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Terminal Regression
WINNER OF THE SECOND ANNUAL AUTHORSFIRST NOVEL CONTEST
Laura Baily's life is meaningless. In a world where purpose and passion are everything, Laura feels as though she has no place and no business even existing. Her life is forfeit, and it would be better for everyone if she simply ended it, if she simply got a ticket for a train to oblivion and faded from memory. But what awaits her at the end of the line isn't death, but Terminal B, a community of people more like her than she considered possible, including the beautiful, tormented Will Noble. Though Laura still thinks little of her own life, the lives of others begin to fascinate her as never before. And when those lives become imperiled, Laura discovers the last thing she ever expected to find on her way out of the world: a mission and a reason to live. Compelling on both a human and global scale, TERMINAL REGRESSION is a novel of rare power and humanity. It is the story of a tomorrow that teeters on the edge of utopia and dystopia and a resigned outsider who might just change it forever."
Laura Baily's life is meaningless. In a world where purpose and passion are everything, Laura feels as though she has no place and no business even existing. Her life is forfeit, and it would be better for everyone if she simply ended it, if she simply got a ticket for a train to oblivion and faded from memory. But what awaits her at the end of the line isn't death, but Terminal B, a community of people more like her than she considered possible, including the beautiful, tormented Will Noble. Though Laura still thinks little of her own life, the lives of others begin to fascinate her as never before. And when those lives become imperiled, Laura discovers the last thing she ever expected to find on her way out of the world: a mission and a reason to live. Compelling on both a human and global scale, TERMINAL REGRESSION is a novel of rare power and humanity. It is the story of a tomorrow that teeters on the edge of utopia and dystopia and a resigned outsider who might just change it forever."
- GenresDystopia
282 pages, Paperback
Published January 17, 2017
45 people want to read
About the author
Mallory Hill
13 books6 followersMallory Hill started writing at fourteen and has since written over 50 independent novels, one published and two self-published. In addition to writing, Mallory frequently performs in musicals at her local theatre and dabbles in painting and the odd artistic endeavor. She graduated in 2017 from Indiana University with a B.A. in anthropology and is studying for education licensure at Goshen College. She currently lives and works in her hometown in Indiana.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 25, 2017
Detailed review: A Bohemian Mind at Work
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, and my opinion is my own.
Mallory Hill won the Second Annual AuthorsFirst Novel Contest for Terminal Regression after writing a series of manuscripts and securing a runner-up position in the same competition.
Mallory has explored the mind of a young suicidal depressive living under a totalitarian regime where the ‘higher management’ (government) classifies all citizens into communities according to their ‘call.’
The author doesn’t waste time or pages in world building. It wouldn’t have been relevant as the novel is about people’s tendencies to go with the wind contradicting the other human nature to fight back when the life of a loved one is endangered.
Meet Laura Bailey, the lonely, despondent protagonist, quite a relatable character. Laura’s skeptical nature isn’t ready to believe what she has learned since birth. The world she lives in isn’t perfect.
The girl begins to think she is a misfit because everybody else is happy with his or her place in the society. There is a clear dissimilitude between Laura and the rest of the art community members from the beginning of the story.
Depressed with the result of a search for her call, Laura decides to do the inevitable and asks for a ticket to the Terminus B. At this point of the book you will think the ticket to Terminus B is a metaphor for death and Laura’s initiative for the journey means suicide. You will be right and wrong.
That’s the beauty and the horror of the story. A group of people, or ‘management,’ decide on the sorting of the citizens and seal their fate according to their abilities.
Terminus B is another society divided into communities made of outcasts. Convicts, near-death patients, those with mediocre talents, are not the only ones who go there besides the misfits like Laura. Some are selected and brought here because they are suitable for management positions.
Laura realizes the truth as she meets the people of Terminus B. The jobs created in this area ensure the safety and contentment of the depressed and the suicidal.
The people of Terminus A are not aware that the Terminus B exists as nobody is ever allowed to go back to A. Laura tries to gather some desperate men and women to help her break that balance and publicize the existence of B.
Her motivation is a kind and warm personality, Will. Will is a childhood friend who reconnects with her in the train and becomes a permanent part of her life once she finds out he endures systematic torture because he is a convict from A.
Will is a warm and charming love interest. I liked the focused and empathetic relationship between Will and Laura. Nothing unrealistic given the situations, but adorable. I was almost in tears reading the lines where Laura finds out more and more about his condition.
Mallory Hill has created a beautiful romance between Laura and Will. Their love inspires Laura’s subsequent actions but it never takes away the focus of the story–people succumbing to an authoritarian government without a word of protest.
The story builds up like a slow dance. I found the first pace quite slow, but never realized when I had reached the end of the book.
However, I wasn’t completely satisfied with the book.
Laura’s state of mind became repetitive after a while as was her observation of the people around her in both terminals. Of course, I should have expected that as the book is in her POV.
According to the blurb, the theme is about ‘rare power and humanity.’ I didn’t see anything extraordinary in the lead character. The young Bailey sought out her parents’ help in going back to the Terminal A and proved to both worlds the truth behind the existence of B. A non-violent and uncontroversial method of solving a serious issue, I must say. Not complaining, as this very approach has made Terminal Regression different from other books based on similar themes. Though listed as a science fiction, this book felt more like a general or literary fiction due to the strong human element.
The author has taken a subject of suicidal depression and created a beautiful tale of hope and love instead of another ‘sci-fi adventure.’
I can’t say I enjoyed the story as it is not meant to entertain, but the book has left a lasting impression on my mind. Worth a read, people, go for it.
I offer four Bohostars to Terminal Regression.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, and my opinion is my own.
Mallory Hill won the Second Annual AuthorsFirst Novel Contest for Terminal Regression after writing a series of manuscripts and securing a runner-up position in the same competition.
Mallory has explored the mind of a young suicidal depressive living under a totalitarian regime where the ‘higher management’ (government) classifies all citizens into communities according to their ‘call.’
