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The Line
(The Line #1)
by
An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the United States. The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It's said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.
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Hardcover, 219 pages
Published
March 4th 2010
by Dial Books
(first published February 26th 2010)
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Start your review of The Line (The Line, #1)

TBR Reduce Challenge #4 - 2011 (Lora)
My summary for this book:

I recommend this to anybody who has trouble sleeping and/or with their orchids.
*sighs* ...more
My summary for this book:

I recommend this to anybody who has trouble sleeping and/or with their orchids.
*sighs* ...more

"The Line took me 'away' in one page-turning gulp. Hall's writing is seamless, smooth, and compelling..." Review by Mary Pearson
What book was she reading and where can I get a copy of it?? At the very least tell me which single page took her away because for most of the book I was still waiting for some sort of action to arise out of the multitude of pages that consisted of nothing but info dumps poorly masked as history lessons for the main character. And finally when the action really did get ...more
What book was she reading and where can I get a copy of it?? At the very least tell me which single page took her away because for most of the book I was still waiting for some sort of action to arise out of the multitude of pages that consisted of nothing but info dumps poorly masked as history lessons for the main character. And finally when the action really did get ...more

It's not like there was anything wrong with this book. There just wasn't anything right, either. The writing is really clunky (I am pretty sure some of these paragraphs were "what not to do" examples in my high school creative writing textbooks). The characters are flat and boring. Plus, Hall does that annoying thing where she unnecessarily makes up words to sound more sci-fi ("digim" for "picture," "creds" for "dollars"). Made-up words do not create an interesting world all by themselves. Overa
...more

Oct 12, 2016
Tink Magoo is bad at reviews
marked it as did-not-finish
Shelves:
young-adult,
dystopian-post-apocalyptic
Really slow (like a Sloth), kinda boring (skimmed to 80% and still not a great deal was going on), the writing was also hard work to get through, so it's a DNF at 18% for me. ...more

The Line is a young adult dystopian novel set in the futuristic nation of The Unified States. Rachel lives with her mom Vivian on “The Property.” A piece of land owned by Elizabeth Moore that borders the infamous “Line”, an invisible and impassable defense border built by the government. The people that live on the other side serve as boogie man figures for children in the US and the media circulates stories of “the others” committing crimes.
While Teri Hall managed to create an imaginative world ...more
While Teri Hall managed to create an imaginative world ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

If you asked me if I'm a fan a dystopian fiction, I'd tell you no. Yet everything time I read a dystopian novel, I end up loving it.... maybe I am just in denial.
The Line is a very diverting novel. Maybe I'm just a dystopian newbie, but the whole concept was very intriguing. The first part of the novel was a little slow for me, the introduction of the characters, the explanation of the world. Don't let that slow start stop you from reading the rest of the novel, because you will be disappointed ...more
The Line is a very diverting novel. Maybe I'm just a dystopian newbie, but the whole concept was very intriguing. The first part of the novel was a little slow for me, the introduction of the characters, the explanation of the world. Don't let that slow start stop you from reading the rest of the novel, because you will be disappointed ...more

Unfortunately for me, The Line was a definite case of a premise I loved, and execution that I did not.
Despite it’s recent glutting with offerings (some better than others), dystopia is still a genre I love. Because amid the lacklustre, the poorly conceived, and frankly absurd, every now and then I find a YA dystopian novel that completely blows me away.
This book was not one of them.
The Line takes some familiar aspects: a divided and reconstructed former US, war, heavy restrictions on citizens, ...more
Despite it’s recent glutting with offerings (some better than others), dystopia is still a genre I love. Because amid the lacklustre, the poorly conceived, and frankly absurd, every now and then I find a YA dystopian novel that completely blows me away.
This book was not one of them.
The Line takes some familiar aspects: a divided and reconstructed former US, war, heavy restrictions on citizens, ...more

Book 1 of 3 in a Young Adult dystopian series. The title refers to an uncrossable section of the National Border Defense System, an invisible barrier that encloses the entire United States in the future. The first 30% of this book was a bit awkwardly written, with alot of info dumps about how the Line and the totalitarian government that controls it came to be. The story does pick up, though, and did turn into a compelling read. It does have a cliff hanger ending, so you'll have to read the next
...more

