Review of Blockhead
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Clare Zicari
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Review of Blockhead
[Following is a volunteer review of "Blockhead" by Kyle J.S. Bardell.]
Blockhead follows the story of Bronco, a young girl living on a mechanical horse ranch on an alternate Earth. We see her take on responsibility and grow into herself as an individual with the arrival of a new brother, Lockett, playing mother while her caretakers (Jericho and Rue) appear aloof and unconcerned about what Bronco considers unreasonable expectations. When a strange boy, Wolfrum, appears from the woods, Bronco is given the first taste of life off the Ranch, a life which is challenged even more with the arrival of a cloaked woman from the Capital, threatening to take Bronco away from her family for a purpose she was given to her by society before she was even born. Bronco is forced to make a choice: to run or to stay, and with her decision comes an eerie confrontation of ideas about belonging, inclusivity, equity, and autonomy in a changing and consuming world.
In telling Bronco’s story, Kyle Bardell gives us a glimpse at an alien society whose structure bears an uncanny resemblance to our own. With shadows of Lois Lowry’s The Giver and Veronica Roth’s Divergent, Blockhead provides a cohesive world organized by categorization where efficiency is king and questions are quickly snuffed. Bardell’s characters are compelling and spark interesting conversations as they help each other out of tight spots and face their world in different ways.
While there is much to admire about the world Bardell has conjured, the story itself feels lacking. Moments seem to jump one to the next, often without sufficient reasoning or justification, and the voices and perspectives of the characters frequently shift or vary from one scene to the next. There are times in which conversations between individuals only occur to convey information about the world to readers, without much emotion or purpose autonomous to the speakers. In full honesty, as the climax of the story arrived, I was in need of reminders of the stakes, of Bronco’s motivations, and of hand-holds to pull myself towards the end. There is so much potential for such a story, and a need for stories like this in today’s society; while the bones are here for this one, I fear the meat may be too lean to walk.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. While I enjoyed the premise and there are moments of true excitement and suspense, there was simply not enough here to make me jump for joy or hold my breath. That being said, the story is sound and the core values are heartfelt. If the reader can be happy with the insight presented by Bardell, it will be an enjoyable read.
I recommend Blockhead for young adult and adult audiences. Those who enjoy dystopian Science Fiction and Fantasy will be most drawn to Bardell’s work and the issues he addresses.
******
Blockhead
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Blockhead follows the story of Bronco, a young girl living on a mechanical horse ranch on an alternate Earth. We see her take on responsibility and grow into herself as an individual with the arrival of a new brother, Lockett, playing mother while her caretakers (Jericho and Rue) appear aloof and unconcerned about what Bronco considers unreasonable expectations. When a strange boy, Wolfrum, appears from the woods, Bronco is given the first taste of life off the Ranch, a life which is challenged even more with the arrival of a cloaked woman from the Capital, threatening to take Bronco away from her family for a purpose she was given to her by society before she was even born. Bronco is forced to make a choice: to run or to stay, and with her decision comes an eerie confrontation of ideas about belonging, inclusivity, equity, and autonomy in a changing and consuming world.
In telling Bronco’s story, Kyle Bardell gives us a glimpse at an alien society whose structure bears an uncanny resemblance to our own. With shadows of Lois Lowry’s The Giver and Veronica Roth’s Divergent, Blockhead provides a cohesive world organized by categorization where efficiency is king and questions are quickly snuffed. Bardell’s characters are compelling and spark interesting conversations as they help each other out of tight spots and face their world in different ways.
While there is much to admire about the world Bardell has conjured, the story itself feels lacking. Moments seem to jump one to the next, often without sufficient reasoning or justification, and the voices and perspectives of the characters frequently shift or vary from one scene to the next. There are times in which conversations between individuals only occur to convey information about the world to readers, without much emotion or purpose autonomous to the speakers. In full honesty, as the climax of the story arrived, I was in need of reminders of the stakes, of Bronco’s motivations, and of hand-holds to pull myself towards the end. There is so much potential for such a story, and a need for stories like this in today’s society; while the bones are here for this one, I fear the meat may be too lean to walk.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. While I enjoyed the premise and there are moments of true excitement and suspense, there was simply not enough here to make me jump for joy or hold my breath. That being said, the story is sound and the core values are heartfelt. If the reader can be happy with the insight presented by Bardell, it will be an enjoyable read.
I recommend Blockhead for young adult and adult audiences. Those who enjoy dystopian Science Fiction and Fantasy will be most drawn to Bardell’s work and the issues he addresses.
******
Blockhead
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Rise of the Savior by Antoine Bonner
