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Wired (Cold Awakening #3)

by Robin Wasserman (Goodreads Author)

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 · rating details · 1,610 ratings · 198 reviews

It’s two months after the end of Crashed, and Lia is right back where she started: home, pretending to be the perfect daughter. But nothing’s the way it used to be. Lia has become the public face of the mechs and BioMax’s poster girl for the up-and-coming technology, devoting her life to convincing the world that she—and the others like her—deserve to exist.

But then Jude

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Hardcover, 400 pages

Published September 14th 2010 by Simon Pulse

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Sep 21, 2012 Doris rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was prepared to really enjoy this book, based on my readings of past stories of androids and robots, such as Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (movie version was Bladerunner) and Bicentennial Man. However, the story got off to a slow start, not helped by the fact that this was the third book in a series, and the characters were familiar with each other and the world they lived in.

Therefore, it wasn't immediately obvious to me from the reading, although I knew from the jacket blurb, that the...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Angel Song rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-2012-advisory

Two months after the crashed, Lia has ended up exactly where she had begun, home. Just as in the past, Lia is pretending to be a good daughter but after the crash, everything just seems to be out of place. Everything is just not how it used to be before the crash and she soon realizes this after the slow beginning into this novel. Due to the changes in her life after the crash, Lia has become the image of all mechs and BioMax poster to prove to the whole that she and others like her deserve to e...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ooooh......Where to start.

This book was perfect. There is not a single thing that I would change. Other than the ending but we'll get to that in a minute. Let me be clear about one thing. I was Never a fan of Riley. I always had a secret hope that he would disappear and Jude would fill the void that was left in Lia's heart. Sadly, they find out that he wasn't erased but he was somehow alive but even that didn't get me any less in love with this book. Now that you have read the good parts of the...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Megan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian-fiction

Well.... If I've ever read a more disappointing series, I wasn't aware of it. I loved the entire trilogy, and was spellbound by the concept until the very end. As a personal fan of dystopian society novels, this one was fascinating and enrapturing. I cared about Lia, and I worried about her situation. The parallelism to modern life was unreal and brilliant. I had yet to read a novel that made me question the definition of humanity quite so thoroughly.
But that's where my praise ends.

I stayed up u...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Clee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Also irgendwas ist hier schief gelaufen. Das erste Buch fand ich einfach fantastisch, das zweite schwächelte ein wenig im Vergleich zu „Skinned“, und das dritte hat mich vollkommen unzufrieden zurückgelassen.
Ich gestehe, ich hätte mir zu allererst ein anderes Ende gewünscht. Dieses Ende ist eigentlich sehr realistisch, denn es kommt eben nicht jeder aus einer lebensgefährlichen Situation wieder heraus – Opfer müssen erbracht werden und so war es auch hier. Doch hat es sich die Autorin nun wirkli...more Also irgendwas ist hier schief gelaufen. Das erste Buch fand ich einfach fantastisch, das zweite schwächelte ein wenig im Vergleich zu „Skinned“, und das dritte hat mich vollkommen unzufrieden zurückgelassen.
Ich gestehe, ich hätte mir zu allererst ein anderes Ende gewünscht. Dieses Ende ist eigentlich sehr realistisch, denn es kommt eben nicht jeder aus einer lebensgefährlichen Situation wieder heraus – Opfer müssen erbracht werden und so war es auch hier. Doch hat es sich die Autorin nun wirklich sehr einfach gemacht – das ganze Buch strotze voller Konflikte zwischen Lia und … eigentlich jedem, aber schließlich weiß Lia einfach ganz plötzlich was zu tun ist und „Zack bumm“. Finito.
Das hat mich sowohl frustriert, als auch wütend und enttäuscht zurückgelassen.

Zu den Charakteren muss ich Wasserman in einer Hinsicht jedoch ein Kompliment machen: Sie schafft es sehr gut, dem Leser das Bild eines Menschen in den Kopf zu pflanzen, um dieses dann verblüffender Weise wieder vollkommen über den Haufen zu werfen.

