Enclave

The concept--a school for kids supposedly saved by but really rejected by their parents in a dystopian near-future--is right up my alley. I was snookered by the jacket-copy into buying what turned out to be a weak (and incidently extremely transphobic) narrative. I'm returning it to the store. ( )

I would talk of Cothus and it's structure, the sickness, Sargent and Teddy and (the) killers friendship to save the server. Q5P4 AHS/ John B

Enclave starts off with a bang, which then becomes a loud roar before ending with a BOOM! This is not just one story, but many interwoven lives that converge at a most inopportune (and perfect) time. A secret old monastery, an impenetrable academy for the world's wealthiest offspring, and End Times. An awesome, imaginative premise - however the novel still falls short of being a truly "good book." Here's why:

Reed's characters, though fully-formed and vibrant, just don't do it for me. Most of the characters seem to be overdone, overly aggressive and a bit thick. While this could be attributed to the otherworldly, apocalyptic situation in which they find themselves... still. The lead female, a whiny and weak "Mary-Sue"-like character named Cassie, left much to be desired.
Benny, a founding and final survivor of the Benedictine monks who made Clothos their home for so many centuries, is the one character who outshines the rest.

Is the book worth reading, for you? Perhaps. Some chapters were riviting, while others I merely skimmed. A relatively short read and a fantastical premise, but still a flawed novel. ( )

I really liked the theme of isolation, and its practical impossibility (there will always be leaks). I think one could attach any number of metaphors to that, which made this interesting, and more than just an "issue" book. ( )

Wow, this was one for the "doozy" list. A fabulous doozy, but a doozy nonetheless. Kit Reed has created one heck of a unique and creative storyline with Enclave, a plot you won't flush out of your system for some time after you turn that last page. She offers up a very thought provoking premise to say the least.

An Ex-Marine named Sarge, after finishing his tour of duty, vows to himself he will atone for the horrifying acts he was forced to commit as a soldier by doing something good for society, something that will help people versus harm them.

Purchasing an abandoned monastery that is perched 500 feet atop Mt. Clothos in Greece, Sarge's new lease on life is to turn around the lives of society's young misfits and social embarrassments. Renovating the ancient monastery into a contemporary academy for drug addicts, teen criminals, and the physically impaired, the ex-Marine brings 100 chosen students and a staff of adults to bring alive his vision for transforming these brats into civilized human beings. Bamboozling parents world wide in recruiting his students, he tells the parents of these selected misfits to inform their kids that an apocalyptic crisis, and end of the world scenario of doom is approaching, and that the only way to ensure their survival is to follow Sarge to the Academy where their lives will be saved from annihilation. A ruse of course, a lie, a devious plot and experiment to be acted out under a strict military style academy environment. Once there, they are in lock-down mode, no one can come in, no one will be let out. Set atop a steep cliff that plummets down to a raging sea, escape would be impossible.

What starts out as a walk in the park with the program successfully working with teens towing the line like a drugged chain gang, soon erupts into major chaos as internet servers go down, contact with the outside world is cut off, a mysterious man arrives carrying the plague, and both children and adults become mad with murderous rage trying to escape this insane prison once they realize truths and develop their own game plan of revenge. Kids become adults and the grown-ups get childish, tables turn quickly as a duo of two unlikely boys, one an epileptic Prince of a foreign republic, the other literally a 12 year old murderer and computer whiz, join forces to kick butt and save the day!

Great characters you will surely love, unlikely friendships and surprising betrayals, clever children and crazed adults, make this story heartwarming, exciting, innovative, and very very different. I loved this novel and highly recommend it to all teens and adults who love a creative tale of speculative fiction that both entertains and makes your mind wonder! Two thumbs up, five stars! ( )