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Quicksilver (Ultraviolet #2)

by R.J. Anderson (Goodreads Author)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 291 ratings · 132 reviews

Back in her hometown, Tori Beaugrand had everything a teenaged girl could want—popularity, money, beauty. But she also had a secret. A secret that could change her life in an instant, or destroy it.

Now she’s left everything from her old life behind, including her real name and Alison, the one friend who truly understood her. She can’t escape who and what she is. But if she...more

Paperback, 384 pages

Published May 2nd 2013 by Orchard Books (first published March 1st 2013)

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Jan 02, 2013 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, why-yes-i-ya

it saddens me that i don't hyper-love this series as much as everyone else seems to.

because i like the series; it's good, i enjoy reading it, but whenever i read these wonderfully enthusiastic reviews for these books, i just feel a little left out. wait up for me, guys!

there's a lot to like - it has an original plot, with characters who stand out from the frequently cookie-cutter girls and boys who populate the YA fantasy/adventure books, and it seems to be going somewhere, not just treading wa...more it saddens me that i don't hyper-love this series as much as everyone else seems to.

because i like the series; it's good, i enjoy reading it, but whenever i read these wonderfully enthusiastic reviews for these books, i just feel a little left out. wait up for me, guys!

there's a lot to like - it has an original plot, with characters who stand out from the frequently cookie-cutter girls and boys who populate the YA fantasy/adventure books, and it seems to be going somewhere, not just treading water, seeing how many books it can stretch itself to before the audience loses interest. all of these things are good things, and i note them as such with my brain. but my heart is looking elsewhere.

this second part picks up shortly after the action in the first one, and shifts the POV from alison to tori. now, i don't want to ruin the big "oh no she didn't" from Ultraviolet, so i will just say that these characters are very different girls.

but - man, i gotta tell you. there comes a point in this book where the opportunity is given to COMPLETELY change everything and pull the rug out from under the reader, and i started getting really excited, "oh my god, is she really going to do this?? this could be the coolest thing in YA history" (view spoiler)

but, still, that moment of uncertainty was a good one, and i thank her for giving it to me, however briefly.

another big plus is the lack of coddling, the lack of gentleness. alison is not in this story much, but when she is, she is pretty clearly affected by what happened to her in the first book. and i like that, as a reader. you can read any number of these books where the heroine is seemingly indestructible, both emotionally and physically, but after a while, the lack of realism is wearying. alison has been through some damage, and it shows. but she wears it well, and having her just be a peripheral character in this installment is a good move.

so i am only saying good things about the book(s)! and three stars is not a bad rating, not when i'm giving them out, but i wish whatever ineffable reader roadblock on my part that wasn't letting me yield to my fellow readers' rapture would be removed.i want to love.(less)

36 likes · like · see review

Nov 23, 2012 Blythe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: highly-anticipating-2013, hurry-up, i-need-this-book, i-want-it-right-now, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, 2012-favorites, 2012-reads, didn-t-see-that-coming, exceeded-my-expectations, favorites, hand-me-some-tissues, i-e-i-will-always-love-you, i-totally-saw-that-coming, netgalley-edelweiss-arc, freaking-brilliant, i-will-have-children-with-this-book, this-book-and-i-are-eloping, read-reviewed

This review may contain possible spoilers for Ultraviolet

If you were to ask me right now what word I think best describes Quicksilver, while trying to refrain from using the inevitable words such as 'amazing', 'mind-blowing', or even the simple (but very accurate) 'OMG', the word I would choose would be 'intense'.

