by Shauna Sare Little illustrated by Blake Dorner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 26, 2015
An apocalyptic YA adventure with a familiar setup but refreshing young characters and unexpected plot turns.
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In Little’s YA dystopian sci-fi debut, teenagers who’ve spent most of their lives in virtual reality escape to a real world of nuclear and viral devastation.
In the year 2359, 13-year-old Libby has been connected to virtual technology for a decade and only has vague memories of her parents. She and her “ClassMates” live in the Trinity BioDome; nuclear destruction and a viral pandemic laid waste to the “Outside” long ago. Education for the Students comes in the form of a technology called “GamePlay,” which they use to acquire knowledge and, typically, play avatars of significant historical figures. Libby’s visions of the Hindu deity Vishnu, however, make her question her own existence. Soon, she and fellow ClassMate (and romantic interest) Kem decide to become “untethered.” They desire reality over imprisonment in the Dome, but the strange, unpredictable Outside may be more perilous than they imagine. This impressive first novel feels as if it takes place in an ever expanding universe. It starts small: there are a mere five Students in Libby’s Class, and they spend the bulk of their time inside Game Avatar Programs for their exams. But once Libby and Kem flee the Dome, new characters and surprising revelations flood the pages. The Clann of the Sol, for instance, is a group that often takes in Students who leave the Dome—but only the ones that it deems worthy. Little is clearly aiming this novel at a young-adult audience; the word “feces” is as harsh as the expletives ever get. Likewise, Libby and Kem’s winsome romance progresses but remains appropriate for the barely teenage characters; for example, each is prone to storming off after silly arguments, such as when Kem calls Libby stubborn. Later chapters, though, are decidedly more intense, as they introduce the Skinwalkers—much-feared men who paint their faces in powder made from corpses, which transforms them into shape-shifters. The story’s first part goes on a bit too long, particularly in its lengthy coverage of the Manhattan program; when a Student named Jaize attends Franklin D. Roosevelt’s funeral as first lady Eleanor, for example, it has little relevance to the main plot. But the novel shines after it goes Outside, and it answers readers’ hovering questions with a number of plot twists near the end. Nevertheless, it leaves some mysteries, such as Vishnu’s purpose, open for a welcome sequel.
An apocalyptic YA adventure with a familiar setup but refreshing young characters and unexpected plot turns.Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2015
ISBN: 978-1477445761
Page Count: 440
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Neal Shusterman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 29, 2016
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning.
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New York Times Bestseller
Two teens train to be society-sanctioned killers in an otherwise immortal world.
On post-mortal Earth, humans live long (if not particularly passionate) lives without fear of disease, aging, or accidents. Operating independently of the governing AI (called the Thunderhead since it evolved from the cloud), scythes rely on 10 commandments, quotas, and their own moral codes to glean the population. After challenging Hon. Scythe Faraday, 16-year-olds Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova reluctantly become his apprentices. Subjected to killcraft training, exposed to numerous executions, and discouraged from becoming allies or lovers, the two find themselves engaged in a fatal competition but equally determined to fight corruption and cruelty. The vivid and often violent action unfolds slowly, anchored in complex worldbuilding and propelled by political machinations and existential musings. Scythes’ journal entries accompany Rowan’s and Citra’s dual and dueling narratives, revealing both personal struggles and societal problems. The futuristic post–2042 MidMerican world is both dystopia and utopia, free of fear, unexpected death, and blatant racism—multiracial main characters discuss their diverse ethnic percentages rather than purity—but also lacking creativity, emotion, and purpose. Elegant and elegiac, brooding but imbued with gallows humor, Shusterman’s dark tale thrusts realistic, likable teens into a surreal situation and raises deep philosophic questions.
A thoughtful and thrilling story of life, death, and meaning. (Science fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4424-7242-6
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
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by Tahereh Mafi ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 5, 2013
Some quality worldbuilding, but the story only inches along.
Juliette, the girl with the deadly touch, struggles to fit in with the resistance movement that saved her at the end of Shatter Me (2011).
In training to participate in an inevitable war against the Reestablishment, Juliette Ferrars should feel at home at Omega Point. In addition to no longer being a prisoner, she is surrounded by other people with supernatural gifts. Compassionate Castle tries to help her master her abilities, and Kenji tries to help her fit in, but the devastating nature of Juliette’s power hampers her efforts. Additionally, Adam is acting strangely—in large part because of his work with Castle to determine why he is able to touch Juliette safely—which causes difficulties in their relationship. Soon some of her new comrades are abducted while on patrol by soldiers led by Warner’s father, who demands a meeting with Juliette. The resistance is able to come away from the meeting with a hostage, Warner, who resumes his part in the established love triangle. Too much of the plot relies on Juliette’s withholding of important information and revelations, even against her own judgment. The bloated relationship drama takes priority over the captive resistance members in the buildup to the climax, which finally brings action before setting up the next novel.
Some quality worldbuilding, but the story only inches along. (Science fiction. 13 & up)Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-208553-5
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 11, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013
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