Search
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
If sin were visible, what would the world be like? That is the premise of this brand new, original historical novel by Dan Vyletta. Bordering on steam-punk, <i>Smoke</i> is set in a Victorian England unlike any version ever documented before. Instead of an era of peace and posterity, it is full of wickedness and chaos. For an unexplained reason whenever a human acts with malicious intention or has a sinful thought their body emits a plume of smoke, staining their clothes and surrounding area with a coating of soot.
The story begins in an Oxford boarding school where two friends, Thomas and Charlie, are being taught that Smoke is bad and that they must learn to control it. However during the Christmas holidays, which both boys spend at a prodigious manor, they discover alternative views regarding Smoke, and are spooked by the Lady Naylor’s fascination. With their lives in sudden danger, Thomas and Charlie, along with Livia – Lady Naylor’s daughter – flee with the knowledge of a sinister, scientific intent that they do not understand.
From this point onwards the tale becomes darker and much more violent as the three friends try to work out Livia’s mother’s plans and endeavor to prevent her from carrying them out. All the while they are trying to deal with the effects of Smoke, which they have long given up trying to suppress.
Written from a large variety of viewpoints, <i>Smoke</i> is full of mystery and suspense, making it difficult to work out whom to trust. The reader has the same amount of knowledge as the protagonists and thus comes to the same conclusions at the same time, making reader and character feel like they are working together to identify the unknown.
It is unclear whether this is a young adult novel or intended for older readers. The key characters are only sixteen and are a trio of friends – two boys and a girl – which is something that since the dawn of <i>Harry Potter</i> has become fairly common place in YA literature. Also, Lady Naylor is reminiscent of the antagonist in Philip Pullman’s <i>His Dark Materials</i>. On the other hand, the language, whilst fitting for the time period, is far too formal to flow in a way that a book for teenagers would expect. There is also no attempt to sugarcoat or conceal the violence that takes place throughout a large section of the novel.
<i>Smoke</i> gets off to a shaky start leaving the reader feeling bewildered. The idea of Smoke and soot is not introduced in a clear manner, instead being thrown out there where everyone has to try and find the author’s wavelength and pick up the pieces as they go. Once the action begins – the escape from the manor – the story picks up the pace and becomes far more exciting before, sadly, diminishing into a confusing, violent jumble of a narrative that is tedious to try and follow. The conclusion, unfortunately, is also unclear, providing more questions that it actually solves.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. At times I enjoyed it, yet it also felt a chore to read. I found the concept rather confusing, unresolved and, on the whole, disappointing. <i>Smoke </i>is not a book I would easily recommend to anyone; even those who I know enjoy this particular genre. To be perfectly honest, I am glad I have finished it and do not need to read it anymore.
If sin were visible, what would the world be like? That is the premise of this brand new, original historical novel by Dan Vyletta. Bordering on steam-punk, <i>Smoke</i> is set in a Victorian England unlike any version ever documented before. Instead of an era of peace and posterity, it is full of wickedness and chaos. For an unexplained reason whenever a human acts with malicious intention or has a sinful thought their body emits a plume of smoke, staining their clothes and surrounding area with a coating of soot.
The story begins in an Oxford boarding school where two friends, Thomas and Charlie, are being taught that Smoke is bad and that they must learn to control it. However during the Christmas holidays, which both boys spend at a prodigious manor, they discover alternative views regarding Smoke, and are spooked by the Lady Naylor’s fascination. With their lives in sudden danger, Thomas and Charlie, along with Livia – Lady Naylor’s daughter – flee with the knowledge of a sinister, scientific intent that they do not understand.
From this point onwards the tale becomes darker and much more violent as the three friends try to work out Livia’s mother’s plans and endeavor to prevent her from carrying them out. All the while they are trying to deal with the effects of Smoke, which they have long given up trying to suppress.
Written from a large variety of viewpoints, <i>Smoke</i> is full of mystery and suspense, making it difficult to work out whom to trust. The reader has the same amount of knowledge as the protagonists and thus comes to the same conclusions at the same time, making reader and character feel like they are working together to identify the unknown.
It is unclear whether this is a young adult novel or intended for older readers. The key characters are only sixteen and are a trio of friends – two boys and a girl – which is something that since the dawn of <i>Harry Potter</i> has become fairly common place in YA literature. Also, Lady Naylor is reminiscent of the antagonist in Philip Pullman’s <i>His Dark Materials</i>. On the other hand, the language, whilst fitting for the time period, is far too formal to flow in a way that a book for teenagers would expect. There is also no attempt to sugarcoat or conceal the violence that takes place throughout a large section of the novel.
<i>Smoke</i> gets off to a shaky start leaving the reader feeling bewildered. The idea of Smoke and soot is not introduced in a clear manner, instead being thrown out there where everyone has to try and find the author’s wavelength and pick up the pieces as they go. Once the action begins – the escape from the manor – the story picks up the pace and becomes far more exciting before, sadly, diminishing into a confusing, violent jumble of a narrative that is tedious to try and follow. The conclusion, unfortunately, is also unclear, providing more questions that it actually solves.
I have very mixed feelings about this book. At times I enjoyed it, yet it also felt a chore to read. I found the concept rather confusing, unresolved and, on the whole, disappointing. <i>Smoke </i>is not a book I would easily recommend to anyone; even those who I know enjoy this particular genre. To be perfectly honest, I am glad I have finished it and do not need to read it anymore.
Pretty in Black: Pretty in Black Book 1
Book
On the day of her death, a seventeen year old cheerleader meets a vampire in the cemetery who saves...
fantasy young adult
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Strange the Dreamer in Books
Mar 23, 2018
A dreamy read
When I first started reading Strange the Dreamer my first feeling was that I was in for something special. I have never read a Laini Taylor book before and I was immediately struck by her use of language and the writing style is almost musical with a lilting flow. The language is mature in nature and very different from what you would normally expect in a YA read. The story itself is told in 3rd person but moves between the two main characters, Lazlo and Sarai. Lazlo is a wonderful character, quiet and unnasuming but full of wild dreams about the lost city of Weep. The stories that fuelled his play as a young child become his lifes work as an adult, channeling his time into learning all he can of the city from scraps left behind in the library he finds as his workplace. He is wonderfully earnest, yet there is a fire in him – so when a delegation arrives that promises an answer to his dreams he comes out from his shadow, his lifes work given meaning. Sarai is also in a strange form of existence, one of only 5 surviving children of the citadel of Weep her life is sheltered and borderline to poverty. As with all children of the citadel, she has a power passed down from her parents, Sarai holds the power of dreams but as the daughter of the Godess of Despair her world becomes one of never ending nightmare.
