Bethany Hagen

When her dreams of attending university are shattered by edicts that she must marry and run the family estate, 16-year-old Madeline, a girl living in a dystopian future United States ruled by the elite Gentry, is horrified to learn what her privileged lifestyle is costing those less fortunate. A first novel.

Landry Park

ashley hopkins

IN A NUTSHELL
A dystopian that's far more sophisticated than most.

Although I haven't read the Selection series I see Landry Park as being somewhat like that book. The elegance, ball gowns, and the I-am-better-than-you attitude. Like I said I could be totally wrong.

SETTING
The setting was much like most Dystopian-ish worlds. By that I mean you have the people who think they're better then everyone else, and then those who live poorly. (I guess you could say it's much like the real world) We did get to learn some about how Madeline's world came to be. What made them think they were better than the others. The world-building was nothing spectacular, but that's just my opinion. Take it for what it worth, which is probably a grain of salt. :)

While the world building itself wasn't my cup of tea although the sophistication was there (they weren't having kids kill kids) They let the poor do jobs that would eventually make them sick. They let the world itself do the killing. It's a step up from people killing people right? No.

CHARACTERS
I had a hard time believing I would love the characters from the beginning of the story what with the holier than thou attitude, but I grew to enjoy a few of them as the story neared an end.

Madeline at times definitely had me wondering if she would go with her gut feeling, and be true to herself. Sometimes I felt she'd do what was easier, but eventually she picked where she wanted her loyalties to lie. I believe she will definitely grow to be a strong lady.
David frustrated me so much because he was either hot or cold with Madeline and I hate when they play games with each other. Pick one girl or the other fool. :P I will say it does eventually work itself out, and we see some twists. :) 

ENDING
It's not really what I was expecting. Then again some parts are exactly what I wanted.

Fourth book finished for #TBRTakedown. June 2015.

As seen on Caity Reads.

Landry Park is set in a futuristic America, where the country is separated into two classes, the Gentry and the Rootless. Our main character, Madeline is a gentry and the heir to her families property. However, that’s not what she wants. The plot for Landry Park wasn’t overly spectacular; it wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t fantastic either. I kind of lost sight of what the main plot was supposed to be at times. The main character seems on the outside of it for a lot of the book, and it felt unimportant at times.

Even though this story takes place in the future, they dress and act as if it’s the 18th or 19th century. A big issue I had with this story was that I found it very difficult to remember what time period it took place in. I just had a hard time remembering we were supposed to be hundreds of years in the future, and it really bothered me. However, the story flowed easily and it was a quick read. I kept reading because I wanted to know what was happening in the world and to the characters. The last half or so really picked up and a lot more happens, which was nice.

There were many varied characters in this story. From the different gentry to the different Rootless, there were many, and they did fairly well to serve their purpose. However, they felt fairly basic to me. Which isn’t always a bad thing, but it made it hard to connect to them. For instance, the main character Madeline. You aren’t given a whole lot of background on the girl and she could have been more developed.

Overall, this book was okay. I would recommend if you want to read it, borrow it from your local library before purchasing. I will be reading the second book eventually, because I want to know what happens. The ending also suggests that the second book may have more action, which I think could definitely increase my liking of the duology.

In a futuristic, fractured United States where the oppressed Rootless handle the raw nuclear material that powers the Gentry's lavish lifestyle, sixteen-year-old Madeline Landry must choose between taking over her father's vast estate or rebelling against everything she has ever known, in the name of justice.

Jessica Nottingham

Here's the thing: I don't like flighty female characters. I have a hard time associating with female protagonists who whine, worry, and change their opinions of things every other chapter. In Landry Park, however, it's hard to fault Madeline for being the way she is. Raised as a gentry girl, in opulence and wealth, she's a product of her environment. To Madeline, her home is everything. Her title, is everything. Every now and then I saw this little spark of rebellion in her, and I'd start to cheer, and then it'd vanish under the promise of everything she had being taken away. Can I blame her? Not really. Did I like her? Not so much. The narrator didn't help matters. She was so flat, and boring. I think I might have actually connected with Madeline better if she was narrated better.
 
What saved the book for me were the secondary characters. I loved David, and his dashing personality. I loved Kara, because she was everything Madeline was not. These two really pulled the story along. Nothing would have happened if it wasn't for them. I'm sure Madeline would have been content to stay at home, blind to the suffering of others, and wrapped in decadent dresses. All the pieces of the plot that revolved around her were just so blase. I never truly believed she cared about anything else, much less helping others.
 
The other issue with Landry Park is that you really have to let go and take everything with a grain of salt. This book takes place in the future, but there are debutantes and a caste system. This is a world of oppression and technology mixed together. I didn't really think about it until the end of the story, but it honestly doesn't make much sense. It's one of those settings you just have to accept, and move on to enjoy the story.
 
So what did I enjoy about this book, you ask? The secondary characters, definitely. I also liked that, although the romance was a little confusing, it also added such an interesting twist to the story. I knew what was coming well before it did, but I didn't mind. I was too charmed by David, too repulsed by Madeline's father, and too caught up in the mystery surrounding everything to care. When I stopped caring about Madeline, and just let everything else sweep me up, I enjoyed Landry Park. I just wouldn't listen to the audio book again.

“Downton Abbey” meets The Selection in this dystopian tale of love and betrayal Sixteen-year-old Madeline Landry is practically Gentry royalty. Her ancestor developed the nuclear energy that has replaced electricity, and her parents exemplify the glamour of the upper class. As for Madeline, she would much rather read a book than attend yet another debutante ball. But when she learns about the devastating impact the Gentry lifestyle—her lifestyle—is having on those less fortunate, her whole world is turned upside down. As Madeline begins to question everything she has been told, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana, who seems to be hiding secrets of his own. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty—her family and the estate she loves dearly—and desire. Fans of Ally Condie, Kiera Cass, Veronica Roth, and even Jane Austen will be enthralled by this breathtaking read.

Landry Park

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