Awaken (Awaken, #1)

May 29, 2011 Janina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, covers-i-love, romance, dystopian-apocalyptic, read-in-2010, annoyed-me, let-me-down, on-my-kindle, for-review

Katie Kacvinsky’s debut novel, Awaken, takes the reader to the year 2060, when every aspect of life has become digitalized. People hardly go out anymore; they have confined themselves to their homes after tragic incidents in the past and live through their computer, socializing only in online communities. Young people even go to school online. Madeline is one of them, yet different. Since a rebellion and betrayal against her father, the founder of digital school, Maddie has been kept under const...more Katie Kacvinsky’s debut novel, Awaken, takes the reader to the year 2060, when every aspect of life has become digitalized. People hardly go out anymore; they have confined themselves to their homes after tragic incidents in the past and live through their computer, socializing only in online communities. Young people even go to school online. Madeline is one of them, yet different. Since a rebellion and betrayal against her father, the founder of digital school, Maddie has been kept under constant supervision. Now she has left her past behind, concentrating on schoolwork and her future. But that changes when she meets Justin - a boy who challenges her views and introduces her to a completely new and different way of life. Maddie is torn: Should she follow Justin and betray her father again for what she believes in? Or should she continue to play the role of the obedient daughter for her family’s sake?

This premise sounded extremely intriguing to me and – combined with the gorgeous cover (yeah, I know, please don't judge me) – made me look forward to reading the book. Now I’m very sorry to say that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I expected to and was actually not far from putting it away unfinished two or three times.

Positive things first, though: Kacvinsky’s writing definitely had a great flow (I’ve learned that this isn’t to be taken for granted) and there were some beautiful quotes I wrote down to remember.

At the beginning I liked Madeline, the main character, a lot, too. She is intelligent and not afraid to take matters in her own hands or take risks. I liked how she wasn’t waiting for her crush, Justin, to make the first move but actually approached him on her own. Later on, though, he became the absolute centre of her world and her moping around got on my nerves. Additionally, Maddie often only seemed to be the pawn in someone else’s plan, and was too passive to really be considered the book's heroine.

I found the idea of the world Kacvinsky takes the reader to fascinating. I can really imagine that a world like this might be our near future, but – sadly – the details and explanations were extremely fuzzy, especially on the technical level. Also, the view of the future seemed almost too optimistic for me in some ways. Not once did the situation feel threatening to me. (Just an example: All nuclear weapons have been put down, weapons with bullets are illegal and the police only use tranquilizers.) Also, some of the things that were labelled "bad" actually weren't in my opinion. Digital school, for instance: I agree that it is important that pupils have the possibility to interact personally, but to present it as a huge threat to personal freedom? Altogether, not convincing.

In the end, though, what I liked least about the novel was strongly connected with Justin, the love interest: First of all, I couldn’t really feel any chemistry between him and Maddie, or understand why she was attracted to him in the first place. And secondly, he was so preachy. Seriously, every time he and Maddie met, he only talked about the dangers of computers, about how bad it was that people lived only through those devices and how society had become too dependent on them. His ramblings actually made him unattractive to me. I only thought: Okay now, I got it, you don’t have to beat me over the head with your views, I’m not totally dumb! To make things worse, he also had this ‘I'm-not-good-enough-and-too-dangerous-for-you’ attitude – and combined with ‘You-are-too-precious-and-important-to-take-part-in-anything-dangerous’ he really annoyed me.

All in all, this book just wasn’t anything to be excited about. It focuses a lot on romance, and this romance fell flat for me because I didn’t like Justin. I also would have loved to see more development in Maddie’s relationship with her family, but that aspect was almost completely abandoned after the first half. Additionally, the world building lacked the vivid details I look for in this genre.
As there are a lot of dystopian YA books coming out at the moment, I certainly would not recommend Awaken first.

Thanks a lot to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for giving me the opportunity to read this early version.(less)

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Dec 17, 2010 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, ya-contemporary, scifi-dystopian-apocalyptic, e-version, unfinished-2010, high-expectations, a-jerk-is-a-jerk

**** includes some "light" spoilering ****
I was very excited when my request to read an ARC of Katie Kacvinsky’s debut Awaken was approved of. It is young adult dystopia, it has a gorgeous cover that stands out, it contains some kind of a boy-girl-story and it deals with a possible negative outcome of our present trend of living part of our lives connected to the web, of working as teleworkers straight from home or from far away of our employers.

My excitement deflated in stages until I had read...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Reynje rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book-kindle, read-2011, young-adult, not-for-me

Conceptually, I liked this book. The subject matter is topical, and I feel that the arguments presented are valid and worth discussion. The issues Kacvinsky conflates to build her future world will resonate with anyone who has even half a finger on the current technological pulse, or an interest in social anthropology in general.

In execution, however, this novel left me with fairly lukewarm feelings.

Fast forward to 2060, when escalating violence and rapid advancements in technology have caused...more Conceptually, I liked this book. The subject matter is topical, and I feel that the arguments presented are valid and worth discussion. The issues Kacvinsky conflates to build her future world will resonate with anyone who has even half a finger on the current technological pulse, or an interest in social anthropology in general.

In execution, however, this novel left me with fairly lukewarm feelings.

Fast forward to 2060, when escalating violence and rapid advancements in technology have caused the lives of US citizens to invert. Education and social interaction take place largely online. Private transport is uncommon. Writing longhand and paper books are practically obsolete (*gasp!*) And almost everybody is “plugged in”, armed to the teeth with phones, “flipscreens”, even “MindReaders”. There’s no longer just “an app for that”, there’s a device that will do it for you.

We meet Maddie, daughter of the founder of Digital School, suffering the consequences of a past rebellion and living her life mostly within the confines of her home. Enter Justin, a mysterious online study group contact, who extends the unusual invitation to meet in person, and offers Maddie a glimpse of another kind of life.

This is not a subtle book. You do not have to read between the lines, because the lines essentially leap off the page and hit you in the face. Whether through the internal musings of Maddie herself, or via Justin’s eloquent speeches – he occasionally sounds more like a travelling sage than a (view spoiler) year old guy – the evils of technology gone too far are expounded loud and clear. I’d go so far as to say there isn’t really subtext here. Just text. To wit: as life becomes increasingly tied to technology and thus devoid of physical and emotional connection, it tears away at the foundation of what it is be human, and the intrinsic value of relationships.