When Sarai’s and Lazlo’s worlds collide within their dreams they start to unravel the truth behind all that took place in Weep and a mystery that has haunted both the residents of Weep iteslf and those who remain in the citadel. The world building is beautiful, the story is quite a slow burn, providing you with the minimal amount of information that you need to form a picture of what is happening. This makes the reveals all the more satisfying and really gives you a chance to understand the world and appriciate the depth of thought put into its creation.
The only downside to this approach is that for the most part I felt that the side characters got left behind. Whist time was spent on the others within the Citadel, I felt that those who were met by Lazlo during his journey were almost a side thought and they appeared just enough to progress the story. There were some members of Lazlo’s party that I was desperate to find out more about, and I felt that there was plenty of opportunity within the 500+ pages to accommodate this as some parts could have done with a little trimming; the delicious slowness treading a very fine line between frustratingly dull at times. There is a second book in the works, so maybe these characters may get there turn then, but from the ending i’m not sure that they will.
In summary I found Strange the Dreamer to be a wonderful read if not a little slow at times. It was so beautifully different to the fantasy I have been reading recently and I give this 4*
When Sarai’s and Lazlo’s worlds collide within their dreams they start to unravel the truth behind all that took place in Weep and a mystery that has haunted both the residents of Weep iteslf and those who remain in the citadel. The world building is beautiful, the story is quite a slow burn, providing you with the minimal amount of information that you need to form a picture of what is happening. This makes the reveals all the more satisfying and really gives you a chance to understand the world and appriciate the depth of thought put into its creation.
The only downside to this approach is that for the most part I felt that the side characters got left behind. Whist time was spent on the others within the Citadel, I felt that those who were met by Lazlo during his journey were almost a side thought and they appeared just enough to progress the story. There were some members of Lazlo’s party that I was desperate to find out more about, and I felt that there was plenty of opportunity within the 500+ pages to accommodate this as some parts could have done with a little trimming; the delicious slowness treading a very fine line between frustratingly dull at times. There is a second book in the works, so maybe these characters may get there turn then, but from the ending i’m not sure that they will.
In summary I found Strange the Dreamer to be a wonderful read if not a little slow at times. It was so beautifully different to the fantasy I have been reading recently and I give this 4*
Christina Haynes (148 KP) rated A Shiver of Snow and Sky in Books
Feb 10, 2018
A SHIVER OF SNOW AND SKY By Lisa Lueddecke
Contains spoilers, click to show
A SHIVER OF SNOW AND SKY
LISA LUEDDECKE
341
YA / FANTASY
Sypnosis:
On the frozen island of Skane, the sky speaks. Beautiful lights appear on clear nights and their colours having meanings: Green means all is well, and the Goodness is happy. Blue means a snowstorm is on the way. And then there's red. Red is rare. A warning.
Seventeen years ago the sky turned red just as Osa was born, unleashing a plague that claimed the lives of hundreds of villagers, including her own mother. This time, when the night sky once again bleeds crimson, she must discover how to stop the onslaught before so many lives are lost again.
Main characters:
- Osa
- Ivar
Main events:
Osa and Ivar go to visit the caves after they see the red lights appear in the sky. In the caves they try and find out if there is any writing that explains about the red lights and the Goddess. Whilst there they figure out that they will find the Goddess up in the mountains. Osa decides that's where she must go.
Returning from the caves they encounter the Or. Who are invaders from another land. Many years before Osa, her ancestors were driven away from their land of Loska and found sanctuary on the island of Skane. - Because of this they hate the Or.
Both Osa and Ivar fight the Or and win, they return back to their village and inform everyone that the Or are back. This is when Osa tells them she is going to find the Goddess in the mountains and ask for her help. Because they can't fight the Or and survive the red sky.
The rest of the story is about Osa finding the Goddess and Ivar helping to train the village to fight the incoming invasion of the Or.
Most exciting part:
When you reach the Goddess in the mountains.
My favourite part:
If I tell you, I'll spoil it. But it has to be when she returns to the village on a dragon!
My summary:
I really loved the story. I loved the idea of how simple it was yet so filling. I love how each chapter was different, one would be with Ivar in the village. And one with Osa on her journey. How both characters care and love eachother but will never tell the other character until the end. It wasn't a love story that dragged. But it featured a small amount of love just to give it a real feel.
You go with Osa to the mountains, feeling her pain of her father and sisters hate towards her and the blame of her mother's death. To her determination to reach the mountains and overcome any obstacles she encounters along the way.
The ending is truly wonderful.
Red, red the lights glow red, beware of the danger up ahead.
My Review:
I loved this book. I can't wait for the sister book next year.
Red are the lights that darken in the stars, and cold of the days that follow.
Frightened are those who have seen a red sky, that means there won't be a tomorrow.
Fear is a beast that wants darkest of nights, and Swallows and Minds one by one,
But hope is a light that takes root in the heart and can grow to be strong as the sun.
Rating:
4 ★ – I REALLY LIKED IT
Love, Christina ?
LISA LUEDDECKE
341
YA / FANTASY
Sypnosis:
On the frozen island of Skane, the sky speaks. Beautiful lights appear on clear nights and their colours having meanings: Green means all is well, and the Goodness is happy. Blue means a snowstorm is on the way. And then there's red. Red is rare. A warning.
Seventeen years ago the sky turned red just as Osa was born, unleashing a plague that claimed the lives of hundreds of villagers, including her own mother. This time, when the night sky once again bleeds crimson, she must discover how to stop the onslaught before so many lives are lost again.
Main characters:
- Osa
- Ivar
Main events:
Osa and Ivar go to visit the caves after they see the red lights appear in the sky. In the caves they try and find out if there is any writing that explains about the red lights and the Goddess. Whilst there they figure out that they will find the Goddess up in the mountains. Osa decides that's where she must go.
Returning from the caves they encounter the Or. Who are invaders from another land. Many years before Osa, her ancestors were driven away from their land of Loska and found sanctuary on the island of Skane. - Because of this they hate the Or.