And quite honestly, the fact that Quicksilver is as intense as it is is quite a feat given that there is not much action throughout most of the novel and not many fight scenes. But I t...more

27 likes · like · see review

Oct 24, 2012 R.j. rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

I'll admit it: I was scared to write this book. Not because I didn't believe in the characters or the story, but because I knew it was going to challenge me in all kinds of new ways, and take me to places as an author and as a researcher that I'd never been before. I wanted it to be a satisfying follow-up to ULTRAVIOLET, yet at the same time a quite different sort of story, and one that could be read and appreciated even by people who hadn't read the earlier novel. And at times, the pressure to...more

32 likes · like · see review

Nov 14, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-or-futuristic, young-adult, ebook-egalley, 2013-publication, may, asian, canadian, poc, crush-worthy-boys, read-2012, to-review, 2013-favorites, action-packed, questionable-ethics, mature-ya, 2013-5-star-books, wishlist-find-hb, heroines-butt-kicking, supportive-author, aliens

HOLY CRAP. What a mindfuck of a book. And what a crazily original heroine!

I can't even gather coherent thoughts at this point. Review to come.

37 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2013 Jessica (Goldenfurpro) marked it as to-read

Shelves: challenge-a-to-z, not-at-library-i-wanna-read, lendable-no

YES!
THERE'S A SEQUEL!
YES!YES!YES!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED ULTRAVIOLET!
But I HATED the ended
Not that hated it hated it more like I didn't like it
I'M SO HAPPY THAT THERE'S A SEQUEL!
MY LIFE IS NOW COMPLETE!
(Well it will be when this comes out)
I NEED A TIME MACHINE SO I CAN TRAVEL INTO THE FUTURE AND GET THIS!

P.S. in case you haven't realized, I really want this book

12 likes · like · see review

Nov 26, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sci-fi fans

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi, 2013-release, aliens, e-arc, ebook, netgalley, cool-author, 2012-favs, 2012-reads, awesome, best-characters, didn-t-disappoint, i-didn-t-see-that-coming, i-loved-it, mystery, mind-blowing-good, original-and-creative, pure-win, smart-heroine, strong-heroine, pretty-covers, omg-that-ending

4.5 stars

Okay, WOW. I commission everyone to go out and read this series. Because... because... because of reasons. Awesome reasons.

Why is it that every time I finish a novel by R.J. Anderson, I can't find the right words to review it? How can I possibly give someone a run down of a book with so many twists and turns and plain old fashion AWESOME? I can do better than that. Let me try this again.

Quicksilver had me flipping pages as fast as humanly possible from beginning to end. If you are a sci...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Emily May rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-na, sci-fi, arc, 2012

4 1/2
You know all those young adult books that feature the stereotypical blonde, popular and bitchy high-schooler? And the movies with the same? Usually there's a girl-next-door kind of heroine who is supposed to look so much better beside Ms Blonde & Popular? I know you all know what I'm talking about. Well, this is the book that kicks apart and destroys all those old stereotypes and brings to you the story of that popular girl everyone thinks they know but no one really does. There are a w...more 4 1/2
You know all those young adult books that feature the stereotypical blonde, popular and bitchy high-schooler? And the movies with the same? Usually there's a girl-next-door kind of heroine who is supposed to look so much better beside Ms Blonde & Popular? I know you all know what I'm talking about. Well, this is the book that kicks apart and destroys all those old stereotypes and brings to you the story of that popular girl everyone thinks they know but no one really does. There are a whole bunch of secrets hiding behind that pretty face and Anderson expertly uses them to tell a story interwoven with the exploration of sexism, racism, sexuality and mental illness.

I was unsure about my feelings on the first book - Ultraviolet - and my enjoyment was occasionally threatened by the purple prose which was a product of Alison's synesthesia and unusual abilities. However, this book is an entirely different breed of novel. With Tori Beaugrand, no time is wasted waxing poetic about letters and numbers, we get straight into a fast-paced, well-structured action story that never slows for a second. Anderson pulls out twists that this time actually came as a huge surprise and she introduces new sides to her old characters that make them so much more well-rounded.

Tori is so many things all at once and the author even does something entirely new (to me, anyway) with her character here and explores an area I have never seen touched upon in any novel. Tori is the perfect balance of strong and flawed, she manages to be brave but struggles with normal human fears that make her someone the reader can relate to but also cheer on. The author even pauses to look at what it's like to be female in one of the most male-dominated professions of all - engineering. It's amazing how many social issues Anderson incorporates into this novel without making the novel about them or taking anything away from the main plot.