I don’t disagree with many of the sentiments that the characters / the story express. And Kacvinsky’s writing is clear with some nice, expressive turns and genuinely profound lines. Maddie is not an entirely unsympathetic protagonist and it’s pleasing to see that she takes some of her choices into her own hands. So perhaps I should simply chalk this one up to not being to my particular taste.

While my interest was piqued by the beginning, I felt that the mid section of the narrative was somewhat flaccid. It paints an accurate picture of the boredom of Maddie’s restricted, virtual life – but my attention waned considerably. The pacing increases throughout the latter chapters, but I felt here that the story relied heavily on the reader’s investment in the Maddie/Justin will they/won’t they relationship to pull them through the plot, as opposed to Maddie’s actual predicament. I’ll admit that for me, the chemistry between the characters fell flat. There are "swoony" moments between them – but the constant expository, didactic dialogue was a little frustrating.

In terms of the climax, it was well-paced, but relied heavily on convenient twists and pulled together rather too neatly for me to completely buy into. And while the ending leaves threads loose to be picked up in the sequel, I can’t help but feel that maybe it would be a stronger book if it stood alone. The hopeful, yet slightly melancholic note of the final pages might have reinforced the impact of the story, lingered more, had I not know that they would be picked back up and extended later. I may be alone in this opinion – I’m sure that there are plenty of readers who are eager to get reacquainted with these characters and follow their story.

Awaken is well-written (view spoiler) and poses some interesting, albeit very blunt, questions. I can see that the speculative nature of the story and the character’s relationships will be appealing to some – however the style in which the themes were delivered made this not really my kind of book.
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Nov 30, 2010 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, dystopian-fiction, ya, read-in-2010

I often wonder what life will be like in 10, 15 years from now. If I look in the past, it seems like nothing has really changed, besides the fact that I grew up. But when I look more closely, I see technology evolved in ways I didn't think were possible. 15 years ago I would have laughed if somebody would have told me people would be online, constantly. Computers, laptops, phones,... The possibilities become more and more endless, the opportunities become bigger and bigger, the future is looking...more I often wonder what life will be like in 10, 15 years from now. If I look in the past, it seems like nothing has really changed, besides the fact that I grew up. But when I look more closely, I see technology evolved in ways I didn't think were possible. 15 years ago I would have laughed if somebody would have told me people would be online, constantly. Computers, laptops, phones,... The possibilities become more and more endless, the opportunities become bigger and bigger, the future is looking so bright it hurts my eyes. Things just only get better, right?

This books is set in a world where technology is used to control people's lives, not to enrich it. We already feel slightly threatened when people ask you for your email address in a random store, so imagine what it would be like if everything you did left a trace somewhere. From when you wake up, to stores where you buy your clothes to the conversations you have with people.

Face to face interaction is nearly extinct in Maddie's world. You can do everything while sitting in front of your computer screen: going to school, walks on the beach, workouts, anything. When we meet Maddie, she's perfectly okay with the way she's living her life. The only downside is the way her father treats her. A few years ago she went through a rebellious period and because of that, her father nearly went to prison. Ever since, his leach on her has been extremely short, keeping a close eye on her every digital movement. He is the inventor of the most influential program in history called Digital School, which makes if possible for people to study at home. The amount of power he has is almost endless.

Things suddenly change when Maddie meets Justin Solvi online, who convinces her to come to a real life tutor session. He puts her world upside down while trying to convince her people shouldn't be shut off from the real world, but live in it. Everything Maddie believes in gets questioned. I liked the interaction between Maddie and Justin, but his motives for not wanting to get close to Maddie are a bit on the hollow side. He has is own parents to show how it can work, if you put some effort into it. There is no way he can keep on doing this without having somebody to be close to. I hope he realizes this soon.

I really liked this book, it has a good flow and the buildup is well written. A lot of the characters are interesting and likable. This story makes you think about the direction we are headed in and wonder if it's the good one. I can't wait to find out what happens next. (less)

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Dec 07, 2010 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 19-arc-ebook, 20-dystopian, 05-literary-crush-worthy, 0-faves

Awaken is set in 2060, a future not too far away. Interpersonal relationships have been reduced to a minimum due to the fact that almost everything can be done online. Kids attend digital school, so they don’t have to leave the house for that anymore, people don’t meet their friends the old-fashioned way by going out, they only meet up virtually in chat rooms. People’s understanding of going to the movies together is actually only watching a movie on their PCs while simultaneously chatting with...more Awaken is set in 2060, a future not too far away. Interpersonal relationships have been reduced to a minimum due to the fact that almost everything can be done online. Kids attend digital school, so they don’t have to leave the house for that anymore, people don’t meet their friends the old-fashioned way by going out, they only meet up virtually in chat rooms. People’s understanding of going to the movies together is actually only watching a movie on their PCs while simultaneously chatting with their friends. Cars are rarely to be seen because everybody’s using public transportation and ordinary paper isn’t used anymore due to the fact that there are almost no trees left. This is only a partial description of the worldbuilding and opinions on the realism of this scenario may vary but for me the basic idea is definitely probable.

Just think about how much time you spend each day in front of your computer. In my case it’s 8-10 hours at work plus at least 2 or 3 hours at home, meaning I spend the majority of my waking hours glued to my screen. Everybody knows about online games like World of Warcraft (it is an online game, right?) or phenomena’s like Second Life. How many people create fake identities on the internet in order to find approval which they can’t seem to find in real life? Just look at all the information that can be found on the internet about all of us. I think it’s scary with which carelessness some people reveal information about their private lives on platforms like Facebook for example. The internet doesn’t forget information. Once uploaded it’s extremely hard to remove it again.

In the present case the scenario might be a bit overdrawn in places and one can argue about the probability of some aspects of the worldbuilding but as I already said, the basic idea is realistic. As you can see, this book really got me thinking and that’s what I liked about it.

Enough about the worldbuilding. I enjoyed reading this very much, I got quickly hooked, I thought the plot was gripping and I liked all the characters. Sure, Justin is a little heavy on the preaching part (COMPUTERS ARE EVIL!) and his attitude towards relationships was a little annoying, what with him thinking he doesn’t deserve Maddie’s love, but to be honest, I wasn’t bothered much by this. I guess I sound like a broken record by now but I have to say it again: I just love when the relationship develops slowly. I enjoy pining away for the love interest together with the heroine.

