Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Above World (Above World #1)

by Jenn Reese (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 444 ratings · 131 reviews

Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean with the Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides. But after centuries spent hidden from the Above World, her colony’s survival is in doubt. The Kampii’s breathing necklaces are failing, but the elders are unwilling to venture above water to seek answers. Only headstrong Aluna and her friend Hoku are stubb...more

Hardcover, 368 pages

Published February 14th 2012 by Candlewick Press (first published February 12th 2012)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

2012 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade)

88th out of 799 books — 4,585 voters

2012 YA & MG Debut Authors: The Apocalypsies!

84th out of 256 books — 937 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,653)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 13, 2012 Phoebe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: intergalactic-academy-reviews, sci-fi, loved-it, middle-grade

Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.

Jenn Reese’s middle grade debut Above World reaffirmed my choice to start reviewing middle grade novels at the Academy. This story of a young ~~mermaid~~ Kampii girl about to undergo her society’s adulthood ceremony where she will eat a magical seed that transforms her legs into a tail–and what happens when that girl decides to forgo this ritual instead to save her people–begins as any young adult fantasy story might. Aluna is YA heroine of a classic sort, on...more Full review at the Intergalactic Academy.

Jenn Reese’s middle grade debut Above World reaffirmed my choice to start reviewing middle grade novels at the Academy. This story of a young ~~mermaid~~ Kampii girl about to undergo her society’s adulthood ceremony where she will eat a magical seed that transforms her legs into a tail–and what happens when that girl decides to forgo this ritual instead to save her people–begins as any young adult fantasy story might. Aluna is YA heroine of a classic sort, one who sneaks weapons lessons behind her father’s back and who stubbornly refuses to accept the gender roles of her people. Her relationship with twelve-year-old Hoku is complex and tender. Hoku is more demur than his best friend, geekier and less world-weary, and passages told from his perspective were fairly refreshing. Though I liked Aluna right from the outset, she realistically lacks self-awareness; Hoku’s perceptive (and yet childlike) chapters were a nice counterpoint to Aluna’s single-mindedness.

The undersea society is built with nuance; gender roles are strictly determined by reproductive necessity rather than personal preference; the stagnating high council copes (or fails to cope) with their dying technology. The first chapters felt a bit like a better-developed, more plausible version of The Little Mermaid. However, here conflicts and motivations were much more urgently stated. Aluna doesn’t want to leave the Kampii because she’s bored or because of a boy–she wants to leave out of a stubborn and deep-seated desire to save her people.

However, once Aluna and Hoku venture out of their city, the novel takes a surprising turn. Though early chapters hint at science fictional underpinnings (there are corporate-branded breathing apparatuses and discussions of a long-lost founder), I honestly didn’t expect the depths [pun unintended, but noted] of the development of the wider world. Hoku and Aluna soon learn that theirs isn’t the only society of genetically modified chimeras–soon, they meet bird people and horse people and even mechanical crab people.

This busy, diverse universe–so different from ours–provided my only real stumbling block. As they travel across their world, it all started to feel a bit like a busy jumble. A few of the modified offshoots of humanity were difficult to visualize, and I often felt like I was just getting to know one little pocket of society when I was whisked away to learn about another. But still, this world was a rich one to utilize as a backdrop to a middle grade novel, and if the length of the book meant that we didn’t get a ton of breathing room between settings and events, well, then, it’s understandable.

What kept me reading were the tender and honest relationships between the characters–not just between Hoku and Aluna (though their platonic friendship was great), but their eventual romantic interests, as well. The romance here is light and mostly chaste, though it feels like we might be in for something a little deeper and perhaps messier in subsequent books in the series. Aluna herself seems to be in for some big changes by novel’s end.

And Above World itself gets darker and darker as the novel proceeds. A few months ago, I compared Greg van Eekhout’s The Boy at the End of the World to The Wizard of Oz. Like van Eekhout’s novel, Reese’s is a picaresque, with our characters going on a long journey across series of exotic locales. But the wild and sometimes scary creatures (did I mention that there’s a mechanical crab woman?) are more the stuff of low-octane nightmare fuel like Return to Oz. Our villain Fathom, like Mombi, is out for parts. It’s really quite scary, in the best, and most riveting way.