The author doesn’t waste time or pages in world building. It wouldn’t have been relevant as the novel is about people’s tendencies to go with the wind contradicting the other human nature to fight back when the life of a loved one is endangered.
Meet Laura Bailey, the lonely, despondent protagonist, quite a relatable character. Laura’s skeptical nature isn’t ready to believe what she has learned since birth. The world she lives in isn’t perfect.
The girl begins to think she is a misfit because everybody else is happy with his or her place in the society. There is a clear dissimilitude between Laura and the rest of the art community members from the beginning of the story.
Depressed with the result of a search for her call, Laura decides to do the inevitable and asks for a ticket to the Terminus B. At this point of the book you will think the ticket to Terminus B is a metaphor for death and Laura’s initiative for the journey means suicide. You will be right and wrong.
That’s the beauty and the horror of the story. A group of people, or ‘management,’ decide on the sorting of the citizens and seal their fate according to their abilities.
Terminus B is another society divided into communities made of outcasts. Convicts, near-death patients, those with mediocre talents, are not the only ones who go there besides the misfits like Laura. Some are selected and brought here because they are suitable for management positions.
Laura realizes the truth as she meets the people of Terminus B. The jobs created in this area ensure the safety and contentment of the depressed and the suicidal.
The people of Terminus A are not aware that the Terminus B exists as nobody is ever allowed to go back to A. Laura tries to gather some desperate men and women to help her break that balance and publicize the existence of B.
Her motivation is a kind and warm personality, Will. Will is a childhood friend who reconnects with her in the train and becomes a permanent part of her life once she finds out he endures systematic torture because he is a convict from A.
Will is a warm and charming love interest. I liked the focused and empathetic relationship between Will and Laura. Nothing unrealistic given the situations, but adorable. I was almost in tears reading the lines where Laura finds out more and more about his condition.
Mallory Hill has created a beautiful romance between Laura and Will. Their love inspires Laura’s subsequent actions but it never takes away the focus of the story–people succumbing to an authoritarian government without a word of protest.
The story builds up like a slow dance. I found the first pace quite slow, but never realized when I had reached the end of the book.
However, I wasn’t completely satisfied with the book.
Laura’s state of mind became repetitive after a while as was her observation of the people around her in both terminals. Of course, I should have expected that as the book is in her POV.
According to the blurb, the theme is about ‘rare power and humanity.’ I didn’t see anything extraordinary in the lead character. The young Bailey sought out her parents’ help in going back to the Terminal A and proved to both worlds the truth behind the existence of B. A non-violent and uncontroversial method of solving a serious issue, I must say. Not complaining, as this very approach has made Terminal Regression different from other books based on similar themes. Though listed as a science fiction, this book felt more like a general or literary fiction due to the strong human element.
The author has taken a subject of suicidal depression and created a beautiful tale of hope and love instead of another ‘sci-fi adventure.’
I can’t say I enjoyed the story as it is not meant to entertain, but the book has left a lasting impression on my mind. Worth a read, people, go for it.
I offer four Bohostars to Terminal Regression.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2017
Originally reviewed here: http://thequeenofblades.blogspot.co.u...
This was a good one. I would even go so far as to say it was great. Especially for anyone whom has had a personal experience with suicide. It is incredibly difficult to broach this particular subject without making people uncomfortable. We, as a society, don't like to talk about it. We fear it. Rather stupid that, as the more we ignore these issues, the more isolated people feel.
Laura is a misfit, not in a cute nerdy kinda way, I mean she does not belong anywhere. Nothing she does brings her happiness. She is numb, has been foe years. Her life in Terminal A is one long continuous shade of grey. To escape it, she boards the train to oblivion, where she is supposed to die. Imagine her surprise when she discovers there is a Terminal B. Where people like her, and those that have committed crimes, live out their days working to sustain the happy illusion of Terminal A. I hope you are getting the metaphor.
Among Laura's fellow inhabitants are a tragic couple, and a young man who made a very costly mistake. As she becomes more and more fascinated with their lives, Laura finds some hope. Hope that they will one day be happy, and free in their lives.
There is not a huge amount of action in this book, so if you are looking for a fast-paced overthrow-the-tyrants kind of book, you be left wanting. What it does have in buckets is a unbelievable ability to show the reader what Laura is feeling. The shock and betrayal she feels when she realizes the train is not the end. The constant feeling of being on the edge of panic. The shame of being a failure, the shame of letting her family down.
This is a must read for every teen, regardless of whether they have had these feelings or not.
*I received an e-copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a good one. I would even go so far as to say it was great. Especially for anyone whom has had a personal experience with suicide. It is incredibly difficult to broach this particular subject without making people uncomfortable. We, as a society, don't like to talk about it. We fear it. Rather stupid that, as the more we ignore these issues, the more isolated people feel.
Laura is a misfit, not in a cute nerdy kinda way, I mean she does not belong anywhere. Nothing she does brings her happiness. She is numb, has been foe years. Her life in Terminal A is one long continuous shade of grey. To escape it, she boards the train to oblivion, where she is supposed to die. Imagine her surprise when she discovers there is a Terminal B. Where people like her, and those that have committed crimes, live out their days working to sustain the happy illusion of Terminal A. I hope you are getting the metaphor.
Among Laura's fellow inhabitants are a tragic couple, and a young man who made a very costly mistake. As she becomes more and more fascinated with their lives, Laura finds some hope. Hope that they will one day be happy, and free in their lives.
There is not a huge amount of action in this book, so if you are looking for a fast-paced overthrow-the-tyrants kind of book, you be left wanting. What it does have in buckets is a unbelievable ability to show the reader what Laura is feeling. The shock and betrayal she feels when she realizes the train is not the end. The constant feeling of being on the edge of panic. The shame of being a failure, the shame of letting her family down.
This is a must read for every teen, regardless of whether they have had these feelings or not.
*I received an e-copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2017
In short: I loved Terminal Regression beyond reason. The main character was witty and had an enjoyable pov; I snickered at a lot of her wry asides and observations of society. What was most important to me was the depiction of mental illness – I empathized so much with Laura who suffered from clinical depression, and her reactions and coping mechanisms rang very true to me. Her depression wasn’t simply window dressing to make the book ‘edgy’, it was a major part of her character and informed her choices and the events of the book.
