Book Review-ENCLAVE

ENCLAVE
By Ann Aguirre
Summary taken from Goodreads:
In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.
As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.
Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.
As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.
My thoughts-
I was excited to hear that this book is 1 in a planned series called Razorland. I finished Enclave with my head spinning and many questions. I'm hoping that book 2 has some answers.
I chose this book because of the dystopian theme and description and I wasn't disappointed. By some of the book. The book starts in a place known as the enclave where Deuce was born and raised. Her existence is underground. The world she lives is dirty, cramped, loud and dark. She has a title and a job which are fine with her. She believes in the purpose she serves-to provide for the enclave and protect it from the Freaks(zombie like creatures we are given little information about). The enclave is dark and scary. I loved the first part of this story!
But then Deuce and her hunting partner Fade are banished to Topside(above ground) and then the story takes a hard left.
I was confused and frustrated by the direction it took. Although it keep it's fast pace-Deuce and Fade are running....first from freaks, then gang members and then back to the freaks-the why, when and how kept me from enjoying the rest of the book.
Questions that have kept me up at night-
What happened to drive people underground?
What the hell are the freaks and what made them??
Is the author seriously trying to redeem gang member/rapist and make him possible love interest to main character????
AND then Enclave just ends-
It might have been less frustrating if I had the second book to jump right into.
Enclave is a good book-if you plan to just read it and not think about it.......
I would recommend this book for readers 14 and up. It contains violence, the topic of rape and flesh eating zombies.
I bought this book for my Nook and will count it for the E-Book Reader Challenge 2012.