Enclave

By Ann Aguirre

New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20's. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters--or Freaks--who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight--guided by Fade's long-ago memories--in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs.

Ann Aguirre's thrilling young adult novel is the story of two young people in an apocalyptic world--facing dangers, and feelings, unlike any they've ever known.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Apr 12, 2011
• ISBN: 9781429950367

Ann Aguirre

Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner, best known for her teen dystopian series Razorland (Enclave; Outpost; and Horde) and Sirantha Jax, her adult science fiction series. She writes all kinds of genre fiction and has forty-two contracted novels and novellas with Penguin, Macmillan, Harlequin, among others.

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In the windowless tomb of a blind mother, in the dead of night, under the feeble rays of a lamp in an alabaster globe, a girl came into the darkness with a wail.

—George MacDonald, The Day Boy and the Night Girl

Deuce

I was born during the second holocaust. People had told us legends of a time when human beings lived longer. I thought they were just stories. Nobody even lived to see forty in my world.

Today was my birthday. Each one added a layer of fear, and this year, it was worse. I lived in an enclave in which our oldest had seen twenty-five years. His face was withered, and his fingers shook when he attempted the smallest tasks. Some whispered it would be a kindness to kill him, but they meant they didn’t want to see their futures written in his skin.

Are you ready? Twist stood waiting for me in the darkness.

He already wore his marks; he was two years older than me, and if he’d survived the ritual, I could. Twist was small and frail by any standards; privation had cut runnels into his cheeks, aging him. I studied the pallor of my forearms and then nodded. It was time for me to become a woman.

The tunnels were wide and laid with metal bars. We had found remnants of what might’ve been transportation, but they lay on their sides like great, dead beasts. We used them for emergency shelters sometimes. If a hunting party was attacked before it reached sanctuary, a heavy metal wall between them and hungry enemies made the difference between life and death.

I had never been outside the enclave, of course. This space comprised the only world I’d ever known, cast in darkness and curling smoke. The walls were old, built of rectangular blocks. Once they had borne color but the years had worn them gray. Splashes of brightness came from items we scavenged from deeper in the warren.

I followed Twist through the maze, my gaze touching on familiar objects. My favorite item was a picture of a girl on a white cloud. I couldn’t make out what she was holding; that part had worn away. But the words in bright red, HEAVENLY HAM, looked wonderful to me. I wasn’t sure what that was, but by her expression, it must have been very good.

The enclave assembled on naming day, everyone who had survived to be named. We lost so many when they were young that we just called all the brats Boy or Girl, along with a number. Since our enclave was small—and dwindling—I recognized each face shadowed by the half-light. It was hard not to let the expectation of pain knot my stomach, along with the fear I would wind up with a terrible name that would cling to me until I died.

Please let it be something good.

The oldest, who carried the burden of the name Whitewall, walked to the center of the circle. He stopped before the fire, and its licking flame painted his skin in terrifying shades. With one hand, he beckoned me forward.

Once I joined him, he spoke. Let each Hunter bring forth his gift.

The others carried their tokens and piled them at my feet. A mound of interesting items grew—and a few of them, I had no idea what purpose they might’ve served. Decoration, perhaps? People in the world before seemed obsessed with objects that existed simply to look pretty. I couldn’t imagine such a thing.

After they finished, Whitewall turned to me. It’s time.

Silence fell. Cries echoed through the tunnels. Somewhere close by, somebody was suffering, but he wasn’t old enough to attend my naming. We might lose another citizen before we finished here. Sickness and fever devastated us and our medicine man did more harm than good, it seemed to me. But I’d learned not to question his treatments. Here in the enclave, one didn’t prosper by demonstrating too much independent thought.

These rules permit us to survive, Whitewall would say. If you cannot abide by them, then you are free to see how you fare Topside. The eldest had a mean streak; I didn’t know if he had always been that way, or if age had made him so. And now, he stood before me, ready to take my blood.

Though I had never witnessed the ritual before, I knew what to expect. I extended my arms. The razor glinted in the firelight. It was our prized possession, and the oldest kept it clean and sharp. He made three jagged cuts on my left arm, and I held my pain until it coiled into a silent cry within me. I would not shame the enclave by weeping. He slashed my right arm before I could do more than brace. I clenched my teeth as hot blood trickled downward. Not too much. The cuts were shallow, symbolic.

Close your eyes, he said.

I obeyed. He bent, spreading the gifts before me, and then grabbed my hand. His fingers were cold and thin. From whatever my blood struck, so would I take my name. With my eyes closed, I could hear the others breathing, but they were still and reverent. Movement rustled nearby.

Open your eyes and greet the world, Huntress. From this day forward, you will be called Deuce.

I saw the oldest held a card. It was torn and stained, yellow with age. The back had a pretty red pattern and the front had what looked like a black shovel blade on it, along with the number two. It was also speckled with my blood, which meant I must keep it with me at all times. I took it from him with a murmur of thanks.

Strange. No longer would I be known as Girl15. My new name would take some getting used to.

