A luxurious cruise ship, has now become a refugee camp after being driven from Europe by an apocalyptic war. Now it floats near the coastline of the Federated States.

For forty years, residents of the Arcadia have been prohibited from making landfall. Esther is a loyal citizen, working flat-out to have the rare chance to live a normal life as a medic on dry land. Nik is a rebel, planning something big to liberate the Arcadia once and for all.

When events throw them both together, their lives, and the lives of everyone on the ship, will change forever.

This was such an interesting and also mind opening dystopian read. It was superb

The Hunger Games meets Station Eleven? Umm not really. There might have been a bit of Snowpiercer vibes but just very mildly. Appealing premise, but the execution just seemed lacking and the story wasn't propulsive at all. It's a supposedly dystopian universe but didn't feel cut-throat. There was action but I didn't feel tense. There was a body count but I didn't feel sad.

I didn't care for any of the characters and found Esther particularly annoying. There was one part where another character thinks, "She's pathetic — a jelly mess wallowing in self-pity. I resist the urge to kick her." LMAO I felt that. The only interesting person to me was Hadley.

There was also a lot of wasted opportunity: Unsatisfactory world-building as I wanted so much more details and background. No twists, turns and morally grey characters despite an intricate plot. Highlighting of social issues as such racism and displacement that didn't really go anywhere.

Overall, this was a dull read that I slogged through. Ugh, the cliffhanger!

What a fantastic dystopian novel!

I loved our main characters Ben and Esther, they had so much depth to them. The Arcadia is so haunting and I loved the concept of a futuristic world and how it plays out around a cruise ship. There's so much action, a generous dash of romance and I particularly enjoyed the writing!

I would highly recommend this sci-fi thriller!

This was an interesting concept, but I struggled to get invested in the story. It was slower paced than I was expecting, so maybe that affected my enjoyment. The author did well in some parts of the world building, such as the ship itself, but it was a struggle to see that ship as a bigger part of the world. As for the characters, I just didn’t care about any of them or what happened to them, which unfortunately meant I couldn’t connect with the book. Not for me, but I’m sure others will enjoy this. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author, for a chance to read and review this book.

A fab read, with engaging characters and a fantastic setting. A true page turner I accidentally read in one sitting - and enjoyed every moment of.

I've tried really hard to get on with this one but it just isn't for me. I'm a fair chunk into the book and struggling to figure out what is really going on and who is who. Maybe I'll return to it one day and enjoy it more than I am right now.

As someone who works in the entertainment industry, I know a few people who were stuck at their jobs on cruise ships when Covid19 hit. A few of these people were stuck for months, moved into the guest cabins but not allowed out to socialise or go anywhere. Inspired by stories like these, Sarah Daniels paints a picture of 40 years having passed, with people still stuck aboard ships with a repressive regime, rampant gangs and a threat of an outside virus. It’s a brilliant premise and I was excited to read more.

There’s no doubt that this is a strong and interesting premise but perhaps because of my high expectations, I finished The Stranded feeling a little disappointed. Firstly, I felt the book could have been improved with a lot more world-building. What was presented was interesting, but it all felt a little flat. We know little about the virus which started everything off and I also struggled to picture the layout of the ship particularly well. I couldn’t really understand how this ship was still in liveable condition after 40 years at sea and how the inhabitants were able to have technology or food. There is a brief explanation of the oppressive land regime giving them the essentials, but I didn’t really get why this was done or what currency was used to barter anything. If this had been set maybe a few years after the world-ending event, I personally feel it would have felt a lot more realistic.

The chapters alternate perspective, from medical-student Esther, revolutionary Nik and Officer Hadley. The perspectives and narrative voices were all quite distinct, but I didn’t really feel that I empathised much with these three or any of the other characters presented. In fact, the most interesting one was the evil character Hadley which confused matters a little. The bad characters all felt very stereotypical, making evil decisions for the sake of it which didn’t make them feel real. The good characters also made some very confusing and odd decisions at times and Esther in particular I found to be very annoying.

