Review Detail

Young Adult Fiction 2338
Satisfying Conclusion
Overall rating
Writing Style
What I Liked:
For those considering starting this series, here’s a basic rundown on the world. Like Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, Simmons’ series delves into what could happen if the worst political groups in the US were to take over. Where Doctorow focused on the Patriot Act, Simmons portrays the US if the far right were to obtain full power. Women are treated as the weaker sex and strict moral laws are put it into place. It’s believable, because, even though it’s 2014, the things politicians say about rape and family and women are still incredibly upsetting.

Three finds the heroine, Ember Miller and her rebel compatriots in a tougher situation than ever. The government has more resources and the rebels are woefully under-provisioned and being outsmarted at every turn. The stakes are really high in Three, and the government is actually a major force to be reckoned with, where in a lot of YA dystopians, it seems like a strong wind would blow the formidable dystopian government out of power.

What’s great is that Simmons obviously cares about the political side of things. She clearly set out to write a dystopian series, not to write a romance that’s set in a dystopian world because those were selling like hot cakes at the time. There is a romance in the series, but it’s not particularly dramatic or even close to the focus. In fact, by this point, Chase and Ember have been together for quite a while, and are basically working through what problems they have. It’s pretty healthy and highlights a part of romantic relationships that often doesn’t make it into YA books, which prefer the initial romance.

What Left Me Wanting More:
I really can’t put my finger on why Three didn’t suck me in the same way the others did, so I suppose it must have been due to my mood, which has admittedly been all over the place lately. The only actual criticism I have to offer is the ending, which felt a bit too convenient for my taste. View Spoiler »

The Final Verdict:
Essentially, the Article 5 trilogy is a good choice for people who want to consider the nightmares that could occur if the wrong faction takes power. Reactions are rather varied for this series, but if you enjoyed Article 5, then you should be happy with the rest of the series as well.
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