The enclave dispersed. People offered me nods of respect as they went about their business. Now that the naming day ceremony was complete, there was still food to be hunted and supplies to be scavenged. Our work never ended.

You were very brave, Twist said. Now let’s take care of your arms.

It was just as well we had no audience for this part because my courage failed. I wept when he put the hot metal to my skin. Six scars to prove I was tough enough to call myself Huntress. Other citizens received less; Builders got three scars. Breeders took only one. For as long as anyone could remember, the number of marks on the arms identified what role a citizen played.

We could not permit the cuts to heal naturally for two reasons: They would not scar properly and infection might set in. Over the years, we had lost too many to the naming day ritual because they cried and begged; they couldn’t bear the white-hot conclusion. Now Twist no longer paused at the sight of tears, and I was glad he didn’t acknowledge them.

I am Deuce.

Tears spilled down my cheeks as the nerve endings died, but the scars appeared one by one, proclaiming my strength and my ability to weather whatever I found out in the tunnels. I had been training for this day my whole life; I could wield a knife or a club with equal proficiency. Every bite of food I ate that had been supplied by someone else, I consumed with the understanding it would be my turn someday to provide for the brats.

That day had come. Girl15 was dead.

Long live Deuce.

*   *   *

After the naming, two friends held a party for me. I found them both waiting in the common area. We’d come up together as brats, though our personalities and physical skills put us on different paths. Still, Thimble and Stone were my two closest companions. Of the three, I was the youngest, and they’d taken pleasure in calling me Girl15 after they both got their names.

Thimble was a small girl a little older than me, who served as a Builder. She had dark hair and brown eyes. Because of her pointed chin and wide gaze, people sometimes questioned if she was old enough to be out of brat training. She hated that; there was no surer way to rouse her temper.

Grime often stained her fingers because she worked with her hands, and it found its way onto her clothing and smudged her face. We’d gotten used to seeing her scratch her cheek and leave a dark streak behind. But I didn’t tease her anymore because she was sensitive. One of her legs was a touch shorter than the other, and she walked with a whisper of a limp, not from injury, but that small defect. Otherwise, she might easily have become a Breeder.

Because he was strong and handsome, but not especially bright, Stone landed as a Breeder. Whitewall figured he had good material in him, and if matched with a clever female, he should sire good, solid offspring. Only citizens with traits worth passing on were allowed to contribute to the next generation, and the elders monitored births carefully. We couldn’t allow more brats than we could provide for.

Thimble rushed up to examine my forearms. How much did it hurt?

A lot, I said. Twice as much as yours. I gave Stone a pointed look. "Six times as much as yours."

He always joked he had the easiest job in the enclave, and maybe that was true, but I wouldn’t want the burden of making sure our people survived to the next generation. On top of siring the young, he also shared the responsibility of looking after them. I didn’t think I could deal with so much death. Brats were unbelievably fragile. This year, he’d sired one male, and I didn’t know how he dealt with the fear. I could barely remember my dam; she’d died young even by our standards. When she was eighteen, a sickness swept through the enclave, likely carried by the trading party from Nassau. It took a lot of our people that year.

Some citizens thought the offspring of Breeders should stay in that role. There was a quiet movement among the Hunters to take their number from their own—that once a Hunter got too old for patrols, he or she could sire the next crop of Hunters. I’d fought my whole life against that thinking. From the time I could walk, I’d watched the Hunters going off into the tunnels and known it for my destiny.

It’s not my fault I’m handsome, he said, grinning.

Stop, you two. Thimble got out a present wrapped in faded cloth. Here.

I hadn’t expected this. Brow raised, I took the parcel from her, hefted it, and said, You made me new daggers.

She glared. I hate when you do that.

To appease her, I unfolded the fabric. "They’re beautiful."

And they were. Only a Builder could do such fine work. She’d poured these just for me. I imagined the long hours over the fire and the time in the mold and the tempering and the polishing and sharpening afterward. They gleamed in the torchlight. I tested them and found them perfectly balanced. I executed a couple of moves to show her how much I liked them, and Stone jumped as if I might hit him on accident. He could be such an idiot. A Huntress never stabbed anything she didn’t intend to.

I wanted you to have the best out there.

Me too, Stone said.

He hadn’t bothered to wrap his gift; it was simply too big. The club wasn’t Builder quality work, but Stone had a fair hand with carving, and he’d taken a solid scrap of wood for the core. I suspected Thimble must’ve helped him with the banded metal along the top and bottom, but the fanciful figures cut into the wood came from him, no mistake. I didn’t recognize all of the animals, but it was lovely and solid, and I would feel safer with it on my back. He’d rubbed the carvings with some kind of dye, so they stood out from the grain. The decorations would actually make it harder for me to keep the weapon clean, but Stone was a Breeder, and he couldn’t be expected to think of things like that.

I smiled in appreciation. This is wonderful.

They both hugged me and then produced a treat we’d been saving for my naming day. Thimble had traded for this tin long ago—in anticipation of the occasion. The container itself offered unusual pleasure in that it shone bright red and white, brighter than most things we found down here. We didn’t know what was inside it; only that it had been sealed so thoroughly that we needed tools to pry it open.