There was a fairly small cast of characters and while a couple weren’t as fleshed out as they could’ve been, for the most part I felt that the supporting characters were well-drawn and realistic, and I liked how Will, Grant and Mimi had their own stories and history instead of just being players in Laura’s hero’s journey.
The author came up with such a creative and fresh take on the dystopian society trend that is very popular right now, with a revolution unlike any other I’ve read before. In an era of Hunger Games and Divergent and the like, this was a breath of fresh air. Some may find the climax to be, well, antic-climactic, and perhaps it was a little too easily resolved, but I appreciate the originality and found it very appropriate to the story being told. This is more about Laura and focuses intimately on her issues and struggles, as opposed to focusing on the society in general.
This book really moved me. I can’t emphasize enough how deeply it affected me. The reason I requested this ARC was because I’ve struggled with depression for over a decade now and while I’ve never acted on it, suicidal ideation (wanting to die) has been a part of my daily routine. I read as a form of escapism, but I also like to read books in which the main character represents something personal to me and articulates what I’m unable to express.
--
The remainder of the review is at my blog.
--
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy free from Story Plant via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There was a fairly small cast of characters and while a couple weren’t as fleshed out as they could’ve been, for the most part I felt that the supporting characters were well-drawn and realistic, and I liked how Will, Grant and Mimi had their own stories and history instead of just being players in Laura’s hero’s journey.
The author came up with such a creative and fresh take on the dystopian society trend that is very popular right now, with a revolution unlike any other I’ve read before. In an era of Hunger Games and Divergent and the like, this was a breath of fresh air. Some may find the climax to be, well, antic-climactic, and perhaps it was a little too easily resolved, but I appreciate the originality and found it very appropriate to the story being told. This is more about Laura and focuses intimately on her issues and struggles, as opposed to focusing on the society in general.
This book really moved me. I can’t emphasize enough how deeply it affected me. The reason I requested this ARC was because I’ve struggled with depression for over a decade now and while I’ve never acted on it, suicidal ideation (wanting to die) has been a part of my daily routine. I read as a form of escapism, but I also like to read books in which the main character represents something personal to me and articulates what I’m unable to express.
--
The remainder of the review is at my blog.
--
Disclaimer: I received a digital copy free from Story Plant via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2020
*Spoilers. (A few.) I'm not including the tags. I'll add them at the first disgruntled comment.*
I just read a book where a book reviewer got thrown from the twelfth story balcony of a swanky hotel/restaurant because he'd written a critical review. There are assuredly worse ways to go.
In Terminal Regression, Laura Baily takes an easier path: State-assisted suicide. Only, con-of-cons, they're not giving her a peaceful, painless death: she's working on a farm*, providing food for Terminal A: where she'd come from.
There is a lot that Ms. Hill gets right in this book: a whole lot. And certainly had I the wherewithal to write a book, let alone get it published at 18, it wouldn't deserve the one-star rating I gave it. We've got a lot to commend Hill for.**
From my experience, Hill captures the darkness and... monotony of depression fairly well. Schools are required to give suicide prevention training now, and it's weird how it can simultaneously be thought out, and spur-of-the-moment. Laura's decision felt a bit that way to me.
And dystopian fiction will always pull both from real life, and the dystopian fiction that came before it. I appreciated the credit cards (p.33) "The amount of work you do will translate into credits..." I'd just read about China's Social Credit System, so I'm wondering if Hill was ahead of the curve here, or if I'm just so far behind it. And there are various tethers holding Terminal Regression to Orwell, Huxley, Atwood, and others in the cannon, of course. The lines, "It's a system. It's working. I'd rather not question it." (Grant, p. 49) remind us that generally in dystopian fiction (and perhaps real life?) those living under the system are unaware they're living in a dystopian society. (Unless the villain causing it - the one you're dehumanizing - actually isn't human, and you're all in agreement that this dystopian-causing-villain is evil... I'm looking at you, coronavirus.)
But, although Grant wasn't willing to ask questions, I've got several - both about the system that's in place, and the narrative structure of the book.
I wanted more origin story. How did this system get set up? Where is it? Panem is in the remains of what was once North America. Oceania (from 1984) is essentially the British Empire expanded plus South America. The Handmaid's Tale hearkens back to The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials, being set in New England... Gilead, indeed... Something doesn't come from nothing, and I wanted more there.
Then too, there were several inconsistencies within the narrative. A couple of them I realized were my fault for not piecing together. (I didn't realize that Laura's mom thought she was being promoted rather than euthanized, for instance.) But still, (and this is where I think a professional editor would help, rather than some random guy on goodreads just spouting off nonsense) Will's demeanor on the train towards Laura - knowing he was being sentenced as a convict? He was in such a good mood. Laura hardly remembering him compared to who he was at the end of the book? And who was that other kid from Terminal A - a potential false love-interest for Laura, but then more or less fizzled?
I really liked Mimi and Grant, by the way. And their reveal. I thought that was well done.
And I liked the characters of the mom and the dad, but (even ignoring that the mom thought Laura was being promoted) would the mom have really been that happy to lose her forever? After losing the man she loved in the same tunnel?
And she *had* to find her dad while she was over there. There's no way that she'd choose death, and then wouldn't seek him out - damn the risks. To have him fall in her lap like that seemed a little too deus ex machina.
I got confused, too, whether the tunnel was death or promotion. The bad guys (Will) and suicides (Laura) got sent there, but so did disabled finding a new purpose (Grant) and people being promoted (Dad.) I knew what Hill was going for so (like Austin Powers), I didn't worry about it, and just enjoyed myself. But every once in a while I'd wonder how many people had the priviledge of going back and forth? Running the trains? Carrying the produce? Convicts? Etc...? Who all got to be on both sides? Did they have special privileges? Maybe these questions come up in all wall stories, both historical and fictional (think, Berlin Wall, Great Wall, Great Firewall, Hezekiah's Wall (and tunnel), Trump's Wall, ...The Dark Hills Divide (two stars)...)
