This was a thoroughly enjoyable story.
I put it in the “fantasy” section because although there is romance, it’s not the main focus of the story. And although it deals with computers, I wouldn’t call it science fiction either. Instead it fits into that “fantastical science” category inhabited by stories like Matrix and Stargate.
The main character, Seven Jones, is honestly kind of a mess – and for no apparent reason. She didn’t have a rough childhood or anything, she’s just complicated. But for somebody who is written to come across as stubborn and prickly, she doesn’t really seem to stick up for herself. She doesn’t walk after being attacked by Warner, or after by Sol. And she lets herself get bullied into taking part in the competition and later the theatre.
This seems to be a common complaint I have, new person arrives into place where she’s learning a new thing and everybody else knows the rules – so does it get explained to her? No it does not! That’s against Lore! Did nobody explain the magic branches! No! Nobody has explained shit! It’s an incredibly common trope and I get so mad about it and in this book it’s particularly bad. Atavari is an especially useless teacher, and The Board are incredibly realistic as a useless bureaucracy. This made a lot more sense after I got to the final reveal, but while I was immersed in the story it was incredibly frustrating.
So I guess it’s not really a surprise that Logan turns out to be a controlling prick who manipulates her. I honestly thought he was going to turn out to be the source of the monsters – as soon as Seven started to suspect Solidad, I knew it couldn’t be her. It’s too neat to have the person who aggressively hates you as the bad guy. Real bad guys try to get you onside. Guys who try to convince you everything is for your benefit but can’t leave you alone for one single minute on the other hand? I have plenty of experience of being a clown in that particular circus.
I was surprised to find out that Seven was the source of the monsters, because usually the viewpoint character is the good guy. So that makes her the villain – at least as far as the first two sections of the book is concerned, because she is responsible for a lot of death and damage.
And then the plot twist in the third act, which HOLY CRAP I did not see coming. Wow. OK, now I really want to know what happens next. I really hope that Shipton is planning a sequel because I am hooked.