Book Review: The Heart Goes Last

From Goodreads: Living in their car, surviving on tips, Charmaine and Stan are in a desperate state. So, when they see an advertisement for Consilience, a ‘social experiment’ offering stable jobs and a home of their own, they sign up immediately. All they have to do in return for suburban paradise is give up their freedom every second month – swapping their home for a prison cell. At first, all is well. But then, unknown to each other, Stan and Charmaine develop passionate obsessions with their ‘Alternates,’ the couple that occupy their house when they are in prison. Soon the pressures of conformity, mistrust, guilt and sexual desire begin to take over. 

Thoughts: This should have been good, it should have been brilliant, especially in the hands of Margaret Atwood. The idea was solid, a world in economic ruin and people desperate enough to do whatever they needed to feel safe and secure. But it wasn't good, it fell short, very short. 
I loved The Handmaid's Tale and The Year of the Flood and Atwood has long been on my list of authors to read everything of so I am really disappointed in this.
Charmaine and Stan annoyed the hell out of me. They were both so stupid! There were situations, especially with Charmaine where her inability to see where certain events were leading was astounding. Her tendency to take everything literally and in isolation without taking in what was happening around her made her character hard to believe. 
The story was originally written as a serial story, chapters released bit by bit for readers to pick up on. I didn't read it in that form and maybe it worked better as a serial, but as a whole novel it's flawed.
The problem is you're not sure if this is meant to be a black comedy or a serious commentary of the direction of our society and where we are heading. It's almost like it's trying to be both and falling seriously short. There are parts that are farcical (possibilibots and an over abundance of Elvis and Marilyn impersonators to name just two), but they seem to be there as plot devices and nothing more. The story line lurches from the strange to the absurd leaving you feeling confused and let down. However it does hold enough potential to keep you going, I kept holding one waiting for that one moment when it all came together and I got to share in Atwood's grand design. Unfortunately I think the design should never have made it off the drawing board.

The Heart Goes Last gets 2 stars.

*        Did not like it
**       It was OK
***      Liked it
****    Really liked it

*****   It was amazing

Book Review: The Maze Runner

From Goodreads: "If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human."
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
"Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade."
Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.
"Everything is going to change."
Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.
Remember. Survive. Run.

Thoughts: I bought this and the next two in the series straight after I saw the movie, reasoning they would be perfect fodder for our 10 day camping trip - and it was. It is however, one of those rare moments where I prefer the movie to the book. While the movie included all the plot development the book did, how they got there was very different and much of what happened in the movie seemed way more plausible. The characters in the movie were also better developed and easier to empathise with. Truth be told, I don't think I would enjoy the book as much is I hadn't seen the movie.

Book Review: Delirum

From Goodreads: Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.

Thoughts: I chose to listen to this because I needed a new audio and I had enjoyed listening to Panic. The premise also sounded interesting - a world where love is seen as a disease and a cure has been found. Once you reach 18 you can be cured and live a life of blissful happiness, never bothered by those pesky, overwhelming emotions again. Except of course, there are people who get infected before 18 and those for who the cure doesn't work. Given the whole outline of the world it's not hard to see where this book is going.
I mentioned in a recent review that I have some trouble with the current batch of YA dystopian novels. I gave this one a go because I liked the author. My problem now is I'm not sure if I have issues with this because of the book or the person who narrated it. When I think about the story I can't complain about it too much. Yes there was a little too much teenage angst, but it's a novel aimed at teenagers specifically about love - I can't be surprised by the angst! The world created is believable, the characters genuine. The narrators voice though was grating. Narrated by Sarah Drew, I just found her voice annoying. The best I can come up with is was it wasn't old enough, and not even that is right. Her voice for the female teenage characters was fine, but for any male or grown up character it just didn't work for me.
Any way, I'm going to read the second one rather than listen to it and see if that's the issue. I hope so, I really do want to like it.

Book Review: Insurgent

From Goodreads: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Thoughts: Second book in the Divergent series. Unfortunately I think this suffers from the second book syndrome in that it simply doesn't measure up to the standard set by the first book. It was OK, but I didn't have the same drive to read it as I did with Divergent. Tris has a lot of angst in this book and there is a stronger focus on the romance between her and Four. One of the things I liked about Divergent was the fact the romance wasn't the foremost thing in the book. In the end though, I won't say too much, partly because it's hard to without giving spoilers and partly because I simply don't have that much to say about it. Insurgent is worth reading if  you've read the first one. I will read the last, if for no other reason than I'd like to finish the series!

