NOTE: THIS IS AN IN DEPTH REVIEW OF THE SHATTERED ONES. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ IT, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM READING THIS ARTICLE, AS IT CONTAINS SPOILERS.
(this is also the first time I have ever done a literary analysis, thus the addition of “informal” to the title)
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Dystopian fiction gets a poor reputation in our current reading culture. The surge of YA dystopia fiction following Suzanne Collins’ success with The Hunger Games in 2008 flooded the fiction world with gritty, first-person narrative tales of teenagers defying the law and rising up in rebellion against evil-doers– to the point that the market, within ten years, became rather exhausted. Combine that with the tumult of world events following COVID-19 in 2020, and suddenly, the love has turned to hate: dystopians, in the mind of the reader, are either Hunger Games wanna-bes or dark, hopeless stories on par with George Orwell’s 1984— and the exceptions are few and far in between. Publishing gurus and marketing experts claim that the genre is done, that no one wants dystopian stories anymore and may not for years.
With traditional publishing so salty against dystopians, however, a smaller subgenre of dystopians has risen in the indie communities; namely, the “hopeful” dystopian. While some readers argue that this is not a “true” dystopian, as often these books only have a dystopian aesthetic instead of a true cautionary tale, there is something to be said for stories that may start, but do not end, in tragedy.
Such is The Shattered Ones, a 2024 sci-fi dystopian novel independently published by Brigitte Cromey. While the series and fandom is small, the themes portrayed in The Shattered Ones is an excellent modern example of how dystopian stories can be more than just a band of teenagers fighting the government– and more than a tragedy with no hope.
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Not Your Typical YA Dystopian
There was a third reason the colonel at Regional Command had stationed me here; a lone rookie with a fearful streak in a base full of old soldiers. Even from behind a set of screens, in a dimly lit room at the center of a base long neglected, hardly anyone else on the force knew this desert like I did.
~ The Shattered Ones, Stage One
Generally, the usual Young Adult dystopian novels one might find in a bookstore feature a female protagonist, usually living on the streets in a bustling metropolis, who joins an underground band of rebels. Not so for The Shattered Ones. In fact, when we meet Gabriel Mendoza, we quickly learn that he is, in fact, working for the government– namely, the Earth Defense Force, a global conglomerate created in the wake of an alien attack that took place on earth eight years prior. Gabe, as he is usually called by his coworkers, is an eighteen-year-old technical surveillance specialist who works at an almost-abandoned EDF base in the Gila River Valley outside of Tucson, Arizona. The alien invasion and following riots after the aliens were sent back to space has left the desert metropolis a fractured mess of what it once was.
Despite the bleak settings, however, the cast is not a stereotypical YA group of depressed, angsty teenagers. Gabe is actually the youngest member; the rest of the cast is mostly over 25. Between the first three chapters, we meet the group of veteran alien fighters who become the supporting cast: Renee “Deadeye” Ziegler, Captain Carlos “Bandit” Espinoza, Dr. Josephine Flores, Alexi “Judge” Morozov, Caleb “Phantom” Fletcher, and Tara “Banshee” Fletcher. Judge is the youngest at 27, and Bandit is the eldest, listed as being in his late forties.
Through the first few chapters, the reader is gently led along via Gabe’s first-person, past-tense narration into the world of Region 520, learning between present events and the “stories” Gabe collects about his legendary companions bits and pieces about his Normal World within the confines of Base 36 and the haunting past of the alien invasion. There’s also an introduction to one of the main catalysts of the series: the presence of “Shattereds”, cyan-eyed superhumans who appeared in the beginnings of the alien invasion. While Gabe doesn’t have the same fear as some do about Shattereds, he is cautious and respectful of them, especially regarding his Shattered coworkers, Judge, Tara, and partially-Shattered Caleb.
The peace doesn’t last very long, however, and soon enough, Gabe’s quiet Normal World is shattered (pun mildly intended) with the rise of an underlying threat. A gang called the Blood Angels, simmering under the surface, has decided to take more action and revive some of the creations the aliens left behind.
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The Main Conflicts
“Staring down into the darkness makes it easier to see all the things we stand to lose.”
