First 3/4 gets 4 stars. An interesting idea that is explored well. But the last 1/4 seemed to be much weaker than the rest. ( )

Dystopian world, kind of Hunger Games-like, kind of Clockwork Orange-like.

Without spoiling the plot, I can't say much about the relationship between the two main characters, but I will say I never saw the ending coming, and it was cool and disappointing at the same time. ( )

I found myself rather disappointed when I came to the end of this novel. After some of the interesting plot developments and characters that were introduced throughout the story, everything seemed to sort of peter out at the end; possibly to leave an opening for sequels, but the ending was so unsatisfying that I'm not sure I would pick up the next one. ( )

Depressing book. Well written but circular logic bring ethic delemas. Genocide is not an ethical solution and the bad guys winning is not an ending that I personally can accept or find acceptable. Giving up is also suicidally depressing. ( )

It's been a long time since I've read a book I hated this much! This book takes an interesting premise but fails to follow through. The central moral question is very Philosophy 101, and a lot of things about the world created here don't make a lot of sense. The protagonist, Natalie, is very passive and wishy-washy, and it's hard to understand her motivations or feelings. The main love interest is her boss and father figure, and the relationship they have is so skeevy, but it's not portrayed as a problem for this woman to start banging the guy who has doted on her since early childhood who is also her boss. None of the other characters are fleshed out at all.

As for the ending (spoilers ahead), I absolutely appreciate books that don't end on a triumphant, good-guys-save-the-day note. But this ending fell flat. The Alphas' handling of the mini-rebellion makes absolutely no sense, and Natalie's conversion from compassionate sympathizer to emotionless killer seems too easy. They show her the thoughts of a trapped man in pain and... she stops empathizing with the tribes entirely? And then, after all of that, to have Jeffery be the one to leave when he's shown almost no sign of internal struggle before, is just weird. To have this manipulative and hypocritical mansplainer who had sex with his employee and daughter-figure turn out to be the real hero made me want to barf.

There are so many better books in this genre out there - Office of Mercy isn't worth your time. ( )