Book Review: Failsafe

Failsafe by Anela Deen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There’s nothing special about this story per say. And yet it feels special. It’s really all about one girl and a man fighting for the impossible. And aren’t we all fighting for the best and maybe the impossible everyday?

Representation
Some amazing representation here. Our lead gal has epilepsy and struggle in her dystopian world. From drones, AI, not-safe areas; this is already a world fraught with danger. Add onto that the possibility of have a seizure at any moment and you definitely have the recipe for: over bearing parents, drive to prove yourself, and fighting just to contribute to daily life.

"I refuse to be useless because you feel better when I do nothing."

Our MC is a strong gal who pushes over and above in every instance. And her epilepsy just might be the reason she has 'access' to certain keys...

Love on the Run
We spent the majority of Failsafe running through unsafe zones with our MC and an android-like man. During their travels they enter a colony, encounter droids, get shot at (a lot), hide, and talk. Through this Anela Deen gives us the beginnings of a love story. It's subtle, and feels realistic. It's not insta-love, it's not 'you saved me so now I must love you' syndrome, or anything that feels false. One of the best things about this story is the budding interest and caring that our two MC's start to have for one another. As someone who usually hates all love stories inserted into sci-fi novels; I gotta say this one really surprised me, in a good way. Our MC really finds herself alongside her android companion.

"I had no control over the actions of others. Why had I chosen to reject myself?"

Overall
The writing in Failsafe is really good. Don't be fooled by the Indie publisher here; this is a solid story. The mystery of how the world works and what is really happening at any given time is done very well and drives our story forward. We have good plot and motivation at all times.
While it's not a five-star 'outstanding book' for me; it was excellent and I'd absolutely recommend it to those that enjoy a fast-paced, action sci-fi story. It's also short, at only 200 pages, yet jam-packed with insightful comments from our MC, relationship building, tragedy, and lots of action. You can't go wrong with this story given the small investment it takes to complete. I'll be in the look-out for more of Deen's work in the future; as I think there is real talent here and in a larger, more complex story it could really shine.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

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