Above World is a great sci-fi tale for the middle grade reader–both girls and boys should find something to enjoy here in its rich universe, relatable characters, and accessible voice. (less)

11 likes · like · see review

Jan 20, 2011 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-for-kat-readers, mg-fiction

I was incredibly lucky - I got to read this book multiple times in manuscript form, and it is AWESOME. Super-fun science-fiction adventure for kids, with genetically-engineered mermaids and girls with wings AND incredible fighting skills. Deep, important friendships and sweet first romance. This book has everything, and I love it so much.

5 likes · like · see review

Feb 14, 2012 Jessica (Books: A true story) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dac-challenge-2012, blog, 3-stars, amazon, arc-paperback, content-mild

Above World was an interesting mix of mythological creatures and our modern world of technology. You’ll find mermaids and computers in one breath. I was pleasantly surprised by the dystopian undertone to it all that gave it some wonderful depth. In this fascinating world that Jenn has built, there are several cultures based on mythological creatures that descended from humans when there wasn’t room left on the earth for them to live. These new cultures live in the sea and the sky and other place...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 19, 2013 TheBookSmugglers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade-awesomeness, charming-mg, notable-reads-of-2012, hidden-gems, dystopian, scifi

Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers

Aluna has lived her entire life - all thirteen years - under the sea. She is one of the Kampii, a water-born splinter group of humans that took to the oceans generations ago, to escape the death and wastes of the earth above. Aluna loves the water and her people, but she's frustrated with the future that has been set for her with the Kampii. Because their numbers are ever dwindling, all Kampii women are prohibited from the exciting and dangerous jobs (lik...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 14, 2013 Kaede rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-arcs-edelweiss

3.5 stars; History is not a fixed truth. It changes with the speaker.

Jenn Reese's Above World is a story full of originality and creativity, turning the concept of underwater inhabitants into one with elaborate detail of diverse features.

But contrary to the previous statement, my biggest and sole problem with Above World was it's simplicity. While it serves satisfactorily as a transition from middle grade to juvenile young adult, any reader used to or accustomed only to complex pieces of litera...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 27, 2011 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

This book has got to be one of the best dystopians I have managed to get my hands on. The world created by Author Jenn Reese is rich and extremely detailed as well as varied. The reader meets the main characters, Aluna and Hoku, right off the bat. They are both very likable and make nice foils for each other. Aluna is far more impetuous and inquisitive while Hoku is more cautious and shy. The two seem like an unlikely pair, but their differing personalities add to their charms.

Aluna and Hoku ar...more

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 10, 2012 Christa (More Than Just Magic) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalypsies, 2012, genre-fantasy, netgalley, genre-science-fiction, middle-grade

Originally reviewed at Hooked on Books

When I started reading Above World I was expecting a pretty basic middle grade title. A fun fantasy story that I could lose myself in for a little while. Something along the lines of Disney's The Little Mermaid. What I found, however, was a delightful fantasy mixed with some science fiction and a strong story I could really get behind.

Unlike many fantasy stories, this book takes place in a futuristic version of our world. In the future, over-population has l...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 12, 2013 Benji Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. The idea was new. I loved the questions it made me think. Would it be possible for people to live permanently underwater with better technology?" Would they have to eat everything raw? Would their skin get all wrinkly? I loved the characters. I felt their fear, their love, their amusement. They were all very believable. I loved the action. Reese's martial arts training helps make all of the fighting scenes realistic and exciting. I loved the story. There was never a dull momen...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 07, 2013 Claire rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adorabs, big-info-dump, evil-for-science, meh, powers-are-logical, volume-1, review-on-blog

For some reason, when picking up this book, I thought it was about Hawaii. I mean, look at that cover! Blue waters, lots of tropical fish, it seemed like some type of natives vs. invaders book.

