From the shelf: The Moon Dwellers

Title: The Moon Dwellers
Author: David Estes
Genre: Dystopian, Romance
Date read: November 21-22, 2012
Dawn Rates: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms. 

After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, seventeen-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents' crimes of treason.

Against all odds, Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family, while being hunted by a deranged, killing machine named Rivet, who works for the President. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of whom have dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well-trained for combat by her father.

At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the President and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life.

When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms, Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to mysteriously follow Adele as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents true past.

In their world, someone must die.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

I got the book at a read to review event at a group I joined at goodreads. This book is the first of the series, another dystopian novel. At first I was confused as to what a sun dweller, moon dweller and star dweller were. The protagonist Adele is one bad-ass, distrustful loner who just cares about oneself. After all, living as a moon dweller would give you that mindset. The first few chapters seems confusing especially at how Adele describes her life and that comparisons to other things. It then passes the baton to Tristan, the other protagonist who like Adele, narrates the story in his point of view. The present situation is that this Tri-realm belongs to a world in the future where people live underground and that everything is bleak and gloomy for everyone.

Tristan's line "I fear for her, a girl I don’t even know." and the fact that they had this inexplicable connection got me curious and slowly interested in the story (thus the 4 and 1/2 star review) about the Tri-realms where as he quotes: "We call ourselves a democracy, but rule like a dictatorship." I love Roc's witty humor and Cole's sarcasm. 

If I would look and judge it by the cover, it would slightly disinterest me but this book gave took me into a wild roller coaster ride of emotions from utter disgust of the way the sun dwellers are living, remorse on what happened to Adele's family, Tawni and Cole's genuine friendship, Roc and Tristan's friendship, to heartbreak over what happened to Cole and my heart is racing as I turn the page. Loved the book and I can't wait on what happens next. If there was a paperback (or hardbound) version of the book, I will definitely purchase it.

And because of that, I earned the privilege to read the second book of the series "The Star Dwellers". Thank you David, I will definitely buy the book and I hope there is a hardbound copy ^^

Till the next read...