Dark Parties

Jul 24, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi-or-futuristic, dystopian-post-apocalyptic-utopian, read-2011, 2011-publication

So...this book starts out with a makeout scene. Neva does some kissing with her boyfriend and then there's a little bit of We Must Rebel From the Protectosphere business before there's another makeout scene...but this time, with her best friend Sanna's boyfriend. Oops, it was really dark.

I'm sorry if this sounds a little flippant, but although I liked this book well enough, it did strike me as a little odd that this is how it began. I actually had to flip back to make sure this was YA, since it...more So...this book starts out with a makeout scene. Neva does some kissing with her boyfriend and then there's a little bit of We Must Rebel From the Protectosphere business before there's another makeout scene...but this time, with her best friend Sanna's boyfriend. Oops, it was really dark.

I'm sorry if this sounds a little flippant, but although I liked this book well enough, it did strike me as a little odd that this is how it began. I actually had to flip back to make sure this was YA, since it was an unusual way for a dystopian young adult novel to start. In any case, this story is about a totalitarian society which strictly controls information and reproductive rights, and warns its citizens about the toxic atmosphere outside of the large dome under which they all live. Things are currently on heightened awareness because there are a lot of people have gone missing. Neva and Sanna try to recruit members to their underground rebellion, though these efforts mostly consist of mild protests such as spray painting signs and things of that nature.

This novel feels very short, somewhat underdeveloped, and fairly lacking in complexity. I liked the idea of what was going on but the execution is a little on the slight side. There's also the prerequisite love...square, as you might imagine, based on the previous makeout scenes I mentioned. Neva can't seem to stop kissing Sanna's boyfriend, and although he rides a motorcycle, it's kind of unclear why anyone is really drawn to anyone else here. There is a really great action scene at the end, however, and I wish more of the book had the same level of intensity and excitement.

Dark Parties is very clearly set up for at least one sequel, but in all honesty that book should probably have been combined with this one for a richer and more satisfying experience, along with more attention paid to plot and character development. As it is, this novel is more in the dystopian-lite category than a true exploration of a bleak alternate universe.

This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.

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Jul 08, 2011 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, young-adult, romance

Dark Parties takes place in a dark future world where the Homeland inhabitants live inside a protective shield called a Protectosphere. The government claims this shield is necessary to protect from the uninhabitable toxin infested outside world. Sixteen-year-old Neva and her best friend Sanna are distrustful of the government and have started keeping a list of people who have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Neva’s own grandmother vanished, and The Missing members are multiplying rec...more Dark Parties takes place in a dark future world where the Homeland inhabitants live inside a protective shield called a Protectosphere. The government claims this shield is necessary to protect from the uninhabitable toxin infested outside world. Sixteen-year-old Neva and her best friend Sanna are distrustful of the government and have started keeping a list of people who have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Neva’s own grandmother vanished, and The Missing members are multiplying recently. The government is getting desperate about the dwindling population problems and is managing the news feed to maintain the illusion that things are under control. Neva and Sanna organize a “dark party” to enlist their peers to take part in a revolution.

Dark Parties is a suspenseful dystopian from debut author Sara Grant. Social injustices are stacking up with girls going missing, frequent interrogations, and citizens fitted with tracking devices by the government, and society is turning a blind eye. The protagonist Neva is someone who fights for what she believes in, even when her friends back away from the cause. She has even more at stake with her father holding a high profile government job. Neva is driven to fight for what she believes in for herself, her friends, and her beloved grandmother. Along with the rebellion, she’s also managing a complicated love life, with a boy looking for a long-term commitment and an infatuation with another unattainable boy.

The dystopian world is dark and believable. I like dystopian books like this that make me think about the future and how we may or may not go down this road. The controlling government, dwindling resource supply, fertility issues and the fight for freedom provide food for thought for today’s world. The injustices served by this manipulative government had me rooting for Neva to succeed in her rebellion.

Neva’s relationship with her family, best friend Sanna, and love interests also play a part in the book. The character relationships are not explored as fully as the dystopian elements, but provide an interesting backdrop into Neva’s world. One of the characters I was most interested to learn more about is Neva’s grandmother.

I read through this engrossing book in one sitting. The world building, strong female lead, action and surprises kept my interest level up. The book is evenly paced with a high intensity finish that had me wondering if there are plans for a sequel. Recommended for dystopian fans of books such as Matched, Birthmarked, and Delirium. (less)

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Aug 14, 2011 Misty rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, dystopia-postapocalyptic, sci_fi-fantasy, juvenile-ya, 2011-debuts__elevensies, read-in-2011, review-copy-accepted

It's hard to know where to start with Dark Parties. There were times I really liked it and times I had serious reservations. Dark Parties starts off interesting (if a little weird) with a literal "dark party" - Neva and her best friend Sanna organize a party held in pitch blackness. It's a little bit random makeout session and a little bit teenage rebellion. Two things happen at the dark party that are basically catalysts for all of the action of the story: Neva accidentally makes out with Sanna...more It's hard to know where to start with Dark Parties. There were times I really liked it and times I had serious reservations. Dark Parties starts off interesting (if a little weird) with a literal "dark party" - Neva and her best friend Sanna organize a party held in pitch blackness. It's a little bit random makeout session and a little bit teenage rebellion. Two things happen at the dark party that are basically catalysts for all of the action of the story: Neva accidentally makes out with Sanna's boyfriend in the dark, and the teens plot a protest. We'll start with the protest, which starts as a vow not to have sex (so they don't bring more babies into the Protectosphere - though if you have a vow to not have sex, why are you tempting yourself with a "dark party" group makeout sesh?) and evolves into vandalism and plans for a rally.