Boy, was I wrong. First of all, it's set in the FUTURE, where people are surviving using lots of gadget-y gadgets, and have biologically adapted to some pretty extreme environments. There's the Kampii (mermaid-people, although they take offense at "mermaid"), the Deepfell (shark-people), the Aviars (bird-p...more

like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 Leslie Preddy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: grades 5-8

Above World is an interesting and unique twist to the dystopian adventure genre. In a world where humans and overpopulation were destroying the world, a solution was found to save the human race by using the available technologies and altering DNA to reengineer human to survive in what were once inhospitable environments for humans: desert, ocean, air. Centuries later, though, the technology is failing for Kampii, a mermaid-like human ocean colony, and only best friends Aluna and Hoku seem to ha...more Above World is an interesting and unique twist to the dystopian adventure genre. In a world where humans and overpopulation were destroying the world, a solution was found to save the human race by using the available technologies and altering DNA to reengineer human to survive in what were once inhospitable environments for humans: desert, ocean, air. Centuries later, though, the technology is failing for Kampii, a mermaid-like human ocean colony, and only best friends Aluna and Hoku seem to have the drive necessary to save their people. The ocean people are dying unnaturally as their underwater breathers stop working. The elders want to ignore the problem and refuse the idea of sending anyone to the “Above World”, or land in search of a solution. But misfits Aluna, fearless by nature, and her friend Hoku, a brilliant thinker, leave their underwater nests and families to seek an answer. Together he and Aluna make the perfect team as they trek to the lands above the ocean. There they meet others who are genetically and technologically altered friend and foe: Aviars, Equins, Serpentins, Deepfell, and Upgraders, some of which seem to be inspired by mythology. The ultimate bad guy is Sea Master Fathom, a clone who has twisted his original mission into a Mengele-style dictatorship, working toward creating the perfect creature while uniting and bending the world to his power. Prevalent throughout is the importance of doing the right thing, courage, honor, and keeping a strong moral compass, which are artfully blended with concepts of isolationism, technology dependence, and environmental misuse. The terminology used for the alterations in this world is intuitive, so the reader is not bogged down with trying to learn and remember what new creatures are and their characteristics, instead the visualization comes naturally. The author believably handles the strengths and weaknesses the genetic alterations give her characters within the environs and the idioms interspersed throughout the text match the character’s environment and experiences and add flavor to the narration. For example, someone from the ocean might say Tide’s Teeth in exclamation whereas one of the humans from the aviary colony would have colloquialisms connected to their above ground environment. The transition between the two narrative voices, Aluna and Hoku, are so well done, it is seamless. A fun and fast read crossing many interests. Readers will be eagerly awaiting the sequel. (less)

like · see review

Apr 25, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grades

This was a great book for middle grades and really for everyone. Generally, I feel like middle grade books are written poorly, and it is always very irritating to me that these books are not written well. This is the age group that we must fight to keep them reading, we don't need bad writing in these books, we need great writing! And this book is one of the good books. It was a great read for me, I did not want to put it down. The characters are all pretty young (12-15 yr olds) which works well...more

like · see review

Apr 17, 2012 Frishawn Rasheed rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is an wonderful mid-grade book that will appeal to all ages across the board. The worlds that are built both under the sea, and above are detailed and unique, and the diversity of fabled characters: mers, harpies, and centaurs will enchant and enthrall.

Aluna makes the perfect champion with her quick wit and tenacious spirit. With the mechanically inclined Hoku at her side and the goal of saving her home and its people; she is a force to be reckoned with.

The book gets better and better as t...more

like · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Wandering Librarians rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, dystopia, fiction, friendship, middle-grade, science-fiction, series

Aluna is a Kampii (don't call her a mermaid) who lives in the City of the Shifting Tides. The Kampii have lived under the sea for generations, having no contact with the above world of humans. But now, the breathing devices that allow the Kampii to live under water have begun to break, and no one knows how to fix them. The Kampii elders chose to ignore the problem and Aluna decides to take the problem into her own hands. With her friend Hoku, Aluna journeys to the above world in search of HydroT...more Aluna is a Kampii (don't call her a mermaid) who lives in the City of the Shifting Tides. The Kampii have lived under the sea for generations, having no contact with the above world of humans. But now, the breathing devices that allow the Kampii to live under water have begun to break, and no one knows how to fix them. The Kampii elders chose to ignore the problem and Aluna decides to take the problem into her own hands. With her friend Hoku, Aluna journeys to the above world in search of HydroTek.