Both Osa and Ivar fight the Or and win, they return back to their village and inform everyone that the Or are back. This is when Osa tells them she is going to find the Goddess in the mountains and ask for her help. Because they can't fight the Or and survive the red sky.
The rest of the story is about Osa finding the Goddess and Ivar helping to train the village to fight the incoming invasion of the Or.
Most exciting part:
When you reach the Goddess in the mountains.
My favourite part:
If I tell you, I'll spoil it. But it has to be when she returns to the village on a dragon!
My summary:
I really loved the story. I loved the idea of how simple it was yet so filling. I love how each chapter was different, one would be with Ivar in the village. And one with Osa on her journey. How both characters care and love eachother but will never tell the other character until the end. It wasn't a love story that dragged. But it featured a small amount of love just to give it a real feel.
You go with Osa to the mountains, feeling her pain of her father and sisters hate towards her and the blame of her mother's death. To her determination to reach the mountains and overcome any obstacles she encounters along the way.
The ending is truly wonderful.
Red, red the lights glow red, beware of the danger up ahead.
My Review:
I loved this book. I can't wait for the sister book next year.
Red are the lights that darken in the stars, and cold of the days that follow.
Frightened are those who have seen a red sky, that means there won't be a tomorrow.
Fear is a beast that wants darkest of nights, and Swallows and Minds one by one,
But hope is a light that takes root in the heart and can grow to be strong as the sun.
Rating:
4 ★ – I REALLY LIKED IT
Love, Christina ?
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated The Once and Future Witches in Books
Sep 20, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley for luring me in with this recommendation and the gorgeous cover art. Thank you to Alix E Harrow for providing such an amazing story for this ARC review. All the opinions expressed below are my own.
"Witches and women's rights. Suffrage and spells. They're both...a kind of power...the kind we're not allowed to have."
I'm not often drawn to books involving witches to be honest. I love an annual viewing of Hocus Pocus (who doesn't?!) but that is usually where the affinity ends.
If anything can change my nonchalance, I suspect it may be Alix E. Harrow. This is the first piece of work I have read by the Hugo award winning writer and I don’t need any tarot cards to predict it will not be the last. From the outset of The Once and Future Witches I was hooked: the worldbuilding alone is amazing; you can immediately picture the mills, avenues, squares and slums of New Salem as well as the mysterious tower that pulls our three main characters together.
The three Eastwood sisters themselves are another work of art. Juniper, Agnes and Bella are fierce, formidable women in wildly different ways. They are also flawed, stubborn and quite frankly, inspirational: by linking women’s rights and witchcraft this fantasy novel suddenly becomes more real and relatable to the modern female reader, despite being set in 1893. We empathise, sympathise and rage right alongside the Eastwood sisters on their quest for equality in a male-controlled world.
However, not even witches can act alone and the Eastwood sisters have an amazing cast of supporting characters surrounding them. Impressively, not a single one of these characters can be accused of being two-dimensional: the character development that Harrow has invested into this novel is incredible and must have taken so much work! From the Suffragette’s secretary to the skin-crawling villain to the women and men fighting (and witching) side by side; every single character is substantial and memorable. The sarcasm within Juniper for example is hilarious and even the traditional figures of the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone refuse to conform to stereotypes: I LOVED it!
The format of this novel is very clever and practically forbids you from becoming too comfortable by peppering the main story with “witch-tales”. These complement rather than distract from the storyline and also provide small changes that make you smile – such as the tales of the Sisters Grimm.
Do not be fooled though: the use of witch-tales does not prevent The Once and Future Witches from being an incredibly modern piece of writing. Topics covered include sexuality, gender identity, feminism, race as well as smashing the patriarchy: all interspersed with magic, betrayal and a hell of a lot of emotion.
I would however argue that some topics are slightly too mature for the novel to be considered YA, the description of torture and suggestions of sexual abuse probably push this book firmly into general/adult fantasy fiction novels.
The Once and Future Witches is a future bestseller in my opinion. This unique, powerful novel provides characters that you can’t help but empathise with; slow-burning, intense relationships; the trials and tribulations that come with sisterhood and plot twists at every turn.
This book will swallow you heart and soul, make you laugh, make you cry and leave you bereft at the end.
It is a must read!
"Witches and women's rights. Suffrage and spells. They're both...a kind of power...the kind we're not allowed to have."
I'm not often drawn to books involving witches to be honest. I love an annual viewing of Hocus Pocus (who doesn't?!) but that is usually where the affinity ends.
If anything can change my nonchalance, I suspect it may be Alix E. Harrow. This is the first piece of work I have read by the Hugo award winning writer and I don’t need any tarot cards to predict it will not be the last. From the outset of The Once and Future Witches I was hooked: the worldbuilding alone is amazing; you can immediately picture the mills, avenues, squares and slums of New Salem as well as the mysterious tower that pulls our three main characters together.
The three Eastwood sisters themselves are another work of art. Juniper, Agnes and Bella are fierce, formidable women in wildly different ways. They are also flawed, stubborn and quite frankly, inspirational: by linking women’s rights and witchcraft this fantasy novel suddenly becomes more real and relatable to the modern female reader, despite being set in 1893. We empathise, sympathise and rage right alongside the Eastwood sisters on their quest for equality in a male-controlled world.
However, not even witches can act alone and the Eastwood sisters have an amazing cast of supporting characters surrounding them. Impressively, not a single one of these characters can be accused of being two-dimensional: the character development that Harrow has invested into this novel is incredible and must have taken so much work! From the Suffragette’s secretary to the skin-crawling villain to the women and men fighting (and witching) side by side; every single character is substantial and memorable. The sarcasm within Juniper for example is hilarious and even the traditional figures of the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone refuse to conform to stereotypes: I LOVED it!
The format of this novel is very clever and practically forbids you from becoming too comfortable by peppering the main story with “witch-tales”. These complement rather than distract from the storyline and also provide small changes that make you smile – such as the tales of the Sisters Grimm.
Do not be fooled though: the use of witch-tales does not prevent The Once and Future Witches from being an incredibly modern piece of writing. Topics covered include sexuality, gender identity, feminism, race as well as smashing the patriarchy: all interspersed with magic, betrayal and a hell of a lot of emotion.
I would however argue that some topics are slightly too mature for the novel to be considered YA, the description of torture and suggestions of sexual abuse probably push this book firmly into general/adult fantasy fiction novels.