A lovely scent drifted out. I had never smelled anything like it, but it was fresh and sweet. Inside, I saw nothing but colored dust. Impossible to tell what it might have once been, but the aroma alone made my naming day special.

What is it? Thimble asked.

Hesitantly, I touched a fingertip to the pink dust. I think it might be to make us smell better.

Do we put it on our clothes? Stone leaned in and gave a sniff.

Thimble considered. Only for special occasions.

Anything in there? I stirred, until I touched bottom. There is!

Elated, I drew out a square of stiff paper. It was white with gold letters, but they had a funny shape and I couldn’t read them. Some of them looked like they were supposed to; others didn’t. They looped and dropped and curled in ways that made them confusing to my eye.

Put it back, she said. It might be important.

It was important, if only for being one of the few complete documents we had from the time before. We should take it to the Wordkeeper.

Even though we’d traded for this tin fair and square, if it yielded a valuable enclave resource and we tried to keep it for ourselves, we could wind up in serious trouble. Trouble led to exile, and exile to unspeakable things. By mutual agreement, we replaced the paper and closed the tin. We shared a sober look, aware of the potential consequences. None of us wanted to be accused of hoarding.

Let’s take care of it now, Stone said. I have to get back to the brats soon.

Give me a bit.

Moving at a run, I headed to look for Twist. I found him in the kitchens, not surprisingly. I still hadn’t been assigned a private living space. Now that I’d been named, I could have a room of my own. No more brat dorm.

What do you want? he demanded.

I tried not to take offense. Just because I’d been named didn’t mean his treatment of me would improve overnight. To some, I’d be little more than a brat for a couple of years. Until I started edging toward elder territory.

Just tell me where my space is?

Twist sighed, but obligingly he led the way through the maze. Along the way, we dodged many bodies and wound through the layers of partitions and makeshift shelters. Mine sat in between two others, but it was four feet to call my own.

My room had three crude walls, constructed of old metal, and a ragged length of cloth for an illusion of privacy. Everyone had more or less the same; it only varied in terms of what trinkets people kept. I had a secret weakness for shiny things. I was always trading for something that glittered when I held it to the light.

That all?

Before I could answer, he went back toward the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, I pushed through the curtain. I had a rag pallet and a crate for my meager belongings. But nobody else had the right to come in here without my invitation. I’d earned my place.

Despite my worry, I smiled while I stowed my new weapons. Nobody would touch anything in here, and it was best not to visit the Wordkeeper armed to the teeth. Like Whitewall, he was getting on in years, and tended to be strange.

I didn’t look forward to this interrogation at all.

Trial

It didn’t take long to spill our story and show him the tin. He reached inside, letting the pink dust trail through his fingers. The card he handled carefully.

You say you’ve had this item for some time? The Wordkeeper glared at the three of us, as if we were guilty of stupidity at least.

Stone explained, We traded for it together and agreed we’d open it on Fifteen’s … er, Deuce’s naming day.

So you had no idea of the contents before now?

No, sir, I said.

Thimble added a timid nod. Her limp made her self-conscious, as the enclave seldom permitted such imperfections. But hers was minor and didn’t impede her performance as a Builder. In fact, I’d say she worked twice as hard, not wanting anyone to feel they’d made a mistake about her.

Are you willing to swear? the Wordkeeper asked.

Yes, Thimble said. None of us had any idea what it held.

They fetched Copper from the kitchens and she witnessed. The Wordkeeper growled as he took the document into evidence. Get out, all of you. I’ll let you know of my decision in due time.

I felt sick as we went back to my room. I wanted to show them where it was, anyway. Stone could enter with Thimble present as a chaperone. Like in the old days, in the brat dorm, we flopped onto the pallet together. Stone sat between us and wrapped an arm around each of us. He felt warm and familiar, and I leaned my head against his shoulder. I wouldn’t let anybody else touch me like this, but he was different. We were brat-mates, practically related.

It’ll be fine, he said. They can’t punish us for something we didn’t do.

Looking at the pleasure in Thimble’s face as she nestled against him, I wondered if she might do better as a Breeder. But the elders wouldn’t let her, even if she’d preferred it. Nobody wanted imperfections passed on, even the small, harmless ones.

He’s right, she agreed.

I nodded. The elders looked after us. Certainly, they had to consider the matter, but once they’d studied all the facts, no harm would come to us. We’d done the right thing and turned the paper over as soon as we found it.

Absently, Stone played with my hair; for him, it was a simple instinct. Touching wasn’t forbidden to Breeders. They hugged and patted so easily it alarmed me. Builders and Hunters had to take such care not to be accused of wrongdoing.

I have to go, Stone said regretfully.

To make some brats or look after them? Thimble asked with a flash of ire.

For a moment, I felt so sorry for her. To me, it was painfully obvious she wanted something she could never have. Unlike me. I had exactly what I wanted. I couldn’t wait to start work.

He grinned, taking the question at face value. If you must know—

Never mind, I said hastily.

Her face fell. I should go too. Hope you had a good naming day, Deuce.

