brilliant. It was incredibly easy to fall for his character. He might have appeared cold and heartless at times, but he was sweet and very much down-to-earth. I really liked how protective he was of Rachel. He was the kind of guy who took his responsibilities very seriously, making him wiser beyond his age. I have to say, I really enjoyed the villain in this book as much as I enjoyed the main characters. The Commander was ,simply put, a bastard. He managed to evoke strong feelings of hatred from me. There were times I flinched at how brutal and heartless he was. Power-thirsty, he was the kind of villain who didn't care about the lives of others, but only about the power he held. Overall, I found the characters in Defiance to be very entertaining.

From the very first page, Defiance was action-packed and exciting. The story unfolded at such a fast pace that it left me breathless at times. There were quite a few surprises here and there that I encountered. However, at certain points of the book, I thought the book moved a little too slow and nothing much happened, but that's only a minor complaint on my part. There was a romance in the book, but it was handled very tactfully. I loved that there was no instant-love. Instead, the two characters genuinely start to see each other in different ways and form a comfortable relationship. Rachel and Logan had each others backs no matter what the situation was. They would rather die then see the other die. I really enjoyed the romance in Defiance because it never overwhelmed the plot. As far as the world building goes, C.J Redwine made sure that her setting and it's ways of life were thoroughly described. Her writing was beautiful and easy to follow. I'm actually very happy that the book didn't end on a cliffhanger, but the author resolved all the issues she brought about. It left me satisfied, but still in need of the next book.

Readers who enjoy strong characters, a solid plot-line and a slow growing romance will enjoy Defiance. It's a formidable debut that will undoubtedly appeal to a lot of readers. I can't wait for some more Rachel-Logan action!

Rating

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 4/5