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Entanglement
"...the scientific explanation is quantum entanglement, whereby the boy and girl—even when separated by great distances—react instantaneously to changes in each other's states..." —Dr. Casler Selavio, on the entanglement of halves.
In a world like ours, humans are born in pairs. When a newborn boy takes his first breath in the coastal town of Tularosa, the exact time is noted, recorded in the Registry, and later compared to the birth times of other newborns around the globe. There will be one identical match—his half. They will meet on their eighteenth birthday and they will spend their lives together. Except this time, there is no match.
Hotheaded heartthrob Aaron Harper is scheduled to meet his half in twenty-nine days, and he doesn’t buy a word of that entanglement crap. So what if he and his half were born the same day and share a spooky psychic connection? Big deal. After breaking one too many teenage girls’ hearts, he’ll stick to brawling with the douchebag rugby players any day.
Until the day a new girl arrives at school and threatens everything he takes for granted.
Cold and unapproachable, Amber Lilian hates the growing list of similarities between her and the one boy she can’t read, Aaron: born the same day, both stubborn, both terrified of meeting their halves. . . . All the more reason not to trust him. That she would rather die than surrender herself as her half’s property is none of his damn business. But once lost in Aaron’s dangerous, jet black eyes, she’s already surrendered more than she cares to admit.
Tangled in each other’s self-destructive lives, Aaron and Amber learn the secret behind their linked births and why they feel like halves—but unless they can prove it before they turn eighteen, Aaron faces a lifetime alone in a world where everyone else has a soul mate . . . and he’ll have to watch Amber give herself to a boy who intends to possess not only her body but also a chunk of her soul.
ENTANGLEMENT, a 75,000 word YA thriller, will appeal to readers of Michael Grant's GONE and Ally Condie’s MATCHED.
In a world like ours, humans are born in pairs. When a newborn boy takes his first breath in the coastal town of Tularosa, the exact time is noted, recorded in the Registry, and later compared to the birth times of other newborns around the globe. There will be one identical match—his half. They will meet on their eighteenth birthday and they will spend their lives together. Except this time, there is no match.
Hotheaded heartthrob Aaron Harper is scheduled to meet his half in twenty-nine days, and he doesn’t buy a word of that entanglement crap. So what if he and his half were born the same day and share a spooky psychic connection? Big deal. After breaking one too many teenage girls’ hearts, he’ll stick to brawling with the douchebag rugby players any day.
Until the day a new girl arrives at school and threatens everything he takes for granted.
Cold and unapproachable, Amber Lilian hates the growing list of similarities between her and the one boy she can’t read, Aaron: born the same day, both stubborn, both terrified of meeting their halves. . . . All the more reason not to trust him. That she would rather die than surrender herself as her half’s property is none of his damn business. But once lost in Aaron’s dangerous, jet black eyes, she’s already surrendered more than she cares to admit.
Tangled in each other’s self-destructive lives, Aaron and Amber learn the secret behind their linked births and why they feel like halves—but unless they can prove it before they turn eighteen, Aaron faces a lifetime alone in a world where everyone else has a soul mate . . . and he’ll have to watch Amber give herself to a boy who intends to possess not only her body but also a chunk of her soul.
ENTANGLEMENT, a 75,000 word YA thriller, will appeal to readers of Michael Grant's GONE and Ally Condie’s MATCHED.
322 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2012
33 people are currently reading
1688 people want to read
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October 26, 2017
You’ve heard the phrase lovers say, “He/She completes me.” What if that were a statement of scientific fact, as opposed to a statement of the heart? Imagine humans being born in pairs, tied by a thread of genetics, circumstance or Fate. A baby is born and somewhere, at that exact moment, their perfect mate is also born? Yeah, so maybe fewer spouse would forget birthdays, right? Sounds almost too perfect, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t you imagine that someone, somewhere would have the ego to think they could manipulate something that has gone on for generations and work it in their favor, because there is always someone ready to want more of everything, especially power?
Aaron is just days away from his eighteenth birthday, the day he will finally meet his perfect mate, his other half when a new girl came to town. Amber is beautiful, but she is also cold and unavailable, but something about her sets off Aaron’s hot buttons as they discover they share the same birthday and have a definite “vibe” going on. There is no way she is not his, but she is paired with another, the twisted son of a scientist who has his own agenda that goes against all society has held dear. Time is running out for Aaron to meet his match and if his heart has anything to say about it, it is Amber. Loving Amber could mean his death as he finds himself unable to stay away or not try to be her champion, whether she likes it or not. Is there something dark and devious going on or has Aaron begun to unwind mentally and emotionally? How can he be meant for another when all he wants is Amber?
Something different has arrived on the YA paranormal/sci-fi scene and it is called ENTANGLEMENT Dan Rix. I was immediately drawn into this tale, as the tension runs hot and tempers flare often! While perhaps not the most detailed story, the atmosphere is explosive and taut! What I found is that this is actually a story I could give to a younger YA reader and things that I might need won’t be necessary! It has all the ingredients that will hold a young reader’s imagination while the character focus is actually not too widespread! I felt I was living this story through Aaron’s eyes, and Aaron was focused on Aaron, not making the best decisions.
Definitely entertaining, a clever concept that is unique in the YA world and author Dan Rix does tell a good story by isolating his main character from the rest of the world, all while making even the impossible seem doable through the eyes and attitude of a teen.
Publication Date: November 16, 2012
Publisher: Dan Rix
Genre: YA Dystopian Fantasy
Print Length: 324 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Aaron is just days away from his eighteenth birthday, the day he will finally meet his perfect mate, his other half when a new girl came to town. Amber is beautiful, but she is also cold and unavailable, but something about her sets off Aaron’s hot buttons as they discover they share the same birthday and have a definite “vibe” going on. There is no way she is not his, but she is paired with another, the twisted son of a scientist who has his own agenda that goes against all society has held dear. Time is running out for Aaron to meet his match and if his heart has anything to say about it, it is Amber. Loving Amber could mean his death as he finds himself unable to stay away or not try to be her champion, whether she likes it or not. Is there something dark and devious going on or has Aaron begun to unwind mentally and emotionally? How can he be meant for another when all he wants is Amber?
Something different has arrived on the YA paranormal/sci-fi scene and it is called ENTANGLEMENT Dan Rix. I was immediately drawn into this tale, as the tension runs hot and tempers flare often! While perhaps not the most detailed story, the atmosphere is explosive and taut! What I found is that this is actually a story I could give to a younger YA reader and things that I might need won’t be necessary! It has all the ingredients that will hold a young reader’s imagination while the character focus is actually not too widespread! I felt I was living this story through Aaron’s eyes, and Aaron was focused on Aaron, not making the best decisions.
Definitely entertaining, a clever concept that is unique in the YA world and author Dan Rix does tell a good story by isolating his main character from the rest of the world, all while making even the impossible seem doable through the eyes and attitude of a teen.
Publication Date: November 16, 2012
Publisher: Dan Rix
Genre: YA Dystopian Fantasy
Print Length: 324 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
January 14, 2014
Like many others, I read this book for free on my Kindle. I am an avid young adult dystopia reader, and ever since I started writing my own screenplay, I love reading anything I can in the genre to get a better idea on what I think works, and what doesn't.
Nothing about this book works.
Also like many others- I found the concept interesting. Human beings born with a half! And of course the dark side- if your half dies, so do you.
I am very open to all sorts of strange things existing in a book. But please, establish the rules and then follow them. I think the rules were broken or changed so many times that I wasn't sure what to believe by the end.
The book also had a tendency to either be so obvious or so unclear, that I would think something had ALREADY been told to the reader...only to have the character have a revelation about it a chapter or two later. This happened at least three or four times.
Aaron is your main character, and he's got a problem with scar tissue blocking his "clairvoyant channel." This means he might have problems meeting his half and connecting to her. Maybe he is upset about this, maybe he isn't. That changes a lot too.
He's a rugby player (I think, he never actually played the game), and he has another friend who is also a rugby player (who calls Aaron "Buddy" in every sentence that he speaks). His friend has a rival (who is sometimes referred to as Dominic, and sometimes referred to as "Breezie"- a play on his last name that I didn't figure out was one person and not two for quite some time). But don't worry, these two guys don't really do anything unless it works as a plot device. There's also someone named Tina. Maybe.
Aaron first sees Amber at a beach party he gets invited to after a rugby game. She's with the ever evil and (maybe?) abusive guy- Clive. Apparently Clive is Amber's half. We know this because everyone else seems to know it, except for Amber. Weird. You would think it was a big secret from the way she doesn't want to talk about it, but it seems apparent to everyone else around her (including Clive who papers his bedroom with photos of Amber....).
Aaron stands up for Amber in front of Clive which leads to everyone on the beach wanting them to fight. But then they agree to have a swimming race instead. Okay, sure.
Anyway, Aaron and Amber hate each other but then they are in love. All we have really established about Amber is that she has long blonde hair (which is frequently used as a curtain, apparently) and green eyes.
Aaron seems to be a bit of an asshole to me. Clive is obviously an asshole too, but at least Clive seems to be aware of it. Aaron is supposed to be the person we like and root for, so why did I feel like I hated everyone in this book? Maybe it's because Amber has no defining traits and she is constantly referred to as though she is some kind of prize. I can see this being a point for the evil Clive to make, but Aaron? Aren't you supposed to love the ~*~real~*~ her?? But who even is that??
It turns out Amber and Clive are part of some kind of cult that links halves together as babies to turn the woman in the pair into some mindless wife slave. Amber and Clive are not real halves, but became fake halves because Clive's father is an evil scientist/doctor with a crazy machine in a (literal) dungeon in Clive's friend's house (who is also Aaron's friend's rival).
???????????????????????????????????????
(I never figured out why Clive's rich family didn't seem to have their own house either.)
Aaron is pretty disturbed by seeing these women without souls, because he doesn't want HIS Amber to be like that. She belongs to Aaron after all!! HE doesn't want that!
(Seriously, she doesn't make any choices for herself.)
But don't worry, it all works out in the end. Aaron becomes the special snowflake who can't die without a half, despite the fact that the thing apparently keeping this from happening got taken away by the evil scientist. Spoiler alert: Aaron kills the scientist and even tells someone that he did, despite the fact that the scientist was head of a crazy cult that would most likely not be okay with this.
Amber and Aaron get to become halves again, and Amber suffers no repercussions for losing most of her soul (or something). She's totally normal! Maybe she didn't become a vapid empty person because she was already written as one.
I really wasn't sure I was going to finish it but I wanted to see what others had to say on this book. I am surprised not to see other reviews like mine. To each his own I suppose...
Nothing about this book works.
Also like many others- I found the concept interesting. Human beings born with a half! And of course the dark side- if your half dies, so do you.
I am very open to all sorts of strange things existing in a book. But please, establish the rules and then follow them. I think the rules were broken or changed so many times that I wasn't sure what to believe by the end.
The book also had a tendency to either be so obvious or so unclear, that I would think something had ALREADY been told to the reader...only to have the character have a revelation about it a chapter or two later. This happened at least three or four times.
Aaron is your main character, and he's got a problem with scar tissue blocking his "clairvoyant channel." This means he might have problems meeting his half and connecting to her. Maybe he is upset about this, maybe he isn't. That changes a lot too.
He's a rugby player (I think, he never actually played the game), and he has another friend who is also a rugby player (who calls Aaron "Buddy" in every sentence that he speaks). His friend has a rival (who is sometimes referred to as Dominic, and sometimes referred to as "Breezie"- a play on his last name that I didn't figure out was one person and not two for quite some time). But don't worry, these two guys don't really do anything unless it works as a plot device. There's also someone named Tina. Maybe.
