Review: The Wicked We Have Done By: Sara Harian

US Cover

Title: The Wicked We Have Done (Chaos Theory #1)
Author: Sarah Harian
Publisher: US: Penguin/InterMix Books, 272 Pages (March 18th 2014) UK: Headline 272 Pages (March 18th 2014)
From: the UK Publisher (Hardline)
Format: eARC
Add to: US Goodreads | UK Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a "New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 17+

Synopsis: Evalyn Ibarra never expected to be an accused killer and experimental prison test subject. A year ago, she was a normal college student. Now she’s been sentenced to a month in the compass room—an advanced prison obstacle course designed by the government to execute justice.

If she survives, the world will know she’s innocent.

Locked up with nine notorious and potentially psychotic criminals, Evalyn must fight the prison and dismantle her past to stay alive. But the system prized for accuracy appears to be killing at random.

She doesn’t plan on making friends.

She doesn’t plan on falling in love, either.

Review: 4 Stars - The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian gives convicted killers in prison a way to redeem themselves in a twisted, creepy and dangerous experimental month long sentence called the Compass Room.

Evalyn is your everyday college student. Until she's not. Until she's charged as being a terrorist and hated by everyone inside and outside prison. She's given a choice which she accepts. Spend a month in the Compass Room and if she survives she'll be deemed innocent.

Wow, where to even start with this one. It's told in past and present tense so you don't really know Evalyn's whole story until much later in the book. That's one part that I was most eager to learn because   I felt as she was just giving up way too easy. I never had the feeling that she was in fact guilty only that she felt extremely guilty because of events that unfolded throughout the flashbacks of her story.

The prisoners she's put into the Compass room with are all murders. However none of them or their stories are alike. Some are just wrong and horrible through and through while others feel awful and remorseful for what they had done.

There are plenty of times throughout reading that I was extremely creeped out. Once while reading in the middle of the night, in a dark room by Kindle light I had to stop because I was that freaked out. Harian's writing was often gory and very visual and the Compass Room is no joke. However one thing.. it felt reminiscent of The Hunger Games, if only slightly it was still there. The story and characters are completely different however once you start putting groups of people together who have to struggle to survive and when maybe only one or two people might come out alive... it's easy to get that feeling.

While it does have a slight Hunger Games feel there's so much more to the story because of the backgrounds we learn about for these prisoners. A few of them I felt my heart break for because of what lead them to the place they found themselves in. Which might sound weird, but a person can only survive so much abuse before they snap in one way or another.

There is a bit of a love story woven into the nightmare that is the Compass room. It's not a typical story yet there was something about Evelyn and how she looked at herself and the people around her she's forced to deal with as they go through their tests to see who survives. That made me like her some of the time and be frustrated with her other times. She's carrying around so much guilt, you can't help but feel horrible for her once you reach her beginning.

I felt that the ending was somewhat abrupt yet upon learning that there will be a second book, I can somewhat understand it. And while this is a “New Adult” title I believe that with the touch of horror and all the gore it should without a doubt be read by an older audience. If you like reading a story with a touch of darkness, something that might just creep you out, with interesting characters... even though they are all murders and an insane take on the prison/justice system then look no further! I for one will be on the look out for the next title, I really can't wait to see what happens next. Happy Reading!

UK Cover