Everyone accepted that people were different physically. But inside? Inside, they were different too. You just had to know how to tell, what to look for. Evil has been eradicated. The City has been established. And citizens may only enter after having the 'evil' part of their brain removed. They are labelled on the System according to how 'good' they are. If they show signs of the evil emerging, they are labelled a K... But no one knows quite what that means. Only that they disappear, never to be seen again...
Blurb taken from Goodreads.
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When I was younger, I fell in love with a series written by Gemma Malley, starting with a book called The Declaration. I thought it was beautifully written, and it introduced me to the dystopian and YA genre. When I realised just a couple of years ago that Malley had written another trilogy, I knew I had to read it.
The Killables sounded right up my street. Dystopian, YA, and some romance: exactly the kind of fiction I love. The blurb really captured my attention; the idea of people being monitored for ‘evil’ nature is an interesting one, and I couldn’t wait to tuck in!
Having now finished the whole series, I have mixed feelings. I loved the ideas, but I wasn’t sure they were fully done justice. The plot felt rushed in places, the characters lacking the full depth that I really wanted to see, and I just wanted more. Some more detail, and more depth would have made the series really outstanding.
That being said, I really did enjoy the series. I thought the idea still prevailed, and carried the series to a good conclusion.
SPOILER ALERT
The Story
The Killables
I opened this book expecting big things, and the first instalment of the series made a very positive start. We meet Evie, who is exactly the kind of person we expect to find in the City. She is a good person, but due to the environment in which she lives, she constantly questions her own worth and mental state. We learn that she is matched with an ‘A’: Lucas. I liked learning about this world, and the way these people lived. I think it’s probably one of my favourite parts of picking up a dystopian series. I thought it was very clever the way the City worked and the way everybody was classified. The perfect environment to breed fear and unrest.
Then we discover that perhaps Evie is not everything she originally seemed. She sneaks out to meet Raffy, against the strict restrictions of the system. So we begin to arrive at the crux of the plot. When Lucas is revealed to be working against the system, and has prepared to help his brother escape, I was relieved. I was really glad to see that Lucas wasn’t the cold figure we had come to perceive. I did clock it, but it was still satisfying. I didn’t, however, suspect that he was in love with Evie. That was a little twist that I should have seen coming. A love triangle? Of course there is.
When Evie and Raffy left the City, things started to go a bit downhill for me. They meet Linus, and participate in the overthrowing of the City, discovering along the way that Lucas has been working on the side of good all this time. It all comes good.
My real issue was that this felt like two books forced together. The first half, with Evie and Raffy in the City, culminating in their aided escape, should have been the first. The second was their journey to Linus, learning about those who live outside the City and the overthrowing of the City. I can’t express how much I wish this book had been split into two, and bulked out. I would have loved to learn more about the City in the first book. We don’t get much of a chance to experience Evie’s life, and I think this would have been really beneficial background information. It also would have made for a more dramatic climax to discover that Lucas was on their side, and to witness their escape. I think we could have learnt more about Evie's parents, and it could have seen a few more characters introduced who lived within the regime.
The second half of the book could have given more context about Evie and Raffy and their relationship. As much as I was happy to jump onboard their romance, it didn’t have the depth that I really wanted to see. They just seemed to me to be two people who happened to have a common goal, which is, I guess, exactly what they were. We could have learnt so much more about Linus, and the other people who followed him, like Angel and Martha. So many more thrmes could have been explored. When they eventually escape from the City a second time, it is just expected that they will have a new life together, with Lucas remaining behind. It all just felt so rushed! I wanted the story to just slow down and make the most of it.
Then we discover that perhaps Evie is not everything she originally seemed. She sneaks out to meet Raffy, against the strict restrictions of the system. So we begin to arrive at the crux of the plot. When Lucas is revealed to be working against the system, and has prepared to help his brother escape, I was relieved. I was really glad to see that Lucas wasn’t the cold figure we had come to perceive. I did clock it, but it was still satisfying. I didn’t, however, suspect that he was in love with Evie. That was a little twist that I should have seen coming. A love triangle? Of course there is.