Book Review: Divergent

From Goodreads: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Thoughts: It appears that dystopian fiction is the current YA trend. I find it fascinating to watch as a book for one genre takes off and then suddenly it's all you can find on the YA shelves. Invariably the pickings for quality become slim as the rush to ride the most recent wave takes over. Having loved Hunger Games, and then been disappointed with a few recent YA reads, I was reluctant to jump on this bandwagon. Then a friend said it was worth reading, reviews were generally good, so I put in on hold and waited to reach the top of a very long list.
I'm glad I read it, it was a good solid read and I will be reading the rest of the series.I'm glad YA is developing good, strong female characters who can look after themselves and don't go to pieces because someone sparkles at them. Sure, they like a bit of romance, who doesn't, but it's not the centre of their world. Instead, the centre of Tris' world is working out how to survive, how to be who she wants to be and how to protect those she holds dear. I loved her struggle between who she feels is her true self - dauntless - and the self everyone else sees her as - abnegation. I love that she gets knocked down and gets back up again and again and again. I love that she can think for herself. I love that it took her time to fall for the guy and it wasn't one single thundebolt moment that immediately sent her into a tailspin. 
If I have a criticism of the book it's the premise it is built on. As another review I read said, you can see how the world portrayed in the Hunger Games would come about, it's a bit harder to stretch to a Divergent world. However, if you can manage to look past that and just accept this is the way things are, you are in for a good YA read.

Book Review: Shift

 

Synopsis: In 2007, the Center for Automation in Nanobiotech (CAN) outlined the hardware and software platform that would one day allow robots smaller than human cells to make medical diagnoses, conduct repairs, and even self-propagate. In the same year, the CBS network re-aired a program about the effects of propranolol on sufferers of extreme trauma. A simple pill, it had been discovered, could wipe out the memory of any traumatic event. At almost the same moment in humanity’s broad history, mankind had discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall. And the ability to forget it ever happened. This is the sequel to the New York Times bestselling WOOL series.
Contains First Shift, Second Shift, and Third Shift. (source: http://www.hughhowey.com/books/shift-omnibus-edition/)

Thoughts: I really enjoyed Wool and was thrilled to learn that Shift was actually a prequel that explained how the silos came to be.
Can I just say Howey's vision of our future is pretty bleak. Really, not much hope for humankind. I actually found his idea of our future as bleak as Orwell's and Huxley's. Really hope that none of them are right.
Shift was, for me, as good a read as Wool. I've read reviews that complain about the characters, that they were flat, one dimensional. For me, that kind of fitted with the book as a whole. Emotion must be controlled, you must not get too attached to anything or anyone and someone is always watching. At the same time, you were aware of the tension simmering just under the surface - lots of putting on a good face while questioning where this whole thing is going.
I really enjoyed the switching back and forth between Silo 1 and the others. It gives the reader the whole picture - something the characters don't have. For me, the series title of Silo alludes to more than the physical structures the characters are living in. It's about compartmentalisation - of everything. Emotions, societal roles, societal structure, communities. I look forward to reading the third installment - Dust and seeing how this all works out.

Book Review: Brave New World

From Goodreads: Far in the future, the World Controllers have finally created the ideal society. In laboratories worldwide, genetic science has brought the human race to perfection. From the Alpha-Plus mandarin class to the Epsilon-Minus Semi-Morons, designed to perform menial tasks, man is bred and educated to be blissfully content with his pre-destined role.
But, in the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, Bernard Marx is unhappy. Harbouring an unnatural desire for solitude, feeling only distaste for the endless pleasures of compulsory promiscuity, Bernard has an ill-defined longing to break free. A visit to one of the few remaining Savage Reservations where the old, imperfect life still continues, may be the cure for his distress…

Thoughts: This is one of those books I've been meaning to read for years and thanks to both the 5 from forever in '14 and 100 Best Book list challenges, I've finally done it!
Like many dystopian novels, Huxley's vision of the future is quite scary. While the idea of a world where everyone is happy all the time sounds great, there are of course issues.
What I often find interesting in reading classics is what they were unable to predict or see happening. In this hight scientifically controlled world, the recording each embryo and child are subjected to are off a paper roll. Written today, it would of course be computer based, most probably directly into the brain! There is no mention of environmental issues and the "feelies" today would more likely be an interactive, holographic event.
I enjoyed the book, but quite often found myself wondering exactly where it was going. I assumed a protagonist who bucked the system and met resistance. Of course what I got was a slightly disillusioned character and an outsider bought into an incredibly synthetic situation. The sudden focus on The Savage towards the end kind of came out of nowhere for me. It was interesting, but I thought it could have been explored more. The ending was abrupt and jolting. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I'm glad I've read it, but think I will need to think about it some more.

Challenges: 5 from forever in '14, 100 Best Book List Challenge.

Book Review: Wool

From Goodreads: In a ruined and toxic landscape, a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them. Sheriff Holston, who has unwaveringly upheld the silo’s rules for years, unexpectedly breaks the greatest taboo of all: He asks to go outside. His fateful decision unleashes a drastic series of events. An unlikely candidate is appointed to replace him: Juliette, a mechanic with no training in law, whose special knack is fixing machines. Now Juliette is about to be entrusted with fixing her silo, and she will soon learn just how badly her world is broken. The silo is about to confront what its history has only hinted about and its inhabitants have never dared to whisper. Uprising.

