Bethany Wiggins

Representation: N/A
Trigger warnings: Pandemic mentioned, physical assault and injury, death of people in the past mentioned
Score: Six points out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.

I only read and enjoyed Stung a few days ago. Later, I saw the subsequent and final instalment in the duology: Cured, written by the same author. I picked it up and read it, but when I closed the final page, it was a step down from Stung. The author didn't put as much effort into Cured than Stung. However, it was a satisfying read, despite its flaws.

It starts (more like continues) with the character that needs no introduction, Fiona Tarsis, and a new people, Jonah, Bowen and Jacqui. Not much happens in the first 200 pages, which only allowed for contemplative conversations between the characters, most prominently, the cure. The vaccine to the virus finally--and conveniently--arrived after the final events of Stung to mixed impressions. Most are ecstatic because of the cure so they can restart their lives and the world. However, the raiders only want their lives to remain the same because the cure would change everything. Some worldbuilding questions remained unanswered, like what's a beast? What are the marks for? What's a Fec? It's not clear. The characters were also only okay. The concluding 100 pages pick up the pace, finishing Cured on a high note.… (more)

Representation: N/A
Trigger warnings: Suicide, death, hospitalisation of a child and coma mentioned, near-death experience, pandemic, physical injury and assault, blood depiction, gun violence, forced child marriage, explosions, starvation
Score: Seven points out of ten.
Find this review on The StoryGraph.

I wanted to read Stung for a while but never got around till now. I picked Stung up from the library, hoping that I would enjoy it. I headed in with high expectations, considering the equally high ratings and reviews. When I finished Stung, it was flawed, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. I'll pick up Cured when I have time.

It starts with the first person I see, Fiona, whose last name I forgot, waking up to a horrifying new world, thrown into a post-apocalyptic setting in the aftermath of a pandemic (wait, that sounds familiar) caused by genetically modified bees. Points for originality right there. The beginning is slow since it showed Fiona working out the place she lives in and its surroundings again, meeting new characters in the process. Stung shines in its immersive pacing and engaging writing style, but my most frustrating gripe with it is that it falters in its characters. Though I could root for Fiona, I could never connect to her. Also, the worldbuilding is a stretch. We have GM plants and animals, but not bees yet. I don't get how one would do that, and how did the scientists make the bees resist pesticides (DNA? Special genes? Who knows?) Conveniently, there's a cure at the end. Really? The concluding 100 pages were dramatic, finishing Stung on a cliffhanger.… (more)