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Stray #1
Stray
Lona Sixteen Always is not herself - quite literally. She lives her life virtually through the experiences of Julian, a boy who was chosen as a role model for the Pathers of Quadrant 1 - troubled children who have been 'rescued' by the government and put 'on-Path'. But one day Lona finds she can think for herself. And on top of that, the face of a familiar boy appears on her screen - Fenn, who she thought had moved on to a different stage of the Path last year. But he didn't. Fenn and other rebels like him have strayed from the Path, and now Lona must stray too. But life off-Path is strange and difficult, and Lona uncovers a secret that will threaten all their lives. Can there really be life after the Path?
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2013
15 people are currently reading
991 people want to read
About the author
Monica Hesse
10 books1,271 followersMonica Hesse is the national bestselling author of the true crime love story American Fire, and the historical mystery novel Girl in the Blue Coat, which has been translated into a dozen languages and won the 2017 Edgar award in the Young Adult category. She is a feature writer for the Washington Post, where she has been a winner of the Society for Feature Journalism's Narrative Storytelling award, and a finalist for a Livingston Award and a James Beard Award. Monica lives in Maryland. with her husband and a brainiac dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 28, 2016
To be perfectly honest I only read this book for the cover. Kristina brought it to my attention and I had to have it. Isn't it cool??
It was actually quite a neat little story. With pod people. Sweet, innocent little pod people. I just want to give them a hug!
Excpet for that one ginger with the twisted bloodlust. But let's face it. There's one of those in every crowd.
It was actually quite a neat little story. With pod people. Sweet, innocent little pod people. I just want to give them a hug!
Excpet for that one ginger with the twisted bloodlust. But let's face it. There's one of those in every crowd.
May 19, 2013
The most productive features writer at the Washington Post's Style section (and I should know!) somehow found time to also write this absorbing, sleek novel about a future where the answer to a surfeit of neglected/abused/abandoned children is to hook them up to a virtual-reality "perfect childhood" represented by one boy's life. Then some of them escape before their cut-off date. It's a great, suspenseful read, but also heartbreaking in parts.
June 5, 2013
The idea of Path is to provide a better life for children who would otherwise end up in foster care, by providing them with the ‘perfect’ childhood. In order to do this the Pathers have no previous memories, no identity that isn’t Path, even their names are a way of categorising the children. From that we can tell Lona was born December 15th and was designated to Sector 14 Quadrant 1, it does also make pronouncing some of the names tricky to pronounce, Ilyf and Czin for example. Even with the lack of background information I felt like I got to know Lona better than any other lead character in any book I’ve read for a while. Maybe because we’re there while Lona discovers herself . On the subject of characters, I loved Talia, a Path Staff member, and the outside Path perspective she gave to the book, she started off as a small character, but as things developed she became a key part in the plot.
In the one hour off-Path Lona becomes friends with Fenn, and when he leaves for Eighteens she really misses him, and starts to realise that she has an off-Path identity, and that Julian (the young boy who’s life they all live virtually) is not all there is in life. When Fenn comes back for her, the two of them Stray from path with a few other friends, and it leads to a series of complex developments and twists that left me wondering where and how the book would come to an end.
I found I could picture Path existing if technology was good enough, and I was intrigued by how outsiders reacted to Path, with pity and even envy. Monica Hesse did a fantastic job of thinking of even the smallest details, like how difficult dealing with the busy places and contact with people would be for the Pathers, and how outsiders are happy to donate money to Path, but wouldn’t take any of the children in themselves adding to the overall very realist and intriguing idea of Path . It was great to also see how the Path had treated Julian, with thousands of children growing up on his memories from 50 years ago, and people treating him like a minor celebrity.
Overall I found this to be a fantastic debut and I can’t wait for more of Monica’s work in the future, so you’d better keep writing Miss Hesse! The twists and shocks kept me up late at night finishing it, and I thoroughly recommend this book, as a different twist in the dystopian genre. And even though I think the book has finished in a perfect place, I almost want a sequel just to find out more about the lives of Fenn and Lona and the other Pathers before they had their memories wiped and their families left them behind.
In the one hour off-Path Lona becomes friends with Fenn, and when he leaves for Eighteens she really misses him, and starts to realise that she has an off-Path identity, and that Julian (the young boy who’s life they all live virtually) is not all there is in life. When Fenn comes back for her, the two of them Stray from path with a few other friends, and it leads to a series of complex developments and twists that left me wondering where and how the book would come to an end.
I found I could picture Path existing if technology was good enough, and I was intrigued by how outsiders reacted to Path, with pity and even envy. Monica Hesse did a fantastic job of thinking of even the smallest details, like how difficult dealing with the busy places and contact with people would be for the Pathers, and how outsiders are happy to donate money to Path, but wouldn’t take any of the children in themselves adding to the overall very realist and intriguing idea of Path . It was great to also see how the Path had treated Julian, with thousands of children growing up on his memories from 50 years ago, and people treating him like a minor celebrity.
Overall I found this to be a fantastic debut and I can’t wait for more of Monica’s work in the future, so you’d better keep writing Miss Hesse! The twists and shocks kept me up late at night finishing it, and I thoroughly recommend this book, as a different twist in the dystopian genre. And even though I think the book has finished in a perfect place, I almost want a sequel just to find out more about the lives of Fenn and Lona and the other Pathers before they had their memories wiped and their families left them behind.
March 28, 2014
First, this book is available through amazon uk. You should totally buy a copy to support this author, but if you are a friend, I will let your borrow my copy that I picked up while gallivanting around London and being v. posh.