One of the other things I really appreciate in Anderson's novels is that she doesn't concern herself with writing the story the reader wants to happen; she isn't fuelled by a need to find a happy ending or to resolve every character's problems. And I like this. It means that her stories will always be unpredictable because anything could happen, bad stuff happens to the good people and not every relationship will end with hand-holding as they walk off into the sunset. This is an element that can make even the most unrealistic paranormal novel seem somewhat real.

I am deliberately avoiding saying anything about the plot itself because it's very easy to spoil the first book. But I would highly recommend these novels so much to everyone, I'm even willing to say now that it's worth making it through the first book even if you aren't keen just so you can read Quicksilver. My only hope is that this isn't the last we hear from Tori, Alison and Sebastian, the questions opened by these two books are just too delicious to go unanswered.(less)

31 likes · like · see review

Jan 01, 2013 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tour, ya, sci-fi, fantasy, owned-arc

Ultraviolet was an incredibly original sci-fi novel that I enjoyed immensely last year. I was thrilled to find out that Quicksilver was coming out as a companion novel and was so pleased that it was quite possibly better than its predecessor.

Tori knows that its only a matter of time before her past catches up with her and everyone in her life is going to be put at risk because of what she is. Sebastian Faraday shows back up and confirms that she does have more to fear but that he has a plan to h...more

9 likes · like · see review

Mar 21, 2013 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, 2013-favourites, sci-fi-favourites, science-fiction, ultimate-favourites, other, other-favourites

This review will contain possible spoilers for the first book

4.5 stars

R.J. Anderson is an author who does not conform to the rules - and thank goodness for that.

We had Ultraviolet in 2011, the delightfully original companion novel and first instalment of this series, and it was here that Anderson proved that formulaic was not a word in her vocabulary. There is nothing particularly typical about this book. Its characters are diverse, non-standard and very much real. Its plot is devoid of the usua...more

16 likes · like · see review

Feb 04, 2013 AH rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-netgalley, favorites, read-nov-2012, science-fiction, urban-fantasy, canadian-content, babr-reviews

First impressions...
OMG! *does the fangirl Snoopy dance* Simply amazing. This book messed with my head but in a good way.
Quicksilver is a companion novel to Ultraviolet and it fills in the gaps and gives the reader a different character's perspective. Highly recommended that one reads Ultraviolet first. So looking forward to the next book! (I hope there is one.)

Actual review...
It’s not often that I read a companion novel and experience the same level of enjoyment for both books. Quicksilver is...more

6 likes · like · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, bubblegum-book, e-arc-via-netgalley, the-great-shelf-of-awesome

See more of my reviews sooner on the YA Kitten! I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

3.5 stars.

Ultraviolet was one of the most intense novels I can remember reading, and upon hearing from the author herself that a companion novel was in the works, I kinda sorta died of happy. Then I got better. Friends have been swooning over this novel in the weeks before I had the chance to read it and I see what the big deal is. Quicksilver is more of a typical thriller than a psychological thri...more See more of my reviews sooner on the YA Kitten! I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

3.5 stars.

Ultraviolet was one of the most intense novels I can remember reading, and upon hearing from the author herself that a companion novel was in the works, I kinda sorta died of happy. Then I got better. Friends have been swooning over this novel in the weeks before I had the chance to read it and I see what the big deal is. Quicksilver is more of a typical thriller than a psychological thriller like the previous book, but it's still just as fantastic.

Though I expected greatness from the beginning, I never expected this! Tight plotting, well-developed characters (Sebastian in particular is so complex that it makes my head hurt), and some very tense scenes will likely make this one of the best novels of 2013. Tori's passion for engineering feels real and her friend/confidante Milo is a welcome addition to a cast I already knew so well. Some of the commentaries offered on sexism in engineering--and in science in general, really--are spot-on and it called for a feminist fist-bump.

