What do you think?
Rate this book
Demolition Love
Welcome to the world's only independent society of teenagers. In D-town, there are three genders-guys, femmes, and in-betweens. And there are three rules:
1. Keep your blood to yourself.
2. Agreements between gangs are binding.
3. The Dance is safe space.
The Dance, D-town's all-night dance club, blasts a techno beat 24/7. The loud music protects the street kids from the sonic pulses the Global Government uses to control people's moods. D-town is the only place on earth where people are free to feel their own emotions, and The Dance is its heartbeat.
When the Global Government announces plans to demolish The Dance and turn it into a recycling center, two street kids from enemy gangs team up to stop them. Aidan is an in-between, a member of the middle gender. Lawson, on the other hand, is all guy. Aidan belongs to the pacifist, celibate Bee gang and follows the teachings of the Buddha. Lawson is a Real Dealer, a militant anarchist who doesn't seem to believe in anything except violence and instant gratification. The two gangs don't mix, but after Lawson saves Aidan from one of the frequent beatings Bees endure in D-town, Aidan can't stop thinking about him.
The demolition sign brings the pair together to save The Dance, but their attraction might just destroy D-town before the wrecking ball does. That is, if the spies who have infiltrated the gangs don't beat them to it.
1. Keep your blood to yourself.
2. Agreements between gangs are binding.
3. The Dance is safe space.
The Dance, D-town's all-night dance club, blasts a techno beat 24/7. The loud music protects the street kids from the sonic pulses the Global Government uses to control people's moods. D-town is the only place on earth where people are free to feel their own emotions, and The Dance is its heartbeat.
When the Global Government announces plans to demolish The Dance and turn it into a recycling center, two street kids from enemy gangs team up to stop them. Aidan is an in-between, a member of the middle gender. Lawson, on the other hand, is all guy. Aidan belongs to the pacifist, celibate Bee gang and follows the teachings of the Buddha. Lawson is a Real Dealer, a militant anarchist who doesn't seem to believe in anything except violence and instant gratification. The two gangs don't mix, but after Lawson saves Aidan from one of the frequent beatings Bees endure in D-town, Aidan can't stop thinking about him.
The demolition sign brings the pair together to save The Dance, but their attraction might just destroy D-town before the wrecking ball does. That is, if the spies who have infiltrated the gangs don't beat them to it.
- GenresDystopia
299 pages, Paperback
Published February 10, 2016
73 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 21, 2017
Demolition Love was nothing short of spectacular. The world of D-Town had depth and the tribal/class system of the teenagers running their own city immediately drew me into the story. I admit I didn't see many of the twists and turns coming, I was immersed.
The characters are so well constructed that I found myself thinking about them randomly when I wasn't reading. I'm still thinking about them. Good characters stick with you and I felt a deep connection to Aiden and Lawson, as well as many of the side characters, with Tab and Kylie being my favorites.
The story has a beautiful but painful message about the world, about the way we see each other and ourselves, about the way we love. Layla did an amazing job telling a heartfelt, gut-wrenching story.
[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own, be them good or bad]
The characters are so well constructed that I found myself thinking about them randomly when I wasn't reading. I'm still thinking about them. Good characters stick with you and I felt a deep connection to Aiden and Lawson, as well as many of the side characters, with Tab and Kylie being my favorites.
The story has a beautiful but painful message about the world, about the way we see each other and ourselves, about the way we love. Layla did an amazing job telling a heartfelt, gut-wrenching story.
[I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own, be them good or bad]
Read
February 20, 2019I can't rate this. I had to DNF. It's probably just me, but I tried to get into it and just couldn't. It's about kids trying to save what's left of their little town from the government that's taken over. Or so I got from what I read. Hopefully you guys may like it. Just not for me
October 17, 2017
So intense, i can't stop turning the pages. The characters are so real that you become them, feel them and cry for them. The author does not hold back in her story, so everything is heart-wrenchingly real. Words fail. Go read the book. :)
July 2, 2018
I would just like to say this: this book is not 'revolutionary' or 'trans and non-binary inclusive'. All the author has done is take our currently accepted rigid gender binary, and expand it, minutely, into an equally rigid gender trinary. In doing this she completely misunderstands what being non-binary means, and while it made me laugh at it's sheer ridiculousness, also made me feel uncomfortable and upset. This book didn't have to be bad. If only the author had put a little more time and effort into accurately portraying the types of people she was trying to portray.
The English language already has a gender neutral singular pronoun. It's 'they'. There wasn't a single reason that the 'in-betweens' in this book needed to be called 'that one'. It's demeaning.
As a non-binary person myself, I loved the prospect of being able to read a real published book with a non-binary main character. But. Unfortunately, instead of something I could have read with excitement and shared proudly with my queer friends, I got this. So all I have to say is: to all the people excited about trans inclusive dystopian lit- this really isn't the book you should settle for.
The English language already has a gender neutral singular pronoun. It's 'they'. There wasn't a single reason that the 'in-betweens' in this book needed to be called 'that one'. It's demeaning.
As a non-binary person myself, I loved the prospect of being able to read a real published book with a non-binary main character. But. Unfortunately, instead of something I could have read with excitement and shared proudly with my queer friends, I got this. So all I have to say is: to all the people excited about trans inclusive dystopian lit- this really isn't the book you should settle for.
November 12, 2016
This book has a gritty, realistic vibe to it. The teens in this book are fighters even Aidan. Although, from Aidan, I got this sense that he was more a lover then a fighter in a poetic way. Lawson on the other hand was the tough guy but in the end won the hearts of everyone.
