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Article 5 (Article 5 #1)

by Kristen Simmons (Goodreads Author)

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 8,957 ratings · 1,435 reviews

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old e...more

Hardcover, 362 pages

Published January 31st 2012 by Tor Teen

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2012 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade)

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Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia-utopia, ya-na, arc, 2011, annoying, bloody-awful, coverly-love

I am very sorry if I gave anyone false hope with my earlier updates on this but I was also misled by the beginning of the book. What seemed like a potentially interesting dystopian world became little more than a roadtrip filled with teen romance and angst. It seems that dystopia is the hottest new setting for romance novels, because really, that's exactly what the author was writing. It was only made into a dystopia because of the current trending of this genre.

I mean, let us ask one of the ve...more

148 likes · like · see review

Jun 11, 2012 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dysto-teque, why-yes-i-ya

uh-oh.

this book has crazy-high ratings and here i come in like a monster to muck it all up for everyone.

i just think this book is...lacking. it is another example of what happens when something gets overexposed. do we need another YA dystopian novel? well, i love them, so i would have to say "yes," but the problem is that when the market is flooded, some of the books are going to be waterlogged. and this one just doesn't measure up to the so-many-better ones out there. too many dystopias! leave...more

83 likes · like · see review

Dec 22, 2011 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-galley, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic, dystopia-or-pa-favourites, favourite-boys, romance, dystopian

4.5 stars

It took me forever to write this review. Okay, maybe not forever. More like three days. But still, I struggled to put together something coherent. And I still can't guarantee that it is coherent. And that's not because I hated this book. Nope, definitely not. It was because I loved it so much. So much so that I struggled to find the words to express it. Even now, I don't think I have done it justice.

But here it is, anyway.

First things first, take a look at my rating for this book. 4.5...more

51 likes · like · see review

Feb 02, 2012 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 1 of 5 stars

I couldn't continue. I really, really wanted to but the book was really driving me crazy. I made it to 63% so I really tried. Review coming soon. I just need to read something else before I review this so I'm not so irritated in my review.

Ok.. I just wrote this in comments and I figure it can hold me over until I write a review later....

The majority of the reviews on this book are outstanding.

I just found Ember, the lead female character, whiny, self-absorbed, hypocritical, dumb and unworthy of...more

31 likes · like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: No one.

Shelves: dystopian, tor, 2012-release, young-adult, 2012-reads, all-the-wrong-choices, can-t-believe-i-finished, could-have-been-better, didn-t-care-for-it, disappointment, glad-it-s-over, heroines-i-want-to-shake, i-own-it, le-sigh, lots-of-fail-going-on-here, poor-world-building, that-cover-misled-me, where-s-my-chocolate

It really says something about a Dystopian novel where when you finish it, you still have no idea how their society even got that way in the first place. And that kinda confuses me because I thought building a world of discord was the pointof the genre. Throwing two characters in a screwed up world without any further explanation besides, "Hey, there was a war!" doesn't work for me. Because it makes it incredibly hard to the reader to picture it in their mind. I'm no expert, but my favorite dyst...more

41 likes · like · see review

May 21, 2012 Jasmeen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: disappointing, too-stupid-to-live

1.5 star.

I could not finish this book, and that's a big deal, because I always finish books. The story just didn't grip me from the start and though it seemed to have a lot of potential to be amazing, it just didn't work.

I think my main problem was with the protagonist. I could not stand her. She was whiny, annoying, and a complete airhead. She was incapable of rational thought and it grated on every single one of my nerves. I had to put the book down.

I had such high expectations because it ha...more

28 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

Imagine a world where Hitler would have won. A world where if you don't follow the right religion, you won't ever be seen again. A world where its against the law to hang out with the opposite sex after curfew unless you're married. A world where being born from an unwed mother can get you killed - or worse. This is life in Kristen Simmons' Article 5. It's a truly frightening world where everyone is helpless against this corrupt government and their inconceivable rules.

There is barely any room...more Imagine a world where Hitler would have won. A world where if you don't follow the right religion, you won't ever be seen again. A world where its against the law to hang out with the opposite sex after curfew unless you're married. A world where being born from an unwed mother can get you killed - or worse. This is life in Kristen Simmons' Article 5. It's a truly frightening world where everyone is helpless against this corrupt government and their inconceivable rules.

There is barely any room to breathe during this story. It's so action packed that I'm surprised the pages can stay intact. This is surprisingly not overwhelming, however. It simply makes it a book that keeps you reading until you turn the very last page. As someone who's read a lot of dystopians, this one still stands out and brings about a new shocking world that can't help but fascinate you. It's not a fun dystopian like Divergent or Uglies where you get a cheerful rush from the new exciting future before it turns ugly. This one starts, and ends, with the characters running for their lives. This is serious from the start; you are scared for them on Every. Single. Page.

Our protagonist Ember is a character that matures tremendously during this novel. She starts off as this timid girl, blind to the cruel world around her, but once her mother is arrested she is forced to grow strong and confident if she plans on surviving -and she does. Although she does tend to self-blame a lot which gets increasingly worse as the stress of the situation builds on her. This is probably the intention of the author, but it can get just a tad frustrating at times. Her incredible determination still makes it easy to root for her. I also enjoyed her relationship with Chase which is extremely rocky, like walking on eggshells. He's been broken by what he went through since the war. Kristen writes his unpredictable state of mind incredibly well.

As a dystopian, Article 5 delivers with a gruesome world, non stop action and heart pounding energy. Fans of Veronica Roth's Divergent and Marie Lu's Legend should get a kick out of this!

