Review: PARADOX by A.J. Paquette

Leave it to A.J. Paquette to take the dystopian novel and turn it on its head.  In PARADOX, Ana has recently woken on a strange, barren planet, with little other than her name (which she only remembers because of a tag pinned to her suit).  Her mission?  To survive.

Random House Books for Young Readers, June 2013.

Ana’s memories are gone, and as she begins her trek toward she’s not sure what, she’s sure she’s alone.  But it’s not long before she realizes she’s, in fact, not the only living creature here.  There’s a giant, worm-like creature, seemingly in pursuit of her, and as her fear heightens, so does her determination to make it out alive. But the worm isn’t the only other life here.  There’s a boy, dressed in the same suit as her, presumably from the same ship as her, who says he knows the way to the colony, where there are other people and supplies.  Ana knows they should team up, but she has reservations.  When there are no memories to guide you, who can you trust?  And what is real?

PARADOX is a gripping novel of survival against the odds, and of the persistance of the human spirit.  This is a book that will keep you reading until the middle of the night, straining to keep your eyes open, hoping you can get in just one more chapter.  A new twist on dystopia?  A.J. Paquette totally nailed it.