Book Review: Outside In by Maria V Synder

Last Dystopian February I reviewed INSIDE OUT and I loved it.  I gave it 5 zombie chickens and declared my love for Riley.  (Read review).  OUTSIDE IN is the sequel, so if you haven't read INSIDE OUT, you'd best skip this review since there are necessarily spoilers for the first book.

It took me a few chapters to sync with the characters after so much time away from them.  There's a scene early on where Trella and Riley are VERY happy to see each other, and Riley came off as kind of pervy.  It probably would not have seemed that way to me had I read the two books together, since it's a pretty natural progression of their relationship from the first book.

In any case, things are not happy and rosy despite Trella "freeing" the scrubs and finding more levels to inside to expand to.  There is a power vacuum and vital tasks are not being done.  There's also an exciting new threat (which I won't spoil) and Trella has to find the reluctant leader within her to vanquish it.  Again, it's hard to know who to trust which ratchets up the tension.  No lack of action here folks.

The conclusion makes it sound like this could very well be the end of Trella's adventures, but you never know. I'd certainly be happy for more.

I really enjoyed OUTSIDE IN, but not quite as much as the first book.  I give it 4 zombie chickens.

OUTSIDE IN comes out on March 1st.  Find out more about it at the author's website.

See index of all dystopian reviews at Presenting Lenore