Book Review: Broken

Broken

By:  Cedric Johnson & Veronica Giguere

Publish Date:  September 2, 2013

Format:  Podcasted Audio book

Genre:  Inner City Cyberpunk

Series:  Stand-alone

Recommendation:  Technology can make a difference in some worlds, even bring two people to a friendship they didn't know they needed.

Synopsis:
The city of Charlton is a city divided: Upper Charlton, where the rich and powerful work and play, and Charlton Terrace, where the poor are kept from crossing the ever-widening economic gap by corporate dynasties controlling the flow of capital, their security firms controlling the city police, and numerous gangs controlling the streets.

Miranda Garren has a chance of escaping the Terrace's oppression and making a new life for herself with the help of an old family friend and his plans for advanced medical technology. Criofan Byrne is the city's favorite son, champion of the local boxing circuit and heir to a corporate empire. Their separate worlds are brought together and destroyed around them in a single night by the leader of the Cabezas de Muerte gang, who will stop at nothing in order to make a name for himself in Upper Charlton.

Forced into using the experimental prosthetic technology Miranda had been working on, Criofan must put aside everything he knew of his privileged existence and work with Miranda. Together, they must find a way to escape the machinations of the cruel, vindictive gang leader, the life he's thrust them into, each other and themselves—and reclaim control of what remains of their lives.

First Sentence:
The lights came up in Charlton Terrace earlier than in any other part of the city.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles

**I listened to this book for my own enjoyment.

My Thoughts and Summary:
I'm not going to try to do a summary for this story. The synopsis above and given on the book is perfect. It tells you about the harsh world we are in and the two main characters, Miranda and Criofa.

I listened to this book recorded by the amazing voice talent Veronica Giguere, who is also a co-author of the book.

In the beginning you see Miranda in her home surroundings, the dangers of it, and how smart she is. She should have the chance to move up from the Terrace or even out of this city for the brilliance that is in this girl. Her fathers old friend sees the genius in the girl as well. Reggy takes her on as his assistant and teaches her and finds Miranda is taken by the project as much as he is.

There are two worlds in on city. The Upper Charlton and the Terrace. Criofan is from Upper Charlton, but doesn't seem to like the feel of elite and richness of the living. The Upper Charlton seems to be just as dangerous as the Terrace, only in a different way. The Terrace police work under the security companies owned by John Harper Byrne. Which means the police are owned by the Upper class and do what they say, or not say. We see the struggles and power control over the cops. We also see the dangers of the gangs present. The world is a rough, tough place to live.

I will admit, listening to the first three episodes with meeting the characters and the world, I wasn't sure if this listen was for me. Then when listening to episode four, I was hooked! I was starting to see the potential workings, the connections to what we've seen and the hints given by the cover. At this point, it had caught my interest. I liked the groundwork put in place and the quick drops of hints of what was to come. Great drawing in the story! I was curious and anxious for the story to continue.

Miranda and Criofan both start a bit on the naive side. They both know their worlds and have better expectations than what they should. Both suffer for it as well. Their lives are torn apart. They both have their eyes opened to the way of the world in Charlton, and it's not a good way. Each grows in their own way needed to strengthen themselves and do what needs to be done to survive. I appreciated this growth in both the characters. They came through many hurdles and accomplished a great deal. And found a rock strong friendship through it all.

Criofan was different from the family and class thinking he was born into. I liked him from the first meeting. And even more so after he's learned of those around him and what happened to him. Miranda had an idea of what it was like with the gangs that her father paid each week for "protection". But she was a bit more optimistic and thought she was different, maybe could change things. Sadly she was looked at different and paid a terribly steep price for it. She can make a difference in the world, and eventually does. But it's small steps at a time.

Do the bad guys get what they have come in the end? Well, you will have to read the story to find out. ;)