Aaron first sees Amber at a beach party he gets invited to after a rugby game. She's with the ever evil and (maybe?) abusive guy- Clive. Apparently Clive is Amber's half. We know this because everyone else seems to know it, except for Amber. Weird. You would think it was a big secret from the way she doesn't want to talk about it, but it seems apparent to everyone else around her (including Clive who papers his bedroom with photos of Amber....).
Aaron stands up for Amber in front of Clive which leads to everyone on the beach wanting them to fight. But then they agree to have a swimming race instead. Okay, sure.
Anyway, Aaron and Amber hate each other but then they are in love. All we have really established about Amber is that she has long blonde hair (which is frequently used as a curtain, apparently) and green eyes.
Aaron seems to be a bit of an asshole to me. Clive is obviously an asshole too, but at least Clive seems to be aware of it. Aaron is supposed to be the person we like and root for, so why did I feel like I hated everyone in this book? Maybe it's because Amber has no defining traits and she is constantly referred to as though she is some kind of prize. I can see this being a point for the evil Clive to make, but Aaron? Aren't you supposed to love the ~*~real~*~ her?? But who even is that??
It turns out Amber and Clive are part of some kind of cult that links halves together as babies to turn the woman in the pair into some mindless wife slave. Amber and Clive are not real halves, but became fake halves because Clive's father is an evil scientist/doctor with a crazy machine in a (literal) dungeon in Clive's friend's house (who is also Aaron's friend's rival).
???????????????????????????????????????
(I never figured out why Clive's rich family didn't seem to have their own house either.)
Aaron is pretty disturbed by seeing these women without souls, because he doesn't want HIS Amber to be like that. She belongs to Aaron after all!! HE doesn't want that!
(Seriously, she doesn't make any choices for herself.)
But don't worry, it all works out in the end. Aaron becomes the special snowflake who can't die without a half, despite the fact that the thing apparently keeping this from happening got taken away by the evil scientist. Spoiler alert: Aaron kills the scientist and even tells someone that he did, despite the fact that the scientist was head of a crazy cult that would most likely not be okay with this.
Amber and Aaron get to become halves again, and Amber suffers no repercussions for losing most of her soul (or something). She's totally normal! Maybe she didn't become a vapid empty person because she was already written as one.
I really wasn't sure I was going to finish it but I wanted to see what others had to say on this book. I am surprised not to see other reviews like mine. To each his own I suppose...
January 30, 2013
HOLY MOLY I LOVED EVERYTHING. Review coming soon!
Also posted in Oops! I Read A Book Again
Woah. Just woah. I finished reading it days ago (and actually I got late for my thesis experiment that day) but the high it has given me hasn't subsided yet. So a little backstory first on how I came upon this AMAZING book.
Dan followed me on Twitter so I got curious and checked his profile. Seeing that he's an author, I followed back and clicked the link to his blog. I always do this by the way. Plus, I love following authors! I perused his blog and found free chapters of Entanglement. Having nothing to do at 4:30 AM (I slept too early that night and hence, waking up too early), I started reading the free chapters. And boy did I ever stop.
After writhing in pain over not being able to read the whole book, I tweeted Dan. I whined why it's $4.99 on Amazon for me when it's just $2.99. I was ready to purchase it when Dan told me he'd send me a free copy. My eyes went O_O and I'm sure I hyperventilated in class. I can't believe my luck! Dan said it was my enthusiasm (I abused the exclamation mark and all sorts of giggly smileys) and then he sent me Entanglement. For free! For a review! (Please remind me to stop side-commenting all the time. Haha!)
The rest was history. I barely slept reading this book. I couldn't stop! It was everything I expected of the free chapters... and more! So let's get to that review, shall we?
In Dan's bio, there's a part there which says: "His favorite novels include Michael Grant's Gone, Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why, and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. High stakes, high concept page-turners. That's what he likes to read, and that's what he likes to write." And he certainly lived up to it. Entanglement got high stakes all around and it's definitely a high concept and it is no doubt, a page-turner. If you could have seen the eyebags I got from reading through the night. That's what actually made me read this book, the mention of Gone by Michael Grant. Loved that book, in great awe of the premise. I thought that if this book is even remotely like Gone, then it must be good. And it's true! It's not just good, it's supercalifreakinawesomeamazeballs!
The novel is set in Tularosa (a fictionalized Santa Barbara, California) and we have two seventeen year-olds for our protagonists. Meet Aaron Harper, a setter of Pueblo High's volleyball team, and Amber Lilian, the new girl at Corona Blanca High. In this time, on your eighteenth birthday, you're destined to meet your half, your soulmate. Halves are connected through their clairvoyant channels in their brains, which also means you die when your half dies. Something like that. Honestly, you're better off reading the blurb/summary. Haha!
Dan Rix has created a very believable world in Entanglement, which makes me SO giddy. It is set in the future but a not so distant future so it won't take you time to get used to the setting. However, of course, there's this clairvoyant channel that Schrödinger discovered that connects two people and all the talks of quantum entanglement, which is a true occurrence. Of course, Dan Rix had his liberty of assuming entanglement in humans as his premise. I love his scientific take on the whole soulmates thing, which is very refreshing. I might be biased because I come from a science background and I love sci-fi but aren't you tired of people being soulmates because they're spelled? Or plain destined? That it's written in the stars or something like that? In here, it's all about the science. More points for Dan for making the science of his novel easy to understand. He guides the reader every step of the way, without becoming pure telling and no showing.
Setting, check. Premise, check. But what is a good plot when you have MEH characters? I am glad to announce that Aaron and Amber (what cute names!) aren't your stock characters. They act and talk their age, they're smart and very engaging. All the other characters as well are developed and not easy to categorize into good or bad. Amber is surely that elusive new girl but she has depth and she's her own person, with her own motives and her own ideas. Clive and Dr. Selavio were really fleshed out also. So on the character front, I have nothing to complain.
The dialogue was snappy, as the whole novel is. Every scene, every line has a purpose, which I VERY MUCH appreciate. As much as I love descriptions, this type of novel relies on its being fast-paced.
High stakes? Definitely. Life and death situations abound at every corner. Even with the romance, the stakes are high! This novel is so gripping and the pace keeps you on the edge. Whilst being full of action too, the romance department did not lack in any way. In fact, it was riveting. I want an Aaron Harper of my own. Heehee.
The cover! Yes! I need to ask Dan who did the cover slash where did the image come from because it's SUPER COOL! DNA, yeah baby.
You know what, I really find it hard to review books that I love because I only end up spazzing. So if you think my enthusiasm towards this book shows in my review, you are absolutely right. Ha!
I never knew following Dan back on Twitter, checking out his blog, reading the free chapters and tweeting him while hyperventilating and spazzing will get me a free copy of the book and a new five-star book for me. So for all you out there, take a chance at self-published books (and even traditionally published ones)! Surely, you might pick the worst book EVAH but maybe, just maybe, you'll find a gem and all the disappointments of the past are worth it.
Absolutely definitely can't wait for the sequel! That's my only complain. That I have to wait for so long for the sequel. Huhuhuhu, this is torture.
Also posted in Oops! I Read A Book Again
Woah. Just woah. I finished reading it days ago (and actually I got late for my thesis experiment that day) but the high it has given me hasn't subsided yet. So a little backstory first on how I came upon this AMAZING book.
Dan followed me on Twitter so I got curious and checked his profile. Seeing that he's an author, I followed back and clicked the link to his blog. I always do this by the way. Plus, I love following authors! I perused his blog and found free chapters of Entanglement. Having nothing to do at 4:30 AM (I slept too early that night and hence, waking up too early), I started reading the free chapters. And boy did I ever stop.
After writhing in pain over not being able to read the whole book, I tweeted Dan. I whined why it's $4.99 on Amazon for me when it's just $2.99. I was ready to purchase it when Dan told me he'd send me a free copy. My eyes went O_O and I'm sure I hyperventilated in class. I can't believe my luck! Dan said it was my enthusiasm (I abused the exclamation mark and all sorts of giggly smileys) and then he sent me Entanglement. For free! For a review! (Please remind me to stop side-commenting all the time. Haha!)
The rest was history. I barely slept reading this book. I couldn't stop! It was everything I expected of the free chapters... and more! So let's get to that review, shall we?
In Dan's bio, there's a part there which says: "His favorite novels include Michael Grant's Gone, Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why, and Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. High stakes, high concept page-turners. That's what he likes to read, and that's what he likes to write." And he certainly lived up to it. Entanglement got high stakes all around and it's definitely a high concept and it is no doubt, a page-turner. If you could have seen the eyebags I got from reading through the night. That's what actually made me read this book, the mention of Gone by Michael Grant. Loved that book, in great awe of the premise. I thought that if this book is even remotely like Gone, then it must be good. And it's true! It's not just good, it's supercalifreakinawesomeamazeballs!
The novel is set in Tularosa (a fictionalized Santa Barbara, California) and we have two seventeen year-olds for our protagonists. Meet Aaron Harper, a setter of Pueblo High's volleyball team, and Amber Lilian, the new girl at Corona Blanca High. In this time, on your eighteenth birthday, you're destined to meet your half, your soulmate. Halves are connected through their clairvoyant channels in their brains, which also means you die when your half dies. Something like that. Honestly, you're better off reading the blurb/summary. Haha!
Dan Rix has created a very believable world in Entanglement, which makes me SO giddy. It is set in the future but a not so distant future so it won't take you time to get used to the setting. However, of course, there's this clairvoyant channel that Schrödinger discovered that connects two people and all the talks of quantum entanglement, which is a true occurrence. Of course, Dan Rix had his liberty of assuming entanglement in humans as his premise. I love his scientific take on the whole soulmates thing, which is very refreshing. I might be biased because I come from a science background and I love sci-fi but aren't you tired of people being soulmates because they're spelled? Or plain destined? That it's written in the stars or something like that? In here, it's all about the science. More points for Dan for making the science of his novel easy to understand. He guides the reader every step of the way, without becoming pure telling and no showing.
Setting, check. Premise, check. But what is a good plot when you have MEH characters? I am glad to announce that Aaron and Amber (what cute names!) aren't your stock characters. They act and talk their age, they're smart and very engaging. All the other characters as well are developed and not easy to categorize into good or bad. Amber is surely that elusive new girl but she has depth and she's her own person, with her own motives and her own ideas. Clive and Dr. Selavio were really fleshed out also. So on the character front, I have nothing to complain.
The dialogue was snappy, as the whole novel is. Every scene, every line has a purpose, which I VERY MUCH appreciate. As much as I love descriptions, this type of novel relies on its being fast-paced.
High stakes? Definitely. Life and death situations abound at every corner. Even with the romance, the stakes are high! This novel is so gripping and the pace keeps you on the edge. Whilst being full of action too, the romance department did not lack in any way. In fact, it was riveting. I want an Aaron Harper of my own. Heehee.
The cover! Yes! I need to ask Dan who did the cover slash where did the image come from because it's SUPER COOL! DNA, yeah baby.
You know what, I really find it hard to review books that I love because I only end up spazzing. So if you think my enthusiasm towards this book shows in my review, you are absolutely right. Ha!
I never knew following Dan back on Twitter, checking out his blog, reading the free chapters and tweeting him while hyperventilating and spazzing will get me a free copy of the book and a new five-star book for me. So for all you out there, take a chance at self-published books (and even traditionally published ones)! Surely, you might pick the worst book EVAH but maybe, just maybe, you'll find a gem and all the disappointments of the past are worth it.
Absolutely definitely can't wait for the sequel! That's my only complain. That I have to wait for so long for the sequel. Huhuhuhu, this is torture.
December 25, 2014
I'm a total sucker for plots that involve some kind of explanation for soul-mates. In Entanglement's case, that would be halves. Basically, a pair of babies born at the exact same time, share molecules due to quantum entanglement, and they're destined to be together. They are the halves of a whole. I was excited to see how this scientific explanation would play out, but unfortunately none of it worked for me. I found myself annoyed, bored, and confused.