The plot was also a bit too convenient, there’s a ‘good’ character that gets shot multiple times with no real consequences and then if that happened to a side-character they would die instantly. New technology is randomly introduced to fix problems without any real backstory in how it was procured or why it would be on the ship in the first place. I also really didn’t understand what the rebels plan was – the end plot in particular just seemed silly and I have no idea what would have happened next if the plan had gone ahead. The virus is very much side-lined which seemed a shame, especially with the virus count being included in the Captain’s speech at the top of chapters which led me into thinking that the numbers may start to climb.

The Stranded is a duology with an abrupt, cliff-hanger ending but I’m not sure this first instalment has done enough to warrant me wanting to pick up the next one I’m afraid. There’s a brilliant premise under there but it’s covered by a convenient plot, flat characters and vague world building. Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House UK for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Having cruised many times I like to think being stranded on a cruise ship fir years would be a pleasurable experience however in Sarah Daniels dystopian future it is anything but. Held under Draconian government rule the inhabitants of the Arcadia live in a nightmare.
Daniels creates a world with genuine threat, great adventure and believable characters however it does feels rushed at times.

To me, YA is allowed to be – and sometimes, even, should be - a bit more formulaic than Adult novels (depending on genre, of course). With a target audience who haven’t been exposed to a ton more books or films or TV shows, you can get away with things being a touch more trope-filled, a little cliché, etc. Not to say there aren’t really beautifully unique YA novels out there, but some are really effective at using the familiar to make something a bit different.

However, it’s on these levels where The Stranded fell down for me. I was excited to dig into this one, the summary promises love triangles and a fight for freedom, all set on a former luxury cruise ship that fled Europe and ended up off the coast of America. It’s now a refugee camp, and has been sitting off the coast of the Federated States for almost 40 years.

Firstly – there was no love triangle? I know some people don’t like them, but I do enjoy them when they’re done well. I don’t mind if stuff doesn’t have it, but there wasn’t really a ‘romance’ as such here at all and it’s advertised as a book with love triangles. There are relationships, but if you’re going off the blurb, don’t expect a romance between Esther – loyal citizen – and Ben – a rebel. I was hoping for something between these two, but it became clear pretty quickly it really wouldn’t work. There’s almost kind of weird hints, but it just feels strange.

The worldbuilding is also a little unstable, and there are points where it just felt like it didn’t quite make sense. A war in Europe somehow destroyed the European continent and made it unsafe, and a virus rapidly spread, but this didn’t reach American shores, but America still broke up into the Federated States and…something else? The cruise ship is overpopulated, thanks to a combination of guests and stowaways, who then had kids on the ship, the kids grew up and had kids, I think? Though that seems like a lot for forty years? There are parts where it’s like only a short amount of time has passed (forty years doesn’t seem that long, does it?) and others where it makes out this has been going on for generations. It’s just a little all over the shop.

I don’t think this is necessarily a bad book, but there were chunks where it got a touch too repetitive, or nothing really happened. We have another POV in the book, from the main antagonist, but this didn’t really add anything? All it mainly was was him grumbling about how poorly he’s been mistreated and how he hates the people who live on the ships. How main character trait seems to be “woe is me”. It seemed at one point like it was building up for him to have an obsession with Esther, but this is, again, brushed aside.

Back to the ship – they came from Europe within the span of a generation, but everything seems a bit off? The ship itself came from the UK, but you wouldn’t know it via the characters, and again with the span of time it’s like there’s no real sense that this is only 40 years? It’s really not a long time at all for all references and idioms and slang to just…die.

There’s also a trope I find I no longer like – controlling a population with a fake virus!!! Partly because of, well…you know. But we know it doesn’t work! We know even if there is a very real virus present people will STILL not listen, and I think it’s just lost its impact as a trope.