The Line is a clever mix of dystopian fiction, the paranormal, a slight dash of romance, and a bunch of important lessons- it's a good way to pass the time while we all wait for the third Hunger Games book to come out.
I will say this- The Line takes awhile to get started. It starts off as a fairly typical (if there is such a thing) dystopian novel- the U.S. barely won an all out nuclear war and deals with the huge amounts of collateral damage by enforcing draconian laws, taxes, and punishments. ...more
I will say this- The Line takes awhile to get started. It starts off as a fairly typical (if there is such a thing) dystopian novel- the U.S. barely won an all out nuclear war and deals with the huge amounts of collateral damage by enforcing draconian laws, taxes, and punishments. ...more

Jul 12, 2009
Jennifer Wardrip
marked it as to-read
Reviewed by Karin Librarian for TeensReadToo.com
Rachel has lived on The Property since before she can remember. Her mother works for Ms. Moore, the owner, as a housekeeper of the large house. Rachel enjoys living far from town and away from the strong governmental control most other people must suffer. People living in towns deal with unfair and random taxes and, when they can't pay, are taken to jail.
Most people would hate living on The Property because it backs up to The Line, a small section ...more
Rachel has lived on The Property since before she can remember. Her mother works for Ms. Moore, the owner, as a housekeeper of the large house. Rachel enjoys living far from town and away from the strong governmental control most other people must suffer. People living in towns deal with unfair and random taxes and, when they can't pay, are taken to jail.
Most people would hate living on The Property because it backs up to The Line, a small section ...more

I've been selected as an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) reader through Goodreads. Exciting, huh? I received it in the mail on November 21st of 2009. The cover states that it is "Advance, Uncorrected Proof, Not For Resale."
The back cover synopsis for this novel lured me in; it did its job nicely.
The story concept—about the people associated with The Property, which is on the inside of the US (Unified States) border—sounds pretty cool. The border—or Line—is a force-field like barrier keeping the citize ...more
The back cover synopsis for this novel lured me in; it did its job nicely.
The story concept—about the people associated with The Property, which is on the inside of the US (Unified States) border—sounds pretty cool. The border—or Line—is a force-field like barrier keeping the citize ...more

This is the first book, in a very very long time, that I am DNF'ing because of the prose and not story. It's just so terrible. The repetitiveness of the prose is so terrible. (See wut I did thar? ;)) The telling is even worse.
Why the hell did the author feel the need to repeat the MCs name over and over and over and (I know you're giving me side eyes for being dramatic, but I'm not) over again. In one paragraph, in a single paragraph of reasonable length (aka, not James Joyce or even single pag ...more
Why the hell did the author feel the need to repeat the MCs name over and over and over and (I know you're giving me side eyes for being dramatic, but I'm not) over again. In one paragraph, in a single paragraph of reasonable length (aka, not James Joyce or even single pag ...more

I had high hopes for the book, I LOVE dystopianesque (is that even a word?) books. The book is extremely gripping with its “mesmerizing prose.” A review from Mary E. Pearson (Adoration of Jenna Fox) says, “The Line took me ‘away’ in one page-turning gulp. Hall’s writing is seamless, smooth, and compelling – I can’t wait for the next installment. This is a new author to keep an eye on.” I couldn’t agree with her more. I am anxiously awaiting book two and I found myself extremely satisfied yet wan
...more

THE LINE is almost all pure set-up for something more to come. It made for a rather dull read. The concept is intriguing but the execution left me wanting more.
The story takes place almost entirely on this property that contained a mansion of some kind, a guest house, and a greenhouse. There are orchids in the greenhouse that Rachel helps take care of, so required by Ms Moore, the crotchety property owner who’s obviously hiding something. It’s told in third person limited and alternates POVs bet ...more
The story takes place almost entirely on this property that contained a mansion of some kind, a guest house, and a greenhouse. There are orchids in the greenhouse that Rachel helps take care of, so required by Ms Moore, the crotchety property owner who’s obviously hiding something. It’s told in third person limited and alternates POVs bet ...more