Lia schien mir in diese Abschlussband die meiste Zeit verwirrt, was ich gut nachvollziehen kann. Ich wüsste auch nicht mehr, was ich mit mir anfangen oder was ich machen soll, müsste ich erfahren, dass der Mensch, dem ich am meisten vertraut habe, mich hintergangen hat und dass ich den, den ich geliebt, verloren habe.
Erst als sie ihr Schicksal deutlich vor Augen gehalten bekommen hat, hat sie ihre Passivität abgelegt und auf eigene Faust gehandelt. So viel Courage, wie sie, muss man erst einmal haben …

Jude war von Anfang an eine dominante Persönlichkeit, die vermutlich auch deswegen am wenigstens Entwicklung durchgemacht hat. Ich fand es allerdings beruhigend mit anzusehen, dass auch eher unter Gewissensbissen leiden kann, wenn er auch trotz alle hartnäckig seine Ziele weiterverfolgt.

Riley hat natürlich am meisten wegstecken müssen, dennoch hat er mich ein wenig genervt. Kaum erfährt er etwas Negatives von seinem, sagen wir einmal, früheren Ich, versucht er, das zu ignorieren. Selbstverständlich ist es schwer mit so einer Situation klar zu kommen und ich bin mir sicher, jeder würde einfach vor der Wahrheit davonlaufen. Allerdings hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass er sich mit gewissen Dingen mehr auseinandersetzt – den Kampf sozusagen aufnimmt und akzeptiert, dass er nicht zeitlebens ein unbesudeltes Gewand getragen hat.

Am besten gefallen hat mir Zo, die für mich die Person mit der meisten Charakterstärke. In ihr steckt viel mehr und viel weniger Naivität, als Lia wohl angenommen hat.
In dieser Reihe wimmelt es nur so von Betrug und Verrat und auch Zo musste einiges einstecken, trotzdem weiß sie zu verzeihen. Sehr bewundernswert.

Wenn das Ende ein anderes gewesen, denn das hat vieles für mich kaputt gemacht, und mir der plötzliche Sinneswandel der Mutter nicht ein wenig zu dick aufgetragen vorgekommen wäre, hätte dieses Buch sicherlich ein Kleeblatt mehr bekommen. So kann ich es leider nur als Mittelreiter einstufen.
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Mar 07, 2011 Jess Zaq rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: nov-12-2010-11, 2011

I am sad to say that after taking two days to read Wired, I feel that I could have spent two days reading something else and I should have just let the series end at Crashed. At least for myself. It just seemed to cliché, to rushed, personalities changed, and overall seemed to just drift from everything the first two were about. In the last book, I would expect closure not a whole new plot to arise, and fall within a couple of book days.

To begin with, Lia is still home with her org family, still...more

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Mar 04, 2011 Karin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: androids-robots, families, relationship-problems, relationships, science-fiction, teenagers, uploaded-consciousnesses, young-adult-fiction, dystopian, humanity, series, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Lia’s brain patterns, memories, and consciousness were uploaded into a new body, built by the Biomax Corporation when she was killed in a car accident. Since then she has been coping with the challenges of being a “mech” (a mechanical person) or “skinner” (derogatory term for mechs) – physical, mental, social, ethical, philosophical. Many “orgs” (normal, organic people – not machines) are uncomfortable with the idea and existence of mechs, and in Wired Lia has teamed up with her benefactors (Bio...more Lia’s brain patterns, memories, and consciousness were uploaded into a new body, built by the Biomax Corporation when she was killed in a car accident. Since then she has been coping with the challenges of being a “mech” (a mechanical person) or “skinner” (derogatory term for mechs) – physical, mental, social, ethical, philosophical. Many “orgs” (normal, organic people – not machines) are uncomfortable with the idea and existence of mechs, and in Wired Lia has teamed up with her benefactors (Biomax) to create a reality show to demonstrate that mechs are just like everybody else. Except that they aren’t. They’re stronger, more perfect, more resilient, they don’t have to eat or drink or breathe, and they don’t get sick. But, even more importantly, they can never really die, because Biomax has every one of them copied and backed up on their servers. The Brotherhood, a group that strongly objects to the existence of skinners, has already committed violent acts against the mechs in the previous books, and although they initially show a more tolerant attitude in Wired, it’s all an act. Lia discovers that she is at the center of a web of lies surrounding the creation and technology of the mechs, and she and her friends must act before Biomax and the Brotherhood silence them and all of the other skinners.