There's a lot of potential here, both in Hill, and in the book itself. With some (imho) fixes, it could look pretty good on the silver screen. So, don't sell those movie rights. And I'm hoping Hill continues to write - and really rewrite. I hope she finds an editor✴ and publishing house who deserve her.
*This is probably not the same farm owned by my grandparents (who didn't own a farm) that Butch☨ went to live on when he got a bit older.
☨Okay: truth or dare, and I picked truth. My parents never lied to me and told me that Butch went to live on a farm when he died. He just died, and we all knew it. He was a good dog. Maybe my favorite of all the dogs I've owned, even though he was the least mine.
**Hill writing this at the age of 18 is making me think of the age of authors in general... I remember in "Teacher Man" (my short review) McCourt calls himself the "Johnny-come-lately of writers." He got the Pulitzer for Angela's Ashes at 63... On the younger side, S.E. Hinton was also 18 when The Outsiders was published. ...Huh... there's no review... I could have sworn I wrote a review for The Outsiders, but I last read it all the way back in 2008.
✴It's nearly 3 AM, and I'm writing this without a professional editor. I'm planning on coming back to it tomorrow, but who knows? This is more of a "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" situation. Either way, feel free to give this review (as you all should all of my reviews) one-star.
I just read a book where a book reviewer got thrown from the twelfth story balcony of a swanky hotel/restaurant because he'd written a critical review. There are assuredly worse ways to go.
In Terminal Regression, Laura Baily takes an easier path: State-assisted suicide. Only, con-of-cons, they're not giving her a peaceful, painless death: she's working on a farm*, providing food for Terminal A: where she'd come from.
There is a lot that Ms. Hill gets right in this book: a whole lot. And certainly had I the wherewithal to write a book, let alone get it published at 18, it wouldn't deserve the one-star rating I gave it. We've got a lot to commend Hill for.**
From my experience, Hill captures the darkness and... monotony of depression fairly well. Schools are required to give suicide prevention training now, and it's weird how it can simultaneously be thought out, and spur-of-the-moment. Laura's decision felt a bit that way to me.
And dystopian fiction will always pull both from real life, and the dystopian fiction that came before it. I appreciated the credit cards (p.33) "The amount of work you do will translate into credits..." I'd just read about China's Social Credit System, so I'm wondering if Hill was ahead of the curve here, or if I'm just so far behind it. And there are various tethers holding Terminal Regression to Orwell, Huxley, Atwood, and others in the cannon, of course. The lines, "It's a system. It's working. I'd rather not question it." (Grant, p. 49) remind us that generally in dystopian fiction (and perhaps real life?) those living under the system are unaware they're living in a dystopian society. (Unless the villain causing it - the one you're dehumanizing - actually isn't human, and you're all in agreement that this dystopian-causing-villain is evil... I'm looking at you, coronavirus.)
But, although Grant wasn't willing to ask questions, I've got several - both about the system that's in place, and the narrative structure of the book.
I wanted more origin story. How did this system get set up? Where is it? Panem is in the remains of what was once North America. Oceania (from 1984) is essentially the British Empire expanded plus South America. The Handmaid's Tale hearkens back to The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials, being set in New England... Gilead, indeed... Something doesn't come from nothing, and I wanted more there.
Then too, there were several inconsistencies within the narrative. A couple of them I realized were my fault for not piecing together. (I didn't realize that Laura's mom thought she was being promoted rather than euthanized, for instance.) But still, (and this is where I think a professional editor would help, rather than some random guy on goodreads just spouting off nonsense) Will's demeanor on the train towards Laura - knowing he was being sentenced as a convict? He was in such a good mood. Laura hardly remembering him compared to who he was at the end of the book? And who was that other kid from Terminal A - a potential false love-interest for Laura, but then more or less fizzled?
I really liked Mimi and Grant, by the way. And their reveal. I thought that was well done.
And I liked the characters of the mom and the dad, but (even ignoring that the mom thought Laura was being promoted) would the mom have really been that happy to lose her forever? After losing the man she loved in the same tunnel?
And she *had* to find her dad while she was over there. There's no way that she'd choose death, and then wouldn't seek him out - damn the risks. To have him fall in her lap like that seemed a little too deus ex machina.
I got confused, too, whether the tunnel was death or promotion. The bad guys (Will) and suicides (Laura) got sent there, but so did disabled finding a new purpose (Grant) and people being promoted (Dad.) I knew what Hill was going for so (like Austin Powers), I didn't worry about it, and just enjoyed myself. But every once in a while I'd wonder how many people had the priviledge of going back and forth? Running the trains? Carrying the produce? Convicts? Etc...? Who all got to be on both sides? Did they have special privileges? Maybe these questions come up in all wall stories, both historical and fictional (think, Berlin Wall, Great Wall, Great Firewall, Hezekiah's Wall (and tunnel), Trump's Wall, ...The Dark Hills Divide (two stars)...)
There's a lot of potential here, both in Hill, and in the book itself. With some (imho) fixes, it could look pretty good on the silver screen. So, don't sell those movie rights. And I'm hoping Hill continues to write - and really rewrite. I hope she finds an editor✴ and publishing house who deserve her.
*This is probably not the same farm owned by my grandparents (who didn't own a farm) that Butch☨ went to live on when he got a bit older.
☨Okay: truth or dare, and I picked truth. My parents never lied to me and told me that Butch went to live on a farm when he died. He just died, and we all knew it. He was a good dog. Maybe my favorite of all the dogs I've owned, even though he was the least mine.
**Hill writing this at the age of 18 is making me think of the age of authors in general... I remember in "Teacher Man" (my short review) McCourt calls himself the "Johnny-come-lately of writers." He got the Pulitzer for Angela's Ashes at 63... On the younger side, S.E. Hinton was also 18 when The Outsiders was published. ...Huh... there's no review... I could have sworn I wrote a review for The Outsiders, but I last read it all the way back in 2008.