I was torn between a 4 and a 5 stars rating but settled for 5 stars eventually because Awaken meets all of my personal criteria in order to qualify as a 5 star read.

Do I want to re-read this sometime? --> Yes.
Did I re-read single passages while reading because I thought they were so good? --> Yes.
Did the romance make me swoon and root for the heroine and the love interest to get together? --> Yes.
Didn’t I want to stop reading or did I try to read slowly in order to savor the story? --> Yes.
Did I think about the book even when I was not reading (at work for example)? --> Yes.
Did I think about the story even after I had finished the book? --> Yes.

The above are probably not all of my criteria but it was enough for me to rate this 5 stars.

Thanks to netGalley and Houghton Mifflin for the opportunity to enjoy Awaken already now.
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Dec 04, 2010 Morgan F rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, young-adult, dystopian-apocalyptic, netgalley, read-2010, its-a-girl, medium-sized, debut, romance, favorite-covers, e-book, fuck-the-police

17 yr old Maddie lives in the year 2060, where everything, from dating, schooling, and going to the movies, is done online. Ever since her disastrous rebellion two years before nearly caused her and her father to go to jail, Maddie has lived compliantly with this life, never complaining or yearning for actual physical contact. One day Maddie meets a boy online in school chatroom, and he invites her to actual go to a real tutor session. Maddie agrees and that is how Justin enters her life. Justin...more 17 yr old Maddie lives in the year 2060, where everything, from dating, schooling, and going to the movies, is done online. Ever since her disastrous rebellion two years before nearly caused her and her father to go to jail, Maddie has lived compliantly with this life, never complaining or yearning for actual physical contact. One day Maddie meets a boy online in school chatroom, and he invites her to actual go to a real tutor session. Maddie agrees and that is how Justin enters her life. Justin is wild and unpredictable, being here for one minute and leaving the next. He hates everything about society nowadays, and embraces actual social interactions. Justin shows Maddie that the best things in life aren't behind the computer screen. Maddie can feel herself falling in love with Justin, even though her father, the founder of Digital School, forbids it. Maddie is torn between doing what is right for her family, and doing what might be right for the world.

This was a good piece of YA dystopian fiction. The world-building was excellent, probably because it is not too hard to imagine a world like Maddie's, seeing as society seems to be heading there anyways. I know I am lazy. I know I depend too much on my cell phone and my laptop. I know that's bad for me. But unfortunately, one of things I disliked about this book is it preachiness. I felt I was getting beamed on the head with my Mac. COMPUTERS BAD. PHYSICAL EXPERIENCES GOOD. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it. At least I've seen fire and live music and I have real trees unlike Maddie SO THERE. It's kind of ironic though, because I was reading this book online.....

Maddie was a good narrator. She actually had some hutzpah and wasn't some passive, dependent troll. She actually proved she was intelligent instead of just reading Wuthering Heights for the four billionth time, like that means anything. I liked Maddie. Justin.....eh. Yeah, he was hot, I guess, but most of the preachiness came from him. If he goes on a rant one more time....I also didn't like that he had "I will be aloof to the woman I love because I am not good enough for her" syndrome. Dude, come one. Have some respect. I don't like it when protag love interests think that they know what is better for the protagonist more than the protagonist does.

I really liked the first half of the book, but something threw me off about the second half. It's like someone poured cold water on the book and yelled WAAAIIITTT. I think the sexual tension between Maddie and Justin was drawn out too long. Every time they walked away kiss-less from each other, I let out a frustrated sigh. The second half of the book was mostly on Justin/Maddie romance, and that was Maddie pining for Justin most of the time. The final action scene also felt really contrived.

And guess what! There was a character named Clare that I didn't hate! I'm improving!

Overall, a decent YA dystopian fiction. I wanna know what happens next realz bad.

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Jun 02, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

Unique and captivating, Awaken is sure to seize your attention and send your mind reeling!

I wasn't sure what to expect after reading the summary, Awakened sounded interesting enough, but it wasn't something I was dying to read. Until I started reading it.... and then I was dying to know what was going to happen. This book was not at all what I was anticipating.

I really connected with the idea of the novel.... the whole "digital life" I could totally see that happening. Some of the reasons that i...more

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Jul 02, 2011 Esther rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Esther by: Andrea

Shelves: dystopian, young-adult, romance

Check out this review and more at: http://apocalypsereads.blogspot.com/

I picked up Awaken looking for an easy read, something that I wouldn’t have to think too hard about. It ended up being an easy read, but it sucked me in more than I expected. Awaken is part love story and part rebellion. What makes it different, however, is that the rebellion is not against the government so much as it is against the national education system. Kacvinsky, a former educator, makes some interesting points abou...more

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Jul 16, 2011 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Rebecca by: Esther

Shelves: dystopia, romance, young-adult, breathless-read

Awaken is one of those books you pick up, are instantly drawn in, and want to live in that world. Awaken was so good, I’m still considering rereading it immediately, now, when I’m done with my review.

Awaken is both futuristic and present. Kacvinsky illustrates how people in 2060 (and today) choose to be almost solely connected to the digital world. Everywhere people are plugged in. Face to face interaction is almost nonexistent. Madeleine, heiress of the digital school empire, lives in her room...more

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May 20, 2011 Laura Kreitzer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, from-publisher, first-in-series

The first thing that attracted me to Awaken was the cover—as it is for me with most books. The more I stare at this cover, the more I understand what it represents. You can’t jar nature; you can’t put plants or animals in a box and expect them to live. Really, that’s not living at all, now is it? But that’s exactly what’s happening in Awaken. Maddie, the lead character, is used to being inside, going to school via the internet, holing away and being someone she’s not online. She’s an avatar. A p...more The first thing that attracted me to Awaken was the cover—as it is for me with most books. The more I stare at this cover, the more I understand what it represents. You can’t jar nature; you can’t put plants or animals in a box and expect them to live. Really, that’s not living at all, now is it? But that’s exactly what’s happening in Awaken. Maddie, the lead character, is used to being inside, going to school via the internet, holing away and being someone she’s not online. She’s an avatar. A picture. Anything she wants to be—and everything she’s not. She yearns for something different and attempts to achieve it when she betrays her family at a young age. Now she’s restricted and left to live in her technological world, play her technological games, and communicate through—you guessed it—technology. Awaken, to me, represents what our world will become when people start to fear leaving their houses and decide to stay indoors. In this remarkable novel we might actually see our own lives jump off the pages. Is this what we’re becoming? To not truly know what it is to feel someone else, to let someone hold you, or for you to hold another? It’s almost scary.