By the end of this, I was more than a little tired of the bickering and drama in all of the relationships in this book – Lia and Zo, Lia and her father, Lia and Riley, Lia and Jude, Lia and Riley’s ex-girlfriend, Lia and Auden – can’t this girl get along with anyone? The confrontation between Lia & friends and Biomax was a complete letdown, too. They had absolutely no power and no leverage – what did they think they were going to accomplish? Despite the irritating characters, the injustices perpetrated against them make one sympathetic to their plight, and the philosophical/ethical questions of everlasting android intelligences are pretty interesting to consider. What Lia eventually becomes (at the very end) wraps this trilogy up nicely, although, somewhat abruptly as she suddenly professes to understand everything and knows what she has to do next. Maybe a consciousness and sensory array the size of a universe gives one a new perspective? I want to read that book.
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Jan 27, 2011 bjneary rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: SCI FI lovers

Shelves: scifi-fantasy, ya

There were so many tense moments in this book and I Loved Lia and Zoe forging a bond and enjoying being sisters who got on each others nerves. I love the new Riley, then I missed him and Jude was as all knowing and annoying as ever. The BioMax threat, Lia and Zoe's parents, and Lia and her friend(s)having to always try to outsmart whoever was trying to destroy the mechs was awesome, scary, and sad because you never knew who was going to turn against them. Lia was really a character who grew, as...more

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Jan 21, 2011 Kat rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, sci-fi, ya-fiction, did-not-finish

Maybe this is just my problem with too-high expectations, but why are the conclusions to most trilogies always such a letdown? I just didn't feel engaged with the story anymore, and I completely lost interest and motivation halfway through. I skimmed the last half and just felt bored and confused. Why bother? Maybe I just like being teased by the possibilities of Book #1 in a series. "Skinned", like "The Adoration of Jenna Fox", raised some interesting bioethical questions. I was never really a...more

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Jun 01, 2011 Nina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oh no. Ohhhhh no. Just to be blunt here, I hated the ending. Do not expect a satisfying end to this amazing trilogy. But before I rant about that, let me start from the beginning.
The actual books are great. The plot, how fast the story went, and especially how much the characters changed. Characters maturing is difficult to write about because the author also has to make it believable. It is rarely done where this much growth occurs in one book and ends up well. Also, my opinions on all the c...more Oh no. Ohhhhh no. Just to be blunt here, I hated the ending. Do not expect a satisfying end to this amazing trilogy. But before I rant about that, let me start from the beginning.
The actual books are great. The plot, how fast the story went, and especially how much the characters changed. Characters maturing is difficult to write about because the author also has to make it believable. It is rarely done where this much growth occurs in one book and ends up well. Also, my opinions on all the characters has changed. Robin Wasserman did an amazing job at leading the readers to believe what she wanted them to so that when the truth comes out, the characters and readers are all taken aback. She is good at manipulating us to think one thing about a character and when their true colors come out,it's a pleasant surprise.
I would have given this book a big 4 stars because of how much I enjoyed it. There were some parts that got boring after a few minutes but then the actions starts up again and it kept me on my toes. But because of the horrible ending, I have to take off a full star. Endings, especially concerning a book series, is very important to me. Ending will not please everyone, but I feel strongly in the fact that there could have been a more finished ending than what Robin Wasserman gave. I could tell it was supposed to be 'deep'and a 'coming out', but I can't make myself think that with what all they have been through,it just ends like that. (view spoiler) Still, this book will get a 3 stars from me and a recommendation. I just want to warn all of you not to have high expectations.

What do I think of the characters?
Lia is confused. Lia has been throught it all but in Wired, it seems like the worst has come for her. She was betrayed by the man she trusted the most and lost the one she fell in love with. Lia didn't know what to do with herself at first, taking orders from people
because it was better than doing nothing. But once she finally realized her destiny, nothing could stop her from doing it. Not Jude, not Zo, not Auden, and not even herself.

Jude is determined. He knows what he wants and will do anything to get it. He has grown the least out of all the main characters in the book. But I think it's for the best because of his strong personality. He is hinting more at the fact that he knew that Lia and him were meant to be. In fact, he even seemed a little scared knowing that someone could make him feel that way.He feels guilt for what happened to Riley, feeling it was his fault. This just fueled his determination to take BioMax and the Brotherhood down.

Zo is strong. She has the most strength, much more than Lia could ever muster. She has forgiven Lia and accepted who she was. Even if she is feeling cowardly and weak, she puts up a brave face i norder to support what she knows is right. Zo and Lia did not have much
of a relationship even before Lia's transformation. Now, it seems like they are more sisterly than when Lia was human. Zo has been betrayed one too many times and has grown stronger skin and revealed that she is not as naive as Lia thought her to be.

Riley-apathetic. Full of betrayal this book is, Riley has encountered the most of it. He was the most vulnerable because his memory has been ereased. I feel like Riley has been through the most but got nothing out of it. Once he found something he didn't like, he
immediately abandons it. Which, in the end, karma took over.(less)

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Apr 13, 2012 Ayo Summers rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-2012

Wired by Robin Wasserman is about a girl named Lia who died one year ago. However, she was brought back to life and given a new mechanical body by the company, Biomax. She is now forced to be the face of the company in order to promote it.
To be honest I was really confused at many parts of this book because there were so man references to other things that I didn't understand making the book uninteresting. It wasn't until after I told someone about the book did I realize that Wired was a part o...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Laura (All of Everything) rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's been quite a while since I read Skinned and Crashed and I thought it would be hard for me to get back into the characters and story, but it was surprisingly easy to return to the mech world. With that said, however, it took me a long time to read this book; a week if not more, which is really out of the ordinary for me.

The first half of the book was kinda boring, unfortunately. Lia is working with Biomax in a attempt to show the world that she and the mechs are people just like everybody el...more

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Oct 22, 2010 Caroline rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult, nook, read-in-2010, nook-own

For how short this book was, it took me a much longer time than I'd have liked to finish it, but my plodding progress was mainly due to too much going on in life to get much reading done. I found the pacing was off a bit at times, but I think overall it felt that way because of how little time I really had to devote to this (which was frustrating, since I'd been anticipating this for a year). But, as can be seen by my overall rating, I loved this conclusion.

The character growth in here was excel...more

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May 07, 2012 Trina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: year-27, sci-fi, young-adult

This is the final installment in the Cold Awakening trilogy, and this was by far the best book of the three (in my opinion at least!). By this point, Lia is not bratty anymore, she is actually pretty awesome. Some other characters who I wanted to see more of were back in bigger ways and I felt like they all turned out the way I was wanting them to in the end. There was a ton of action and this book was much better paced than the others. There was a surprise villian that wasn't revealed until the...more

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May 13, 2011 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian-speculative-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 08, 2012 Jessi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bücher-2012