✴It's nearly 3 AM, and I'm writing this without a professional editor. I'm planning on coming back to it tomorrow, but who knows? This is more of a "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" situation. Either way, feel free to give this review (as you all should all of my reviews) one-star.
June 20, 2022
Terminal Regression by Mallory Hill
Story follows a few who are being sent away. They think their life is not worth living, some have attempted suicide.
On the train she meets Will who was in a class as a younger person. He's sent to the electric plant where he works.
Laura is sent to the farm and does physical work, not very hard, just picking a piece of fruit. She has means to get a vehicle and picks Will up at the end of the day and they live together.
He's been electrocuted and also reprimanded from his boss for things he hadn't done right.
There are other influences and people as their new life goes on. They didn't die in the tunnel on the train getting there.
She knows she needs to make changes and escape... didn't see the book ending as it did, very happy about it though. Bit out there for me but enjoyed the read.
Received this review copy from The Story Plant and this is my honest opinion.
Story follows a few who are being sent away. They think their life is not worth living, some have attempted suicide.
On the train she meets Will who was in a class as a younger person. He's sent to the electric plant where he works.
Laura is sent to the farm and does physical work, not very hard, just picking a piece of fruit. She has means to get a vehicle and picks Will up at the end of the day and they live together.
He's been electrocuted and also reprimanded from his boss for things he hadn't done right.
There are other influences and people as their new life goes on. They didn't die in the tunnel on the train getting there.
She knows she needs to make changes and escape... didn't see the book ending as it did, very happy about it though. Bit out there for me but enjoyed the read.
Received this review copy from The Story Plant and this is my honest opinion.
June 7, 2020
Great story
I read this book over the course of one afternoon, falling in love with Will and seeing more than a little bit of myself in Laura.
I read this book over the course of one afternoon, falling in love with Will and seeing more than a little bit of myself in Laura.
January 18, 2017
Book Review: Do the Dead Actually Die in This Dystopian Society?
TERMINAL REGRESSION
By Mallory Hill
In Mallory Hill's AuthorsFirst contest winning novel, TERMINAL REGRESSION, she creates a dystopian world within a Utopian existence. Meet Laura Bailey, a young adult trying to find her place in society, trying but failing. She's grown up in the artist's community. Both of her parents are highly gifted and well respected artists within the community. That was until 8 years ago when her father was selected to board the train. Everyone lives in Terminal A. Everyone knows if you board the train you never come back.
Laura never gets over her father's death and she doesn't quite understand why he was chosen for it in the first place. If someone as good as him, as talented as him, as giving to the society as him was chosen how can she live up to that standard and still not be worthy of her place within the community?
Laura does the unthinkable, she volunteers for a ticket, she volunteers for suicide. After "trying" all of the sectors and not finding a passion even in the arts where she has talent, she feels she'd be less of a burden on her mother and on society if she just boarded the train into oblivion.
Thinking she was taking the train alone to her death, she is reunited with a childhood friend, Will Noble. They both sit together as they approach their end, realizing how much they appreciate not being alone at that moment.
When the train arrives at Terminal B they are separated. Laura is placed on a farm to work the rest of her life. Angry, she feels cheated from her much desired death. Until one day she sees Will crawling in the mud away from the power plant that she drives by daily to get to the farm.
Will wanted to be a police officer back in Terminal A, so while in training he noticed a man taking more than his rationed allotment. A fight ensued and Will was sentenced as a prisoner. In Terminal B every prisoner works at the power plant pulling levers in dripping water and being electrocuted the entire shift.
Laura takes Will back to her apartment to nurse him back to reasonable health. He gets the next day off as the shift rotation is one day of work, one day of recuperating until eventually the prisoners die or become incapacitated to continue working.
Laura finds friends at the farm and eventually takes Will there on his day off. Her time on the farm has taught her a valuable lesson that all life is precious. She can't stand seeing her friends suffer and decides something must be done. There must be more to life than what they confront daily in Terminal B.
She realizes that her father isn't dead but must be somewhere in Terminal B. She questions the society that separated the two terminals. She questions why her friends on the farm, Will, and people like her father aren't good enough for Terminal A's standards. Finally she has to act to save Will's life, in the process she starts a revolution.
TERMINAL REGRESSION is a wonderful story, sad and frustrating but equally captivating. Knowing how frustrating people in today's societies struggle to find their place this story brings that struggle to light.
TERMINAL REGRESSION is full of poignant topics that need to be addressed; all life is precious and even suicidal people have something to offer to others; those seemingly without a calling/purpose have something to offer to others; the ideal of Utopia is not without drawbacks, namely judgement of others and individual worth and above all no matter the despair there is always someone to help, no one ever need be alone in their struggle.
This is a story that should be on every teenagers reading list. If it can save one life from being taken, if it can open the eyes of anyone doubting their self-worth, if it can spread light on how we judge each other rather than support and uplift each other, it is worth the time to read. More than that it is an entertaining story with the added bonus of giving much food for thought. Once you start reading, it is difficult to put down until you find out if Laura succeeds, until you find out if one person can make a difference in the Terminal societies.
When all hope is lost, this story shows that hope can once again be found and it can move mountains, er walls, er trains.
It is well deserved to have won THE SECOND ANNUAL AUTHORSFIRST NOVEL CONTEST. Truly a story that one person can make a difference in the lives around them.
To learn about author Mallory Hill visit her website at: https://malloryhillauthor.wordpress.com
To learn about AuthorsFirst please visit: http://www.authorsfirst.com
FTC disclaimer: I received an ARC of this title by The Story Plant for review purposes only; no other compensation was awarded.
TERMINAL REGRESSION
By Mallory Hill
In Mallory Hill's AuthorsFirst contest winning novel, TERMINAL REGRESSION, she creates a dystopian world within a Utopian existence. Meet Laura Bailey, a young adult trying to find her place in society, trying but failing. She's grown up in the artist's community. Both of her parents are highly gifted and well respected artists within the community. That was until 8 years ago when her father was selected to board the train. Everyone lives in Terminal A. Everyone knows if you board the train you never come back.