The Once and Future Witches is a future bestseller in my opinion. This unique, powerful novel provides characters that you can’t help but empathise with; slow-burning, intense relationships; the trials and tribulations that come with sisterhood and plot twists at every turn.
This book will swallow you heart and soul, make you laugh, make you cry and leave you bereft at the end.
It is a must read!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto by Eric Luper
Genre: YA Fiction
ISBN: 9780061827532
Published: June 1st 2010 by Balzer + Bray
Rating: 4
Seth hasn’t had such a great love life in the past few weeks. His girlfriend dumped him, he saw his father with another woman, and he’s having some friendship problems with his best friend… add to that the fact that his father wants him to win a golf tournament that he really doesn’t care about, he can’t keep a job, and the most unexpected girl on earth starts having feelings for him. Seth starts an anonymous podcast with music and his opinions called The Love Manifesto where he talks about what love is, why we want it, and why we’re stupid enough to keep coming back for more… and he finds some pretty interesting things about love, friendship, family, and himself.
Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto (and I thought my last name was hard to pronounce) was a fun read. It drew me in right away with the writing style and the witty characters. I loved the characters. Up until the end I wasn’t quite sure I really liked Seth that much, because he was doing some pretty stupid things… but in the end when he got his head back on straight and started making the right choices, I saw that he really wasn’t too bad after all. His best friend Dimitri was hilarious (I think he was my favorite… the description on the back of the book of “smut-minded” is pretty accurate.) and his sister Audrey was my kind of gal. You got to love Audrey. Obnoxious, sarcastic, but sweet on her man in subtle ways, and a very good kisser.
The plot was great: it had drama, mystery, and emotion without getting sappy or melodramatic. It takes the reader on quite a ride, so you don’t quite know who the good guy is, and you feel bad for Seth, but it’s not too depressing either.
Although Luper didn’t quite explain or define “love,” he did show it in the characters actions by the end of the story. Even though I was hoping for something a little deeper, he did end the story well and I was satisfied after finishing.
Good writing, great character, fun plot, awesome ending, (and I love the mp3-player cover!) this one will pull you in and keep you hooked from the first page to the last.
Content/recommendation: Some language and sexual innuendoes. Ages 15+
This review is copyright 2010 to Haley Mathiot and Night Owl Reviews.
Genre: YA Fiction
ISBN: 9780061827532
Published: June 1st 2010 by Balzer + Bray
Rating: 4
Seth hasn’t had such a great love life in the past few weeks. His girlfriend dumped him, he saw his father with another woman, and he’s having some friendship problems with his best friend… add to that the fact that his father wants him to win a golf tournament that he really doesn’t care about, he can’t keep a job, and the most unexpected girl on earth starts having feelings for him. Seth starts an anonymous podcast with music and his opinions called The Love Manifesto where he talks about what love is, why we want it, and why we’re stupid enough to keep coming back for more… and he finds some pretty interesting things about love, friendship, family, and himself.
Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto (and I thought my last name was hard to pronounce) was a fun read. It drew me in right away with the writing style and the witty characters. I loved the characters. Up until the end I wasn’t quite sure I really liked Seth that much, because he was doing some pretty stupid things… but in the end when he got his head back on straight and started making the right choices, I saw that he really wasn’t too bad after all. His best friend Dimitri was hilarious (I think he was my favorite… the description on the back of the book of “smut-minded” is pretty accurate.) and his sister Audrey was my kind of gal. You got to love Audrey. Obnoxious, sarcastic, but sweet on her man in subtle ways, and a very good kisser.
The plot was great: it had drama, mystery, and emotion without getting sappy or melodramatic. It takes the reader on quite a ride, so you don’t quite know who the good guy is, and you feel bad for Seth, but it’s not too depressing either.
Although Luper didn’t quite explain or define “love,” he did show it in the characters actions by the end of the story. Even though I was hoping for something a little deeper, he did end the story well and I was satisfied after finishing.
Good writing, great character, fun plot, awesome ending, (and I love the mp3-player cover!) this one will pull you in and keep you hooked from the first page to the last.
Content/recommendation: Some language and sexual innuendoes. Ages 15+
This review is copyright 2010 to Haley Mathiot and Night Owl Reviews.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Ghost Boy in Books
Jun 24, 2019
Another young adult novel, following an 11-year-old boy. His name is Ben, and he sees ghosts. Well, spirits, and only a few. Mainly, he sees Abby, a girl of his own age. His mother views his ability as a 'gift', but his father thinks he's crazy. He gets angry when Ben talks about Abby as if she's real, and tries several methods to rid Ben of his spirits.
Ben goes through a lot in this novel, from his cousin losing his foot, his father sending him to a shrink, being caught graffiti-ing, and being beaten up for standing up to a bully. And more! These things are mostly nothing to do with Abby or Ben's ability to see the dead, but there are some connections. In one case, Ben actually exorcises a 'dybbuk' from a stranger on a beach.
It is clear that Ben is desperate for his father's approval. He attempts daring and foolish stunts designed to impress him, and he ends up lying about taking anti-psychotic medication just to please him. His mother often stands up for Ben, but this causes h er to fight with his father. Ben's sister is rarely mentioned, and does not seem to make any comments on Ben's ability - if she even knows about it.
A lot of this book felt like it was completely disconnected to the main plot; it felt a bit like a generic YA fiction novel at times. The plot revolving around Abby seemed to disappear for a while, before being re-introduced.
The plot with Abby was actually very interesting. I had my hunches from relatively early on, but it wasn't overly obvious or predictable. I did find it a bit strange how Ben believed he had a romantic interest in her at one point, and the 'solution' she suggests is also a bit strange... But it was unique and innovative, that's for sure. I'm intrigued to know where Abby got her name from, as it is later revealed that her mother referred to her as Eliza.
Ben's exorcising ability was not explained or developed upon at all, and there was no other mention of/reference to dybbuks or similar demons. This was a bit of a shame, as that was an interesting aspect.
As Ben was quite a young protagonist, I do believe I am a bit too old to actually really appreciate this. The writing definitely seemed more suited to a slightly younger audience, but wasn't overly immature. I'd definitely recommend this for slightly younger readers. I noticed a few mistakes, but only generic typos. 3.5 stars.
Ben goes through a lot in this novel, from his cousin losing his foot, his father sending him to a shrink, being caught graffiti-ing, and being beaten up for standing up to a bully. And more! These things are mostly nothing to do with Abby or Ben's ability to see the dead, but there are some connections. In one case, Ben actually exorcises a 'dybbuk' from a stranger on a beach.
