730. That's how many days I've been trapped. 18. That's how many days I have left to find a way out. DAI, trying to escape a haunting past, traffics drugs for the most ruthless kingpin in the Walled City. But in order to find the key to his freedom, he needs help from someone with the power to be invisible.... JIN hides under the radar, afraid the wild street gangs will discover her biggest secret: Jin passes as a boy to stay safe. Still, every chance she gets, she searches for her lost sister.... MEI YEE has been trapped in a brothel for the past two years, dreaming of getting out while watching the girls who try fail one by one. She's about to give up, when one day she sees an unexpected face at her window..... In this innovative and adrenaline-fueled novel, they all come together in a desperate attempt to escape a lawless labyrinth before the clock runs out.
My thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via Netgalley for the free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Did I like this book?
I was so surprised by how much I liked this book! I thought the world building and character development were both done fantastically well, and I loved the unique premise of the book.
The story is told from the points of view of the three main characters, and while I loved all three, I'd have to say Jin was my favourite - she was just so tough and brave! Probably my next favourite aspect of this book was the walled city itself- I found Graudin's descriptions to be amazing, allowing me to imagine perfectly how such a place would appear in real life. (The photos at the end of the book were a real surprise- I had no idea that such a place had ever existed!)
The writing was another strength- I found myself reading certain passages over again simply because of the beauty of the words! Absolutely lovely!
If I were to change one thing, it would have to be the ending, not because of how things were resolved, but because it just seemed to linger way too long. I think the last two or three sections could have been cut out or edited down, but that's just my personal opinion.
Will you like this book?
If you enjoy a bit of grit and action in your YA fare, as well as beautiful prose, I think that you will really enjoy "The Walled City". For a minute while I was reading, I thought there might be some sort of love triangle, but for those of you who hate triangles, I'm happy to report there isn't one!
Will I read more by this author?
Without hesitation, yes! Very much looking forward to what this promising author will come up with next.
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