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Landry Park (2014)

by Bethany Hagen(Favorite Author)

3.56 of 5 Votes: 5

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Dial

series

Landry Park

review 1: *5/5* Debo decir que este libro, hasta donde leí, me gusto muchísimo, me encanto. La pena fue que no pude terminarlo, ya que lo estaba leyendo mientras lo traducían, y de repente dejaron de traducir, así que cuando me dispuse a terminarlo, ya había perdido el hilo de la historia. Pero tengo claro que lo terminaré cuando traduzcan su segunda parte, y así pueda ponerme también con esa enseguida, ya que tampoco me gusta tener que esperar demasiado para leer la continuación de un libro...Lo recomiendo mucho, y puedo decir que ha sido una de mis mejores lecturas de este año!
review 2: So some time in the future, China and all the other evil Asians invade America to collect their massive debt. Which makes no economic sense whatsoever. If you want to collect... more debt, why would you want to overthrow the people who owe you money? You would want to keep them in power but bleed them dry. (The Selection had this problem, too, ~ the evil East invading poor, good America~) It’s just a bunch of yellow peril nonsense. (Seriously, it seems that every YA book I read that has Asians in it is either racist, poorly researched, or both.)Anyways, this somehow created a new class system with “the gentry” on top. The gentry are basically old-fashioned European nobles who own large estates, have parties and servants, and read Euro philosophers. Honestly, this book is an Austen wannabe. People from freaking Kansas City are going around having delicate tea parties and gossiping about social debuts and arranging marriages like they’re straight out of Pride and Prejudice. How did America devolve into a pseudo-European nobility caste? How did people agree to this mess? Hell if I know.This is how the book explains: There was war and people were fighting, and some guy named Jacob Landry said, “We should do this!” And everyone else said, “Oh my god! Jacob Landry is awesome! Let’s do it!”Yeah, it’s just as vague in the book as it is here, folks.Also, it says that, “The boundaries of race and gender and religion fell away as class became the most important delineator in society.” Which made me roll my eyes. So racism and sexism magically disappeared because? Not to mention that the racialization of class has existed since the founding of America. I found it rather insulting. (Also, I found the ~there’s no racism~ to be hilarious because this whole concept is about the ~evil Asians~ invading – that good old yellow peril stereotype!) Oh yeah, in about two hundred years, racial intermarriage has made most people have ambiguous black hair and olive skin. Biology fail right there.For some reason, the main character is not allowed to go to college because her dad wants her to focus on being the heir to the estate. This makes absolutely zero sense. Getting a high class education is an example of just that, high class. And colleges and universities and the like are perfect places for networking and socializing among the elite. But Madeline can’t go! Because . . . it would waste her time?Perhaps the biggest worldbuilding fail: Members of the lowest class are called the Rootless. Basically, they’re treated like crap and have no rights, so they’re understandably upset about that. Also, they’re in charge of nuclear power, which is basically the only source of energy in the country. Seriously, you give the people you regularly mistreat nuclear power! It’s a wonder why they didn’t blow up the gentry before this.The main character is a girl named Madeline Landry, who is basically a princess. Seriously, her ancestor was the one founded this whole system, and her father is literally the most powerful man in the country, with her expecting to follow his footsteps. Basically, she’s extremely rich and privileged.The main plot is supposed to be about the Rootless rebellion against the gentry. Unfortunately, because Madeline is our point of view character, we spend a lot of our time in balls and describing food and clothes. Most of the politicizing/organizing of the rebellion happens offscreen by other characters.While Madeline isn’t the worst YA protagonist, she isn’t the best either. She’s the stereotypical “not like other girls!” girl who likes reading and finds social functions boring – which is meh. While she does have compassion for the Rootless, she herself does little to move the plot along. To some extent, she suffers from Rich White Girl Problems. That is to say, her problems are legitimate – being unable to go university and being expected to marry at age twenty-one – but it seems trivial compared to the Rootless’s oppression, where it’s perfectly acceptable for children Rootless to be executed, and her privilege is built on their suffering.The obligatory love interest is “bad boy” David Dana. How do I know he’s a bad boy? Because he smokes. Smoking is edgy, you know.As far as love interests go, he’s not that bad. I mean, he has actual character motivations that go beyond romance. However, his relationship with Madeline goes by really fast. Like, he feels attracted to her almost instantly and falls in love with her not because they have anything in common, but because he . . . likes her zeal? Like, there was no chemistry between the two. Also, the book tries to misdirect you by saying that no, he’s actually in love with this other character! When it’s really obvious that he has eyes only for Madeline.Why is review this two stars and not one? I mean, with all the worldbuilding fail and bland romance and offrscreen plot development, you would expect one star, right?It’s because I could actually see some potential in this book. I mean, this book needs some fixes. Big fixes. But it could be good. Sometimes, I saw a fun dystopia read shining through. The climax actually isn’t that bad.Just not a recommended book overall. less

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