~ The Shattered Ones, Stage Fourteen
While The Shattered Ones starts out gently, as soon as the Blood Angels arrive on the scene, everything begins falling apart. Brutes, brainless, destructive monsters created by the aliens and replicated by the Blood Angels, are released into towns and into the paths of the characters, while the Blood Angels steal valuable tech and resources. These are not just “petty” fights where no one gets hurt. People die; civilians and Blood Angels. Gabe’s first kill is especially emphasized and significantly haunting to him. There’s significant emotional, mental, and physical burnout as the conflicts become more invasive and relentless. At one point, one of the main characters is mauled by a Brute. And to top it all off– Gabe Shatters. Drastically. Now, not only does he have to navigate helping protect a region all but abandoned by the world, he also has to grapple with his invasive new powers; the ability to see memories, and feel others’ emotions.
In the middle of all this chaos, however, is where The Shattered Ones shines the most. The Shattered Ones is not, inherently, a plot based book: there is a tight plot, and a lot of action to keep readers on their toes. But the plot conflict is not The Shattered Ones‘ strength.
Instead of focusing on a rebel plot, The Shattered Ones instead focuses on the effects of the plot on the characters: the burnout, physical pain, and emotional struggle of the characters. By doing so, the reader finds themself feeling the conflicts more deeply. Gabriel is sympathetic in that not only is he compassionate to his team members, but he also deeply respects them and longs to feel like a part of their “family”– a personal conflict with his own insecurites and fears. Instead of a cocky male lead who hides his insecurities with bravado (a role that is still found in Judge), we see the world through a fearful rookie quite literally experiencing every emotion of despair and pain from his fellow team members that he slowly grows to trust and love. By feeling the conflict more deeply, we also feel the weight, alongside the characters, as things slip farther and farther out of their control. Soon, the conflict rises to a point where the Earth Defense Force gives orders to abandon the region and the characters are faced with a dire choice: stay behind and fight for their homeland without backup,
Understandably, they choose to stay and fight. Even though they are cut off from resources. Even though they are tired. Even though everything looks hopeless.
They choose to hope, and fight for their home.
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The Storyteller
I’d always had a fondness for stories, but collecting them from the squad members was a new pastime. Once I realized that the heroes of my childhood were achingly, genuinely human under their formidable reputations, I couldn’t bring myself to let the old veterans’ stories fade into obscurity.
~The Shattered Ones, Stage One
Obviously, the strength of the book is in the emotional resonance. But the emotional resonance would not be so deep were it not for the creative way we are shown the stories of the veterans.
As mentioned before, Gabe collects stories. What would normally be flashbacks, if we were in the heads of the other characters, are instead Gabe’s memories of recording the tales from his peers. This gives us a unique storyteller perspective, not from one who has lived through the conflict, but from one who has heard of the legends and finds awe and inspiration in hearing them firsthand. Through the scattered series of “storytelling” scenes, we learn bits and pieces about Deadeye, Judge, Caleb, Tara, Carlos, Josephine, and even the late founder of the EDF, Michael. These stories are enhanced after Gabe Shatters, and we see memories alongside the stories. Through these tales, we are introduced to the even deeper layers of characters that one doesn’t necessarily see from first glance, and slowly come to the heartwrenching understanding that everything these veterans gave blood, sweat, and tears too is truly at risk of falling apart. With the stories and memories, we are truly able to understand the weight of the collapse, and how many scars they still bear from those days– figuratively, and literally.
But in these stories, there is still threads of hope. Threads of happy times, good memories, and a desperation to cling to light even in blackest times.
And these threads are precisely the driving force of The Shattered Ones‘ theme, and Gabe’s arc as a whole.
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Gabe, Honestly
“I don’t think I’m coming back from thise one. But to whoever finds this, I want you to know it was my choice. Even if this desert never sees rain again, and the cities dry up under the sun with no resources left to scavenge, the people in this region deserve someone who’s willing to die protecting them.” I took a deep breath. “Even if that person has to be me.”
~The Shattered Ones, Stage Twenty-Two
At first glance, Gabe seems like he’s embarking on a Fear Arc. After all, a “rookie with a fearful streak” would need to face his fears, right?
But it’s more than that. Gabe’s arc is not just about facing a fear. And the theme of The Shattered Ones is so much more than fighting for home.
Gabe’s story– and the story of the whole Base 36 cast is about survival, and thriving. To live in a place where life itself struggles to exist, and still find hope. To find a rhythm to thrive, even when battling the constant burnout of mere surviving.
We see this in the way the others cling to not just routine, but pieces of happier times. From Josephine’s pictures of the folklorico dances she used to join, to a marshmallow roast around the campfire, even an impromptu movie night to binge Star Wars upon realizing Gabe has never seen the movies– the cast each plays a role in teaching Gabe how to not just survive in tough times, but thrive, and find the hope and strength to keep fighting. Over. And over. And over.