Apart from seeing the Wordkeeper, it was fine. I smiled as they both left and fell back on my pallet to think about my future as a Huntress.

*   *   *

The first time I saw Fade, he frightened me. He had a lean, sharp face and shaggy dark hair that fell over his forehead into the blackest eyes, like a bottomless pit. And he bore so many scars, as if he’d lived through battles the rest of us couldn’t imagine. Hard as life had been here, his silent rage said he’d seen worse.

Unlike most, he hadn’t been born in the enclave. He came in through the tunnels, half grown when we found him, half starved and more than half feral. He didn’t have a number designation, or even any concept of how to behave. Still, the older citizens voted to let him stay.

Anybody who can survive out in the tunnels on his own has to be strong, Whitewall had said. We can use him.

If he doesn’t kill us all first, Copper had muttered back.

Copper was second oldest at twenty-four, and she served as mate to Whitewall, though it was a fluid arrangement. She was also the only one who dared to back-talk him, even a little bit. The rest of us had learned to mind. I’d seen people exiled because they refused to obey the rules.

So when Whitewall decreed the stranger stayed, we had to make it work. It was a long while before I actually set eyes on him. They tried to teach him our ways, and he spent long hours with the Wordkeeper. He already knew how to fight; he didn’t seem to know how to live with other people, or at least, he found our laws confusing.

I was just a brat at the time, so I wasn’t involved in his assimilation. I was training to become a Huntress. Since I wanted to prove myself with blade and boot, I worked tirelessly. When the strange boy got his name, I wasn’t there. He didn’t know how old he was, so they guessed when to christen him.

After that, I saw him around, but I certainly never spoke to him. Brats and Hunters didn’t mix, unless lessons were involved. Those earmarked for combat and patrol duties studied under the veteran Hunters. I’d spent most of my time training with Silk, but a few others had schooled me over the years as well. I formally met Fade much later, after my own naming. He was teaching the fundamentals of knife work when Twist delivered me to his class.

That’s all, Fade said, as we joined them.

The brats dispersed with quiet grumbling. I remembered how sore my muscles had been when I started training. Now I took pleasure in the hardness of my arms and legs. I wanted to test myself against the dangers beyond our makeshift walls.

Twist tilted his head at me. This is your new partner. Silk ranked her as the best in her group.

Did she? Fade’s voice sounded odd.

I met his black eyes with a lift of my chin. Can’t let him think he intimidates me. Yes. I scored ten out of ten in throws.

He raked me with a scathing look. You’re puny.

And you’re quick to judge.

What’s your name?

I had to think; I almost said Girl15. I fingered the card in my pocket, finding comfort in its edges. It was my talisman now. Deuce.

I’ll leave you two to talk, Twist said. I have other things to do.

He did, of course. Since he was small and fragile, he couldn’t hunt. He served as a second to Whitewall, running errands for him and taking care of administrative tasks. I couldn’t remember ever seeing him just sitting still, not even at night. I lifted my hand as he went around the jagged metal partition to another section of the settlement.

I’m Fade, he told me.

I know. Everyone knows you.

Because I’m not one of you.

You said it, not me.

His head jerked in a nod that said he didn’t want to answer any questions. Since I refused to be like everyone else, I swallowed my curiosity. If he didn’t want to talk, I didn’t care. Everyone wondered about his story, but only Whitewall had ever heard it—and maybe he didn’t even know the truth. But I was only interested in Fade as the one who guarded my back, so it didn’t matter.

He changed the subject. Silk assigns hunting parties daily. We join the rotation tomorrow. I hope you’re as good as she claims.

What happened to your last partner?

Fade smiled. He wasn’t as good as Silk claimed.

You want to find out? I lifted my brow in a challenge.

The space had cleared of brats, so he shrugged and took a position in the center. Show me what you’ve got.

It was a clever tactic, but I wasn’t that green. The offensive fighter lost the chance to assess his opponent’s style. I shook my head at him and curled my fingers. He almost smiled; I saw it start in his eyes, but then he focused on the

Reviews for Enclave

[lovejoy_rat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Let me start off by saying in really enjoyed this book, but felt the author downplayed the personal interactions between the characters to the point where they were unsatisfying. Deuce is perpetually "confused" or "angry" at noticing her emotions and doesn't seem to really encounter any personal growth. This I found to be the most frustrating. Everything else was great! The descriptions of the ghosted city were chilling and the characters' interactions with "relics" from the old days which they do not recognize but the reader will are awsesomely creepy. The storytelling is visceral and fast paced, leaving you wanting to read just one more page. Aguirre's zombies are creepy on another level since they retain traces of the humans they once were. I'd love to read more about Duece's and Fade's fates and how they fare after the story is over. Hopefully there will be a sequel equally as enjoyable. :)

[Mackenzie Fletcher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this world and have read this Trilogy like 4 times already.

[tanaise-968201 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As i don't much like post-apocalyptic novels very much at all, I'd have to say I was not the target audience. At all. It was much less depressing than many of its ilk, reminiscent of The City of Ember rather than the hideously depressing thing I read in middle school.

[Tonja Skead · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An amazing book, five stars for sure!