Some of this book was fun; the scenes going through the ship, the different sections, the interactions between the gangs, but it all feels overshadowed but what’s come before – The Handmaid’s Tale and The Hunger Games, for starters. Don’t get me wrong; I think when it does things well, it does things really well, but mostly this is one that will be most effective for the Young Adult audience, rather than a YA book you can enjoy as an adult as well, and that isn’t a bad thing.

To reiterate; if you’re someone who has read a lot, especially in Young Adult and/or dystopian science fiction, this book might not be for you. If you’re a younger reader or looking to dip into this genre for the first time, it’ll likely be that bit more entertaining.

A fantastic new dystopian YA novel, with an original setting. This is the first in a duology. Set on a disused cruise ship, 40 years after a pandemic style event. The ship, The Arcadia, is divided by the haves and have nots, with strict rules and tensions rising. The Stranded follows two characters, Esther and Nik, as they navigate and survive the only world they’ve ever known. But who can they trust, and what is really going on aboard The Arcadia. This is the start of an exciting fresh new voice in the dystopian genre. Can’t wait for part 2!

My initial thoughts was that this book had a very intriguing premise, I then went on to think it had a well thought-out plot and we’ll-written characters. The only thing letting me down was the ending, it’s felt way too anticlimactic for me.

I enjoyed the unique aspect of this read, and the hateable characters were written so well I wanted to throw my kindle across the room. I’d be interested to see if there is a second book, I hope so otherwise that ending was just not it for me. Other than that, it was a good read.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book on NetGalley.

Bit disappointed by this book, sadly. The premise sounded interesting and it did keep me reading, but it’s a bit of a slog for the most part. If you like dystopian young adult fiction, you might enjoy this, but it’s kind of derivative, and other than the unique setting, doesn’t really add anything new to the genre.

I found the 3-character POV a bit tricky to keep on top of who was who - when it’s done well and you have well defined characters, I think it can really work; however, Esther - who I assumed at the beginning was the main character - and Nik’s voices kept getting confused, as they’re too similar. Neither Esther nor Nik felt anchored (excuse the pun) to the story enough to carry it, which meant it struggled to really take off. Honestly, I think May should’ve been the lead, as she was a much more focused and fully realised character, but for reasons I won’t go into (no spoilers), that wouldn’t work.

To be fair, Hadley, the main antagonist turned out to be pretty decently written. I thought he was going to be too generic a villain, but actually was more nuanced than he seems at first glance. It’s just a shame that Esther falls so flat. I think she could’ve been a great protagonist: trying to live up to her sister’s - albeit perceived - reputation to their parents, but getting derailed by all the events that take place, it’s no wonder she starts to unravel. However, she never really identifies her ‘why,’ and like many female protagonists in YA fiction, a lot of stuff just happens to her, rather than her having a truly active role in the story. She seems more like a plot device than a character, which does her a disservice.

My other big gripe with the book was that it relies on a lot of cliches and tropes to propel (seriously, I’m not doing this intentionally!) itself forward. The “will they, won’t they” couple - times two, even!; the life altering revelation; an ultimate sacrifice to galvanise the main character. Esther’s “good girl” demeanour is fine, until she begins to lean on her boyfriend, Alex, who borders on needy at best, emotionally abusive at worst. Nik has a saviour complex, which is a bit all over the place: one minute, he’s “doing this for May,” the next, he’s falling for Esther. Alex and May seem to exist just to set up a romantic pairing for the two leads. You can sense a series coming on from about halfway through the book, too, which is a little cheap. I feel like a book should be able to stand on its own and not have to be buoyed (okay, that one was on purpose) by a sequel.

I don’t mean to sound super harsh - I was just expecting a lot more from this book from the first couple of chapters and the interesting premise of it being set at sea. The building tension is put to good use throughout, and I definitely felt a drive to keep reading to find out what happens. The super abrupt ending doesn’t help matters, though. Not sure I’d read a sequel if one does come out, unless it had an even more unique hook to it.