The first scene in this book seemed right out of the Little Mermaid. We have the headstrong girl and her scared male friend going somewhere forbidden. People are called guppies as a fill in for scaredy cats, and then they are chased by a big shark. So sorry Aluna, you already have me in Little Mermaid mode.

There was some interesting world creation going on (you know I like good world creation) but the story itself was unimpressive. As things began to go to crap in the world and there's overcrowding and disease, technology allowed people to flee to other, less crappy places on Earth. Some went under water, some went to the skies, some went to the deserts and some became Upgraders, combinations of humans and machines. So I was interested in this idea of humans deciding to live in places that don't naturally support human life and that they drew on ancient myths to do so. Mermaids, harpies and centaurs, essentially.

I enjoyed being introduced to the Kampii, who have thick skin to keep them warm and eyes that can see in the dark, the Aviars, warrior bird women, have light bones and wings and are grown from eggs, and Equines, the horse people. The story itself, however, I didn't find myself especially interested in.

Aluna leaves the ocean (Kampii don't get tales until a ceremony when they're 13 where they swallow a pill) with Hoku to try to discover why her tribes' tech is breaking down. Aluna was kind of annoying. She always wanted to fight, never thought anything through, and had a really weird idea or loyalty. I know she was supposed to be acting nobly, but most of the time she was just a pain. Hoku was a little more interesting. He was interested in figuring out how things work, but still, no exactly a gripping character. I found I felt like that the whole way though. Callie, an Aviar joins them, and then Dash, an Equine that had to leave his heard because he'd been born without a horse's body. There's lots of running about and fighting the Upgraders and so on. The journey dragged (even though it was not a long book) and I wasn't really sure where it was going or what was the point.

Everyone neatly gets matched up. Callie and Hoku like each other, as do Aluna and Dash but neither admits it. This is sure to be a series. The book ends with kind of a triumph, but there's plenty more to do to keep the world safe from the evil Upgraders. The fight is only just beginning. I have no interest in continuing on with this series. There are plenty of other much more engaging dystopias available.

Above World will be available February 14.(less)

like · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Elisabeth Jewell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Clever imagining of a future world, where the human race has escaped to extreme habitats and have learned how to modify their bodies (done at puberty or at birth) to survive. Aluna lives in a underwater city of Kampiis (mermaids) where their breathing necklaces. Having lost the technological knowledge across the centuries, Aluna puts off "growing her tail" (she still has the legs she was born with) disobeys the Elders' isolationist orders and travels to the surface and land in search of technolo...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 04, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, ya, children, dystopian, series, children-s-novel

Hundreds of years in the future, humans have settled the sea, desert, and sky to avoid rampant disease and war. Thirteen-year-old Aluna and her best friend Hoku are part of the Coral Kampii, people who live underwater in coral reefs, grow tails as adolescents, and breathe with the aid of engineered shells. After she finds a friend dead, Aluna realizes that the breathing shells are failing and, in time, every Kampii will be in danger of drowning. The Kampii elders, afraid of the dangers in the Ab...more

like · see review

Mar 05, 2012 Emily Tippetts rated it 5 of 5 stars

Set in the far future when humans have taken evolution into their own hands, there isn't a single unmodified homo sapien in this book. Instead people have diverged into sea dwelling Kampii (we'd call them mermaids), deep sea deepfell, airborn aviars, desert centaurs, and subterranean snakemen - all of the vivid imagery of fantasy rendered as science fiction. The story kicks off when Aluna, a Kampii about to receive her tail (they do this by swallowing a gene modifier) questions her village elder...more

like · see review

Jul 09, 2012 Brandy Painter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, middle-grade, favorites

Originally posted at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.