Laura never gets over her father's death and she doesn't quite understand why he was chosen for it in the first place. If someone as good as him, as talented as him, as giving to the society as him was chosen how can she live up to that standard and still not be worthy of her place within the community?
Laura does the unthinkable, she volunteers for a ticket, she volunteers for suicide. After "trying" all of the sectors and not finding a passion even in the arts where she has talent, she feels she'd be less of a burden on her mother and on society if she just boarded the train into oblivion.
Thinking she was taking the train alone to her death, she is reunited with a childhood friend, Will Noble. They both sit together as they approach their end, realizing how much they appreciate not being alone at that moment.
When the train arrives at Terminal B they are separated. Laura is placed on a farm to work the rest of her life. Angry, she feels cheated from her much desired death. Until one day she sees Will crawling in the mud away from the power plant that she drives by daily to get to the farm.
Will wanted to be a police officer back in Terminal A, so while in training he noticed a man taking more than his rationed allotment. A fight ensued and Will was sentenced as a prisoner. In Terminal B every prisoner works at the power plant pulling levers in dripping water and being electrocuted the entire shift.
Laura takes Will back to her apartment to nurse him back to reasonable health. He gets the next day off as the shift rotation is one day of work, one day of recuperating until eventually the prisoners die or become incapacitated to continue working.
Laura finds friends at the farm and eventually takes Will there on his day off. Her time on the farm has taught her a valuable lesson that all life is precious. She can't stand seeing her friends suffer and decides something must be done. There must be more to life than what they confront daily in Terminal B.
She realizes that her father isn't dead but must be somewhere in Terminal B. She questions the society that separated the two terminals. She questions why her friends on the farm, Will, and people like her father aren't good enough for Terminal A's standards. Finally she has to act to save Will's life, in the process she starts a revolution.
TERMINAL REGRESSION is a wonderful story, sad and frustrating but equally captivating. Knowing how frustrating people in today's societies struggle to find their place this story brings that struggle to light.
TERMINAL REGRESSION is full of poignant topics that need to be addressed; all life is precious and even suicidal people have something to offer to others; those seemingly without a calling/purpose have something to offer to others; the ideal of Utopia is not without drawbacks, namely judgement of others and individual worth and above all no matter the despair there is always someone to help, no one ever need be alone in their struggle.
This is a story that should be on every teenagers reading list. If it can save one life from being taken, if it can open the eyes of anyone doubting their self-worth, if it can spread light on how we judge each other rather than support and uplift each other, it is worth the time to read. More than that it is an entertaining story with the added bonus of giving much food for thought. Once you start reading, it is difficult to put down until you find out if Laura succeeds, until you find out if one person can make a difference in the Terminal societies.
When all hope is lost, this story shows that hope can once again be found and it can move mountains, er walls, er trains.
It is well deserved to have won THE SECOND ANNUAL AUTHORSFIRST NOVEL CONTEST. Truly a story that one person can make a difference in the lives around them.
To learn about author Mallory Hill visit her website at: https://malloryhillauthor.wordpress.com
To learn about AuthorsFirst please visit: http://www.authorsfirst.com
FTC disclaimer: I received an ARC of this title by The Story Plant for review purposes only; no other compensation was awarded.
January 6, 2017
I received a free ARC of this book from The Story Plant in exchange for my honest review.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book when I first saw it. The cover is very dramatic, all swooping colors and ALL CAPS TITLES, and an indication that this was a contest winning book, and this was the author's first novel. I'm always nervous about first novels. I've read some that are amazing, and others that I'm just not quite sure about.
And as I told a friend of mine just a moment ago, this is the first book in a while now that I've read...and haven't wanted to stop to do anything else.
The book follows Laura Baily, a young woman who feels utterly lost in the world. Where everyone has a community to be in (her parents are artists, and the rest of the population is divided accordingly, not dissimilar from the concepts in Hunger Games or Divergent) she feels useless. She has no ambition, no drive, no passion. So she obtains a ticket for the train--a one-way trip associated with death. No one ever returns.
What she finds over there isn't death, but Terminal B: a world filled with people much like her, who have lost their way and feel they don't have a purpose--including an old schoolmate of Laura's, Will Noble. And Laura starts to realize that maybe her life is pointless, but the others around her are fascinating...and the more the looks, the more she starts to see the holes in the system. When the lives of the people she's grown to like start being threatened, Laura finds the mission she's always lacked...and can only hope that one resigned outsider can change the world.
Wow. Just...wow. I sympathize with Laura in some aspects; while I do feel I know my calling in life, I struggle with depression and wondering if any of this really matters or if the world would be better off if I just took the train away, as it were. She struggles with the apathy she wants but doesn't seem to be allowed to keep, with her new "assigned mission" in life, and whether or not any of this really matters.
Will Noble is the perfect foil to Laura. He's cheerful and optimistic where Laura is cynical and pessimistic. He pushes her to keep trying, even when she doesn't want to--and as time goes on, simply being him and being there begins to inspire her. I don't want to delve to deeply into what we see with them, because I think it's better to experience it, but it's an amazing journey and one that particularly resonated with me. I can only dream of meeting my own Will Noble some day.
The others in Terminal B who we meet, even the ones with very little page time, are all very real character, not dropped off with a name and a line and then never spoken of again. Mimi, Grant, Seth...they all have their pieces to play. And if the cast of characters--named characters--is rather small because of it, I'm okay with that. Laura does enough to even it all out, and there's just enough to make it seem reasonable. (Making Laura fairly anti-social helps this as well.)
Last night, I decided to read just a few chapters--and realized that I'd suddenly read twice as many. Once I got into the final descent into the conclusion this afternoon, I quite honestly couldn't put the book down. You always have an idea of where the book might end, but there's just enough to be skeptical of that you need to see it through all the way. Absolutely brilliant. Knowing that this is Hill's first novel makes it all the more spectacular. I hope to see many, many more books from her, and wish her all the best with whatever her next project is. Thank you for this gem. These characters will stick with me for a while.
