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Review Date: 5/18/2012
Helpful Score: 1
Quick review: Good, but not quite great.
This was my first foray into YA with a sci-fi twist, and I would gladly pick up another similar book. It actually took me two attempts to get through it--the first time I lost interest and set it aside, to be picked up again months later. You tell me something is even vaguely dystopian, and I have to read it. Immediately. And I honestly think that was part of my problem with this book--there were and are so many other dystopian YA novels out there right now, and this one just didn't immediately grab me. While it definitely got more interesting as it went on, I found the plot early in the book to be too predictable, and the characters lacking in depth (and communication skills!) throughout the book. While I did eventually grow to like Amy and Elder and a few of the other characters in their world, it took a bit to develop an affinity for them and I still kept wishing for more depth in them. Elder was...frustrating... at times, to say the least.
The sci-fi aspect is unique and very intriguing, though I don't know how strong the actual science behind it was. Life inside a ship hurtling through space made for an interesting setting, and the claustrophobic feeling of needing to escape and having nowhere to escape to was very well done.
I'll definitely be reading the sequel and any future books written by Beth Revis, but I'm not sure that I would stick this one on my "keeper" shelf.
This was my first foray into YA with a sci-fi twist, and I would gladly pick up another similar book. It actually took me two attempts to get through it--the first time I lost interest and set it aside, to be picked up again months later. You tell me something is even vaguely dystopian, and I have to read it. Immediately. And I honestly think that was part of my problem with this book--there were and are so many other dystopian YA novels out there right now, and this one just didn't immediately grab me. While it definitely got more interesting as it went on, I found the plot early in the book to be too predictable, and the characters lacking in depth (and communication skills!) throughout the book. While I did eventually grow to like Amy and Elder and a few of the other characters in their world, it took a bit to develop an affinity for them and I still kept wishing for more depth in them. Elder was...frustrating... at times, to say the least.
The sci-fi aspect is unique and very intriguing, though I don't know how strong the actual science behind it was. Life inside a ship hurtling through space made for an interesting setting, and the claustrophobic feeling of needing to escape and having nowhere to escape to was very well done.
I'll definitely be reading the sequel and any future books written by Beth Revis, but I'm not sure that I would stick this one on my "keeper" shelf.
Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain's Greatest Monarch
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
3
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
3
Review Date: 10/10/2011
Fascinating account both the life (and death) of the Princess Charlotte and the early years of the cousin born after her death, who would go on to become Queen Victoria. Very interesting to read how the death of one Princess, who Britain so fervently hoped would provide the nation a stable future, directly led to the birth of the woman who would go on to be England's longest-reigning monarch with an undeniable and lingering impact on history.
A surprisingly quick read, I found this book to be both entertaining and informative. Highly recommended!
A surprisingly quick read, I found this book to be both entertaining and informative. Highly recommended!
Review Date: 11/6/2011
Helpful Score: 4
It looks like dystopian themes are here to stay for a while in YA fiction!
Crossed definitely has a different feel when compared to the previous book in the trilogy. Matched created the Society and featured a well developed world with rules, quirks, and strange practices. Crossed, however, is more of the story of a journey. The story takes place largely on either the edges of The Society (both physically and philosophically) or entirely outside its confines, and there is the constant threat of danger from all sides. This book alternates between Cassia and Ky's perspectives from chapter to chapter. Typically I'm not a fan of this, but I think it would've been almost impossible to tell this story in the first person without employing that technique. It also gives us a glimpse into Ky's mind for the first time, and allows us to learn a bit more of his background.
I do think that in some areas this book falls prey to the problem that many second books in a trilogy do: it's just a placeholder between the beginning and the end. The book is filled with a lot of travel, most of it within the same general area, and there are parts that are slow moving and seem to just be used to up the page count. That said, the book also introduces a lot of backstory about The Society, Abberations and Anomalies. It introduces a whole new movement in The Rising, and also brings us several intriguing new characters who seem to still have more of their story to reveal. I would've liked to have learned more about the rebellion and about The Society's influence outside of its boundaries, but I assume most of that will be fleshed out in the third book.
