Took me a long time (close to 2 mos) to read this. The first couple of sections didn't pull me in as much as the rest of the book, but then I loved th...moreTook me a long time (close to 2 mos) to read this. The first couple of sections didn't pull me in as much as the rest of the book, but then I loved those 2 stories at the end, so I'm not sure why they didn't work as well for me in the first parts. My favorites were the 2 futuristic stories. Those were pretty incredible, and one of them was 5 stars (the one before the middle story). I wish I had read the book before seeing the movie, since I couldn't get the look of the movie out of my head, but it's the movie that got me to read the book, so what can you do? Probably overall 4 1/2 stars.(less)
Science fiction based on PERSUASION by Jane Austen. I haven't read PERSUASION. Not a whole lot to say about this one, for me. I finished it. I liked i...moreScience fiction based on PERSUASION by Jane Austen. I haven't read PERSUASION. Not a whole lot to say about this one, for me. I finished it. I liked it, but it's not one that I'm really excited about, which is disappointing for me with SF. (less)
Just saw today that LITTLE BROTHER is going to have a sequel. Interesting! (Can't even remember now where I saw this, even though it was only a few ho...moreJust saw today that LITTLE BROTHER is going to have a sequel. Interesting! (Can't even remember now where I saw this, even though it was only a few hours ago...)(less)
Not bad, and it kept me reading, but for some reason I was hoping for slightly more. Dragged a little bit in the middle, and was slightly confusing ov...moreNot bad, and it kept me reading, but for some reason I was hoping for slightly more. Dragged a little bit in the middle, and was slightly confusing overall, but worth a read. I'd probably read the next one, too, if I run across it.(less)
A very violent, bloody, and water-logged vision of the future. It kept me reading, but kind of nauseously. I was expecting it to be more related to SH...moreA very violent, bloody, and water-logged vision of the future. It kept me reading, but kind of nauseously. I was expecting it to be more related to SHIP BREAKER, and didn't realize it was just set in the same world.(less)
I have no idea why I didn't add this when it came out, and I don't remember a ton about it, but I do remember liking it a lot (as I do most of the You...moreI have no idea why I didn't add this when it came out, and I don't remember a ton about it, but I do remember liking it a lot (as I do most of the Young Wizards books). As the title suggests, it's about a war on another planet, which is very much unlike a war on this planet. I had no idea until tonight that I missed a Young Wizards book in 2010, and that there's another one coming out in 2013. Yay!(less)
This had a very fast start, and kept up the pace most of the way. I enjoyed the characters, and didn't have any trouble distinguishing their voices, a...moreThis had a very fast start, and kept up the pace most of the way. I enjoyed the characters, and didn't have any trouble distinguishing their voices, as others have commented. I think this is probably my favorite 2011 dystopia, but I'm not exactly sure why. The title doesn't make any sense to me yet, but maybe it'll become more clear in the next book? 3 1/2 stars. Handing it off to my 13 y.o., to see what he thinks...(less)
I'm not good with books without likeable characters, so I guess I have to give this book props for being a quick read for me, since I found it to be c...moreI'm not good with books without likeable characters, so I guess I have to give this book props for being a quick read for me, since I found it to be completely devoid of a character to like. If anybody else who's read it liked any of the characters for any reason (other than bravery, I guess), please let me know why you liked him or her. The whole thing was more horrific than I prefer my SF to be. I keep getting excited about these dystopic space travel books, and then being disappointed in them. If you're looking for a quick read, and you don't mind some horror, this isn't bad, just not for me.(less)
I would have given the ending of this 4 stars, but it didn't get that good for me until the very end. Because of the ending, I'll probably read the ne...moreI would have given the ending of this 4 stars, but it didn't get that good for me until the very end. Because of the ending, I'll probably read the next one, but I hope it's not such a slow read for me. I wasn't really distracted by the writing style, but I found it to be unnecessary. I guess it helped to create the mood and setting, but it also caused there to be a distance for me that made me not sink in to the story until the very end. Possibly I just wasn't in the mood for so much violence, so that part of my non-enjoyment may just have been my own mood. I also didn't find Saba to be particularly likeable until the end, and that might have helped me to get in to the story more, too. Who knows, but this one isn't going to be ending up on my favorites of the year list.(less)
While reading: OK, I take it back. I must not be done with dystopias after all. I inhaled the first 50 or so pages of this last night. It's very Handm...moreWhile reading: OK, I take it back. I must not be done with dystopias after all. I inhaled the first 50 or so pages of this last night. It's very Handmaid's Tale, but so far on a smaller scale. The descriptions are stellar.