Let me explain Awaken to you quickly, because I’m pretty sure all of my blog readers will be interested in this. Since I’m a full time author, I find the majority of my time glued to the computer for one reason or the other. This book actually made me feel incredibly guilty that I’m not living my life outside of it. It’s not completely true, but as Justin, the male lead character who convinces Maddie it’s okay to go outside her house and see other people, talk to them face to face, touch them, be with them, I feel that I too must spend more time in “reality.” Maddie’s father is a powerful man. Famous, beloved, the creator of Digital School. So imagine how he feels when he finds that his daughter is seeking a connection outside of his carefully constructed online world? He eventually becomes fed up with his daughter who’s spending too much time with “that boy Justin” who teaches her the opposite of how he lives his whole life. So, as any clueless father, he sends her away. Fortunately, Justin intercepts her and now Maddie must go “off the grid.” No technology. No email. No phone. No traveling. But then she soon learns that she didn’t need any of that now that she’s been awakened. Or maybe it’s just Justin’s soft lips?

Oh yes. On top of an intense storyline, we have a romance to remember. Justin and Maddie’s relationship is slow going—only because they are both so caught up in their own world they miss the point of what Justin—and soon Maddie’s—preaching is all about: connecting. But when both of them (mainly Justin) finally gives in, I swear I swooned, almost falling off the couch and gripping my Nook like it was really Justin. It was freakin’ . . . fantastical. Magical. Stunning. Brilliant. I saw stars, fireworks, rainbows exploding from my Nook. I don’t know how Katie did it, but she had me. Almost as if she super-glued my eyeballs to the screen.

Katie is a very talented and gifted author. Her way with words, thoughts, and dialog all make this book much more than a twisted tale of what the future might hold. She’s spun this world as if weaving a golden plot—intricately, and masterfully, crafting this story with such dazzling radiance I thought sparks would shoot from my body when I got excited! Awaken is shiny in its simplistic nature—though each word seems to be deliberately placed, like setting up your chess pieces before you call out “check mate.” Her characters, Maddie and Justin, pop off the pages. Or maybe it was I who had been sucked into the book? Either way, I couldn’t stop reading once I started. I devoured this book and was actually disappointed to find out the release date is in May and it’s only December. Now I’ll only have to wait that much longer to find out what happens next.(less)

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Nov 11, 2010 Mari rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

The year is 2060 and everything is digital. People do everything - hang out with friends, study, work, shop, even go on dates - on the computer. Online, everything is safe, easy and controllable. Seventeen year old Maddie has grown used to this life but she often feels something is missing. Then she meets Justin who prefers face-to-face interaction and she starts to question if this "digital" life is as perfect as some people make it to be.

I liked the premise of this novel. In these modern time...more The year is 2060 and everything is digital. People do everything - hang out with friends, study, work, shop, even go on dates - on the computer. Online, everything is safe, easy and controllable. Seventeen year old Maddie has grown used to this life but she often feels something is missing. Then she meets Justin who prefers face-to-face interaction and she starts to question if this "digital" life is as perfect as some people make it to be.

I liked the premise of this novel. In these modern times, it's not too hard to imagine a scenario where everything is done over the computer. I for one, spend a huge chunk of my day in front of a computer. It was very disconcerting reading awaken because it hit too close to home. It makes you realize that this could probably well be what would happen in the not-so-distant future.

The protag, Maddie, was clearly torn between two worlds. I liked that she was brave and open to discovering new things. Justin, on the other hand, I couldn't quite relate to at first. I felt he was too stiff and self-righteous but I understood his outlook as the story progressed. I thought their love-tug-o'-war was interesting although it got repetitive at times.

One thing I didn't like about this book is that there were parts that are too preachy. For example, the whole "digital" vs. "unplugged" dilemma is already a huge issue and when you add environmental propaganda on top, it starts to feel like one big sermon. It's not that I don't appreciate the message, it's just that in the story's context, it feels like overkill.

That being said, what I loved most is that the characters are not one-sided - those supporting the digital life and those against it. It's not all black and white, good vs. evil. You are given the history of why everything went "digitalized", you understand why it was a necessity given the circumstances and yet you also know that those opposing it have a very strong point of contention. Emphasis was made on balance and I'm dying to know how everything will play out.

Very thought-provoking!

3.5 stars(less)

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Nov 13, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-can-buy, teen, series-bk-1, trt-gold-star-award-winner, library-interlibrary-loan, apocalyptic-dystopian

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

AMAZING! That’s what went through my mind as I turned the final page of AWAKEN. AWAKEN is one of a slew of dystopian novels that are flooding the market, but this one definitely stands out in front of the pack.

Maddie has grown up in a society where there is little need to leave the house. Shopping can be done online and delivered. School is done from the computer, as well. Maddie has many friends, but they are all on line. So she’s hesitant when one of her...more Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

AMAZING! That’s what went through my mind as I turned the final page of AWAKEN. AWAKEN is one of a slew of dystopian novels that are flooding the market, but this one definitely stands out in front of the pack.

Maddie has grown up in a society where there is little need to leave the house. Shopping can be done online and delivered. School is done from the computer, as well. Maddie has many friends, but they are all on line. So she’s hesitant when one of her online friends invites her to a study group one night. Not only is she not used to being around people, she has to ask permission to leave the house.

Maddie meets Justin at the group. Justin has done his research and knows Maddie’s father is behind the founding of Digitial School. And he has learned that someone had previously hacked into the system in an attempt to sabotage it. Justin is actually surprised to find out that Maddie is a girl.

Justin introduces Maddie to a world that involves actual face-to-face social interaction. It’s a world Maddie is unfamiliar with, but now that she’s had a taste of it, she wants more. But her father doesn’t want her to see Justin again.

As the story unfolds, Maddie’s history comes out, and the reader learns about her being on house arrest for her computer hacking attempt. It’s just that ability and her close connection to her father that Justin and his group of rebels want access to.

All of the characters in AWAKEN were wonderful and easy to relate to. Even Maddie’s father, though the villain in the story (or so you are led to believe), has his reasons and beliefs for what he does. Outside of Maddie and Justin, I have to say that my favorite character was Maddie’s mom. Though she is a quiet person and supportive of her husband, she does little rebellious things all the way through that make you want to go, “Yeah, mom!” It culminates when she hands Maddie her sneakers. (Read the story, you’ll know what I’m talking about!)

