Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Pub: 2011; Harper
Pages: 338
Genre: Young Adult, Series, Dysfic
Did anyone else immediately think X-Men when reading the summary of this one? If she touches you, you die!! Enter Rogue. Only not really...because at least Rogue found others like her and poor Juliette got sent away to a prison. Isolation even. For a seriously LONG time.
Aaaand then enters a kid from her old 'hood. His butt gets thrown into the solitary cell, making it not so solitary. Adam doesn't seem to recognize her and she goes through all of the emotions like: can I trust him or not? AND he's so dreamy AND I don't want him to know I'm a monster because my touch will kill him.
But there's a bigger master plan going on. The Reestablishment - crazy government in this dystop- decides that maaaybe they shouldn't have locked up Juliette and instead use her as a masterful weapon against the good guys.
There's a struggle. And another hottie that enters the front. Although, I don't know if we can really call him a hottie when he is actually suppose to be evil.
Bottom line though? The book was a quick read, but fairly forgettable. I'm not quite sure why I had it stashed away on the shelves. Especially because the cover isn't all that impressive either.
Of course this is going to be a trilogy (series?) Who knows if I'll read the next one. I suppose if it pops up on my shelves unexpectedly also, I might.
Showing posts with label dysfic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dysfic. Show all posts
12.20.2012
12.19.2012
Matched
Author: Ally Condie
Narrator: Kate Simses
Pub: 2010; Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 369
Audio Length: 9 hours 54 minutes
Genre: Audio, Young Adult, Dysfic
I absolutely dug this book and I was excruciatingly weary of listening to it because EVERYONE had strong opinions about it.
Also, it surprised me. After reading the brief back paged summary I assumed the book would wholly be about a community that matches up individuals for families and it would take more of a romance road, disputing compatibility and identifying what love might be.
But that was just a superficial front. There's so much more in this community. The members are matched for EVERYTHING: partners, lifestyles, locations, jobs. And that's if you're lucky enough to be a member of society. You could be misfortune enough to live in society but be outcasted. Those individuals lose the right to even partner up. And they get the worst jobs ever.
Cassia is a member of society. Her parents love her and she has a wonderful best friend, Xander. Things only become more perfect when Xander is chosen as her mate. Everything that Cassia could have ever wanted is coming true.
But then, the next day when she puts in the memory thingamajig that tells her all about Xander another boy's face shows up - Ky. That can't be right and The Society quickly tries to correct its mistake.
Too late though. Out of curiosity, Cassia begins to form a friendship with Ky that quickly turns to love. The novelty of it opens doors to questions about The Society that she wasn't expecting. Plus, her love for Xander hasn't changed either.
Matched might seem like another YA trilogy with a love triangle but it is so much more than that. It's definitely a wonderful introduction into the dysfic genre. It's action packed but not unavailable.
I also thought that the reasons why the Society was created made sense. For example, there are 100 songs and 100 books and 100 pieces of art - much like how we create the 1001 books you must read before you die, the Society eliminated the excess because it was just TOO MUCH. How easy is that to understand? The question begins with, would you give up some freedoms to have a quieted mind.
As for the audio portion - REALLY FANTASTIC. Immediately upon finishing this one, I downloaded the next in the series.
12.11.2012
Pure
Title: Pure
Author: Julianne Baggott
Pub: 2012; Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 431
Genres:Young Adult, Dysfic, Series,
I don't even know where to begin with this book. Hands down this is on my hit list for 2012.
I can't remember how I heard about it, but what grabbed my attention was the description of the narrator: a post apopclyptic world where bodies are mangled with whatever objects were closest, and in the case of Pressia, one hand is replaced with a child's doll.
How is that for creepy? And then somehow word spread that Pure was YA so I ended up being all hell to the yeah -drool-drool-must-read. But folks, lemme tell you, this book is NOT young adult. I mean, it's young adult in the way that Ender's Game gets marketed as young adult, but it's really much more of a gateway book, in my opinion.
This book is thick. And not just in the many pages, but in the details, and in the construction of this not so far away world. There are horrific scenes that left my tummy in knots and conspiracy theories within our government and details that just made me squirm. Because, without being much of a conspiracy theorist myself, part of me was all like I can see it.