Wow, wo Teil zwei im Inhalt der Geschichte noch etwas schwächelte da holt dieser Teil alles doppelt und dreifach nach. Hier wird nichts schön geredet, es ist durchweg authentisch und vorallem zeigt es wieder tiefe Abgründe innerhalb der Welt in der Lia lebt auf. Wieder wird aufgezeigt wie wenig Toleranz die Menschen innerhalb der Gruppen haben und das sich niemand sicher sein kann. Auch kann Lia eigentlich niemanden vertrauen und muss lernen, nur sich selbst und ihren eigenen Fähigkeiten zu vert...more Wow, wo Teil zwei im Inhalt der Geschichte noch etwas schwächelte da holt dieser Teil alles doppelt und dreifach nach. Hier wird nichts schön geredet, es ist durchweg authentisch und vorallem zeigt es wieder tiefe Abgründe innerhalb der Welt in der Lia lebt auf. Wieder wird aufgezeigt wie wenig Toleranz die Menschen innerhalb der Gruppen haben und das sich niemand sicher sein kann. Auch kann Lia eigentlich niemanden vertrauen und muss lernen, nur sich selbst und ihren eigenen Fähigkeiten zu vertrauen. Dieser Teil regt zum Nachdenken an, lässt wieder sehr viele Fragen offen, deckt aber auch viele Rätsel auf und beantwortet wichtige Fragen aus Teil eins und zwei. Geheimnisse, die durchweg gut gehütet wurden, werden hier auf teilweise auf sehr spektakuläre Weise gelüftet und das so gut eingepackt und eingefädelt, dass ich manche Passagen drei oder vier mal lesen musste, weil sie so gut und überraschend waren.

Lia ist in diesem Buch viel reifer und erwachsener geworden, sie akzeptiert jetzt fast zur Gänze was sie ist und kann sich wieder von ihren sehr sympathischen Seiten zeigen. Sie ist einfach ein Charakter den man mögen muss und der durch seine gute Darstellung echt und vorallem greifbar wirkt. Selbst die Nebencharaktere kommen in diesem Band gut weg. Alle werden gut beleuchtet und sind mit ganz eignen Eigenschaften ausgestattet, sodass diese nicht undurchsichtig sonder greifbar und vorallem genauso gut platziert wirken wie die Hauptcharaktere.

Viele die dieses Buch gelesen haben kritisieren das Ende und auch mir gefällt es nicht wirklich, aber ich muss dazu sagen das es realistisch wirkt und das nicht immer alles nach der "Friede - Freude - Eierkuchen" Masche ausgehen kann. Es gibt nicht immer die Sonnenseite des Lebens, sondern auch manchmal den Schatten oder die tiefe Nacht und so müssen wir uns einfach mit diesem Ende arrangieren. Es ist zwar abrupt und es lässt noch viele Fragen offen, die mich aber auch zum Nachdenken und Weiterspinnen anregen und ich als Leserin mir mein eigenes perfektes Ende erfinden kann, wenn ich es will.

Vielen Dank Frau Wassermann für ein gelungenes Ende einer noch gelungeneren Triologie!(less)

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Jul 17, 2011 Lyndicals added it

I must say that I enjoyed this book up till the end. I felt like I got slapped across the face, it was a coincidental ending that aggravated me. I can not say that I did not enjoy the book it was a good book, just up to a point. Regardless I felt like there should have been some closure to some unanswered questions.

I liked that Lia found some comfort with being allies as she said with Jude, which I must say is my favorite character especially in this book, his flaws came out more, the truth abou...more

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Sep 24, 2010 Ladyx rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

Terrible ending leaving far too much unfinished. It's a shame since this was (or could have been)a fabulous trilogy. It seems like the author had to end this story quickly so didn't bother to tie up loose ends.

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Jun 16, 2011 Meaghan R. (YA-aholic) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone!

Shelves: 2011-reading-challenge

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS ENTIRE SERIES!

PERFECTLY WRIITEN, NOT TOO MUCH FUTURISTOC JARGON WHERE YOU COULDN'T MAKE OUT THE WORDS, PERFECT IN EVERY WAY.

A LOT OF CONTENT, I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CALL IT AN EASY READ, BUT MAN, DID I FLY THROUGH THE SERIES, I JUST COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN...WASN'T VER Y PRODUCTIVE FOR THAT WEEK THOUGH.