There is so much action in AWAKEN that I found my heart racing at different points in the story. The tension between Maddie and Justin is palpable, but just enough out of reach to keep the reader hungering for more. I don’t know that a sequel is planned, but the story ends leaving you wanting that continuation. (less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: daddy-issues-mummy-issues, dystopian

A dystopian novel, set in the year 2060 - people no longer socialize face to face, everything is done online including school, leaving friendships hollow and unsatisfying.
Maddie is working her way through digital school, and only has online friends, like most teenagers she rarely interacts with anyone in person and that's just the way she likes it. Until she meets Justin who persuades her to join a study group that meets face to face. Naturally because Justin is so 'hawt' she wuvs him straight...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Tasos Anastasopoulos rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

How different can the world be in almost 50 years from now...? Will technology evolve in such a way as Kacvinsky describes in her book? I am sure that being a high school teacher herself makes her a person that really enjoys the authentic way of education the one that includes immediate contact between the tutors and the students, she is well aware that a lesson, a course in every possible subject doesn't mean just to equip you with knowledge about what is mentioned inside the book that's been g...more How different can the world be in almost 50 years from now...? Will technology evolve in such a way as Kacvinsky describes in her book? I am sure that being a high school teacher herself makes her a person that really enjoys the authentic way of education the one that includes immediate contact between the tutors and the students, she is well aware that a lesson, a course in every possible subject doesn't mean just to equip you with knowledge about what is mentioned inside the book that's been given to you... if it was like that then the tutor would be useless after all... there would be no need for a computer even to take his/her place... perhaps a site with frequently asked questions and then just exams at the end of the year or semester...would that do more or less? No lectures at all.. this reminds of how Greek universities work, there is a lecture but ok nobody attends, you just borrow the notes from someone that actually was present and attend only the exams...awesome right?

Oops,getting carried away already, let's go back to the book... many authors are worried that modern world will be less "natural" and ok it seems to be inevitable... but in fact this is the first time that a quite simple novel (nothing really complicated and hard to understand so easy to read in order to attract people of all ages... but ok at some parts it's mostly young ones even teenagers that seem to be the "main target" as an "audience") points out what can cause the whole humanity to be fully "digitized", everything in this world begins and ends in school... that's where people learn how to socialize how to interact with others how to behave well to make friends, many answers to simple questions about things in every day life, so in order to keep the world safe (it's not an ideal world after all...just watch the TV news every day makes you realize that) you must focus on the base of educational system... wherever there is a flaw in this don't expect too much for the future!!! In order to prevent terrorists acts (returning to the plot of the book) that caused hundreds of innocent lives (hopefully incidents like Columbine will not go on taking place in the future) the American government assigns to Madeline's(the main character of the story) father a new form of school to be created that will keep everyone at their home in front of their computer attending a virtual classroom...that will ensure no more casualties, no more bombs no more crimes in school areas no more physical speaking deaths...but it will kill them inside in a way... Classmates now communicate between them without each one of them exiting their own room, and this also affects their social life in general... they "go out" for a coffee (still being in their room) to the "cinema" too it's like being in detention without being able to become aware of it since you are taught to act like that...(there is an innocent dragon that appears in everywhere outside if you try to go out kindergarten teacher told the children!!!). Not being killed but imprisoned and not even knowing it...

I feel a bit guilty that i read this book in its kindle version...not so romantic, not so old-fashioned not so authentic.. there were moments that things i read about how technology has changed us had impact on myself too... how different things were 10,15,20 years ago and how they are now... who haven't heard his parents, or grandparents, or elderly people in general comparing their way of having fun as children,teen or young people at their time with nowadays? Who can blame them...? You should always enjoy what life's been giving you and has been giving you (through the help of Nature itself) for so many years not just to you but to everyone...for millions of years actually, virtual world can offer you a lot but it's what the word indicates...virtual never was and never be a real one, it's just an illusion you can't count on it forever, it's only temporary... it can help too but if used wisely...

Science fiction is not the unique gender that describes the book... we see everything through Madeline's eyes (i guess it's easier to be read by girls or women because of that but ok not such a feminine view, she's not so typically "girly" after all) how the "new world" that she discovers changes everything inside her, how she starts to look at things in a very different way that she used to... that she was taught to... and despite how much beautiful that life can be how easily everything can be meaningless when the most valuable "thing" in life is missing ... love... the presence of the beloved one by your side makes the difference there has to be someone with you to enjoy the beauty that the world is offering you, someone to share your thoughts your worries your enthusiasm your happiness...someone to be there for you...

The novel turns from science fiction, to suspense, to romance as the plot goes by fascinating more and more people... it has many many noticeable and meaningful quotes, funny moments since the two main characters are sarcastic very often and it was very amusing to read for sure... but ok there is one slight objection that could turn it into a masterpiece in my humble opinion... we see things only through Madeline's eyes we don't know about anything considering the thoughts of all the other characters, only guessing that is, of course the author has a bright future ahead of her to improve her writing skills since it seems to be her first published book and made a heck of a debut... It's always appreciated when something in written without using sophisticated language and has the ability to pass so many messages to the world, to make every one of us thinking not what the writer means (reading English if not native is not always that easy after all) but how much related it is with our life, what we can do to change it in order to improve our life, everyone's life... our world...

So miss Kacvinsky you sure made an impact on me and my next book is a paperback version :)(less)

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Jan 07, 2011 Sandy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, should-have-been-better, that-made-no-sense, weird-science

The premise for Katie Kacvinsky's Awaken is very timely with today's technology-minded culture: Imagine a world in the future so technology-obsessed and fearful that people no longer leave their homes. How would people interact? How would they learn, live, and love? I admit that I love dystopian romance, and Awaken has some beautiful passages and quotes that I wanted to immediately write down. However, the world in Awaken lacked consistency in its design, which overshadowed other positive aspect...more The premise for Katie Kacvinsky's Awaken is very timely with today's technology-minded culture: Imagine a world in the future so technology-obsessed and fearful that people no longer leave their homes. How would people interact? How would they learn, live, and love? I admit that I love dystopian romance, and Awaken has some beautiful passages and quotes that I wanted to immediately write down. However, the world in Awaken lacked consistency in its design, which overshadowed other positive aspects.

