I finished this book wanting more than what I was given. Even with post-apocalyptic world with cage fighting death matches between teenage slave girls, a crazy bloodthirsty monarch trussed up like Louis XIV, and giant mutant bipedal tremor worms it was not as bloody or gruesome as you would expect. All the grit and pathos felt pretty superficial. It was fine overall but quite obviously written for a YA (adolescent aged) audience in mind.