And the cast each teaches Gabe different lessons to help him complete his arc as a whole. Deadeye teaches Gabe to search for different answers to the problems than the obvious. Bandit teaches Gabe good leadership. Josephine teaches (*coughs* and sometimes forces) Gabe to take care of himself as well as others. Caleb teaches Gabe how to battle his mental darkness. Tara teaches Gabe how to use his Shattered powers, even when they scare him. And Judge, comedic relief that he is, still has a serious side and playfully pushes Gabe to improve without shoving him over the edge (most of the time).
And while the effects of these lessons are not fully shown in The Shattered Ones alone, it is a set up for the rest of the arcs Gabe has yet to complete in the following sequels.
When looking at a book– especially one with so many deep, fascinating characters– you wonder what it is that makes the protagonist the perfect narrator for the story. And Gabe is that perfect narrator. When we meet him, we relate with his desire to belong among his heroes, and his internal insecurities being around them. Through him, we learn the stories and heart of the cast, and experience the wonders of the setting through a noticer who takes joy in small details. With him, we learn how to find the strength to persevere. How to be more than survivors.
From him, we discover a core truth; there is always, always, a reason to live, to hope, and to fight. If not for yourself, for others. If not for your home, your family.
If not for anything else, for the ones who cannot fight themselves.
The Shattered Ones is not a tale to warn the generations of the consequences repeat sins. Nor is it a tale to feed the teenage desire for rebellion, a blanket story of morally gray good against blank-faced worse.
The Shattered Ones is a story of hope. Of learning to fight for hope and light… even if we think we don’t deserve it. Even if everything, including ourselves, are broken… or Shattered.
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So, What Can We Learn?
Where does that leave us, as writers? What fundamental elements of The Shattered Ones can we apply to our own tales?
It boils down to a few simple principles.
One: dystopian is more than a mere setting.
Dystopian stories are bleak, harsh places. Dystopian is a setting, yes, but too many writers treat it as only a setting. It’s a genre. It affects the theme, the arc, the plot. Unless you are willing to truly explore the dark, harsh questions that come with a dystopian setting, do not choose to have a dystopian setting because it “sounds cool”. You will only cheat your readers. Good dystopian has the very setting as an element the characters are battling against.
Two: Focus on the impact, not the plot.
Plot is important. But the impact of plot is what drives characters to change. In a sense, we do not care, as readers, if there is a car chase or an explosion or a Mexican standoff. Those, in of itself, are merely events and boring. It is the impact that we are on the edge of our seats for, even if that impact is as cut and dry as a character’s survival of the moment. By focusing on the impact, mentally and physically, we are drawn closer towards the human sides of the characters. We are more likely to root for them because we experience their emotions and struggles with them.
Three: The supporting cast should be vital
The Shattered Ones would lose drastic thematic strength without its well-rounded cast. By taking time to consider your side characters’ roles and strive to use them to enhance the themes and strengthen your character arcs, you leave less room for any characters to feel cardboard or wasted. The role side characters’ play is vital to story and character growth.
Four: Hope is not a given: it’s a fight
While we who are Christians find hope in Jesus Christ, we still have to battle the trenches of doubts, darkness, worries, and trials that try to steal that hope away. To quote the lyrics of the song “The Most Unfortunate Consequence”, “Hope is not a given– it’s a fight.” While we are still on earth, hope is not something that just “appears” or can be randomly pulled out to rally the troops on. Hope has to be fought for, believed in. If we do not fight for our belief in hope, we lose ground to despair. “Hope” should not be used in dystopians as a throwaway term, a vague light the characters are blindly following after: it’s a clear theme and concept they battle for, day in and day out.
Five: Don’t be afraid to try the slightly unusual.
Writers often lean on cliches and tropes out of fear that driving too far away may scare readers off. And while there are certain genre expectations with dystopian, you should by no means feel pressured to tell a certain story with your dystopian for the sake of making it more pleasing to people. Write a dystopian that scares people a little bit. Branch out beyond the stereotypical girlboss teen. Find the untold stories you can bring to light.
Just don’t forget to weave in a little light into your dark pages.
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I hope you enjoyed this messy analysis of Brigitte Cromey’s The Shattered Ones! To check out more from this author, head to https://wordsinmyblood.com. And if you already read the book, post your takeaways below! What did you admire about the story, and what parts of it spoke to you the most?
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a lovely week <3