Entanglement started off pretty good. Aaron has some scar tissue in his brain, possibly from a trauma at birth, so he's told he may not have that connection with his half when the time comes. He's okay with that, because he doesn't really like this whole idea of entanglement, where you're forced to be with someone forever. There's also mentions of cults, who bring children together before their "clairvoyant channel" (the part of the brain responsible for all this) is fully developed, causing permanent damage in the girl. While I wasn't happy that it's always the girl who is injured, I loved the idea of cults screwing with this process for their own sick gain. But ultimately, that angle turned into one big mess.
The world building of Entanglement is not very good. We're told that halves were discovered about 80 years ago by Schroedinger. Before that no one knew of the clairvoyant channel, but apparently it always existed. People lived without halves for thousands of years with no side effects, and yet, after their discovery, people would get physical symptoms of being away from their halves. How does that work? That part of the brain would have to be somehow activated, and I doubt Schroedinger did that to every single person on earth! Just knowing something exists, doesn't all of a sudden make these others things exist. It made no sense.
Then there's the rule that halves cannot meet until their 18th birthday, and they have to meet on that day, because of reasons. It's explained that before then, the brain isn't fully developed so problems arise, as I mentioned with the cults. But why do they need to be brought together on exactly their 18th birthday? The brain doesn't magically finish development at that time. It is mentioned a few times that their channels would start seeking out their halves at age 18, and then the bond will happen only then. Except that they can bond with their half earlier, it just makes the girl a zombie (not an actual zombie!). And accidental meetings must happen, since they're suppose to be born close together (although it's also said they can be ANYWHERE in the world). So I don't get it. Either they can bond before 18 or they can't until 18, which is it?
I also really disliked the characters of Entanglement. Aaron is kind of boring, and he's also not a "hottheaded hearttrob" as the blurb suggests. As far as I can tell, he's never had a girlfriend until he met Amber. Who is not the new girl at school like the blurb says. He meets her at a party that another school was throwing on the beach. But anyway, Amber is the worst! She lies! And lies! And lies some more! And then when she's admitting to her lies, she's still lying! But Aaron is in love with her, and would do anything for her, but she's not his half. But she might be his half. But she can't be his half. But maybe. Or not. Either way, I could not see what he saw in her. She just lied and had a bad attitude since the moment he met her.
Entanglement just majorly failed for me. The quantum entanglement explanation for soulmates didn't make sense. I liked the basis of this idea, but nothing came together to really make me believe this phenomenon. I didn't like the characters, and therefore didn't care what happened to them. And there's so much flip-flopping and back-and-forthing, that it made my head hurt.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Entanglement started off pretty good. Aaron has some scar tissue in his brain, possibly from a trauma at birth, so he's told he may not have that connection with his half when the time comes. He's okay with that, because he doesn't really like this whole idea of entanglement, where you're forced to be with someone forever. There's also mentions of cults, who bring children together before their "clairvoyant channel" (the part of the brain responsible for all this) is fully developed, causing permanent damage in the girl. While I wasn't happy that it's always the girl who is injured, I loved the idea of cults screwing with this process for their own sick gain. But ultimately, that angle turned into one big mess.
The world building of Entanglement is not very good. We're told that halves were discovered about 80 years ago by Schroedinger. Before that no one knew of the clairvoyant channel, but apparently it always existed. People lived without halves for thousands of years with no side effects, and yet, after their discovery, people would get physical symptoms of being away from their halves. How does that work? That part of the brain would have to be somehow activated, and I doubt Schroedinger did that to every single person on earth! Just knowing something exists, doesn't all of a sudden make these others things exist. It made no sense.
Then there's the rule that halves cannot meet until their 18th birthday, and they have to meet on that day, because of reasons. It's explained that before then, the brain isn't fully developed so problems arise, as I mentioned with the cults. But why do they need to be brought together on exactly their 18th birthday? The brain doesn't magically finish development at that time. It is mentioned a few times that their channels would start seeking out their halves at age 18, and then the bond will happen only then. Except that they can bond with their half earlier, it just makes the girl a zombie (not an actual zombie!). And accidental meetings must happen, since they're suppose to be born close together (although it's also said they can be ANYWHERE in the world). So I don't get it. Either they can bond before 18 or they can't until 18, which is it?
I also really disliked the characters of Entanglement. Aaron is kind of boring, and he's also not a "hottheaded hearttrob" as the blurb suggests. As far as I can tell, he's never had a girlfriend until he met Amber. Who is not the new girl at school like the blurb says. He meets her at a party that another school was throwing on the beach. But anyway, Amber is the worst! She lies! And lies! And lies some more! And then when she's admitting to her lies, she's still lying! But Aaron is in love with her, and would do anything for her, but she's not his half. But she might be his half. But she can't be his half. But maybe. Or not. Either way, I could not see what he saw in her. She just lied and had a bad attitude since the moment he met her.
Entanglement just majorly failed for me. The quantum entanglement explanation for soulmates didn't make sense. I liked the basis of this idea, but nothing came together to really make me believe this phenomenon. I didn't like the characters, and therefore didn't care what happened to them. And there's so much flip-flopping and back-and-forthing, that it made my head hurt.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
April 5, 2013
The premise sounded good. I loved the idea off soul mates.
But the story did have it flows somethings just didn't ad up.
Why were there half mates?]
Why were Aarons parents absent at his 18th birthday?
Why after being thrown in the well does he goes back in the house?
I have more questions it just made the story unbelievable.
But the story did have it flows somethings just didn't ad up.
Why were there half mates?]
Why were Aarons parents absent at his 18th birthday?
Why after being thrown in the well does he goes back in the house?
I have more questions it just made the story unbelievable.
May 12, 2013
Rounded up to 3 stars...
I one-clicked this on Amazon because it was FREE. The plot, although seemingly cliche, was actually surprisingly unique. There were definite sci-fi elements, fused with dystopian, and YA PNR.
I never once felt bored, or overwhelmed - even when there were chunky paragraphs of pure info dump. Still, the whole notion of HALVES, the JUVENGAMY BROTHERHOOD, mixed with the romance, and so on and so forth, really kept me on the edge of my seat; it was all extremely fascinating.
However, where I got a bit lost was within the (lack of) world-building, as well as the several plot holes toward to the end. Also, the explanation toward the end seemed a bit repetitive, and it was very confusing for me. I had to read reread WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED three times in order to fully comprehend the situation between Amber and Aaron.
I can't say I liked how it unfolded, either. And that's probably what kept me from giving this a higher rating. It wasn't so much the RESULT of the ending, but HOW it was executed - how it all played out. The events leading up to the ending, and the convoluted explanations kind of made me dizzy, and it was a hassle to grasp. Also, I would've liked more closure with CLIVE'S character, as well.
In addition, I also felt like the ROMANCE was a bit rushed. It wasn't necessarily insta-love, but it was very close. I would've also liked a bit more dialogue between Amber and Aaron. They weren't even sure they were each other's halves, yet they started declaring their love for each other and practically risked their lives & futures for that love. I would fully support that IF I was convinced they truly loved each other. Unfortunately, with the little amount of time they spent together, it was hard for me to accept that. Also, with Crazy Clive on the loose, the romance just took a dark turn. I couldn't really connect.
Lastly, there were definitive elements that stood out, like the originality of the plot, and the character dynamics, but the execution of the plot, overall writing style, and the ending kind of threw me off. However, for the most part - I think my dislike of the ending was simply a personal preference, so other readers may not necessarily have an issue with how it was executed. Either way, I'd say this is worth a read. It was free, after all. And the originality of the plot was really distinctive, and impressive.
I one-clicked this on Amazon because it was FREE. The plot, although seemingly cliche, was actually surprisingly unique. There were definite sci-fi elements, fused with dystopian, and YA PNR.
I never once felt bored, or overwhelmed - even when there were chunky paragraphs of pure info dump. Still, the whole notion of HALVES, the JUVENGAMY BROTHERHOOD, mixed with the romance, and so on and so forth, really kept me on the edge of my seat; it was all extremely fascinating.
However, where I got a bit lost was within the (lack of) world-building, as well as the several plot holes toward to the end. Also, the explanation toward the end seemed a bit repetitive, and it was very confusing for me. I had to read reread WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED three times in order to fully comprehend the situation between Amber and Aaron.
I can't say I liked how it unfolded, either. And that's probably what kept me from giving this a higher rating. It wasn't so much the RESULT of the ending, but HOW it was executed - how it all played out. The events leading up to the ending, and the convoluted explanations kind of made me dizzy, and it was a hassle to grasp. Also, I would've liked more closure with CLIVE'S character, as well.
In addition, I also felt like the ROMANCE was a bit rushed. It wasn't necessarily insta-love, but it was very close. I would've also liked a bit more dialogue between Amber and Aaron. They weren't even sure they were each other's halves, yet they started declaring their love for each other and practically risked their lives & futures for that love. I would fully support that IF I was convinced they truly loved each other. Unfortunately, with the little amount of time they spent together, it was hard for me to accept that. Also, with Crazy Clive on the loose, the romance just took a dark turn. I couldn't really connect.
Lastly, there were definitive elements that stood out, like the originality of the plot, and the character dynamics, but the execution of the plot, overall writing style, and the ending kind of threw me off. However, for the most part - I think my dislike of the ending was simply a personal preference, so other readers may not necessarily have an issue with how it was executed. Either way, I'd say this is worth a read. It was free, after all. And the originality of the plot was really distinctive, and impressive.
January 18, 2013
All About Halfs, But a Whole Enticing Story!
Rix contacted me and asked if I might review his book, and after reading the first three chapters on his website, I was hooked.
The Good
The story concept for Entanglement is fascinating. It is a concept that works and yet is still out of the realm for anything that is happening in the here and now. It is difficult for me to imagine a life where at the age of eighteen I would have met my half and gotten married, all because they were born at the same time as me. Difficult to imagine, but an incredibly interesting take on where our science could possibly go one day, so it is all believable.
Also, I really enjoyed being inside Aaron's mind for most of the book. I read story after story from the girl's point of view and this was stimulating and a unique break from what I am used to. I did get to be inside Amber's head as well at times, and really the spacing between was well done and the best of both worlds.
Then there was the mystery aspect which had me guessing, then changing my mind, then guessing again. I read so much that books can really become predictable and this one kept me on my toes.
The Bad
There was a pretty large amount of cursing. One of the characters has a catchphrase that he says each time he appears in the book that in fact contains a curse word. While I find it funny when he says it, unfortunately I can't let my child read this book.
The Romance
I don't want to give a lot away here because of the premise of the book. Aaron is approaching his 18th birthday and he is not looking forward to it because there are complications with his clairvoyant channel and his chances of having a half do not look good. When he meets Amber who is also not looking forward to her 18th birthday and already has a boyfriend, the book really starts getting good.
Conclusion
I literally could not put this book down. I had to force myself to go to sleep. I was way too curious about what on earth was going to happen and the ending did not disappoint. I was on my toes through the whole story and was really surprised by an invigorating read. I would definitely recommend this.
This review is also on JC's Book Haven. The author sent this for an honest review.
Rix contacted me and asked if I might review his book, and after reading the first three chapters on his website, I was hooked.
The Good
The story concept for Entanglement is fascinating. It is a concept that works and yet is still out of the realm for anything that is happening in the here and now. It is difficult for me to imagine a life where at the age of eighteen I would have met my half and gotten married, all because they were born at the same time as me. Difficult to imagine, but an incredibly interesting take on where our science could possibly go one day, so it is all believable.
Also, I really enjoyed being inside Aaron's mind for most of the book. I read story after story from the girl's point of view and this was stimulating and a unique break from what I am used to. I did get to be inside Amber's head as well at times, and really the spacing between was well done and the best of both worlds.