When Evie and Raffy left the City, things started to go a bit downhill for me. They meet Linus, and participate in the overthrowing of the City, discovering along the way that Lucas has been working on the side of good all this time. It all comes good.
My real issue was that this felt like two books forced together. The first half, with Evie and Raffy in the City, culminating in their aided escape, should have been the first. The second was their journey to Linus, learning about those who live outside the City and the overthrowing of the City. I can’t express how much I wish this book had been split into two, and bulked out. I would have loved to learn more about the City in the first book. We don’t get much of a chance to experience Evie’s life, and I think this would have been really beneficial background information. It also would have made for a more dramatic climax to discover that Lucas was on their side, and to witness their escape. I think we could have learnt more about Evie's parents, and it could have seen a few more characters introduced who lived within the regime.
The second half of the book could have given more context about Evie and Raffy and their relationship. As much as I was happy to jump onboard their romance, it didn’t have the depth that I really wanted to see. They just seemed to me to be two people who happened to have a common goal, which is, I guess, exactly what they were. We could have learnt so much more about Linus, and the other people who followed him, like Angel and Martha. So many more thrmes could have been explored. When they eventually escape from the City a second time, it is just expected that they will have a new life together, with Lucas remaining behind. It all just felt so rushed! I wanted the story to just slow down and make the most of it.
We start The Disappearances a year after Evie and Raffy’s escape. They live in the Settlement, under the watchful eye of Benjamin. So many different things happened in this second instalment that it’s almost a struggle to get my head back around it. Lucas is living in the City, which hasn’t resulted in the peace he had hoped for. Disappearances are happening, and he escapes with one young girl to try and get his allies to help him rectify this. Meanwhile, Evie and Raffy are attempting to start a new life.
Attempting to.
I think the dynamic in their relationship is so important in this book, and I am really glad that Malley incorporated this. Raffy keeps a close eye on Evie, wishing to stop her having freedom; freedom to be friends with who she wants, freedom of education, and freedom of her own thoughts. In essence, Raffy is emotionally dangerous to Evie, who finds herself altering her behaviour to pacify him. This is such an important message to send to young girls, that this behaviour is erratic, toxic and not appropriate in a loving relationship.
Sadly, I don’t have too much to say about the rest of the plot, because it felt like a lot of wasted chapters, with no plot advancement, but no character development either. All the important characters end up in a cave at the end of the book, ready for the action. Raffy betrays their trust, and they become separated, captured by Thomas.
I found this book a little bit all over the place, which isn’t too dissimilar or unexpected from the second book in a trilogy. I often find that it’s the case that authors know where they want to start, and know where they want the series to end, but getting there isn’t always a straight plot line. I think that happened with The Disappearances. New characters are thrown into the mix, seemingly incredibly important, but with very little background or depth of character for us to really relate to them. Again, I loved the idea of the story and had no criticisms of the plot. I just wanted more! More depth, more characters, and more justice for the clever idea.
Attempting to.
I think the dynamic in their relationship is so important in this book, and I am really glad that Malley incorporated this. Raffy keeps a close eye on Evie, wishing to stop her having freedom; freedom to be friends with who she wants, freedom of education, and freedom of her own thoughts. In essence, Raffy is emotionally dangerous to Evie, who finds herself altering her behaviour to pacify him. This is such an important message to send to young girls, that this behaviour is erratic, toxic and not appropriate in a loving relationship.
Sadly, I don’t have too much to say about the rest of the plot, because it felt like a lot of wasted chapters, with no plot advancement, but no character development either. All the important characters end up in a cave at the end of the book, ready for the action. Raffy betrays their trust, and they become separated, captured by Thomas.
