XVI (XVI, #1)

Jan 18, 2011 Phoebe added it

Shelves: feminism, dystopian, science-fiction, young-adult

XVI is not a feminist novel.

I’m opening my review with this caveat because, as someone who owns a dog-eared copy of The Feminine Mystique, whose heroes are Margaret Atwood and Ursula Le Guin, and who has, at times, stopped shaving her armpits (sometimes one just can’t be bothered), accounts of feminist content in Julia Karr’s debut were definitely a selling point for me.

The initial premise of XVI make it sound as if it has feminist potential. In the near-future, girls are allowed to have sex on...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Kira rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, dystopian, go-choke-on-your-sexism, lost-the-will-to-live, made-me-want-to-choke-myself, made-no-sense, i-ll-try-again-some-day, purity-myth-crap, tstl-heroine, books-to-use-as-weapons

This book was absurdly bad. It really was. Everything about it just bit. Oh, and don't be fooled, gentle readers; this is not a deconstruction of the sexualization of women in media. No, this is a virginity indoctrinating, weirdly preachy meandering mess. Of the hot variety.

I won't say much about it, only this: according to this book, you're a whore. You're all whores. Unless you're chaste like Nina, that is. Then you're not a godforsaken terrible whore. Then you're clean. But if you're like San...more

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May 21, 2011 Larisa Papy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, read-in-2011, young-adult

I’ve felt this book kind of special. I think because it’s like in the real life. Well, maybe today the girls don’t get this tattoos , but they really behave like “sex-teens”.

I wasn’t sure about this book. I think the ideea of teenagers like “sex teens” made me read it, because it’s a near future. In XVI, Media controls the teens, and in the real life also. Maybe not so much, but definitely Media has power over them.

I can't say I had big expectations about this book but it surprised me.Well, it c...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Savinien rated it 1 of 5 stars

SEX SEX SEX! The dystopia of tomorrow is obsessed with sex! The Media popularizes sex, tattoos shout sexual availability, and every girl is automatically eligible for an FeLS program that is all about--you guessed it--sex!

Aldous Huxley introduced the sexual dystopia with Brave New World. The first is still the best. Karr's dystopia serves as little more than an abstinence lecture wrapped up as YA fiction. In fact, her story could be a checklist of the abstinence movement's messages:

1. Teenagers...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Miranda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: gave-away

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Oh boy. Where do I even begin with this?

This book was honestly a chore to get through. The writing was nothing special and at times even clunky. At first the world was explained by having characters explain certain parts of their world to each other, otherwise known as the “As you know...” method. It was never introduced naturally; it was all the characters talking about it as if they had just arrived in a new country, instead of having lived in this environment their entire lives. I probably co...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Stella ☢FAYZ☢ Chen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: gave-up

Weak. This could be something I can write up and man, I cannot write.
The obsession with dystopian novels at the moment is causing "authors" to come up with works that they will regret.

Some of my favourite dystopias are The GONE series by Michael Grant and The Chaos Walking Series by Patrick Ness.

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Aug 31, 2012 Theresa Milstein rated it 3 of 5 stars

I waffled between a 2 and 3 on this. It was an interesting premise, a world where teenage girls are super-sexualized and women have less power than they do overall in 2011. I would've liked the role of women explored more. And there really was much more thought than action. When something did happen, it was over in a flash. Then back to Nina worrying. Or people talking about what there was to worry about.

Nina is on the verge of turning 16, when girls are free to have sex. Or be asked to have sex...more

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Feb 27, 2011 Margo Berendsen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-my-reads, ya-science-fiction-dystopian, debut-2011, young-adult, dystopia

This book gave me goosebumps at times, because it is just so frighteningly plausible. It's our same culture, just more extreme, with the media more powerful, a 1984-esque world masquerading as fake fun, fashion, flirtation.

There were some cool science fiction features, such as the Infinity Machine. And some very powerful writing:

I sat at the window and drew the shapes of the buildings outside. Rectangles and squares stacked side by side and up to the sky. Neat, orderly, controllable. The compl...more

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Mar 19, 2011 slayra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, in-english, ya-sci-fi-ish

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. RATING: 2.5 stars.

I really, really didn't want to write this review, because I feel like I have been posting a lot of reviews highlighting negative points; I'm not sure if the books are all that bad or if it's just me that can't read a book, like it and write an 100% gushing, glowing review. Maybe I am just one of those grumpy people who likes to find flaws in everything, but I haven't read a book that was 100% perfect... yet.

That said, I liked "XVI". Overall it wasn't "that bad". But I did find...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Hannah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, own-finished-copy

I hate giving a book with such a great idea only one star, but honestly, aside from the idea, there wasn’t a single aspect of the book I liked – it was executed very badly, and the plot was overdramatic and clichéd.

For one thing, there just weren’t enough explanations for the reader to really understand the world Nina lived in – we never find out how it was possible for society to change so drastically. The reader got plenty of information and explanations about minor things like how they don’t...more I hate giving a book with such a great idea only one star, but honestly, aside from the idea, there wasn’t a single aspect of the book I liked – it was executed very badly, and the plot was overdramatic and clichéd.

For one thing, there just weren’t enough explanations for the reader to really understand the world Nina lived in – we never find out how it was possible for society to change so drastically. The reader got plenty of information and explanations about minor things like how they don’t eat meat anymore in the future, but nothing about how it’s possible that society moved backwards so much that people are classified in “tiers” and women have basically no rights.

I was also annoyed by the characters and their relationships. Nina was not a relatable character whatsoever – her emotions switched from sad about her mom’s death to happy to worried to in love with Sal to sad because of Sal way too quickly without any sort of explanation.

Sandy seemed too superficial and selfish – when Nina’s mom died and Nina had to move in with her grandparents, she only thought about herself and how she won’t have a friend living close by anymore. I didn’t understand why Nina would be friends with her, they were just too different. The only explanation about their friendship is that they became friends because they both like animals, which, honestly, is ridiculous.