The Stranded by Sarah Daniels a fast paced action packed YA courtesy of Netgalley

Everytime I think I might be too old for YA I find books like this to prove me wrong. A fantastic dystopian book that I pray gets a sequel. And a great debut that keeps you invested in the characters aboard the Arcadia.

The book is full of action that only ramps up more and more as the story goes on, the claustrophobic atmosphere on the ship perfectly portrayed as well as the tension from being watched and the constant fear of captured for anything as the Arcadia is being pulled more and more under tighter restrictions.

16 year old Esther is dragged into the middle of the rebellions fight. One she wants no part of. She just wants to train to be a medic and keep her nose clean. The Arcadia is anchored off the US coast after being banished from Europe, leaving all inhabitants trapped on board inevitably. 40 years after the war, with no cases of viral outbreaks the passengers are kept put under harsh rule.

Told from the POVS Esther, 16 year Nik member of the rebellion and the relentless Hadley.

Even with Hadley being the villain I loved seeing his POV and getting things from his perspective and what else he had left to unleash on the rebellion in order to attempt to wipe them out once and for all

Interesting premise, a little bit too long. Loved the dystopian element of the former cruise ships as refugee ships refused entry to the Federated States, excellent world building. I saw some of the plot coming, though not all of it, and I did race through the story eagerly to see what was coming next.

Based on the Diamond Princess at the start of the Covid pandemic, this story explores what might have happened had the passengers not been allowed to leave - for decades. I was expecting a fast paced read, racing through ship's corridors and taking on the oppressive regime the ship was under, but what I got was a very slow paced, frustrating story.

I found myself wondering about family, and culture, because on this ship that had been afloat for approximately 40 years, there was no mention of Grandparents, or where their family that had got on the ship had come from - the ship was said to be from Liverpool, but I saw no mention of differing accents, or British culture.

The characters are all annoying, sorry. They spend most of the time arguing with each other, the plan to save the ship and get the people off of it is absolutely ridiculous and this did not need to be nearly 400 pages long. I was so bored, and I can't see myself picking up the sequel.

It took me nearly 2 months to read this novel which for me isn't normal with such a short book. The premise of this plot seemed great but all in all I was left underwhelmed. The story was rushed, the characters fell super flat for me and I had no attachment to them at all. The only redeeming quality was the world building, I will always love a good dystopian world.

Wow, this book is a stunning debut. I love dystopian novels but have not discovered anything in recent years which can live up to the heavyweights like 'The Hunger Games' and 'Divergent'. Finally, along comes 'The Stranded' by Sarah Daniels which is not only a fantastic premise but more than pulls of the fast-paced, action packed story at its centre.

We view the story through three perspectives, trainee medic Esther, teenage rebel Nikhil and despotic leader of the secret police Hadley. They are all living trapped on the Arcadia, a luxury cruise ship which had been floating off the coast of the US for 40 years, held in purgatory due to a virus ripping through the mainland at their point of origin. There haven't been any cases of the virus for two generations yet cruise ship people are required to stay put, the ship operating under a cloud of corruption, the have and have nots, and the constant threat of the secret police (the coalies). Enter the rebellion who have a mysterious plan to unseat the corrupt in control and free the ship once and for all.

From page one, the reader is plunged into the world of the ship, violence, propaganda and corruption lacing through each narrative plot point. The pace is racing, the different perspectives bringing fresh eyes on each event, particularly impactful being the villainous viewpoint of horrific Hadley. I was gripped by every page, not even wanting to sleep before I found out what the rebel's plot was and how it was going to unfold. This needs to be a film or Netflix show ASAP, plus I need the sequel yesterday. A fantastic read which I will be recommending by shouting from the rooftops!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Given that I receive dozens of emails every day promoting new books, it takes a lot for something to really leap out and catch my attention. The Stranded by Sarah Daniels did just that with the following blurb:

Good evening.
It is 17:00 hours on Sunday 24th October 2094.

This is the captain of the cruise ship Arcadia.

We are currently experiencing strong north-westerly winds. All passengers please be prepared for high seas.