I couldn't really tell you what the early rebellion was against. Ostensibly it's against the Protectosphere, the dome in which they live. But really it's just against The Man and everything the governement represents. We're given glimpses throughout the story of the governmental control, resource shortages, propaganda,missing people, etc., but I never really saw the motivation for the teens' rebellion. I mean, with Neva, there is some substance there because she lost someone close to her, her grandmother, who fed her a steady diet of secret righteous indignation. Neva keeps a list of the people who go missing (mostly girls), and she's unsettled by the things her grandmother taught her and her grandmother's disappearance. So on the one hand, I get a bit of her rebellious inclinations. But for the group of teens as a whole, I never really got how they all came together and why they were all so anti-government.

I mean, there are legitimate reasons to distrust their government and even to rebel. But the thing is, they don't know that through most of the story. They seem to just be a little pissed off that life isn't pretty, but if that's what they've grown up knowing...do you fight if you don't know any better? The reasons behind their rebellion and their vehemence never really gelled for me. They seem angry that they all look alike (a product of the limited gene pool imposed by the Protectosphere), but again, if that's what you've grown up knowing - would it really seem strange to you, or a reason to get angry? Maybe there is a case to be made for an innate desire for individuality, I don't know. But I think, as the reader, I could have used a little more guidance or a little more back story early on to understand where the rebellion comes from.

But maybe I just wasn't getting the full impact of the rebellion because it felt like it was muddled by the relationship, which brings me to the second point: Neva makes out with Sanna's boyfriend, Braydon, whom she claims to distrust and actively dislike until she makes out with him. Apparently his kisses must be magic, because the rest of the book from then on is basically Neva waffling back and forth between "But I like him! We can't, he belongs to Sanna! But I just want him so bad! But Sanna, but Sanna, but what if we make out in this abandoned shack? Oh noes, Sanna!!" I know a lot of people have expressed dislike for the story because they can't like Neva since she's screwing her BFFFFFF over by (almost) screwing her boyfriend. I could care less about this, her emotions regarding the betrayal are actually done pretty well, even if I do make light.

It's just...I don't think it was a necessary layer for the story. It didn't add anything to me, and more often than not, it detracted. As the story goes on and Neva begins to find out some disturbing things that actually make a rebellion seem more plausible and even necessary, she becomes more and more distracted by her desire for Braydon, a boy she hated but suddenly can't stop kissing. (And (view spoiler)) It just all felt unnecessary to me. Look, not EVERY book has to have a romance, and not EVERY romance has to be angsty. It needs to serve the story, there needs to be a reason for it, and in this case, I didn't feel there was a reason, and it did a disservice to the story. It lessened the impact of the story: these two things (dystopian revolution/cheating with your BFs boyfran) were held up side by side, and if I'm supposed to believe they are just as important as each other, well then, in the scheme of things...it makes the dystopia less compelling which was really the point of the story. It showed a lack of focus, Grant was trying to do too many things, and it just didn't work for me. I kept seeing things that could have been taken advantage of, and things that should have been cut.

But here's the thing: in spite of all that, the muddled focus and the not always compelling dystopia/world-building and the potentially hard to like MC, I actually did enjoy reading this. It's a very quick read, and there are some compelling things going on that do make sense as a dystopia once you finally get to them. With the popularity of dystopia these days, a lot of them are becoming really watered down and the label dystopia is being applied to just about everything. This, once it gets going, actually works for me as a dystopia, and the idea of the Protectosphere and the homogenization of the population, and (view spoiler), these things actually make for a really compelling dystopic theme. When Neva finally gets her head out of her ass and finds out what's going on - I felt like the story should have started there. Even though it didn't, I did enjoy this. If it sounds interesting to you inspite of the somewhat dubious lead and the muddled focus, I do think you should pick this up. It may not be the best, most focused and impactful example of dystopian lit out there, but it has its moments and it's certainly entertaining.

*Dark Parties was provided to me by the publisher, Little, Brown Books in exchange for a fair and balanced review.(less)

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Jul 27, 2011 Justin rated it 2 of 5 stars

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

Dystopias are where it’s at in YA, these days. I personally think the upswing started well before Hunger Games, but that series definitely made it clear that the kids are into perfect societies that are built on the suffering of their people, especially the young and attractive ones. Being an avowed fan of the genre for many years myself (I still insist that Orwell, Bradbury, and Huxley are required reading for just about everybody), I find myself surprisingly wary of this trend. The more dystop...more Dystopias are where it’s at in YA, these days. I personally think the upswing started well before Hunger Games, but that series definitely made it clear that the kids are into perfect societies that are built on the suffering of their people, especially the young and attractive ones. Being an avowed fan of the genre for many years myself (I still insist that Orwell, Bradbury, and Huxley are required reading for just about everybody), I find myself surprisingly wary of this trend. The more dystopia tales that crowd the shelves, the less power they have, especially when it comes to doing their job by pointing out the parallels to events in real life. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t quite summon the excitement that this book probably warrants; it’s a solid YA sci-fi drama, but it didn’t really offer me anything I hadn’t seen before, and didn’t seem all that subtle or clever compared to its forebearers.

The book’s protagonist, Neva, lives in a country simply called Homeland that exists under a giant electrified dome known as the Protectosphere, which isolates them from the supposed aftermath of a widespread cataclysm. Hers is a country of stagnation; everybody looks the same due to generations of inbreeding. Homeland’s goods and technologies are slowly decaying, and even their population is on the decline, with young adults being desperately urged to pair off and procreate. Most disturbing are the disappearances, with more and more people (including Neva’s grandmother) simply vanishing and everyone else acting as if they never existed at all. Neva and her friends chafe underneath the increasingly draconian government, fearing that there will be no future for them, and resolve to do... something. That part isn’t really that clear, to the characters or to the reader, but it definitely involves civil disobedience of some sort. Neva’s first stab at defiance brings the full attention of Homeland on her, and she risks the safety of both her well-connected family and her loyal friends as she attempts to discover what has become of the missing.