The whole premise of Awaken is that the world got so bad, so violent that a safe life became a digital life led mostly from the isolated comfort of your home. This premise has so much promise--I love it. However, the novel begins with Maddie riding a train to play real soccer with a friend. If the world has become such a scary place, why does Maddie later also ride a public train by herself at night (something I won't do even in 2011)? The novel says the world is so awful that everyone lives a digital life and shuns face-to-face interaction, but then it contradicts itself throughout with parties, benefits, and public appearances. It felt very incongruous at times.

And what supposedly lead to the downfall of society? Online school. Seriously? School violence became so bad that Digital School became mandatory, and somehow that lead to the destruction of personal interaction. I just was not buying that this is how we got there. The protestors (or terrorists) all want to bring down Digital School, but I failed to make the connection of how Digital School is responsible for the supposed woes of the world. Yes, everyone seems a little too obsessed with their computer, but is free online school really responsible for all of this? Will bombing Digital School really make it all better?

And then there are the main characters, one of whom I like (Maddie) and the other, not so much (Justin). I liked seeing Maddie awaken to a "real" life again. She was intelligent and caring. I wished the author had explored more about Maddie being a super hacker to give her a little more depth, but overall, she was likeable and didn't automatically cave to the demands of the "good guys."

Justin, on the other hand, has emotionally barricaded himself, which I guess is supposed to be a necessary part of the love story to explain why he and Maddie can't be together. However, writing a character to be emotionally distanced does just that--not only is he distant from Maddie most of the time, he's distant from the readers, too. How can I make a connection and care about a character who's so detached and aloof? He keeps telling Maddie to trust him, but it's obvious he's using her. He claims he was waiting to tell her about his ulterior motives until she trusted him, but why should she trust him? It's obvious from the first few chapters why he's interested in her, and it's to further his cause (that felt very terroristic at times). His recruiting efforts verged on creepy at times.

However, there were some moments of really beautiful writing in Awaken. I could pull out a dozen quotes from Awaken that I genuinely found moving. The pacing was good and I definitely kept reading past midnight. I especially appreciated the slow build of the romance.

The premise of Awaken is full of promise and should be explored, but the lack of consistency in this dystopian world drew me out of the story too many times. However, it was a well-paced novel with some thoughtful quotes, and I loved that it made me think about where our technology-obsessed world may be heading. (After a few of Justin's preachy speeches, I felt bad that I was reading this book on my iPad!)
(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Ceres rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Voilà un livre dystopique comme je les aime! L'histoire peut se démarquer des autres du genre, mais je dirai que ce sont surtout ses personnages qui m'ont beaucoup plu! Ils évoluent bien dans ce premier tome, ce que j'ai fortement apprécié. On ne s'ennuie pas non plus et petit à petit on découvre beaucoup de choses sur la vie en 2060. Un monde qui pourrait devenir le notre, avec sans doute une note d'exagération mais le message est là: la technologie, la vie virtuelle prennent de plus en plus de...more

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May 19, 2011 Heidi McLaughlin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Believe me when I tell you, I read a lot of books. It isn't often that I get a book that makes me take a step back and say ... huh? Author Katie Kacvinsky, does just that with AWAKEN.

Set in the year 2060, AWAKEN follows Maddie Freeman, your average teen. She goes to school, out on dates, enjoys the outdoors and loves meeting her friends for coffee. The only thing is she does this from the comfort of her own home. In fact, Maddie never has to leave the house if she doesn't want to. Thanks in part...more

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May 22, 2011 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Awaken grabbed me from the very first page. The book starts with a journal entry by Madeline, which discusses the fact that people do not write longhand anymore and keep journals this way. Nor do they print books or use paper, what with there not being real trees anymore. A definite dystopia for a librarian and lover of literature! These journal entries are interspersed with the narration. There are only a few, but I think it works, because she only has one journal and cannot write too often or...more Awaken grabbed me from the very first page. The book starts with a journal entry by Madeline, which discusses the fact that people do not write longhand anymore and keep journals this way. Nor do they print books or use paper, what with there not being real trees anymore. A definite dystopia for a librarian and lover of literature! These journal entries are interspersed with the narration. There are only a few, but I think it works, because she only has one journal and cannot write too often or will not have anywhere else to write important things.

Of course, Awaken does have the immediate super duper love thing. Madeline falls for Justin the moment she sees him. From then on, she generally describes each first sight of him in a room thusly: "I instantly felt the energy in the room shift as if the lights dimmed or an air current changed direction" (150). This is definitely a bit much, but perhaps more understandable considering that this is almost the first time she has ever met someone her own age. So if you spent most of your time in your room on your computer, then left to meet a friend you chatted with and he turned out to be incredibly hot, nice, smart and trying to save the world, you might fall pretty hard pretty fast too.

Katie makes a good main character. She's brave sometimes, petrified sometimes, capable of defending herself and others when she needs to, incredibly intelligent and unaware of her amazingness. All of this combines to make her into a real character, a teenage girl trying to figure out her place in the world and what she wants to make of herself. It was always interesting when one of the journal entries would come up, because you could really see her working through the things that preceded. Plus, you got a view into what she hid in front of others, because she likes to really think through possibilities before committing herself to something.

This was a great dystopian read with some fantastic quotes that totally kept me rapt. From the ending of this one, a sequel is pretty much certain and I am most glad of it!(less)

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Dec 11, 2010 The BookWhisperer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Awaken is a very unique story set in the year of 2060. This incredible story realistic portrays the digital age which physical human contact has become the rarity. Education, socializing, and business has all be corporated into computer networking. In this world it is no longer necessary to leave the comfort of your home for anything. Convience is the means which everything is built, and in creating this world society can safely hide from the world. [return][return][return][return]Maggie is a se...more Awaken is a very unique story set in the year of 2060. This incredible story realistic portrays the digital age which physical human contact has become the rarity. Education, socializing, and business has all be corporated into computer networking. In this world it is no longer necessary to leave the comfort of your home for anything. Convience is the means which everything is built, and in creating this world society can safely hide from the world. [return][return][return][return]Maggie is a seventeen year old girl that is also the daughter of "genius" that created Digital School. DS has been the break through that truely allowed youth to remain protected from the violence that had become a norm in their society. Maggie lives in constant turmoil with her parents that are polar opposites. While her father is dedicated to the digital age, and continues to increase the productivity in this rapidly growing world; her mother values the old ways and continually tries to instill knowledge and lessons in her daughter to keep the old ways alive. When Maggie agrees to meet a young man from a tutoring social network this begin to turn her world even further upside down. Playing on her already growing interest in anything not digital; Justin is the perfect leader to show her many things that the digital world can not offer. Awaken is frighteningly realistic enlight of our own rapidly growing digital world. Interestingly this society has relied on computers so much that they no longer perceive their own emotions. This was evident in seeing Maggie and Justin's interactions it was obvious how much this young girl was no longer an individual, but more just a body behind a computer. As the story progressed their were many times that Maggie would vocalize her need for a backspace or delete button. This shows the lack of ability to do things as simple as censoring what to say before actually saying it. As the world begins to unfold for this young girl it was as though she had never actually seen the world. This was a tremendously entertaining and slightly scary story wrapped up in a suspense and romance. I look for this to be a best seller this coming year, and look forward to spreading the word about this amazing book. [return][return](less)

