Genre

THRILLER, ROMANCE, MATURE AUDIENCE

Brief

Couple is having problems in their relationship, they find out they’re both secret agents, and end up working together against their agencies. They win and live happily ever after. In a future where humanity must live in domed cities to survive, humans also have a unique biology where there are dominant Alphas, rare Omegas, and middling Betas. Alphas seek to dominate and mate with Omegas, who live in hiding to protect themselves. One young Omega seeks out help from a ruling Alpha, only to end up claimed, raped, and locked away by him. She briefly escapes and tries to help change the city, but she’s recaptured and impregnated before running away again.

Overall Rating

FAIR

Point of View

THIRD PERSON

Narrative Elements

Authors Writing Style: FAIR

Characterization: FAIR

Commerciality: FAIR

Franchise Potential: FAIR

Pace: GOOD

Premise: FAIR

Structure: GOOD

Theme: FAIR

Accuracy of Book Profile

It is accurate.

Draw of Story

The world of domed cities to escape a plague and/or climate change is really intriguing, and it’s a great way to draw an audience into the book. It’s a unique visual that could be very cinematic, and it sets this apart from so much dystopian literature. It makes this truly feel like its own world, so the audience is wholly transported somewhere new. Though the political workings of the city are sometimes unclear, they have a lot of potential, and they could be easily developed more in a manner than would generate a lot of conversation around an adaptation.

Possible Drawbacks

A good deal of the book focuses on nonconsensual sex scenes, which can be difficult to stomach. This is not to suggest that rape can’t or shouldn’t be included, but they’re explicit, lengthy scenes in which Claire is forced to give in because of her biology. It often feels like nothing is hers to control, which is frustrating and disheartening. Because so many of the pages and plot itself is dedicated to these scenes, it often feels as though this element is being celebrated — which presumably is the norm for the genre. It’s challenging to see past this in moments, as the plot otherwise is rather abbreviated and a bit repetitive.

Use of Special Effects

THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS

Primary Hook of Story

The unique world is the best hook for a movie adaptation of the book, and it’s a compelling way to include some soft sci-fi elements. The biological elements of the society, a kind of secondary “gender,” is also intriguing, and it raises interesting questions about agency and selfhood.

Fanbase Potential

It’s not entirely clear what the audience would be for an adaptation of the book, as it’s not romantic erotica and is indeed very, very dark. The series appears to be a bestseller, though, so there clearly is a fanbase that would likely support any show or film. The difficulty would like in censorship and the ratings system, which tends to discourage explicit sex. Streaming services could show promise in this way.

Awards Potential

Due to the genre, it’s unlikely an adaptation would have traditional awards potential.

Envisioned Budget

MEDIUM BUDGET

Similar Films/TV Series

FOREVER PEOPLE, TWILIGHT

What’s New About the Story

The Alpha/Beta/Omega biological element of this story is unique to published literature, though it is also seen in “fan fiction” works. As mentioned, the domed world is unique, and the focus on a non consensual but unavoidable relationship is also original. Further focus on the ins and outs of this world, and firmly grounding the audience in it, would help it to stand out more.

Lead Characters

Claire’s characterization could be fleshed out more. We know that she’s fiercely loyal and determined to save her people, which is fantastic. However, this largely falls by the wayside for most of the book. She spends a good deal of time imprisoned, and then she’s frequently saved by men. It’s great that she runs away, and any moments like this really enhance her agency — which could be pushed even further. Giving her more to do than be an unwilling participant to sex would better serve her character. Shepherd has good bones, but he reads as fairly onenote right now. He’s controlling and cruel, and there are only bare glimpses of a real human under there. This is of course somewhat purposeful, but it’s not quite working. His backstory and rationale is also very reminiscent of the character Bane as portrayed in The Dark Knight Rises. Separating Shepherd from this so he’s his own man, so to speak, would help him to shine as a true co-lead.

Uniqueness of Story

The world is unique in many ways, which is great in theory. There might be almost too much originality, as the dystopian world is somewhat at odds to the biological differences. There’s a lot for an audience to take in and attempt to understand, which makes it difficult to suspend disbelief. Simplifying one or the other would make for a cleaner narrative overall, and would likely be necessary in an adaptation.

Possible Formats

Film: Streaming TV Series: Streaming

Analyst Recommendation

WORK IN PROGRESS

Justification

The world is a bit too complicated in its current state, and there’s so much new information that it’s almost at war with itself. The characters often read as flat, and they don’t inspire much loyalty or empathy as a result. The plot is repetitive, and features a great deal of the same type sof scenes featured again and again. The ending is also abrupt, and it might be nice if we knew some of what Claire was planning. The biological element also often feels very misogynistic, as female agency is largely removed. This is an interesting thing to play around with but it could perhaps be handled with more nuance.

Tips for Improvement

Fleshing out the rules of this world a bit more would help a great deal, as well as focusing on either the dystopian element or the Alpha/Beta/Omega element. Both are interesting, to be clear, but it’s not clear what they have to do with one another. It’s difficult to suspend disbelief for both, as they don’t connect other than happening in the same place at the same time. Asking the audience to accept too many unbelievable things at the same time can lead to confusion or frustration. Claire is not a very relatable heroine, and she doesn’t have much of a motivation throughout the book. First she wants to not starve, then she wants to escape. It’s not these aren’t understandable, but they’re not very compelling. We’re not quite deep enough in her perspective, and part of this might be because of the reader’s accidental disconnect due to the frequent scenes of rape. The sex scenes are also physically uncomfortable to imagine, in particular due to the use of the word “womb” to describe Claire’s vagina. As mentioned above, Claire has moments where she’s powerful and compelling, and building on those (and expanding them) will go a long way. Knowing what she’s planning to do, rather than being surprised by it every time, will invite the audience to be more along for the ride.