Nina’s relationship with her mom seemed to perfect – she told her mom everything, which I don’t think is realistic. I didn’t like Dee or her relationship with Nina, either – she was 11 but usually acted like she was 5. The relationship between Nina's grandparents was supposed to be funny, but it was trying to hard and just got annoying.

The dialogue seemed fake; they switched topics way too often, which made it all kind of random, and all the characters, in my opinion, were too open and always said whatever they were thinking. That would be fine if it were used as characterization for one or two characters, but each of her friends spoke like that.

The different storylines were all over the place. Nina’s obsession with Ed and Dee was overdone (I thought that if I had to hear “Cinderella girl” one more time, I’d have to scream), while the plot of finding her father, which I thought would have been much more interesting, wasn’t elaborated on until the very end.

I don’t know whether there will be a sequel for this book, and if there will, I can’t criticize this, but I had the feeling the plot didn’t really pick up until the end. I thought the book would be more about Nina turning sixteen and having to deal with what that entailed in her society, but she didn’t turn sixteen until the last chapter. The ending didn't offer any solutions, but (again), if there will be a sequel, I can't really criticize that.

This novel had great potential but was executed very badly. I did not like the writing and never cared about the characters, and most aspects of the story were lacking. I would not recommend this book, but since it has gotten mainly good reviews, maybe it just didn’t connect with me personally.

Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...(less)

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Jan 15, 2011 Ruth Day rated it 2 of 5 stars

The premise was interesting and characters and plot had potential, but the potential was never reached because the writing was just BAD. About fifty pages in, something awful happened in Nina's life and I should have felt her pain, but I didn't. A lot of it had to do with the way the author worded things. Sometimes I would think, "If only she had worded this sentence this way, then it would have been so much more impactful." Also, she did something that I've been tirelessly teaching myself not t...more

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May 22, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, books-with-a-message, dystopian, library, ok, really-liked, ya-romance, young-adult, favorites, review

Wow. This book is really, really complex. The plot is so good. Zarr did such a good job writing this book to make it look like Nina had no way to make all the problems right, but I was really impressed with how she did it.

When I started reading it I thought, Wow, I'm not going to like this book very much, because Zarr came up with all these new abbreviations for everything, like PAVs and feLS, I had no idea what they were. But as the story progressed and grew I finally figured them out and start...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Mateja rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I am now, more than ever, convinced that dystopian is my new favorite genre. I haven't read that many books of this kind, but those that I did managed to wow me. XVI is no different. I was a bit scared to read this book given the touchy subject the author focuses on. Books like that have a tendency to turn ridiculous rather than being deep and thought provoking. Though there were a few silly moments (not the good kind of silly), most of the book was simply amazing and I easily overlooked the not...more I am now, more than ever, convinced that dystopian is my new favorite genre. I haven't read that many books of this kind, but those that I did managed to wow me. XVI is no different. I was a bit scared to read this book given the touchy subject the author focuses on. Books like that have a tendency to turn ridiculous rather than being deep and thought provoking. Though there were a few silly moments (not the good kind of silly), most of the book was simply amazing and I easily overlooked the not-so-great parts.

The world the author presented in this book is the kind I can't even imagine living in. Just the thought of the government controlling everything, even the most private and intimate aspects of your life, is horrifying. The main character, Nina thanks to her mother and grandparents, never quite bought into what the Media was trying to tell her was expected and good for a teenager. In the course of this book she uncovers all the lies and secrets surrounding her and she handles all the life-altering events beautifully. She’s so brave and prepared to do anything to make her sister’s life easier. She doesn’t even let herself grieve publicly, because she knows it will be difficult for her baby sister to see her like that. She’s truly an admirable person.

Nina doesn’t want a boyfriend and despite what is expected of her, she’s not ready for one. But whenever she’s around Sal those convictions fly through the window. There were quite a few sweet and a little bit sexy moments between them. Luckily for me the romance in XVI developed soon in the story so I didn’t have to wait too long for that much anticipated first kiss. And boy, did I love the kissing scenes. I can’t wait to see how things develop between Sal and Nina in the next installment. I loved the interactions between Nina and her new and old friends, though I didn’t much care for Sandy, Nina’s best friend. To be honest, I found Sandy’s personality insufferable. How on Earth Nina was a best friend with a person like that, remains a mystery to me.(less)

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Mar 14, 2011 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really don't know how to feel about this book. I think that the premise is excellent, but there was far too little in terms of explaination, and way too much foreshadowing.

Nina is on the verge of turning sixteen, which means she will be tattooed with an XVI to show that she is legal and available for sex with any male who wants her. Nina is understandably apprehensive, but she tries to hide it because all girls in the future are supposed to LOVE being sluts - the constant media advertising be...more I really don't know how to feel about this book. I think that the premise is excellent, but there was far too little in terms of explaination, and way too much foreshadowing.

Nina is on the verge of turning sixteen, which means she will be tattooed with an XVI to show that she is legal and available for sex with any male who wants her. Nina is understandably apprehensive, but she tries to hide it because all girls in the future are supposed to LOVE being sluts - the constant media advertising being blared everywhere tells them so. How society got to believing that women are sex-bots and silence is illegal - Never explained.

Nina is also apparently "Low Tier" - aka "poor" - and one of the few ways out of a low teir is to be Chosen for the FeLS program. Nina's best friend Sandy is desperate to be chosen. What, exactly FeLS is, is not explained until nearly halfway through the book. By that time, we are certain that FeLS is not a good thing to join, but somehow Nina never actually gets around to telling her "best friend" this. Nor does she ever mention that her mother's government boyfriend is an abusive jerk, which is odd because her best friend BEGS Nina to put in a good word with him every time they see each other. Also, Nina's mother buys out her FeLS contract, but Nina is still worried about "someone stealing it." FORESHADOWING, anyone? Actually, since they mention SEVERAL TIMES that FeLS girls have to be VIRGINS, Nina could have just lost her V-card to her boyfriend and been done with it, but that would have been too easy, right?

Another small FeLS note that irritates me - There was ONE LINE that mentions that instead of fossil fuels, people now use some stuff mined from Mars as fuel. That's all. But apparently, FeLS girls are sent to Mars to be used by the miners there (after the government officials deflower them, of course) and many of them end up getting a virus that the miners have that keeps them from being able to return to earth. WTF? Where did the miners and the virus come from?!? What happens when you get the virus? NO EXPLAINATION.

Three-quarters of the way through the book, I was still confused by all the acronyms, the verts, trannies, and everything else that SHOULD have been explained, but wasn't.

The rest of the book is basically Nina running from a green car and acting like an idiot at every possible opportunity. (Oh, Wei's parents offer you a place to keep the super-important item safe? Nahhhh....)

If this turns into a series, I would really like to suggest a prequel. I found the stories about Nina's parents to be MUCH more interesting than anything Nina did.

Overall, the premise was interesting but the book was a difficult read. If you can look past the confusion of the acronyms (and the fact that NOTHING is explained) XVI is definitely a solid addition to the ever-growing teen dystopian genre.(less)

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Feb 01, 2011 Bonnie at A Backwards Story added it

Shelves: dystopian, 2011, debut-novel

Dystopian lovers rejoice: Julia Karr's XVI marks the start of a wave of 2011 releases in the genre. Her debut novel is reminiscent of the classic novels 1984 by George Orwell and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. XVI features a strong feminist viewpoint and a look at where our society could be headed.

The novel takes place in Chicago during the year 2150. On their sixteenth birthday when they become "legal," (Get it? "XVI?"), the government requires girls to get a special tattoo on their wr...more Dystopian lovers rejoice: Julia Karr's XVI marks the start of a wave of 2011 releases in the genre. Her debut novel is reminiscent of the classic novels 1984 by George Orwell and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. XVI features a strong feminist viewpoint and a look at where our society could be headed.

The novel takes place in Chicago during the year 2150. On their sixteenth birthday when they become "legal," (Get it? "XVI?"), the government requires girls to get a special tattoo on their wrists. Sadly, women's rights are no longer protected and once they have their tattoo, many fall victim to the whims of men. The media advocates sexuality and teaches young girls how to appeal to men, making them want to turn "sex-teen" as soon as possible.

Nina, the protagonist of the novel, was raised by her mother Ginnie, an outspoken woman who dislikes the rules enforced by government officials. After she's murdered, Nina and her younger sister, Dee, move in with their grandparents and begin attending a new school. Nina makes friends with Wei and Sal, who conveniently both have parents who were friends with her own mother and father before they passed away. Nina is dreading her sixteenth birthday: Unlike her childhood best friend Sandy, who wants nothing more than to be a sex-teen, she dreads the fact that a man may decide to take advantage of her once she's legal. She feels no need to have a guy in her life, especially after seeing the way her mother's boyfriend Ed abused her over the years. When she realizes she's attracted to Sal, she fights her feelings and becomes conflicted.

Upon Ginnie's deathbed, Nina discovers that her mother believes her father to be alive despite the fact that he died several years ago. Digging into her past, she discovers that he may be a leader for NonCon, a group of people against the government and media. As she learns more about the secrets the government is hiding from society, she finds herself in increasing danger and must learn all she can before it's too late.

At times, it's clear that this is Karr's first published novel. She falls into some writing traps such as "telling" over "showing." The first portion of the novel suffers from this. The characters talk to one another about all the "modern-day" jargon being thrown around that 2011 readers have no concept of. At times, it felt overwhelming. Sometimes, I wished I could just physically see what a trannie car looked like. There were also a couple of times when Karr didn't explain the lingo until further into the novel, so I was lost and had to infer what the characters might be talking about. I also wish Nina was a little more emotional after her mother's violent death, though I do realize she was trying to be strong for her little sister. I would have at least liked to see a bit more reflection internally. From time to time, situations felt a little too convenient, though such crutches are necessary in order for Nina to discover all that she does on her own.

That being said, the second half of the novel really picks up speed and I became invested in Nina's plight. I wanted her to figure things out and succeed. Characters that were previously one-dimensional were fleshed out more and I found myself caring about what happened to them. XVI has moments that are tragically sad, full of frantic adrenaline, and laced with mystery. Whenever Nina was with Sal, it felt very real: These were truly two teenagers exploring their first real relationship together, with all its ups and downs.

Despite the fact that there will be at least one sequel and a companion novel, XVI didn't end on a cliffhanger. It was such a relief after all the books I've been reading that make you need to know what happens next right now. There are a lot of loose strings and questions to be answered, though. Karr is currently working on the sequel, tentatively titled The Sisterhood. There will also be a companion novel entitled Cinderella Girl, a type of female mentioned in XVI. On her website, the author states, “No fairy tale ending here.” I think the companion novel will be quite sad, since it seems Cinderella Girls lead a miserable existence. They are usually born out of wedlock, and their fathers are often already married. Some men will take the girls into their households to work as maids, etc.

While XVI wasn't my all-time favorite Dystopian novel, I enjoyed reading it and had trouble putting the book down. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel and feel that Karr will only grown as an author. I think the sequel will address all of the pitfalls the author experienced during the first novel and be all the better for it.(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Mariym rated it 3 of 5 stars

To begin, I have to say that I was a little bit hesitant on reading XVI and I don't see why because the book was just wonderful! Julia Karr is a great writer. In XVI, she created a whole knew dystopian world filled with gadgets and uber vocabulary!

XVI is set in Chicago, in the year 2150. In this futuristic world, the government as we know it has been brought down and know the society is run by a Governing Counsel. The GC is pretty much your typical dystopian government. They are very secretive a...more To begin, I have to say that I was a little bit hesitant on reading XVI and I don't see why because the book was just wonderful! Julia Karr is a great writer. In XVI, she created a whole knew dystopian world filled with gadgets and uber vocabulary!

XVI is set in Chicago, in the year 2150. In this futuristic world, the government as we know it has been brought down and know the society is run by a Governing Counsel. The GC is pretty much your typical dystopian government. They are very secretive and manipulative. In this case their main way of manipulating the citizens is through media. In the novel when a girl turns sixteen she get the XVI tattoo indicating that she is legal to have sex.

I really liked the world Julia Karr created. The book had a very interesting and intriguing plot. The characters were well developed and realistic. Our main character Nina I thought was very strong-willed and respectable. I liked that in a society where teenage girls were all considered as sex crazed she stood on the contrary because she knew herself and understood that she wasn't ready yet.

The other characters such as Sal, Wei, Mike, Sandy and Derek were also great characters. I sympathized for Sandy because I believe that although she acted like what Julia Karr referred to as a "sex-teen". She didn't really know better as her mother was encouraging her to be that way and pretty much her whole society agreed with what the media was saying. I mean they even taught it at school. Sal on the other hand I thought was a pretty likable character. I found him to be more of the typical love interest but still pretty fun to read about. As for the rest of the characters I really liked them too. I enjoyed reading about their different backgrounds and I wish we got more of that. Also, the main antagonist in this story is Ed. Who is Nina's mothers boyfriend and her little sisters biological father. Ed I thought was also a very typical type character. In this case he was the typical evil bad guy. But still I think it worked for the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, the plot was great and very engaging. One thing I wish there was more of was a more thorough back story as to how this dystopian society came to be. And what was the reason to cause the government to treat young girls this way. But there is a second book to this one so hopefully the questions that are left unanswered here may be answered in the next book. Anyways, as I said before XVI is a great book and I recommend it to those who enjoy dystopian literature.(less)

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Jun 05, 2011 Bettina Restrepo rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book is described as "Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world - even the most predatory of men that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breath...more

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Jan 02, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Readers looking for an edgy dystopian that handles real life issues and spins them to extremes

Shelves: dystopian-worlds-hells-and-cesspits, best-characters, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, stories-with-a-message, 2011-reads, surprisingly-liked, want-a-sequel, thought-provoking, reviewed

Dystopians either hook me or leave me hanging. Both The Hunger Games and Unwind terrified me and made my heart ache. The Uglies trilogy irked and annoyed me. Matched bored me. Thus, coming into XVI, I had to wonder: would this be on the high scale of dystopian (a la The Hunger Games) or the low scale (a la Matched)? I'm glad I took the gamble: this book had me hooked and sunk into the depths of its pages and plot.

In the 22nd century, sixteen has become the age of no limits for girls; now popular...more Dystopians either hook me or leave me hanging. Both The Hunger Games and Unwind terrified me and made my heart ache. The Uglies trilogy irked and annoyed me. Matched bored me. Thus, coming into XVI, I had to wonder: would this be on the high scale of dystopian (a la The Hunger Games) or the low scale (a la Matched)? I'm glad I took the gamble: this book had me hooked and sunk into the depths of its pages and plot.

In the 22nd century, sixteen has become the age of no limits for girls; now popularly known as 'sex-teen,' the age signifies that a girl is free to have sex without repercussions or 'dangers.' However, not everything is as it seems, especially with the dark rumors that girls with XVI tattoos are just better targets for rape, sex trafficking, and other crimes. . . .

That is the standing of the world in which Nina Oberon, our heroine, lives. I couldn't help but empathize with her when it came to her doubts, fears, and resignations. Looking back at how I was at sixteen, I would have been horrified to live in a world like this one. Everything that makes our world so terrible and ambiguous -- the emphasis on body image and sex, the materialism, the live-now-think-later mentality, the state of the governments and their control in people's everyday lives -- are blown to such extreme proportions in this book that, yes, it is scary. I would not want to live in Nina's world. (I felt the same way about the worlds in The Hunger Games and Unwind, and I think that is a necessity to make a dystopian book work well: you must make the reader fear the world and empathize with the characters' plights.)

As a dystopian tale, this book worked for me. It had a steady pace, likable characters, and interesting plot twists; it held my attention in a good way. Were there parts I was annoyed with? Absolutely. There were flaws (the relationship between Nina and Sal didn't work so well for me; I liked them together, but I felt they needed to talk a bit more and get to know each other a bit before they started snogging), but they weren't deal breakers for me. The book was good, I really liked it, and that was that.

I can say with certainty that, if Julia Karr decides to write a sequel, I will be reading it, no doubt. There are enough loose threads and questions for me to say, "Yes, sequel, please!" -- and that, to me, is just yet another sign to show that I was glad to read this book and how relieved I was to enjoy it just as much as I did.

Take it from me: forget Matched. Pick up XVI instead. It's truer to life and real life issues -- and shouldn't dystopian fiction highlight our present world and its flaws above all? If so, then XVI did a fine job, and I applaud it for its truth. Now -- do I really need to do any more convincing that this may be a good dystopian for your reading pleasure?(less)

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Dec 23, 2011 the golden witch. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, tomorrowland, teenage-shennanigans, dystopia, best-of-11, reviewed, own-1st-edition, own

I was born in the 80s, I grew up in the 90s, when the media market image of girls became the most sexualized it’s ever been. Flashbacks of CNN debates about the oversexing of the “desired” female image in the west came to mind when I started reading this book – not that that’s a a bad thing. This book paints a picture of what our future may be if we keep going the way we’re going.

I have to say – for a debut, I was floored by the sheer balls that Karr has for even bringing up this issue, much les...more I was born in the 80s, I grew up in the 90s, when the media market image of girls became the most sexualized it’s ever been. Flashbacks of CNN debates about the oversexing of the “desired” female image in the west came to mind when I started reading this book – not that that’s a a bad thing. This book paints a picture of what our future may be if we keep going the way we’re going.

I have to say – for a debut, I was floored by the sheer balls that Karr has for even bringing up this issue, much less couching it in a future that seems all too plausible as clothing sizes get smaller, more and more skin is bared on primetime television, and kids start having sex at younger and younger ages (not to mention starting puberty at record early ages as well).

I like to think of myself as a sex-positive girl. I believe that as long as everyone has informed consent with their sex, I have no right to intervene or complain. The keywords here are “informed consent” – not just consent, which can be taken advantage of by sex predators in terms of ignorance on the part of the victim, but informed consent – knowing your risks, knowing where you’re safe and where you’re not. This book really hit home with me as I’ve never really felt comfortable about expressing my sexuality (well, that and I have severe intimacy issues, but we won’t get into that now) and the idea of being fair game as soon as you turn sixteen, whether you like it or not, scared the hell out of me.

Which, I think, was one of the points of the book – rethink the current policies and images as projected to us by modern culture in order to keep ourselves safe.

I believe that this book should probably be made mandatory reading by parents to their daughters before they get taken advantage of. Knowledge is power, and we as girls need all the power we can get in order to protect ourselves.

Thank you, Ms. Karr, for writing this book, for urging us not to be complacent and to remind us of the dangers out there that if we leave unchecked, could very well be our future.(less)

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Dec 22, 2010 Princess Bookie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read2010

My Thoughts: I have been reading more and more dystopian books lately huh? We are introduced to Nina who is 15 years old and fast approaching her 16 or sex-teen birthday. What does this mean? It means that basically any guy who wants to, can take advantage of her without any real rules or punishment and she can do what she basically wants sexwise. There is no law that says she can't. Most girls are looking forward to turning 16, including her best friend, because it signifies being grown up. The...more My Thoughts: I have been reading more and more dystopian books lately huh? We are introduced to Nina who is 15 years old and fast approaching her 16 or sex-teen birthday. What does this mean? It means that basically any guy who wants to, can take advantage of her without any real rules or punishment and she can do what she basically wants sexwise. There is no law that says she can't. Most girls are looking forward to turning 16, including her best friend, because it signifies being grown up. They can go into a program to better themself or just have more rights sexually. Well, Nina wants none of that. She knows what that "program" really is and she does not have any interest in being with a guy either. She's happy to stay 15 forever.

Her mother is brutally murdered and Nina doesn't understand why. Nina and her sister have to move in with her grandparents and she spends most of the book trying to keep her sister safe from her sisters father (her mothers exboyfriend). Keep in mind that they don't have the same father. Nina thinks her father is dead but her moms last words were to find her father and give him a book so Nina is more confused than ever.

Nina also meets a mysterious guy named Sal. They become quick friends and he introduces her to a friend of his and she realizes that they all have more in common than they think.

XVI was a good book. Some parts made me mad because I wanted good things for Nina and I hated the way things were ran around town. I was happy with the outcome and the ending but I felt it was a little rushed and I wanted to see things tied up a bit more slower. I wanted to know more about Sal and I wanted to experience more romance between them. Yes, there was romance but I just wanted more! Haha!

I also liked all the characters. I liked Nina's friends, even the guys! And her best friend was a bit annoying but I wanted her to snap out of wanting to be a sex-teen before it was too late. I kept saying open your eyes, open your eyes!!!

If you want to find out what happens with Nina, read the book! Does she ever find her father? Is her sister safe? What happens when she turns 16? What happens with Sal? Her friends?

Overall: I really enjoyed this one! I didn't love it quite as much as other dystopian's I've read lately but it was still overall an enjoyable read with a new take on becoming 16 or being old enough to have sex.

Cover: I like the cover. It has a dark angle to it. And we can't really see her eyes since its dark and it makes it more mysterious.

What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes

Taken from Princess Bookie
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Jan 08, 2011 Medeia Sharif rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, elevensies

Nina is fifteen and dreading her sixteenth birthday. When young women turn sixteen, they get a XVI tattoo on their wrist to announce to the world that they're legal, and that means any man can have them and they can have any man. Nina is determined not to fall for the licentious advertisements glorifying the wonders of being a sex-teen.

Nina's mom is attacked. On her deathbed she lets loose a revelation that Nina is compelled to investigate. Family secrets and a community of nonconformists unfol...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Viola rated it 3 of 5 stars

It wasn't a book I would recommend. I think that the concept was there, but it just wasn't accomplished. The book, in my opinion, jumped so many times that I had a problem keeping up with some parts. I also dont think that things were thoroughly explained like they should have been, and there were too many abbreviations. I love reading dystopian books, but I find that this book was one that didn't quite reach expectations. The writing quality wasn't all that great and like I said, the concept ju...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

Oh, man, XVI was... strange.

I had a really good time reading this book. It's about 330 pages, but it definitely flies by. There are no slow parts in this story. There's a lot of action, a huge serving of tension, and a nice little mystery tucked in for good measure. I immensely enjoyed Nina's character; if I'm honest, I loved all the characters. XVI is a dystopian story, set in the year 2150 (I believe). While I really, really, liked the book, I did have some qualms with it, but we'll get to th...more Oh, man, XVI was... strange.

I had a really good time reading this book. It's about 330 pages, but it definitely flies by. There are no slow parts in this story. There's a lot of action, a huge serving of tension, and a nice little mystery tucked in for good measure. I immensely enjoyed Nina's character; if I'm honest, I loved all the characters. XVI is a dystopian story, set in the year 2150 (I believe). While I really, really, liked the book, I did have some qualms with it, but we'll get to them later.

Like I said earlier, I loved Nina. She was strong and independent, and had a level head on her shoulders. I loved how she took care of her sister (even if she was careless sometimes), and I especially respected her for not wanting to give in to the 'sex-teen' stereotype of all the sixteen-year-olds in her world.

The cast of characters in XVI was diverse, no cookie-cutter cardboard stand-ins here. One of the main reasons why I love the dystopian genre so much, is the revolutionary characters it breeds. I love the idea of a resistance standing up to the totalitarian government, of an underground people taking back their rights. The people Nina kept around her, her family and her social circle, stood firm in their beliefs, and you can tell they won't back down.