It is clear that Ben is desperate for his father's approval. He attempts daring and foolish stunts designed to impress him, and he ends up lying about taking anti-psychotic medication just to please him. His mother often stands up for Ben, but this causes h er to fight with his father. Ben's sister is rarely mentioned, and does not seem to make any comments on Ben's ability - if she even knows about it.
A lot of this book felt like it was completely disconnected to the main plot; it felt a bit like a generic YA fiction novel at times. The plot revolving around Abby seemed to disappear for a while, before being re-introduced.
The plot with Abby was actually very interesting. I had my hunches from relatively early on, but it wasn't overly obvious or predictable. I did find it a bit strange how Ben believed he had a romantic interest in her at one point, and the 'solution' she suggests is also a bit strange... But it was unique and innovative, that's for sure. I'm intrigued to know where Abby got her name from, as it is later revealed that her mother referred to her as Eliza.
Ben's exorcising ability was not explained or developed upon at all, and there was no other mention of/reference to dybbuks or similar demons. This was a bit of a shame, as that was an interesting aspect.
As Ben was quite a young protagonist, I do believe I am a bit too old to actually really appreciate this. The writing definitely seemed more suited to a slightly younger audience, but wasn't overly immature. I'd definitely recommend this for slightly younger readers. I noticed a few mistakes, but only generic typos. 3.5 stars.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Unraveling (Unraveling, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Within the first ten pages of <i>Unraveling</i>, the main character, Janelle Tenner, dies from a runaway pick-up. A fellow student from her school, Ben Michaels, revives her and then runs off before she fully awakens. Convinced there's more than meets the eye with Ben, Janelle won't give up trying to figure out how and what he did to her and why she isn't dead, even facing her best friend's refusal to believe she died and Ben's denial of ever resurrecting her. As she pieces together that puzzle, Janelle plays detective on a case her F.B.I. agent father is working on, by rifling through top secret files and eavesdropping, that involves a mysterious countdown and people dying of radiation poisoning, which are somehow connected to the man behind the wheel of the vehicle that hit her and possibly even to Ben as well.
The author did a great job setting up the story with a slow build that introduces Janelle's life, both at home and at school, along with any free time she may have, and accelerates once it hits the halfway point until it reaches the book's climactic ending. In particular, the development of her home life was interesting and had depth. She has a mother who's bi-polar and not "there" most of the time and a father who seemingly avoids dealing with the realities of his wife's mental illness by being a workaholic, so all the household responsibilities fall on Janelle's shoulders. She takes care of her family and does the majority of the cleaning, cooking, laundry, and most importantly of all, being a mother to her younger brother, Jared. She makes sure he does his homework, has meals, and gets to school on time. What's nice about their relationship is that he actually respects his sister and there isn't much in the way of petty arguments, which was refreshing. I liked the whole interrelationships of the core family: Janelle, Jared, and their father. They all loved each other, faults and all, and even adding in the situation that Janelle's mother is in, they felt like a genuine family. Adding to that, both Alex (Janelle's best friend and my favorite character) and Struz (her dad's partner/friend) were a part of the family too. If there was anything that stood out in the book for me, it was how people related to each other in it, for good or ill. I loved Alex and Janelle's friendship, again it was really authentic, and they were just that, best friends. No romantic agenda going on, no secret one-sided yearning, only true friendship where they looked out for one another.
Janelle herself was a strong character, but not so strong she never showed her feelings. She could be quick-tempered, but usually for good reason, she stood up for herself when necessary, and was sensible, so while she could be judgmental and at times conceited, those flaws made her realistic. Nobody's perfect. The experiences she's had to live through have molded her, so every action and reaction she made made perfect sense to who she is, whether it's flying off the handle or falling into pieces. While I can't say I ever totally liked her, I understood and respected her; there aren't many YA characters I can say that about. Every character in the book had their own identity, whether they had a small role to play or a bigger one, so there was no confusion to who they were. Ben, the mysterious "stoner", is of course the love interest. He could have been more fully fleshed out, but I still got a basic idea of who he was and he's at least a nice guy, which is a novel idea these days. The love story between Janelle and Ben felt like it could actually happen that way. The chemistry between the two was well-written so the magnetic attraction between them is palpable. I remember how it is to be a teenager (scary but true), and I hate to be such a broken record, but it felt realistic. Do I think it was love? No, not yet, but they have a connection and it's a start towards something serious.
The plot is intriguing and has a lot of good ideas that generally mesh well together. Each short chapter, some less than a page long, features numbers counting down to the big event that's at the core of the novel. I'm not going to go into details since it'd be too hard to do without giving anything away, but I will say that I enjoyed how the story was told and how it unfolded. While this is sci-fi, it's light on the 'sci' part and not everything is explained as well as it could be, but hopefully the sequel will tackle some of the bigger components. Most of my complaints are trivial: the ending was rushed for an almost 450 page book, there was a passing comment about AAA that wasn't right, the phrase 'junior detective' was used just a little too much, an info dump that would have worked better as dialogue, and a couple of other inconsistencies that hopefully were caught before the final copy was printed. However, I admit to some ire at an event that happened at the end, I just didn't feel there was any need for it plot-wise and thought it total overkill. That was unfortunate but overall I still enjoyed the book cover to cover. A solid four-star book that's a cut above the rest and left me looking forward to the sequel.
The author did a great job setting up the story with a slow build that introduces Janelle's life, both at home and at school, along with any free time she may have, and accelerates once it hits the halfway point until it reaches the book's climactic ending. In particular, the development of her home life was interesting and had depth. She has a mother who's bi-polar and not "there" most of the time and a father who seemingly avoids dealing with the realities of his wife's mental illness by being a workaholic, so all the household responsibilities fall on Janelle's shoulders. She takes care of her family and does the majority of the cleaning, cooking, laundry, and most importantly of all, being a mother to her younger brother, Jared. She makes sure he does his homework, has meals, and gets to school on time. What's nice about their relationship is that he actually respects his sister and there isn't much in the way of petty arguments, which was refreshing. I liked the whole interrelationships of the core family: Janelle, Jared, and their father. They all loved each other, faults and all, and even adding in the situation that Janelle's mother is in, they felt like a genuine family. Adding to that, both Alex (Janelle's best friend and my favorite character) and Struz (her dad's partner/friend) were a part of the family too. If there was anything that stood out in the book for me, it was how people related to each other in it, for good or ill. I loved Alex and Janelle's friendship, again it was really authentic, and they were just that, best friends. No romantic agenda going on, no secret one-sided yearning, only true friendship where they looked out for one another.
