Against All Odds • Pure

Pure by Julianna Baggott
Series: Pure #1
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: February 8, 2012
Source: Netgalley (Thanks!) || e-galley

[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects the contents of my review.]

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. The world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. When a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

There are so many things that I want to say about PURE, and all of them are good things. I fell in love with JULIANNA BAGGOTT's dystopian novel, and I still cannot completely process all the feelings I have for it. It's such a beautiful novel, despite the darkness of the environment and the situations in it.

I am always and forever going to be a big fan of novels with relatable and real characters; PURE has certainly won my love with its cast of characters. Every single one is given a unique set of characteristics, though they all have some similar qualities at their core. I love how I never got confused over who or what I was reading about because they were so well-distinguished.

Pressia is incredible as a character, because I feel like she's the type of person I'd want as a friend. She's loyal to a fault, and often goes out of her way to help other people, even when it puts herself at risk. I admire her bravery, her intelligence, her survival skills and also feel for her, as she tries to remember things and longs for the family of her past. It was both heartbreaking and a little nerve-wracking to read her parts, since I was so invested in her character.

Partridge, on the other hand, is a Pure, but his spirit certainly doesn't seem to be one that can be contained in the Dome. Despite knowing the risks and having no other additional information, he sets out from the Dome to go and find his mother. He's definitely an attractive character - spunky, brave, idealistic, intelligent, strong and kind. Though I wasn't always in agreement with the things that he chose to do or the steps he took to prepare, I still wanted him to get what he was looking for.

Apart from these two, the other characters in this novel - El Capitan, Pressia's grandfather, Bradwell, Partridge's father & Lyda - are certainly great additions to the cast. They added a colorful aspect to the story that was unexpected, but certainly very welcome.

PURE was a wonderful treat to read, because it didn't just feature great characters - it had an engrossing story too! Once I started the book, I just could not put it down. There were so many clever twists in the plot, right alongside the "showing" of what this world was like through vivid descriptions and character depictions. JULIANNA BAGGOTT certainly did a fantastic job crafting this novel - and it shows!

PURE ran me through a whole gamut of feelings - disturbed, sentimental, fear, anxiety, peace, hope, joy - and I loved every single moment of it. While it is quite a long read at nearly 450 pages, it is definitely worth the journey.