Maia, seventeen, probably forever in history that has taught him. She lives cloistered in his city, with no possibility to cross the wall that separates it from the Outside. The army severely punished every individual who would try to obtain information on the outside of the city. The population must remain locked because these people are the only ones to survive the virus and they
Our heroine is a rebel and she officiates with his mentor, best friend of her late father Dimitri. Together and for three years they seek a loophole in the wall to escape. According to Dimitri, one individual managed to get out: the butterfly child. Unfortunately for Dimitri, he is caught in the act of stealing secret documents and sentenced to death. Imprisonment? No. Death? No more. In this dictatorial state, criminals receive the Punishment: they are tortured for twenty-four hours until there is nothing left of their body ... and soul.
Maia evolves in a hazardous environment. It is part of the army but it is only a cover that allows it to conduct its research. When Dimitri is captured, it will have to team up with a murderer and a Lazul a "subspecies" hated by society. The Lazul are human beings who have not resisted the virus. The leaders and people devote their fierce hatred and leave them in misery, until the illness and death are in charge of them.
The universe of Gabrielle Massat is dark and violent. She has created a special atmosphere and a sense of unease in the reader. Why so much anguish for Maia and the others? Because from the beginning, the author makes sure that we liked its heroes. We feel close to Maia, who dreams of freedom, Nate, looking for recognition and attention, Dimitri who would do anything for the daughter of his friend and even Zephyr, which departs every day of his humanity. The heroes are strong and full of life. We tremble for them, on every page. The fact that the whole story is set in the closed city gives us a behind closed doors sensation of confinement and tension. As our heroes, we are suffocating under the weight of government lies. What's really going on outside? Who is this butterfly child? Questions swirl in our mind until the end ... and beyond!
Loved Maia and his unwavering determination but one that touched me the most is Nate (Nathaniel). As Lazul he is hated and considered subhuman. Maia did not deal differently at first, before opening his eyes, forget cramming to do herself an opinion. Feelings come slowly although their relationship is very complicated. Nate knows convicted, he will not live long. Romance is beautiful, moving and just. In the midst of this inhuman and totalitarian regime, Maia will fall in love. His feelings for Lazul (forbidden thing) will already be a first freedom.
I had a crush on this novel but I need a minute! The universe is rich and Gabrielle Massat leaves us with thousands of questions in mind! What will happen to the characters? How will evolve romance? I like the one-shot but the child deserves a second volume Butterfly! I will remain horribly frustrated if the story ended there!
Finally, I was literally bewitched by the pen of Gabrielle Massat. I read this book in one sitting, until late at night. No matter how tired, this novel obsessed me! Dystopias fans, what are you waiting?
Blow of heart!
Find my columns on ==> megworld.fr;)