I am completely charmed by all things dystopian as of late. I think it is the survival aspect in combination with all the different ways authors are finding for the way our world ends. It fascinates me. Add anything even remotely zombie-ish to that and I am one happy gal.Enclave is a tale of a young girl who has known nothing but the subway tunnels she's grown up in and believing everything her elders tell her of the Topside world. When Deuce matures into the huntress she's always dreamed of being, the world she knows starts to crack, then break around her. She finds kinship with her hunter partner Fade, a boy found in the tunnels only a couple of years prior. She begins to suspect she's been lied to by the elders of her Enclave and worse still, the Freaks killing in the tunnels have changed their tactics. Deuce must make drastic decisions to stay alive in this dark and dire world.Deuce is a curious and brave protagonist. She knows her duty to Enclave, though she doesn't always agree. She is fairly relatable and endearing. Her curiosity of the world outside her enclave is fascinating and fun. She is a strong young woman and I always admire that. I love a strong female character.Fade is tough but sweet ~ who doesn't like that in a man right? I found him interesting from the start and I hope to get to know more of his back story as the series progresses. The Freaks....creep me the heck out! They are smart and fast and I don't want to have anything to do with them. Ever. It never really explains where they come from and many people have been bit by them without turning. So zombie maybe isn't the right word but...hey, they eat flesh. Zombie.There are some issues that come up in this new world that did not sit well with me; things that are harsh and unsettling. But really, what would the world be like when humans don't live long lives, food is enough to kill over and your hunted by ferocious things? I'm not sure. I am sure that I hope to never find out. I can't imagine it would be without peril, especially for the weak or for women. I think Aguirre could have handled these issues with a bit more care and caution.I enjoyed Enclave enough to say that I will read Outpost ~ the next installment due in September. I look forward to how the characters grow and the world develops.