A bit of a slow start, in fact I had to try three times, but I'm so glad I kept at it. The fact that this plot even happened in the author's head makes me jealous and I really appreciated her execution of a great idea.
Looking forward to the next one!
A bit of a slow start, in fact I had to try three times, but I'm so glad I kept at it. The fact that this plot even happened in the author's head makes me jealous and I really appreciated her execution of a great idea.
Looking forward to the next one!
June 16, 2017
The first third of this book was very enjoyable because it was intriguing. I had high hopes.
Then it started falling apart in confusing lurches. None of the characters felt real enough for me. There were too many of them, and the reader is shown only brief glimpses through a perspective so close it almost felt like first person PoV. Lona herself didn't feel real. Too normal and mature in comparison to the rest in some scenes, flat and artificial in others.
The romance part of the story disappointed me. Lona's relationship with Finn felt forced, because I just couldn't see Finn as an actual person - there was so little of him in the book.
The ending was the worst. It wasn't a cliffhanger, but the story ended abruptly without providing any resolutions. It might have been left for the second part, but I have no desire to read it now, not after the crumpled series of coincidences and miracles this book ended in, conveniently eliminating all of the characters who stood in Lona's way without her direct involvement.
Good idea though, and the writing style was nice.
Then it started falling apart in confusing lurches. None of the characters felt real enough for me. There were too many of them, and the reader is shown only brief glimpses through a perspective so close it almost felt like first person PoV. Lona herself didn't feel real. Too normal and mature in comparison to the rest in some scenes, flat and artificial in others.
The romance part of the story disappointed me. Lona's relationship with Finn felt forced, because I just couldn't see Finn as an actual person - there was so little of him in the book.
The ending was the worst. It wasn't a cliffhanger, but the story ended abruptly without providing any resolutions. It might have been left for the second part, but I have no desire to read it now, not after the crumpled series of coincidences and miracles this book ended in, conveniently eliminating all of the characters who stood in Lona's way without her direct involvement.
Good idea though, and the writing style was nice.
February 4, 2024
A fun reread :)
September 13, 2016
REVIEW BY JACK - YEAR 11
Stray is set in a world where orphans and abused children spend their childhoods on the government-run Path, a virtual reality experience of the ‘ideal’ childhood. This concept of using futuristic technology to solve society’s ills cheaply is both fantastic and increasingly relevant. The path follows the life of Julian, and pathers are monitored by a bureaucratic system of monitors, coping technicians (touchers) and managers.
Sixteen-year-old Lona, the main character, is a normal pather until she goes “off path” for a record ten minutes. As a result, she is sent to be remmersed, to have her memory wiped. On the way she is rescued by her old friend Fenn, who reveals that the path may not be what it seems. Although Lona’s gradual realisation that she cannot trust the path is predictable, the many twists along the way liven it up. The world of the path is fascinatingly in-depth but it does feel slightly under used.
All the characters seem to have good ideas behind them, but they are quite hard to follow as the cast expands continually throughout the book. By the end, this left me quite confused. Also, the plot seems to have a lot of loose strands left at the end of the novel; though perhaps, as there is a sequel, that is deliberate.
I loved Talia as a character, as she was introduced at the beginning but still had an important role to play at the end. As a monitor on the path, she inhabits a slightly different world to Lona’s pathers, separated by an intangible barrier. She also had a more thorough backstory, (understandably) than the other, orphaned, characters. The best part of the tale for me was the beginning, where the story is clear and the brilliant world of the path is emerging.
On the whole, the setting of Stray is great, but some of the characters do not seem to use it to its full potential.
Stray is set in a world where orphans and abused children spend their childhoods on the government-run Path, a virtual reality experience of the ‘ideal’ childhood. This concept of using futuristic technology to solve society’s ills cheaply is both fantastic and increasingly relevant. The path follows the life of Julian, and pathers are monitored by a bureaucratic system of monitors, coping technicians (touchers) and managers.
Sixteen-year-old Lona, the main character, is a normal pather until she goes “off path” for a record ten minutes. As a result, she is sent to be remmersed, to have her memory wiped. On the way she is rescued by her old friend Fenn, who reveals that the path may not be what it seems. Although Lona’s gradual realisation that she cannot trust the path is predictable, the many twists along the way liven it up. The world of the path is fascinatingly in-depth but it does feel slightly under used.
All the characters seem to have good ideas behind them, but they are quite hard to follow as the cast expands continually throughout the book. By the end, this left me quite confused. Also, the plot seems to have a lot of loose strands left at the end of the novel; though perhaps, as there is a sequel, that is deliberate.
I loved Talia as a character, as she was introduced at the beginning but still had an important role to play at the end. As a monitor on the path, she inhabits a slightly different world to Lona’s pathers, separated by an intangible barrier. She also had a more thorough backstory, (understandably) than the other, orphaned, characters. The best part of the tale for me was the beginning, where the story is clear and the brilliant world of the path is emerging.
On the whole, the setting of Stray is great, but some of the characters do not seem to use it to its full potential.
May 13, 2013
Stray definitely didn’t turn into the book I expected, despite the storyline it’s so much more character driven then action based. It sounds strange but reading Stray was incredibly relaxing. I got to know Lona on a much deeper level than most characters in this genre.
What I will say is that I did not get Fenn at all. Lona and Genevieve are fascinating, intelligent and brave – some of my favourite female characters in ages – and it’s all about Fenn? I could not see it at all but in the end I didn’t have to like him to love Lona’s story.