I was a little hesitant to pick up Above World by Jenn Reese despite the numerous glowing reviews and comments for it I had read. It sounded dystopian, and I don't like dystopian. Finally all the praise had me curious enough to pick it up. (Also it has a beautiful cover.) Yes, it does have some shades of dystopian, but this is a book that is so much more than that. Reese sets her story in a futuristic world that is so foreign that it could be...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 13, 2011 Tara Hall rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Teen boys, Middle grade boys, dystopian fans

Shelves: arcs, reviewed

I was skeptical about this story when I picked up the ARC. But it won me over with a fantastic dystopian world, strong, unique characters, and great suspense. This is a must-read for fantasy and scifi fans of all ages!

Somehow Reese has managed to combine The Little Mermaid with an action dystopian. It sounds crazy, I know. But it works oh-so-well. It's not just mermaids, though, there are harpies, centaurs, even half-dolphin half-human creatures we don't even have a name for. All have their own...more I was skeptical about this story when I picked up the ARC. But it won me over with a fantastic dystopian world, strong, unique characters, and great suspense. This is a must-read for fantasy and scifi fans of all ages!

Somehow Reese has managed to combine The Little Mermaid with an action dystopian. It sounds crazy, I know. But it works oh-so-well. It's not just mermaids, though, there are harpies, centaurs, even half-dolphin half-human creatures we don't even have a name for. All have their own unique society and culture that blends seamlessly without being overwhelming. There's almost a Gulliver's Travels vibe at some points as our main characters move from place to place into different worlds.

The characters themselves are phenomenal. Aluna reminded me a lot of Tris from Divergent. She has an innate strength and self-sufficiency that cannot be dominated. Her need to protect the people she loves sees her through incredible trials and dangers. She is an admirable role model for young women readers. At her side is the adorable, geeky Hoku, a young absent-minded professor who possesses the same strength of character and heart that Aluna does. I related to him instantly as the kid who's too smart to have friends his own age, but he proves his strength over and over again. The secondary characters are never lacking in development, and the romance is understated and perfectly young in its depiction. Boys and girls alike will find something, and someone, to love here.

The suspense doesn't let up for a page. The author's experience with martial arts enriches the fight scenes with just the right amount of detail. The world is at stake, and the story never loses sight of that, but there are also intense moments of one-on-one life or death battles. All of them written with a very readable style that is accessible to younger readers but never bores adults.

As with all good dystopians, this book has some significant things to say about the state of our modern world. In the end, this story is about the world coming together despite our differences. It manages to be a post-apocalyptic story with a message of hope.

Highly recommended for... basically everyone! (less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 27, 2013 Tiffany Mahaffy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hardcover, own, review-copy

Though Above World wasn't quite what I expected I still found myself enjoying it. It's an interesting cross of Dystopian & Mythology. These are people that deal with the world becoming overpopulated and themselves being unprepared by becoming part of new tech made clans. I found all of the worlds were detailed and unique but each society also had its flaws. Though the people found a way to live in the worlds areas that do not naturally support human life (sea, sky & desert), they don't...more Though Above World wasn't quite what I expected I still found myself enjoying it. It's an interesting cross of Dystopian & Mythology. These are people that deal with the world becoming overpopulated and themselves being unprepared by becoming part of new tech made clans. I found all of the worlds were detailed and unique but each society also had its flaws. Though the people found a way to live in the worlds areas that do not naturally support human life (sea, sky & desert), they don't thrive. Not to mention that something fishy seems to be going on and the Kampii are dropping dead, while the Elders look the other way.

The Mermaid part was actually quite intriguing, they can not naturally breath under water but have tech that allows them to do so. Tails are also something that they come about later on in life, they are given a seed that transforms their legs into tails (painful process). Essentially they are humans that evolved/adjusted to a new way of life. I'm not sure how Avair's work but I know that they don't reproduce naturally but by basically test tube kind of grown? The Equain's they are born half horse half human. Jenn did a wonderful job taking mythology and twisting it into something that people may use as an alternative lifestyle. I was pulled in a little more to the story when the Avair's became part of the story. Their world to me was far more vivid and alive than anything I had read before that.