You'll never catch me saying I don't think there are enough people like me in books. Upper-middle-class white girls seem to have a hold on the genre, so there's nothing for me to complain about. Still, I want to thank Anderson for writing an asexual character like Tori because I have never seen/met someone else who identities as asexual in real life or in fiction. Now I can take comfort in the existence of Tori when people act like my sexual orientation is nonexistent.

There really isn't anything to complain about concerning Quicksilver, as I've already discussed, but there was never any personal investment on my part. With Ultraviolet, I was unable to let go of Alison, her internal struggle concerning her sanity, and how her synesthesia enhanced the reader's experience. Quicksilver< was a whole other monster. Perhaps Tori being a science whiz has something to do with it; due to my hatred of science, I can sometimes have difficulty connecting to characters who love it dearly and whose love for it plays into the narrative.

I don't doubt fans of Ultraviolet will continue to love it, and the investment issue I had appears to be solely my issue. None of my friends have said anything remotely similar, and it seems the nearly-two-year gap between books was worth the wait.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 11, 2013 Sherwood Smith added it

Shelves: sf

Quicksilver follows on from Ultraviolet, though I think one could start with the second one (but why would you want to? Ultraviolet was one of my favorite books of 2011) This one follows Tori, who didn't really come into Ultraviolet until near the end--she was the cause of Alison's being thrown into a mental hospital.

Tori and her parents have abruptly left their home, changed their names. Dad got a far less well-paying job, and Mom is coping in her own ways, as the parents are determined to prot...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Rachelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So I realized I stole Blythe's expression for this book about not feeling fully coherent upon finishing. So very very rarely does a sequel manage to live up to the breath-taking, dinner's late - feed yourself, what's work??, you mean I need to sleep now?!, that was the first book. For any who might have been worried about Quicksilver being a let down after Ultraviolet. Be not afraid!! I have tidings of GREAT JOY!

Again I found myself LOVING the female lead. Tori is flawed but without causing all...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 14, 2012 Elena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, young-adult, poc, arc

Note: I received an electronic ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

4.5 stars

If someone had said to me before I started reading, "This book is nothing like Ultraviolet," I would have been all D: D: D:. Because I loved Ultraviolet. However, this book, despite having a different protagonist, tone, and theme from Ultraviolet, actually manages to equal it in awesomeness.

Tori/Niki is nothing like Alison as a narrator, and not only because she doesn't have synaesthesia. She's a totall...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Rachel Brown rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult

This is a very difficult book to review. It's a sequel to Anderson's Ultraviolet, which had some nice twists. Though the cover copy suggests that Quicksilver can be read on its own, it spoils every plot twist in Ultraviolet, starting from the very first page. (I also think it would be pretty difficult to follow without having read Ultraviolet first. In fact, I found some plot points difficult to follow because it had been so long since I had read Ultraviolet.)

They're both good books. But if you...more This is a very difficult book to review. It's a sequel to Anderson's Ultraviolet, which had some nice twists. Though the cover copy suggests that Quicksilver can be read on its own, it spoils every plot twist in Ultraviolet, starting from the very first page. (I also think it would be pretty difficult to follow without having read Ultraviolet first. In fact, I found some plot points difficult to follow because it had been so long since I had read Ultraviolet.)

They're both good books. But if you have any interest in reading either, start with Ultraviolet and don't even read the premise of Quicksilver - literally everything about it is a spoiler for Ultraviolet.

I am going to do two levels of spoiler cuts. The first level will be spoilery for Ultraviolet, the second for Quicksilver.

Giant Ultraviolet spoilers. (view spoiler)

Giant Quicksilver spoilers. (view spoiler)(less)

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Apr 20, 2013 Pili rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Quicksilver can be called a sequel or a companion book to Ultraviolet, which was book 1, because the story continues and we get the same storyline, but the main character and focal point of the book is no longer Alison, but Tori, or Niki, as she has to change her appearance and name to hide from those who want to know what happened to her, and want to study her "differences".