[amandackerr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great story!!

[vietphoo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The entire series is an awesome read. The story is creative and compelling. It was a true pleasure to read

[Suleiman ADAMU Maishanu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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[Michelle Edwards · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my top 5 favorite dystopian series!

[Dave · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book

[NathinShiryaev · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Two words : JUST AMAZING

[Lorevelaz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well, this book wasn’t even on my wishlist, it came to me through a girl who wanted to sell them haha so maybe it should have been a warning for me. Personally, I don't sell or give away the books I loved; only the ones I know I won’t reread are the ones I donate.

It caught my attention because it's a dystopia, and obviously I love dystopias. From the beginning, it seemed somewhat similar to "Divergent," especially because of the jobs or castes, as we could say, that separate people in the enclave. I liked it; it felt light and quick.

But I made the mistake of watching a video by a guy who reviews books and he tore it apart, but it did open my eyes to some things he was right about, like how the story doesn’t have a focused narrative, it includes many things but doesn’t cover something solid, it has a lot of clichés, and something I now see with the second book is that he’s right; he mentions a bunch of times that the protagonist is "a hunter!" haha but well, all things considered, I liked it and I plan to finish the trilogy. (Translated from Spanish)

[rubenriveragamero · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ultimately predictable, simply following the story... Nothing more. Personally, I found it entertaining, but perhaps readers are looking for something else. (Translated from Spanish)

[Josart9 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is a very interesting story, the narration is excellent as it manages to convey each part of the settings and the characters, capturing you at key moments and guiding you through a light read at other times without becoming boring. (Translated from Spanish)

[jennybeast · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Honestly, the writing's not that great, but the story has stayed with me, so I'm kind of impressed.

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Teen fiction; post-apocalyptic dystopia action/romance (more action than romance, but this is only the first of the series). Awesome, and gritty enough to satisfy boys as well as girls (battle wounds! dark sides of humanity!)--would definitely recommend to Hunger Games fans.

[payday1999-430350 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Somehow my rating and review for this book was lost. Since I read it years ago, my review isn't going to be as detailed as before.

I remember liking the book and it was an easy read. I did like the main character, she wasn't annoying at all. She's strong and a fighter. I like the direction the book took and seeing the journey and the hardships that Deuce gets past.

I remember where the book left off and I liked it, it was a good ending and a good way to start the next book.

There is tons of young adult dystopian novels out these days and if anybody is looking for something new to read, I would pick this one.

[Diego Masís · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I remember that I liked this book a lot; it was my second dystopia after The Fifth Wave. The synopsis caught my attention, and although I initially thought I wouldn’t get into it because the beginning of the book was very slow and boring, it improved exponentially. I loved the scenes where they traveled through the underground, which was almost completely dark; the feeling of being trapped and in constant danger was very intense. I liked the mutants in this book; they were something very new to me at the time, very brutal and bloodthirsty. I found the character of Van somewhat cliché, but he fits well into the story later on. The book improved even more when the characters went to the surface, and the survival became even more brutal. The introduction of characters like Stalker seemed somewhat average to me. Tegan is useless; I say it now and I will always say it. The only weak point I feel the author made was the handling of time. If Van was about 5-6 years old when the apocalypse started, and in the book he is around 16, there isn’t enough time for there to be such defined and well-constructed enclaves with so much history, journey, and a society as developed as described in the book. Another inconsistency is that if the Abominations were already so widespread and established on the surface, as is discovered later in the reading, that fact does not allow for the existence of the small society to which Stalker and Tegan belonged; it seems to me that the author did not consider this when creating her universe. What I do appreciate is the final scene, which leaves you like WAAAAOOO as if you were discovering a new world and leaves you with the intrigue to need to read the second book to find out what else will happen in the story. (Translated from Spanish)

[mrnattania72 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a quick and easy read. Not a lot of strange post apocalyptic zombie language. Though some adult ideas are eluded to, but never specified. I can’t help but this this is a 6th grade dystopian trilogy. The characterization has to be only 14, due to some of her immature language and thoughts. Not too much in the romance department, but I foresee someone’s first kiss and heavy romance !!

[Lu89 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The start of a trilogy that caught my attention since I read the synopsis, I love dystopian books and even more so when we talk about zombies. It is an easy, enjoyable, straightforward read; it captivated me from the first pages, and I liked the characters, who are a bit cliché but not empty, which I loved; they have their own stories, and you can get to know even the secondary ones. Dos and Van are quite predictable, especially Van because he is the tough guy, the mysterious guy who obviously knows how to fight; in Dos's case, what I don’t quite buy are his incredible fighting skills, it’s hard to believe, seriously.

I’m hooked already, and of course, I want to continue; I totally recommend it. (Translated from Spanish)

[spaceandsorcery · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After a somewhat disappointing encounter with Grimspace a couple of years ago, I was wary about reading anything more from Aguirre, but the concept of this book intrigued me – so I decided to take the plunge. Well, it was quite a pleasant surprise: the story drew me in immediately, to the point that I finished the book over a weekend – and I decided to give the Jax saga another try, on the chance that I might have started it on an "off" day.