Thoughts: This was originally written as 5 novellas/ short stories before being released as an omnibus. If you are buying it on Kindle, make sure you buy the omnibus or you will end up having to buy all 5 separately. 
If you're looking for a well written, original, adult dystopian novel - you've found it. Wool starts with an ember that you can see glowing hotter and hotter until it explodes. But the build up is not slow and torturous - it's engaging and intriguing. You know something is not right, but you're not sure what. Howey builds pressure, feeding the reader bits of information, unsettling them, never letting them get completely comfortable in the world of the silo. And when the explosion happens, the pressure is released, but only temporarily. A whole new pressure starts to build. As in real life, things don't go to plan and the reader is still uncertain as to what the true secrets are. In the end, Wool is a phenomenal book. Apparently there is another two in the series, with the second Shift out now. Again, released in short stories first, I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the Omnibus edition.

Chanllenges: ebook Challenge 

Book Review - Ship Breaker

From Goodreads: In America's Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts, Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota--and hopefully live to see another day. But when, by luck or chance, he discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life...

What I Thought: This book came from my list of books recommended by bloggers. I have a bit of a personal challenge this year to reduce this list. Having said that, it's been so long I added this to the list I couldn't quite remember why! 
Bacigalupi is known as a sci-fi/ fantasy writer, but I found this to be more dystopian than either of those. The world has been drastically altered by raising sea levels and environmental changes.
Truth be told, it took me a little while to get into the book, but by about half way the pace picked up and by the end I couldn't put it down. For this reason, I'm not sure it would hold the attention of a teenager unless they were willing to persevere. I am interested in reading more of Bacigalupi's stuff and I know we have The Windup Girl around here somewhere. In the meantime, I don't feel right putting this down for my 13 in '13 challenge.

Challenges: None

A Dystopian List

A signed up this year for a Dysptopian Challenge over at Book Journey. I love a good dystopian book, and am aiming for between 4 and 7 books. So far I've been disappointed that I have only read 2, one which was re-read and the other I didn't enjoy. Both were YA reads. So here is a list of others I am considering - maybe this will fire me up! I've chosen them from three sites.


Popular Dystopian Reads on Goodreads
Listverse's Top 12 Dystopian reads
Pop Crunch's The 16Best Dystopian Books of All Time

1. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
2. Wither - Lauren DeStefano
3. The Maze Runner - James Dashner
4. Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood
5. The Children of Men - P.D. James

That's all I picked out from those websites. I left out things that would be re-reads like

The Handmaids Tale - Margaret Atwood
1984 - George Orwell
Neuromancer - William Gibson

That I may or may not end up reading.

So help me out here! What would you recommend? What, in your opinion is the dystopian novel I cannot miss? Please leave me a comment and let me know!

Hunger Games

Title: Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Series: Hunger Games
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Kindle

From Goodreads: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

What I thought: I first read The Hunger Games in September 2010. You can read my original review here.  I decided to re-read it before I go see the movie.
One of my fears in re- reading a book is finding it wasn't as good as I first thought. I'm glad to say I enjoyed this just as much if not more than the first time. The world Suzanne Collins created is believable and terrifying. The characters are beautifully built and you want to invest time in their fate. It sets up perfectly for the second book in the series. Really glad I too the time to re-read this. Now I can't wait to see the movie!

Challenges: Ebook Challenge, Dystopia Challenge

Article 5

Title: Article 5
Author: Kristen Simmons
Genre: Fiction - Dystopian
Audience: Young Adult
 Format: Kindle

From Goodreads: The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.
   
What I thought: There was a couple of reasons I chose to read this. I'd read a couple of really good reviews and I really wanted something to kick off my dystopian challenge!
And here's the thing - I wasn't impressed - rather disappointed actually. At about the 75% mark I actually went looking for reviews because all I had read was positive and it just wasn't doing it for me. Thankfully I found a several reviews on Goodreads that agreed with me and convinced me I wasn't the only person on the planet who didn't like the book.
I had several issues with it, the biggest of which was the main character and narrator - Ember. The blurb says she is good at keeping a low profile, she is aware people are arrested for minor offenses and the consequences are severe - yet her behaviour tends to suggest she is oblivious to this. Her inability to understand that a harsh world may require harsh actions. Her constant judgement of Chase and again, her inability to even try and understand what he is doing and what he has gone through made me actively dislike her. Personally if I was Chase I would have let her go and see how far she got!
I also found the explanation of how the world had got to this point lacking. Why was there a war? Is it a civil war or wider ranging? Why were the articles introduced, what has lead to this massive clamp down on morality? I also found some events in the book were obvious plot devices and stuck out like a sore thumb - the encounter with the three teenagers at the truck is a case in point.
Maybe in the end the problem is I'm not 17 years old - maybe I am too old to view this in the light it should be, but I don't think so. I did find it got better in the last 10%, but I'm not sure that is enough to convince me to read the second one.

Challenges: Ebook challenge, Dystopia challenge