Review: The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel

Against the backdrop of a dystopian society, two rival families have established a city of survivors where citizens live in uneasy peace. Life is tolerable, but sacrifices must be made; punishment for not following the rules is harsh, with offenders banished outside of the protective fence that surrounds the city — a fate worse than death. 

Ivy Westfall — the daughter of the family that founded the city, but lost the war — has just come of age. In a yearly ceremony, the daughters of the losing faction are married to the sons of the winners. This year, it’s Ivy’s turn — she will be married to the president’s son, Bishop Lattimer. Ivy has no desire to be forced into a match, but she is propelled forward by her family’s plot to retake the city and reinstall a democracy where citizens are free to choose their own fate — including who they will marry. 

But, instead of finding what she expected in her new husband — a cruel, demanding replica of the President, who espouses his family’s rules and ideology — she finds a respectful, thoughtful companion, who treats her with more kindness than anyone in her life ever has. 

Out from under the stifling weight of her family’s influence for the first time, Ivy begins to question what she has been told her entire life; as new truths come to light, will she be able to do what is expected of her? 

The Book of Ivy is a suspenseful story about love, deception, and finding yourself. Unlike some other YA novels, I didn’t find the writing style too dramatic or over-the-top. The love story is also sweet, believable, and naturally progressing, which, again, some other novels in the genre don’t quite manage. 

Though somewhat predictable, the plot still builds suspense. Although the storyline isn’t exactly original (the dystopian theme as a whole is a little hard to have a refreshing take on at this point), it was still enjoyable, and the ending especially was executed well; it finished on a cliffhanger, but was also a satisfying resolution to the events of the book.

I found the characters interesting, and not too one-dimensional. Bishop is more than your usual flat, macho male love interest; he has complexities and flaws, and a softer side, as well. I also liked that the impulsive sides of Ivy’s character are not always portrayed as a defect that she has to fix, but as an important part of her that makes her who she is. She is a flawed character who progresses throughout the story, and her journey of development makes you want to root for her even more. 

The setting of the city and the history and backstory are well-executed; the reasoning for the different aspects of the dystopian society make sense, are well developed, and add to the story. 

I also enjoyed the structure and nature of the conflict between the two different sides; there was no basic clear-cut good vs. evil battle; readers might agree with some of the values or at least understand the logic on either side, even while disagreeing with their methods. I liked the fact that there was some nuance here, and a little bit of a social commentary, rather than a one-dimensional type of good vs. evil battle.

(Minor spoiler) I also liked the fact that in the end, Ivy forged her own path rather than picking either of the ‘obvious’ options laid out for her. (End spoiler)

There weren’t any aspects of this novel that I particularly disliked; YA is no longer one of my favourite genres, as I sometimes find the drama a little over the top, specifically in dystopian fiction, but this is one of the more enjoyable ones I’ve read. 

The writing style is simple and easy to read, so this is not a challenging book, but the storyline still grips you — good for a holiday read, when you want a bit of escapism without having to engage your brain cells too much. 

Although it doesn’t drag on, if you’re looking for an action-filled dystopian plotline, this probably isn’t the right novel for you; it tends to focus more on the elements of the society and individuals after an apocalypse, rather than the action element.  

As far as content goes, the story contains some mentions of sex but no graphic scenes; there are some disturbing depictions and mentions of violence (including sexual violence) and death, but mild to no bad language. 

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy a good YA dystopian fix; good for fans of the Divergent and Matched series and others like them. 

See the review for The Revolution of Ivy, The Book of Ivy‘s sequel and the conclusion to the duology here.