Traveling Through Pages

*3.25*

I've never seen or heard of a dystopian story like this one. The concept of a flooded Manhattan is very unique and intriguing, which was a definite plus for this book. On the other hand, it was also a major downfall because it was not described or developed enough. I got confused at some points how this world is set up and how it functions. Another great aspect are the characters Ren and Aven, their relationship is very beautiful, but they also are great by themselves. Ren is so strong and independent and she is a great overall character. Aven is so adorable and handles her situation and illness very well. The other side characters needed more development though, especially the love interests. Ren is very infatuated with Derek, but aside from about two redeeming qualities that do not get revealed until the end, I did not understand this love at all. The other love interest is Callum, and he is so great, very loyal, smart, honest, and sweet, but Ren does not seem too interested in him. I'm definitely Team Callum though haha. Ren also does drag racing, which is different in this world because they race on building rooftops and sometimes on the water. I got confused at multiple parts on how this works and I could not really visualize it. Another negative is the pacing, overall it was fast-paced, but I felt that too much time was spent during races or action scenes and not enough on the story, character, and world developmet.

Overall it is a promising start to a series, and a very unique idea.