This is definitely a more action oriented book than Matched, and you see Cassia nurturing a streak of both defiance and determination that was only beginning to develop in the previous book. It is much more focused on survival than on a love triangle, although Xander does appear briefly and is mentioned throughout the book. Those who read the first book primarily for the love triangle may find this one disappointing, but there are plenty of teasing clues as to the truth behind both Xander and Ky--and what they each mean to Cassia.
While the world building in this book wasn't quite on par with Matched and I don't think it was a strong of a book, it was still a quick, enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next book in this series!
Crossed definitely has a different feel when compared to the previous book in the trilogy. Matched created the Society and featured a well developed world with rules, quirks, and strange practices. Crossed, however, is more of the story of a journey. The story takes place largely on either the edges of The Society (both physically and philosophically) or entirely outside its confines, and there is the constant threat of danger from all sides. This book alternates between Cassia and Ky's perspectives from chapter to chapter. Typically I'm not a fan of this, but I think it would've been almost impossible to tell this story in the first person without employing that technique. It also gives us a glimpse into Ky's mind for the first time, and allows us to learn a bit more of his background.
I do think that in some areas this book falls prey to the problem that many second books in a trilogy do: it's just a placeholder between the beginning and the end. The book is filled with a lot of travel, most of it within the same general area, and there are parts that are slow moving and seem to just be used to up the page count. That said, the book also introduces a lot of backstory about The Society, Abberations and Anomalies. It introduces a whole new movement in The Rising, and also brings us several intriguing new characters who seem to still have more of their story to reveal. I would've liked to have learned more about the rebellion and about The Society's influence outside of its boundaries, but I assume most of that will be fleshed out in the third book.
This is definitely a more action oriented book than Matched, and you see Cassia nurturing a streak of both defiance and determination that was only beginning to develop in the previous book. It is much more focused on survival than on a love triangle, although Xander does appear briefly and is mentioned throughout the book. Those who read the first book primarily for the love triangle may find this one disappointing, but there are plenty of teasing clues as to the truth behind both Xander and Ky--and what they each mean to Cassia.
While the world building in this book wasn't quite on par with Matched and I don't think it was a strong of a book, it was still a quick, enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next book in this series!
Review Date: 9/4/2011
Helpful Score: 1
A quick read that contains not only a personal account of what life is like with multiple food allergies, but information about the discovery of food allergies, current research, both historical and modern treatments, and a bit of what the political and social climate is like for those with multiple food allergies. I was especially interested in reading about the different programs and safety ideas available to school age children with multiple food allergies--they've certainly come a long way from when I was a kid! The author has an excellent sense of humor, and has definitely had an interesting life. Recommended.
Review Date: 12/14/2011
Helpful Score: 2
I thoroughly enjoyed Kristin Cashore's first book, and quickly went out to buy this one as well. Fire is a prequel to Graceling, set in a different land and with only one common character between the two books, which started me out a bit disappointed, as I'd become so invested in the previous characters. That said, Fire is very much a stand alone book and you do not need to have read the first book to appreciate the second--though I would not recommend reading Fire before Graceling, as there is a spoiler in the prequel that gives away a big part of the mystery of Graceling.
The main character of Fire is, well, named Fire. I won't go in to a synopsis of the book, but I will say that Fire is a very intriguing character with a lot of interesting emotional baggage. The world in which she lives isn't developed nearly as elaborately as the one in which Katsa (the main character in Graceling) lived, but that's not surprising considering that Fire's world (or what of it she is exposed to) is seemingly a much smaller one than Katsa's. I wasn't immediately sucked in to Fire; it wasn't one of those books that I skipped meals to finish, dying to find out what happens. The build up was slower, but ultimately worth the wait.
Looking forward to her next book, Bitterblue, due out in May of next year!