The thing is, all of the Neva’s mysteries are crystal clear to the reader, for the most part. Isolated society. Rebellious grandmother suddenly disappearing. Big Brother attempting to manufacture happiness and patriotism. It becomes clear pretty early on that the Homeland government is up to something, so most of the book has the reader waiting for Neva to discover and catch on to what’s happening. There are some grim, exciting twists on the way, most notably when Neva explores the Women’s Empowerment Center, but for the most part the reader knows what’s going on well before Neva does.

On the other hand, I found the interpersonal aspect of the novel to be surprisingly believable, considering the book’s audience. The book gets its title from a gathering in the first chapter: a makeout party in a dark room that Neva and her best friend Sanna use as a cover to incite their fledging revolt. Neva shares a sudden, passionate kiss in the dark with Sanna’s boyfriend, Braydon, who she never really liked or trusted before. After the dark party, though, she can’t stop thinking about him, to the point of risking both her friendship with Sanna and her success in foiling her pursuers and striking against the government. Some may find that romance shallow and carnal, and, well, that’s because it is. Sanna’s deteriorating relationship with a longtime boyfriend she no longer loves, and her sudden lust for a boy she doesn’t know but loves to kiss, sounds like an authentic teenage experience to me. Moreover, the consequences from those decisions ripple out to affect the plot in meaningful ways.

As for the rest, though... eh. Again, I couldn’t really get worked up about this one, for some reason. I think my problem is that, other than the relationship aspect, nothing really has any subtlety. Grant drops some anvil-sized hints about the nature of Homeland and the Protectosphere throughout the story, which takes the edge off of the suspense. And though there’s nothing wrong with using familiar dystopia themes and tropes, they are used rather clumsily here. For example, one of the overriding themes in Dark Parties is the physical similarity of Homeland's citizens, and how it is a small act of rebellion to use “identity marks” (temporary or permanent tattoos) to establish oneself as an individual. Neva, whose name means “snow” in Latin, has a tattoo on her hip of a snowflake. That’s because her beloved grandma named her, and always called her that, and gave her a snowflake pendant that she always wears. Which is why there’s a big neon snowflake on the cover, you see. So naturally, it’s a huge revelation when someone actually tells Neva near the end of the book that she is unique and special like a snowflake. OMG I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW.

Which is not to say that this is a bad book. It’s actually a pretty decent book. The characters are good, the action is tightly plotted, and there’s a nice mix of sinister ennui and defiant hope sprinkled throughout. I think I’m just spoiled by my own expectations. This ends on a cliffhanger, so there’s obviously a sequel coming; I’m curious as to what happens next, but not really drawn in enough to be anxious about it. I’d label this a good primer for YA dystopias. There are better out there, but this is a good introduction to the genre, and worth reading for dedicated dystopia fans or for readers looking for a tale about emotion fighting against oppression.(less)

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Jul 14, 2011 Maria rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, ya, netgalley

I like Dark Parties.

*****

Despite the vagueness of the story and the shallowness of Neva-Braydon romance, i found myself rereading Dark Parties right after finishing it. I give the romance-part a 4, the dystopian-part a 3.

I liked that Dark Parties started with the idea of rebellion already in Neva’s and Sanna’s head. [RANT: They only stage 1 Dark Party]. At first, I felt Sana should be the main female lead because I saw the steel in her voice. But I judged too early. Neva resisted normalcy, ordin...more I like Dark Parties.

*****

Despite the vagueness of the story and the shallowness of Neva-Braydon romance, i found myself rereading Dark Parties right after finishing it. I give the romance-part a 4, the dystopian-part a 3.

I liked that Dark Parties started with the idea of rebellion already in Neva’s and Sanna’s head. [RANT: They only stage 1 Dark Party]. At first, I felt Sana should be the main female lead because I saw the steel in her voice. But I judged too early. Neva resisted normalcy, ordinary-ness, and simplicity being given to her by the government. Even if Sanna, Ethan and Braydon begged her to stop her rebellion, she stood her ground and decided to fight the government smartly and slyly. Neva, the heroine is coming out!

[RAVE: Neva and Sanna made a vow. No premarital sex despite them having boyfriends and being adults per their society.] I didn’t expect the romance to have the love-triangle angle so i was surprised. First few pages in, i’m reeling over Neva’s and Braydon’s first kiss. I was like, how the H did that happened? After that, Neva can’t stop thinking about him. Later on, she admitted she’s falling for Braydon. [RANT: They didn't have any real conversation or even bonding moments before Neva declared that, so I find it difficult to believe she loves him. based on what? A Kiss?!! Is there such a thing as Love at First KISS?!!]

Braydon is a shady character, both good and bad. Good because him being a mystery made him irresistible and bad because i did not see him as the hero that will help and rescue Neva in times of dystopian distress. Oh, but i’m pining for you, Brandon. I’m sure of that. How his real purpose in the story was revealed made me pause (oh, so that’s why his mysterious) but it is not surprising.

I liked Sara Grant’s writing style. It’s magnetic. She wrote Neva as a portrait of walking contradiction. I can’t leave but I can’t stay. [RANT: She never explained point-blank the reason behind Protectosphere, its cause and effect. All I have are clues, bits & pieces of Homeland's history to imagine a faint picture of her dystopian society: Neva's short talk with a low-level employee. A page of a newspaper. One or two members of the resistance. Grant left me to figure it all out but i still have questions.]