Another thing I loved about XVI was the apparent lack of 'missing parent syndrome.' I loved how the adults and the children worked together in this novel. Sometimes, especially in YA literature, there are kids saving the world, fighting dark creatures, and turning over corrupt governments, and all the while their parents have no idea. This doesn't seem very realistic, and if you ask me, the kids would be better off to have their parents on their side. In XVI, Nina and her friends have a wide list of adults that they can turn to when things get too tough.

At the same time though, XVI was just weird. The government had absolute control over its citizens. They had their people practically brainwashed into believing they live in a utopian society, that the class system they had in place was fair. This, I can understand. But the whole premise of this book was centered around sex-crazed teenagers. It didn't really connect for me at all. What do sexually active sixteen-year-old kids have to do with the government binding its people? I would understand fighting against the 'sex-sells' movement if the gov't wished to replenish their population using fertile adolescents, ala Wither, but that wasn't the case. Their was a hint of a sex slave ring controlled by, again, the elusive Governing Council, but I'm not really sure where it fit in. All in all, I just don't understand why we couldn't have a dystopian society with a side of sex slavery, without the 'sex-teen' crazy on the side. I mean, this world even had how-to videos they were showing prepubescent children. And when I say how-to videos, I mean the worst kind you can imagine.

Other than a few (okay a lot?) of typographical errors, the above was my only problem. I know it seems like a big problem, but it honestly didn't overshadow the story, and make me enjoy it any less. I just used my trusty suspension of disbelief and rolled with it.

XVI was a highly enjoyable, fast-paced read, that I finished in just a few short hours. I've been waiting to read this book for a long time, and I am so happy I did. The sequel, Truth, comes out soon, and I've got an ARC coming my way in the mail within the next week, so you guys can expect a review for that one, too!(less)

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Apr 06, 2013 Karataratakus rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: blasphemy-against-the-holy-periodic, exposition-broke-my-camels-back, personality-free-protagonist, so-bad-its-uh-really-boring, antegrade-amnesia

XVI Review for GoodReads

(Long re-cap on my LJ, here: http://karataratakus.livejournal.com/... )

Okay, srs bizness hat time, guys... I actually thought long and hard about giving this book two GoodReads stars instead of my usual one. It was just that much of an improvement in quality from the usual.

But, though it had a coherent plot and more thought put into it than the usual... I could also see the author had the potential to do so much better. That waste brings the story back down to a one, and...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Simli Alhassan rated it 4 of 5 stars

The authors purpose in writing this book is to let people understand what teenagers are going through. The author Julia Roberts explains some of the adversity teenagers go through and talks about how they react to what society expects from them. Sixteen talks about exactly what teenagers are going through in our society today and their attitudes towards sex, drugs and their attitudes towards the opposite sex. The book was written to give everyone especially the younger generation an idea of how...more The authors purpose in writing this book is to let people understand what teenagers are going through. The author Julia Roberts explains some of the adversity teenagers go through and talks about how they react to what society expects from them. Sixteen talks about exactly what teenagers are going through in our society today and their attitudes towards sex, drugs and their attitudes towards the opposite sex. The book was written to give everyone especially the younger generation an idea of how to handle issues in their teenage years and encourage them. It is also to give them hope since being sixteen is indeed a turning point and an important year in the lives of most teenagers today. The book also makes people understand why teens behave the way they do regardless of their age.
This book impacts its audience in many ways. The book has an emotional impact on its audience. It actually makes the audience realize that being a teenager isn’t as exciting as society portrays it.It gives the audience a reality check, especially with older people who read this book or people with teenagers as children. Some parts of the book focus on the death on the main characters mother, which impacts the audience in a very sad and compassionate way. It also has an imaginative impact on the audience as well. The book has its setting in the future and makes the audience think about technology and how modernized things would become. This book will have a lasting valve on its audience. This is because of the impact it has on teenagers who read this book and the connection it has between our modern society and that described in the book.
SIXTEEN is a well written book. This is because is talks about the exact things teenagers are dealing with in the society today. It also relates to teenagers in a positive way. It focuses on relationships and how teenagers sometimes get caught up in matters of the opposite sex. ”is some guy we just meet practically more important than the fact that we have been friends practically forever?”(Page 48).This shows how teenagers of today don’t realize the importance of friendship sometimes and let things and more often people of the opposite sex come between them and their relationships with others. It contributes to the drama and makes the book interesting. Also, the author describes certain situations and how teenagers react to them especially with issues like divorce and an abusive relationship. “I don’t want him anywhere near her ,after all those times he’d beat her”.(Page57).This shows teenagers are indeed disturbed by what goes in the home especially if the home is very unstable has a lot of issues.
The greatest strength of this book was the creativity and the imagination. The use of an “Infinity Machine” that read the thoughts of someone dying and voiced them out, to me was very impressive. The whole idea of having a future filled with technology made this book very interesting and exciting to read. SIXTEEN is a very captivating and gripping. I read each page as fast I could in order to know what is going to happen next. Different problems kept arising, especially after the main characters mother died.It was very emotional as well. The main character Nina had to leave her friends and move since her mother died. “I can’t believe you are moving. What I’m I going to do without you?”(Page68).This shows how sad her friends were going to be if she moved. The emotions expressed in this book are very strong and true-to-life. Nobody will want a loved taken away from them especially if they have a close bond.
I never found this book boring .It was very interesting and thought-provoking. I was able to relate to the main characters best friend, Sandy. I was just as excited as she was when I was turning sixteen. I was very excited about the freedom I will have and the fact that my voice will finally be heard on issues concerning my family and my life. Turning sixteen was a big deal for me just as if was for Sandy in the book so, I understand why she acted excited in front of her friends. I also found the book funny especially when the main character Nina had a call from her friend Derek and she “cut him off before he could go further” (Page53) in confessing his true feelings for her. That was typical teenage behavior, trying to avoid the obvious. I would recommend this book to a friend because it relates to many teenagers, talks about certain issues we face and how we are trying our best to overcome them. Also it’s very interesting to read and inspires us not to let anything come between us and our dreams and aspirations.