Then there was the mystery aspect which had me guessing, then changing my mind, then guessing again. I read so much that books can really become predictable and this one kept me on my toes.
The Bad
There was a pretty large amount of cursing. One of the characters has a catchphrase that he says each time he appears in the book that in fact contains a curse word. While I find it funny when he says it, unfortunately I can't let my child read this book.
The Romance
I don't want to give a lot away here because of the premise of the book. Aaron is approaching his 18th birthday and he is not looking forward to it because there are complications with his clairvoyant channel and his chances of having a half do not look good. When he meets Amber who is also not looking forward to her 18th birthday and already has a boyfriend, the book really starts getting good.
Conclusion
I literally could not put this book down. I had to force myself to go to sleep. I was way too curious about what on earth was going to happen and the ending did not disappoint. I was on my toes through the whole story and was really surprised by an invigorating read. I would definitely recommend this.
This review is also on JC's Book Haven. The author sent this for an honest review.
October 27, 2013
INITIAL THOUGHTS
Approaching the book I thought it was a dystopian novel as that is what it is labelled as on Amazon.co.uk, however on Goodreads it is labelled as a YA Thriller. Hence I wasn't sure what to expect but was hoping for a dystopian angle as that is one of my favourite genres.
In fact here are my notes I wrote upon reading the first 55% or so of the book. Looking forward to a dystopian themed book . . . this book feels more "paranormal than dystopian" There's the mysterious Juvengamy Brotherhood. How will Aaron react when he meets his half as he has scar tissue on his clairvoyance channel."
MY REVIEW
I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and posting that review as part of the Oops I Read It Again Blog Tours.
The cover in my opinion features the image of Amber when she has been given her half of the tattoo that matches her male "half". There are also words, symbols and numbers to the right that could be from a computer read out or scientific notes. I believe this is the second cover for this book and I do honestly find this cover more appealing than the first attempt. So would the cover make me pick it up in a book store? Honestly, it may not be the first book I would pick up from the shelf but I would certainly pick it up to learn more about it by reading the Blurb.
So the basics of the book are not so basic they are in truth quite complex so I'll domy best to simplify things. Everyone has their own significant "half" (kind of like their soul mate)It is all pre-destined by the date and time they are born. Halves are born on the same day and almost the same time too. A Registry is kept that lists every child born. On the day of your eighteenth birthday you go to an appointment at the "Chamber Of Halves" and look into a machine, in the machine you see the eyes of your intended half and are then put together. When Halves are first put together they need to be together as if separated they feel an anxiety. This means that should one half die, the other experiences what is called half death and also finally dies too.
All this Halves theory/business/way of living has only been in place for the last eighty years or so and is like most things open to abuse. People still want to "fix" the halves together earlier than their eighteenth birthdays, in fact in some cases these matches have been made so early that the matches have always been together since birth. This practice is called Juvengamy. Juvengamy is illegal but still happens as there is a Juvengamy Brotherhood. at one point in the story Aaron (one of the main characters) id invited to a meeting and is shocked to see only male members within the meetings whilst some women are sat out in the cars outside the meeting with totally blank expressions. Dr Casler Silavio is deeply involved with the scientific specifics of the whole process. In fact he has come up with certain operations that make a half, almost always the female, a more docile pleasant, obedient half. Dr Casler has also been playing about with the true half matches. He has taken a new match for his son Clive. Clive's first match was put together with Clive very young, and one day in a temper fit Clive knocked his 4yr old match down a well killing her. Dr Casler operated on Clive and the head of the Brotherhood chose another match for Clive. Clive and his new match are destined to be the heir and heiress of the Brotherhood. So the new match Amber has her own "real" match = ?. . and her "made match" = Clive. what happens when Amber meets her "real match"? Can he step in and save her? Can he stop her becoming the empty shell half of Clive?
I think I've explained as much as I possibly can before giving away spoilers. I did become attached to some of the characters, such as Amber - the intended "empty vessel" heiress, Aaron - a boy who apparently doesn't have a match - find out more about that by reading the book. There's also Aaron's rugby playing friend Buff Normandy, but will Buff be there when it really counts, when Aaron really needs him. There's rugby rivalry as Clive and his friend Dominic play for Corona Blanca. Corona Blanca and Buff& Aarons team Pueblo are arch rivals too to add even more animosity between the guys in the book.
At times the book pace did seem a little slow for my taste and though the book has the dystopian element of the Halves Theory, I would place it in a more Sci-Fi Thriller category.
So did I enjoy the book? Overall yes, just at times the pace slowed a little too much for my taste. Also I really wanted to shake Aaron and Amber at times too! Would I recommend the book? Yes but more to Sci-Fi Thriller Fans than Dystopian Fans. Would I read a BK#2? Well the book could have come to a natural end but then again right near the very end Aaron see's something familiar out of the corner of his eye . . . a guy in a grey hoodie . . .Could it be Clive? So I'd definitely check out the blurb of a Bk#2 to see what direction the plot would be going in. Would I read other books by Dan Rix? I reckon I'd take a serious look at boos by this Author, so yes. As there aren't 1/2 stars it has to be 4 stars . . really I feel it a 3.5 to 4.0
Approaching the book I thought it was a dystopian novel as that is what it is labelled as on Amazon.co.uk, however on Goodreads it is labelled as a YA Thriller. Hence I wasn't sure what to expect but was hoping for a dystopian angle as that is one of my favourite genres.
In fact here are my notes I wrote upon reading the first 55% or so of the book. Looking forward to a dystopian themed book . . . this book feels more "paranormal than dystopian" There's the mysterious Juvengamy Brotherhood. How will Aaron react when he meets his half as he has scar tissue on his clairvoyance channel."
MY REVIEW
I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and posting that review as part of the Oops I Read It Again Blog Tours.
The cover in my opinion features the image of Amber when she has been given her half of the tattoo that matches her male "half". There are also words, symbols and numbers to the right that could be from a computer read out or scientific notes. I believe this is the second cover for this book and I do honestly find this cover more appealing than the first attempt. So would the cover make me pick it up in a book store? Honestly, it may not be the first book I would pick up from the shelf but I would certainly pick it up to learn more about it by reading the Blurb.
So the basics of the book are not so basic they are in truth quite complex so I'll domy best to simplify things. Everyone has their own significant "half" (kind of like their soul mate)It is all pre-destined by the date and time they are born. Halves are born on the same day and almost the same time too. A Registry is kept that lists every child born. On the day of your eighteenth birthday you go to an appointment at the "Chamber Of Halves" and look into a machine, in the machine you see the eyes of your intended half and are then put together. When Halves are first put together they need to be together as if separated they feel an anxiety. This means that should one half die, the other experiences what is called half death and also finally dies too.
All this Halves theory/business/way of living has only been in place for the last eighty years or so and is like most things open to abuse. People still want to "fix" the halves together earlier than their eighteenth birthdays, in fact in some cases these matches have been made so early that the matches have always been together since birth. This practice is called Juvengamy. Juvengamy is illegal but still happens as there is a Juvengamy Brotherhood. at one point in the story Aaron (one of the main characters) id invited to a meeting and is shocked to see only male members within the meetings whilst some women are sat out in the cars outside the meeting with totally blank expressions. Dr Casler Silavio is deeply involved with the scientific specifics of the whole process. In fact he has come up with certain operations that make a half, almost always the female, a more docile pleasant, obedient half. Dr Casler has also been playing about with the true half matches. He has taken a new match for his son Clive. Clive's first match was put together with Clive very young, and one day in a temper fit Clive knocked his 4yr old match down a well killing her. Dr Casler operated on Clive and the head of the Brotherhood chose another match for Clive. Clive and his new match are destined to be the heir and heiress of the Brotherhood. So the new match Amber has her own "real" match = ?. . and her "made match" = Clive. what happens when Amber meets her "real match"? Can he step in and save her? Can he stop her becoming the empty shell half of Clive?
I think I've explained as much as I possibly can before giving away spoilers. I did become attached to some of the characters, such as Amber - the intended "empty vessel" heiress, Aaron - a boy who apparently doesn't have a match - find out more about that by reading the book. There's also Aaron's rugby playing friend Buff Normandy, but will Buff be there when it really counts, when Aaron really needs him. There's rugby rivalry as Clive and his friend Dominic play for Corona Blanca. Corona Blanca and Buff& Aarons team Pueblo are arch rivals too to add even more animosity between the guys in the book.
At times the book pace did seem a little slow for my taste and though the book has the dystopian element of the Halves Theory, I would place it in a more Sci-Fi Thriller category.
So did I enjoy the book? Overall yes, just at times the pace slowed a little too much for my taste. Also I really wanted to shake Aaron and Amber at times too! Would I recommend the book? Yes but more to Sci-Fi Thriller Fans than Dystopian Fans. Would I read a BK#2? Well the book could have come to a natural end but then again right near the very end Aaron see's something familiar out of the corner of his eye . . . a guy in a grey hoodie . . .Could it be Clive? So I'd definitely check out the blurb of a Bk#2 to see what direction the plot would be going in. Would I read other books by Dan Rix? I reckon I'd take a serious look at boos by this Author, so yes. As there aren't 1/2 stars it has to be 4 stars . . really I feel it a 3.5 to 4.0
July 7, 2013
**4.5 Stars on Cover Bound
I was attracted to the story from the beginning; Dan Rix wasted no time diving head first into a plot that kept my head spinning. It was well thought out and the world Rix created in Entanglement and the concept was intricate and suspenseful. I was engulfed by the first few chapters and drawn into Aaron Harper’s world where halves are determined when you’re born. There��s no choice, you have no say and on your eighteenth birthday you meet the other half of your soul. Except Aaron doesn’t buy the “halves” concept and neither does the new girl he meets Amber Lilian.
Entanglement is full of complex characters and a web weaved with secrets, destinies, tangled life lines and two teen agers fighting for their rights and each other. Both Aaron and Amber are trapped in their own downward spiral of self-destruction when they meet, each of them giving up for their own reasons. Oh, how the story began unfolding at an alarming rate after they meet, as they continue stirring up more trouble than they could imagine trying to save each other before it’s too late. Aaron Harper or number eleven is a strong willed, teenage heart throb that any girl will fall for and there’s something about his character that sucked me in and I wanted to know more, to see what made fueled his temper. Amber is feisty and just as engaging, she fights everybody the entire time, she never gave up and was just as smart as Aaron and they complimented each other. The snappy dialogue and complicated relationships and circumstances kept me guessing. The supporting characters were a delight because I was never sure who was good or evil and if anybody (or who I expected) was going to step in. Dan Rix’s use of their roles and ambiguity about their true loyalties made the story even more thrilling and detailed.
I really enjoy stories like this where at the end everything comes together smoothly and blends until you’re convinced you just witnessed the whole thing literally. Entanglement was full of those wonderful awkwardly amazing moments that steal your breath and demand you keep reading until the wee hours of the morning and I even found myself holding my breath scared to keep reading.
At one point I thought the entire book changed and as I kept reading I realized Dan Rix did introduce something that changed everything and the need to finish the book was undeniable. I tuned everything out from my step-mom to the radio in the background and all I heard was the words as I kept reading. Completely lost in the story and fidgeting with excitement. My heart is still throbbing from the explosive ending to Entanglement.
My favorite line and I highlighted a bunch was “the task is not to see what no one has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought about that which everybody sees.”
I was attracted to the story from the beginning; Dan Rix wasted no time diving head first into a plot that kept my head spinning. It was well thought out and the world Rix created in Entanglement and the concept was intricate and suspenseful. I was engulfed by the first few chapters and drawn into Aaron Harper’s world where halves are determined when you’re born. There��s no choice, you have no say and on your eighteenth birthday you meet the other half of your soul. Except Aaron doesn’t buy the “halves” concept and neither does the new girl he meets Amber Lilian.
Entanglement is full of complex characters and a web weaved with secrets, destinies, tangled life lines and two teen agers fighting for their rights and each other. Both Aaron and Amber are trapped in their own downward spiral of self-destruction when they meet, each of them giving up for their own reasons. Oh, how the story began unfolding at an alarming rate after they meet, as they continue stirring up more trouble than they could imagine trying to save each other before it’s too late. Aaron Harper or number eleven is a strong willed, teenage heart throb that any girl will fall for and there’s something about his character that sucked me in and I wanted to know more, to see what made fueled his temper. Amber is feisty and just as engaging, she fights everybody the entire time, she never gave up and was just as smart as Aaron and they complimented each other. The snappy dialogue and complicated relationships and circumstances kept me guessing. The supporting characters were a delight because I was never sure who was good or evil and if anybody (or who I expected) was going to step in. Dan Rix’s use of their roles and ambiguity about their true loyalties made the story even more thrilling and detailed.
I really enjoy stories like this where at the end everything comes together smoothly and blends until you’re convinced you just witnessed the whole thing literally. Entanglement was full of those wonderful awkwardly amazing moments that steal your breath and demand you keep reading until the wee hours of the morning and I even found myself holding my breath scared to keep reading.
At one point I thought the entire book changed and as I kept reading I realized Dan Rix did introduce something that changed everything and the need to finish the book was undeniable. I tuned everything out from my step-mom to the radio in the background and all I heard was the words as I kept reading. Completely lost in the story and fidgeting with excitement. My heart is still throbbing from the explosive ending to Entanglement.
My favorite line and I highlighted a bunch was “the task is not to see what no one has yet seen; but to think what nobody has yet thought about that which everybody sees.”
May 4, 2013
Two main things I like about this book - the premise and the writing. I thought the premise was unique and immediately drew me in. I haven't really come across a YA fiction about soul mates, but more on a scientific rather than a paranormal level, so this was a novelty for me. Next, I thought Dan Rix's writing was effortless and overall well done. It was to-the-point and did not dwell on overly-flowing and unnecessary descriptions. Other elements I liked in the book were the fast pacing, the suspense, and the action sequences.
Unfortunately once I got into the book, the plot execution kept me scratching my head in confusion. I just found it too convoluted and disjointed. For example, it seems several of the characters are bi-polar; their intentions seem to switch from good to bad at the drop of a hat. And for this, it was extremely difficult for me to relate to any of them.
I also had a problem with the world-building. I was under the impression that this was a dystopian society, as indicated by the title of the book. But to me, it kind of felt like normal, everyday, present society, with the exception of the whole quantum entanglement aspect. Unless you're stupid enough to follow this juvegamy movement, which I interpreted is a choice and not a requirement, the world doesn't seem to be so oppressive or dystopian-like. Kids still go to school, play sports, hang out with friends, own cars, date, etc. When they turn 18, they find their soul mates and that's that. Unless you're a philanderer at heart, who wouldn't ultimately want to meet their soul mate?
I also found this book riddled with plot holes. One glaring example is Aaron's parents. They must be the most oblivious parents on the planet! First, where were they when Aaron turned 18 and was supposed to meet his half? The whole premise of the book was leading up to this important stage in someone's life, and Aaron's parents were nowhere to be found. Also, when everybody and their mother were breaking into Aaron's house in the middle of the night, did they sleep through the whole thing?
I did like the relationship between Aaron and Amber. It was fairly obvious from the start that they were meant to be. I just couldn't help but want to knock some sense into them when they keep falling into Clive's and Casler's traps.
There are so many more things I could say, but I think you get the gist of what my overall feeling about this book. I still enjoyed it and kept me engrossed til' the very end. I just wish it was better executed.
Unfortunately once I got into the book, the plot execution kept me scratching my head in confusion. I just found it too convoluted and disjointed. For example, it seems several of the characters are bi-polar; their intentions seem to switch from good to bad at the drop of a hat. And for this, it was extremely difficult for me to relate to any of them.
I also had a problem with the world-building. I was under the impression that this was a dystopian society, as indicated by the title of the book. But to me, it kind of felt like normal, everyday, present society, with the exception of the whole quantum entanglement aspect. Unless you're stupid enough to follow this juvegamy movement, which I interpreted is a choice and not a requirement, the world doesn't seem to be so oppressive or dystopian-like. Kids still go to school, play sports, hang out with friends, own cars, date, etc. When they turn 18, they find their soul mates and that's that. Unless you're a philanderer at heart, who wouldn't ultimately want to meet their soul mate?
I also found this book riddled with plot holes. One glaring example is Aaron's parents. They must be the most oblivious parents on the planet! First, where were they when Aaron turned 18 and was supposed to meet his half? The whole premise of the book was leading up to this important stage in someone's life, and Aaron's parents were nowhere to be found. Also, when everybody and their mother were breaking into Aaron's house in the middle of the night, did they sleep through the whole thing?
I did like the relationship between Aaron and Amber. It was fairly obvious from the start that they were meant to be. I just couldn't help but want to knock some sense into them when they keep falling into Clive's and Casler's traps.
There are so many more things I could say, but I think you get the gist of what my overall feeling about this book. I still enjoyed it and kept me engrossed til' the very end. I just wish it was better executed.
November 11, 2013
I don't really think that I've come up with a concrete judgment on this book quite yet. On one hand, there were a lot of scenes that I really enjoyed, but on the other, there were also some parts that just left me thinking "Really? You're going to do that? After what just...? Well, okay."
I really did like the idea for the novel. I'm not saying that I've never heard of anything like it before, but it was very intriguing, and I think that Dan Rix handled it very well. For about 80% of the book, I couldn't exactly say that I understood all of the concepts, but I think that's fair because none of the other main characters did either, at least not completely.
I do wish that more time had been put into world building before all of the action started happening. Because I didn't really understand the dynamics of how everything worked for most of the novel, it left me a little skeptical of some of the things that were going on. I felt pretty lost for most of the story, like all of the characters understood something that I was completely missing because they had more knowledge of the world than I did. Usually I wasn't really sure if something that seemed a little weird to me was simply a plot hole, or just hadn't been explained yet. That's not an altogether horrible thing to have in a book, but I definitely think that it's more effective in small doses.
The novel got better as it went on, though. I'm not trying to say that the beginning was slow or anything, just that it felt less put together in my opinion. Actually for about the first half of the novel, I really hated pretty much all of the characters. Not just that I didn't have a favorite or anything, I really hated them all. Most of them were extremely rude, self-centered, and seemed to cause unnecessary problems at every turn. For some reason, Aaron also felt the need to choose the most reckless of options whenever he could, even when he knew that what he was doing was stupid.
By the end of the book, they did get better, and most of the other problems that I had noticed just kind of worked themselves out. The ending seemed like it fit, even if I am still a little dubious as to how everything was able to work out so perfectly. I was left with a few more questions than I would have expected from what I think is a standalone novel, but I still enjoyed myself overall and wouldn't take the experience of reading the book back.
Taylor
For the original review and more, please visit Marked By Books.
I really did like the idea for the novel. I'm not saying that I've never heard of anything like it before, but it was very intriguing, and I think that Dan Rix handled it very well. For about 80% of the book, I couldn't exactly say that I understood all of the concepts, but I think that's fair because none of the other main characters did either, at least not completely.
I do wish that more time had been put into world building before all of the action started happening. Because I didn't really understand the dynamics of how everything worked for most of the novel, it left me a little skeptical of some of the things that were going on. I felt pretty lost for most of the story, like all of the characters understood something that I was completely missing because they had more knowledge of the world than I did. Usually I wasn't really sure if something that seemed a little weird to me was simply a plot hole, or just hadn't been explained yet. That's not an altogether horrible thing to have in a book, but I definitely think that it's more effective in small doses.
The novel got better as it went on, though. I'm not trying to say that the beginning was slow or anything, just that it felt less put together in my opinion. Actually for about the first half of the novel, I really hated pretty much all of the characters. Not just that I didn't have a favorite or anything, I really hated them all. Most of them were extremely rude, self-centered, and seemed to cause unnecessary problems at every turn. For some reason, Aaron also felt the need to choose the most reckless of options whenever he could, even when he knew that what he was doing was stupid.
By the end of the book, they did get better, and most of the other problems that I had noticed just kind of worked themselves out. The ending seemed like it fit, even if I am still a little dubious as to how everything was able to work out so perfectly. I was left with a few more questions than I would have expected from what I think is a standalone novel, but I still enjoyed myself overall and wouldn't take the experience of reading the book back.
Taylor
For the original review and more, please visit Marked By Books.
November 12, 2013
As much as this book makes me a bit confused, the world building is quite fascinating. I'm not a huge fan of science and I do think that the feeling is mutual between the two of us. Hehehe. So yes, I don't know what is Quantum Entanglement really meant. And since I am a bit lazy to do a research about it (cause I know, like Aaron, I wouldn't understand sh*t about it) I just let Dan Rix explain it through the book.
Dan Rix, I believe is a magician. For me, that is. Why? He is really good at making me read his books. He could make you read the book continuously. He got this powers of attracting readers, he knows what will make the readers continue reading his books. I am so impressed with him. Even if I don't understand some parts of the book, I cannot help but read it all the way. I want to know more. I want to know the history of Entanglement. I want to know what will happen to the characters in his story.
Entanglement is basically a story about soulmates. But in this case, it is based on Science and not some magic or destiny or whatever. Your soulmate or half will be determined once you are 18 years old. For Aaron Harper, he dreaded his birthday. He doesn't believe in that entanglement voodoo. And he got reasons as to why he thinks like that. You will actually know about it from the first Chapter.
Clairvoyant, as far as I understand it, is a psychic who can see the future. But in this book, it was like it is something that can be pulled out of our heads. >.< Confusing for me who is hated by science. lol. Maybe it is really simple but well, you should love Science to understand his terms.
As for the characters, I think they are well developed. They got their own set of behaviors. Although I like them, Aaron and Amber, I can't say I liked how they interact with each other. It was like hot for a minute and then cold for the next. I mean, if they like each other why do they have to say things like that to one another?
Although I have some issues with this book, I rated this a 4 stars. I enjoyed some parts. I like it but the science bit is - I think - too much for a reader who is not that familiar with that kind of terms. Entanglement is a fast paced book that can make you read it in one sitting. I recommend it to all Science Fiction fans. I truly believe they will like it. :) Science nerds! This is your book! Definitely!!! :)
Dan Rix, I believe is a magician. For me, that is. Why? He is really good at making me read his books. He could make you read the book continuously. He got this powers of attracting readers, he knows what will make the readers continue reading his books. I am so impressed with him. Even if I don't understand some parts of the book, I cannot help but read it all the way. I want to know more. I want to know the history of Entanglement. I want to know what will happen to the characters in his story.
Entanglement is basically a story about soulmates. But in this case, it is based on Science and not some magic or destiny or whatever. Your soulmate or half will be determined once you are 18 years old. For Aaron Harper, he dreaded his birthday. He doesn't believe in that entanglement voodoo. And he got reasons as to why he thinks like that. You will actually know about it from the first Chapter.
Clairvoyant, as far as I understand it, is a psychic who can see the future. But in this book, it was like it is something that can be pulled out of our heads. >.< Confusing for me who is hated by science. lol. Maybe it is really simple but well, you should love Science to understand his terms.
As for the characters, I think they are well developed. They got their own set of behaviors. Although I like them, Aaron and Amber, I can't say I liked how they interact with each other. It was like hot for a minute and then cold for the next. I mean, if they like each other why do they have to say things like that to one another?