Since the focus is on Tori/Niki and she's a fixer, a maker and all are tech girl there's a lot of science in this book, an...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Melissa Mcavoy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, tweens

After a traumatic abduction sixteen-year-old Niki has had to go into hiding and reinvent herself. Gone are her old name, her affluent life and her role as the prettiest and most popular girl in the school. Clues to the mysteries at the core of Quicksilver: what happened to Niki and why is she being pursued by GeneSystem Labratories and menaced by a shadowy figure named Mathis, are scattered throughout the narrative, drawing the reader on. The plot twists and turns as Niki, self-named after her e...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Eden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Quicksilver's pace is sharp and thin, like the edge of a knife: the tension slides ever higher, subtly, smoothly, in such an invisible fashion I want to call this book quiet, as a compliment. It matches the book's (literally) out-of-this-world premise, along with enough twists and kinks to keep you on the edge of your seat. I do have to admit that I lost track of the real problem a few times; plus, the subplot involving Deckard didn't seem fulfilled.

Each character gets ample time to develop thei...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Lyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, reviewed

Those who read and loved Ultraviolent won't be disappointed in Quicksilver. This companion book is told by Tori, the teenager who went missing in Ultraviolent. As a result of the investigation into her disappearance, Tori and her family are on the run. A DNA sample of hair taken from her hairbrush while she was missing shows certain abnormalities. The government wants her to come in for testing.

The family moves and cuts all ties with everyone they know. They change their appearances and take new...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Lindley rated it 3 of 5 stars

I can't remember the last time that I read companion books that were so tonally different, or a time when I so greatly preferred the second book in the series as I did when I read Quicksilver. While I thought Ultraviolet was a decent book, my favorite part of that story was experiencing the unique descriptions for things, which were the result of Alison's synathesia. Quicksilver, on the other hand, kept me invested from start to finish in a way that its predecessor did not. I am glad that the se...more

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Feb 04, 2013 BookHookup rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup

**An ARC was received from the publisher
but that did not influence the review**

3.5 stars I was so happy to be able to read this right after I finished Ultraviolet, but boy was I in for a surprise! This installment was told from Tori’s (Niki) POV. If you aren’t sure who that is, she is Alison’s nemesis from book 1. That’s right, her nemesis that she “murdered”. However, they came to understand one another at the end of the first book, and this book f...more This was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup

**An ARC was received from the publisher
but that did not influence the review**

3.5 stars I was so happy to be able to read this right after I finished Ultraviolet, but boy was I in for a surprise! This installment was told from Tori’s (Niki) POV. If you aren’t sure who that is, she is Alison’s nemesis from book 1. That’s right, her nemesis that she “murdered”. However, they came to understand one another at the end of the first book, and this book fills in the blanks even more.

Niki and her family pack up and leave in order to keep her safe. New identities, name, hair and eyes. But it’s not enough, and sick of living in fear Niki takes matters into her own hands. She uses her natural skills for engineering and computers, for which she is a genius. Along the way she becomes friends with Milo, who seems to have her back no matter how many secrets she keeps from him.

This is where the book only kept me semi-interested….I need romance. That’s right, need. There wasn’t any. Zero, zilch, nada. The heroine claims to be asexual. I was like whaaaaa????? While it is clear Milo is totally interested in Niki, she only desires him as a friend. I. Just. Could. Not. Compute. There was no reason for this at all. Maybe Ms. Anderson did not want to take away from the story with a romance intertwined, but it would have been so lovely to be written in. For that, I was so disappointed.

Don’t get me wrong, I liked this book, I just didn’t love it. The story itself was quite interesting with double-crossings, and double-double-crossings. I was a little heartbroken at one of them but in the end it was quite the act of selflessness.