Yet, despite my praises for this book and the two leading men, I found myself having a hard time connecting with the story for the first half to two-thirds of the way. It was like I know what I was reading and understood the events but just like that something that I read a moment ago or even in the last chapter I could not quite remember what all transpired in those few pages. However, as I stated the last little bit of this story was different. Everything came together and I was engaged to the point that I felt sadness and love at the same time by the end of the story. I would give this author another try in the future.
Yet, despite my praises for this book and the two leading men, I found myself having a hard time connecting with the story for the first half to two-thirds of the way. It was like I know what I was reading and understood the events but just like that something that I read a moment ago or even in the last chapter I could not quite remember what all transpired in those few pages. However, as I stated the last little bit of this story was different. Everything came together and I was engaged to the point that I felt sadness and love at the same time by the end of the story. I would give this author another try in the future.
June 19, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book. I had the chance to hear the author read an excerpt from Demolition Love before it came out, and it piqued my interest. I was totally drawn into the alternate reality of the Dance. There are a lot of dystopian novels out there, but I feel like this one did a great job of building on our existing world and showing how easily totalitarian control can sneak in, and how resistance remains a daily practice. It struck me as a heartbreakingly cruel world for teens to inhabit, and the characters’ loves and struggles were all too real. I also really liked the way Láyla plays with gender in this book, adding a third gender of In Betweens. This is definitely a good read that will give you lots to think about!
January 31, 2026
Aidan is an in-between, a member of the middle gender. Lawson, on the other hand, is all guy. Aidan belongs to the pacifist, celibate Bee gang and follows the teachings of the Buddha. Lawson is a Real Dealer, a militant anarchist who doesn’t seem to believe in anything except violence and instant gratification. The two gangs don't mix, but after Lawson saves Aidan from one of the frequent beatings Bees endure in D-town, Aidan can’t stop thinking about him.
The demolition sign brings the pair together to save The Dance, but their attraction might just destroy D-town before the wrecking ball does. That is, if the spies who have infiltrated the gangs don’t beat them to it.
The demolition sign brings the pair together to save The Dance, but their attraction might just destroy D-town before the wrecking ball does. That is, if the spies who have infiltrated the gangs don’t beat them to it.
February 5, 2019
This was an interesting book, but in the end its a failure, I think. I get what the author wanted to do, but this trip was not worth its payoff I think.
January 9, 2020
Felt like I couldn't get fully into the book and towards the end felt like it was really dragging on and came to a weird unhappy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2017
Frankly not at all sure about this book. I don't usually read this type of thing, mostly because I'm old fashioned and tend to like realism.
I've given it only 3 at the moment because I started reading only today.
It's obviously about an imagined society; I've yet to see the point of it; probably most of the reason I seldom read fantasy.
I'll comment further when I've read a chunk.
- - - -
Read about a year .
Seems to be about a future era when most of society appears to be broken.
Narrative is exchanged between first persons and is about teenage males, females and 'inbetweens'.
The writing appears to be in some form of teenage language.
Just not my kind of book.
- . - . - . - ._
OK, finally finished the book and changed my mind about it. It's difficult commenting about something one hasn't experienced before. Although having read Layla's account I can well understand the background to the story,
I recommend you read it; it will be a new experience for you. Read about Layla herself first, you might understand better.
The narrative becomes clearer after half way and the denouement is appropriate. I can actually see such things happening in a future USA..
I've given it only 3 at the moment because I started reading only today.
It's obviously about an imagined society; I've yet to see the point of it; probably most of the reason I seldom read fantasy.
I'll comment further when I've read a chunk.
- - - -
Read about a year .
Seems to be about a future era when most of society appears to be broken.
Narrative is exchanged between first persons and is about teenage males, females and 'inbetweens'.
The writing appears to be in some form of teenage language.
Just not my kind of book.
- . - . - . - ._
OK, finally finished the book and changed my mind about it. It's difficult commenting about something one hasn't experienced before. Although having read Layla's account I can well understand the background to the story,
I recommend you read it; it will be a new experience for you. Read about Layla herself first, you might understand better.
The narrative becomes clearer after half way and the denouement is appropriate. I can actually see such things happening in a future USA..
December 27, 2020
Good plot
Hard to understand and follow with many of the made up terms. Many were not explained and there was much confusion trying to grasp those names that clouded over the plot and storyline. It was a good, frustrating read.
Hard to understand and follow with many of the made up terms. Many were not explained and there was much confusion trying to grasp those names that clouded over the plot and storyline. It was a good, frustrating read.
April 19, 2017
While a dystopian romance is nothing new, this one is done very well. The worldbuilding is very interesting, and the characters develop throughout the book. It's not a happy story, but it's interesting.
I especially liked the added in-betweens, Androgynous people. Our main character Aiden, is one of them. Nowhere in this book is their sex revealed, keeping only to their gender of in-between. I'll have to admit that in my head, I felt they were female. Another reviewer called them male. But for the story, it doesn't matter what sex Aiden had, and I especially like that.
I especially liked the added in-betweens, Androgynous people. Our main character Aiden, is one of them. Nowhere in this book is their sex revealed, keeping only to their gender of in-between. I'll have to admit that in my head, I felt they were female. Another reviewer called them male. But for the story, it doesn't matter what sex Aiden had, and I especially like that.
May 21, 2019
Good plot
Hard to understand and follow with many of the made up terms. Many were not explained and there was much confusion trying to grasp those names that clouded over the plot and storyline. It was a good, frustrating read.
Hard to understand and follow with many of the made up terms. Many were not explained and there was much confusion trying to grasp those names that clouded over the plot and storyline. It was a good, frustrating read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews