After spending two years at a prison school, thirteen-year-old Sloe sets off on a trek across frozen wastelands, tending to the secret "seeds" of w...
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Aug 11, 2011
Barky
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Apr 07, 2011
Erin
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While the tale and the structure of the tale is enthralling, especially in the way that this title relates to fairytales with the different animal helpers, parts of it are at the same time too predictable and too undefined to make a great story. Regardless, I think the telling of the story is well written and the character has a strong voice and is easy to get into despite being far from perfect. My objections are mostly with the main evil which is not really as mysterious as the author would
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Jan 24, 2011
Ardene
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A dystopia told from the point of view of Sloe (Rosita), Siberia begins when Rosita (age 4-5?) & her mother arrive at a work camp in the country. Her father has disappeared, her mother is put to work making nails from pieces of metal, and Rosita is left to her own devices in their cabin until she is sent to school a few years later.
While many people assume this novel is set in Russia, it seems to me that this could be anyplace after pollution/climate change have occurred, damaging th More...
While many people assume this novel is set in Russia, it seems to me that this could be anyplace after pollution/climate change have occurred, damaging th More...
Apr 19, 2010
Margaret
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As a little girl, Rosita is sent with her mother to a Wilderness Settlement, after the mysterious (to Rosita) disappearance of her father. During the day, her mother makes nails to earn a living, but at night, she does what Rosita thinks of as her magic, biological work which holds the key to the continued existence of the planet's wildlife. She tells Rosita of a great journey they will have to make when Rosita is older, taking her mother's magic to a safe place, but when Rosita (now called Sloe
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Aug 25, 2009
Veri
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Oct 19, 2011
Lisa
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"Siberia? Once it was a cold place far away, where people who offended the government were sent to freeze and starve. Now it's Siberia everywhere. The whole world has been sent to Siberia, we're all in Siberia."
It's the future, a cold future, and little Rosita and her mother are in a labor settlement in the frigid wastelands. Rosita's mother, though, has a secret scientific mission (I won't say more because this is a really interesting aspect of the plot, and it's best to d More...
It's the future, a cold future, and little Rosita and her mother are in a labor settlement in the frigid wastelands. Rosita's mother, though, has a secret scientific mission (I won't say more because this is a really interesting aspect of the plot, and it's best to d More...
Nov 21, 2007
Lesley
rated it:
Again, she combines heavy ideas (extinction, genetic engineering) with action, but again I'm not sure about the pace.
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Apr 25, 2007
Amanda
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Dystopic YA novel. Great main character.
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Jun 06, 2011
S. Bell
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Quite a fascinating story, with a very different premise. At first it reads like something similar to The Endless Steppe - a favourite of mine, hence my attraction to this book - but then it's not just a straight forward "family exile to Siberia" story. Because this isn't the 40s, it's in a dystopian future and the crux of the matter isn't some war or the exile at all, really.
Sometime in the past of this strange future, most wild mammals fell into a huge decline and "t More...
Sometime in the past of this strange future, most wild mammals fell into a huge decline and "t More...
Jan 17, 2011
Hannah
rated it:
I enjoyed reading the book Siberia. I think that the author did a very good job explaining details and had good attention grabbers. The book is about how a young girl and her mother struggle to get out of a bad facility that they were placed in after her father was taken away. The bond between the mother and daughter grows as they have to stay true to each other if they want a shot at getting free. I would say that almost anymore would enjoy reading this book because i know that i did.
Oct 27, 2011
Mike
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This book was interesting to me. I normally do not read YA books and actually did not realize it was one when I picked it up. I had nothing else to read at the time and thought I would give it a shot. The main attraction for me was Siberia as I love reading about Russia. I originally thought that I was going to give up on the novel but it kept pulling me back in. It is a short, quick read and, even though it is somewhat depressing, was actually quite good in the end.
Sep 12, 2010
Melanie
rated it: 
Something about this book really made it special to me. Whether it was the charisma of the main character, or the heart-warming, heart-wrenching nature of the journey she had to undertake, it's definitely a book that has stayed with me long since I read it.
Apr 22, 2011
Lauren
rated it:
I don't how I felt about this book.
I liked the Lindquists, although the idea was very strange and certainly isn't possible, yet.
Not sure I liked the main character though, and it had, what I felt, was a pretty sudden ending.
I liked the Lindquists, although the idea was very strange and certainly isn't possible, yet.
Not sure I liked the main character though, and it had, what I felt, was a pretty sudden ending.
May 06, 2009
Teena
rated it:
Beautifully writeen YA dystopia with eco-friendly message. However, the ending is too happy-ever-after for my taste and the supporting casts are rather cardboardish.
Nov 09, 2010
Maddy
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I don't know I was just really disapointed with the whole story line and the characters. If you really want to read it read it when you have nothing else left.
Jan 11, 2008
Bethany
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Ann Halam ends this book with an author’s note stating that, in her story, Siberia is not a place, but rather a state of mind. She is conveying a world in which animals no longer exist because the bad people have killed them all by not taking care of the environment. It’s pretty heavy-handed, and rather confusing at times.
Even so, the main character - Sloe - has determination and grit through the hardest of circumstances; she would certainly be inspiring to a teenage girl who dream More...
Even so, the main character - Sloe - has determination and grit through the hardest of circumstances; she would certainly be inspiring to a teenage girl who dream More...
Feb 13, 2011
Tony
rated it:
I loved this dystopian novel. Rosita the main charachter was just awesome. The book kept me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend it.
Aug 03, 2011
really enjoyed reading this book - loved the story and the fantastical quality of it.
Dec 09, 2007
After three months, I'm removing my bookmark, and sending it back to the library. I'm totally into dystopic teen visions...but this didn't grab me. ...maybe try it on your most cynical, most dystopic, most sci-fi oriented YA reader... I dind't even get to the genetic engineering / dna part...I konked out when she starts learning how to make tiny bunny creatures in test tubes, top secret creature making!... that's cool! but not enough to keep me awake on my reading pillow.
Jan 14, 2008
Lauren
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This book moved (almost) too slowly for me. Perhaps it had something to do with the scenery and overall weariness and drudgery of daily life in the novel. I could, however, easily envision this being adapted to film as I felt there were numerous similarities between this and the story of The Golden Compass. (traveling across an arctic-like landscape; Sloe & Nivvy; Lyra & her armored bear)It was an interesting story, for certain, just not the pace I was expecting.
Mar 14, 2011
Ke Wen [*Totally Awesome*] Lim
rated it:
it's very exciting.
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Jan 29, 2010
Evelyn
rated it:
This was really a great book. I enjoyed the writing style, especially how Halam's prose is at once sparse and descriptive. The story itself was interesting (not quite intense enough to be compelling, but still good) and the characters, in particular, were well-written - even if someone only appeared for two pages there was a sense of his/her personality.
Mar 19, 2008
Rora
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This is book is nice its a kind of book that you would choose to read after doing heavy reading. It has some sad parts but with hope that there is a happy thing that will happen next.
It is an easily read novel that succeed in making you relate with the main character.
It is an easily read novel that succeed in making you relate with the main character.
Apr 29, 2008
Karen
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This is a young adult book, and might appeal especially to those with an interest in biology and global warming. But even though I don't fit into any of the above groups, it was kind of a good short read, and made me feel blessed with what I do have.
May 09, 2008
Christopher
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If you like stories about little girls growing up in prison camps under a post apocalyptic oppressive regime this is for you. Biology, growth into adulthood, politics, escape, and environmental catastrophe mix.
Nov 01, 2007
Megan
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Very unique and intriguing fantasy, even people like me who really are not that into fantasy can enjoy!
Sep 30, 2008
Sharon
rated it:
Interesting characters with a heavy dash of fascinating science fiction.