Although I have some issues with this book, I rated this a 4 stars. I enjoyed some parts. I like it but the science bit is - I think - too much for a reader who is not that familiar with that kind of terms. Entanglement is a fast paced book that can make you read it in one sitting. I recommend it to all Science Fiction fans. I truly believe they will like it. :) Science nerds! This is your book! Definitely!!! :)
May 3, 2013
I bought this book for my Kindle Fire because it was free, and from the description it sounded really good. I immediately started reading it because I was so intrigued. However, half an hour after finishing it, I am still not sure how I feel about this book. It was good, but it also freaked me out a bit. As some of you may know, I'm the type of person who hates horror stories because I get scared really easily. That may make me a bit of a wimp, but that's who I am. Entanglement was a bit creepier than I normally like
Now, don't get me wrong, it was a really well-written book. The characters were pretty believable, which only added to the creepy. Clive in particular. The story flowed well, with lots of action, and lots of "romance" scenes. In fact, the first part of the book was really great, and I was really interested in it. But then, it added in more horror, and I was in a dilemma. I found myself reading it only to find a happy spot to stop. I knew if I stopped in the middle of one of the intense scenes I'd be so freaked out I wouldn't be able to sleep.
SPOILER Alert:
My biggest problem with the events in the story was the lack of Aaron's parents. They are mentioned maybe twice, and they seemed like good parents. They gave him encouragement the night before his birthday. But then, they just kind of disappeared. They don't hear the fight between Aaron, Clive, and Dominic even though they were making lots of noise. Nothing was mentioned about their reactions to their house being broken into or Aaron never coming home after he leaves for the Chamber of Halves. They didn't even go with him to the Chamber of Halves. They weren't at the hospital with Aaron at the end. That part was a bit strange to me, that they were never around.
END SPOILER
The other thing I had a problem with was the swearing. Although it was minor, it still bugged me a little bit when I got to it, but that is my own personal preference.
However, with all that said, I must tip to my hat to Dan Rix. He did an amazing job on Entanglement. I liked the idea of Halves, and the story was really well written, and I am glad I read it. I just don't think I'll be reading the next book, if there is one.
Now, don't get me wrong, it was a really well-written book. The characters were pretty believable, which only added to the creepy. Clive in particular. The story flowed well, with lots of action, and lots of "romance" scenes. In fact, the first part of the book was really great, and I was really interested in it. But then, it added in more horror, and I was in a dilemma. I found myself reading it only to find a happy spot to stop. I knew if I stopped in the middle of one of the intense scenes I'd be so freaked out I wouldn't be able to sleep.
SPOILER Alert:
My biggest problem with the events in the story was the lack of Aaron's parents. They are mentioned maybe twice, and they seemed like good parents. They gave him encouragement the night before his birthday. But then, they just kind of disappeared. They don't hear the fight between Aaron, Clive, and Dominic even though they were making lots of noise. Nothing was mentioned about their reactions to their house being broken into or Aaron never coming home after he leaves for the Chamber of Halves. They didn't even go with him to the Chamber of Halves. They weren't at the hospital with Aaron at the end. That part was a bit strange to me, that they were never around.
END SPOILER
The other thing I had a problem with was the swearing. Although it was minor, it still bugged me a little bit when I got to it, but that is my own personal preference.
However, with all that said, I must tip to my hat to Dan Rix. He did an amazing job on Entanglement. I liked the idea of Halves, and the story was really well written, and I am glad I read it. I just don't think I'll be reading the next book, if there is one.
May 5, 2013
I read this book straight through. It truly is a page turner. I was never bored, and I bore easily with books. I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. I really appreciated how Rix dabbled in hints about how the world of Tularosa was subtly different from ours. I didn't realize I was reading an alternate history/dystopian type of story until I got into the book, which was a pleasant surprise. It made things that much more intriguing.
I also loved the main characters Aaron and Amber. Their romantic tension was superbly written.
My only complaint about the book, and this is a minor one, is that I was somewhat confused about how the psychic connections worked between the halves. Rix does a good job of unfolding the fictional "science" behind the explanation, making sure to remind the reader how it all works. But it was such an unfamiliar idea, I never felt like I completely understood how it all worked by the end of the book. But my lack of understanding didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The dramatic action surrounding the "science" behind everything was more than enough to make it clear "who" the bad guys were, and "why" they were manipulating the "science" of the halves in order to accomplish their villainous plans. I just got lost in the "how."
If you like YA action romance stories that take place in a familiar but dystopian setting, you'll probably love this book. I did.
I also loved the main characters Aaron and Amber. Their romantic tension was superbly written.
My only complaint about the book, and this is a minor one, is that I was somewhat confused about how the psychic connections worked between the halves. Rix does a good job of unfolding the fictional "science" behind the explanation, making sure to remind the reader how it all works. But it was such an unfamiliar idea, I never felt like I completely understood how it all worked by the end of the book. But my lack of understanding didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The dramatic action surrounding the "science" behind everything was more than enough to make it clear "who" the bad guys were, and "why" they were manipulating the "science" of the halves in order to accomplish their villainous plans. I just got lost in the "how."
If you like YA action romance stories that take place in a familiar but dystopian setting, you'll probably love this book. I did.
June 3, 2013
I wasn't sure how I would feel about this one. It looked too good and on occasion when books look too good they usually fail in the writing department. Not Entanglement. It was beautifully written throughout the book. Dan Rix used the type of descriptive language that is really lacking in a lot of books today. He made me feel like I was in the book and that really is the best feeling.
Amber & Aaron were likable & relatable which I loved. Despite Amber's coldness you felt empathy for her.Especially once you met Clive her supposed half.Not only that but Amber's family holds a few dark secrets of their own as well.Secrets that could change the course of Amber's life.Clive reminded me of some jerks I had gone to high school with so it was impossible to feel any sort of positive connection with him.
The other characters we met were hard for me to connect with. There were so many and the names so odd. Yet the one character outside of the two main ones, that I liked,was Emma Mist.Her half had died prematurely and that meant that her time was nearly up as well. Halves cannot live for very long without each other.
I really want to give this book a full five stars but I can't. Because of the underdevelopment of some of the supporting characters.So I'll give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was a great book and one that I will likely read again.
Amber & Aaron were likable & relatable which I loved. Despite Amber's coldness you felt empathy for her.Especially once you met Clive her supposed half.Not only that but Amber's family holds a few dark secrets of their own as well.Secrets that could change the course of Amber's life.Clive reminded me of some jerks I had gone to high school with so it was impossible to feel any sort of positive connection with him.
The other characters we met were hard for me to connect with. There were so many and the names so odd. Yet the one character outside of the two main ones, that I liked,was Emma Mist.Her half had died prematurely and that meant that her time was nearly up as well. Halves cannot live for very long without each other.
I really want to give this book a full five stars but I can't. Because of the underdevelopment of some of the supporting characters.So I'll give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was a great book and one that I will likely read again.
January 27, 2017
This story had a very interesting premises, however, parts of the story were confusing. Parts of the book also felt very inconsistent, not only in the plot and world building but also in the characters and their motivations.
This also had one of my pet peeves, which is characters making decisions that were just plain stupid.
I also didn't like that the ending made this seem like this was part of a series even though this is a standalone book.
Overall I was disappointed with this one.
This also had one of my pet peeves, which is characters making decisions that were just plain stupid.
I also didn't like that the ending made this seem like this was part of a series even though this is a standalone book.
Overall I was disappointed with this one.
May 5, 2013
I couldn't put this book down!
May 5, 2013
Loved this book
June 10, 2013
The idea of having a half somewhere out there that we are tied/destined to be with is a peculiar idea. I LOVE PECULIAR. The characters were easy to relate to and the whole story is fast paced.
July 3, 2013
A very interesting concept - good mixture of romance and intrigue...
September 24, 2013
This book was a great read! It was well paced, original, action packed and had multi-dimensional characters. I definitely recommend it!
May 10, 2013
I like the story line in the book
March 18, 2021
This is the second book I've read by Dan Rix. Last week I finished reading Broken Symmetry, and I enjoyed that novel so much that I immediately dove into Entanglement. I'll admit, I'm a little underwhelmed. The things that impressed me the most about Broken Symmetry simply weren't there for Entanglement. While Broken Symmetry follows a set of rules which lends authenticity to the story, Entanglement's governing rules are inconsistent, which gives the story less credibility and makes it more difficult to follow.
One of my biggest problems was the lack of adult presence in this book. It sounds like a small thing, but it was just...odd. Where were Aaron's parents throughout the story? The fact that Clive and his sidekick were able to burst into Aaron's house, breaking windows and creating a ruckus, yet neither one of Aaron's parents wake up...it's a pretty big suspension of belief. And wouldn't his parents confront their son the following day about the broken window? Wouldn't they also want to know why Aaron's car was trashed earlier in the novel? Or why Aaron is beat to hell? Aaron's parents didn't even make an appearance at his Ceremony of Halves--something that's supposed to be the biggest moment of their son's life.
It's downright bizarre. We have 17 and 18 year olds bullying each other, fighting, even killing, and yet the adults (other than a couple from the Brotherhood) are completely absent from this story with no explanation offered as to why.
There were other holes too, little areas where details were skipped. For example, in one scene Clive and Amber are on their way to their honeymoon, and in the next scene, she's paying an unsolicited visit to Aaron. How did she get from point A to point B without Clive interfering? I actually thought I had skipped a page or two, because there was simply NO WAY the insanely controlling Clive would allow his Half to drive off without him to meet his nemesis. But evidently, Clive did.
The ending was also a little bit of a let down. I'm a total fan of happy endings, and I'm glad Rix opts for them as well, but I really wanted to see Aaron and Amber pave a new path in their dystopian world by making the decision to love each other despite their obstructed clairvoyant channels. In the beginning of the novel, both characters seemed to despise the idea of halves and mourned for the days when people had the freedom to choose whom to love. This seemed to be setting up for an awesome ending of Aaron and Amber breaking the mold by loving someone who isn't their half. The epilogue hints at this possibility; it's a shame that it's not fleshed out.
Still, I have to give Entanglement three stars for a great plot concept and beautiful writing (seriously, Rix is a master of the written word. His descriptions are gorgeous). I look forward to reading more of his work.
*Note: This review was originally posted on June 17, 2015 under a different account.
One of my biggest problems was the lack of adult presence in this book. It sounds like a small thing, but it was just...odd. Where were Aaron's parents throughout the story? The fact that Clive and his sidekick were able to burst into Aaron's house, breaking windows and creating a ruckus, yet neither one of Aaron's parents wake up...it's a pretty big suspension of belief. And wouldn't his parents confront their son the following day about the broken window? Wouldn't they also want to know why Aaron's car was trashed earlier in the novel? Or why Aaron is beat to hell? Aaron's parents didn't even make an appearance at his Ceremony of Halves--something that's supposed to be the biggest moment of their son's life.
It's downright bizarre. We have 17 and 18 year olds bullying each other, fighting, even killing, and yet the adults (other than a couple from the Brotherhood) are completely absent from this story with no explanation offered as to why.
There were other holes too, little areas where details were skipped. For example, in one scene Clive and Amber are on their way to their honeymoon, and in the next scene, she's paying an unsolicited visit to Aaron. How did she get from point A to point B without Clive interfering? I actually thought I had skipped a page or two, because there was simply NO WAY the insanely controlling Clive would allow his Half to drive off without him to meet his nemesis. But evidently, Clive did.
The ending was also a little bit of a let down. I'm a total fan of happy endings, and I'm glad Rix opts for them as well, but I really wanted to see Aaron and Amber pave a new path in their dystopian world by making the decision to love each other despite their obstructed clairvoyant channels. In the beginning of the novel, both characters seemed to despise the idea of halves and mourned for the days when people had the freedom to choose whom to love. This seemed to be setting up for an awesome ending of Aaron and Amber breaking the mold by loving someone who isn't their half. The epilogue hints at this possibility; it's a shame that it's not fleshed out.
Still, I have to give Entanglement three stars for a great plot concept and beautiful writing (seriously, Rix is a master of the written word. His descriptions are gorgeous). I look forward to reading more of his work.