Would I rec it? If you like sci-fi then yes. I preferred the first book to this one, but this was a good way to wrap up many loose ends. While I wasn’t blown away by all the twists and turns I did enjoy them, and many other readers have had the flaily moments so maybe it’s just me. Regardless, it was a quick and enjoyable read.(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Um - wow. This is a tough book in many ways, perhaps because it reflects its extremely pragmatic main character so well. I didn't, personally, find being in Tori's head as interesting as being in Alison's, though I was very happy to know what had happened to her. I was also glad to meet Alison herself again, towards the end of the story, and there are a couple of very likeable and intriguing new characters - especially Milo, who rocks.

If I were to review this book in a sentence or two, I'd have...more Um - wow. This is a tough book in many ways, perhaps because it reflects its extremely pragmatic main character so well. I didn't, personally, find being in Tori's head as interesting as being in Alison's, though I was very happy to know what had happened to her. I was also glad to meet Alison herself again, towards the end of the story, and there are a couple of very likeable and intriguing new characters - especially Milo, who rocks.

If I were to review this book in a sentence or two, I'd have two versions: (spoilers)

1. If you build a better mousetrap, the world will beat a path to your door. Tori is brilliant at building mousetraps, and she's got two worlds beating a path to hers - greatly to her dismay. Or-

2. "If your right hand offend you, cut it off." Ouch!

As the book begins, Tori flees to Toronto with her parents in order to escape pursuers both human and alien. They begin to live new lives under assumed identities. But it soon becomes clear that Tori's still being tracked by alien tech. She needs to find some way to shut it down, without endangering the people she cares about. This proves very complicated - especially when a boy she works with (Milo) seems interested in becoming her boyfriend.

Tori's capable of being manipulative and deceitful, and I had a hard time liking her - in fact, at a certain point in the middle of the book, I stopped reading and wasn't sure I wanted to start again. But, in the end, this is a very well-thought out story about a girl who takes charge of her own life and problems. And how! I'm impressed by the level of research R.J. Anderson must have done to write from Tori's pov, and, once I got over that hump in the middle, I found the plot gripping. I think I would have benefited from rereading "Ultraviolet" before jumping into this story. True, we do revisit some of the events of "Ultraviolet" from Tori's pov, but I still felt a little lost at times, and I might well have liked this book better had I read it immediately following "Ultraviolet". But, in the end, this was a good read with some interesting things to say about nature, nurture, free will, and responsibility. R.J.'s fans won't be disappointed.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aaw-yeah, arc-galley

Holy awesome wows... this is possibly just as good as the first novel! where Allison was all color and impressions, Tori's more straightforward. Well, as straightforward as one in her position could get. I am struggling to serve up an accurate description of the lead in this one without giving anything major away, so I'll go all broad strokes on what I did like:

1. It's s very different from the first book without it being totally new. Erg, what? How do I put this? the two leads are different fro...more

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May 16, 2013 Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Quicksilver is the sequel to the R.J. Anderson's inspired exploration of sanity, perception and synaesthesia, Ultraviolet. Quicksilver does not measure up to its predecessor. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but Ultraviolet was a perfect storm of the right concept, the right character and the right author. It was a unique story brilliantly executed. Its follow-up doesn't quite achieve such lofty heights.

But Quicksilver does prove that Anderson definitely has a knack for perspective and character....more

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Apr 27, 2013 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

R. J. Anderson has a gift for submerging a narrative into her heroines' skins. Trough insanity, through synesthesia, through alien though processes and motivations. I enjoyed ULTRAVIOLET with reservations, Alison's point of view was interesting but not compelling. I fell in love with QUICKSILVER, however, Tori's abilities and limitations were mesmerizing. Anderson does a beautiful job offering her character opportunities for growth and room to surprise without ever violating the central identity...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Deneé rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-library

Originally posted at Novel Reveries

"I thought I had the truth and that no one could take it away from me. But now I don't know what to believe." (143)

I absolutely loved Ultraviolet and I absolutely love this as well! It's so nice to get away from a story writhing in love triangles and filled with whinny teenagers. While Ultraviolet focused on Alison, Quicksilver focuses on Tori after they escape Mathis. To get away from the police and scientists hounding her, Tori and her parents change their id...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Ceilidh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It’s a sadly rare occurrence these days for a YA book to not only surpass my expectations but entirely blow them away. At least this means that when it does happen, I appreciate it all the more, particularly when said book is the sequel to a book I had found to be underwhelming. “Quicksilver”, the sequel to last year’s “Ultraviolet”, is a truly special YA experience – a well-crafted and socially novel that continually surprises, takes risks and keeps the reader gripped.

