Once We Were by Kat Zhang Review

"I'm lucky just to be alive."

Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.

Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.

Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever."

Remember What's Left of Me? Good, you do remember it. (If you don't, there's a review of the book somewhere on my blog. Maybe a few months back). 

What's Left of Me is an amazing book. Unfortunately, there is a common trend of series becoming worse by the second book. Some people call it the middle book syndrome (taking the name from the infamous whining middle child. Examples including that fast boy from The Incredibles and Ron from Harry Potter [Yes, he's a middle child]). Once We Were is that middle book. It has all the notable traits of one and more. 

Shall I continue?

I have to. If I want to finish this review. 

Moving on to more important subjects that are not about me. Anyway, Once We Were is a middle book, in the middle of a good series. But it isn't as good as What's Left of Me. What's Left of Me is pure amazing. Two girls inside of one body? Pure awesome. Now I feel like Once We Were is all about the resistance. All about fighting. All about war. What about the fact that Eva and Addie are sharing the same bodies? The book should be moving on. Right?

The plot is ridiculously annoying. I'm not sure how many times I skipped pages, mostly in annoyance and endless boredom. I want a little action going on, but mostly there's just fights in the inside. (Including the resistance, Eva's head, and trust issues). There's not really a major external conflict (what I mean by that is society versus rebels, not people versus people, nature, etc).

The writing of Kat Zhang is as unique (and addicting like a siren's song) as usual. Remember the usage of < and >? They are still there. It's like the strikes used in Shatter Me, Unravel Me, and possibly Ignite Me. 

Eva is somehow getting annoying. She's not a major part of the book anymore, but she seems to have everything that comes in her way.

Rating: Two out of Five