Review: The Narrowing Path (Bowe Bellanger #1) by David J. Normoyle

Title: The Narrowing Path

Series: Bowe Bellanger #1

Author: David J. Normoyle

Genre: YA, high fantasy

Publication date: April 2013

Published by: Fiction Addiction

Source: From author for review (thanks!)

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Synopsis:

Only the strongest, smartest and most ruthless will survive.

Every six years, the world draws nearer to the sun. In Arcandis, those who want to live must claim the limited places in the Refuge, a series of underground caverns cooled by the sea.

The teenage boys of noble birth are sent out into the city to demonstrate their wits and strength. Some prove themselves in combat, others display their empire building skills, still others attempt to kill off their rivals. Out of over a hundred, only six will be selected by the leaders of the great families and allowed a place in the Refuge. The rest will perish, one way or another.

Not only is thirteen-year-old Bowe younger and weaker than most of the other boys, he has no family to support him. He is expected to die on the very first day of the narrowing path. Instead he begins a journey no one could have anticipated.

My rating: ★★★☆☆
This action-packed dystopian was about boys proving to society their worth by surviving the cruel world they are thrown into. And when I say cruel I mean CRUEL! Brutal stuff, I tell ya. The people in this world, the royals, are just ruthless without an ounce of compassion whatsoever, killing anyone they desire/think is in their way. Man...

What I liked about the main character Bowe, was that he was not like these cold-hearted people. On the contrary, he is very compassionate and caring. There were a couple of times when he did annoy me though, thinking he was so much better than, well, basically those at the bottom of the social ladder. He treated them like they had some sort of disease he could catch. Ugh! But that changed over time and he got to see them as people, not slaves.

This world is just a place you do not want to live in, as I said. I don't like the society at all, and I felt so bad for all these boys trying to prove themselves. But in the end, Bowe outsmarts them all. He's really cunning.

Another thing about this world, I found it really confusing in the beginning. We're thrown into this world expected to know all this terminology... Of course, as you read, you figure them out eventually, but some explanation in the beginning would've been nice.

Overall, I thought the book was a good read. It had a very interesting premise and a whole lot of action, though it had more violence than in used to. I'd recommend this one to those who like dystopians with a whole lot of action, fantasy, and a coming of age story.

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)