Dark Parties is a pretty light dystopian read. I know it has potential to be more scary and hopeless so I can’t wait for the sequel.(less)

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Aug 05, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised by Dark Parties. For some reason I thought that it was a thriller type.. and honestly I wasn't really all that interested in reading it. And then, I discovered that Dark Parties was a bit of a dystopian novel! Well hello there piqued interest.

The world that Grant created was intense. The Protectosphere aspect was just down-right crazy. The state that the world eventually comes to was scary, yet it was absolutely believable. I'm not sure I would have the guys to do what...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Steph Su marked it as did-not-finish

Shelves: debs11, dystopian

There was just not "enough" of everything. Not enough chemistry between Neva and the boy she likes. Not enough danger or suspense to justify the amount of surveillance that the book claims there is in this world. Not enough worldbuilding. I won't be finishing this one because I just don't care enough for Neva and the story for it to matter if I know how it ends or not.

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Jul 23, 2011 ABookVacation rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars

This novel has a very interesting concept, but overall, I think it’s very similar to many dystopian novels that came before it. While I did like the novel on the whole, at times I felt that originality and characterization was a bit lacking, leaving something to be desired as I read. Neva and Sanna are both tired of the unexplained disappearances and Government sanctions, yet these characters are underdeveloped in a way that stops me from making meaningful connections with them. While I...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Denver rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wide-reading-logs

The cover of this book convinced me to at least read the blurb at the back. The blurb, although short was what really made me want to read this book. It read "Every act of defiance adds up. Maybe this one snowflake can start an avalanche." I had just finished re-reading the series 'The Hunger Games' (amazing!) and the similar themes of rebellion was what inspired me to read this book. I was also sick at home the day after i issued the book so i decided to read it for a bit, but once i started re...more The cover of this book convinced me to at least read the blurb at the back. The blurb, although short was what really made me want to read this book. It read "Every act of defiance adds up. Maybe this one snowflake can start an avalanche." I had just finished re-reading the series 'The Hunger Games' (amazing!) and the similar themes of rebellion was what inspired me to read this book. I was also sick at home the day after i issued the book so i decided to read it for a bit, but once i started reading, i couldn't put the book down. 'Dark Parties' and 'The Hunger Games' turned out to be surprisingly similar in terms of their plots- corrupt government, the danger of rebellion, totalitarianism and a rebellious female protagonist. Even the side plot of very complicated love reminded me of the hunger games!

This dystopian novel fits the category 'a science fiction or fantasy book.' Dark Parties is more of a science fiction novel, set in the near future where society is encased in a globe-shaped force field, which supposedly protects society from dangers that exist outside. Recent college graduate, Neva Adams has never trusted the government thanks to her grandma, who was one of the first to go missing without a trace, 10 years ago. After a series of run-ins with the police over her "unpatriotic behavior" and a fallout with her bestie, Neva finds that there may be a way out of the globe and her grandma may still be alive outside. But with her best friend now missing and her chance at escape shrinking, Neva encounters life-changing decisions and unforeseen consequences. This book was very interesting because it mentioned many ways in which the government mislead society, covering up stories and people who contradicted their own versions of the past, present and future. This made me think about how honest and reliable our own leaders and government are, at telling us the whole truth about what goes on in the world.

My favourite quote from this novel is "I am erased. Thats what it feels like. I am nothing but a thought of nothing. I have no edges or shape. I am the darkness." I love this quote because it gives such a vivid image of how she feels. The metaphor helps us imagine very clearly, how empty and small she feels, also linking back to the plot where the government have managed to 'erase' people, so it appears they never existed. This link to the plot is what makes me believe i really know how she feels.

Something i learnt from this novel is that when you really want to achieve something, you need to persist. No matter what anyone tells you is wrong, or is impossible, you can achieve through persistence. Neva showed me this, through her bravery under seemingly impossible situations and refusal to give in under terrible odds.

This futuristic setting of about 50 years from now inside this field is very interesting to me, because as society progresses in this setting, they are slowly become very alike- e.g. everybody has brown eyes and fair skin, and as a result of this, it has become difficult to have babies. This provides the basis of the plot for this novel -society is slowly dying and the government refuses to admit it. The setting of the story is what i find most interesting about this novel. 4/5 stars :)

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Oct 22, 2011 Kristel rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, female-protagonist, dystopia, missing, underground-rebellion, fiction, 15-year-olds-and-up

Neva is a 16 year old girl who lives in the sheltered place under the Protectosphere; the only world she has ever known. Her father works for the government, who tell its citizens the land outside the sphere is poisonous and no one can survive it. Yet, as Neva well knows, people go missing all the time and no one mentions their name ever again. But Neva writes the names of the missing in her journal. As Neva comes of age and finished high school, she is expected to take a government job, marry a...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, young-adult-fiction, friendship, future, rebellion, teen-sleuths, teenage-pregnancy, teenagers, families, government, oppression, science-fiction, lies, received-review-copy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Neva and her friends are prisoners of Homeland. Their ancestors chose to construct an electrified shield to protect themselves from the rest of the world. Over time and generations, the people inside of the Protectosphere have grown more inbred, weaker, and fearful. Also, things within the Protectosphere are breaking down – some things can’t be replaced or repaired. Neva wants to escape and find out what is happening outside of their bubble. But the government doesn’t want that. It wants its cit...more Neva and her friends are prisoners of Homeland. Their ancestors chose to construct an electrified shield to protect themselves from the rest of the world. Over time and generations, the people inside of the Protectosphere have grown more inbred, weaker, and fearful. Also, things within the Protectosphere are breaking down – some things can’t be replaced or repaired. Neva wants to escape and find out what is happening outside of their bubble. But the government doesn’t want that. It wants its citizens to remain and to reproduce and live under its directives and restrictions. Neva’s father is heavily invested in the Protectosphere, and when Neva and her best friend Sanna attempt to start a rebellion, he is extremely upset. Neva is put to work where her father can keep an eye on her and Sanna is taken away to the Women’s Empowerment Center (where rebellious young women are drugged and impregnated – for the good of Homeland). Neva and Sanna’s boyfriend, Braydon, mastermind a daring rescue, but when the girls learn that Braydon is working for the government, they break with him. Sanna is pregnant and decides to stay in Homeland (where she can work for the cause from within – the government will not harm a pregnant woman), but Neva must attempt to escape to meet her grandmother on the outside .