For me, the real strength...more It’s a sadly rare occurrence these days for a YA book to not only surpass my expectations but entirely blow them away. At least this means that when it does happen, I appreciate it all the more, particularly when said book is the sequel to a book I had found to be underwhelming. “Quicksilver”, the sequel to last year’s “Ultraviolet”, is a truly special YA experience – a well-crafted and socially novel that continually surprises, takes risks and keeps the reader gripped.

For me, the real strength of “Ultraviolet” lay in the prose, and R.J. Anderson continues to demonstrate her skilful approach to writing, with a degree of confidence I felt was missing from the first book. “Ultraviolet” felt jumbled and unsure of what it wanted to be (although I understand that I am in the minority in thinking this), whereas here, “Quicksilver” knows exactly what it wants to achieve as a piece of fiction. This book is more tightly plotted, a pleasant surprise given that the plot is also quicker paced, and full of moments of genuine tension.

I particularly admire Anderson’s approach to telling this story – it’s so unlike anything in YA right now, it crosses the genre boundaries repeatedly and is populated by fully fleshed characters rather than puppets or tropes. Anderson doesn’t let up on the fast moving plot, but she never sacrifices moments of genuine, natural human interaction in favour of such things (or romance, which was a huge relief). Tori/Nikki, the protagonist, is such a skilfully crafted character, one who is trying so hard to understand herself. The supporting cast is equally well crafted, with the heroine’s friend and confidante Milo Hwang standing out as particularly interesting. The pair’s interactions feel so fresh in comparison to so much stuff in YA right now. Their relationship is not one built on insta-love attraction or how pretty they find each-other. It’s one of mutual respect, curiosity and the simple joy of finding someone to trust.

I also give major props to Anderson for creating a diverse YA that draws attention to important social issues. Racism, sexism (particularly in fields considered mainly male) and sexuality are all touched upon in a way that never feels preachy. This is a novel that is aware of its socio-cultural context, and it’s a breath of fresh air to see a YA novel doing what the industry so often preaches but never practices. The inclusion of an asexual protagonist was just the cherry on top of the cake. While I cannot speak for all LGBTQIA people on this matter, I felt that Tori/Nikki’s asexuality was dealt with maturely and handled pretty well. She’s a fully fleshed character who happens to be asexual, and it was wonderful to read. Overall, Anderson handles diversity issues very strongly, and I would recommend “Quicksilver” as an excellent example on how to do it right in YA.

My review is deliberately vague because I really don’t want to spoil this for potential new readers. This is not a series with low expectations and it’s certainly not one that automatically awards its characters a happy ending, regardless of how much they deserve it. “Quicksilver” is not a novel that a new reader can jump straight into, one of the very few negatives I can think of, so I would recommend reading “Ultraviolet” first. Anderson has built on the foundations she lay down in the first novel and created something suspenseful, tense, well-crafted, and cliché busting. YA novels like this don’t come along very often, and in an industry currently churning out overhyped assembly line style stories of join-the-dots levels of predictability, we owe it to ourselves and the industry to go off the beaten track.

4.5/5.

With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I did not receive payment or compensation for this review.
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Nov 26, 2012 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

4.5 stars. Tori's POV. Wow. And what a conclusion to the story. And it was a duology! Yay for non-trilogies!