After finishing: This is more like 3 1/2 stars, but I'm feeling generous. I really like Rhine, and I can easily see her place of captivity in my mind. I wasn't crazy about the ending, but I'm not a huge fan of ambiguous endings. I'm interested to see what happens next, and that cover is just gorgeous!(less)
Far and away the best dystopia that I've read this year, and so far my favorite 2011 book of the year (I said this shortly after I read it--I actually...moreFar and away the best dystopia that I've read this year, and so far my favorite 2011 book of the year (I said this shortly after I read it--I actually like Wither better now). I don't know how long it'll stay at the top of my list, but this title's fast-paced excitement made me not want to put down. It reminded me of lots of other great dystopias (Giver, City of Ember, Hunger Games, as well as William Nicholson's "Wind on Fire" trilogy), but while it's not quite up there in terms of quality of writing, it definitely puts its own spin on Chicago's future. The 5 factions also reminded me in a way of the 4 Hogwarts houses of HP (another reviewer said high school cliques, but that's not quite right), but they were a unique take on a future gone awry. God was mentioned a couple of times, and I'm curious to see if that goes anywhere, especially as the author thanked God first in her acknowledgments. I enjoyed Abnegation's (one of the factions) take on guilt; that it's a chance to do better next time. I'm sure I'll be reading the 2nd installment of this series (trilogy?). 3 1/2 stars. I may end up rounding it up at some point, but I'm not sure yet.
I'm surprised that a couple months later, I'm rounding it DOWN instead (it started at 4 1/2 stars)! It was definitely fast-paced, but it hasn't stuck with me at all. It's now off of my list of twelve 2011favorites.(less)
If I was going to rate this on the writing it would be 3 1/2 stars to 4 stars, but since I rate on how much I enjoyed something, I can't give it more...moreIf I was going to rate this on the writing it would be 3 1/2 stars to 4 stars, but since I rate on how much I enjoyed something, I can't give it more than 3 stars. I was sucked in to the story, and had a hard time putting it down (and I cared about the main characters), but I think I'm just tired of dystopias right now (and nothing can live up to the HG trilogy, for me). This is obviously not the book's problem, but mine, and I'm sure that many, many teens would enjoy this. I'm not sure whether I'll be motivated to read the next book or not, but I'm sure that teens will be! Two days is awfully quickly for me to read a book this length. I wasn't expecting it to go all BRAVE NEW WORLD partway in to the book, and I found the "breeding" part of the society to be pretty bizarre. It made sense in the context of the ship's society, it was just weird. My almost-13-yr-old agreed that it was weird (and he also agrees that this is a quick read). I don't know of many YA space travel books, so that is one new thing about this dystopia, and being on a ship definitely added a lot to the atmosphere. The blending of mystery and dystopic space travel just wasn't exactly my cup of tea. This was a Capitol Choices nomination from January 2011, the first 14+ nomination for the 2012 list, and I can see myself voting for this on the ballots, unless there are some truly amazing new SF titles this year. This is the first book on my 2011favorites shelf, but it is the only 2011 book that I've finished so far this year. :) Three star books rarely remain on my favorites shelf by the end of the year, though, since I only allow myself 12 books...
Two last notes: I keep humming the Beatles song that it quoted at the beginning of this book. It SO does not fit the feel of the book for me that it's bugging me. If anybody has any thoughts about that, please let me know! The words seem fitting to me, but not the calm and almost syrup-y music. It's not one of my favorite Beatles songs, so maybe that's one of my problems. Also, I agree with other reviewers who think the cover is beautiful.(less)
I don't have a whole lot to say about this. I thought it was about 3 1/2 stars, and I'm rounding up to 4 since it's a fairly well done new SF title. T...moreI don't have a whole lot to say about this. I thought it was about 3 1/2 stars, and I'm rounding up to 4 since it's a fairly well done new SF title. There's always room for more of those, but I was expecting a little more than I got from this one. (less)
FINALLY finished this! It took me months and months to get through it, but I did end up enjoying the ending. By about page 250 or 300, I didn't want t...moreFINALLY finished this! It took me months and months to get through it, but I did end up enjoying the ending. By about page 250 or 300, I didn't want to put it down. I had a horribly hard time getting in to this, and I understand why some people really like it, but a lot of it just didn't work well for me, and I'm not sure why. I didn't become invested in the characters, plot, setting, or anything else until very, very late in the story. I'm not sure whether I'll want to read the next one or not. Jesse (my 13 y.o.) likes this much better than I do, and he also read the 2nd book, and is eagerly awaiting the movie.
Things I wrote before and during reading:
So, this looks like it came out in England in 2007, and it's just come out in US, and is being gobbled up by lots of readers right away. Looks good!