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Nov 14, 2010 Alyssa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-2011, 2010-read, great-books, own, ya-loved

My thoughts for AWAKEN are still in a jumble, having just finished this. One thing is clear, though. AWAKEN is one of the most fantastic debut novels I've ever read.

Maddie Freeman is the daughter of the murderer of what we know of society today. Her father created "digital school," meaning that 95% of the time, everyone is communicating through the computer and not face-to-face. Because the outside world is scary.

The world of 2060 is frightening - school killers are ever popular, cars are a rar...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Now that I've read this book the cover makes so much more sense! Wow. I'm pretty sure that about sums up how I feel about Awaken, unless you'll permit me to say FREAKIN' WOW! Yup. That's more accurate.

I think what most drew me in about the world that Katie Kacvinsky builds is how close to home it hits. In Maddie's world, everyone is trapped behind computer screens. Constantly plugged in, because that is the best way to stay "safe". For a long time Maddie has seen this as the norm, and a happy ex...more Now that I've read this book the cover makes so much more sense! Wow. I'm pretty sure that about sums up how I feel about Awaken, unless you'll permit me to say FREAKIN' WOW! Yup. That's more accurate.

I think what most drew me in about the world that Katie Kacvinsky builds is how close to home it hits. In Maddie's world, everyone is trapped behind computer screens. Constantly plugged in, because that is the best way to stay "safe". For a long time Maddie has seen this as the norm, and a happy existence. Then Justin enters her life and everything is thrown upside down. Don't think that the irony is lost on me that I'm sitting at a computer screen typing this review. Watching Maddie's life change, and her story unfold hit really close to home. It made me think about how much time I spend behind these devices. If she wasn't living, am I? Thank you Katie Kacvinsky for making me think about that.

Maddie is a character I fell into step with instantly. Her questioning attitude, her need to please her parents despite how she feels, her inability to voice her own opinion, it's all woven into a girl who has been trapped for too long. I felt for her. Then sweet, reserved, and life changing Justin comes onto the scene. The Maddie that exists after this happens is entirely different, and yet the same person at the same time. It's a metamorphosis of the best kind. I promise that if you fall in love with her in the beginning, you'll love her even more as you watch her be born all over again.

It also needs to be said that this is one of the sweetest and most frustrating romances I've read. Justin keeps to himself because that's how he has always been. Maddie used to, but Justin breaks her out of that and now the one person she wants she can't seem to have. Frustrating right? However lest you think that this is another book with a girl pining hopelessly after a boy, Maddie is different. It made my heart soar when one of the characters in the book explained to her that pining never did anyone an ounce of good (not her exact words but I'm paraphrasing here). She tells Maddie that we must learn to love ourselves and feel whole alone, before we can truly be invested in someone else. Are you floored? I was! Thank you to an author for finally saying that! Thank you for showing us a girl who knows she needs to learn to be alone! I'll end my slightly feminist rant here, but that made me fall in love with Awaken even more than I already had.

Point being, if you couldn't tell from my incoherent thoughts above, I completely adored this book. The message is clear, and I fully agree. Maddie and Justin teach us how important it is to get out there and really live, and to do it for yourself and no one else. Awaken crawled into my mind and made me think, and if a book can do that then I'm sold. Pure and honest love is all I have for this book.(less)

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Mar 01, 2011 Nicole added it · review of another edition

When I first opened this book, I immediately liked the concept. A world of fake trees, computers everywhere, and books are rare. Yikes! Maddie has been paying for past consequences by being locked up in her house and constantly watched. In a world where everything is digital, going outside is uncommon and having social get-togethers are strange. But Justin gets her to hang out with him in the real world and tries to show her the beauty of living life outside a computer and your own home.

In the b...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Little Fairy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Das Leben ist zu kurz um vielleicht zu sagen!....Die Rebellion der Maddie Freeman ist ein faszienierendes Buch. Es handelt von einem Thema das garnicht so weit hergeholt ist, so könnte unsere Welt in 50 Jahren wirklich aussehen, oder zumindestens so ähnlich!Auch die Beziehung zwischen den beiden hauptpersonen ist gut beschrieben: Justin, der nicht viel von der DG, den Flipscreens und alldem hält und Maddie, die so ihr ganzes Leben gelebt hat und langsam begreift dass das nicht das wahre Leben is...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Vanessa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Die Rebellion der Maddie Freeman ist eine echt toller Science-Fiction Roman
Ich mag Maddie und Justin echt gerne. Und ich finde die Beziehung die sich zwischen Maddie und Justin entwickelt echt realistisch.
Ich mag es das man so mitfühlen kann ich konnte mich in jeder Sitauation total in Maddie hineinversetzen. Eine Welt die nur von Computern gesteuert wird, das könnte uns doch auch passieren.
Das Ende fand ich ein bisschen traurig ich will jetzt einfach nur noch den 2. Teil und will endlich wiesse...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Rukaiya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fainted

WOAH!!! this book truly left me BREATHLESS and it really awoke my own senses! (lol cheesy i know)

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Aug 21, 2012 Edie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My jaw dropped after I read this. I was in awe. This was amazing. Nothing like I ever read before. I could go on and on about how good this was.
Let's start off with Maddie. Maddie at the beginning of the book was sheltered and isolated by the digital world. You really saw her blossom though out after she meets the amazing Justin Solvi. I love Justin. He was unique and interesting. He drew me in from the beginning. Katie Kacvinsky is talented and I can't wait to read Middle Ground. This book is a...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Reem rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: so-badly-dying-to-read, series

let me just sum this up...

this book is about a girl called maddie who lives in the world of technology(2060) her dad is the leader of digital school but her mum silently fights against it. when she meets a guy called justin her feeling and ideas of the world change. she starts to fall for him.

im not gonna give away to much but this book is the greatest book i have ever read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i know everyone would enjoy it!

so plz mark this book as to read and dont just look through spoilers:)

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Jan 03, 2012 Amanda (Born Bookish) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was AMAZING! Definitely one of my favorite dystopian novels ever! The author did such a great job at creating a futuristic world that is completely driven by technology and completely believable. She painted this world so vividly across the pages that I really felt like I was there, living the story alongside the characters.