I really, really loved this duology. Embarrassingly so. I mean, give me a heroine with synesthesia (researching it was how I found the first book), and I'm sold. Now for this second book, Tori turned out to be part of an even less-written-about minority group. There are starting to be more books about GLBT/Asian/Native main characters, but this is a minority group that... well, this is a n...more

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Feb 24, 2013 ABookVacation rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. To see my full review:

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

Spoilers to Ultraviolet (book 1) ensue below. I tried not to, but… I found it impossible. **Reader Beware** If you haven’t read Ultraviolet, the prequel to Quicksilver, then I suggest you do not read this review.

Also, stay tuned to the blog as I have a signed used copy of Ultraviolet that I’m planning to give away at some point soon.

{Review of Quicksilver below}

This novel was a lot of fun. Tori Beaugrand is a phenomenal character, an...more To see my full review:

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

Spoilers to Ultraviolet (book 1) ensue below. I tried not to, but… I found it impossible. **Reader Beware** If you haven’t read Ultraviolet, the prequel to Quicksilver, then I suggest you do not read this review.

Also, stay tuned to the blog as I have a signed used copy of Ultraviolet that I’m planning to give away at some point soon.

{Review of Quicksilver below}

This novel was a lot of fun. Tori Beaugrand is a phenomenal character, and I really enjoyed her in both Ultraviolet and Quicksilver. She is extremely gifted and… not of this world (ahem). When I read Ultraviolet, I was completely thrown by this kink Anderson thrusts into the middle of her plot, and I certainly wasn’t expecting it, but the farther I read, the more I loved it. Many didn’t, but to each his/her own. What we have with Ultraviolet is “a really good [realistic] psychological thriller… and all of a sudden we’re thrust into a sci-fi, paranormal thriller,” which many were not expecting, and it somewhat upset the balance of the story (above quote from my review of Ultraviolet). But it was awesome, in my opinion, and I was extremely excited to pick up Quicksilver and start reading. Now, this sequel doesn’t throw us any crazy curve balls like Ultraviolet did, but instead continues the idea of an otherworldly project that puts Tori’s very existence, and the only life she’s ever known, into complete jeopardy. Though her parents are willing to pick up everything and move in order to protect her, even they are not fully aware of the truth, and Tori and her friends go to great lengths within this novel to keep it hidden from everyone, while trying to figure out a way to shut down the otherworldly project for good.

Like I said, I really enjoyed this novel, especially as Tori makes some new friends, such as Milo, and also learns that not everyone she’s been able to trust in the past is as trustworthy as they seem. For a while, the story was just chugging along, and I was blissfully enjoying it, though I’d say the action lulled on occasion, but then Anderson threw in a twist that made me sit straight up and scream at the betrayal. I couldn’t believe it… after everything that happened in Ultraviolet and within this novel itself, well, I nearly died. I was so angry! All I’m going to say is that Tori is a much better person than I am…

I also screamed near the end when I realized what Tori had decided to do in order to protect herself. I had an inkling that that was where the story was going, but in my mind I was like, nah, Anderson wouldn’t do that. Of course, knowing her writing style, I should have known better. It was gruesome and again, I was completely jarred by the turn of events, but in all honesty, that’s what makes Anderson’s novels so much fun!!! I highly suggest checking out this series!
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Feb 11, 2013 Deirdre rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

I liked this book even better than Ultraviolet, and I'm hoping teens will agree with me -- this is a terrific series!

Tori, who seemed to be a major annoyance all through Ultraviolet, even though she wasn't even there much of the time, really comes into her own in this volume. And what a great heroine she is! On the run, unable to trust anybody at all outside of her immediate family, she still manages to make a life for herself, and even....

OK, you knew I was going to write "find love?" Well, it'...more

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About R.J. Anderson

R.J. (Rebecca) Anderson was born in Uganda, raised in Ontario, went to school in New Jersey, and has spent much of her life dreaming (and writing) of other worlds entirely.

*** ABOUT MY BOOK RATINGS ***
5 stars means that I loved the book so much that I foresee myself reading it again and again -- I reserve this for beloved classics and others that really knocked my socks off.

4 stars means that I re...more

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Quicksilver (Ultraviolet #2)

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