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads (less)

45 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Maree rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-future-dystopian, 2012-read

Remember when there seemed to be very few vampire novels filling the bookshelves, then a certain vampire/werewolf/human love triangle novel was published and suddenly every second book on the shelves was a take on the vampire romance genre*. Well, unfortunately, it seems that this is the direction the dystopian/post-apocalyptic genre is heading. Thanks to Reynje I now have a name for that genre: Dystomance. What was the point of that little story? Well, that is exactly how I would classify Artic...more

9 likes · like · see review

Feb 27, 2012 CL rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, dystopian

I’ve read so many excellent books recently, I’d forgotten what it was like to read a less than mediocre book.

This was a less than mediocre book.

I had high hopes for it given the many 5* reviews of it on Goodreads. What a disappointment. Let me be clear: this is not the new ‘Hunger Games’. This isn’t even THG’s inferior cousin.

Where to start?

What caused the War? Who’s in charge? Why did things change? These are all questions that need to be answered to give a “realistic” dystopian setting. In ord...more I’ve read so many excellent books recently, I’d forgotten what it was like to read a less than mediocre book.

This was a less than mediocre book.

I had high hopes for it given the many 5* reviews of it on Goodreads. What a disappointment. Let me be clear: this is not the new ‘Hunger Games’. This isn’t even THG’s inferior cousin.

Where to start?

What caused the War? Who’s in charge? Why did things change? These are all questions that need to be answered to give a “realistic” dystopian setting. In order to make a book good, you need to feel like you’re there with the characters, picturing the world they are in and there was just not enough background to bring you into the characters' universe in this book.

The characters. Every good adventure/thriller/novel has the main characters and then the supporting characters which you know just enough about to care about and look forward to them making a recurring appearance. This book seriously lacks in the supporting characters role. What few recurring characters there are, you don’t care about and then the other characters mentioned (Beth, Ryan who seem likeable and even interesting) are mentioned at the beginning, never to appear again.

And then the characters we do have: Ember and Chase. She is obsessed with two things: her mother and pre-soldier Chase. She will repeat her thoughts on the both of these again and again. She is a completely unsympathetic character which is not what you want as your lead heroine in this type of book. And then there’s this fact that her love/obsession with finding her mother would work better if we were actually introduced to their loving mother/daughter relationship in more depth at the beginning of the book.

And then there’s Chase. To be fair, when he makes an appearance (or rather re-appearance), that is when the book becomes moderately interesting rather than dull but as a character? So-so. It takes a fair chunk of the book before you get to see what’s really going on in that head of his.

Which brings me to the Chase/Ember relationship. Don’t get me wrong, every good novel needs a romance but one minute Ember loves him then she hates him, she wants him to protect her then she wants to run away from him. Repeatedly. Has anyone actually reached the end of the book still caring about these two?!

And then the plot itself? It consists of one mildly interesting trek across routed America where it is important that the characters remember not to trust anyone, something which Ember repeatedly forgets and a few forays into prison-type institutions.

Let’s just say, this is one series where I won’t feel compelled to read more of.

If I could, I would give this book 1.5* but as it is, it's a harsh 1* to reflect my disappointment.
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11 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2012 Reading Teen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: great-on-audio

The audio:

Jenny Ikeda was fantastic reading Article 5. She just has a voice for audio, if that makes sense. She doesn't exactly sound like a teenager, which I know bothers some when listening to YA, but I don't think she sounds old either, more like early 20's. Sometimes that bugs me, but it really didn't at all with Article 5. It almost read like someone who was telling a story about what happened to her in the past, and so I thought the voice really fit. Her voice was soothing, yet engaging. S...more The audio:

Jenny Ikeda was fantastic reading Article 5. She just has a voice for audio, if that makes sense. She doesn't exactly sound like a teenager, which I know bothers some when listening to YA, but I don't think she sounds old either, more like early 20's. Sometimes that bugs me, but it really didn't at all with Article 5. It almost read like someone who was telling a story about what happened to her in the past, and so I thought the voice really fit. Her voice was soothing, yet engaging. She got excited when the book got exciting, and angry when the characters were angry. It was really a fantastic and exciting book to listen to. Her voices for the different characters weren't as distinct as others I've heard. This might be a problem in books where there are a lot of prominent characters, like the Nightshade series, but Article 5 was mostly narration and internal dialog, with two main characters that did the speaking, so it worked great. If you'd like to listen to a sample of her reading, you can check that out here. I absolutely recommend listening to this one! It will completely suck you in!

-Andye

The Book:

Okay, I am having tremendous luck lately with the Dystopian genre. I loved the Hunger Games trilogy (of course), Divergent, Delirium, Legend and now Article 5! Yes it deserves to go in with the Hunger Games category of best Dystopians ever. The storyline was phenomenal, adventurous and a roller coaster ride. The story was set years and years from now. Everything was illegal... owning certain magazines to having an affair. You could be locked up for anything in the world that Ember and Chase live in.

Ember was the main character, she was such a sad girl. Ember only had her mom, she and her were so close. I loved Ember's character, she went through so many ups and downs in Article 5, she was always a trooper. Ember sometimes was a little naive. She wouldn't let Chase protect her fully. She was constantly distrusting of everyone and she risked her life and a few lives of others to find her mother after they were separated. I did get very frustrated with Ember at times, her distrust of certain people put her own life into jeopardy. Multiple times!

Chase was an excellent addition to this book. He was mysterious and he took care of business. Chase cared for Ember but ever since he became a soldier they drew apart. I liked how the author wrote Chase's character. He was sensitive when he needed to be and a fighter when it was time.

I would say read this book as soon as it's released. It had several holes in it that annoyed me, but only a little, and the rest of the story made up for what was lacking. Article 5 was amazing and such a nail-biter. Seriously, if you like non-stop action with some pretty intense moments/scenes, you'll LOVE this book! The tension in Article 5 was really hard core, the book wasn't scary but really dramatic. I doubt I would have made it out alive if I were Ember, but maybe if I had Chase at my side, I would at least enjoyed the near death experiences.

-Amy
Reading Teen (less)

11 likes · like · see review

Jun 16, 2013 Melanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: bleh, dystopian-utopian, fantasy, kick-ass-character, oh-so-meh, romance, young-adult, post-apoc, could-have-been-so-much-better, action

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

Mini review:

Currently, the only way I think I can describe what I felt about Article 5 is by introducing Melanie's life story at high school *cue groaning and sighs of boredom* Okay, I admit, my school life is boring but I live in it and I survived so hopefully no one dies of boredom. In Drama class today we were analysing comedy. And we were watching this DVD on what makes us laugh; one of them being to overstate or understate the matter of something. (i....more See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

Mini review:

Currently, the only way I think I can describe what I felt about Article 5 is by introducing Melanie's life story at high school *cue groaning and sighs of boredom* Okay, I admit, my school life is boring but I live in it and I survived so hopefully no one dies of boredom. In Drama class today we were analysing comedy. And we were watching this DVD on what makes us laugh; one of them being to overstate or understate the matter of something. (i. e. A pan being slammed on someone's head and then overreacting or under reacting)

Article 5 is a bit like this. Every single shining element I was expecting from this novel did not make an appearance. And everything I didn't want was in it. Overdoing the inessential elements and under-doing to ones that could've made me fall in love with this book.

Firstly, the world building and plot was pretty much at the origin on my gradient line of expectations. Yup, I'm that mad at this once promising book that I'm bringing in the dreaded maths. Not only could I not feel anything being developed in the dystopian world, the characters were literally like robots. Stupid and mechanical, so damn predictable and stupid. (Wait? Didn't I already say that? Eh, double the stupidity won't hurt.) Kristin had seemed to have assured me from the beginning about every aspect of her book. I was honestly hooked from the beginning, with the action and just digging right into the pages. I guess I was wrong. About 40 pages in, everything went, BOOSH. Down, right into snoozeville.

What was overdone? The romance. This was what I least expecting from a blood bath- looking book. Apparently not because 3/4 was focused on the angst for each other. That's right, Chase and Ember. The dynamic duo of love that was oh-so-freakin-predictable. URGH. Horrible really. It was completely romance driven. Some books are fantastic when driven by love, for example, Black City By Elizabeth Richards, but this was a complete, pardon me but, disaster.

Then why, as I've been bagging this book for the last 3 paragraphs, have I given it 2 flimsy stars? 1 star to the promising start and idea. 1 star to the action, and one star to the little boy who lives down the lane. Baaa baaa black sheep.... *coughs* I did not just get carried away. And no, I don't recommend this book to anyone.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2012 Mimi Valentine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, 5-star, best-of-2012, boys-i-wish-were-real, favourites, pure-awesomeness, finished-copy-for-review, reviewed

HOLY WOW. If all dystopian books were like this one, I don't think there would be any complaints in the world! Article 5 was everything I expected and more: brilliantly written, complexly crafted, and containing characters that made my heart ache constantly.

This is one of those books you love so much that writing a review for it is scary because you don't want to let it down. Article 5 is so packed with action and twists and turns that it's sometimes hard to breathe. The dystopian world, filled...more

24 likes · like · see review

Feb 18, 2012 Jenelle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, future, embarrassed-to-admit-i-ve-read, survival, thrown-together-against-our-will, wont-finish-series, ya, read-in-2012

Here I am, about to dish out a scathing review on this book, and I made the mistake of looking at the author's profile picture. Darn you, Kristen Simmons-- why do you have to look so unbearably *nice*?? Now I don't want to hurt your feelings! Augh, shouldn't have put a face to the name; shouldn't have humanized the enemy!

Rats.

Ok, back to the scathing. And here it is: this book is a mess.

From the setup to the characters to the dialogue to the plot, this was a disaster on so many levels. I mean,...more

35 likes · like · see review

Feb 08, 2012 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-publishers, for-review, favorites, own, ya-dystopian-scifi-thriller

Wow! Article 5 is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads of 2012 because it had everything I could have wanted from a book and MORE! From page one, I was sucked into the cruel and harsh world that Kristen Simmons has created and was taken on a thrilling and heart-stomping journey – one that only made me want more!

Ever since the soldiers took over parts of America, Ember Millers life has changed drastically. She now lives in a world where being compliant is mandatory and civilians have to follow t...more Wow! Article 5 is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads of 2012 because it had everything I could have wanted from a book and MORE! From page one, I was sucked into the cruel and harsh world that Kristen Simmons has created and was taken on a thrilling and heart-stomping journey – one that only made me want more!

Ever since the soldiers took over parts of America, Ember Millers life has changed drastically. She now lives in a world where being compliant is mandatory and civilians have to follow the 5 Article rules. When Ember’s mother is arrested for noncompliance of Article 5, she is taken away to trial leaving Ember to be taken into custody. While there, Ember finds her life under rules even harder than she ever imagined - all she knows is she needs to rescue her mother and she cannot do it inside the rehabilitation centre. It’s only when Chase; a boy from Ember’s past comes to her rescue - but once he does, Ember can’t help question if he is the same boy – the one that she once loved or if he is the solider that he has been trained to be?

It’s safe to say Article 5 completely surpassed my expectations! I heard it was good but I didn’t realise it would be this good - that its left’s me longing to be back with the characters already. And now I know, 2013 is going to be an even longer wait because I’m dying to know what happens next.

Kristen Simmons has created a master piece with Article 5 and she has truly been able to capture the intensity of Ember’s world. It’s dangerous, scary and brutal and without the right people there to save her, she is truly doomed. Kristen Simmons has also managed to create the perfect blend of excitement, suspenseful and intense scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat and let’s not forget the romance. Oh the romance - It will make its way into your heart and leave a trail of butterflies in your stomach. Yeah, it was that good!

My favourite thing from this book was the characters. I adored both Ember and Chase! They were both head-strong, independent and my god stubborn. Their scenes together were so intense that you can honestly feel the sparks fly off the pages and their romance will not leave you disappointed. Not convinced yet? Well here are some amazing quotes that will surely change your mind……………

“He was my anchor in the hurricane, yet at the same time, the hurricane itself, so that I nearly always felt safe and afraid simultaneously. There was nothing in the world as confusing and powerful as being close to him.” – Ember

“Ember, you're the only piece of me I have left. Everything else-my family, my home, my soul- they're all gone. I don't know who the hell I am anymore. If it weren't for you... I don't know.” – Chase

“Don't do that again! Not ever again!" I told him. "I should say the same to you," he said. I could feel his breath, warm on my neck. "Promise me!" I demanded.
"I... I promise." "I can't lose you.” - Ember & Chase

“It was you," I say softly. "It's always you I think about."
The intensity in his gaze took my breath away. I could feel him. Every part of him. His soul was sewn to mine. His heated blood flowed through my veins. I'd thought that I had been close to my mother, and I was, but not like this. Chase and I barely touched- our hands, mouths, knees- but there was no part of me that was not his.” - Ember

Overall, Article 5 is one the best dystopian novels I’ve read by far! So if you’re a fan of this genre, then this book is for you and even if your not – I urge you to pick up it up because I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

A huge huge thank you to Tor Teen for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Mar 10, 2012 Reynje rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia, read-2012, young-adult

“Dystomance” doesn’t appear to be going anywhere soon, and the appetite for YA romance playing out against a backdrop of government oppression remains healthy, judging by the titles storming my goodreads feed. I’ve had varying degrees of success with this particular subgenre, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I prefer those where the romance takes a back seat to the plot and worldbuilding. It’s a personal preference, but I find that the opposite scenario, with the romance centre stage and the...more “Dystomance” doesn’t appear to be going anywhere soon, and the appetite for YA romance playing out against a backdrop of government oppression remains healthy, judging by the titles storming my goodreads feed. I’ve had varying degrees of success with this particular subgenre, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I prefer those where the romance takes a back seat to the plot and worldbuilding. It’s a personal preference, but I find that the opposite scenario, with the romance centre stage and the world set up to fuel romantic angst, makes for less of a satisfying reading experience.

So while I approached Article 5 with some trepidation, and I would still shelve it along with its apocalyptic and dystopian romance companions, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked this book. I don’t love it and it’s not without issues, primarily of the worldbuilding variety, but this is a solid contender with more substance than a case of tru luv gone awry.

Lately, it only takes accessing the internet or broadly keeping up with global political developments to see that Simmons’ vision of an ultra / neo-conservative (thanks Angela!) United States is not exactly unimaginable. While the book is somewhat sketchy on the rise of this government, the Moral Statues and the war that preceded, the underlying ideas make for a plausible, interesting premise. If the book is rather lacking in explanation (and it is), it does a decent job of creating a stifling atmosphere of control and surveillance by a regressive right-wing government.

During a systematic sweep of the nation to reinstate strict moral codes and “reform” it’s citizens to traditional gender and family roles, Ember Miller and her mother fall afoul of “article 5” of the Moral Statutes, by virtue of Ember’s illegitimacy. Present at their arrest is young officer and Ember’s former neighbour, Chase Jennings, apparently having been completely indoctrinated by the Moral Militia.

The sparseness of back story will doubtless be a major roadblock for some, and that’s understandable. However, to Simmons’ credit, she has crafted a compelling dynamic between the main characters that keeps the book engaging.

Rather than relying on an instant connection born out of inexplicable chemistry, Ember and Chase’s relationship is tied to their shared history and complicated by their present circumstances. Ember is an impulsive, scared teenager fearing for the life of her mother and her own safety. Chase is a conflicted young soldier suffering the effects of PTSD and a burdened conscience. While the development of their story is predictably hindered by one of my pet peeves – a willful lack of communication – the plot maintains a brisk pace and the focus is not entirely on the will-they-won’t-they element.

The characters are better fleshed out here than some comparable reads of late, and Simmons’ incorporation of mental health issues is insightful without being obtrusive and bludgeoning the reader with cumbersome messaging. Chase, in particular, is strong, well-developed character, gradually revealed in more detail throughout the story. And while Ember was not always a character I cared for, I appreciated the fact that she had agency and motivation independent of the romance subplot. As she gains understanding she becomes a more sympathetic character, and one that I warmed to as her story progressed.

The writing of Article 5 is brisk and even - and as the conduit of Ember’s voice, it’s articulate and aware. It’s a fast paced story and a relatively quick read, with compelling stakes and an ending that avoids cliffhangers, yet leaves the way open for Simmons to further develop her characters and the world they live in.

While I would have preferred more detailed development and solid explanation for the premise, I still found Article 5 held its own in a crowded field, and I look forward to reading the sequel.

This review also appears at The Midnight Garden
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20 likes · like · see review

Sep 13, 2012 Anagha rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who love a violent, self-hating love interest and a weak protagonist

Don't you just hate it when books you'd been looking forward to with drooling mouths turn out to be disappointments?

Article 5 was one such book (another example is Divergent).

I was expecting action! And awesomesauce fights! All I got were two bickering teenagers in love. I can go to high school for that.

What sets me off most about this book is...wait. Forget I said that. Everything about this book sets me off.

1) The Characters
Ember Miller
Throughout most of the novel, our dear protagonist remains...more

12 likes · like · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Kristin rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: reader-s-advisory, ya, sci-fi

Lots of review buzz on here ahead of publication, though hype often is just hype. This story isn't that original, but good writing can often give a tired plot new life. The writing here doesn't do that and isn't that good. The metaphors are clunky and the character descriptions are superficial. Case in point, you introduce a character and then describe how they look and what they're wearing shortly afterward, as if that was the appropriate way to develop a person within a narrative structure.

In...more Lots of review buzz on here ahead of publication, though hype often is just hype. This story isn't that original, but good writing can often give a tired plot new life. The writing here doesn't do that and isn't that good. The metaphors are clunky and the character descriptions are superficial. Case in point, you introduce a character and then describe how they look and what they're wearing shortly afterward, as if that was the appropriate way to develop a person within a narrative structure.

In this story, an unspecified war has decimated most major American cities and a bunch of conservative reactionaries have taken over and implemented extremely oppressive moral codes. Ember, the main character, has recently been arrested, along with her, mother because Ember's mother violated Article 5 of the Moral Statues - having a child out of wedlock. The mother is taken away, and Ember is sent to a rehabilitation center to I guess erase being the product of a broken home. Additional snag in the proceedings - among the people who have arrested Ember and her mother is Ember's ex-boyfriend. He left town sometime in the recent past for currently unspecified reasons and has come back into Ember's life as a betraying oppressor... or so it seems..... dun dun DUN!

I was initially drawn to this book over other dystopias currently flooding the market because it seemed to be more like 1984 and less an indictment of societies without religion. Too many dystopias have a very insidious religious agenda. This story though seems to use exaggerated versions of morality in vogue among far-right religious groups in order to make a point. Exaggeration can work when done correctly. Fire by Kristin Cashore, while it has some flaws of its own, blows up the dangers women face regarding sexual assault in a fantasy setting to heighten awareness about sexual violence against women Article 5 doesn't really go anywhere though. It's all very underdeveloped, and quickly bored. I found it hard to care about the characters and after a while skipped ahead. Dissatisfying.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Karin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, 2012-reads, post-apocalyptic, youngadult, audio-books, reread

Absolutely AMAZING! I couldn’t put this book down. This one was a one-sitting read for me.

Ember lives in a world where the Bill of Rights has been dissolved and replaced with the Moral Statutes. Police officers have been replaced by soldiers, and what once might have resulted in a fine now means imprisonment or worse.

It hasn’t always been this way. Ember remembers when people still lived in big cities like Washington, D.C. and New York and had freedom to live without fear of punishment. Ember ha...more Absolutely AMAZING! I couldn’t put this book down. This one was a one-sitting read for me.

Ember lives in a world where the Bill of Rights has been dissolved and replaced with the Moral Statutes. Police officers have been replaced by soldiers, and what once might have resulted in a fine now means imprisonment or worse.

It hasn’t always been this way. Ember remembers when people still lived in big cities like Washington, D.C. and New York and had freedom to live without fear of punishment. Ember has learned how to get by – to fly under the radar by passing surprise home inspections and getting hand-me-down clothes – but her mother has always been a little on the wild side.

When the soldiers show up at their door and arrest Ember’s mother for violation of Article 5, Ember’s life is turned upside down. Her mother is taken away for interrogation and Ember is taken to the nightmarish Reform School for Girls and informed she will have to stay until the is 18-years-old. What makes everything worse is that Chase, the only boy she has ever loved, is one of the soldiers who arrested her mother. Lost and alone Ember’s only thought is to get out and find her mother.

With help from an unexpected ally, Ember sets off on dangerous journey to freedom. Will she be able to stay ahead of the Moral Militia? Will she get to her mother in time? Will she be able to find out what caused Chase to change so much so that she barely recognizes the boy she loved?

Kristen Simmons has written an engrossing dystopian novel. It definitely can hold its own in the war between all the dystopian novels available right now. Ember is a strong female character even though she is clearly in love with Chase. Her flashbacks to a time before Chase joined the army are sweet and full of emotion. The romantic tension between Ember and Chase is palpable. The only thing that would have made the story better is a little more explanation about what life is like for the other citizens in town dealing with the strict rules of the Moral Militia. Even without it though, this one is a winner.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

May 27, 2012 ◕ ◡ ◕ Arooj rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, books-i-fell-hard-for

My emotions. MY EMOOOOTIONS!

I don't...I don't even know what to call this feeling I have right now.
A mixture of happiness, a bit of girly squealing, and pure rage.

.

The Good
- The plot was full of excitement and intensity. I was always kept on my toes. As soon as I ended a chapter, I just HAD to know what happens next (this is why I ended up staying up until 4 in the morning to finish this book). The concept isn't all that different from other dystopian novels - an over-controlling government in...more

7 likes · like · see review

Sep 29, 2012 cEe beE rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hunger-games-copy-cats, dim-wit-heroines

Ember is an uninteresting protagonist and one of the most annoying female characters I've ever come across. I kept wishing for her to spontaneously combust throughout the book. As for her love interest, Chase, I never completely understood his attraction to her because we only get to read Ember's discombobulated thoughts about him. The entire time, they were alternately running together or away from each other or getting caught. The dystopian world building was not completely fleshed out. There...more

5 likes · like · see review

Mar 05, 2012 Surin rated it 3 of 5 stars

The world in Article 5 is oppressive and stifling. The military has taken over and the United States has return back to it's Puritan roots where gender roles are well established and moral codes are used as the building blocks for society rather then the bill of rights. The first half of the book was gripping and exciting with lots of action and running around. And the atmosphere is great cause I felt the injustice towards the people and most of all I felt so much anger on behalf of Ember on how...more The world in Article 5 is oppressive and stifling. The military has taken over and the United States has return back to it's Puritan roots where gender roles are well established and moral codes are used as the building blocks for society rather then the bill of rights. The first half of the book was gripping and exciting with lots of action and running around. And the atmosphere is great cause I felt the injustice towards the people and most of all I felt so much anger on behalf of Ember on how unfair her situation is.

Then I got to know Ember in the middle part of the book and that's pretty much where the books starts to fall apart for me. Ember creates a lot of unnecessary drama for herself and for the people around her because she's too wrapped up in her warp sense of what is right and what is wrong (and trust me it's pretty warp) and is so self-centred it's disgusting. There were at times I was literally rolling my eyes or face palming because this girl is such a hypocrite! For example there's a scene where she gets really angry with person A because person A was about to kill her murderer rapist attacker even though person A totally saved her ass. Ungrateful much?! There's also a lot of instances where she blames people for things that don't make an awful lot of sense. I.e. She dislikes Chase for leaving her to join the Army and causing her grief (view spoiler)

The last half of the book while really exciting is just exciting without a purpose. I almost feel as if the events that take place towards the ending were just created to cause drama between Ember and Chase and to also create further romance and tension. It started to read more like a romance novel rather then a dystopian novel.

Overall Article 5 is great debut from Kristen Simmons and she definitely has me hooked enough to read the follow up novel to this but dislike for the main character and the not well thought out sequence of events towards the end just made me rate this book a little less.

Fans of Legend, Divergent and Blood Red Road would thoroughly enjoy this but I wouldn't recommend this as someone's first introduction to the world of YA dystopia.
(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2012 Zaara - thebookfreak rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: omg-there-are-no-word-to-describe-h, favorite-books

I think im in love.. with CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASEEEEEEEEEEEE!
HE'S MY NEW HERO AND LOOOOOOOVEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

Okey so from where should I start????
This book was so frekking amazing and ooh I swear I just couldn't stop reading I didn't even go out of my room ONCE to do something else than to get a glass of water or to eat something while I was reading this book! This book has it all action,sadness, excitment, horror and an amazing love story that makes you fall for Chase even before...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 11, 2012 7hir7een rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to 7hir7een by: YA Apocalyptic and Dystopian Fiction

Shelves: dystopian-and-post-apocalyptic, own, read-in-2012, series-started, botm, science-fiction, stars-4-5

★★★★½ -- Article 5 is a fantastic novel, and a stunning debut. It makes a serious contender for my favorite book I’ve read so far this year, and I’ve read some good ones. Kristen Simmons pulls out all the stops. The dystopian world is well-shaped, frightening for its plausibility. In the vein of 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, the world of Article 5 is one gone bad not because of natural disaster or paranormal entities. It is primarily a case of post-war governmental intervention run rampant and corrup...more ★★★★½ -- Article 5 is a fantastic novel, and a stunning debut. It makes a serious contender for my favorite book I’ve read so far this year, and I’ve read some good ones. Kristen Simmons pulls out all the stops. The dystopian world is well-shaped, frightening for its plausibility. In the vein of 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, the world of Article 5 is one gone bad not because of natural disaster or paranormal entities. It is primarily a case of post-war governmental intervention run rampant and corrupted into something wildly wrong. In a world where practicing the wrong religion or reading the wrong books or being born the the wrong father can get you killed, rebellion is a terrifying prospect. Even headstrong Ember doesn’t consider acting out in a big way until the Federal Bureau of Reformation shows up on her doorstep, stealing her mother away from her and condemning her to rehabilitation camp until she “ages out” at eighteen. Afraid for her life and suspecting she will never see her mother, friends or home again, the only thing that can make it worse is the damning presence of Chase Jennings, the only boy Ember has ever loved, as an arresting officer.

Article 5 seeks to accomplish much, and it succeeds. It is a poignant statement on the corruption of government regulation. It makes the reader ponder the importance of freedom and rights. It leads the reader’s stomach to bottom out with dread with suspenseful scenes. Nail-biting tension keeps the pages turning. Certain scenes are written with the finesse of an great edge-of-your-seat horror movie, horrific and chilling to the bone. The characters are engaging. Ember is headstrong and fiery, but isn’t without her emotional baggage. This is understandable given the things she has to face, and makes her character relatable, seeing as how the world as she once knew it has fallen apart. Chase Jennings is a bit of an enigma–stoic one moment, fiercely protective the next, agonizingly tortured all the while. Once we begin to understand more about Chase, I find myself liking him even more (much as with Will Herondale in Clockwork Prince). The plot is a successfully executed gripping rollercoaster of events and emotions. Once you start reading this book, you don’t want to stop.

One of the little touches I really appreciate about the book is how, from the beginning, the history between Ember and Chase is a mystery. We learn little snippets through Ember’s flashbacks, both accurate and warped into nightmares. As her perspective deepens, the reader can relate to her more and more. The gradual unfolding of the story between Chase and Ember pushes their development and the reader understanding of characters forward, but at the same time, allows the reader to step back and examine the events that have already happened through a different lens. Gaining understanding of these main characters and the things that have occurred around them is an important part of the story that occurs in parallel with the action, preventing the feeling of slowness that typically presents itself with a novel’s character background information.

As a Kentucky resident, I also had a little geek glee moment when I realized that parts of the novel took place in the state.

Article 5 is a brilliant, intense gem of a dystopian novel. I’d highly recommend it to anyone that thinks this is what they are looking for. I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on the next two novels in the trilogy.

See a bit more about my meeting Kristen Simmons at my blog: http://blog.delusionsandgrandeur.net/article-5-by-kristen-simmons/(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 08, 2013 Aprille rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: NO ONE

Shelves: dystomance, boring, misleading-blurb, why-did-i-buy-it, where-s-the-world-building, whiny-annoying-mc, no-plot

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVqwVz...

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons disappointed me.

The main reason I bought this book was because the blurb did not have any mention of romance, something a book is apparently obligated to include to get published nowadays. However, by page 13, I ran across this:

That had been his house. The house of the boy I loved.

At which point I dropped the book into my lap and sighed. I had been duped.

Nevertheless, I pressed on, hoping against hope that at some point in th...more

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 23, 2012 Kelly Leigh rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, speculative-fiction, post-apocalyptic, young-adult

1.5 evanescing stars

Disclaimer: I stopped reading at the 63% marker, page 250-something, just couldn't take it any more.

Before I begin spewing out my not-so-nice thoughts, I want all you Goodreaders to know that I REALLY wanted to like this book. For reals. In fact, I’ve been anxiously awaiting Article 5’s release for some time. So it with much regret that I ended up not really liking it. In the least. And the half a star added is merely because the beginning intrigued me, and after every flip...more

12 likes · like · see review

Feb 18, 2012 Jana (The Book Goddess) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, blog-reviewed, debut-author-2012

Also posted on my blog: http://jana-thebookgoddess.blogspot.com/

First reaction after finishing this book: Shame. What a damn shame. *heavy sigh*. Oh dear, this book could have well been my favourite of 2012 so far, but the characters just ruined everything for me. And you know how picky I am about characters, I prefer having amazing characters and zero plot but IF, like this thing here, if you've written such an original and addictive plot but with annoying and whiny characters, with love intere...more Also posted on my blog: http://jana-thebookgoddess.blogspot.com/

First reaction after finishing this book: Shame. What a damn shame. *heavy sigh*. Oh dear, this book could have well been my favourite of 2012 so far, but the characters just ruined everything for me. And you know how picky I am about characters, I prefer having amazing characters and zero plot but IF, like this thing here, if you've written such an original and addictive plot but with annoying and whiny characters, with love interest the charm of a goldfish, well.. you got a bit of a problem here.

Kristen Simmons is a very talented writer. She can write pretty damn good action scenes. My heart was literally pounding every second while I was reading this book. I couldn't put it down! Every second was valuable and dangerous. Her worldbuilding was fantastic, and unlike some other dystopians or post-apocalyptic YA novels out there, this is realistic. I could actually imagine this happening for real. Which makes it even more frightening and nerve-wracking. Knowing that in maybe a 50 years or so, our society and world could end up as corrupted as this.

This novel was intense. Like in every stage of Ember's journey there would be this obstacle that they needed to think of a plan for, and I loved reading about it. Especially the first part of the novel, it was very fresh and original, but after maybe 150 pages, when it all became very tedious and predictable. It even went to the point where I knew what was going to happen because it was so similar to the previous part of the story. I felt like everyone was very untrustworthy and I get that they don't/can't trust anyone, but I hate it when our main character does. Even when she's gone through enough shit to know better.

What brought me down was the main character. OH GUYS. Arrrggghhhhhh! I've lost count of how many times I wanted to smack her for her stupidity and how naive she was. Oh my God! She was like one of those people in a horror movie, the one who does something incrediblity stupid and unjustified and everyone is screaming for her to go back/do something? Yep. That's our main heroine Ember. Oh geez. For someone who claimed to be smart and all that, she was freaking useless. I would have just left her there to go and die or something. And it doesn't help that her love interest soldier has the personality of a brick. Seriously. Not swoonworthy at all. He didn't show any emotion or anything. WTH.

Call me a heartless bitch or something, but I didn't care for her mum at all. I wouldn't have bothered to go and save her if she acted like a doormat to her ex-boyfriend and had let him abuse her.The only characters that I did like, was Sean and Rebecca. I thought they were really sweet and I would have preferred them as main characters instead of secondary.

Rant over. I still feel like shaking my head at this. Thinking how much I would have loved this book if the two main characters were different. Oh well. Still unsure if I would be reading the next one.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-read-2012, must-read

1/13/12 - YAY! I won a copy through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway!!

UPDATE 1/25/12 - What an amazing story! I felt like was there with Chase and Ember throuought the whole journey, and what a journey it was! It is a scary world they are living in in this book...i was scared for the characters, never knowing what would happen next. The ending was awesome; it didn't leave off on a cliffhanger, as it was tied up nicely, but i am sooooo ready for the next book and to see how the resistance shape...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 28, 2012 Lolita rated it 2 of 5 stars

I finished this book, but I struggled through it. When I first heard of this book and saw the cover I immediately decided I wanted to read it. It sounded very good, but well I was disapointed when I actually read it. It is not a bad book, I will even say it is a good book, it just isn't a book for me.

The first reason why I don't like this book is because it has a very bleak outlook, there is no hope and I want to see hope in a book. Further we get to read terrible gruwesome details, which I don'...more I finished this book, but I struggled through it. When I first heard of this book and saw the cover I immediately decided I wanted to read it. It sounded very good, but well I was disapointed when I actually read it. It is not a bad book, I will even say it is a good book, it just isn't a book for me.

The first reason why I don't like this book is because it has a very bleak outlook, there is no hope and I want to see hope in a book. Further we get to read terrible gruwesome details, which I don't like to read. Just my opinion. It was harsh, very harsh and I don't like that in a book. Give me some violence and action, oké, but not too much details about how a dead person looked like. Another thing I didn't liked is all the running. The characters are running the entire time. I would like to see them have some peace sometimes, I just got tired only from reading it.

I think the characters deserve some more explanation. The lead characters are very strong, but somehow I just didn't like them. I couldn't connect with them. And the lead character Em, I only felt like I knew a bit about her halfway through. The characters are strong and there is even see some character development, but I think they still lack depth.

Another big point why I didn't like this book was the world building. When I read a dystophia I love the world building, reading how different the society is and why. Here we get some hints, but at the end of the book I still have no idea what happenend to the US, I know there is a different and cruel government after some kind of war, but why, what is this war, what exactly happened? No anshwers, I felt like the author put too less attention to the world building and instead focussed and showing how two people survive in a very cruel and bleak world.

To conclude this is not a bad book, but it just isn't a book for me. I didn't like all the running and the bleak outlook. I couldn't connect with the characters and felt the world building lacked. I know many people actually love this book, so I would say try it for yourself.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 17, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, whiny-annoying-blah-heroine, hero-dick-to-heroine

Article 5 is set in a future America where citizens have little to no rights, every religion other than Christianity is forbidden, girls and boys cannot date, pregnancy outside of a marriage is against the law and 'immoral' books and materials are banned.
Seventeen year old Ember is mortified when her mother is arrested and sent to trial for having a child outside of marraige. Ember is sent to a reform school complete with guards, locked gates and a cruel headmistress. Ember is terrified for her...more Article 5 is set in a future America where citizens have little to no rights, every religion other than Christianity is forbidden, girls and boys cannot date, pregnancy outside of a marriage is against the law and 'immoral' books and materials are banned.
Seventeen year old Ember is mortified when her mother is arrested and sent to trial for having a child outside of marraige. Ember is sent to a reform school complete with guards, locked gates and a cruel headmistress. Ember is terrified for her mother, distraught about her new living sitiation and desperate to escape to help her mother. On top of that Ember is heartbroken that the boy she once loved - Chase is the soldier that arrested her mother and sent her to reform school.
Ember manages to escape with the help of Chase and together they try to rescue her mother whilst hiding from the authorties, who have put a price on their recapture. Ember is naturally confused that Chase is helping her, but instead of being grateful that he's put a target on his back for her, she whines and bitches about his 'betrayl' even though it's made clear he had no choice in the matter. Chase would do anything for Ember including hurting anyone who is a threat to her, Ember instead of being happy that Chase would protect her, just judges him and makes him feel like crap for being violent against the people who would kill them, she was a hypocrite and a useless weakling.
The world felt quite similar to that of Delirium and Matched, but whereas Delirium and Matched seemed a bit unbelievable, Article 5 seemed like a more plausible alternate future.
The book had potential but was let down by Ember, she was annoying, reckless, selfish and clueless. Her love interest Chase was capable, protective and smart, although I did question his intelligence for loving the idiot that was Ember. Both Ember and Chase like most YA couples/potential couples suffer from lack of communication and making stupid assumptions about the other - to no doubt add unnecessary angst and drama. Ember was just an awful character - I wanted to throttle her countless times, she didn't deserve to have someone like Chase although she does step up at the end but it's a case of too little, too late.
I don't think I want to read the sequel, but if the reviews look good or Ember gets a personality transplant then I'll probably read the next one.(less)

10 likes · like · see review

Feb 02, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've been contemplating why in the past month I've been so drawn to these types of books and then it hit me... I need to read about something that is worse in my mind than what my current government is doing! It's like... well I suppose it could be worse, I could have to wear some ridiculous outfit, have my life preplanned for me, be unable to read what I want etc etc!

Holy crap what a ride!
I had read a few reviews before starting this book and still wasn't ready for the intensity... the utter s...more

3 likes · like · see review

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About Kristen Simmons

Kristen Simmons has a master’s degree in social work and is an advocate for mental health. She loves Jazzercise, her husband, and her precious greyhound, Rudy. Also chocolate. She currently lives in Tampa, Florida.

For more updates on Kristen and her writing, visit http://www.kristensimmonsbooks.com or http://www.facebook.com/author.kriste....

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Quotes from Article 5

“Ember, you're the only piece of me I have left. Everything else-my family, my home, my soul- they're all gone. I don't know who the hell I am anymore. If it weren't for you... I don't know.” — 62 people liked it

“It was you," I say softly. "It's always you I think about."

The intensity in his gaze took my breath away. I could feel him. Every part of him. His soul was sewn to mine. His heated blood flowed through my veins. I'd thought that I had been close to my mother, and I was, but not like this. Chase and I barely touched- our hands, mouths, knees- but there was no part of me that was not his.” — 59 people liked it

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