The concept--a school for kids supposedly saved by but really rejected by their parents in a dystopian near-future--is right up my alley. I was snookered by the jacket-copy into buying what turned out to be a weak (and incidently extremely transphobic) narrative. I'm returning it to the store. ( )

I would talk of Cothus and it's structure, the sickness, Sargent and Teddy and (the) killers friendship to save the server. Q5P4 AHS/ John B

Enclave starts off with a bang, which then becomes a loud roar before ending with a BOOM! This is not just one story, but many interwoven lives that converge at a most inopportune (and perfect) time. A secret old monastery, an impenetrable academy for the world's wealthiest offspring, and End Times. An awesome, imaginative premise - however the novel still falls short of being a truly "good book." Here's why:

Reed's characters, though fully-formed and vibrant, just don't do it for me. Most of the characters seem to be overdone, overly aggressive and a bit thick. While this could be attributed to the otherworldly, apocalyptic situation in which they find themselves... still. The lead female, a whiny and weak "Mary-Sue"-like character named Cassie, left much to be desired.
Benny, a founding and final survivor of the Benedictine monks who made Clothos their home for so many centuries, is the one character who outshines the rest.

Is the book worth reading, for you? Perhaps. Some chapters were riviting, while others I merely skimmed. A relatively short read and a fantastical premise, but still a flawed novel. ( )

I really liked the theme of isolation, and its practical impossibility (there will always be leaks). I think one could attach any number of metaphors to that, which made this interesting, and more than just an "issue" book. ( )

The world is said to be self-destructing and the very rich are unloading their problem adolescent children...er...saving their children by paying an ex-Marine to shelter and school them in a renovated, remote and isolated former monastery atop a great butte. Sarge, our Marine, has a plan, and with his staff of misfits (all of them running from something), they begin to shape the lives of these teens, now stripped of their makeup, fashions, electronics, and media attention. All seems well, until the unexpected happens and threatens the closed society.
Enclave is a dystopian satire adventure novel. It's rather light reading, but the character and story are engaging enough to carry me through to the end. Perhaps Reed's commentary is aimed at entitled parents happy to be rid of their problem children, or at the teens themselves, or perhaps at how good intentions (albeit also commercial ones) can go awry, I'm not exactly sure. Perhaps all of the above. It comes close but stops short, imo, of being a coming-of-age novel for some of the teens. Not as good as Reed's [Thinner Than Thou], imo, but an easy and entertaining read, if that's what you are looking for. ( )