There's this dome right and it's been built as a protection for any nuclear warfare. And then the detonators go off and not everyone makes it into the dome (were they ever really intended to?). Within that flash most individuals are decimated. Others, are worse off. (There's this scene where a man has been merged with a car engine). Some make it after their new attachments and adapt (Grandfather with the fan in his throat) others turn into mortifying creatures (Groupies - those who were merged with others; Dusts - those who formed with an actual part of the Earth) who no longer act human.
In the beginning, the people outside of the Dome believed that the Pures (those who remained unharmed because they were in the dome's safety) would come and help. When that doesn't happen, a self-created military police form recruiting sixteen year olds to build an army to take down the Dome.
Life in the Dome isn't as perfect as the Wretches (those outside) imagine either. Everything is very Brave New World in there. Food is capsules; children and teens get reprogramming for behavior and strength; the government in rule is God.
And then a Pure escapes. Or runs away from the Dome. Partridge's father is one of the heads of this new government but he feels unsettled, especially living in his brother's shadow - the brilliant one; the one that killed himself. Partridge also believes that the mother he was told died is actually a wretch, living outside of the Dome. In the hopes of finding her, he escapes.
Partridge meets Pressia and a unique pairing begins. But that's not the end of the characters and stories even though those two bring the characters together. Joined together we are faced with many questions about humanity and its potential.
This is not a warm fuzzy novel, but it's powerful and worth the read.
Author: Julianne Baggott
Pub: 2012; Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 431
Genres:
I don't even know where to begin with this book. Hands down this is on my hit list for 2012.
I can't remember how I heard about it, but what grabbed my attention was the description of the narrator: a post apopclyptic world where bodies are mangled with whatever objects were closest, and in the case of Pressia, one hand is replaced with a child's doll.
How is that for creepy? And then somehow word spread that Pure was YA so I ended up being all hell to the yeah -drool-drool-must-read. But folks, lemme tell you, this book is NOT young adult. I mean, it's young adult in the way that Ender's Game gets marketed as young adult, but it's really much more of a gateway book, in my opinion.
This book is thick. And not just in the many pages, but in the details, and in the construction of this not so far away world. There are horrific scenes that left my tummy in knots and conspiracy theories within our government and details that just made me squirm. Because, without being much of a conspiracy theorist myself, part of me was all like I can see it.
There's this dome right and it's been built as a protection for any nuclear warfare. And then the detonators go off and not everyone makes it into the dome (were they ever really intended to?). Within that flash most individuals are decimated. Others, are worse off. (There's this scene where a man has been merged with a car engine). Some make it after their new attachments and adapt (Grandfather with the fan in his throat) others turn into mortifying creatures (Groupies - those who were merged with others; Dusts - those who formed with an actual part of the Earth) who no longer act human.
In the beginning, the people outside of the Dome believed that the Pures (those who remained unharmed because they were in the dome's safety) would come and help. When that doesn't happen, a self-created military police form recruiting sixteen year olds to build an army to take down the Dome.
Life in the Dome isn't as perfect as the Wretches (those outside) imagine either. Everything is very Brave New World in there. Food is capsules; children and teens get reprogramming for behavior and strength; the government in rule is God.
And then a Pure escapes. Or runs away from the Dome. Partridge's father is one of the heads of this new government but he feels unsettled, especially living in his brother's shadow - the brilliant one; the one that killed himself. Partridge also believes that the mother he was told died is actually a wretch, living outside of the Dome. In the hopes of finding her, he escapes.
Partridge meets Pressia and a unique pairing begins. But that's not the end of the characters and stories even though those two bring the characters together. Joined together we are faced with many questions about humanity and its potential.
This is not a warm fuzzy novel, but it's powerful and worth the read.
7.27.2012
The ABC's of The Stand
How else do you deal with a 1200 page book that would be IMPOSSIBLE to review coherently? Make an aphabetical list, of course.
...and if this wasn't obvs - there will in fact most likely have spoilers.
Abigail ~ wait did I spell that correctly? Who knows. But she's a kind soul even if a wee bit of a zealot. And also, how many of you craved chicken after she made it?
Baby can you dig your man?
Captain Trips. Sounds like cereal doesn't it? Swallow down some bubonic plague and ya'll come back now ya hear?