Aluna was a fierce and determined character. She did tend to be an act now and think later character but in her defence she was good at thinking on the spot. I kind of felt for her a little as she was the outcast of her family, the one that spoke her mind when she wasn't supposed to. There was a couple of times I thought she might loose her strength but her will to do the right thing is strong. When she risked herself to save what is considered her enemy I was blown away with her compassion as well. Aluna is what I would consider an admiral role model with her wide spectrum of desirable traits. Even when she felt attached to the Avair's because they are woman warriors, she still continued to want to keep moving to help find a way to save her people.

Hoku is such an innocent and cute character. He is a year younger than Aluna but is her best friend and for the most part her polar opposite. Though he is not a coward, he is more of a logical person than a fighter. He also seems prone to crushes but in a cute little brother type way, in such a way that you have to smile while he blushes. I will also point out that Jenn did push Hoku into the "crush on your best friend" stereotype. No he honestly just thought of Aluna as a friend and I have nothing but respect for that. His biggest crush was Calli (Avair) and they're such a cute and perfect fit.

Jenn has created something that middle grade and up can enjoy, definitely more of a middle grade read without being too childish. This isn't an easy thing to accomplish and I frequently find myself frustrated with how authors over simplify when it comes to the majority of middle grade but was happy to discover Jenn did not do that. With colourful and creative characters this was a fun and easy read. I look forward to visiting the characters in this one again in the next installment. Pick this up if you would like something a little different, with a twist on some mythological creatures and an easy story to follow.(less)

like · see review

Mar 05, 2013 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sciencefiction, young-adult-fiction

A TOP SHELF review, originally published in the March 7, 2013 edition of The Monitor

Middle Grade Dystopia

he nominees for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy were recently announced by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and since I’ve already reviewed two of the titles for this column (Railsea and Summer of the Mariposas), I’ve decided to try to read through as many of the rest as possible. I’ve started with the science fiction book Above World by J...more A TOP SHELF review, originally published in the March 7, 2013 edition of The Monitor

Middle Grade Dystopia

he nominees for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy were recently announced by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and since I’ve already reviewed two of the titles for this column (Railsea and Summer of the Mariposas), I’ve decided to try to read through as many of the rest as possible. I’ve started with the science fiction book Above World by Jenn Reese, a novel intended for middle grade readers (i.e., from 8-12 years of age).

Centuries from now, genetically altered humans live in the oceans, the deserts, the skies—dependent for their existence on ancient technology intended to provide an alternative to overcrowded cities. When this technology begins to break down in the undersea City of Shifting Tides, the elders meekly accept the situation as their destiny. Outraged, Aluna and Hoku (two young kampii or merfolk who haven’t gotten their tails yet) decide to leave the ocean in search of HydroTek, the legendary company who engineered their ancestors. To reach their destination, they will need to struggle against other hybrid humans (aviars, equines, etc.) and make allies. At the end, they discover they must deal with the frightening, cyborg-like Upgraders whose leader holds the key to the kampii’s destruction or survival.

Reese handles her young characters pretty well. The strong female, Aluna, is driven by heroic notions, and her hunting training gives her the tools to face enemies and lead. Hoku, her young male friend, is tech-savvy but less aggressive, and the two play off each other (and their friends Callie and Dash) quite well. The world-building is clever (if a little simplistic in spots, understandably so for a middle grade book), and Reese can certainly write an action scene. For some reason I struggled to get into the story before the protagonists left the sea; once they were on solid ground, however, the plot rolled along, brisk and entertaining (though a bit predictable). The book reminded me a lot of La estrella, a Spanish YA novel I reviewed last year, and that’s a good thing. It’s the first in a series, and I could see myself reading another volume in order to revisit the characters and their peculiar world. Not as good as Railsea or Summer of the Mariposas, but worth giving to that kid in your life.(less)

like · see review

Sep 27, 2012 Ashley rated it 2 of 5 stars

Not your average mermaid Tale. This is the story of a young girl who's family lives in an under sea 'city' (so small it's more like under sea villiage). They have been bioengineered to live under water. The humans of the world have broken into chaos and fighting. The earth so uninhabital that people have spliced animal genes or machinery to their bodies. Parts of the story were cool but I thought the dialouge pretty lame. I really didn't care for the main character. She's not so much the strong...more

like · see review

Mar 09, 2013 heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, ebook, fantasy, mid-grade, scifi

The past tense of "to tread" is "trod". This cranky note brought to you by aquatic humans who spend a lot of time staying still in currents. That said...

