Why, in the name of Zeus, mix romance in a story where romance not only its not needed but it doesn't fit?Many people compare The Forsaken to Hunger Games but for me it was more like The Maze Runner.Alenna lives in a world where Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are united under one nation called UNA. When Alenna turns sixteen, she is exiled to this god-forsaken island called The Wheel to live with "criminals" and the unwanted.On the island, Alenna meets Liam and an impossible dumb romance is born. Firstable, Liam doesn't even give a hint that he likes Alenna and yet out of the blue, he tells her he likes her (how romantic). But Alenna tells him that she cannot allow her feelings for him because her friend Gayda (who she just met on the island) won't allow it and a relationship is not possible right now. What? Yes, it is as romantic and dumb as it sounds. Despite my prayers, Alenna and Liam hook up and love each other! When, how, why and where do this love emerge? They barely spoke three times!Cliche #1) Alenna never had boys talk to her before; in fact she was invisible to them, and now hot, gorgeous Liam is interested in her!!!! Really? How can any girl be invisible to guys if she is skinny and beautiful?On that note, when are they going to come with a "real character"? I mean, not 110 pounds and gorgeous?Okay, I'll leave the stupid unnecessary romance alone. The island is ruled by a Monk that at the end turns out to be pathetic, not crazy and not frightening at all. And his followers seemed to exist and fight for not logical reason other than to cause trouble so Alenna can fight and try to become the next Katniss. And where do the Monk and his people get the black robes from? I mean, they are on an island without contact with civilization, how do they get the fabric and sew together these black robes they wear? On that note, how on earth can a truth serum be made? Where do they get syringes from? What I liked: I liked the concept of the book but the crappy love killed it for me. Also, the story was too fast in an attempt to cover too much in one book. This is a series so, why cover everything at once? I felt rushed. What are they going to base the next book on? Because it didn't end with anything interesting to make me read more about this dulled relationship between Alenna and Liam, not to mention the fall of UNA.The book is good for emerging readers who haven't read too much dystopia yet and don't expect reason, coherence and logic.