*SPOILER*
(view spoiler)...more

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Sep 11, 2011 Heather Taylor rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the final book to Skinned. I liked this book the least of the three. I am glad the author did end it though and didn't keep dragging it out. I think my biggest problem with the books is I don't really like any of the characters. None of them have good qualities. They were all moody, selfish and depressing. I do like the concept of the books. Are you still the same person if your mind is downloaded into a machine that can't be hurt? If your body is completely different doesn't that make y...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Melissa Lorenzo rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am only giving this three stars because I hated the main character; however, I loved the science, the questions the story addresses about humanity, and the supporting cast. I picked this up from the Library because the premise was something I had come across on the Science channel. In that particular program they addressed the very technology portrayed in this book and there is, in fact, a man in Japan (I believe) working on a very real, legitimate artificial body. When I picked this up I had...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is probably the most infuriating series that I have ever read. Anything and everything pissed me off but it made me gasp and throw it and laugh and get so angry I wish I could give up reading it. But I didn't. The ideas behind it were incredible (what it means to be human) and the writing fantastic, the world well done and all the research and technology about it more confusing then it should have been but evidence that the author put time and thought into it. But the ending pissed me off....more

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Feb 06, 2012 Tiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

As much as I didn't care for book two, book three was very good! There was less of the redundant detailing and more action. But I have to say it... I hated the ending. The ending was perfect. (Notice the play on the last chapter if you read this book.) I really am a happily-ever-after person and this ending didn't quite hit that mark. At first, I was mad. But as I thought about it, and actually reread it, I came to the conclusion that there really wasn't any other way to end the series, and, qui...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Angie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is easily one of the most frustrating books I've read. Scratch that, this is one of the most frustrating /series I've read. What could have been a compelling trilogy was marred by a half-assed plot, half-assed characters and an equally half assed execution, and the ending - the ending was easily one of the worst things I've ever read. It could have been the saving grace of these books - it could have been great, the DECENT (albeit undeserving) conclusion to Lia's character arc. Instead what...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Kelley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult, female-protagonist

The books in this series get better as it progresses. If guessing by the first book, Skinned, I would not have liked the series at all. Since I wanted to see what happened, I hung on and now I'm happy I did.

The plot thickens and the characters are just as thrown as the reader. And then when you think it's going to come out a certain way, Wasserman changed everything up. The ending took everything to a new level that I didn't suspect in the slightest. Kudos for surprising me. That's unusual.

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Sep 14, 2012 Michelle Zafora rated it 5 of 5 stars

This series is very complex and detailed and it made me really ask myself questions like, what is means to be a human being and what makes humans, human. i seriously enjoyed reading the books and it was pretty obvious to my teachers and my family members LOL. i read all the books in a course of 3 weeks and each book was equally addictive and made it hard for me to put it down. The end had me going "....WOW" i was so sure that i knew how it was all going to end but i was dead WRONG. i definitely...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Erica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I thought the concept was really interesting, but each book in this trilogy just went downhill for me.

Why is it that authors insist on ending books with such crazy swift endings. Like, bam, the last five pages have to be crazy or from out of nowhere. I REALLY hate that!

It was a quick enough read with a decent pace to it, but I felt like this book was all over the map. They are all over the place too quickly, and it seems like things should develop more in each plot turn but they always seem to g...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Nikki rated it 2 of 5 stars

Rating: 2 stars

There are books that you remember even years after reading them. Sometimes because they were just so insanely good, or maybe they were terribly bad. This series was one of the terribly bad ones.