The second half of Enclave seemed a little hurried, though, and somewhat... unfinished, for want of a better word, as if the author were in a hurry to move forward to the next book: it felt particularly jarring after the fascinating details of life in the tunnels and the social dynamics created by that situation. My main point of contention comes from the addition of Stalker and the quick turnaround from wild-pack leader to useful team player: it seems a little contrived and IMHO it should have evolved over a longer time-span.

On the other hand, Deuce's "voice" is quite compelling and it drew me into the story very quickly, so all things considered this was a fascinating read, that made me interested in the sequel.

[ladyoflorien_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the first in a new YA series. I found the first book to be engaging as you learn about the dystopian, future world through, Deuce.

[thetreereader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Why did I wait so long to read this book? It’s amazing! I have been in a reading slump lately and this book has brought me right out of it. I flew through it in one day. I can’t even remember the last time I read a book in one day.

Everything about Enclave is perfect. I loved the characters, the plot, the writing, everything. I loved everything. I have no complaints. This is the best book I’ve read in a very long time. I need the next book right now.

[schatzi_5 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Enclave started out okay, a relatively bland but entertaining enough post-apocalyptic tale of Deuce, who lives underground in the ruins of the subway tunnels of New York City, and her new hunting partner, Fade. They discover that the elders in their Enclave might not be so wise after all, and they end up being exiled to "Topside," or aboveground - a place that is rumoured to be incredibly toxic, killing anyone who spends just a few minutes in Topside. Like I said, the book was okay - predictable, sure, but not a bad way to spend the afternoon if you're looking for a decent read that you'll likely forget much of as soon as you finish the series.

But then it got real bad real fast.

The first little nugget of joy was on page 153. Deuce and Fade are captured by a gang (more on THEM later) and separated from one another. Deuce, already told by Fade that she'd likely be raped if a gang took them captive, is quite aware of what her fate might be - and she is quite aware, also, about what has happened to the girl who is dressing her, Tegan, a captive of the gang who is covered in bruises. In Deuce's mind, as Tegan unbinds Deuce's feet but keeps her wrists bound, she says (all emphasis rendered as in original text): "She left my hands tied. Smart girl. Well, relatively. She couldn't be too smart if she took those bruises without complaining."

*record screech*

What the...did the main character just essentially say that a rape victim (Tegan) is stupid because she was violently raped and assaulted repeatedly by a gang?

This felt like it came out of left field here. Although Deuce hadn't been particularly kind in her thoughts about "breeders" (people in the Enclave who were deemed attractive enough to have children, or "brats" - those who were not designated "breeders" were not allowed to have children or even sex), she'd never been overtly misogynistic. To all of the sudden start calling a character stupid because she "allowed" herself to be raped and beaten seemed...odd.

Okay, I thought to myself, maybe she just doesn't understand how bad it is out in this world yet. Maybe I should give Deuce the benefit of the doubt, because until this point, she was an okay character - nothing particularly unique, but decent. Maybe it's just a poorly structured sentence?

So I kept reading, because, well, I really did want to give the book another chance. And so I went on, almost fifty more pages, before the second nugget of joy appeared, this time on page 198.

Fade and Deuce, along with Tegan, manage to escape from the gang (WITH TEGAN'S HELP, I MIGHT ADD), but they're being tracked by the gang. The gang finally finds them holed up in a building and attacks them. Tegan isn't trained in fighting, so essentially it is Fade and Deuce against four "Wolves" (what the gang members call themselves), including Stalker, the leader of the gang. Fortunately for Fade and Deuce, a horde of Freaks (zombie-like creatures) find them. In the ensuing battle, the badly outnumbered Fade, Deuce, and Wolves team up to fight off the Freaks. Fade and Deuce survive, but only Stalker, the leader of the gang, manages to stay alive. Stalker now wants to join Fade and Deuce (and Tegan, who also survived) on their trek north. Tegan, for obvious reasons, isn't thrilled with that idea and threatens to kill Stalker in his sleep (presumably for raping her or allowing his gang to rape her - Stalker only rapes certain girls, as we're told earlier in the book - but he is at LEAST guilty of kidnapping Tegan and forbidding her to leave, as well as sanctioning her rapes and abuse).

Deuce, however, seems to think differently of him: "He [Stalker, the gang leader] embodied the Hunter tenet: "The strong survive." Part of me hated him for what he'd let the other Wolves do to Tegan, but the Huntress half of me wondered why she hadn't fought until she died."

Oh.

So now we're going down THAT road, are we? The well-traveled one that says that rape victims secretly wanted it because they didn't just fight hard enough? Or is it its cousin, the also well-worn road that says that rape victims deserve to be raped because they didn't fight enough, or discourage him enough, or say no loud enough or often enough, or didn't wear the right clothes, or didn't do the right things, or didn't control their alcohol intake, or hung out with the wrong crowd, etc, etc, etc? Because either way, FUCK YOU NO.

