Review: Guardian by Alex London

Guardian

Author: Alex London
Series: Proxy #2
Publisher: Philomel
Genre: YA Dystopian
Format: ARC
Release Date: May 29, 2014
Source: ARC Received from Publisher
Rating: 3 Stars
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Synopsis from Goodreads: 

The pulse-pounding sequel to Proxy! Inspired by The Whipping Boy and Feed, this adrenaline-fueled thriller will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent.

In the new world led by the Rebooters, former Proxy Syd is the figurehead of the Revolution, beloved by some and hated by others. Liam, a seventeen-year-old Rebooter, is Syd’s bodyguard and must protect him with his life. But armed Machinists aren’t the only danger.

People are falling ill—their veins show through their skin, they find it hard to speak, and sores erupt all over their bodies. Guardians, the violent enforcers of the old system, are hit first, and the government does nothing to help. The old elites fall next, and in the face of an indifferent government, Syd decides it’s up to him to find a cure . . . and what he discovers leaves him stunned.

This heart-stopping thriller is packed with action, adventure, and heroics. Guardian will leave you breathless until the final page.

A fast-paced, thrill-ride of novel full of non-stop action, heart-hammering suspense and true friendship—just as moving as it is exhilarating. Fans of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series, James Dashner's Maze Runner, Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking series, and Marie Lu's Legend trilogy will be swept away by this story.

My Review:

If you've been reading this blog for a while you probably know that I loved Proxy, the first book in this series. It is one of the most diverse books I've ever read in the YA genre. The plot line was amazing. There were so many important themes and messages touched upon. The characters were great. I just simply loved it. So you know I was super excited to get my grabby hands on the sequel, Guardian.

I didn't NOT like Guardian, but it just didn't live up to the epicness that was Proxy. It was disappointing, truly. First problem: for some reason, I don't remember Proxy being written in third person omniscient. I felt like it switched back and forth between Syd and Knox. Now, I could be wrong because it's been  awhile, but nonetheless, it threw me a bit when I realized that Guardian was written in third person omniscient. This isn't typically a POV that works for me. I tend to have a hard time connecting to the characters because there is too much head-hopping and we never really get to know them. I was already well-connected to Syd so that wasn't a problem, but it was hard for me to get to know the new characters.

Second problem: I feel like nothing really happened. The first book took on a blistering, seering pace full of action, drama, tension, and suspense. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading. But with this one, I just felt like nothing much was going on. It took like 150 pages for Syd to stop moping and start taking action. And even then, there still wasn't much going on.

Third problem and possibly the biggest: I don't know if this is the last book or not. Goodreads does not have a third book listed. I tried tweeting the author to ask him and he hasn't replied. Let me tell you guys something: if this is the last book, I am going to be VERY upset. The ending was way too open for my liking. Nothing was tied up. Nothing was resolved. Nothing was explained. I need way more. All I can say is that there better be a third book coming that I don't know about or it's going to leave a very sour taste in my mouth about this series.

But aside from all my whining and complaining, I did enjoy the book. I still commend Alex London for writing a story full of diversity. These characters aren't your typical YA stereotypes. They are much more. Syd will forever have a special place in my heart. I love him so much and really enjoyed watching him grow up in this book and start taking charge of his own life. Happy reading all! 

Have your read this book? What did you think? Does anybody know if there's going to be a third book?