Rating: ***** (Highest Recommendation)
I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book when I first saw it. The cover is very dramatic, all swooping colors and ALL CAPS TITLES, and an indication that this was a contest winning book, and this was the author's first novel. I'm always nervous about first novels. I've read some that are amazing, and others that I'm just not quite sure about.
And as I told a friend of mine just a moment ago, this is the first book in a while now that I've read...and haven't wanted to stop to do anything else.
The book follows Laura Baily, a young woman who feels utterly lost in the world. Where everyone has a community to be in (her parents are artists, and the rest of the population is divided accordingly, not dissimilar from the concepts in Hunger Games or Divergent) she feels useless. She has no ambition, no drive, no passion. So she obtains a ticket for the train--a one-way trip associated with death. No one ever returns.
What she finds over there isn't death, but Terminal B: a world filled with people much like her, who have lost their way and feel they don't have a purpose--including an old schoolmate of Laura's, Will Noble. And Laura starts to realize that maybe her life is pointless, but the others around her are fascinating...and the more the looks, the more she starts to see the holes in the system. When the lives of the people she's grown to like start being threatened, Laura finds the mission she's always lacked...and can only hope that one resigned outsider can change the world.
Wow. Just...wow. I sympathize with Laura in some aspects; while I do feel I know my calling in life, I struggle with depression and wondering if any of this really matters or if the world would be better off if I just took the train away, as it were. She struggles with the apathy she wants but doesn't seem to be allowed to keep, with her new "assigned mission" in life, and whether or not any of this really matters.
Will Noble is the perfect foil to Laura. He's cheerful and optimistic where Laura is cynical and pessimistic. He pushes her to keep trying, even when she doesn't want to--and as time goes on, simply being him and being there begins to inspire her. I don't want to delve to deeply into what we see with them, because I think it's better to experience it, but it's an amazing journey and one that particularly resonated with me. I can only dream of meeting my own Will Noble some day.
The others in Terminal B who we meet, even the ones with very little page time, are all very real character, not dropped off with a name and a line and then never spoken of again. Mimi, Grant, Seth...they all have their pieces to play. And if the cast of characters--named characters--is rather small because of it, I'm okay with that. Laura does enough to even it all out, and there's just enough to make it seem reasonable. (Making Laura fairly anti-social helps this as well.)
Last night, I decided to read just a few chapters--and realized that I'd suddenly read twice as many. Once I got into the final descent into the conclusion this afternoon, I quite honestly couldn't put the book down. You always have an idea of where the book might end, but there's just enough to be skeptical of that you need to see it through all the way. Absolutely brilliant. Knowing that this is Hill's first novel makes it all the more spectacular. I hope to see many, many more books from her, and wish her all the best with whatever her next project is. Thank you for this gem. These characters will stick with me for a while.
Rating: ***** (Highest Recommendation)
February 4, 2017
The author has created an interesting dystopian world but I found the young protagonist difficult to relate to.
Laura feels she has failed at everything in her life. She doesn’t have a place in a world where everyone finds their niche and happily goes about their chosen work.
Laura’s parents were both talented artists but her father was sent away when she was a child. She watched as he boarded the Terminal B train, understanding that he was being sent to his death. She couldn’t understand why and her life has been a struggle ever since. Her free-spirited mother is active in the artist community and continues to push Laura to use her art even though Laura is sure her efforts are pathetic. Laura has made the rounds of the different communities, hoping to find a place where she can find a purpose; where she can fit in. Finally, she decides she will just get a ticket for Terminal B but she will let her mother think she was sent.
On the Terminal B ride, Laura runs into Will who was the most popular and friendly boy in fifth grade. Laura is surprised he even remembers her and more surprised that he should be on the train. They arrive at the end of the line to discover they are not dead… although they might wish they were.
Laura is sent to a farm and Will to a factory plant. Laura later learns that Will’s ticket wasn’t voluntary. He was accused of violent behavior and now must work in a place that treats the workers as expendable. Laura takes on the task of keeping Will alive and sane. Will is upbeat and optimistic to balance out Laura’s dark, moody pessimism. He needs her help but she needs him to provide her a purpose.
Laura believes that she must get word back to her mother and the city dwellers of the true nature of Terminal B, especially if Will is to survive. Some of Laura’s new co-workers help her plan a clandestine escape. Before Laura and Will can get back to the city she will face another huge surprise. If they can manage to escape, life will change for everyone.
I had to push to get through this because of Laura’s negative, defeatist attitude. The character’s statement at 42% in, “Happiness was a foreign concept”, is a totally foreign concept to me. That theme of failure and unhappiness permeates the book and is repeated, ad nauseam, even at 92%.
Will at least gives a breath of hope. The author has created an interesting dystopia world where perception is not always real. I found the young protagonist difficult to relate to and I think I might have enjoyed it more with less teenage angst and self-centeredness. I did like the twist and suspense late in the book. I recommend this to readers who like dystopia and can deal with the defeatist tone.
I received this title through NetGalley. My rating 3.75.
Laura feels she has failed at everything in her life. She doesn’t have a place in a world where everyone finds their niche and happily goes about their chosen work.
Laura’s parents were both talented artists but her father was sent away when she was a child. She watched as he boarded the Terminal B train, understanding that he was being sent to his death. She couldn’t understand why and her life has been a struggle ever since. Her free-spirited mother is active in the artist community and continues to push Laura to use her art even though Laura is sure her efforts are pathetic. Laura has made the rounds of the different communities, hoping to find a place where she can find a purpose; where she can fit in. Finally, she decides she will just get a ticket for Terminal B but she will let her mother think she was sent.
On the Terminal B ride, Laura runs into Will who was the most popular and friendly boy in fifth grade. Laura is surprised he even remembers her and more surprised that he should be on the train. They arrive at the end of the line to discover they are not dead… although they might wish they were.
Laura is sent to a farm and Will to a factory plant. Laura later learns that Will’s ticket wasn’t voluntary. He was accused of violent behavior and now must work in a place that treats the workers as expendable. Laura takes on the task of keeping Will alive and sane. Will is upbeat and optimistic to balance out Laura’s dark, moody pessimism. He needs her help but she needs him to provide her a purpose.
