The 100 by Kass Morgan

The 100 by Kass Morgan
Release Date - September 3, 2013
Publisher Website -  Little Brown Young Readers
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages - 277 pages
My Rating - 2.5/5
**obtained for review from publisher via BEA**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

In the future, humans live in citylike spaceships orbiting far above Earth's toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland...before it's too late.
Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they've only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they're haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust-and even love-again.

The 100 is a high stakes, compelling idea that fell a little from the mark for me. A novel that reads like a tv show, but lacked the character connection I needed for this type of plot to really draw me in.

The writing is quick, readable, and keeps your focus. The fact that the novel is 277 pages will also have many flying through this. The premise behind this novel, as mentioned, is very compelling. I found myself wishing more were done with it, because it could have resulted in a pulse pounding read.

The danger is real in this world. There is death, and the various threats aren't just coming from trying to recolonize Earth. The politics on the ship that are threaded throughout the narration left a lot of promise for the storyline to built upon. The story spends equal time both on Earth, and on the ship the delinquents have left behind. The threats on the ship are just as pressing as those found on Earth, so it creates maximum drama. The only issue is that while the plot is compelling, the characters left me feeling disconnected. 

The romance is the main focus, with many of the characters having story arcs that deal with the fallout of various romantic entanglements, and betrayals. Some of these pairings have some promise, and I felt the connection. However, because I didn't form a strong enough bond with them, due to lack of other development, I didn't grow attached. This series is going to thrive on killing off these characters, or at least putting them into perilous situations, and for it to work the reader has to care.

A novel whose plot holds a lot of promise, and the glimmer of intrigue is there. A little more from the characters would serve this type of plot even more. An tepid start to what might end up being a pretty engaging series, but this installment left me hoping for more in the sequel.