The problem with this series was that I loved the first two books. I would've given them 4 stars probably, if I rated them right after I read them. But that was ages ago, and I made this account quite recently so the bad taste the ending left in my memory made me give them 3 stars instead....more

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Oct 30, 2010 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-scifi

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I reviewed Skinned, the first book in this trilogy, shortly after it came out, and read but totally failed to review the second. Whoops. As for the third… well. The more series I read, the more empathy I feel for the folks who write them. There are so many expectations built up that there’s no way to satisfy every reader out there, let alone wrap up every single thread. And unfortunately, for me, Wired falls somewhat towards the let-down ending side of the scale. That is to say, I really enjoyed...more I reviewed Skinned, the first book in this trilogy, shortly after it came out, and read but totally failed to review the second. Whoops. As for the third… well. The more series I read, the more empathy I feel for the folks who write them. There are so many expectations built up that there’s no way to satisfy every reader out there, let alone wrap up every single thread. And unfortunately, for me, Wired falls somewhat towards the let-down ending side of the scale. That is to say, I really enjoyed the book as a book; but as the ending of a series, I was disappointed.

My favorite thing about Wired by far was Zo, Lia’s younger sister. The first book gives them an interesting dynamic — Zo was supposed to be in the car that crashed, but Lia had agreed to go instead, so Zo had to deal with the guilt of living while Lia changed (or died, depending on your view). They fought all the time growing up, but Zo obviously came to hate Lia as a mech. Lia spent most of the second book away from her family, but in this one she’s reunited with them, and the Big Family Revelation changes her dynamic with Zo entirely. I absolutely loved Zo in this book, and the relationship between the sisters was great.

The thing is, though, the Big Revelation also presents a totally reversal in the characterization of Lia’s parents. Through the first two books, her mother is shown as someone weak-willed who cries a lot; her father is strict, believes in hard work and contribution to society, and detests cheaters and thieves. As much as I enjoyed getting to see Lia’s mom kick some butt near the end, the same reveal that led to Lia and Zo’s relationship, the problem was, I wasn’t convinced by the event that flipped everything on its head. It seemed less like the reveal of an amazing secret and more like a narrative convenience.

More disappointing for me was the way the climax played out. It pulled from one element earlier in the book, which, as I’d read it, had me scratching my head a little. While it worked fine, it hadn’t felt as connected to the story overall, so when the climax played out I looked back and went, “Ah ha, that was why that random discovery was made.” But the climax itself is basically the very end of the book and happens very abruptly. As I reached it, I was shocked by how few pages there were left, because it seemed like there was still so much to resolve. And… well, very little actually got resolved.

What I mean is that, while the story ends, aside from happening very suddenly, it doesn’t feel like the series’ major question is answered or its arch is concluded. The central question in the series is about Lia’s personhood. Plenty of people think she’s just a machine, programmed to think it’s a person, but of course as readers we’re with her on the journey and side with her, that she is a person. Instead of ending that conflict, it’s side-stepped; the events that happen are all exciting, but there’s no sense that it tied back into the earlier question — and it’s an ending where Lia transforms, literally, from the character she’s been for thee books into something else entirely.

So I wasn’t thrilled. The book was a fast, interesting read, and the idea of the computer virus shutting down the mechs was interesting. But the book was probably the weakest of the three, and gets three and a half stars, though the series as a whole is a solid four.

Originally posted here: http://www.active-voice.net/2010/10/3...(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 03, 2012 Jenni rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-series, dystopia, science-fiction, survival

This is the final book about Lia Kahn, the girl that had been turned into a skinner aka mech, by downloading her memories to a new "body".
We got some teary eyed moments and Lia did the only thing she could do for the cause of fighting Biomax & the Brotherhood. Quoting another sci-fi author, Scott Westerfeld, it was: "a spellbinding story about who we really are inside".

You never knew what the mechs future was until the end and Robin Wasserman's writing style really get into you heart and mak...more

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About Robin Wasserman

I'm the author of the Cold Awakening Trilogy (Skinned, Crashed, and Wired), Hacking Harvard, the Seven Deadly Sins series, and the forthcoming Book of Blood and Shadow. I'm also a crazed Stephen King fan and David Foster Wallace evangelist with an embarrassing list of Important Books I've Never Read But Can Bluff About Well Enough to Discuss at Cocktail Parties. I'm working on it.

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Wired (Cold Awakening #3)

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