This dystopian novel takes place in a possible future, where a country has chosen to close off its borders to protect its people, culture and ideas from integration with others and possible dissolution. Reminiscent of 1984, the guardians of Homeland try to safeguard their citizenry by keeping them in a state of dependence, ignorance, and fear. They rewrite the histories, they destroy or keep secret any information about what’s happening outside of the Protectosphere, and they stamp out any dissension by sending citizens to work camps and other centers (like the Women’s Empowerment Center) where they can be brainwashed or controlled. Neva first takes an interest in the outside after her grandmother goes missing and she discovers that no one will talk about it. The love triangle between Neva, Braydon and Sanna adds additional interest. Compelling and suspenseful. Find out what happens on the outside in the next volume!(less)

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Oct 16, 2011 Harmony Beaufort rated it 1 of 5 stars

Oh, the conflict that is going to be this review.

Dark Parties is a dystopian about a girl named Neva who's society is trapped about something called the Protosphere, which forbids anyone from getting in or out while the goverment controls every aspect of your life. Population is dwindling, people are going missing, and rebellion is sparking all over the city. And in the center of this is Neva who just wants to find out what's going on and get the hell out of there.

Sara Grant writes with suspense...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Lillian rated it 1 of 5 stars

I didn't finish this book. I got about five or six chapters in and still didn't get it. Whose idea was the dark party in the beginning? Why was it supposed to allow the characters to 'find themselves'? Why did they end up wandering around and smooching each other instead? Did it work? Why the heck was it supposed to work in the first place? I'm sure that if I had finished the book, all my questions would have been answered. And I'm just not a big fan of rebellious teens wandering around spray pa...more

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Aug 04, 2011 The Fictionators rated it 3 of 5 stars

Dark Parties follows the life of Neva Adams. Newly graduated and now sixteen years old, she’s considered an adult in the eyes of the government. They want her to procreate – generate more life for the good of the Protectosphere.

That's right -- they essentially live in a bubble, and according to the government, there's nothing beyond the walls they see each day.

But Neva and her friends are wholly against their plans, and don't believe the lies they're being told. They've decided it's time to reb...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Lydia Presley rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, dystopian, young-adult, fiction, 2011-debut

Review originally posted here

With Dark Parties, Sara Grant jumps on the dystopia train and offers her version of a future that might be. Neva lives in a dome, a place where people are disappearing, where the calendar has been reset to 01/01/01 and where life’s luxuries, things we take for granted today, are disintegrating quickly.

Honestly, the book was okay. But just that – okay. I kind of felt as if Sara Grant took a stock “this is the outline for dystopia” booklet and filled in the blanks with...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Sara Oestreich rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit

What’s sad is that I really did want this story to work. I liked the plot, I liked the foundation of this dystopian world, the characters could have had potential. But I didn’t understand the plot because the author was very weak in her world building. Yes, logically I knew that these people were in a bubble of sorts, closed off from the rest of the world, because a past generation had wanted to maintain a culture rather than lose a heritage to mass globalization. But I figured this out way past...more What’s sad is that I really did want this story to work. I liked the plot, I liked the foundation of this dystopian world, the characters could have had potential. But I didn’t understand the plot because the author was very weak in her world building. Yes, logically I knew that these people were in a bubble of sorts, closed off from the rest of the world, because a past generation had wanted to maintain a culture rather than lose a heritage to mass globalization. But I figured this out way past the time I needed to, to feel the motivations of the characters.

But it sounded interesting right? I haven’t seen this reasoning before. Very cool that the segregation of this nation happened out of a mass science experiment rather than a massive war or famine. So it’s just too bad that Grant never made me understand what it felt like to be in this world. I feel like this story started in the middle of something…and I’m walking around a little confused. Neva looking for what she lost with Ethan, The quick attraction to Braydon…I feel like I wanted to walk in on this group about 3 months before I did. Like I missed a whole chapter of the book. I think that the revolutionary aspect would have felt more like a group rebellion if we had seen them pre-dark party. Post-dark party it really begins to be just Neva working alone. Thus, less of a revolution and more of a single person against the government.

So while I liked Grant’s plot points, I felt like I was arriving at them either blind or very rushed. The story quickly built momentum but it was too fast for me to understand where everything was coming from. This appears to be a stand-alone. The ending is one of those “open to interpretation” types. Suitably vague for a world as hazily explained.

I don’t know that I hated this book. I finished it and I wanted to see what happened to Neva. But if you’ve got a long list of Dystopian TBR (Delirium, The Maze Runner, The Hunger Games) read another first. This one really isn’t worth it.

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Jul 30, 2011 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, dystopia, science-fiction

I'm very torn with this book. My real rating is a 3.5 (not a 3): the plot line was great and I loved the idea of the "protectosphere" and all of the secrets that flourished in it. I think, overall, Sara Grant had a good idea, and ran with it, but didn't go back and add all the things that would have made it great.