Stray is an intriguing story, it twists and turns and you’re never quite sure how it’ll come together in the end. I really enjoyed how Monica Hesse built on things, Talia for example and what became of Julian.
Monica Hesse’s debut is complex, intelligent and very well done. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for future releases.
What I will say is that I did not get Fenn at all. Lona and Genevieve are fascinating, intelligent and brave – some of my favourite female characters in ages – and it’s all about Fenn? I could not see it at all but in the end I didn’t have to like him to love Lona’s story.
Stray is an intriguing story, it twists and turns and you’re never quite sure how it’ll come together in the end. I really enjoyed how Monica Hesse built on things, Talia for example and what became of Julian.
Monica Hesse’s debut is complex, intelligent and very well done. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for future releases.
December 29, 2014
Great cover, and for once reading a book for the cover didn't lead to disappointment!
June 12, 2016
this was the first book I ever borrowed from my school library in year 7 woah
November 9, 2024
Saw this book during the Big Bad Wolf book fair and I immediately purchased it because of it's interesting premise and cute cover.
At 30, I didn't think I'd still enjoy YA-Dystopia novels but this book proved me wrong. It's like I'm 16 again, reading YA-dystopia novels and reblogging on tumblr. It felt nice!!!
This book was off to a slow start. The first half didn't really catch my attention hence, made it hard to like the characters. Good thing though that the plot eventually got good and exciting.
It was an interesting concept, giving abandoned kids a different kind of childhood through virtual reality. I had a lot of questions in my mind on how some things worked in this world but eventually decided to let these questions go and accept that it's a fictional book. Not everything has to be perfect.
Anyway, I'd say it was ahead of it's time because knowing that it was published around 2014 (?), this kind of reality isn't so far from what's happening now especially with how fast AI grew and has been integrated in our everyday lives. Who knows, maybe in another 10 years time something similar to this might happen. It sounds scary but you never know.
The ending was a cliffhanger so now I'm thinking about reading the second book!
At 30, I didn't think I'd still enjoy YA-Dystopia novels but this book proved me wrong. It's like I'm 16 again, reading YA-dystopia novels and reblogging on tumblr. It felt nice!!!
This book was off to a slow start. The first half didn't really catch my attention hence, made it hard to like the characters. Good thing though that the plot eventually got good and exciting.
It was an interesting concept, giving abandoned kids a different kind of childhood through virtual reality. I had a lot of questions in my mind on how some things worked in this world but eventually decided to let these questions go and accept that it's a fictional book. Not everything has to be perfect.
Anyway, I'd say it was ahead of it's time because knowing that it was published around 2014 (?), this kind of reality isn't so far from what's happening now especially with how fast AI grew and has been integrated in our everyday lives. Who knows, maybe in another 10 years time something similar to this might happen. It sounds scary but you never know.
The ending was a cliffhanger so now I'm thinking about reading the second book!
October 8, 2024
A clever idea, well executed. Characters didn't always grab me as much as they might, hence a 4 not a 5.
July 20, 2013
See my Full review here with links:
http://adventuresofateenagebookworm.b...
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Stray is Monica Hesse's debut novel, which was released in June 2013. Thanks to Easons for sending me this book for a review.
I did not know what to expect going into this book. I had not heard any hype or read any other reviews before I read it and that made me even more excited to read it and write my review. I also really dislike the cover. I don't picture the characters clothes in that way, neither do I picture the pods in that way. When I first read the synopsis, I thought that the books romance would be rushed because of the action side of the plot taking over the novel. This was not the case.
The plot if this book was interesting. When I first started reading it I found myself thinking it was similar to Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans, but as I read on I realised that it was so much better. Although the first 80 or so pages did not have me gripped to the book, I did enjoy the book. The plot of this book was not totally drowned by the action. I really liked this as the plot had many elements, such as mystery, suspense, thriller, romance, sci-fi, and was not just solely wrote around the action side of the plot. I thought the plot was a really interesting concept. I also thought that the pacing of the plot was really good. Just the right amount of plot twists paced evenly apart to keep the reader captivated. I only wish some more of the history of the program and Julian were explained.
The characters of the book were well written. I really enjoyed the gang of Fenns friends. I loved their tight knit friendship and how they accepted Lona into their group. I liked that the characters were not perfect. Each character had their own flaw and this made the character feel a lot more realistic to the reader. I also liked the character of Genvieve, who for me had the most depth and backstory. At first she seemed to be a character I disliked but she really grew on my as the novel progressed. Julian was also a character of many layers, an enigma really. The stray children were also amazingly unique .
The romance side of the book was quite well done. There were some bits I was unhappy with overall I did enjoy the way the relationship between Lona and Fenn came about. Their relationship spawned from friendship, which is something I really enjoy in a novel. The transition from friends to "more-than-friends" was subtle, slow and real. It was really well written, although I sometimes felt it became the focus of the novel a little too often for my liking.
The writing style of the novel was really good. I loved Hesse's ability to create dimensional characters, each with their own flaws and unique traits .I also really thought that the book made the reader think about some serious things such as, What is the definition of "Perfect" or "Normal" or "Average" ? Why do we strive to be those things? Is this the way the future could go? Do we learn from doing or being taught ? And other things similar to this. This book was really good if you're looking for a book that'll make you think.