The main character of Fire is, well, named Fire. I won't go in to a synopsis of the book, but I will say that Fire is a very intriguing character with a lot of interesting emotional baggage. The world in which she lives isn't developed nearly as elaborately as the one in which Katsa (the main character in Graceling) lived, but that's not surprising considering that Fire's world (or what of it she is exposed to) is seemingly a much smaller one than Katsa's. I wasn't immediately sucked in to Fire; it wasn't one of those books that I skipped meals to finish, dying to find out what happens. The build up was slower, but ultimately worth the wait.
Looking forward to her next book, Bitterblue, due out in May of next year!
Review Date: 11/23/2011
Helpful Score: 2
I absolutely adored this book. I read it in two days, and went out and bought the prequel book "Fire" the next day. Katsa is a very interesting character living in an equally fascinating world. This book reminded me quite a bit of Tamora Pierce's style (especially brought to mind the Song of the Lioness quartet), which is a major compliment coming from someone who loves her books as much as I do.
There are sex scenes, but they're discreet. The romance is inevitable but well done for YA lit, and the characters are nicely developed both as individuals and within the confines of their relationship. The world they live in is very intricate and is described well. There's also a map at the beginning. I would've loved to have seen some of the other regions in their world further explored and developed, but they weren't plot relevant. Hoping they will be in the future! There's a particularly nasty "big bad" in this book--I was uncomfortable reading some parts as an adult, so parents be warned if you're one of those who likes to preview things before giving them to teens to read.
Definitely going on my keeper shelf!
There are sex scenes, but they're discreet. The romance is inevitable but well done for YA lit, and the characters are nicely developed both as individuals and within the confines of their relationship. The world they live in is very intricate and is described well. There's also a map at the beginning. I would've loved to have seen some of the other regions in their world further explored and developed, but they weren't plot relevant. Hoping they will be in the future! There's a particularly nasty "big bad" in this book--I was uncomfortable reading some parts as an adult, so parents be warned if you're one of those who likes to preview things before giving them to teens to read.
Definitely going on my keeper shelf!
Review Date: 9/23/2011
Helpful Score: 1
Predictable? At parts, yes. Original? Not entirely, with all of the other dystopian YA novels floating around these days. A couple parts reminded me of The Giver and a bit reminded me of Delirium. That said...
An incredibly engrossing read? Definitely! I planned to read a bit before bed, and ended up staying up until 2 to finish the book. I like the world Ally Condie has created-- it's very easy to be sucked in to, even if there are a couple plot holes that bother me.
Looking forward to the sequel in November!
An incredibly engrossing read? Definitely! I planned to read a bit before bed, and ended up staying up until 2 to finish the book. I like the world Ally Condie has created-- it's very easy to be sucked in to, even if there are a couple plot holes that bother me.
Looking forward to the sequel in November!
Review Date: 10/11/2020
Helpful Score: 2
A very timely read, set in a makeshift Dublin fever/maternity ward during the 1918 flu pandemic at the end of the Great War. The story unfolds over three days in the life of nurse Julia Powers, both inside and outside of the hospital. I paused occasionally to read up on certain references, as my knowledge of Irish history isn't the strongest. A doctor, Kathleen Lynn, is the only âreal' person featured in the book, but Julia, Bridie Sweeney and the rest are very believable for the location and time periodâbearing the challenges and scars of poverty and neglect, lack of education, disease, war and rebellion, and the impact of multiple pregnancies and births. Parts of the book are quite graphic for those who may be squeamish; coming from a medical background, I enjoyed them. Good for fans of Call the Midwife. It's not a happy tale, but I found myself captivated nonetheless. The ending did feel rushed, and it felt like an awful lot happened in the last 50 pages. Still a great read.
Review Date: 10/15/2011
Helpful Score: 2
A riveting read, with two very different main characters who are nonetheless inextricably bound to one another. I found the inclusion of Parsi characters very interesting, as I hadn't yet read a (fiction) book with a person that particular ethnic group as a main character. Bombay really comes alive in this book! It was fun looking up some of the terms used, and I learned a lot about Indian cuisine while reading this book. Full of vibrant descriptions, well developed themes, and characters who you are sad to let go of once you finish. Looking forward to reading more from this author!
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