There were several things that I didn't like, which drew me away from the enjoyment of the story:

(1) I did not like 2 out of four of the main characters (and I only really did like on...more I'm very torn with this book. My real rating is a 3.5 (not a 3): the plot line was great and I loved the idea of the "protectosphere" and all of the secrets that flourished in it. I think, overall, Sara Grant had a good idea, and ran with it, but didn't go back and add all the things that would have made it great.

There were several things that I didn't like, which drew me away from the enjoyment of the story:

(1) I did not like 2 out of four of the main characters (and I only really did like one of them, the other one was iffy). The main character, Neva, drove me insane with her selfish and simply poor decisions and attitude. Her personality was a little all over the place and I felt like she was difficult to connect to. I also wasn't a huge fan of Sanna, mostly because she had little depth and was also very wavering with her personality and was more like a shell of a person than a real person (and she did this really annoying "a-maz-ing" thing all the time). Ethan I was impartial to, but I did like the character of Braydon, who seeemd to have a lot more depth lurking behind him (although I didn't really like him until the end).

(2) I felt like some of the actions of the main characters were simply there to forward the plot; some of them came out of nowhere and it felt like there was very little flow and it was more a bunch of chopped actions strung together to get from point A to point B.

(3) As I said, I did really love the world and the plot line. I felt that, however, this was all burred underneath a lot of pointless drama between the two female characters. I think that the author could have gone much deeper with the description of the world, and not spend so much time on the arguments that insecurities that constantly flooded the characters, because these arguments left both the world and the characters depth-less.

That being said, I did like the book, I just didn't love it. I wanted to escape into the story but I had trouble, until the end. I loved the last few chapters (despite some additional anger towards the main character's ignorance) and it did really make me want to know more. I'm not sure if there is a second book coming out, but if there is, I will probably read it!(less)

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Aug 04, 2011 Caren rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: galley

Dark Parties follows the life of Neva Adams. Newly graduated and now sixteen years old, she’s considered an adult in the eyes of the government. They want her to procreate – generate more life for the good of the Protectosphere.

That’s right — they essentially live in a bubble, and according to the government, there’s nothing beyond the walls they see each day.

But Neva and her friends are wholly against their plans, and don’t believe the lies they’re being told. They’ve decided it’s time to rebel...more

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Jul 31, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I did enjoy this book, it is another in what seems to be a growing list of dystopian novels that I'm reading lately. It had some of the same elements as several that I've read though. First it had what I would call a dome called a Protectosphere over this city, state, country, not sure from the book itself, and that made me think of the Goneseries by Michael Grant. Next there were issues with reproduction it seems, or not issues exactly, but the government was trying to control it, and that remi...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

For me, I flew through this book fast cause it was really easy to get into the book. At first when I started it, the reader is thrown in a world ruled by the government, forcing people to do what they want with threats. This book held a real significance for me cause I see one day the government control people like that. And that is scary.

The plot line of this book is fast paced. The reader is thrown in the story, right into Neva shoes. She is rebelling. I like how Neva see things for what they...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Missie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ya

In the future, I'm destined to be a drone. It's a sad truth I've come to realize (and accept) the more I read dystopian fiction about the government controlling populations. Go ahead and assign me a husband and monitor my calorie intake. Since I'm not doing so great managing those things on my own, I'm sure I'd appreciate the assistance.

With a premise reminiscent of other dystopian fiction I've read recently (Awakened, The Third, Matched), at first I believed Dark Parties wouldn't necessarily o...more In the future, I'm destined to be a drone. It's a sad truth I've come to realize (and accept) the more I read dystopian fiction about the government controlling populations. Go ahead and assign me a husband and monitor my calorie intake. Since I'm not doing so great managing those things on my own, I'm sure I'd appreciate the assistance.

With a premise reminiscent of other dystopian fiction I've read recently (Awakened, The Third, Matched), at first I believed Dark Parties wouldn't necessarily offer anything exciting to genre for me. So I was delighted to be proven wrong while reading about Neva's isolated world.

Neva and her best friend, Sanna, have lived under the dome of the Protectosphere all their lives. The government has told them that it is for their own good, but Neva still remembers stories her grandmother used to tell her about people who looked different and had more freedoms. Determined to find out if life outside the electric panels of the Protectosphere really is as dire as it's becoming inside, Neva begins a search for answers that just may force her to abandon the only existence she has ever known.

So just how did I find Dark Parties to be different from others in the herd? Well, I'm still asking myself that same question, but somehow the story managed to surprise me, especially because it focused on the fact that growth of the population in the Protectosphere was encouraged even as the resources were dwindling. But why? Who exactly runs this place and why to they believe in the reproduction efforts? Though these curiosities were never answered, it stunned me to discover just exactly how the government was forcing young girls to procreate.

While Neva's plight against the system held some intrigue, neither of the two-dimensional love interests in Dark Parties appealed to me. In fact, in a very Katniss-like fashion, Neva was determined not to have sex because she didn't want to bring a baby into the same kind of life of scares resources and commonness as the one she has lived thus far. This is not to say that Neva was immune to sexual desires, and that was another element of the story that surprised me. The sexual themes in Dark Parties seemed to want to intoxicate the reader as much as the government wanted to impregnate Neva, which was a bit disturbing, especially after you take into count that the story established early on that contraceptives were non-existent.

As a generalization, the only thing I haven't liked about dystopian fiction that goes the government control route is the message that it sends about equality. It's almost as if it wants to say our advocating for equal rights among race, religion, and sexual orientation will only prove to be disastrous. Look what happens when we get it. Everyone becomes so much the same that no one stands out. Now we are a society of inbreeds, incapable of seeing how our need for equality actually lead to the downfall of our ethnicity and uniqueness. Messages like this heat me up, but that is a rant for another day.