Doctor. If I had to do this life again, I highly recommend studying medicine. Who was the minor character that ended up offing herself when the fake-wedded-hubs died of appendicitis. Anyway, she makes a point by saying: look, we can all chit chat around the campfire but NONE of us have any real-life skills outside of being smart and able to BS.
End of humanity might just end up how this book did. Kaboom.
Flagg is a fantastic Evil Man. He preys on the weak and either converts them or destroys them. And crucifixion? Man, I'd stay away far away from your bad side.
Goverment sucks. Seriously. First they create this detrimental-to-human-health-disease, then when it freakin' gets out of control they want to shoot down any and every witness/victim/each other? Wicked man. And not in the cool sense.
Harold I want to beat your face in. Truly. You are one of those people who just wise up a wee bit too late for it to even be forgivable. Seriously. I get that people made fun of you, Harold. I totally understand that there are some craptastic punks out in the world. I teach Middle School for chrissakes. But Harold, you take the cake when it comes to sniveling and selfish weaklings. I'd probably have picked on you too, truth be told.
Investigative Free Zoners move into the Dark Man's territory. How hard was it to watch poor mentally deficient Tom go into the bad land, but also old man Glenn? Oh my gosh, I just wanted to hug them both.
Jealousy, not just a song sung by the Gin Blossoms. There was tons of that going on wasn't there? Nadine was jealous of Lucy. And then she was jealous of Joe. Harold was jealous of Stu. Lesson learned. It all ends up badly.
Kojak! (Heh, thought I'd go all obvious here and say King, didinja?) Nope. Kojak was one mofo of a dog. He not only hoofed it on his own following the crew, he beat of the evil Bad Man, and then shared his perspective on life in the wild for a couple of pages. Doggy treat for you buddy.
Larry, oh Larry. You walked into my world quite honestly being one of the biggest arses that I had ever met. Did I date you Larry? But in the long run, Larry, you showed the most growth. Indeed, King did something special with you didn't he? You my dear could have walked out of the pages and lived in our world today.
M-O-O-N spells I love you man.
Nick. Let's pretend that you have all of your teeth AND your eye, yes?
Oil isn't going to be the death of us? We got it wrong folks. It's all good. Also, the pilgrimage is not all the way to the Middle East. It appears that side of the world doesn't have to worry about the bad man.
Pilgrimage. This was one epic pilgrimage, folks. First, group A had to get to location C and then hoof it to area G all the while hoping that they didn't run into group B while they were trekking all the way to section I (as in I hate all of your guts and am gonna burn you down), which means that of course group A had to meander over to section I to make sure the burning down didn't happen.
Quick pick up that man's face from the cereal. Really? That's where my focus would be? I'd be gagging left and right in that military facility with all of those dead bodies.
Retch-worthy scenes. You know what I'm talking about. That whole love triangle between Trashcan Man, The Kidd, and the gun.
Stu, if I wasn't already in a loving relationship, will you marry me? I promise I won't get knocked up by another man and then wait to tell you (and anyone else) for a few months WHILE THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END.
Top Ten list Stephen King made about the remake of the movie, The Stand, waaaaay back in 2011. Here's hoping we see it soon because the television series? Did you want some pasta with that cheese?
Uncut. Really King? You could have STILL included Frannie and her evil-momster and that psychopath The Kidd without adding another FOUR HUNDRED pages to this book.
Vegas. Was anyone else NOT shocked by this choice of location for the evil-doers. It sorta bugged me that King would choose such an obvious state.
Well done, Mr. King. You have now made me aware that each time I get the sniffles I'm gonna worry about that Captain Trips. Maybe I can tell my students about it and warn them that's what happens when they don't wash their hands in the bathroom. Mainly, I'm looking at you, my stinky seventh grade boys.
Xanxex is exactly what I would be pocketing from the pharmacy in every town I visited to deal with this shizat. Also do you think anyone in the Free Zone will become xenophobic knowing that a group was trying to kill them? [What there are few x-words that can be used here, folks. I collecting dimes.]
Yeah, I was okay when Frannie's mom got the bad disease and kicked the bucket. If there was one person in the novel that I got to know that I felt no pity for, it was her. What a grotesque mother.
Zebras? Captain Trips took the horses, but what about the zebras? Could we train zebras in the same way that we've domesticated horses? *thinking*
Well Trish, it's been real. Who's up for reading It next? *grin*
7.19.2012
Ready Player One (audio)
Title: Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Narrator: Wil Wheaton
Pub: 2011; Random House
Pages: 372
Audio Length: 15 hours; 46 minutes
Genre: Dysfic, Science Fiction
EVERYONE has been talking about this book for, like, A YEAR now right? 80's driven, game-lovin, science-fiction readin' geeks unite. Essentially. I'm seriously one of the few people left to have read/listened/reviewed this book. Aaaand, I remember reading about it publishing week in Entertainment Weekly fully expecting to love it.
Which is probably why loving it failed miserably for me. It's like getting super excited for that fat free frozen yogurt only to realize that yeah, it's GOOD, but it's NOT gourmet ice cream. (What?! I'm hungry okay...) Ready Player One is the froyo of my 2012. It was yum but not delish.
Briefly, because as I said before, if you haven't read it have you been living under a rock?! Wade is our endearing gaming hero in a dysfic world of devastating poverty and virtual reality. When a prominent man in the VR world dies and leaves complete control of the unreal-reality to the winner of a bunch of games, the world goes wild. Imagine, if you will, if Walt Disney died and hid a key to all of the magic in the magical kingdom.
Wade, amongst his best friend and eventual love interest (and remember EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD) seeks out this treasure. Swiftly on their tails is the conglomerate evil corporate entities who salivate power and control.
It's a race again time, oneself, and corporate greed. Adventuresome, yes? Crazy cool 80's reference? Yuppers. Fun times? Mostly.
This was an uphill battle for me. Like a work out really. I even thought that I would quit the book about one third of the way into it and if I wasn't in a position of not having an audio back up for my car trips, I might have.
Ultimately I'm glad that I stayed with it because the end - the whole process - was worth it. I'm not on fandom level with it like so many others, but yeah, it was a fun ride.
The Audio Aspect
I truly don't think that there would have been a better narrator chosen for this book other than Wil Wheaton. How many of you guys remember reading his blog when blogging first became a thing? If there's a cool gadgety geek out there, then Wheaton is the guy. There was nothing distracting about his reading and any lack of personal captivation was not because of him.
Author: Ernest Cline
Narrator: Wil Wheaton
Pub: 2011; Random House
Pages: 372
Audio Length: 15 hours; 46 minutes
Genre: Dysfic, Science Fiction
EVERYONE has been talking about this book for, like, A YEAR now right? 80's driven, game-lovin, science-fiction readin' geeks unite. Essentially. I'm seriously one of the few people left to have read/listened/reviewed this book. Aaaand, I remember reading about it publishing week in Entertainment Weekly fully expecting to love it.
Which is probably why loving it failed miserably for me. It's like getting super excited for that fat free frozen yogurt only to realize that yeah, it's GOOD, but it's NOT gourmet ice cream. (What?! I'm hungry okay...) Ready Player One is the froyo of my 2012. It was yum but not delish.
Briefly, because as I said before, if you haven't read it have you been living under a rock?! Wade is our endearing gaming hero in a dysfic world of devastating poverty and virtual reality. When a prominent man in the VR world dies and leaves complete control of the unreal-reality to the winner of a bunch of games, the world goes wild. Imagine, if you will, if Walt Disney died and hid a key to all of the magic in the magical kingdom.
Wade, amongst his best friend and eventual love interest (and remember EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD) seeks out this treasure. Swiftly on their tails is the conglomerate evil corporate entities who salivate power and control.
It's a race again time, oneself, and corporate greed. Adventuresome, yes? Crazy cool 80's reference? Yuppers. Fun times? Mostly.
This was an uphill battle for me. Like a work out really. I even thought that I would quit the book about one third of the way into it and if I wasn't in a position of not having an audio back up for my car trips, I might have.
Ultimately I'm glad that I stayed with it because the end - the whole process - was worth it. I'm not on fandom level with it like so many others, but yeah, it was a fun ride.
The Audio Aspect
I truly don't think that there would have been a better narrator chosen for this book other than Wil Wheaton. How many of you guys remember reading his blog when blogging first became a thing? If there's a cool gadgety geek out there, then Wheaton is the guy. There was nothing distracting about his reading and any lack of personal captivation was not because of him.
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