I'm having a little trouble getting in to this, and I've read the first couple of chapters twice.
And another couple of weeks later I'm about halfway through it. It picked up a little, and I've heard it has a good ending, so I'll finish it eventually, but it's been a lot of work for me. Been working on it for over a month now.(less)
Everything I read lately seems to strike me as about 3 1/2 stars, even books that keep me reading along. This one is certainly fast-paced and definite...moreEverything I read lately seems to strike me as about 3 1/2 stars, even books that keep me reading along. This one is certainly fast-paced and definitely unique. It's really interesting that this dystopic story of what happens in the future because of global warming came out right around the time all of that oil was pouring in to the Gulf. As I'm typing this review, I'm noticing that it's apparently the first in a series, which makes sense. Wins the Printz award Jan 2011. Whoo hoo!! I've actually read a Printz winner before it wins. :)(less)
Definitely had a good start, but I found it to be slightly uneven. Dystopic futuristic atmosphere was very good, and reminded me of Handmaid's Tale, p...moreDefinitely had a good start, but I found it to be slightly uneven. Dystopic futuristic atmosphere was very good, and reminded me of Handmaid's Tale, partly because of the reproductive aspects involved in the plot. World building good, characters interesting, plot was compelling and moved the reader along. I guess sometimes the coincidences didn't always work for me (like when the main character meets just the person who can help her in an alley--a man who she's never met before--right when she needs help), and sometimes the writing pulled me out of the story, especially near the end. Ending is one of those very ambigious ones that often annoys readers. I usually just choose to be hopeful, but I really would have liked to see what would happen next to Gaia and the baby, and also how things turned out for Leon. There's definitely room for a sequel here! I'd probably read something else of O'Brien's. 3 1/2 stars, and since I still don't have 12 books on my 2010favorites, this can sit there for awhile. Love the colored stringy lines on the cover!
12/8: I keep not wanting to take this off of my 2010favorites shelf, so I guess it's a true 4 stars. Not sure what about it is staying with me better than I thought it would. It is well done dystopian SF, so it may just be that.(less)
When I finished the book: This is not a real "fun" or "cheerful" read, but I think it's the perfect ending to the trilogy. I take it all back about Co...moreWhen I finished the book: This is not a real "fun" or "cheerful" read, but I think it's the perfect ending to the trilogy. I take it all back about Collins not being great at endings! Love the cover, too! Can't wait to read the whole trilogy again, with my younger son, when he's ready. Now that it's over, a tattoo is definitely in order, as a tribute to how much I love these books.
2011: My younger son and I read these together, all 3 fairly quickly. The ending of this one was a very tearful re-read. I could barely make it through one of the chapters because I was crying so much as I tried to read. I asked Leo if he wanted me to stop, and he preferred that I just keep trying to read while crying. :)
Here's what I wrote while I was waiting:
Can't wait!!!!! (Dec 2009) Just announced yesterday...
I could probably start my 2010favorites shelf now and put this on it, but I'll control myself. :)
I thought this was going to be my hardest to get ahold of JHunt title, but that turned out not to be true. It's fine, but definitely not my favorite o...moreI thought this was going to be my hardest to get ahold of JHunt title, but that turned out not to be true. It's fine, but definitely not my favorite of the year. These just aren't my favorite books, period. Compelling, with an interesting world, but it's a depressing story. The characters are only semi-likeable, as they try to negotiate their way through one atrocity after another. The ending was well done, with a humongous cliffhanger, so I may read the next one to see what happens.(less)
It's chillingly concievable that the US could have a civil war based on reproductive rights. The writing here isn't stellar in every way (there are so...moreIt's chillingly concievable that the US could have a civil war based on reproductive rights. The writing here isn't stellar in every way (there are some very pedestrain sentences, for example), but the ideas/themes are incredibly interesting, and the plot makes it page-turning. Since it's dystopic, I really appreciate that Shusterman figured out how to make the ending hopeful. It's right on the edge of too dark for me, and I thought toward the end that he'd pushed it over the line. This is somewhere between 3 1/2 & 4 stars for me, but the ending pushes it more toward 4.(less)
Excellent! Book #2 finished on my March 2009 Rehoboth vacation. Although it was slow to pull me in, the ending was WAY worth the somewhat slow beginni...moreExcellent! Book #2 finished on my March 2009 Rehoboth vacation. Although it was slow to pull me in, the ending was WAY worth the somewhat slow beginning, most likely for any Ender fan. Ties up loose ends and gives more detail of plot points from Ender's Game, the Speaker for the Dead books, and the Ender's Shadow books. Quite emotional by the end. 4 1/2 stars. (less)
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