Laura believes that she must get word back to her mother and the city dwellers of the true nature of Terminal B, especially if Will is to survive. Some of Laura’s new co-workers help her plan a clandestine escape. Before Laura and Will can get back to the city she will face another huge surprise. If they can manage to escape, life will change for everyone.
I had to push to get through this because of Laura’s negative, defeatist attitude. The character’s statement at 42% in, “Happiness was a foreign concept”, is a totally foreign concept to me. That theme of failure and unhappiness permeates the book and is repeated, ad nauseam, even at 92%.
Will at least gives a breath of hope. The author has created an interesting dystopia world where perception is not always real. I found the young protagonist difficult to relate to and I think I might have enjoyed it more with less teenage angst and self-centeredness. I did like the twist and suspense late in the book. I recommend this to readers who like dystopia and can deal with the defeatist tone.
I received this title through NetGalley. My rating 3.75.
January 18, 2017
This YA offering has a really interesting protagonist. She is numb. Life washes around her and while her artistic, talented mother is endlessly encouraging and positive, Laura’s efforts to try and find her own enthusiasm and passion have all ended in failure. Wretched and discouraged, she decides to volunteer for the train to oblivion. Everyone knows about the train – it ships out criminals, misfits and those who can’t cope with living anymore and they never come back. There are also a handful of talented, effective people who are commandeered to board the train – like Laura’s dad eight years earlier – and they are never seen again, either.
It’s a tricky business writing a protagonist with severe depression. The classic symptoms – such as an inability to get out of bed, inability to communicate and prolonged fits of crying to name but a few – don’t generally make for the sort of character readers are going to warm to. But Hill manages to pull it off, which is a major achievement in this debut novel. She also tackles the issue of suicide head-on to the extent that it was causing me some concern, given the target audience are teens. I was uneasy with a protagonist who declared she’d rather be dead – and then acts on that impulse. However, by the end of the book I was far happier with her overall stance and felt that she handles the subject with sympathy and insight.
This is a brave book that wears its heart on its sleeve. The inevitable romantic element is very sweet, to the extent that this particular reader who is a dyed-in-the-wool cynic about such matters was won over by the love interest, who I initially was convinced would turn out to be some psychotic murderer. The sequence of events near the end of the book also had me wondering whether it was realistic to have such a seismic shift without any deaths, but then recalled the bloodless revolutions that have occurred throughout history. Overall, I think Hill has pulled off this one – an impressively ambitious book that marks Hill as One to Watch in the future. Receiving a copy of Terminal Regression from the publisher via NetGalley has in no way affected my honest opinion of this book.
It’s a tricky business writing a protagonist with severe depression. The classic symptoms – such as an inability to get out of bed, inability to communicate and prolonged fits of crying to name but a few – don’t generally make for the sort of character readers are going to warm to. But Hill manages to pull it off, which is a major achievement in this debut novel. She also tackles the issue of suicide head-on to the extent that it was causing me some concern, given the target audience are teens. I was uneasy with a protagonist who declared she’d rather be dead – and then acts on that impulse. However, by the end of the book I was far happier with her overall stance and felt that she handles the subject with sympathy and insight.
This is a brave book that wears its heart on its sleeve. The inevitable romantic element is very sweet, to the extent that this particular reader who is a dyed-in-the-wool cynic about such matters was won over by the love interest, who I initially was convinced would turn out to be some psychotic murderer. The sequence of events near the end of the book also had me wondering whether it was realistic to have such a seismic shift without any deaths, but then recalled the bloodless revolutions that have occurred throughout history. Overall, I think Hill has pulled off this one – an impressively ambitious book that marks Hill as One to Watch in the future. Receiving a copy of Terminal Regression from the publisher via NetGalley has in no way affected my honest opinion of this book.
February 10, 2017
This science fiction thriller is set in a society that is a paradise for some and torture for others. If you have a clear picture of what life should hold for you, you fit into society. If not, you spend your time searching for meaning in your life. That is just what Laura Baily did. She tried everything and could not find her niche. She was depressed and, unhappy and feeling like she had nothing to live for, so she bought a ticket for the Train. Now this is no ordinary train. When you take this train ride, your life ends, literally or so she thought but what she finds was unexpected. She finds life, not death and a reason for life and go on, now she must find how to get her life back and right the injustices that are taking place.
This is a page turning, thought provoking novel which I couldn’t put down. The story is fast paced and just when you think you know where it is going, it changes directions. It also has some very poignant “aha” moments. It gives you much to ponder concerning the causes and effects of suicide on the people involved. It also helps you realize that good can come when people find their true calling.
I highly recommend this book for young adults to adult. Although it could be read by younger readers, the subject matter may not be understood by them.
This is a page turning, thought provoking novel which I couldn’t put down. The story is fast paced and just when you think you know where it is going, it changes directions. It also has some very poignant “aha” moments. It gives you much to ponder concerning the causes and effects of suicide on the people involved. It also helps you realize that good can come when people find their true calling.
I highly recommend this book for young adults to adult. Although it could be read by younger readers, the subject matter may not be understood by them.
December 30, 2016
*thank you to Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.
For anyone who's felt like they're out of place, don't belong, have no purpose. This is the book for you. Laura Bailey is numb to life and chooses to stop living with her inability to find her passion. In 'death' she finally finds her passion and herself. With the help of Will Noble, who has the capacity to pull out every piece of humanity Laura felt she never had or was capable of having, she turns her death into a new life for herself and others. Wonderfully insightful and sweetly romantic Terminal Regression is a great read.
For anyone who's felt like they're out of place, don't belong, have no purpose. This is the book for you. Laura Bailey is numb to life and chooses to stop living with her inability to find her passion. In 'death' she finally finds her passion and herself. With the help of Will Noble, who has the capacity to pull out every piece of humanity Laura felt she never had or was capable of having, she turns her death into a new life for herself and others. Wonderfully insightful and sweetly romantic Terminal Regression is a great read.
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