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Jan 31, 2013 Keyanna Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars

XVI by Julia Karr, describes how the world has become nothing less than a dystopian society, taking place in the year 2150. Nina, is about to turn 16; but unlike all of the other girls her age, she is dreading her 16th birthday. In the world now, when a girl turns sixteen, she is considered a complete adult and is forced to allow their bodies to be controlled and taken advantage of. While Nina is preparing herself for the day she turns sixteen , one day her life is flipped upside down when she d...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Donna rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The difference between a science-fiction novel and a fantasy novel is the path that could have or could happen compared to things that could never happen, and the focus on the overall society versus an individual. XVI is predominantly imaginable and futuristic: without magic and creatures and very technology-inclined. But this dystopian story is fixed solely on Nina instead of how her “sex-teen” society affects the characters’ lives. This book was very disappointing, and my amateur opinion is th...more The difference between a science-fiction novel and a fantasy novel is the path that could have or could happen compared to things that could never happen, and the focus on the overall society versus an individual. XVI is predominantly imaginable and futuristic: without magic and creatures and very technology-inclined. But this dystopian story is fixed solely on Nina instead of how her “sex-teen” society affects the characters’ lives. This book was very disappointing, and my amateur opinion is that Julia Karr’s writing lacks depth and style that would have created a rather suspenseful and realistic story.

I had anticipated an intriguing book involving lots of dynamic action between main character Nina and those representing the society’s sexually harmful ways. I had expected a story beginning with the “brutal strike” (back cover) of the tattoo that marks Nina’s sixteen birthday, and how that label eventually influences her. However, Nina’s 15 year old life seems to drag on endlessly, and I found little mention of a rebellion against teenage sex. Instead, the story was about Nina’s depressing, pitiful life.

Rather than of using action scenes to explain the society in 2150, the author makes Nina drone on about how she feels. The whole point of a story is to include other characters, fierce dialogue, crazy plotlines and a unique style. The first half of the entire book lacks these exact details, and therefore resembles more of a lecture than a novel. Gradually, the plot builds up to the death of her mother, Ginnie, and her first confrontation with Ed. From there, all the dramatic scenes were similar and repetitive – Nina being the only character to witness Ed’s green trannie idling nearby or receiving a call from mysterious Ed while alone. I found the plot very predictable and dull, and these specific situations jumping all over the place: where was Ed’s relation to the topic of sex-teen? As more of the book had to do with Ed than “XVI,” – not to mention the absence of the Nina and a tattoo – the book’s title was a wild goose chase: a convincingly good idea but very misleading.

I also had an issue with the author’s portrayal of Nina. At fifteen, she had the responsibility of keeping her sister, Dee, away from Ed: “Ginnie’s words clanged in [Nina’s] ears like a fire alarm… Ginnie told [Nina] to take care of [Dee] and that’s what she’s doing." But at the same time, she was oblivious to the factors that caused her mother’s death, buying out of her FeLs contract, and many other little situations. For example, I was very frustrated with Nina’s stupidity in putting two and two together. When her mother was placed in an exclusive machine at the hospital and Nina mentioned seeing Ed, I – as a reader – immediately figured that Ed was the cause of Ginnie’s death. With the constant mentioning of Ed’s abusive and spiteful behaviour, it was clear that he would later cause many other problems. Apparently, Nina was too self-absorbed and busy playing the paranoid, miserable, my-life-has-turned-180 role to notice.

Without needing to even examine the book, I could tell that this novel was Julia Karr’s lecture in disguise. By concentrating too much on her views against teenage sex, she neglected the tone that could’ve made XVI way more suspenseful and thrilling. As I mentioned above, the predictability and repetition of Ed’s dangerous behaviour made the antagonist – who would later be involved in the book’s climax – incredibly obvious. Karr would have written a better book if she decided to use language that was more fitting towards her teenage audience compared to a younger child, and included connotations and thorough but unique descriptions. Besides Nina and Ed, I barely knew the characters – Karr might’ve introduced them better with dialogue and discussion than Nina’s own thoughts. These aspects were all very shallow: not detailed enough to be realistic and a lame costume for the sex lecture.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy reading XVI or analysing it. Who wants to read about a self-centered person whose views on the overall topic can’t be supported by the story’s depiction of the topic? Julia Karr had an amazing original idea, but the potential of this book was wasted when she forced her perspective into Nina’s. With the pathetic action, naïve characters, and poor communication of the topic sixteen-and-sex, I could say XVI was two steps away from being an example textbook on society’s literature’s flaws.
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Dec 15, 2012 Juliebells ♫ rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, reviewed, 2012-reads, great-shelf-of-meh

Nina ist about to turn 16 in a consumerist society dictated by the media. When she turns „sex-teen“, as the book calls it, she'll be branded with a tattoo on her wrist that makes her fair game for every guy who wants her, and apparently it's something every girl in this society is supposed to look forward to. Nina, however, doesn't, and when her mom dies, she's getting involved with the „Non-Cons“ her mom was a part of, rebels who are trying to change the world.

First of: The premise just didn't...more Nina ist about to turn 16 in a consumerist society dictated by the media. When she turns „sex-teen“, as the book calls it, she'll be branded with a tattoo on her wrist that makes her fair game for every guy who wants her, and apparently it's something every girl in this society is supposed to look forward to. Nina, however, doesn't, and when her mom dies, she's getting involved with the „Non-Cons“ her mom was a part of, rebels who are trying to change the world.

First of: The premise just didn't make any sense. Maybe I'm overanalyzing, but I just can't see how the idea of getting marked as legitimate prey for rapists could appeal to anyone, even if they are ruled by a brainwashing government. But I probably could've led that slide. Probably. If the execution hadn't been so terribly bad.

