Title: The Hunt
Author: Andrew Fukuda
Series: The Hunt, #1
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Date Published: May 8th, 2012
Edition: eBook
Source: eARC via Netgalley
Rating:
Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.
When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?
My Review:
The Hunt is a really interesting world that is at once intriguing and frightening (at least for humans). It takes place in a world that reminded me a little bit of The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa. Mainly because it’s a world where vampires rule and humans are purely prey. But that’s where the similarities end really. The world within The Hunt is a little more civilized in that vampires go to school, live in houses, and have really normal lives, except for their inner instincts to prey on hepers (humans).
Gene has lived within this world for his whole life. But what’s different about Gene is that he isn’t a vampire, but he lives like one in order to survive. He lives with a strict set of rules in order to blend in. But it appears he’s managed to blend in a little too well, because he is one of a handful of citizens randomly chosen to participate in a nationwide event called The Hunt, where a few lucky vampires get to hunt down several of the very limited hepers left in the world.
So the book is about the time leading up to this hunt as well as the hunt itself and how Gene is working to keep himself out of the spotlight and from being hunted himself. It’s really interesting and also very scary too. To think that Gene can never really be himself but has to act like this other being in order to survive. It’s a little heartbreaking because he’s so alone in this world.
I really liked this one. I liked being in Gene’s head for a little while. He’s smart and resourceful and it’s incredible he’s managed to survive in such a world as long as he has. The story is sort of Hunger Games-esk in that The Hunt is supposed to be a moral booster for the citizens. But in this case the citizens are blood-thirsty vampires as opposed to oppressed humans. There were a few lull moments, but in between those the book kept me on my toes and turning the page. The last 10% of the book especially is very go-go-go and action packed.
Overall, great book. I’d definitely recommend it to dystopian and vampire fans. The world is twisted and dark with just enough spark of hope attached. Gene is a great character to follow around. The story is intriguing, and the ending was twisty enough that I didn’t really see it coming (a little bit though) but not too much of a cliffhanger so it won’t be absolute torture waiting for the next book. But, I can’t wait to see what happens in the series because it should be interesting!
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