Nikki’s Review of The Cull- Book 1
Started: 10/1
Finished: 10/15
Back Jacket Synopsis:
Your name has been drawn in the lottery.
You will receive your end-of-life date within one month
Overpopulation, climate change, natural disasters and skyrocketing food prices have turned the world into an unrecognizable former shell of itself. Causing it's inhabitants to increasingly find themselves dying on the streets which have become their homes, from diseases which should be easily cured.
In a desperate attempt to return things to a more manageable state, the governments of the world come together and propose a barbaric solution. A mass cull of nearly half of the population of the planet.
When Stephanie and Tom's names are called up in the lottery launched to decide who will live and who will die, neither one of them can foresee the challenges that lie before them. Sentenced to death, the two form an unlikely bond as they struggle to resign themselves to their fate.
Part one of The Cull book series. A dystopian saga.
Nikki’s Review: This was an immersive, heartbreaking, and unique dystopian story that I really enjoyed reading. I look forward to seeing what the next installments of this series have in store for our two main characters!
Things I loved: The writing was excellent. I felt, saw, and heard everything that was going on for the main characters as if I was there with them. I felt for the main characters when they were chosen for the lottery and kept hoping they would find a way to escape it. The points of view of the more sinister characters were strong and showed just how vile they were. I believed that all of these characters could be real people and they all had distinct ‘voices’. I really enjoy dystopian stories so this was right up my alley.
Constructive comments for future works from this author:
POV is subjective, but my personal preference is one POV per chapter. This story switched POV between multiple characters throughout each chapter. I have to give Joanne kudos though- even though the POV changed without chapter or page beaks, it was still clear and easy to follow.
(A bit of a spoiler here) This book is similar to The Hunger Games in that the government has taken over and is committing atrocities. In the Cull, the main characters are along for the ride and are altruistic/stoic people. I found myself wanting to shake them and tell them to run away! Halfway through I found myself a little frustrated with their lack of self-preservation. I hope the following books have more fight for these characters so we can see what they're made of.
Great quote from the book:
“Her stomach turned as Crystal pulled her hand, trying to drag her away, but Steph couldn’t move. She was paralyzed by the sight in front of her. She could see children of all ages lining the street, some so small that she couldn’t possibly believe that they were at least five…still the terror in the eyes of the adults accompanying them told the two women all they needed to know. These children were lining up to be culled.”
“Movie” Rating: PG-13. The book had some sporadic cursing, including s–t. The despair in the dystopian future is more appropriate for teens and older audiences.
Overall Recommendation: If you like dystopian books or are a fan of The Hunger Games, you will enjoy The Cull by Joanne Roach!
If you would like to purchase The Cull on Amazon, follow this link
Disclaimer: *Our reviews are solely our opinions and not swayed by any outside factors. The reviews are for fun and not meant to be taken as a professional book endorsement, review, or advice.