Book Review: Captives (The Safe Lands #1) by Jill Williamson

Summary:

One choice could destroy them all. When eighteen-year-old Levi returned from Denver City with his latest scavenged finds, he never imagined he'd find his village of Glenrock decimated, loved ones killed, and many---including his fiancee, Jem---taken captive. Now alone, Levi is determined to rescue what remains of his people, even if it means entering the Safe Lands, a walled city that seems anything but safe.

Omar knows he betrayed his brother by sending him away, but helping the enforcers was necessary. Living off the land and clinging to an outdated religion holds his village back. The Safe Lands has protected people since the plague decimated the world generations ago ... and its rulers have promised power and wealth beyond Omar's dreams.

Meanwhile, their brother Mason has been granted a position inside the Safe Lands, and may be able to use his captivity to save not only the people of his village, but also possibly find a cure for the virus that threatens everyone within the Safe Lands' walls. Will Mason uncover the truth hidden behind the Safe Lands' facade before it's too late?

Release date: April 2, 2013

Age Group: YA

Source: Review copy from publisher

Reviewed by: Madi B

Review:

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! That’s 3 more loves than usual; sadly that’s not from my brain. It’s actually from The Fault in Our Stars  by John Green.  I loved the plot, the characters, the, well, the EVERYTHING! I fell in love with Mason! (Not real love but the special kind of love you feel for fictional characters. Geez, mom.)

The way the author narrates each chapter from a different perspective. Naturally you like one perspective better than the other. I liked hearing the girl's perspective! (Hmm, I wonder why).  The girls keep getting showered with gifts and since I feel like I'm one of them, in my mind I’m saying “thank you, you’re too kind.” THAT’S how realistic Captives is! I also loved Jemma and Levi’s love story (All the Princess Bride references???? AND Anne of Green Gables references???? HECK FREAKIN YES!!!). It was interesting to hear from Omar’s perspective because he gets hooked on drugs. That sounds really weird but I’ve never done drugs and never will do drugs so it was kinda interesting! Its like how sometimes you feel what the characters feel! Then someone says something along the lines of “I don’t know why anyone would blah blah blah” then you’re all like “I KNOW!!! It’s because blah blah blah” Then the other person says “WOW! That was so deep! I didn’t know that happened to you!” then you have say “Uhhhh that’s because it didn’t."

In books based in the future, the characters start either inside or outside the utopian government then work to get in or out.  But in this book there’s both! So if you’re normally for one or the other.. this is the perfect book for you! Although it would be awkward sometimes for me because something awesome would happen and I’d say “OH MY GOSH EVERYONE IN THE WORLD SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!” then my friends would say “What’s it about?” and then I'm like.. “well this is awkward..” because in the safe lands they all have this virus so no one can have babies there. So they capture (thus the title) this village and bring the residents to the capitol to use to make test tube babies. Saying all of that makes for a very awkward situation.

Overall, I’m really glad I have a copy of this book because I want to read it again and again.