I enjoyed this book. It didn't blow me out of the proverbial water, but it was reasonably well-crafted and engaging, and I didn't check to see how much more book I had to get through.

You'll be shocked to lean that the rebellious princess is forced by her conscience to leave all she knows on the very eve of her adulthood, and venture out into the...more

1 like · like · see review

May 06, 2012 Neile rated it 5 of 5 stars

Above World is a truly impressive start to a new middle-grade+ series. I admit that I expected the usual from it, and it continually surprised me with interesting plot moves and character development. It's both a scary adventure and a fun romp in a highly imagined new world, beginning when the intrepid Aluna leaves her community of sea-dwelling post-humans, certain she can find a cure to a disease that is affecting her people when the elders won't even admit how serious the situation is. Her bes...more

like · see review

Mar 22, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Julie by: Alex

I was pleasantly surprised by this book that Alex recommended. Although the characters are not particularly subtly depicted, the premise is interesting for what appears to be the first of a new series of books. At some point in the past, the Above World became so messed up that factions of people split off to live in heretofore uninhabitable spaces. Aluna is a member of the Kampii, who live deep in the ocean; they have developed thick skins, the ability to breathe underwater, and (when they reac...more

like · see review

Apr 01, 2012 Cecelia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Middle grade sci-fi? Recommended by Sarah Prineas (author of the lovely Winterling)? I’m there. I happened to do a quick search of my local library catalog, and found an ebook copy. Done? Done. From reading the synopsis alone, I thought Jenn Reese’s Above World had the potential to be unique, thrilling, and fresh. I wasn’t far off the mark.

A fairly constant theme in dystopian fiction (and most adventure lit, as well) is that of the young person who knows ‘best.’ What I mean is, the protagonists...more Middle grade sci-fi? Recommended by Sarah Prineas (author of the lovely Winterling)? I’m there. I happened to do a quick search of my local library catalog, and found an ebook copy. Done? Done. From reading the synopsis alone, I thought Jenn Reese’s Above World had the potential to be unique, thrilling, and fresh. I wasn’t far off the mark.

A fairly constant theme in dystopian fiction (and most adventure lit, as well) is that of the young person who knows ‘best.’ What I mean is, the protagonists see the injustice in a system and are willing to put everything at stake to make it right – or at least, different. With dystopian lit, this is necessary because the government or society IS corrupt (and harmful).

In Jenn Reese’s Above World, members of Aluna’s colony are dying, and no one seems to be doing anything concrete to solve the lethal problem. Aluna, incensed and horrified, is willing to risk her safety to find the answers, and her best friend Hoku comes along because, well, he’s her friend. What follows is a non-stop adventure through a world unimaginably altered by technology and human imagination.

The narration in Above World was split between Aluna and Hoku, and sounded most accurate in Aluna’s ‘voice,’ partially because she possessed a forceful, assured point-of-view. However, at the end of the book Hoku’s perspective emerged more often. One of the weaknesses of an otherwise engaging story was his recurring fixation on kissing – it did not ring true in the midst of life-or-death situations. Also: Hoku is twelve. But in the grand scheme of things, that’s a minor quibble.

One of the best things about the story was its focus on the friendships made and sustained in the course of crazy adventures. I had to include the bit of text (from page 56) below, because it made me laugh aloud, and it was just so typical!

“Aluna said nothing. For a minute, she just stared at him. He recognized that look: the furrow of her brow, the slight closing of her right eye, and the almost imperceptible twitching of her lips. Aluna was thinking, and there wasn’t a more dangerous activity in all the world.”