At midnight tonight, new regulations come into effect:
rations are reduced, reading is outlawed and offenders will be punished.

DAILY REPORTED VIRUS CASES: ZERO.
DAYS AT SEA: 15,938.

The Stranded is set on the former luxury cruise ship Arcadia which has been slowly rotting off the Eastern coast of what was the United States of America for over 40 years. The ship is filled with refugees and their descendants who escaped from Europe when a devastating war broke out resulting in the effective annihilation of the continent with biological weapons. Although not a single case of the deadly virus that wiped out Europe has ever been found aboard the Arcadia, or any of the other cruise ships now permanently moored along the Eastern seaboard, the government of what is now the Federated States uses fear of infection to prevent the refugees from entering the country, leaving them permanently stranded on ships no longer capable of moving on. Rumors have begun circulating aboard the Arcadia that their ship is next in line to be “cleared,” permanently destroyed and its inhabitants forced into labor camps to work as slave labor for prison corporations.

The book follows three people aboard the Arcadia: Esther, a young medical student determined to be among the handful of young ship people allowed to enter the Federated States each year by coming top of her class; Nik, a rebel determined to free the citizens of the Arcadia once and for all; and Commander Hadley – a sadistic and corrupt Federated States citizen in charge of the Arcadia who despises all the ships and their occupants and rules over his own domain with an iron fist. As tensions build, these three are thrown together into a play for the future of the Arcadia and all those who call her home.

I really loved The Stranded and found the whole concept behind it fascinating as we got to see how a new society had built up within the confines of the ship with a new middle class existing in the larger cabins of the upper decks and the area below the waterline now the domain of “Neaths” who rarely ever see sunlight. Although barbaric, I found Commander Hadley to be a fascinating character who became more twisted and layered with every chapter. I have to admit to finding Esther slightly annoying, more through her naivety than anything else, but she was a great counterpart to the more worldly Nik.

The Stranded is book one of a duology and I’m excited to read the sequel whenever it is released.

Thank you to the publisher Penguin Random House and to NetGalley for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

"The Stranded" tells the story of the 'Arcadia', a cruise ship housing the last refugees of a horrific war in Europe. It floats beside the fractured remains of the United States under the reasoning that there could be an infectious virus onboard. This isn't true, and things onboard the 'Arcadia' have deteriorated into gang warfare. In the middle of this is Esther, who dreams of nothing more than going to med school on the mainland, who soon becomes caught up in the rebellion onboard thanks to her sister May. On the other side is Nik, the son of two rebels who wants freedom for all, working alongside multiple people to overthrow the controlling government.

This was a fun read, especially in the last half of the book, and an intriguing start to the duology. I enjoyed Esther's character throughout especially, as she realised the world she lived in was wrong and that her sister was hugely involved with everything she'd been told is criminal. I would have enjoyed more time with Nik, especially in regard to his connection to the rebellion, but his character was strong enough to carry most of the storyline. The action, violence and death in this book is powerfully written and I'm looking forward to what might happen next!

Thank you to Penguin for letting me read an ARC of The Stranded.
The book follows a ship called the Arcadia, who has had its passengers on board for over 40 years due to a virus that has swept through Europe and the rest of the world. The ship is under the control of The Federated States and no on is allowed to leave the ship. There are strict laws onboard the ship and breaking them can have deadly consequences. There are different types of passengers, including those who work various jobs, students, coalies who are a police force of a sort, rebels and the government officials.

The Stranded has multiple points of view from various characters that we follow, seeing their part in the rebellion. At first it was a bit confusing to keep up with the different characters, however as the story progressed it became easier. There is some good action scenes, especially in the second half of the book and there is tension throughout. I thought it was interesting to see how the rebellion was progressing towards its aims. This book is fast paced, which definitely kept me engaged throughout the book.

I am giving this book 3 stars as I had slightly higher hopes for the book, and I did not connect with the characters as much as I would have liked to. I am curious to see what happens in book 2.