While it many have not added anything shockingly new to the genre, Dark Parties didn't feel like a regurgitated story. It was a fast, effortless read that had me hoping Neva would find the kind of future she'd been willing to fight for.

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Aug 01, 2011 Ashley - The Bookish Brunette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, dystopian

Neva and her friends are told there is nothing beyond the clear walls that make up the dome of what is known as the Protectosphere. That everything "outside" was destroyed, and the world in theory "began" when Protectosphere went up.

People are disappearing- friends, family, strangers... neighbors. Neva has kept a journal of every missing person she's noticed since the government took her Grandmother away when she was six. Now more and more people are disappearing everyday, and Neva and her frien...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Maggie Hargrave rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: futuristic, ya

I’m not as impressed by Dark Parties as I thought I would be. The story jumped right into the action, which is fine, but I was a bit confused on some of the character’s back stories. Sanna was an off and on rebel without any explanation and Ethan seemed to do a 180 after his arrest, which is understandable, but a bit unsatisfying at the simplicity of his character. It would have been nice to understand why Sanna and Neva had the dark party or made identity marks. Neva’s parents had secret depths...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Bethany Miller rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: royal-july

Neva has lived inside the Protectosphere her entire life. Most people believe that nothing exists outside of it, but Neva’s Grandma used to tell her stories of life before the Protectosphere. She believed that there was still something else out there, but Neva’s grandma, like so many others, mysteriously disappeared, and even Neva’s parents refuse to speak of her. The gene pool is limited, so each generation born within the Protectosphere looks more and more alike. Because of this, Neva and many...more Neva has lived inside the Protectosphere her entire life. Most people believe that nothing exists outside of it, but Neva’s Grandma used to tell her stories of life before the Protectosphere. She believed that there was still something else out there, but Neva’s grandma, like so many others, mysteriously disappeared, and even Neva’s parents refuse to speak of her. The gene pool is limited, so each generation born within the Protectosphere looks more and more alike. Because of this, Neva and many of her friends have given themselves identity marks. Neva’s is hidden under her clothes, a snowflake just above her hip; her best friend Sanna is more daring and has an S that goes across her cheek. As the book begins, Neva, Sanna and their friends are in the midst of throwing a dark party, a party given completely in the dark (as the name would suggest). Their stated purpose is to find their true identities without having their similar looks in plain view. Their other purpose is to try to incite others to rebel against the government. At some point during the party, Neva finds herself making out with a boy who is not her boyfriend Ethan. When they finally break apart and he walks away, she can tell by the tapping of his boots that it was Sanna’s boyfriend Braydon. She immediately feels guilty for what she’s done and how much she was affected by the kiss. Still, she is determined to work with both of them in order to rebel against the government, figure out what has happened to all of the people who have disappeared and discover what lies beyond the Protectoshpere.

While this book had an interesting premise, it failed to deliver the goods. Neva is not a very likable or compelling heroine. The two “make out” scenes in the beginning of the book - first with her own boyfriend and then with her best friend’s boyfriend - were off putting and make the reader question her integrity from the beginning. Though Neva barely knows Braydon, their stolen kiss in a dark room leaves them passionately in love. This is unrealistic and a bit of a cliché. Though there were some exciting moments throughout the book, the author fails to really build suspense or maintain tension in the plot. There are also some loose threads that don’t really get explained such as what Neva’s mother’s part is in the rebellion and what exactly the government did to Ethan that made him so dead in the eyes. The dystopian society is not very well developed; the government is clearly evil but their motivations are not entirely clear. Overall, this is a weak addition to the teen dystopian genre. Recommended as an optional purchase only where this genre is very popular.
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Aug 04, 2011 MaryBookSwarm rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-debut-author, arc, young-adult, little-brown

Positive: The worldbuilding. Neva and her people live in the Homeland, a gigantic dome built over a large tract of land (I pictured Rhode Island-sized dome, considering how much driving they do, but it could be smaller or bigger.). Built to keep out undesirables, disease and to protect the people from war, the dome now serves more as a prison, since no one gets out. Because these people have lived within the dome so long, there's interbreeding to the point that everyone pretty much looks the sam...more Positive: The worldbuilding. Neva and her people live in the Homeland, a gigantic dome built over a large tract of land (I pictured Rhode Island-sized dome, considering how much driving they do, but it could be smaller or bigger.). Built to keep out undesirables, disease and to protect the people from war, the dome now serves more as a prison, since no one gets out. Because these people have lived within the dome so long, there's interbreeding to the point that everyone pretty much looks the same (the teens give themselves "marks" to stand out a bit -- Neva's mark is a snowflake) and everything gets recycled until it can't be used anymore.

Positive: The rebellion. I liked how the rebellion wasn't overt. At the "Dark Party" (a party that's literally in the dark), after the kissing part, the teens talk about rebellion and what they can do to change things in the Homeland (their domed country). There's a silent protest in the town square, they pass out flyers--all pretty simple and rather typical types of "rebellion". It escalates eventually but it starts out simple.

Positive: The government. Ooh, the Big Bad! They keep the people down, oppress them, don't allow them to be individuals, and all the things a dictatorship does so well. Except the government is really trying to do its best for the citizens of Homeland. Of course, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

Wish: That I'd connected with the secondary characters a bit more. Sanna, Neva's BFF, was too much of a cardboard cutout and her catch phrase, "a-maz-ing", was used too often and more annoying than cute (I think it was supposed to be teen speak-y but it was a device that didn't work). Braydon, the boy in the story, just didn't make much sense to me. His motivations seemed contrived, and his actions had me wanting Neva to ditch him as soon as possible.