Janelle herself was a strong character, but not so strong she never showed her feelings. She could be quick-tempered, but usually for good reason, she stood up for herself when necessary, and was sensible, so while she could be judgmental and at times conceited, those flaws made her realistic. Nobody's perfect. The experiences she's had to live through have molded her, so every action and reaction she made made perfect sense to who she is, whether it's flying off the handle or falling into pieces. While I can't say I ever totally liked her, I understood and respected her; there aren't many YA characters I can say that about. Every character in the book had their own identity, whether they had a small role to play or a bigger one, so there was no confusion to who they were. Ben, the mysterious "stoner", is of course the love interest. He could have been more fully fleshed out, but I still got a basic idea of who he was and he's at least a nice guy, which is a novel idea these days. The love story between Janelle and Ben felt like it could actually happen that way. The chemistry between the two was well-written so the magnetic attraction between them is palpable. I remember how it is to be a teenager (scary but true), and I hate to be such a broken record, but it felt realistic. Do I think it was love? No, not yet, but they have a connection and it's a start towards something serious.
The plot is intriguing and has a lot of good ideas that generally mesh well together. Each short chapter, some less than a page long, features numbers counting down to the big event that's at the core of the novel. I'm not going to go into details since it'd be too hard to do without giving anything away, but I will say that I enjoyed how the story was told and how it unfolded. While this is sci-fi, it's light on the 'sci' part and not everything is explained as well as it could be, but hopefully the sequel will tackle some of the bigger components. Most of my complaints are trivial: the ending was rushed for an almost 450 page book, there was a passing comment about AAA that wasn't right, the phrase 'junior detective' was used just a little too much, an info dump that would have worked better as dialogue, and a couple of other inconsistencies that hopefully were caught before the final copy was printed. However, I admit to some ire at an event that happened at the end, I just didn't feel there was any need for it plot-wise and thought it total overkill. That was unfortunate but overall I still enjoyed the book cover to cover. A solid four-star book that's a cut above the rest and left me looking forward to the sequel.
Hadley (567 KP) rated Chosen Ones in Books
Jul 21, 2021
Writing (3 more)
Inconsistencies
Constantly stopping the story
Stereo-typical character
What usually draws readers into a hero versus villain story is to see the hero's fight to victory. The struggle, the refusal to back down - - - we usually put ourselves into this character and root for them to win at any cost. But the Chosen Ones starts us off after our heroes are victorious in the battle against the villain. The heroes are trying to cope with every day life after achieving the most important thing they would ever accomplish, but memories of the war against the Dark One keep them from returning to that normal life.
Sloane is our main character - - - one of the five heroes that was picked by a prophecy years ago to take down the Dark One. One of the effects of battling the villain for her is she now endures PTSD-induced nightmares. We meet her in the midst of one of these nightmares, where she nearly stabs her boyfriend, Matt (also one of the five heroes), with a kitchen knife. And this isn't the first time this has happened: it happens enough that Sloane was put on medication to help with her PTSD, as well as going to therapy.
But with the ten year anniversary of the Dark One's defeat looming ahead, life seems to be getting even harder for the heroes. All the heroes want is to move on and forget the war had ever happened - - - but then something happens that causes them to relive the Dark One's fight all over again.
The heroes end up on a magic-using world called Genetrix where a man going by the name the Resurrectionist is causing the same destruction as the Dark One did on their world. Disoriented and curious, the heroes have no choice but to believe the two main magic users who brought them there, Aelia and Nero. The two seem to be the ones in charge of finding the chosen one to take down the Resurrectionist. But soon after the heroes agree to take down this world's Dark One, they begin to believe that Aelia and Nero are hiding information from them.
The heroes decide to focus on learning to use magic, so they can defend themselves on this world. With the help of siphons, the heroes are able to begin practicing magic for their fight with the Resurrectionist. . . but for Sloane, she is unable to get her siphon to work, instead, she contains an ability that came from a cursed object from their world, a cursed object that wants her back.
This book contains a lot of the problems that went on during 2020, possibly too many of them. Unlike most books released last year, Chosen Ones didn't do a well enough job of hiding reality in plain sight. Chosen Ones also made the mistake of cutting up the story with intermissions of newspaper articles and government reports. Divergent author Veronica Roth disrupted the flow of the story by doing such that it felt like the story continuously came to a stand still.
Chosen Ones also plays up the Young Adult genre tropes. The relationship between Sloane and Mox happens so quickly that it isn't believable to the reader, and the result is awkward to the point of embarrassing. Also, the friendship between the heroes is very flat, so much so that when conflict arises, I was left believing that no one cared if the other one died.
But it was the idea of the story that hooked me as a reader - - - movies, television shows, and other novels normally focus on the heroes during the great fight with the villain, allowing readers to live the war and pick the fighter they want to win. In this novel, the connection with the heroes is severely lacking, especially when the only character development happens to Sloane. Very reminiscent of Mira Grant's 'Feed,' I couldn't bring myself to like the main character. Sloane tries too hard to be a strong and independent woman, she comes off as a teenager trapped in an adult woman's body, even Ines, one of the other female heroes, is a more well-put together character than Sloane is. This is the trope that is killing lead female characters in the Young Adult genre, but I suppose it's better than having the stereo-typical ditzy female lead characters most adult novels have.
Although the synopsis caused me to buy this book, I was really disappointed with the path in which Roth took it down. The biggest issue was how much of 2020's problems were shoved into one book because it took away from what this story could have been. The heroes are blatantly fighting Donald Trump aka the Dark One, and this subject has been done to-death so much that I couldn't get fully immersed into the story. They also fight against people who can do magic, including people who are apparently Wiccans - - - but Roth labels them as 'evil. ' Having known actually Wiccans in my life, I know that they believe in harming none. Roth's stereo-typing of anyone who is not her heroes shows a shallowness that is becoming more prevalent, unfortunately, in female writers.
Chosen Ones could have been so much more than what it was because it just ends up being another empty story that takes on today's problems just to sell a book. With inconsistencies and bad writing throughout, I can't recommend this book to anyone, but if you love YA tropes, then you'll love this one.