The world and plot of the book was initially something I thought would be similar to another book, but Hesse took the idea and made it her own. She really did take the idea and bring it to another level. The sci-fi element of the book was also just enough to make me want to geek out! She also dealt with two, and sometimes three, character narrations in the story really well. The transitions from each characters POV was smooth and easy. Although this book did not receive a 5 star rating from me, I hope this is the first book in a series as I am so excited to see what happens next.
http://adventuresofateenagebookworm.b...
--------
Stray is Monica Hesse's debut novel, which was released in June 2013. Thanks to Easons for sending me this book for a review.
I did not know what to expect going into this book. I had not heard any hype or read any other reviews before I read it and that made me even more excited to read it and write my review. I also really dislike the cover. I don't picture the characters clothes in that way, neither do I picture the pods in that way. When I first read the synopsis, I thought that the books romance would be rushed because of the action side of the plot taking over the novel. This was not the case.
The plot if this book was interesting. When I first started reading it I found myself thinking it was similar to Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans, but as I read on I realised that it was so much better. Although the first 80 or so pages did not have me gripped to the book, I did enjoy the book. The plot of this book was not totally drowned by the action. I really liked this as the plot had many elements, such as mystery, suspense, thriller, romance, sci-fi, and was not just solely wrote around the action side of the plot. I thought the plot was a really interesting concept. I also thought that the pacing of the plot was really good. Just the right amount of plot twists paced evenly apart to keep the reader captivated. I only wish some more of the history of the program and Julian were explained.
The characters of the book were well written. I really enjoyed the gang of Fenns friends. I loved their tight knit friendship and how they accepted Lona into their group. I liked that the characters were not perfect. Each character had their own flaw and this made the character feel a lot more realistic to the reader. I also liked the character of Genvieve, who for me had the most depth and backstory. At first she seemed to be a character I disliked but she really grew on my as the novel progressed. Julian was also a character of many layers, an enigma really. The stray children were also amazingly unique .
The romance side of the book was quite well done. There were some bits I was unhappy with overall I did enjoy the way the relationship between Lona and Fenn came about. Their relationship spawned from friendship, which is something I really enjoy in a novel. The transition from friends to "more-than-friends" was subtle, slow and real. It was really well written, although I sometimes felt it became the focus of the novel a little too often for my liking.
The writing style of the novel was really good. I loved Hesse's ability to create dimensional characters, each with their own flaws and unique traits .I also really thought that the book made the reader think about some serious things such as, What is the definition of "Perfect" or "Normal" or "Average" ? Why do we strive to be those things? Is this the way the future could go? Do we learn from doing or being taught ? And other things similar to this. This book was really good if you're looking for a book that'll make you think.
The world and plot of the book was initially something I thought would be similar to another book, but Hesse took the idea and made it her own. She really did take the idea and bring it to another level. The sci-fi element of the book was also just enough to make me want to geek out! She also dealt with two, and sometimes three, character narrations in the story really well. The transitions from each characters POV was smooth and easy. Although this book did not receive a 5 star rating from me, I hope this is the first book in a series as I am so excited to see what happens next.
January 6, 2015
What’s It About
In the near future, children who are wards of the State are sent to a complex where they’re plugged into the life experiences of Julian (a real person) who is considered to have led a normal life and is therefore the perfect role model. This is referred to as The Path. For sixteen year old Lona, being on-Path is the only world she’s ever known until she’s kidnapped by a group of anti-Path rebels.
Should I Read It?
No.
It’s not an actively terrible novel, but it’s utterly unengaging, which is a shame because the central conceit and theme of the novel – how should society deal with dispossessed kids – is an important one. The problem I had with the book is its main character, Lona. She’s meant to be a fish out of water type, given that she’s only ever experienced life through the eyes of Julian. Aside from the alienness of existing in a world that’s not been carefully modulated and governed for her, just the act of thinking for herself should be a knee wobbling experience. And yet Lona is uber competent, quickly adapting to her new circumstances. She even has the wherewithal to get into a love triangle with an 18 year old boy (and old friend) who was also on Path before he graduated and the woman who is working hard to save his life and those of other ex-Pathers. In fact just to show how competent she is, not only does Lona end up baby-sitting a group of children who had once been on the Path and then rejected, but she has the nous to organise the takeover of the compound she came from.
Hesse does attempt to explain why Lona adapts so quickly to the outside / non-Julian world (we discover that it might have something to do with her lineage), but I’m bored with exceptional characters in genre fiction. While I didn’t want to see Lona go catatonic the moment she’s kidnapped, I’d have liked more of the natural uncertainty and, frankly, outright fear that comes from being forced into an environment you’re not accustomed to. In addition, more insight into what pushed this society to take this approach toward the care of dispossessed children, would have been appreciated.
Representative Paragraph
Foster Care is BAD!!!
"Lona shuddered. She didn’t technically remember – none of them did – but she had learned about Before, in one of the presentations that sometimes happened during Calisthenics. Path History. Emotional Well Being. Proper Calisthenics. In this particular presentation, they learned about Before Path. Before Path, Lona would have been beaten or neglected by parents who had been declared unfit. If she had been lucky she might have been put in something called ‘foster care’, but even that was dangerous. The presenter showed pictures of a shrunken boy locked in a dog cage, staring through the bars with huge eyes. ‘That’s how the authorities found him’ the presenter said. ‘That’s where his foster parents kept him. He didn’t know how to read. He spent every day in his own filth. This is what it used to be like, for everyone like you. You have all been given a very special gift’."
In the near future, children who are wards of the State are sent to a complex where they’re plugged into the life experiences of Julian (a real person) who is considered to have led a normal life and is therefore the perfect role model. This is referred to as The Path. For sixteen year old Lona, being on-Path is the only world she’s ever known until she’s kidnapped by a group of anti-Path rebels.