Another enjoyable book! At first the story is slightly confusing with the terms of Teri Hall's society; terms like "Away" and "the Others." It's a dystopian novel which I absolutely adore ever since I read the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. The story is told in third person, mostly by following Rachel, but sometimes following her mom or Ms. Moore. The pace is superb despite getting used to the terms they use for things. The plot is similar to most dystopian novels. There's a society which wa
...more

This book got 3 stars mostly because I'm getting mad at books that are obviously written to be the first installment in a series. I mean those books that end on cliff hangers, as if they're a mini-series on TV. There is a way to write a book with an ending that feels satisfying as an ending and still have it be part of a series, and still have your reader dying to see what the next installment is about. Too many YA books these days seem to be composed as if the author is imagining what the story
...more

I wouldn't say this book was so bad I felt like throwing my iPad across the room, but it was just. so. boring. It's a pity because it had so much promise. Oppressive government, media-dictated society, isolation from other countries, unknown beings scattered outside the borders, covert rebellions budding up from the inside? It had everything that could've made an intense, mysterious, action-filled adventure.
What it came across as, if I could put a name on it, would be fantasy drama. Imagine Harr ...more
What it came across as, if I could put a name on it, would be fantasy drama. Imagine Harr ...more

The Line is categorized as a YA (young adult) novel. With that being said my qualifications on the content are less critical than a book that is geared towards a more mature reader. However, I really don't have any criticisms of this book other than the slower start to lure me in. I'd say I wasn't fully invested in the story until page 70 or so, which was about a third of the way through. But from that point on the story kept building, the tension continued to mount until the final page that lef
...more

Jun 17, 2009
Steph Su
rated it
it was ok
Recommends it for:
fans of Margaret Peterson Haddix
Shelves:
debs10,
dystopian-fantasy
THE LINE is an intriguing but unfortunately very slow start to what could be a great and unique series. It’s extremely hard for me to pass judgment on this book on account of its “first in a series” symptoms. If you have a patient love for dystopian literature, you might really enjoy this book…unless you put it down first due to its slow pace and youngish writing style.
Teri Hall has created a scarily believable dystopian world where the government has taken on a whole new type of authority and p ...more
Teri Hall has created a scarily believable dystopian world where the government has taken on a whole new type of authority and p ...more

Rachel and her mother live on The Property and have for a long time. The Property is right next to The Line (a border to keep the U.S. separate from Away) but none of the government frequents out to this section of the border. Rachel didn't grow up with other kids but her mom has not kept her in the dark about the way things really are in the world. Rachel reads many articles about the mutants and other horrors that live in Away and though Await fascinates her it also scares her. She never gives
...more

Summary: A dystopia projecting what might happen if the US builds a defense wall (The Line) around the country. A war with another country interferes before the wall is complete and an area of the country is left undefended. The inhabitants are exposed to bio-weapons and are now considered contaminated. The new repressive government forbids contact with them. Rumors swirl about what has happened to them…are they now mutated monsters? Rachel lives with her mother near The Line and one day meets o
...more

Even before reading The Line, I just knew it had the possibility to be destined for great things. The cover? Creepy yet intriguing. The premise? Creative and had the probability to go in a lot of directions. Sadly, while I did enjoy The Line quite a bit, the execution of the said premise fell a little too flat, in my opinion.
The characters were one of the most rewarding aspects of the story. Since, I admired Rachel, the main character, for always being strong and doing what she thought was righ ...more
The characters were one of the most rewarding aspects of the story. Since, I admired Rachel, the main character, for always being strong and doing what she thought was righ ...more

3.5 stars
The beginning of the Line trilogy. Due to a horrible war, a line has been drawn people from the fallout are trapped on one side with little to no resources and people on the other side are under strict military rule with no freedoms. A mother has kept her past from her daughter, while raising her alone with the father maybe alive maybe dead on the fallout side. The past comes back when the daughters encounters a strange boy and must decide how much courage she has to do the right thing.
The beginning of the Line trilogy. Due to a horrible war, a line has been drawn people from the fallout are trapped on one side with little to no resources and people on the other side are under strict military rule with no freedoms. A mother has kept her past from her daughter, while raising her alone with the father maybe alive maybe dead on the fallout side. The past comes back when the daughters encounters a strange boy and must decide how much courage she has to do the right thing.