Sloane is our main character - - - one of the five heroes that was picked by a prophecy years ago to take down the Dark One. One of the effects of battling the villain for her is she now endures PTSD-induced nightmares. We meet her in the midst of one of these nightmares, where she nearly stabs her boyfriend, Matt (also one of the five heroes), with a kitchen knife. And this isn't the first time this has happened: it happens enough that Sloane was put on medication to help with her PTSD, as well as going to therapy.
But with the ten year anniversary of the Dark One's defeat looming ahead, life seems to be getting even harder for the heroes. All the heroes want is to move on and forget the war had ever happened - - - but then something happens that causes them to relive the Dark One's fight all over again.
The heroes end up on a magic-using world called Genetrix where a man going by the name the Resurrectionist is causing the same destruction as the Dark One did on their world. Disoriented and curious, the heroes have no choice but to believe the two main magic users who brought them there, Aelia and Nero. The two seem to be the ones in charge of finding the chosen one to take down the Resurrectionist. But soon after the heroes agree to take down this world's Dark One, they begin to believe that Aelia and Nero are hiding information from them.
The heroes decide to focus on learning to use magic, so they can defend themselves on this world. With the help of siphons, the heroes are able to begin practicing magic for their fight with the Resurrectionist. . . but for Sloane, she is unable to get her siphon to work, instead, she contains an ability that came from a cursed object from their world, a cursed object that wants her back.
This book contains a lot of the problems that went on during 2020, possibly too many of them. Unlike most books released last year, Chosen Ones didn't do a well enough job of hiding reality in plain sight. Chosen Ones also made the mistake of cutting up the story with intermissions of newspaper articles and government reports. Divergent author Veronica Roth disrupted the flow of the story by doing such that it felt like the story continuously came to a stand still.
Chosen Ones also plays up the Young Adult genre tropes. The relationship between Sloane and Mox happens so quickly that it isn't believable to the reader, and the result is awkward to the point of embarrassing. Also, the friendship between the heroes is very flat, so much so that when conflict arises, I was left believing that no one cared if the other one died.
But it was the idea of the story that hooked me as a reader - - - movies, television shows, and other novels normally focus on the heroes during the great fight with the villain, allowing readers to live the war and pick the fighter they want to win. In this novel, the connection with the heroes is severely lacking, especially when the only character development happens to Sloane. Very reminiscent of Mira Grant's 'Feed,' I couldn't bring myself to like the main character. Sloane tries too hard to be a strong and independent woman, she comes off as a teenager trapped in an adult woman's body, even Ines, one of the other female heroes, is a more well-put together character than Sloane is. This is the trope that is killing lead female characters in the Young Adult genre, but I suppose it's better than having the stereo-typical ditzy female lead characters most adult novels have.
Although the synopsis caused me to buy this book, I was really disappointed with the path in which Roth took it down. The biggest issue was how much of 2020's problems were shoved into one book because it took away from what this story could have been. The heroes are blatantly fighting Donald Trump aka the Dark One, and this subject has been done to-death so much that I couldn't get fully immersed into the story. They also fight against people who can do magic, including people who are apparently Wiccans - - - but Roth labels them as 'evil. ' Having known actually Wiccans in my life, I know that they believe in harming none. Roth's stereo-typing of anyone who is not her heroes shows a shallowness that is becoming more prevalent, unfortunately, in female writers.
Chosen Ones could have been so much more than what it was because it just ends up being another empty story that takes on today's problems just to sell a book. With inconsistencies and bad writing throughout, I can't recommend this book to anyone, but if you love YA tropes, then you'll love this one.
"The door slid open and Clarke knew it was time to die." What a way to start the book. Kass Morgan dives right into her storyline with an in-your-face opener. It took a bit of time before I, as the reader realized what this book was about. She began by setting up a number of characters, switching between perspectives, to quickly introduce you to the players. Those people who will have the biggest impact upon the storyline.
Each character is thrown into the mix, destined to be sent to Earth. The first in a long, long time. While not all make it, we are still treated with back stories and past relationships. Had the author not included those scenes, her characters would have been much more difficult to relate to. You come to briefly understand what the person goes through, exactly why he/she is so angry and hurt, and what they each did to become subjected to the fate of the 100. Personally, I would have preferred that greater attention had been given to character development rather than relationship development.
The Earth was unlivable for so long, and yet they send these 100 "children" as guinea pigs, rather than trained professionals. People who could colonize, build shelters, feed the colony, study the land and environment, or even tend to the ill. Instead, these youths are forced to come together with a common goal - survival.
One gets to a certain point in the novel and then realizes they don't entirely know what these different living situations/names mean. Of course, the Walden and Arcadian people seem to be of a lower class, economic, and social standing than the Phoenix. Walden also had an outbreak at one point that had to be quarantined. But beyond that? I'm not entirely sure what the distinctions are. Clearly the Phoenix people are "posh", with foreign accents, prone to extravagances and taking what they have for granted. But how did they come to be in that, dare I say, caste to begins with? Were people settled based upon their original locations on Earth? Or perhaps based upon the money/knowledge they could provide? Unfortunately, that aspect of the story is not very clearly explained. It seems that the author took more time to focus on the intricacies of the relationships than the world building.
Sometimes the author was redundant, choosing to repeat the same fears/desire over and over again. Yes, we understand that the medicine is missing. Was it flung from the ship before the crash or during? Can they survive without it? We don't know yet, but if we didn't realize the medicine was important the first time it was mentioned... We certainly realized it after the tenth.
This book has a very unique concept in that it combines the post-apocalyptic Hunger Games or Divergent-type Earth with space. While it may exist in other novels, I've not yet read something similar. Where it does seem to follow typical YA novels is the fact that it has a love triangle. Those seem like they are a requirement, as they are in most popular young adult novels. (HG, Divergent, TMI, Vampire Diaries, etc.)
There is a bit of mystery in the book as well. It seems that the reason one of the characters is arrested must be kept a secret, even from the reader. The author continuously has the girl think to herself, 'Why isn't he asking me about my confinement?', 'He's happy, this is for the best [that he doesn't know.]', and even has her love interest say "I heard a rumor about a girl on Phoenix who was arrested for..." Yes, there was a dramatic pause. And no, he does not finish his sentence. After the third or fourth time, the author finally reveals the girl's situation during a flashback.
