by Lyndsay Ely
January 2, 2018
432 pages
432 pages
Goodreads Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Serendipity "Pity" Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She's been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great....
In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.
In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity's struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.
Review
It's been awhile since my last dystopian read so it was a pleasant surprise to find Gunslinger Girl featured a dystopian world. One that at times I felt was unique but other times was a bit trope-y.
The backdrop of Gunslinger Girl probably shouldn't have come as a surprise given the synopsis but my mind still took a shock in discovering how volatile the world was in the story. The harsh living conditions, gender segregation and the social hierarchy all had me itching to hit something. Ms. Ely very effectively conveys the difficulties in living and trying to survive in such an unfair world. It's nothing we haven't seen before, with a starving population and a powerful company in control, but Serendipity Jone's tale was still all her own.
Pity hasn't had an easy life growing up with a family that has no love for her (except for her mother who was long dead). Gunslinger Girl was all about the trials she endures and the bumps she hurdles to find herself a place to belong. In the process Pity gets sucked into shady dealings and witnesses first hand just how dark the world can get. Her morality, sanity and loyalty repeatedly gets tested but Pity always came out with her guns right on target (pun fully intended!).
Casimir, the center of power in Cessation, is where Pity finds herself after some troubles and heartache. It gave me a very Las Vegas vibe. It's a place of pleasure but also of pain. Once you're in you'll find yourself with a lot that couldn't have been more different but they protect each as their own. From Selene, the ruthless head of Casimir to the buoyant Luster to the ever observant Olivia, each person played a role in the age-old game of deceits and betrayals. Even Pity's rescuer, the gentle Max had his own share of troubles. Cessation was at once a dangerous and safe place to be.
I haven't said much about the romance because it's not a huge deal in Gunslinger Girl (or maybe it is depending on how you look at it) but I know it will be a key part should there be a sequel. Although nothing's been confirmed yet I'm almost positive there will be more to this world. I definitely wouldn't mind tagging along to more adventures!
The backdrop of Gunslinger Girl probably shouldn't have come as a surprise given the synopsis but my mind still took a shock in discovering how volatile the world was in the story. The harsh living conditions, gender segregation and the social hierarchy all had me itching to hit something. Ms. Ely very effectively conveys the difficulties in living and trying to survive in such an unfair world. It's nothing we haven't seen before, with a starving population and a powerful company in control, but Serendipity Jone's tale was still all her own.
Pity hasn't had an easy life growing up with a family that has no love for her (except for her mother who was long dead). Gunslinger Girl was all about the trials she endures and the bumps she hurdles to find herself a place to belong. In the process Pity gets sucked into shady dealings and witnesses first hand just how dark the world can get. Her morality, sanity and loyalty repeatedly gets tested but Pity always came out with her guns right on target (pun fully intended!).
Casimir, the center of power in Cessation, is where Pity finds herself after some troubles and heartache. It gave me a very Las Vegas vibe. It's a place of pleasure but also of pain. Once you're in you'll find yourself with a lot that couldn't have been more different but they protect each as their own. From Selene, the ruthless head of Casimir to the buoyant Luster to the ever observant Olivia, each person played a role in the age-old game of deceits and betrayals. Even Pity's rescuer, the gentle Max had his own share of troubles. Cessation was at once a dangerous and safe place to be.
I haven't said much about the romance because it's not a huge deal in Gunslinger Girl (or maybe it is depending on how you look at it) but I know it will be a key part should there be a sequel. Although nothing's been confirmed yet I'm almost positive there will be more to this world. I definitely wouldn't mind tagging along to more adventures!
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinion are my own and not affected in any way.
Great review! I read this one recently and while I really enjoyed it, I did find some parts a bit lacking...I guess I would have loved more of a backstory telling how the world got the way it was, so I'm really hoping for a sequel to touch on that a bit more.
ReplyDeleteThat is very true! They never did explain how the world came to be the way it was. Hopefully they'll touch on it :D
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