I found this book a little bit all over the place, which isn’t too dissimilar or unexpected from the second book in a trilogy. I often find that it’s the case that authors know where they want to start, and know where they want the series to end, but getting there isn’t always a straight plot line. I think that happened with The Disappearances. New characters are thrown into the mix, seemingly incredibly important, but with very little background or depth of character for us to really relate to them. Again, I loved the idea of the story and had no criticisms of the plot. I just wanted more! More depth, more characters, and more justice for the clever idea.
The System
And so we reach the dramatic conclusion. This was different again, and I think it’s really incredible that every single book aligns in the plot, but also feels so different in nature. This moved towards a world being watched by the System, rather than just a City being watched.
Again, we meet new characters that become crucial to the plot, and again, they lack the depth that I really wanted. But I did feel this was a step in the right direction, at least.
Frankie carries this story, which feels a little strange at first because she is such a new character. But the idea of being watched, and that every person needs to update their status every 15 minutes is so fascinating. It’s one of those plot points that I remember thinking to myself was so beyond possible. And yet when you think about it, we’re not really too far away from that kind of society. The way it is written is reminiscent of just another form of social media, following people round and allowing them to connect. It really makes you think about how far modern technology can be pushed before it is considered too far. Frankie is exactly the kind of person you imagine to thrive in these circumstances.
I really couldn’t take to her at all. I didn’t mind her at first, but when she was replaced and found herself on the run, she went further and further down in my estimation. I thought she was annoying, rude, and arrogant, and it didn’t improve much for me throughout the rest of the book. The only saving grace for me was that she eventually came to admire Evie. At least she swallowed her pride on that one. I just didn't see the character arc that I think such a string character needed.
The way Linus and Raffy battle their way out of captivity was a bit of an anticlimax. I suppose that the real point of the plot was that they found different ways to communicate with external people, and Raffy’s contact with Evie and Frankie allowed them to escape back to the UK. Strange, when you put it like that. Outside of that, their importance to the plot, especially when it comes to Linus, is relatively minor. I am glad, however, that Raffy was the one to orchestrate Evie's escape. We see his character arc coming through, at least.
When Evie finally finds her way back to Lucas, I thought it was a really lovely moment, mainly because of the way it is described by Frankie. She comments on the love between them, and how she had never witnessed such love from two people before. I thought that was a really special moment. Even more significant was that it was witnessed by Raffy. It did make me feel a little bad for him, but he needed to see it. And he needed to acknowledge, as I’m glad he did, that Lucas loved Evie in a selfless, pure way that he never could. Raffy needed to learn that smothering somebody isn’t love, and I think that’s one of the most important messages that was explored in the season. When I first started reading The Killables, I just expected that Evie would end up with Raffy, because he was the underdog, and he was, frankly, the first love interest we met. That usually ends up being how these things work. But I thought from the start that that would be a real shame, because I liked Lucas immediately for his selfless nature, and the way he sacrificed his life to protect the people he cared about. I wish we could have learnt more about him. I’m dubious about Raffy and Frankie getting together - it seems to me to be too much fire for one relationship - but I’m glad that Evie and Lucas got their little happy ending.
Again, we meet new characters that become crucial to the plot, and again, they lack the depth that I really wanted. But I did feel this was a step in the right direction, at least.
Frankie carries this story, which feels a little strange at first because she is such a new character. But the idea of being watched, and that every person needs to update their status every 15 minutes is so fascinating. It’s one of those plot points that I remember thinking to myself was so beyond possible. And yet when you think about it, we’re not really too far away from that kind of society. The way it is written is reminiscent of just another form of social media, following people round and allowing them to connect. It really makes you think about how far modern technology can be pushed before it is considered too far. Frankie is exactly the kind of person you imagine to thrive in these circumstances.
I really couldn’t take to her at all. I didn’t mind her at first, but when she was replaced and found herself on the run, she went further and further down in my estimation. I thought she was annoying, rude, and arrogant, and it didn’t improve much for me throughout the rest of the book. The only saving grace for me was that she eventually came to admire Evie. At least she swallowed her pride on that one. I just didn't see the character arc that I think such a string character needed.