Throughout the novel, the author develops the relationship between two main characters. Unfortunately, it's a bit jarring and sporadic. It quickly jumps from bitter hatred from the moment they step foot on Earth to reconciliation after one act, then back to hatred. Again, after one act. While relationships can be a roller coaster, this is a bit too authentic to the carnival ride.
The relationship is not perfect, especially when she has a second possible love interest. A guy who after only a short while, thinks of only her before he falls asleep. That girl must be something. The first time they really spend any time together, he decides that making out is the best course of action. Much to the dismay of her other love interest, though it does not dissuade him. Sound familiar?
It doesn't take long before he snaps at her and their brief... Whatever it was is over. Or is it?
They must be masochists, because it seems they're just gluttons for punishment and emotional, gut wrenching hurt... Or just those that don't learn from history. (Doomed to repeat it and all that.) Who would continuously subject themselves to that kind of torment? Move on and let yourself heal. It's not a post-apocalyptic world that only the two of you can repopulate... There are other individuals in camp with you. (Like the second guy you may or may not like, but that you certainly make out with in the woods.) But that's just my perspective.
While I found myself bemused and skeptical at times about certain aspects of the book, none of those times corresponded to the purposefully exaggerated environment that they must adapt to on Earth. Rather it is the progression of relationships, situations characters find themselves in, and utterly disastrous karmic intervention. Seriously, they must have really messed with the world for it to so perfectly separate two lovers as it does.
I suspected there would be a particular plot twist and unsurprisingly it came to fruition approximately 98% of the way through the book. I'm intrigued to see where the author takes it and how it will develop in the sequel - The 100: Day
21 (which is next on my review list!)
I find myself enjoying the read, dispute the obvious flaws one notices whilst reading it. If you take it as an easy, enjoyable read - then that is what you will come away with. If you expect it to be a fantastic piece that delves into the human psyche to truly draw you into a character's life and relationships - then you will be quite disappointed. Overall, I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy dystopian, teen romance series.
Each character is thrown into the mix, destined to be sent to Earth. The first in a long, long time. While not all make it, we are still treated with back stories and past relationships. Had the author not included those scenes, her characters would have been much more difficult to relate to. You come to briefly understand what the person goes through, exactly why he/she is so angry and hurt, and what they each did to become subjected to the fate of the 100. Personally, I would have preferred that greater attention had been given to character development rather than relationship development.
The Earth was unlivable for so long, and yet they send these 100 "children" as guinea pigs, rather than trained professionals. People who could colonize, build shelters, feed the colony, study the land and environment, or even tend to the ill. Instead, these youths are forced to come together with a common goal - survival.
One gets to a certain point in the novel and then realizes they don't entirely know what these different living situations/names mean. Of course, the Walden and Arcadian people seem to be of a lower class, economic, and social standing than the Phoenix. Walden also had an outbreak at one point that had to be quarantined. But beyond that? I'm not entirely sure what the distinctions are. Clearly the Phoenix people are "posh", with foreign accents, prone to extravagances and taking what they have for granted. But how did they come to be in that, dare I say, caste to begins with? Were people settled based upon their original locations on Earth? Or perhaps based upon the money/knowledge they could provide? Unfortunately, that aspect of the story is not very clearly explained. It seems that the author took more time to focus on the intricacies of the relationships than the world building.
Sometimes the author was redundant, choosing to repeat the same fears/desire over and over again. Yes, we understand that the medicine is missing. Was it flung from the ship before the crash or during? Can they survive without it? We don't know yet, but if we didn't realize the medicine was important the first time it was mentioned... We certainly realized it after the tenth.
This book has a very unique concept in that it combines the post-apocalyptic Hunger Games or Divergent-type Earth with space. While it may exist in other novels, I've not yet read something similar. Where it does seem to follow typical YA novels is the fact that it has a love triangle. Those seem like they are a requirement, as they are in most popular young adult novels. (HG, Divergent, TMI, Vampire Diaries, etc.)
There is a bit of mystery in the book as well. It seems that the reason one of the characters is arrested must be kept a secret, even from the reader. The author continuously has the girl think to herself, 'Why isn't he asking me about my confinement?', 'He's happy, this is for the best [that he doesn't know.]', and even has her love interest say "I heard a rumor about a girl on Phoenix who was arrested for..." Yes, there was a dramatic pause. And no, he does not finish his sentence. After the third or fourth time, the author finally reveals the girl's situation during a flashback.
Throughout the novel, the author develops the relationship between two main characters. Unfortunately, it's a bit jarring and sporadic. It quickly jumps from bitter hatred from the moment they step foot on Earth to reconciliation after one act, then back to hatred. Again, after one act. While relationships can be a roller coaster, this is a bit too authentic to the carnival ride.
The relationship is not perfect, especially when she has a second possible love interest. A guy who after only a short while, thinks of only her before he falls asleep. That girl must be something. The first time they really spend any time together, he decides that making out is the best course of action. Much to the dismay of her other love interest, though it does not dissuade him. Sound familiar?
It doesn't take long before he snaps at her and their brief... Whatever it was is over. Or is it?
They must be masochists, because it seems they're just gluttons for punishment and emotional, gut wrenching hurt... Or just those that don't learn from history. (Doomed to repeat it and all that.) Who would continuously subject themselves to that kind of torment? Move on and let yourself heal. It's not a post-apocalyptic world that only the two of you can repopulate... There are other individuals in camp with you. (Like the second guy you may or may not like, but that you certainly make out with in the woods.) But that's just my perspective.
While I found myself bemused and skeptical at times about certain aspects of the book, none of those times corresponded to the purposefully exaggerated environment that they must adapt to on Earth. Rather it is the progression of relationships, situations characters find themselves in, and utterly disastrous karmic intervention. Seriously, they must have really messed with the world for it to so perfectly separate two lovers as it does.
I suspected there would be a particular plot twist and unsurprisingly it came to fruition approximately 98% of the way through the book. I'm intrigued to see where the author takes it and how it will develop in the sequel - The 100: Day
21 (which is next on my review list!)
I find myself enjoying the read, dispute the obvious flaws one notices whilst reading it. If you take it as an easy, enjoyable read - then that is what you will come away with. If you expect it to be a fantastic piece that delves into the human psyche to truly draw you into a character's life and relationships - then you will be quite disappointed. Overall, I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy dystopian, teen romance series.