*Note: This review was originally posted on June 17, 2015 under a different account.
November 12, 2013
Real vote 3,5
Blog Tour sul mio blog il 12 Novembre
Recensione + Except + Giveaway
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“Entanglement” è entrato nelle mie cose da leggere perchè si tratta di una distopia, e quando ho capito che si trattava di anime gemelle, amore e affini non ho saputo resistere. Considerando che ad organizzarlo è stata la mitica Dianne di Oops! I read a bookk again, non mi sono proprio potuta tirare indietro. Avendo poi letto un altro libro di Dan Rix ero certa che lo avrei apprezzato…e così è stato infatti.
“… la spiegazione scientifica è il legame quantico, per cui un ragazzo e una ragazza – anche quando sono separati da una grande distanza – reagiscono simultaneamente ai cambiamenti negli stati di ognuno…” - Dr. Casler Selavio sul legame tra le metà.
In un mondo come il nostro, gli umani sono nati a coppie. Quando un neonato maschio prende il primo respiro nella città costiera di Tularosa, il momento esatto viene segnato, registrato nel Registro e più tardi confrontato con i tempi di nascita di nuovi neonati intorno al mondo. Ci sarà un unico identico match – la sua metà. Si incontreranno il giorno del loro diciottesimo compleanno e trascorreranno il resto della loro vita insieme. Eccetto questa volta non c’è niente da accoppiare.
L’impulsivo e passionale Aaron Harper deve incontrare la sua metà in 29 giorni, e non crede neanche ad una parola sull’entanglement. E allora cosa succede se lui e la sua metà sono nati lo stesso giorno e condividono una connessione psichica? Niente di eccezionale. Dopo aver spezzato troppi cuori di ragazze, è bloccato con scaramucce con i giocatori di rugby.
Finché un giorno una nuova ragazza non arriva a scuola e minaccia tutto quello che aveva preso per garantito. Fredda e improcciabile, Amber Lilian odia la lista sempre più lunga di similitudini tra lei e l’unico ragazzo che non può leggere, Aaron: nato lo stesso giorno, entrambi testardi, entrambi terrorizzati di incontrare le proprie metà… tutti motivi per non fidarsi di lui. che lei preferisca morire che diventare proprietà della sua metà non è affar suo. Ma una volta persa nei pericolosi occhi neri di Aaron, lei si è già arresa più di quello che vorrebbe ammettere. Legati nella vita distruttiva dell’altro, Aaron e Amber scoprono il segreto dietro le loro nascite unite e perché si sentono come metà - ma finché non possono provarlo prima i compiere diciotto anni, Aaron potrebbe affrontare un’intera vita da solo in un mondo dove tutti hanno un’anima gemella… e dovrà guardare Amber donarsi ad un ragazzo che intende solo possedere il suo corpo e avrà presa sulla sua anima.
Penso di essermi innamorata immediatamente della trama, anche quando avevo solo vagamente intuito di cosa si parlava. Mi è bastato poco per capire che questo libro mi sarebbe piaciuto. Forse non come avrei voluto. La storia viene narrata usando la terza persona e alternando il punto di vista di Aaron e Amber, anche se la maggior parte della storia ci viene raccontata per bocca del ragazzo. È lui infatti che vive i cambiamenti più traumatici ed è attraverso i suoi occhi che veniamo a scoprire i misteri che circondano la vicenda. È una storia che si lascia leggere facilmente. Veniamo gettati subito nel mezzo dell’azione che non conosce tregua, il rapido countdown verso il diciottesimo compleanno di Aaron scandisce i tempi, in maniera inesorabile e a tratti anche angosciante. Con Aaron, impulsivo, una testa calda che non sa tenere la bocca chiusa, neanche in quelle situazioni dove la diplomazia sarebbe invece più che necessaria, veniamo a guardare in maniera angosciante il compleanno che segna anche la fine di un’epoca. Nelle teorie che circondano la storia dell’entanglement e delle particelle sono affascinanti e piene di inventiva. È Schrödinger che teorizza il comportamento della quantistica, il teorico dell’indeterminazione, la teoria per cui se si conosce la posizione di una particella non se ne può sapere la sua velocità e viceversa se si misura precisamente la velocità non se ne può conoscere la posizione. Lo stesso del gatto (come mi ha scritto Cristina sulla pagina fb). Secondo i suoi studi ogni bimbo che nasce, in una parte del globo ha la sua metà, un essere visceralmente attaccato a lui, tanto che se la metà muore, muore pure lui. Naturalmente le nascite sono registrate e controllate dal governo centrale, The Chamber of Halves che regolarizza solo il sistema, entrato in vigore solo da quattro generazioni. È tutto completamente fuori controllo, in un mondo che è assolutamente irriconoscibile e che lascia intendere molto più. Ci sono mille segreti e noi non veniamo a conoscenza solo lentamente. Amber, la ragazza, ecco che diventa un catalizzatore per una serie di scoperte che aumenteranno in modo esponenziale i pericoli sulla strada di Aaron, a partire con gli scontri con Clive, il suo ragazzo, ma anche la sua metà promessa. Amber è un personaggio molto interessante, coraggiosa, forte, che non si vuole piegare alle forze che la circondano e la proiettano in un mondo già predestinato, dove tutto viene deciso da altri e che lei è incapace di bloccare e convertire a suo piacimento. I genitori la gettano in pasto ad un destino oscuro, in mano ad una setta a cui non interessa nulla della sua volontà. Tutto è assolutamente tragico e il ritmo serrato porta ad un declino rapido e senza freni, che lascia il lettore interdetto e senza parole fino alla fine. L’azione rapida viene un po’ frammentata da una scrittura per parti, che si amalgama poco in una storyline che non lascia tregua e in qualche modo ci sono delle incongruenze e degli stacchi. Anche i cambi pov sono troppo improvvisi e lasciano spesso interdetti. Se il contorno sci-fi e distopico è perfetto e originale, la romance tra Amber e Aaron è affrettata, poco curata e vagamente innaturale. Dopo neanche una settimana sono già innamorati? E non sono neanche metà, il che lascia intendere molti più segreti di quelli che si possono riconoscere a prima vista. Ci sono momenti che lasciano molti dubbiosi, a volte anche le teorie non spiegano tutto, anche se l’impianto narrativo è assolutamente perfetto.
Ci sono diversi personaggi secondari, a partire dal migliore amico di Aaron, Biff, che io ho semplicemente adorato per la sua simpatia, il suo pavoneggiarsi, ma il suo difendere Aaron a spada tratta. Dominic, un giocatore di rugby che darà ad Aaron del filo da torcere. E come dimenticare il Dottor Casler, il detentore di tutti i segreti e il possessore della verità… da odiare, dal primo momento per la sua gentilezza super finta.
Il particolare da non dimenticare? Una fiala con un liquido rosso…
Uscito il 16 novembre 2012, un libro a metà tra uno sci-fi, una romance e una distopia, “Entanglement” è una storia che tiene il lettore incollato alla pagina e gli impedisce di smettere di leggere. Un must read per chi ha amato Matched, questo è uno di quei libri che sconvolge per la trama ingarbugliata e l’impianto narrativo che vi lascerà senza parole.
Buona lettura guys!
Ringrazio immensamente Dianne del blog Oops! I read a book again per avermi concesso di partecipare a questo blog tour in cambio della mia onesta opinione. Grazie.
Blog Tour sul mio blog il 12 Novembre
Recensione + Except + Giveaway
http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/p...
“Entanglement” è entrato nelle mie cose da leggere perchè si tratta di una distopia, e quando ho capito che si trattava di anime gemelle, amore e affini non ho saputo resistere. Considerando che ad organizzarlo è stata la mitica Dianne di Oops! I read a bookk again, non mi sono proprio potuta tirare indietro. Avendo poi letto un altro libro di Dan Rix ero certa che lo avrei apprezzato…e così è stato infatti.
“… la spiegazione scientifica è il legame quantico, per cui un ragazzo e una ragazza – anche quando sono separati da una grande distanza – reagiscono simultaneamente ai cambiamenti negli stati di ognuno…” - Dr. Casler Selavio sul legame tra le metà.
In un mondo come il nostro, gli umani sono nati a coppie. Quando un neonato maschio prende il primo respiro nella città costiera di Tularosa, il momento esatto viene segnato, registrato nel Registro e più tardi confrontato con i tempi di nascita di nuovi neonati intorno al mondo. Ci sarà un unico identico match – la sua metà. Si incontreranno il giorno del loro diciottesimo compleanno e trascorreranno il resto della loro vita insieme. Eccetto questa volta non c’è niente da accoppiare.
L’impulsivo e passionale Aaron Harper deve incontrare la sua metà in 29 giorni, e non crede neanche ad una parola sull’entanglement. E allora cosa succede se lui e la sua metà sono nati lo stesso giorno e condividono una connessione psichica? Niente di eccezionale. Dopo aver spezzato troppi cuori di ragazze, è bloccato con scaramucce con i giocatori di rugby.
Finché un giorno una nuova ragazza non arriva a scuola e minaccia tutto quello che aveva preso per garantito. Fredda e improcciabile, Amber Lilian odia la lista sempre più lunga di similitudini tra lei e l’unico ragazzo che non può leggere, Aaron: nato lo stesso giorno, entrambi testardi, entrambi terrorizzati di incontrare le proprie metà… tutti motivi per non fidarsi di lui. che lei preferisca morire che diventare proprietà della sua metà non è affar suo. Ma una volta persa nei pericolosi occhi neri di Aaron, lei si è già arresa più di quello che vorrebbe ammettere. Legati nella vita distruttiva dell’altro, Aaron e Amber scoprono il segreto dietro le loro nascite unite e perché si sentono come metà - ma finché non possono provarlo prima i compiere diciotto anni, Aaron potrebbe affrontare un’intera vita da solo in un mondo dove tutti hanno un’anima gemella… e dovrà guardare Amber donarsi ad un ragazzo che intende solo possedere il suo corpo e avrà presa sulla sua anima.
Penso di essermi innamorata immediatamente della trama, anche quando avevo solo vagamente intuito di cosa si parlava. Mi è bastato poco per capire che questo libro mi sarebbe piaciuto. Forse non come avrei voluto. La storia viene narrata usando la terza persona e alternando il punto di vista di Aaron e Amber, anche se la maggior parte della storia ci viene raccontata per bocca del ragazzo. È lui infatti che vive i cambiamenti più traumatici ed è attraverso i suoi occhi che veniamo a scoprire i misteri che circondano la vicenda. È una storia che si lascia leggere facilmente. Veniamo gettati subito nel mezzo dell’azione che non conosce tregua, il rapido countdown verso il diciottesimo compleanno di Aaron scandisce i tempi, in maniera inesorabile e a tratti anche angosciante. Con Aaron, impulsivo, una testa calda che non sa tenere la bocca chiusa, neanche in quelle situazioni dove la diplomazia sarebbe invece più che necessaria, veniamo a guardare in maniera angosciante il compleanno che segna anche la fine di un’epoca. Nelle teorie che circondano la storia dell’entanglement e delle particelle sono affascinanti e piene di inventiva. È Schrödinger che teorizza il comportamento della quantistica, il teorico dell’indeterminazione, la teoria per cui se si conosce la posizione di una particella non se ne può sapere la sua velocità e viceversa se si misura precisamente la velocità non se ne può conoscere la posizione. Lo stesso del gatto (come mi ha scritto Cristina sulla pagina fb). Secondo i suoi studi ogni bimbo che nasce, in una parte del globo ha la sua metà, un essere visceralmente attaccato a lui, tanto che se la metà muore, muore pure lui. Naturalmente le nascite sono registrate e controllate dal governo centrale, The Chamber of Halves che regolarizza solo il sistema, entrato in vigore solo da quattro generazioni. È tutto completamente fuori controllo, in un mondo che è assolutamente irriconoscibile e che lascia intendere molto più. Ci sono mille segreti e noi non veniamo a conoscenza solo lentamente. Amber, la ragazza, ecco che diventa un catalizzatore per una serie di scoperte che aumenteranno in modo esponenziale i pericoli sulla strada di Aaron, a partire con gli scontri con Clive, il suo ragazzo, ma anche la sua metà promessa. Amber è un personaggio molto interessante, coraggiosa, forte, che non si vuole piegare alle forze che la circondano e la proiettano in un mondo già predestinato, dove tutto viene deciso da altri e che lei è incapace di bloccare e convertire a suo piacimento. I genitori la gettano in pasto ad un destino oscuro, in mano ad una setta a cui non interessa nulla della sua volontà. Tutto è assolutamente tragico e il ritmo serrato porta ad un declino rapido e senza freni, che lascia il lettore interdetto e senza parole fino alla fine. L’azione rapida viene un po’ frammentata da una scrittura per parti, che si amalgama poco in una storyline che non lascia tregua e in qualche modo ci sono delle incongruenze e degli stacchi. Anche i cambi pov sono troppo improvvisi e lasciano spesso interdetti. Se il contorno sci-fi e distopico è perfetto e originale, la romance tra Amber e Aaron è affrettata, poco curata e vagamente innaturale. Dopo neanche una settimana sono già innamorati? E non sono neanche metà, il che lascia intendere molti più segreti di quelli che si possono riconoscere a prima vista. Ci sono momenti che lasciano molti dubbiosi, a volte anche le teorie non spiegano tutto, anche se l’impianto narrativo è assolutamente perfetto.
