I'm giving this 3 stars because the overall plot and idea is so strong and seems so intriguing. However, the beginning felt messy, with plot aspects being thrown at me and feeling bogged down in the beginning. Once more was understood and not thrown at me, it was more enjoyable to read. The world once fully fleshed out was beautiful and entrancing. However the characters weren't three dimensional and grew throughout the book. They felt a little flat. Perhaps if I reread it I might see some nuances though.
HOWEVER in themes alone this is 5 stars. They showed themes of racism and discrimination in many forms. The themes were handled well without feeling gimmicky and thrown in for the "diversity" aspect to be added to the book. It felt like it was a central part that was handled exceptionally well, even if the characters going through it felt flat. Maybe this was done in part so people of color can relate better to a flatter character and apply themselves to those situations. It's just not my favorite type of writing strategy.
HOWEVER in themes alone this is 5 stars. They showed themes of racism and discrimination in many forms. The themes were handled well without feeling gimmicky and thrown in for the "diversity" aspect to be added to the book. It felt like it was a central part that was handled exceptionally well, even if the characters going through it felt flat. Maybe this was done in part so people of color can relate better to a flatter character and apply themselves to those situations. It's just not my favorite type of writing strategy.