Should I Read It?
No.
It’s not an actively terrible novel, but it’s utterly unengaging, which is a shame because the central conceit and theme of the novel – how should society deal with dispossessed kids – is an important one. The problem I had with the book is its main character, Lona. She’s meant to be a fish out of water type, given that she’s only ever experienced life through the eyes of Julian. Aside from the alienness of existing in a world that’s not been carefully modulated and governed for her, just the act of thinking for herself should be a knee wobbling experience. And yet Lona is uber competent, quickly adapting to her new circumstances. She even has the wherewithal to get into a love triangle with an 18 year old boy (and old friend) who was also on Path before he graduated and the woman who is working hard to save his life and those of other ex-Pathers. In fact just to show how competent she is, not only does Lona end up baby-sitting a group of children who had once been on the Path and then rejected, but she has the nous to organise the takeover of the compound she came from.
Hesse does attempt to explain why Lona adapts so quickly to the outside / non-Julian world (we discover that it might have something to do with her lineage), but I’m bored with exceptional characters in genre fiction. While I didn’t want to see Lona go catatonic the moment she’s kidnapped, I’d have liked more of the natural uncertainty and, frankly, outright fear that comes from being forced into an environment you’re not accustomed to. In addition, more insight into what pushed this society to take this approach toward the care of dispossessed children, would have been appreciated.
Representative Paragraph
Foster Care is BAD!!!
"Lona shuddered. She didn’t technically remember – none of them did – but she had learned about Before, in one of the presentations that sometimes happened during Calisthenics. Path History. Emotional Well Being. Proper Calisthenics. In this particular presentation, they learned about Before Path. Before Path, Lona would have been beaten or neglected by parents who had been declared unfit. If she had been lucky she might have been put in something called ‘foster care’, but even that was dangerous. The presenter showed pictures of a shrunken boy locked in a dog cage, staring through the bars with huge eyes. ‘That’s how the authorities found him’ the presenter said. ‘That’s where his foster parents kept him. He didn’t know how to read. He spent every day in his own filth. This is what it used to be like, for everyone like you. You have all been given a very special gift’."
September 18, 2013
Stray intrigued me the moment I read the pitch. The Matrix meets The Truman Show meets Never Let Me Go? Sign me up now! Sometimes when you have these high expectations and comparisons, a book can seem to pale from how you imagined it to be and I often end up putting off reading it in a sense of almost fear, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how much I enjoyed Stray.
Stray is the story of Lona Sixteen Always, a Pather. Pathers are troubled children who the government have supposedly rescued. Until the age of eighteen, pathers live their lives through experiencing the life/path of Julian, an ordinary boy with only a couple of hours a day away from these machines to practise calisthenics. During this time Lona bonds with Fenn, an older boy. However after he moves on to the next stage of the path she is shocked to find him on her screen one day. Now Lona can find out what comes next and what life there is after the path.
Stray is a highly unusual book and one that I don’t think will appeal to everyone. However it is thoroughly engaging and I found its exploration of the foster care system, and how those in it are treated, an important issue to discuss that wasn’t didactic. The idea of the Path felt worryingly plausible in its justification and filled me with dread as these Pathers’ characters were almost erased as a result.
Hesse isn’t afraid to show how flawed her characters are; indeed it is this that really makes her characters feel real, something important to the novel when you consider the way they have lived on the Path. The flaws, the difficulties in expressing themselves become the way the reader can see how stunted their development in some respects has been and how this should have not been the case. I thought Lona was a fantastic heroine; brave and so real as she tried to grapple with life outside the Path, define her own path, work out her feelings for Fenn and discover and quash the emerging threats of life off-Path.
Intelligent and thought-provoking, Hesse’s debut has a lot to offer readers and I would definitely recommend it.I received a free proof copy from Hot Key Books who very kindly sent it to me to review. As ever, how I receive a book does not affect the honesty or tone of my review. Stray is available to buy now.
This review was originally posted at ChooseYA on September 5th 2013: http://www.chooseya.com/2013/09/05/re...
Stray is the story of Lona Sixteen Always, a Pather. Pathers are troubled children who the government have supposedly rescued. Until the age of eighteen, pathers live their lives through experiencing the life/path of Julian, an ordinary boy with only a couple of hours a day away from these machines to practise calisthenics. During this time Lona bonds with Fenn, an older boy. However after he moves on to the next stage of the path she is shocked to find him on her screen one day. Now Lona can find out what comes next and what life there is after the path.
Stray is a highly unusual book and one that I don’t think will appeal to everyone. However it is thoroughly engaging and I found its exploration of the foster care system, and how those in it are treated, an important issue to discuss that wasn’t didactic. The idea of the Path felt worryingly plausible in its justification and filled me with dread as these Pathers’ characters were almost erased as a result.
Hesse isn’t afraid to show how flawed her characters are; indeed it is this that really makes her characters feel real, something important to the novel when you consider the way they have lived on the Path. The flaws, the difficulties in expressing themselves become the way the reader can see how stunted their development in some respects has been and how this should have not been the case. I thought Lona was a fantastic heroine; brave and so real as she tried to grapple with life outside the Path, define her own path, work out her feelings for Fenn and discover and quash the emerging threats of life off-Path.
Intelligent and thought-provoking, Hesse’s debut has a lot to offer readers and I would definitely recommend it.I received a free proof copy from Hot Key Books who very kindly sent it to me to review. As ever, how I receive a book does not affect the honesty or tone of my review. Stray is available to buy now.