Ci sono diversi personaggi secondari, a partire dal migliore amico di Aaron, Biff, che io ho semplicemente adorato per la sua simpatia, il suo pavoneggiarsi, ma il suo difendere Aaron a spada tratta. Dominic, un giocatore di rugby che darà ad Aaron del filo da torcere. E come dimenticare il Dottor Casler, il detentore di tutti i segreti e il possessore della verità… da odiare, dal primo momento per la sua gentilezza super finta.
Il particolare da non dimenticare? Una fiala con un liquido rosso…
Uscito il 16 novembre 2012, un libro a metà tra uno sci-fi, una romance e una distopia, “Entanglement” è una storia che tiene il lettore incollato alla pagina e gli impedisce di smettere di leggere. Un must read per chi ha amato Matched, questo è uno di quei libri che sconvolge per la trama ingarbugliata e l’impianto narrativo che vi lascerà senza parole.
Buona lettura guys!
Ringrazio immensamente Dianne del blog Oops! I read a book again per avermi concesso di partecipare a questo blog tour in cambio della mia onesta opinione. Grazie.
March 15, 2017
‘Entanglement’ sounded right up my alley, a fun dystopian world with a mythology deeply seated in fringe sciences, but it didn’t quite live up to my hopes. There were so many stereotypes and tropes in this novel, I just about gagged. The mad scientist, the jock with a supposed heart of gold, the woman-abusing bad boy, the hot bitchy girl who feels like she is not worthy of love… need I go on.
Talk about dysfunctional, abusive relationships. I don’t think there was a healthy one in this novel whatsoever. I wanted to put the book down so many times because it was making me sick. The violence, subservitude… not the best read I’ve had this year.
The protagonist Amber was self-destructive and always playing games – so not cute. In fact, I had no love for her at all. Her love interest, Aaron was just as bad – I’m not sure what he was playing at, other than going after something he knew he couldn’t have.
Dan Rix does write great actions scenes and can build tension expertly. I was really intrigued about the mythology of this novel and would have like to learn more about the universe of ‘halfs.’
I think if the first half was condensed and edited heavily to remove the self-destructive behaviour, this would have been fantastic. Much more palatable, and the romance much more believable.
I really liked the second half of the book once I got over myself and ignored all of the violence. I’ve become a big fan of Dan Rix, he comes up with some great concepts, can really write an explosive build up and story climax. He also weaves angst like a pro… but I wish half of the characters weren’t such great big a-holes. Seriously, just about all of his main characters are smart arses.
I think this was his first published novel – and judging from the number on the spine, I’m guessing he had the intention of it becoming a series. But five years on, another 20 novels released and no sign of a sequel. He must have lost interest. I don’t know if I’d recommend this one – it’s an okay read, and the science behind the story is well worth putting up with all the other issues I had with ‘Entanglement,’ but with such troubling relations between characters, I wouldn’t want any young adult thinking it is cool or okay to treat others like that.
Talk about dysfunctional, abusive relationships. I don’t think there was a healthy one in this novel whatsoever. I wanted to put the book down so many times because it was making me sick. The violence, subservitude… not the best read I’ve had this year.
The protagonist Amber was self-destructive and always playing games – so not cute. In fact, I had no love for her at all. Her love interest, Aaron was just as bad – I’m not sure what he was playing at, other than going after something he knew he couldn’t have.
Dan Rix does write great actions scenes and can build tension expertly. I was really intrigued about the mythology of this novel and would have like to learn more about the universe of ‘halfs.’
I think if the first half was condensed and edited heavily to remove the self-destructive behaviour, this would have been fantastic. Much more palatable, and the romance much more believable.
I really liked the second half of the book once I got over myself and ignored all of the violence. I’ve become a big fan of Dan Rix, he comes up with some great concepts, can really write an explosive build up and story climax. He also weaves angst like a pro… but I wish half of the characters weren’t such great big a-holes. Seriously, just about all of his main characters are smart arses.
I think this was his first published novel – and judging from the number on the spine, I’m guessing he had the intention of it becoming a series. But five years on, another 20 novels released and no sign of a sequel. He must have lost interest. I don’t know if I’d recommend this one – it’s an okay read, and the science behind the story is well worth putting up with all the other issues I had with ‘Entanglement,’ but with such troubling relations between characters, I wouldn’t want any young adult thinking it is cool or okay to treat others like that.
June 22, 2017
Undecided
I don't know if I liked this book or not. I read the whole book so I must have found something interesting about it but I'm still trying to figure out what that is. Maybe I just couldn't understand half of the book and I'm feeling a little dumb or maybe this isn't my kind of book. The writing was great but I am still confused. Good luck to all who choose to read the book. Hope you have a better imagination than I do.
I don't know if I liked this book or not. I read the whole book so I must have found something interesting about it but I'm still trying to figure out what that is. Maybe I just couldn't understand half of the book and I'm feeling a little dumb or maybe this isn't my kind of book. The writing was great but I am still confused. Good luck to all who choose to read the book. Hope you have a better imagination than I do.
April 13, 2020
A fantastic twisting enjoyable read
This is a fast-paced, in-your-face teen coming of age story that forced me to read right to the end. A fantastic dystopian look at love and destiny and what it all means. Gripping characters that intense scenes of physical assault and infatuation. Loved it!
This is a fast-paced, in-your-face teen coming of age story that forced me to read right to the end. A fantastic dystopian look at love and destiny and what it all means. Gripping characters that intense scenes of physical assault and infatuation. Loved it!
May 6, 2013
♥ Find my reviews here: Literary Meanderings
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Synopsis (from Goodreads): "...the scientific explanation is quantum entanglement, whereby the boy and girl—even when separated by great distances—react instantaneously to changes in each other's states..." —Dr. Casler Selavio, on the entanglement of halves.
In a world like ours, humans are born in pairs. When a newborn boy takes his first breath in the coastal town of Tularosa, the exact time is noted, recorded in the Registry, and later compared to the birth times of other newborns around the globe. There will be one identical match—his half. They will meet on their eighteenth birthday and they will spend their lives together. Except this time, there is no match.
Hotheaded heartthrob Aaron Harper is scheduled to meet his half in twenty-nine days, and he doesn’t buy a word of that entanglement crap. So what if he and his half were born the same day and share a spooky psychic connection? Big deal. After breaking one too many teenage girls’ hearts, he’ll stick to brawling with the douchebag rugby players any day.
Until the day a new girl arrives at school and threatens everything he takes for granted.
Cold and unapproachable, Amber Lilian hates the growing list of similarities between her and the one boy she can’t read, Aaron: born the same day, both stubborn, both terrified of meeting their halves. . . . All the more reason not to trust him. That she would rather die than surrender herself as her half’s property is none of his damn business. But once lost in Aaron’s dangerous, jet black eyes, she’s already surrendered more than she cares to admit.
Tangled in each other’s self-destructive lives, Aaron and Amber learn the secret behind their linked births and why they feel like halves—but unless they can prove it before they turn eighteen, Aaron faces a lifetime alone in a world where everyone else has a soul mate . . . and he’ll have to watch Amber give herself to a boy who intends to possess not only her body but also a chunk of her soul.
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Okay! Let's begin with my dislikes:
*Something that irked me from the beginning was the fact that Halves had to be one male and one female. Soul mates must automatically be of opposite sex. I haven't seen anyone else complain about this, and I know it's a personal issue - but it's an issue which caused me to lower my rating of this book, so I feel I need to mention it. I would've liked the idea that sex doesn't matter when it comes to soulmates/Halves.
*There was a bit more info-dumping than I could handle. Never a fan of that.
*The pace slowed down too much in the middle. I wanted to skip ahead.
*The ending left me with a question mark lingering above my head. I had to actually re-read most of it because I wasn't sure I was in complete understanding of what happened. I'm honestly still not sure.
Now, let me tell you what I enjoyed.
The main thing I loved was how unique this plot was. It sounds similar to others out there, but it isn't. I actually LOVED the concept of halves! Allow me to explain it for you a little: On a person's 18th birthday, they are introduced to their “half”. Halves are born at the same time, on the same day. The boy and the girl are attached via a clairvoyant channel of sorts. This clairvoyance is located at the base of their skull, linking the two souls together. This is known as “Quantum Entanglement”. You feel what your half feels. If your half dies, you die.
Aaron, our protagonist, is approaching his 18th birthday. He isn't completely sold on the idea of halves.
I like how Dan Rix set up his story immediately, and then inserted conflict right on in there with ease. No dilly-dallying around for this guy! The idea of halves is actually questioned through numerous routes. I was impressed with the fact that Dan Rix could juggle so many things at once and do it so well. Aside from a few lulls in the pace, the suspense was kept up nicely!
I enjoyed the romance aspect very much. Aaron falls for a new gal at school, Amber. They suspect they may be halves, but without knowing for sure, still fall for each other. This makes a statement because if they aren't halves, they can't be together. The society they live in just doesn't work that way. Not to mention, Amber has a freak of a “boyfriend,” Clive—a total sociopath if you ask me. So there's not only one hurdle in the way of Aaron and Amber's relationship, but many. Watching them overcome their obstacles was inspiring and definitely edge-of-your-seat.
All in all, I think Entanglement is an okay read! The premise is truly unique and the characters are fresh and believable. I enjoyed the science fiction elements woven into the plot as well as the romance. I always love a romance that defies the odds and challenges a dystopian society. :) Plot lulls and a minor details caused me to lower my rating, but overall, this is a book I would recommend. The writing is great. The story is great. The author pays close attention to detail. If you enjoy YA sci-fi or dystopia, you will probably enjoy this one!
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Book source: From the author for review
Publisher: Self-published
September 21, 2023
Almost 5 stars but Amber just didn't seem to have logical motivations most of the time.
April 12, 2021
4.5 stars. Was actually looking for a light read after the 4 books of Hunger Games (finally read the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, so I continued the series). Had no idea what to expect.
Very interesting concept of soul mates & being linked... But like many other things, people can find ways to manipulate it to their own purposes. And that is what has happened here...
Very interesting concept of soul mates & being linked... But like many other things, people can find ways to manipulate it to their own purposes. And that is what has happened here...
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