As it probably has been pointed out before, the world building itself isn't really there. Acronyms like FeLS just get thrown at the reader without ever being explained, virus-infected miners on the moon get carelessly mentioned (wtf?), and so on.

The characters in this book are really, really flat, most of all Nina. Her mom tells her a secret on her death bed, and she just goes on blabbing about it to practically every new „friend“ she makes. Having grown up with a Non-Con mom who drilled distrust in the media and the government into Nina's head obviously didn't have an impact on her way-too-trusting nature. Yes, that is totally believable.
Also: The media says sex is awesome. But Nina's mom says the media is bad, so that's what Nina sticks with. Even when she meets Sal, her boyfriend later on and even feels like she could enjoy having sex with him, she doesn't, because OH MY FUCKING GOD IT'S WRONG BECAUSE MEDIA.
And that was what bothered the shit out of me. The author's blatant slut-shaming and „virginity is the most important thing evaaaar!“-attitude.

Speaking of flat characters, there's Sandy. Sandy was probably only there to deliver a perfect example of what the media makes poor, innocent teenagers do when they're sexualized as fuck. The friendship between Nina is ridiculous and unbelievable: Sandy is everything Nina hates personified. In addition to that, of course someone who wants to have sex like Sandy is dumb, endangers Nina on more than one occasion, doesn't have an ounce of empathy („Oh, Nina, you moved away and now I'll be all alone here, boo-fucking-hoo! … Oh, right, it's because your mom died.“)... I could go on and on. Of course Sandy is most conveniently gotten rid when she's no longer needed for the story. But hey, they're friends, because they both like animals. Yeah. Right.

Nina's guy friends were pretty much blank, non-descript, and didn't add anything to either the story or the character development. Sal was your average Mysterious Love Interest™ that swept Nina of her feet without any reasonably believable depiction whatsoever, and the bad guy was so bad he even abused women, because that's what one-dimensional bad guys do.

To sum it up: Having sex is bad and makes you a slut, because it's what the media wants you to do, and there is only either chasitity or whoring around. Nina gets send on a quest to find her father after her mom dies so they can all live happily ever after while overthrowing the government. (They'd probably impose chastitiy belts on anyone under the age of 25, too.) Instead of focusing on the dystopian society depicted here and how the protagonist deals with it, we have teenage mood swings and a love story every YA book requires. The rest of the book is spent running away from the bad guy's car. The end.(less)

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Dec 14, 2012 Gavin rated it 2 of 5 stars

This novel has an interesting concept, the plot was vey unique and different, but was executed very poorly. One of the main problems within the fundamentals of this novel is the lack of prologue, or history of how Nina’s world came to be. She explains the minor things such as how they don’t use oil anymore, and there was slight mention of the Great War that changed the world, but nothing more. There was also no mention to why her world became so obsessed with objectifying women and “sex”.
Julia K...more This novel has an interesting concept, the plot was vey unique and different, but was executed very poorly. One of the main problems within the fundamentals of this novel is the lack of prologue, or history of how Nina’s world came to be. She explains the minor things such as how they don’t use oil anymore, and there was slight mention of the Great War that changed the world, but nothing more. There was also no mention to why her world became so obsessed with objectifying women and “sex”.
Julia Karr tries to portray Nina as an independent and strong willed woman. I found this rather annoying and confusing because only for the first few chapters of the book is that true, for the rest of the novel, she was rather weak. Her dependence on other characters was too much and although she has her own thoughts and opinions they are usually overridden by the ideas of others, such as Sal, or Wei. One thing I thought would make the Nina more important and interesting was the book Ginnie had left behind. I thought Nina would keep it a secret from everyone and it’ll be her own personal burden. But she told all her friends!
The relation Nina had with Mike, Derek, and Sandy, I found to be staged. I say this because her friends meet the very criteria of a group of friends. There’s Sandy, her best friend, the dumb, stupid but pretty friend. There’s Derek the cute and handsome boy who has been her friend for a long time, now suddenly falls in love with her. There’s Mike the chubby, shot boy who`s friend-zoned by every one within the book. The most interesting friend Nina gets within the novel is Sal. He`s a mysterious boy, who lived a secret life as a Non-Con, and showed interest in “trannies” (cars of the future) but an even bigger interest in Nina`s dad. Sal in my opinion almost played a greater role than Nina, in fact, if Julia had based the book on Sal’s life, I would’ve enjoyed the book a lot more.
The biggest conflict I’ve had with the book, is that the book title is called XVI (sixteen), so it gave me the impression that the book would be about Nina turning sixteen, and having the endure the problems that come with it within her society. But, Nina doesn’t turn sixteen until the last 2 chapters of the book, and by the time she does, it no longer held any meaning. Julia Karr could’ve written a much better book, if she had just shifted the priorities of the book to the much more interesting parts of the plot. In the novel, for me as a reader, lost sight to what was more important, more than half the book was about Nina’s obsession with protecting Dee from Ed, and her relationship with Sal, that it had forgotten to talk about the Non-Cons, Looking for her dad.
The ending was as disappointing as the beginning of her book, it left many problems unsolved, the most interesting parts of the plot forgotten, and worst of all, and it was too conclusive. This closes any windows that would lead to a sequel. A good novel is suppose to solve previous and have new problems arise for a sequel
Overall, the book had good potential, but it was focusing on the less interesting and repetitive parts of the novel than the more mind blowing parts, which I found to be when she was looking for her dad.(less)

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Nov 28, 2012 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

This is one of my favorite books of all time!!

It's the story of a teen girl in a future version of the US where every girl has to get a tattoo that says XVI on her wrist when she turns 16. Society is even more stratified by class than it is now, with people actually being designated at certain tiers. There are few ways to escape the tier you are born in to. Once a girl turns 16, she is basically considered fair game for sexual assault, even if it turns into murder. There is a group of people cal...more

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title link	preview: XVI
avg rating	preview: XVI Goodreads rating: 3.45 (4799 ratings)
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