I resolved to finish the chapter and then DNF the book. But there was one last nugget of joy to be had, just two pages from the one above, on page 200. In spite of Stalker having just wanted to kill all of them and having been a RAPIST LEADER OF A GANG FULL OF RAPISTS, Deuce (and presumably Fade) decides that they're going to let Stalker accompany them up north, even though Tegan is obviously very upset with their choice AND they have absolutely no reason to believe that Stalker is REMOTELY trustworthy. Tegan contradicts something that Stalker says (which would lend credence, besides the fact that he is a REMORSELESS RAPIST MURDERER, that he's probably not the guy to admit unquestioningly into the group, and then this happens:

Stalker shrugged, as though her [Tegan's] opinion didn't matter to him. I understood,, I thought. He could respect Fade and me because we'd fought. Because she hadn't, Tegan might never gain full value in his eyes.

WHAT
THE
FUCK

Now the rape and abuse victim has to strive to "gain full value" in her abuser's eyes? She has to try to earn his respect? What in the fuck is this shit?

And that was when I closed the book, went into my (personal) library, pulled the other two books from the series off the shelf (because, like a fool, I listened to the great reviews - which I do NOT understand the book even having! - and purchased the other two books in the series without reading the first one - WHEN WILL I LEARN?!?!), and threw all three into the trash. I don't even want to give these away, because I frankly don't want to expose anyone else to this level of fuckery.

I am so so so SO SO SO SO SO SO sick of this. I am so sick of authors showing how "strong" their female characters are by contrasting their "strength" with other female characters' "weaknesses." I am so sick of books having women looking down on other women in such a manner. I am so sick of books that feel like the female protagonist must show that she's not like "those other girls," that she's special and unique and not *insert female "weakness" here* like all the others. I am so sick of reading books where the female protagonist can never have a strong friendship (or, even better, more than one!) with another female character, where the female protagonist is either passively or actively sparring with all of the other female characters because she HAS to show just how different she is.

I've read some of the comments from people who are trying to defend the INDEFENSIBLE attitude in this book, and none of them have any credence in my eyes. "Oh, women are treated bad in the apocalypse" is one of the most common ones I see. Yes, we often are in post-apocalyptic fiction, and in a real apocalypse, I imagine we would be too. Just look at how women are treated (much like Tegan was) in war-torn areas of the world. But my problem here isn't that Tegan was treated badly - the GLARING issue is Tegan's poor treatment in DEUCE'S (another woman's) hands (and mind). I would expect empathy, acknowledgement, or understanding here. Hell, I'd even like to see some damned respect for what Tegan had endured and having managed to survive. What I do not want to fucking see is showing how "strong" Deuce is (because she was trained in combat and, therefore, wasn't raped) because Tegan is so "weak" (Tegan, who spent most of her life hiding from gangs just like the Wolves, who nearly died giving birth to two stillborn children [products of her rape], who was never trained in combat and has no idea how to use weapons and therefore has virtually NO option to fight, who risked her own life helping Fade and Deuce escape!!). Fuck the us vs. them mentality that pops up so often in women's relationships in fiction (and, unfortunately, real life). And fuck anyone who wants to try to defend it.

[titania86_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Newly named Deuce lives in an underground enclave known as College where the rules are strict to ensure survival. Her whole life has been spent training to be a Huntress, one who protects the enclave and fights the Freaks, diseased and cannibalistic creatures. Now that she's considered an adult, she sees more of the inner workings and it isn't what she expected. Everyone is expected to follow orders to the letter. Innovation or deviation are not allowed or appreciated. At first, she's distressed to be paired with wild card Fade because he doesn't really conform, but outside the enclave, he's shown himself to be an asset. They discover that the Freaks are getting smarter working together and formulating strategies. When they try to warn the leaders, they are brushed off and forced to make a dangerous trek to a neighboring enclave. Can Deuce and Fade get people to take them seriously? Will they even return alive?

Enclave had been on my reading list for years and I finally decided to read it because I had collected the whole series over time. I was pleasantly surprised. This dystopia takes place in the future where these Freaks have overrun the world. Since Deuce only lives underground, she only knows College and what they tell her. She lives in what used to be the New York subway system and has been told her whole life that above ground is too dangerous to live there. No one in her society lives past 40 and their eldest member is 25. No one gets named until their 15th birthday. Children are called Girl or Boy and a number instead. The enclave has 3 essential roles: breeder, builder, and hunter. Rules and commands are to be followed without question or comment. If core rules are broken, the perpetrator is exiled. At first Deuce is enamored at having some authority, but quickly sees the flaws and inconsistencies in the rulers culminating in being exiled to save an innocent friend.

The characters are compelling. Deuce struggles with her own identity, as teens do. She tries to exude a tough demeanor, but she hides the fear and uncertainty inside. She's clever and observant with a will to do what's right. Fade is an oddball for above ground that never really fit in. He and Deuce come to depend on each other and build their trust outside of the enclave as they fight Freaks and other enemies. Stalker is an interesting but offputting character. He led a gang called the Wolves who hunted people for sport and raped women to keep their numbers up. He sees a losing fight against the smarter Freaks and joins Fade Deuce's group. They begrudgingly accept him because of his skill in fighting and his vow to change his ways. This could be a hard pill to swallow for some readers because of his heinous actions, but I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often in post-apocalyptic stories. Both parties are being practical and weighing the risk against the reward.