The way Linus and Raffy battle their way out of captivity was a bit of an anticlimax. I suppose that the real point of the plot was that they found different ways to communicate with external people, and Raffy’s contact with Evie and Frankie allowed them to escape back to the UK. Strange, when you put it like that. Outside of that, their importance to the plot, especially when it comes to Linus, is relatively minor. I am glad, however, that Raffy was the one to orchestrate Evie's escape. We see his character arc coming through, at least.
When Evie finally finds her way back to Lucas, I thought it was a really lovely moment, mainly because of the way it is described by Frankie. She comments on the love between them, and how she had never witnessed such love from two people before. I thought that was a really special moment. Even more significant was that it was witnessed by Raffy. It did make me feel a little bad for him, but he needed to see it. And he needed to acknowledge, as I’m glad he did, that Lucas loved Evie in a selfless, pure way that he never could. Raffy needed to learn that smothering somebody isn’t love, and I think that’s one of the most important messages that was explored in the season. When I first started reading The Killables, I just expected that Evie would end up with Raffy, because he was the underdog, and he was, frankly, the first love interest we met. That usually ends up being how these things work. But I thought from the start that that would be a real shame, because I liked Lucas immediately for his selfless nature, and the way he sacrificed his life to protect the people he cared about. I wish we could have learnt more about him. I’m dubious about Raffy and Frankie getting together - it seems to me to be too much fire for one relationship - but I’m glad that Evie and Lucas got their little happy ending.
The Verdict
My thoughts on this series have been a little rambled, because I just have so many thoughts about the plot, the characters, and the idea, that it’s hard to put them down in a cohesive way. I guess that’s because the series itself doesn’t feel fully cohesive to me.
The idea was a really clever one, and I was so excited to start the series. Now that I have finished the whole series, I think the problem is that the idea didn’t run smoothly through all the story lines. By that, I don’t mean that the plot wasn't easily resolved. I mean that the three books felt very sporadic and random in places. The first book felt like it should have been split in half and developed better. The second, a year later, felt like it was picking up a story that didn’t necessarily need to be continued, and then pulled random pieces of plot back together. The third book made the fictional world much larger, but compromised the first two books and their significance in the process. From going from escaping the City to escaping into the world - I'm not sure all these things work together in one series. It was all a bit structurally random, and I’m not sure it was entirely successful.
I was also disappointed by loose ends. We never really learn what happened to Lucas and Raffy’s father, Evie’s parents, or her adopted parents. There were so many more stories that could have been explored, and which would have made for a more profound and meaningful narrative. It’s such a shame. I think one of the main reasons a book isn't quite successful is because of the lack of developed and relatable characters. You can't just rely on a handful of people to carry your story, and you can't just introduce a lot of people at the end of a series and expect them to be established. The groundwork needs to be laid, and the proper development needs to be there. Meaningful dialogue, relationships, and a number of supporting characters are essential to making a fictional world come alive.
The characters we did meet had so much potential. Evie with her independent thinking, Lucas and his kindness, and Raffy’s rebellious nature. Add in Linus and his natural leadership; this makes for a really interesting cast. They just didn’t get to shine in the way I wanted to see. We never really learn why Evie eventually chooses Lucas, or how Raffy and Evie came to be together either. We don’t know anything about Linus, and some of the less essential characters (such as Milo, Evie’s adopted parents, and the Brother) fall by the wayside. I just wanted to see that character development that is so crucial in YA series’. It would have taken the series to the next level.
That being said, I did really enjoy this series. I know it probably doesn’t sound like it, but I got through the series really quick, and at some points I just couldn’t put the books down. But after the ending of every book I was left with a little dissatisfaction alongside my happiness. A little bit of: ‘but what if…’
I gave this series a four star rating, because I do think that it deserves it. It had great foundations for a powerful story, and it had a lot of important messages that I picked up on and appreciated. And that’s what makes it such a shame that it didn’t have that extra oomph that would have made it a much stronger series. I really just wanted to see some more, meaningful characters. I hate when that happens!
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