(Review) The Dark Intercept

The Dark Intercept by Julia Keller

Publication Date: October 31st, 2017

Pages: 320 (kindle)

Genre: Young Adult

My Goodreads Rating: 2 stars

Goodreads Synopsis: When the state controls your emotions, how hard will you fight to feel free?

In a radiant world of endless summer, the Intercept keeps the peace. Violet Crowley, the sixteen-year-old daughter of New Earth’s Founding Father, has spent her life in comfort and safety. Her days are easy thanks to the Intercept, a crime-prevention device that monitors and provokes emotion. But when her long-time crush, Danny Mayhew, gets into a dangerous altercation on Old Earth, Violet launches a secret investigation to find out what he's hiding. An investigation that will lead her to question everything she's ever known about Danny, her father, and the power of the Intercept.

Much like the device itself, The Dark Intercept might get under your skin.

My Review: 

I...did not like this book. I gave it two stars because it had a lot of promise. But other than that I had to force myself to read it. It took me almost two weeks to finish this book and it never takes me that long to read something. 

Violet is a boring character, first of all. I almost feel like she's got some social anxiety disorder because she is very, very awkward. Especially around Danny, the boy she's "in love with". Violet's dad is the ruler of New Earth and she works in Protocol Hall helping monitor Old Earth. 

Their weapon of choice is people's memories, courtesy of the Intercept. The Intercept was created by boy genius Kendall Mayhew only he killed himself and that story just turns into one big trash pile toward the end of everything. 

Here's my main problem: it took until I was about 60% through this book that something actually happened. For the first part it was Violet following Danny. Or pining after Danny. Or sitting at her father's feet. It was boring. I loved the idea of New Earth but it wasn't expanded. The Intercept sounds like a great threat, but I didn't get it. Maybe it's just me? 

The end of this book happened SO FAST that I feel like the build up (the first 60%) could have been done a little better. Too little action at the beginning and too much at the end. There was no balance and not really enough depth of the characters for me to enjoy them. 

Thanks to Tor Teens and NetGalley for the ARC.