Wish: Yeah, there's another wish with this one. I wish it weren't set up for a sequel. At 320 pages, it's a good-sized YA but I think it would have made an excellent stand-alone, maybe as a two-parter. This way, there could have been more depth to the story and all the loose ends tied up.

Overall: A good story with an interesting premise, DARK PARTIES is a nice addition to my dystopian shelf.(less)

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Jul 21, 2011 Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: other-ya-fantasy, 2011, not-so-good, dystopian

Dark Parties by Sara Grant has a very intriguing synopsis – Neva lives in a city ruled by the Protectosphere. The government keeps everyone isolated and under their control. Neva and her friend Sanna are determined to prove that the government is lying to them – but they have no idea what they are getting themselves into.

Okay guys. I am a huge dystopian fan. I love exploring all the futuristic worlds and rebellious characters that authors create. Unfortunately, this book fails to deliver on many...more Dark Parties by Sara Grant has a very intriguing synopsis – Neva lives in a city ruled by the Protectosphere. The government keeps everyone isolated and under their control. Neva and her friend Sanna are determined to prove that the government is lying to them – but they have no idea what they are getting themselves into.

Okay guys. I am a huge dystopian fan. I love exploring all the futuristic worlds and rebellious characters that authors create. Unfortunately, this book fails to deliver on many levels…both the characters and plot left many things to be desired.

The Protectosphere sets up a very interesting foundation – reading about characters determined not to be controlled by their governments almost always makes for a fast-paced and exciting read. However – Neva did not make a worthy heroine. While I by no means believe that every MC has to be on the Katniss level of awesome…I do expect something. None of these characters had any consistency – one minute Neva was determined to be a rebel, the next she was terrified of being in trouble. She kept making big claims about what she hoped to accomplish – but she really never actually succeeded in being anything but timid. Sure…she played around on a forbidden computer and wandered down some prohibited hallways – but those actions do not an interesting book make. I was never able to find a consistent and believable character in her thoughts and actions.

I think the book’s goal was to be a character-driven story because there wasn’t really a cohesive plot that I could discover. Unfortunately, that basically fell flat. I followed Neva as she waffled between wanting to do something worthwhile and being too afraid to do so…and also as she fought a strong attraction to her best friend’s boyfriend. That part of the plot was awful – Neva kept saying to herself that she couldn’t betray her friend Sanna, but every time she saw Sanna’s boyfriend she was all over him! Thus, the lack of respect I had for her due to her half-hearted rebellion attempts extended to her personal life.

Ultimately, both the lack of believable characters and an organized plot line left me feeling extremely disappointed. So, while I absolutely love the genre – this is not a book I enjoyed or would recommend reading.(less)

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Aug 15, 2011 Selina rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book but when I was going to write the review I had a hard time remembering what it was about again... Ouch! As much as I love dystopia, I think a lot of the current YA books have similar topics which makes it harder to distinguish them and looking back at this one it did not stand out to me.

The book started of strong with a so-called dark party and a secret kiss, so it wasn't hard to get into the story. Although the dystopian society had some nice details (such as teenag...more

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Jul 08, 2011 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

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Jul 28, 2011 Eleni ( La Femme Readers ) rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Rating: 4.5

The characters in Dark Parties live in a society where it's safeguarded by the Protectosphere, a secluded bubble run by the overzealous government. Rebellion is frowned upon, while orderly conduct and a plain way of living is enforced. I'm sure most of you have heard the saying, "Big brother is watching you." In this case, it's very much true, the quiet revolt is slowly sweeping across the people. However, if careful precautions aren't taken, the vigilant government will easily mak...more My Rating: 4.5

The characters in Dark Parties live in a society where it's safeguarded by the Protectosphere, a secluded bubble run by the overzealous government. Rebellion is frowned upon, while orderly conduct and a plain way of living is enforced. I'm sure most of you have heard the saying, "Big brother is watching you." In this case, it's very much true, the quiet revolt is slowly sweeping across the people. However, if careful precautions aren't taken, the vigilant government will easily make individuals disappear. Creepy right? One day you are attending secret meetings, the next you are gone without a trace.

In the beginning, Sara introduces the reader to a party where faces are hidden in the dark, causing the novel to create a sinister atmosphere. At first, I was a bit confused on what exactly was happening, however it didn't falter my curiosity. Also, in the mix of things the protagonist, Neva, is surprised when someone makes out with her. When the lights go on, her best friend's boyfriend is looking at her and smiling. Oh the drama! Let me just say, the kissing scenes throughout Dark Parties were pretty steamy, Sara sure knows how to start with a bang! If you decide to read the book and find the first chapter a little awkward, I promise it gets better once you pass it.

Moving on, Neva's confidence and determination helped me connect with her on a deeper level. The thought behind the "missing" being out there, gave her the fuel she needed to find out secrets no one expected. In addition, the blossoming relationship between Neva and Sanna's boyfriend captivated me until the end. Yes, it was wrong in so many ways, but the undeniable chemistry was there all along. All in all, I really enjoyed the amusement value of the storyline. After reading so many dystopian books this year, I can say that this one had elements that I usually look for. It kept me interested from start to finish with heart pumping chapters and likable characters. From the way it left off, I have a feeling a sequel is in the works. I'm excited to see what ride Sara takes me on next!
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Aug 16, 2011 Ashley - The Bookish Brunette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-release

Neva and her friends are told there is nothing beyond the clear walls that make up the dome of what is known as the Protectosphere. That everything "outside" was destroyed, and the world in theory "began" when Protectosphere went up.

People are disappearing- friends, family, strangers... neighbors. Neva has kept a journal of every missing person she's noticed since the government took her Grandmother away when she was six. Now more and more people are disappearing everyday, and Neva and her frien...more

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