This review was originally posted at ChooseYA on September 5th 2013: http://www.chooseya.com/2013/09/05/re...
April 21, 2014
The Path is a virtual reality based on one boy’s memories. Lona Sixteen Always is one of the children on The Path, living Julian’s life as if it were her own. Her only experiences as herself are the moments when she’s disconnected from the system for calisthenics. There, she talks to Finn, a boy who is a few years ahead of her on The Path, sharing their memories that are identical. But one day, Lona goes Off-Path and must learn to live in a world where anything can happen.
The concept behind Stray stems from what to do with foster children. It seems like Path came from a place of good intentions. Children who were orphaned or came from abusive backgrounds could live out a life deemed to be perfectly ordinary. There would be no more shuffling them from home to home, no one taking advantage of them or neglecting them. The lack of individuality or choice is the price to pay for a happy childhood.
When the children reach 18, they are reintroduced into the world, where they will have to find out who they really are at last. Can they cope without Julian? Lona is off schedule, younger than the eighteeners who are given extra time to adjust. But it soon becomes clear, that it’s not as simple as removing them from the virtual reality.
The lack of individuality is continued through with the children’s names. Lona and Finn aren’t real names, they are reference numbers which relate to their date of birth and location within the compound. They might have the love of Julian’s parents on Path, but in reality, they aren’t treated as children with their own hopes and fears. They are a number, to be processed through the system until they reach adulthood, which is often how foster children see themselves anyway.
Whilst Lona’s brain chemistry might have been a bit different, I never felt like she was the heroine about to swoop in and save the day. Her character is suitably naïve and she struggles with interactions. I loved the scene where she is eating real foods for the first time. She may have the memories of eating but they’re not the same as experiencing it.
It didn’t really go into gender identity though which is surprising. They are all growing up as a boy, wouldn’t that be strange to adjust to for the girls? Does the short time they are in calisthenics allow them to understand their own bodies? It’s hinted at that some of Julian’s memories are edited out, but it’s hard to edit out all the times he’s aware of his penis.
The concept behind Stray stems from what to do with foster children. It seems like Path came from a place of good intentions. Children who were orphaned or came from abusive backgrounds could live out a life deemed to be perfectly ordinary. There would be no more shuffling them from home to home, no one taking advantage of them or neglecting them. The lack of individuality or choice is the price to pay for a happy childhood.
When the children reach 18, they are reintroduced into the world, where they will have to find out who they really are at last. Can they cope without Julian? Lona is off schedule, younger than the eighteeners who are given extra time to adjust. But it soon becomes clear, that it’s not as simple as removing them from the virtual reality.
The lack of individuality is continued through with the children’s names. Lona and Finn aren’t real names, they are reference numbers which relate to their date of birth and location within the compound. They might have the love of Julian’s parents on Path, but in reality, they aren’t treated as children with their own hopes and fears. They are a number, to be processed through the system until they reach adulthood, which is often how foster children see themselves anyway.
Whilst Lona’s brain chemistry might have been a bit different, I never felt like she was the heroine about to swoop in and save the day. Her character is suitably naïve and she struggles with interactions. I loved the scene where she is eating real foods for the first time. She may have the memories of eating but they’re not the same as experiencing it.
It didn’t really go into gender identity though which is surprising. They are all growing up as a boy, wouldn’t that be strange to adjust to for the girls? Does the short time they are in calisthenics allow them to understand their own bodies? It’s hinted at that some of Julian’s memories are edited out, but it’s hard to edit out all the times he’s aware of his penis.
May 28, 2014
Review: In this world, children who would otherwise be lost are put into the Path system, and spend 23 hours a day being Julian, a boy who lived fifty years ago and had his life deemed perfect. Lona has been on the path for sixteen years, and can’t imagine any other life. Until Fenn, a boy from her past, appears in the simulation. Deemd to have gone Off-Path, Lona is taken out of the program and thrust into a new world, uncovering secrets regarding other Off-Pathers who die before they’re nineteen, things about who she is, and where the Path will lead you.
This is an amazingly original idea. The world of the Path, the idea of it, immediately raises questions and makes you think. The system is set up well, and can we just talk about the names? On-Path, even they are simply a way of organising (Monica has an explanation here), and that’s a really intriguing idea, that leads to creative names like Ilyf and Byde and Czin.
Lona is inquisitive and believable and likable. She develops the most being the main character, and also because she goes from having no knowledge of the outside, real world to having some, and it’s fascinating to watch her gain that knowledge, feel the intenseness of the real life in comparison to the virtual one they’d been kept on. My second favourite was Talia, a Path worker-there’s more to her than you first think. All the characters are something different.
The plot goes in a lot of different directions, and halfway through someone turns up who is a really big plot twist. Genevieve and Lona together are good at discovering things, and also the relationship between them is interesting to watch develop. The Fenn x Lona one is also good, developing naturally.
The writing was really good at getting across the idea that these children hadn’t had their own lives. They’re all rather accepting of their situation, and the use of the pronoun We to refer to both themselves and Julian, the thinking of Julian’s birthday being their own, and the games show that despite them being Off-Path, they do still think of themselves as one with Julian.
Where it ended made this book feel complete, but there’s a lot of room for a sequel, and I really hope, with the writing of Stray, that there will be one.
Overall: Strength 4 tea to a highly original book with mystery, friendship, and what it means to follow, or not follow, a path.
