Series: Stung (bk.
2)
Genera(s): Dystopian
Sci-fi
Subjects: post-apocalyptic,
romance, survival, zombies
Setting: Denver,
Colorado
POV/Tense: 1st
person POV, present tense: Jacqui (16-year-old female side character from
previous book that pretended to be a 12-year-old boy)
Age/Grade
Level: Teen
Length: 311
pgs.
HC/PB: Hardcover
List Price: $17.99
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Summary/
product description:
“Now that Fiona Tarsis and her twin brother, Jonah, are no longer beasts, they
set out to find their mother, with the help of Bowen and a former neighbor,
Jacqui. Heading for a safe settlement rumored to be in Wyoming, they plan to
spread the cure along the way--until they are attacked by raiders. Luckily,
they find a new ally in Kevin, who saves them and leads them to safety in his
underground shelter. But the more they get to know Kevin, the more they suspect
he has ties to the raiders. He also seems to know too many details about Jacqui
and her family—details that could endanger them all. For the raiders will do
anything they can to destroy the cure that would bring an end to their way of
life. Bethany Wiggins’s reimagining of our world after an environmental
catastrophe won’t fail to stun readers.”
My Review: Cured
is a dystopian retelling loosely based of Red-Riding Hood. Stung was a loose
retelling of Sleepy Beauty. Cured as references other fairy tales and stories,
but it deviates. Cured is a very unique dystopian novel, second book in the
Stung series. I was a little confused going into it because I forgot whom
Jacqui is, but I learned pretty early on that she was the side character girl
in the previous book who is pretending to be a 12-year-old boy so raiders don’t
take her away. Woman and girl are not safe in this world. There are also
zombies known as Beasts who were infected by the Bee Flu Vaccination and want
to kill.
Cured was a pretty fast read. It’s fast-paced and
uncomplicated. Once you get into it, you won’t feel so confused. There’s
survival and a hot romance. Jacqui is very independent and does a good
impersonation of a pre-teen boy, but other than the necessary cross-dressing,
she’s like any other teenage girl. She notices guys. Her and a character named
Kevin develop a relationship. He’s able to see past the disguise somehow and
think’s she’s beautiful no matter what.
Cured also has a few unexpected twists. Something
about Kevin, and others about family members. There’s also something very
unique about the female lead. Back when Jacqui was 14, she was very fat,
possibly obese. Both her and her mom were not allowed in the walled city
because of their health problem. Jacqui was able to overcome her weight through
running on a treadmill. She’s lean as ever, but probably from the lack of food
variety.
I love the setting in Cured. Denver, Colorado is a
city I visited about ten years ago, but I remember how awesome it was. I love
it when a book is set in a familiar city or area. I love the mountains and
foothills. It’s such a beautiful place.
I you haven’t read Stung or Cured, I recommend them to
fans of dystopian books. It has some of the elements of post-apocalyptic/zombie
dystopian books you are familiar with, but they are unique enough to pick you
from a reading slump. If you liked books like Under The Never Sky or Rot &
Ruin, then give it a try.
Cover Art Review: Very interesting cover. Not as good
as the 1st book’s cover, which has a rainbow effect on the bee’s
wings. I do like the neon green beaker with the bee in it, but the bee is
creepy. I think it's actually a horse fly.
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