S. J. Kincaid

The Diabolic

Elisa Bieg

(Reread, February 2020)

A book that flies under the radar a bit, The Diabolic is a great YA sci-fi novel with romance, political intrigue, and tension, but it’s much more than that: it’s a great piece of storytelling with a subtle but ever-present running commentary on nature versus nurture, societal pressure and expectations, and how they all affect the way we view ourselves and others; but also, the place of science and spiritual belief in our lives.

That may make it sound like a snooze fest, but the truth is that it is all so interwoven with great storytelling and the MC’s inner dialogue and character arc, that it will spur reflection without forcing anything on you — I personally hate when I feel like the author is force-feeding me her own political agenda, and I appreciate that it didn’t happen here. 

Honestly, I appreciate this book far more the second time around. I reread it to prepare for the release of the last volume this summer, to see if I still loved it — enough to upgrade to a full hardcover box set? That was the question. 

The answer? A resounding YES. 4 1/2 STARS!

Read it. But take your time, this isn’t a book to rush through. If you prefer audiobooks, this one is quite good as well. And don’t let Nemesis’ somewhat robotic voice put you off... that’s how it begins 😉

Highly recommended.

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(First read, summer 2018)

What... how?? 
HOW did this change from “what is this robotic weirdness” to “OMG I’m going to start crying in front of my family and they’ll think I’ve lost my mind”?!?

This book is the most unpredictable awesomeness. Because the narrator is a bit peculiar, the book starts out a bit odd, feels a bit off. And don’t even get me started on the audiobook. (Scribd had both, so I could read the book at home, and listen to the audiobook while at the beach)

But these characters grew on me. And the world building was such an interesting dystopian twist on the classic space opera, that I just wanted to see where it was going.
And then I just couldn’t imagine putting it down and missing the rest!!

I feel so invested in the MCs. Where is the next one?

And what do I read now??!?!

The Diabolic

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