Above World is the first in a series, and I'm sure the adventures of Aluna and company will only get more interesting and fantastic as the story progresses. It promises to be an exciting (and somewhat perilous) journey.

Recommended for: fans of science fiction and fantasy (whatever their age), and those who know that friends are the best companions on an adventure – especially one to save the world.(less)

like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Thomas Pinkerton rated it 4 of 5 stars

An excellent read -- understandable why it was nominated for the Norton. A far-future romp that completely avoids the usual enthrallment with technology that permeated sci-fi. Instead we're offered a pastoral point-of-view, our protagonists becoming more animalistic to adapt to an overcrowded world. Technology is largely the purview of monstrous human-mechanical monstrosities called "Upgraders".

And through it all we're given the juxtaposition of a tough, headstrong girl and her bookish, introver...more

like · see review

May 20, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks

A few days ago someone asked me:

"Jen, can you recommend a brisk-paced, not-dumbed-down book for kids set in a post-apocalyptic future, with an abundance of scenes involving severed body parts or mutilated bodies, pretty much non-stop, extremely bloody violence, a main, pre-teen character who loses a limb in a battle, and with a premise reminiscent of Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau? Oh, and if there are mermaids and a talking dog, that would be super!"

I had nothing to recommend then, but I su...more

like · see review

Mar 13, 2013 Sophie R. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Above World, by Jenn Reese, is a riveting novel about a dystopian world where overpopulation has forced Humans to genetically alter themselves to live in different terrains, like the fish-tailed Kampii in the ocean and winged Aviars in the mountains. The Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides have special breathing necklaces powered by HydroTek, designed to help them gather more oxygen underwater. But this tech is beginning to fail, and many Kampii are dying, including thirteen-year-old Alun...more

like · see review

Mar 03, 2013 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: junior-high, middle-grade, sci-fi, young-adult

This was a fun read about the future, where humans have used technology to inhabit the seas, deserts and skies. Sadly, the tech developers have gone mad, and are trying to gain control of everything.

The story was full of action and adventure, with characters who feel real. The author has studied the martial arts, and I imagine that kids who are into that sort of thing will especially like this. There's even some young romance, which I enjoyed.

I guess I'm holding back on the "really like" becau...more

like · see review

Jan 19, 2013 Thgastrid rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: quarter-2

"Above World" was about a mermaid with out a tail, or "kampii". She travled to the "above world" to try to save her people, because the necklaces that let them breath, were failing. She met many different creatures on her journey, both good and bad. In the end, everything was okay.

I absolutely loved this book! I was completely hooked all the way though! I grew quite fond of Aluna, the main character. I was completely devastated when it was over. Now, I have to see if jenn Reese has written any o...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 88 89 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
in the begining did you think aluna and hoku were going to like each other?	6	16	Jun 10, 2013 10:49am
}~>O MERBOOKS...: Above World by Jenn Reese	2	16	Nov 11, 2011 09:42am

combine
Other Editions (12)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy

39 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

32 users

Science Fiction

28 users

Young Adult

26 users

Science Fiction > Dystopia

21 users

Mermaids

16 users

Adventure

11 users

Childrens

6 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

5 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Fantasy

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

The Book of Wonders
by Jasmine Richards
The Cabinet of Earths
by Anne Nesbet
The Mapmaker and the Ghost
by Sarvenaz Tash
Chained
by Lynne Kelly
Storybound
by Marissa Burt

About Jenn Reese

I write science fiction and fantasy adventure stories for readers of all ages. ABOVE WORLD is the first in my middle grade series from Candlewick. The second book, MIRAGE, is out in March 2013. My first novel, JADE TIGER, is a kung fu action adventure romance for older teens and adults.

More about Jenn Reese...

Books by Jenn Reese

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress XXI

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Above World

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Above World

“History is not a fixed truth. It changes with the speaker.” — 6 people liked it

“Why were wonder and danger always so tightly interwoven?” — 4 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Above World
avg rating	preview: Above World Goodreads rating: 3.84 (444 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12154335-above-world?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327889606l/12154335.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12154335-above-world?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Above World by Jenn Reese[/url]

Above World (Above World #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website