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Jennifer Weiner recommended The Farm in Books (curated)

 
The Farm
The Farm
Joanne Ramos | 2019 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"A dystopian novel that feels like it could be happening today, where women who either can’t or won’t carry their own pregnancies rent the wombs of a hand-picked cohort of gestational surrogates, who spend their nine months being closely monitored in a posh resort that’s like Canyon Ranch meets the panopticon. The story follows Jane, a poor surrogate from the Philippines, desperate to obtain a better life for her daughter, and the women around her, from the older nanny who hooks her up with the gig to the wealthy young striver who dreamed up the business to a fellow surrogate who has reasons of her own for participating in the project. Nobody’s motives are pure and, when one of the surrogates threatens to expose the Farm, it turns out that the business of surrogacy is as complicated as motherhood itself."

Source
  
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Blazing Minds (92 KP) rated Snowpiercer (2013) in Movies

Nov 1, 2021 (Updated Nov 3, 2021)  
Snowpiercer (2013)
Snowpiercer (2013)
2013 | Sci-Fi
I first saw Snowpiercer on Netflix purely by skimming through what was on one night, when I found out that it was finally coming out on Blu-ray I got very excited, for those that don’t know the film is from the visionary mind behind 2020 Oscar-winner Parasite, Bong Joon-Ho’s star-studded dystopian sci-fi thriller Snowpiercer is a movie that has now also been made into a TV series, but today I’m bringing you my review of the film’s much-anticipated Blu-ray release.

Set in 2031, the entire planet is frozen and the world’s only survivors live aboard the Snowpiercer: a train that’s been hurtling around the globe for the past seventeen years. Within the carriages, the remnants of the human race have formed their own divisive economic and class system.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Flawed in Books

May 25, 2017  
Flawed
Flawed
Cecelia Ahern | 2016 | Children
8
8.5 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
Author's new direction
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Cecelia Ahern is the well-known Irish author of contemporary women’s fiction, particularly P.S. I Love You. However, Ahern has decided to branch out and has penned her first dystopian, young adult novel, Flawed. It is dubious when an author, who is loved for her work, changes their style, but it appears she has pulled it off.

Seventeen-year-old Celestine is a logical girl who is soon to learn she lives in an illogical world. In an attempt to create a perfect society, citizens must avoid making moral or ethical mistakes; otherwise they will be branded as Flawed. And branded means literal branding with a hot iron, there is no hiding the fact that they have flaws. Celestine, like everyone else, has been brainwashed into believing that Flawed people should be avoided and do not deserve the same privileges as the “perfect” people. However, after seeing an elderly Flawed man choking on a bus, her logical brain kicks in and goes to help him. Big mistake.

After finding herself accused of being Flawed, Celestine reaslises how corrupt society is, yet there is nothing she can do about it without enduring further punishment. Despite her bleak outlook on her future, her hopes begin to rise when she discovers that there are people on her side – people that want rid of the government that disciplines people when they should not be punished in the first place.

As a reader of Ahern’s previous works and a fan of dystopian fiction, I honestly did not expect Flawed to be any good. Ahern has proved she has the talent to write women’s fiction, but this book was a complete contrast. The first few chapters of the novel were admittedly a bit shaky. It did not look promising. Yet eventually Ahern found her flow and produced a pretty good young adult novel.

When I saw the title, Flawed, I immediately assumed it would be a book about physical appearance and was hesitant about reading it. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised when this was not the case at all. The concept is fresh and original and does not become apocalyptical like many other dystopian fictions.

How the majority will receive this book is difficult to say. Fans of Cecelia Ahern may be disappointed by her change in genre. Fans of dystopia may be put off by the author’s previous novels. I urge readers to approach this story with an open mind; you may be pleasantly surprised. Flawed will not look out of place amongst other books of similar themes, and for those who do enjoy it, there will be a sequel, Perfect, next year.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Flawed in Books

Dec 7, 2018  
Flawed
Flawed
Cecelia Ahern | 2016 | Children
8
8.5 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>

Cecelia Ahern is the well-known Irish author of contemporary women’s fiction, particularly <i>P.S. I Love You.</i> However, Ahern has decided to branch out and has penned her first dystopian, young adult novel, <i>Flawed</i>. It is dubious when an author, who is loved for her work, changes their style, but it appears she has pulled it off.

Seventeen-year-old Celestine is a logical girl who is soon to learn she lives in an illogical world. In an attempt to create a perfect society, citizens must avoid making moral or ethical mistakes; otherwise they will be branded as Flawed. And branded means literal branding with a hot iron, there is no hiding the fact that they have flaws. Celestine, like everyone else, has been brainwashed into believing that Flawed people should be avoided and do not deserve the same privileges as the “perfect” people. However, after seeing an elderly Flawed man choking on a bus, her logical brain kicks in and goes to help him. Big mistake.

After finding herself accused of being Flawed, Celestine reaslises how corrupt society is, yet there is nothing she can do about it without enduring further punishment. Despite her bleak outlook on her future, her hopes begin to rise when she discovers that there are people on her side – people that want rid of the government that disciplines people when they should not be punished in the first place.

As a reader of Ahern’s previous works and a fan of dystopian fiction, I honestly did not expect <i>Flawed</i> to be any good. Ahern has proved she has the talent to write women’s fiction, but this book was a complete contrast. The first few chapters of the novel were admittedly a bit shaky. It did not look promising. Yet eventually Ahern found her flow and produced a pretty good young adult novel.

When I saw the title, <i>Flawed</i>, I immediately assumed it would be a book about physical appearance and was hesitant about reading it. Therefore I was pleasantly surprised when this was not the case at all. The concept is fresh and original and does not become apocalyptical like many other dystopian fictions.

How the majority will receive this book is difficult to say. Fans of Cecelia Ahern may be disappointed by her change in genre. Fans of dystopia may be put off by the author’s previous novels. I urge readers to approach this story with an open mind; you may be pleasantly surprised. <i>Flawed</i> will not look out of place amongst other books of similar themes, and for those who do enjoy it, there will be a sequel, <i>Perfect</i>, next year.
  
Ready Player One
Ready Player One
Ernest Cline | 2011 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.9 (161 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ernest Cline has written something, alright.

If you are not into geeky things, just turn back now. I enjoyed this book for all the references, but the storyline itself was meh.

The writing was excellent as well, but, set in a dystopian not-so-distant future where everyone turns to OASIS, a simulation, to escape the reality of the world… Not a fan. Why don’t they try to fix it?

The main character, Wade, is on a quest (along with everyone else) to find the Easter egg that the creator of OASIS left in game after he died. The winner? Gets his fortune and the company that made the game.

Yeah, there is a prize for you! If you enjoyed Monty Python, read this book. If you are into all the geeky things, read this book. It is an interesting journey and one that I did enjoy.
  
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Book Divas (227 KP) rated Schism in Books

Dec 12, 2017  
S
Schism
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was such an adrenaline rush that I was left feeling like I wanted or better yet, needed to jump out of my skin. The story line was an intense and thrilling ride from beginning to end and the characters were unique and their individualities shined through. The world building puts you smack dab in the virus riddled world and you quickly find yourself immersed in the thick of things.
 
My heart felt for what these children and young adults have had to endure and I am anxiously awaiting the release of the next book. This read deserves more than five teacups {stars} and truly a must read. This debut novel is a HIT and a dystopian masterpiece.
 
{I received a copy when I signed up to host the book promotion and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own}.