The zombies called Freaks are a mutated variety that used to be completely mindless and driven by their hunger for flesh. They look like people, but have lesions all over their skin, large claws, and sharp teeth. They hunt in backs and their stench of carrion usually announces their presence. This new variety of Freak seems to have more ability to strategize and work with other Freaks for a greater goal, making them far more dangerous for the remnants of civilization. These zombies don't make other Freaks out of people it seems, but it begs the question how they haven't died out yet. Perhaps this will be revealed in further books.

Enclave is a fun zombie novel that has an interesting vision of a dystopic future that I haven't seen before. There were some things that weren't well thought out. For example, health doesn't seem to compromised by a poor diet in the enclave and how the stores above ground still had a lot of usuable supplies in them. These things and others like them didn't bother while I was reading, but seemed suspicious afterwards. Overall, I enjoyed Enclave and I plan to read the rest of the series.

[karconner · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not bad. It was enjoyable enough to finish, but it did leave me wanting more explanation in some areas ( maybe in later books?). I felt it was a rather abrupt ending too. It almost felt as if the author was trying to do too much- to use the successful aspects of other dystopian books in this one. It may have been too much. I will eventually read #2 to see if my questions are answered.

[laphenix · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Engaging characters and interesting story, however brief.

[myntop · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was such a good book. It kept me interested and entertained throughout. I loved the fact that this story intertwines the dystopian genre with a zombie book. That was a new twist I was not expecting and I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked the main two characters and enjoyed seeing the way their relationship to each other changed over the course of the book and I have to say that I'm very eager to get my hands on the 2nd book and see where it will take them next. At the beginning I was very frustrated to not know what city this story was supposed to take place in, and if that would bother you too, rest easy as it will be told eventually! Basically, if you like dystopia or you like zombie novels you will enjoy this book.

[jadedog13 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

All her life Deuce has lived underground in an enclave called College. She was born during the second holocaust and has never seen the surface. People in the enclave don't live past the age of twenty-five. They are split into three categories, Breeders, Builders & Hunters. Deuce is a huntress. Along with her partner, Fade, she patrols the tunnels and checks the traps for food. When they are assigned to travel to a nearby enclave to check if they are ok, they find something they didn't bargain for. The Freaks (zombies) have always been a threat, but now they are becoming smarter, more organized. But no one at College believes them, especially the leaders.

This is a great story, twists and turns and edge of your seat moments. I liked Deuce. She is naive in that she never questions what the leaders tell her, but how could she know better? Her partnership with Fade is great. He is the perfect mysterious stranger in a place so contained that they all know each other. He was found wandering in the tunnels. Somehow he managed to survive alone and nobody knows how. He is quiet and keeps to himself. When Deuce is paired with Fade, her life begins to take a new direction. It's obvious from the tension between them, that somehow they will end up in a relationship and the inevitable love triangle.

I'm reading the second book now and loving it. Really looking forward to the third!!

Recommended to:
Fans of young adult fiction, dystopia, zombie and apocalypse stories. Another great young adult series. Read this!!

[theyodamom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's a dystopian fiction written with a creative flare. I could not put it down, Ms. Aguirre had me wrapped around her fingers. The world she created was fascinating and very believable. I give it 4.5 stars. It's gritty, dark and has a touch of romance. It ends with a cliffhanger that has me anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.

[areneehunt · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Enclave is Book One of the Razorland series. The story is told by Deuce, a girl who survived in subterranean tunnels with her clan in an apocalyptic world. A contagious disease befell the world, allowing the rich evacuation and there rest to endure. Deuce's enclave, College, persevered primitively, with no one older than twenty-two years. Anyone approaching that age prepared to die prematurely or while fighting mutated beings called Freaks.

I took pages of notes concerning this book. From issues like the development of College, to its illiterate occupants. From hunting for meat that didn't come from rats in a NYC-like subway system to coming Topside and not needing a transitional period and eyewear, other than sunglasses, after living underground for at least thirteen years!

I was totally unable to envision what the author intended I see when it came to hunting meat. They lived and hunted within the tunnel system, so the only critters I can imagine they caught were rats, but Aguirre described their trapping and hunting as if they were in the woods or forrest or something! What the heck were they bagging every day? But what seriously damaged Enclave the most was the love triangle, where Deuce fell for both her hunting partner, Fade and her Topside captor, Stalker.

Stalker is the leader of the Wolves, a gang. Stalker and his minions actually capture females for forceful breeding (yes, procreation) and recreational hunting of males before feasting on their flesh. THEN Deuce falls for the guy, claiming she admires him for his strength and fighting skills! I was blown away! I'm not big on Munchausen Syndrome for minors- sorry, big no-no for me. Deuce became unlikable after that, showing no growth, other than learning to read.

I sure hope book 2: Outpost is better and Deuce matures, because right now, I don't like the girl. Have an awesome day and an even better book!