This is an amazingly original idea. The world of the Path, the idea of it, immediately raises questions and makes you think. The system is set up well, and can we just talk about the names? On-Path, even they are simply a way of organising (Monica has an explanation here), and that’s a really intriguing idea, that leads to creative names like Ilyf and Byde and Czin.
Lona is inquisitive and believable and likable. She develops the most being the main character, and also because she goes from having no knowledge of the outside, real world to having some, and it’s fascinating to watch her gain that knowledge, feel the intenseness of the real life in comparison to the virtual one they’d been kept on. My second favourite was Talia, a Path worker-there’s more to her than you first think. All the characters are something different.
The plot goes in a lot of different directions, and halfway through someone turns up who is a really big plot twist. Genevieve and Lona together are good at discovering things, and also the relationship between them is interesting to watch develop. The Fenn x Lona one is also good, developing naturally.
The writing was really good at getting across the idea that these children hadn’t had their own lives. They’re all rather accepting of their situation, and the use of the pronoun We to refer to both themselves and Julian, the thinking of Julian’s birthday being their own, and the games show that despite them being Off-Path, they do still think of themselves as one with Julian.
Where it ended made this book feel complete, but there’s a lot of room for a sequel, and I really hope, with the writing of Stray, that there will be one.
Overall: Strength 4 tea to a highly original book with mystery, friendship, and what it means to follow, or not follow, a path.
July 6, 2013
Originally reviewed on The Escapist.
***
Rating: 4.5
The blurb is utterly confusing. That's what I thought when I re-read it the time I received the copy of this book from the publisher, where at first, I thought this was the book I'd like. After re-reading it, I thought maybe I was wrong. Maybe this book wasn't really for me and I should've read thoroughly first before requesting it. I read the first page, and almost cried because I can't seem to understand it.
This is what I found out after reading a few chapters: Lona Sixteen Always was the name of our leading character. I know that sounds weird, but her name was based from a quite complicated assignment. Sixteen was her year indicator and Always was the Julian Path (which you have to learn too, by reading the book) when she entered it. The Lona name was not really a name, as well. Each letter has different meanings: from her birthdate, sector and quadrant. There are also words that when they talk, was really weird. I thought there were some typos at first, but thankfully, it was explained afterwards.
After reading with patience, I learned to understand and adapt the pace, the world-building and the characters. I was surprised on how much I end up liking it and looking forward in every turn of the page. Stray wasn't like other dystopian-sci-fi novels. It has a fresh attack for readers like me, a well-thought plot and background, a consistent and effective characters and a love story I never saw coming. It came to me bittersweet.
Although I noticed it doesn't have action-packed scenes and I wished there were more than the ending it gave, I enjoyed reading Stray. I know that you, my dear readers, would like it as well. Dystopian, sci-fi, romance and even contemporary fans would love this book. Make sure to also have the patience in reading the first few chapters in order to fully understand it. Stray is simple, yet it has something to say. It deserves to be on the spotlight. Well-done to the debut author, Monica Hesse.
*Super thanks to Olivia and Hot Key Books for a paperback copy for an honest review of this book!
***
Rating: 4.5
The blurb is utterly confusing. That's what I thought when I re-read it the time I received the copy of this book from the publisher, where at first, I thought this was the book I'd like. After re-reading it, I thought maybe I was wrong. Maybe this book wasn't really for me and I should've read thoroughly first before requesting it. I read the first page, and almost cried because I can't seem to understand it.
This is what I found out after reading a few chapters: Lona Sixteen Always was the name of our leading character. I know that sounds weird, but her name was based from a quite complicated assignment. Sixteen was her year indicator and Always was the Julian Path (which you have to learn too, by reading the book) when she entered it. The Lona name was not really a name, as well. Each letter has different meanings: from her birthdate, sector and quadrant. There are also words that when they talk, was really weird. I thought there were some typos at first, but thankfully, it was explained afterwards.
After reading with patience, I learned to understand and adapt the pace, the world-building and the characters. I was surprised on how much I end up liking it and looking forward in every turn of the page. Stray wasn't like other dystopian-sci-fi novels. It has a fresh attack for readers like me, a well-thought plot and background, a consistent and effective characters and a love story I never saw coming. It came to me bittersweet.
Although I noticed it doesn't have action-packed scenes and I wished there were more than the ending it gave, I enjoyed reading Stray. I know that you, my dear readers, would like it as well. Dystopian, sci-fi, romance and even contemporary fans would love this book. Make sure to also have the patience in reading the first few chapters in order to fully understand it. Stray is simple, yet it has something to say. It deserves to be on the spotlight. Well-done to the debut author, Monica Hesse.
*Super thanks to Olivia and Hot Key Books for a paperback copy for an honest review of this book!
June 5, 2015
The story takes place in a world where at-risk youth and orphans are placed in an institutionalized program called Path. To ensure the children have a good life and lots of positive experiences, they are placed in pods and watch Julian’s life. The pods are noted to have excellent graphics, physical sensations, and scents that are life like.
The main character, Lona, is not like her cohorts because she is shown to have personality differences and options that are more influence by herself rather than the Path program. Her friend Fenn seems to act just as unique as Lona but they are separated when he graduates from the program.
Towards the middle of the book readers are shown that the Path program is not wildly accepted and potentially unhealthy for the children in the system. One day Fenn and his friends break Lona out of the system and show her the real world.