I am giving this 3 stars based on it's potential--it really only deserves 2, but I will read the sequel, so I'll throw a bone and give it three.
This book was only 220 pages of large print, and it ended right when the action started. That's not a cliffhanger, that's a book cut in half. I appreciate the popularity of trilogies & series--I'm a fan myself--but this was a novella.
Also, the writing was amateurish, especially the dialogue. Mom & teenage daughter shopping: "Mom, this fish is going to be ...more
This book was only 220 pages of large print, and it ended right when the action started. That's not a cliffhanger, that's a book cut in half. I appreciate the popularity of trilogies & series--I'm a fan myself--but this was a novella.
Also, the writing was amateurish, especially the dialogue. Mom & teenage daughter shopping: "Mom, this fish is going to be ...more

Buy at left-bank.com
This book reminded me of "House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer, "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, and "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld. If you like those, you'll like this.
It's about a girl who lives in the U.S. (that's "Unified States") years after the Line was set up to keep people in and out. A bomb was dropped during a war that the U.S. really was the bad guy in, though the textbooks and "official" stories have all been changed (sound familiar?), and the radiation caused them to ...more
This book reminded me of "House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer, "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, and "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld. If you like those, you'll like this.
It's about a girl who lives in the U.S. (that's "Unified States") years after the Line was set up to keep people in and out. A bomb was dropped during a war that the U.S. really was the bad guy in, though the textbooks and "official" stories have all been changed (sound familiar?), and the radiation caused them to ...more

Since she can remember, Rachel has lived near The Line, a force field erected to protect the United States from attackers - and to keep The Others out. She's always been fascinated by Away and often wonders what could be out there. But when she receives a message from Away, Rachel begins to uncover the terrible truths that her mother has been hiding from her.
This is an intriguing addition to the genre of dystopian lit and it will please fans of The Giver and Among the Hidden. Recommended for sc ...more
This is an intriguing addition to the genre of dystopian lit and it will please fans of The Giver and Among the Hidden. Recommended for sc ...more

Okay... I did write a review for this book where I said it was worth a read but..... NO IT ISN'T.
*sigh* Now that I've gotten that out of my system....
The writing wasn't very good (needed more emotion) the characters were bland and the main chick.... i REALLY didn't know what her age was.... HOW OLD WAS SHE! Sometimes I thought she was 16... then i was absolutely convinced she was 10.... then maybe around the 17-ish range... It was all just very confusing for my poor little brain.... ...more
*sigh* Now that I've gotten that out of my system....
The writing wasn't very good (needed more emotion) the characters were bland and the main chick.... i REALLY didn't know what her age was.... HOW OLD WAS SHE! Sometimes I thought she was 16... then i was absolutely convinced she was 10.... then maybe around the 17-ish range... It was all just very confusing for my poor little brain.... ...more

As I was getting to the end and groaning about how awful this was, my girlfriend said "it's never too late to stop reading a bad book". I stopped.
...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Around the Year i...: The Line, by Teri Hall | 1 | 7 | Mar 21, 2019 07:08AM | |
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. A girl Rachel & her mom Vivian live in a place called the United Border with an invisible, unbreakable border. Her dad went to war years ago & never returned. During a nuclear war, gvt. turned on the border, separating families. Spoilers ahead. [s] | 6 | 68 | Jan 27, 2018 02:10PM | |
WHO ELSE CRIED DURING THIS BOOK??????????? | 1 | 19 | Dec 15, 2011 05:28PM | |
Win a copy of The Line! | 9 | 31 | Oct 29, 2011 07:12PM |
Read the first chapter of The Line on my website! www.terihall.com The sequel, Away, is out now! The Island, the third book in the trilogy, is also out!
...more
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