Garrison Girl (Attack on Titan) by Rachel Aaron
| Garrison Girl (Attack on Titan) by Rachel Aaron | |
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| Category: Dystopian Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Olivia Tierney
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| Summary: An exciting story set in the terrifying Attack on Titan dystopian universe. With brilliant characters and fast pace Garison Girl is an enthralling quick read, which readers familiar with the series already will read from cover to cover at great speed. | |
| Buy? Maybe | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 320 | Date: August 2018 |
| Publisher: Quirk Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1683690610 | |
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You want me to be like everyone else and spend my life hiding inside the walls where it's safe, but that's an illusion. So long as there are titans out there… no one is safe
In the dystopian world of Attack on Titan, humanity hides behind the safety of high impenetrable walls to keep out the enemies outside. Known as titans, these enemies are impossibly tall human like creatures, with sharp hungry teeth and regenerative powers. Difficult to kill and innumerable they roam the Earth looking for prey, and whilst the walls have always kept them out, that has begun to change…
Within this universe the novel centres around Rosalie Dumarque, a young noble girl at the top of her training academy class who is looking for any escape from the life she will soon be forced to lead. Defying her family and postponing her marriage, she travels to the front lines at the Wall Rose Garrison, to join their desperate fight to save humanity. There she finds death at every corner and a new world she has never encountered before. But she is determined to do her part, to make a change and make her family proud. And she is also determined to make herself proud before a lifetime deeply inside the walls traps her in a pretty cage. Through courage and intelligence, Rosalie will have to outmanoeuvre corrupt officers, lead distrusting soldiers and dig deep inside herself to find the strength to battle titans for her life and for the lives of those close to her.
Garrison Girl is a really entertaining read. First off, it has a brilliant protagonist who is likeable and relatable. The novel shows a big growth in Rosalie's character from the sheltered life among the nobility behind the walls to the stark contrasting life at the front lines and of those serving in the military. Not to mention that the other central characters – Willow, Emmett and Jax – serving in the same division at the Garrison were also well developed. Each brought different personalities to the story and it was interesting to discover their different harsh pasts as the story unfolded. These brought connections to the main Attack on Titan story and as I love the world, I was exciting to read past histories of different regions.
Secondly, I loved the story; it was action packed, surprisingly funny, heart-warming and unfortunately heart-breaking, which is a testament to Aaron's wonderfully imagined characters. The romance was also excellently structured, without the dreaded insta-love and without it overbearing on the plot. The action was also very well done with tension oozing off the page which will leave readers biting their nails and flicking through the pages. But I cannot stress enough, that this book is about Rosalie's character and the reality of what lies beyond the wall. The trials she faces, the decisions she makes, the journey she undergoes to discover who she truly is and who she wants to be. In short, it's a brilliant focus and I really enjoyed reading Aaron's novel.
However, the only shortcoming was the writing style. In my opinion, it didn't match the quality of the story which was slightly disappointing, however it did not hinder my enjoyment in any way. Another caution is that having already been introduced to the Attack on Titan universe, I was aware of the different elements of the world. Although these are explained in Garrison Girl, the descriptions are brief and lack detail and for this reason I believe prior knowledge will enhance reader's enjoyment. Special thanks to the publishers for providing us with a copy to review!
Rich in great characters and rife with tantalising action, Garrison Girl is a coming of age story set against the backdrop of a dark chilling future.
In terms of further reading, I recommend if you haven't already, reading the original Attack on Titans books and then if you fancy it the TV series – both are fantastically exciting and I definitely recommend!
In terms of other dystopian books, I recommend The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness if you haven't read it yet. It's a phenomenal dystopian story with characters you will fall in love instantly – the writing style is very different and can be deterring but please don't let it because it is an incredible series just waiting to be picked up.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Garrison Girl (Attack on Titan) by Rachel Aaron at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Garrison Girl (Attack on Titan) by Rachel Aaron at Amazon.com.
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