I really did enjoy reading this book. Monica Hesse did an excellent job in creating a realistic world and characters. The only thing I can think of that might be missing is that the children’s bathroom, breaks and meal times were not discussed much so I’m not sure how that was integrated into Path but I’m guessing it wasn’t interesting enough. I clearly saw that each character was distinct and had their own voice and story. Keeping all of the characters straight did become a bit confusing for me when the Strays were introduced, but I did space my reading a bit.
It was easy for me to feel immersed in this world and to feel and understand what Lona was going through. For example, Pathers saying “we” instead of “I” when talking was a powerful way to show the mental state of a child in the system. I also appreciated that when Lona was experience life outside of Path for the first time none of the dialogue seemed fake or cheesy.
The main character, Lona, is not like her cohorts because she is shown to have personality differences and options that are more influence by herself rather than the Path program. Her friend Fenn seems to act just as unique as Lona but they are separated when he graduates from the program.
Towards the middle of the book readers are shown that the Path program is not wildly accepted and potentially unhealthy for the children in the system. One day Fenn and his friends break Lona out of the system and show her the real world.
I really did enjoy reading this book. Monica Hesse did an excellent job in creating a realistic world and characters. The only thing I can think of that might be missing is that the children’s bathroom, breaks and meal times were not discussed much so I’m not sure how that was integrated into Path but I’m guessing it wasn’t interesting enough. I clearly saw that each character was distinct and had their own voice and story. Keeping all of the characters straight did become a bit confusing for me when the Strays were introduced, but I did space my reading a bit.
It was easy for me to feel immersed in this world and to feel and understand what Lona was going through. For example, Pathers saying “we” instead of “I” when talking was a powerful way to show the mental state of a child in the system. I also appreciated that when Lona was experience life outside of Path for the first time none of the dialogue seemed fake or cheesy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2013
A futuristic story about a society that wants to give all of its "troubled" youth the perfect childhood so they are raised experiencing life as the child Julian. They only know what Julian has experienced and when Lona always 16 has a chance to experience "real life" the reader realizes just how much she and the other subjects have been denied. Some of the most touching moments are simple ones, when Lona feels real grass and when she meets someone who has been given a "real" name by a person. This reminds me somewhat of feed and opens room for a lot of discussion about the desire to protect children. Lon is well developed as are the secondary characters and I really appreciated Tanya who works for the system but has not been dehumanized by it.
June 20, 2013
I loved this.
The world building was excellent and beautifully detailed. I thought the reasoning behind the Path programme was chillingly plausible, it disturbed me a little that I could understand the logic behind it.
I really liked the romance too - most unusual for me, normally I can take it or leave it, but I actually liked the burgeoning romance.
What I really enjoyed though was that, for a group of children who essentially had the exact same upbringing, all the Pathers were different (even though they had similarities), with their own little personality quirks.
It's a brilliant read and one I'd definitely recommend.
For a more detailed review check out my blog.
The world building was excellent and beautifully detailed. I thought the reasoning behind the Path programme was chillingly plausible, it disturbed me a little that I could understand the logic behind it.
I really liked the romance too - most unusual for me, normally I can take it or leave it, but I actually liked the burgeoning romance.
What I really enjoyed though was that, for a group of children who essentially had the exact same upbringing, all the Pathers were different (even though they had similarities), with their own little personality quirks.
It's a brilliant read and one I'd definitely recommend.
For a more detailed review check out my blog.
December 27, 2015
Would recommend: Yes
This YA futuristic book was surprisingly good! And I had basically washed my hands of the genre. The dystopian elements were unique and have broad implications. I can definitely see the problem they were trying to address going off the rails like this. I'm grateful that even though there was a romantic element, it didn't drive the plot. I have the second (last) installment, Burn, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story continues.
This YA futuristic book was surprisingly good! And I had basically washed my hands of the genre. The dystopian elements were unique and have broad implications. I can definitely see the problem they were trying to address going off the rails like this. I'm grateful that even though there was a romantic element, it didn't drive the plot. I have the second (last) installment, Burn, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story continues.
June 16, 2013
Monica Hesse seems to instinctively understand the power of science fiction. She uses the advanced technology of her near future dystopia as a backdrop against which her characters' humanity contrasts sharply. It feels so real to watch these characters struggle to discover who they are amidst all the messages about who they should be.
February 3, 2014
Really enjoyed this, very strong concept, with a number of questions about the welfare state and the use of technology. Set up with believable, interesting characters. No easy answers are given, and I'll certainly read the sequel. In fact my only criticism is that it reads too much like a "first part" than a complete novel.
February 15, 2014
Wonderful. An excellent idea, worked thoughtfully with clear execution. Characters are robust and realistic, the plot reaches through to a satisfying conclusion, and the premise is intriguing. Only had one question at the end, but I think I had it sussed.
November 9, 2015
What a strong book! A wonderful cast of characters in a believable semi-dystopian world. Reminded me of Never Let Me Go but with slightly less heartbreak and a more hopeful ending. So good, I highly recommend it.
June 20, 2014
I found this book very interesting. At first I was reading it very slowly but the further I got in to it, the more time I spent reading it. Not what expected at all but it didn't disappoint! Can't wait to read the next book
October 14, 2014
I really liked the book, but maybe not enough to give it a five star rating. I feel like the ending was a bit... overused(the girl saves the day, gets the guy, other girl doesn't get the guy), but otherwise not so bad.
March 15, 2017
The characters as a result of their upbringing were very flat, there wasn't enough development of Lona and Fenn's relationship despite them knowing each other forever. I also didn't feel that there was enough history on why the Path was created.
July 8, 2013
Didn't capture my interest enough to finish it.
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