All the characters in this book, from the main ones to the ones who only played minor roles, were all such strong characters. Maddie is such an incredible leading l...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Cat Crawfield rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Inhalt:
“Aber diese ganze Technik kann süchtig machen, wenn man sich nicht vorsieht. Wie eine Droge, von der man nicht mehr loskommt, wenn man sie erst einmal im Blut hat. Irgendwann kann man nicht mehr ohne sie leben und die Droge kontrolliert einen völlig. So ist es auch mit Computern. Inzwischen sind wir dermaßen abhängig geworden, dass wir uns nicht mehr von ihnen abnabeln können.” (Seite 173)
USA, 2060: Maddie ist die Tochter des Digital School-Gründers Kevin Freeman und lebt wie alle anderen...more Inhalt:
“Aber diese ganze Technik kann süchtig machen, wenn man sich nicht vorsieht. Wie eine Droge, von der man nicht mehr loskommt, wenn man sie erst einmal im Blut hat. Irgendwann kann man nicht mehr ohne sie leben und die Droge kontrolliert einen völlig. So ist es auch mit Computern. Inzwischen sind wir dermaßen abhängig geworden, dass wir uns nicht mehr von ihnen abnabeln können.” (Seite 173)
USA, 2060: Maddie ist die Tochter des Digital School-Gründers Kevin Freeman und lebt wie alle anderen Menschen nur in ihrer eigenen virtuellen Welt. Soziale Netzwerke bestimmen das Leben der Menschen, gelernt wird nur noch über das Internet – der Digital School. Das Leben “offline” gibt es nicht mehr.
Doch dann lernt Maddie Justin kennen, einen jungen, enthusiastischen Widerstandskämpfer, der sich seit Jahren gegen das System der Digital School auflehnt. Maddie soll in dieser Bewegung eine wichtige Rolle spielen – doch wofür wird sie sich entscheiden? Für die Liebe und somit auch die Rebellion oder für ihre Familie?
Fazit:
“Die Rebellion der Maddie Freeman” ist das Debutwerk der Autorin Katie Kacvinsky.
Madeline Freeman ist ein 17-jähriges Mädchen, das im Jahre 2060 in einer künstlichen Welt ausharren muss. Als Tochter des Digital School-Erfinders Kevin Freeman steht sie unter strengster Kontrolle. Ihr ist ein Leben, welches “offline” stattfindet völlig unbekannt, denn sie lebt wie alle anderen nur in sozialen Netzwerken und ist von der Technologie abhängig. Auch die Welt wurde von den Menschen verändert. Statt echter Bäume und und Gras gibt es nun künstliche Rollrasen und Plastikbäume.
Nachdem sie Justin begegnet, lernt sie durch ihn, die Welt mit anderen Augen zu sehen. Dabei erwacht ihre rebellische Ader erneut zum Leben und sie muss sich bald zwischen ihrer Familie und der Rebellion entscheiden. Will sie für eine bessere Welt kämpfen, in der die Regierung keine vollständige Kontrolle mehr hat und die Menschen wieder beginnen, sich aus ihren Häusern zu trauen oder will sie ihre Familie schützen und den lauf der Dinge einfach ungehindert fortschreiten lassen?
Außerdem verwirrt sie ihre Zuneigung zu Justin nur noch mehr…
Justin ist ein sehr undurchsichtiger Typ, der sich stets hinter einer Mauer verbirgt und mehr an andere Leute denkt, als an sich selbst.
Während er die anderen davon überzeugen will, mehr aus sich heraus zu gehen, muss er dies selbst erst noch lernen.
Meine persönliche Heldin in diesem Buch war Maddies Mutter. Während ihr Mann für die Technologie kämpft, bewahrt sie einen Teil des “alten Lebens” auf und rebelliert dadurch auf ihre persönliche Art gegen das Leben, dass sie führen.
Am beeindruckendsten war die Szene, in der sie Maddie die Turnschuhe in die Hand drückt – aber lest selbst, was es damit auf sich hat
“Die Rebellion der Maddie Freeman” ist ein weiterer Dystopie-Roman, der mich tief beeindruckt und zum Nachdenken gebracht hat.
Wieder ein Gesellschaftskritischer Roman mit einem Funken Wahrheit, denn schon heute wird unser Leben durch Computertechnologien und soziale Netzwerke beeinflusst. Was würden wir ohne das Internet machen? Die Technologie schreitet immer weiter voran, es gibt immer mehr computergesteuerte Maschinen, die früher von Hand bedient wurden. Die Menschen werden engstirniger, kümmern sich oft nur noch um sich.
Maddies Welt wurde von Katie Kacvinsky so dargestellt, wie ich mir auch unsere in 50 Jahren vorstellen könnte. Ein erschreckender Gedanke!
Trotzdem ein großartiger Roman den ich jedem ans Herz legen möchte!(less)

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, romance, teen, dystopia

This was like a study in what the world could be like in the not to distant future. After terrorist attacks on schools result in the deaths of thousands of children, a digital school system is created. However that contributes to people rarely leaving their homes, instead they are plugged into a digital world all the time. The main character Maddie ends up getting involved with Justin, a young man who is fighting against the digital system and encouraging a return to being physically present in...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Crazy for Young A...: Awaken (Awaken #1) by Katie Kacvinsky → Start Date: May 27th, 2013	8	15	May 06, 2013 08:41am
♥!The Young Adult...: Awaken #1: Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky	6	27	Jan 27, 2013 12:23pm
Ab welchem Alter ist das Buch, die Rebellion der Maddie Freeman, zu Empfehlen?	2	10	Nov 20, 2012 07:52pm
Rebellion for a b...: Awaken/Die Rebellion der Maddie Freeman	2	8	Sep 25, 2011 11:16am

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