Review: Gone

I have an odd thing when it comes to reading; I avoid book editions with models on the front. I avoid them like the plague. I like my own imagination to create the images, and they just end up being a big roadblock in my way. Hello my name is Kaveeta, and I judge books by their covers; fortunately it isn't what I'm reviewing today.

The premise is really simple here, every person over the age of 15 seems to vanish into thin air with no possible explanation. Sam Temple is an extraordinarily ordinary boy, and with the help of his best friend Quinn, Sam tries to figure out what has happened to the world. As expected, there is some Lord of the Flies-y typed angst and violent behaviour, which occurs almost instantaneously. As does the budding romance between Sam and his lady love. It wouldn't be dystopian future if something sinister isn't lurking underneath the surface of it all, and it has chock loads of it. Sam makes a shocking self discovery, and the world as he knows it is turned spectacularly on its head.

This was an incredibly slow burner, for over half of the book we’re treated to a group of teenagers running around the small town, finding a seemingly endless barrage of open ended questions. Sam was very reluctant as far as protagonists go, he was so spineless he seemed to be putty in my hands, but still managed to keep a consistent tone of annoying self righteousness throughout the book. It was a treat to see the transition from that, into the hero the story so desperately needed- once he’d managed to choke down a whole bottle of Skele-Gro anyway. I did end up warming to him, which I openly admit. Aside from it's slow start, it grew on me once things actually started happening, the more shambolic the world became, the more I began to enjoy myself.

The story didn’t go the way I thought it would, I was surprised with some of the directions the plot took. It was enough to keep me interested though, as some of these YA books have a bad habit of following a system. Grant has an unusual way of writing, he split the book up into the point of view of several different characters. They weren't connected in anyway other than occupying the same world, but in different places. I'm unsure whether I liked the format, but if the series continues like this, I guess it's something I'll have to get used to.

I was fairly concerned that the voice of the youth would become irritating but the author managed to get away with the 'brahs' and the 'dudes.' The only thing I really had a problem with, was the religious subtext. The Cain and Abel story was practically screaming at me the whole time I was reading, and the constant praying by some of the characters became uncomfortable. I'm not really interested in having it shoved down my throat that way, but I was able to push it to the back of my mind.

Nothing was resolved in the end, as expected. I do hope that Grant has all the answers to the questions he's left me with, though. I'm fairly certain that list will only grow as the series progresses. As far as firsts go, this isn't a bad introduction. If you're a fan of the whole YA dystopian future thing, I'd definitely give this a read. 

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Review: Pretties

** Warning! Contains spoilers! **

When we first meet Tally Youngblood in Uglies, she is living in Uglyville, waiting for the day she can join the land of the Pretties via mandatory beautifying surgery.
After going on the run and realising that actually, all the Pretties have lesions in their brains to make them complacent- Tally voluntarily undergoes the transformation in order to help find a cure.
In Pretties, we are introduced to the Pretty Tally, who has no recollection of her time in the wild or her dear beloved, David. Now she's all about the parties, the drinking and the beautiful people; the beautiful people.

There is so much wrong with this book, I'm unsure of where I should begin, so I'll start in the most obvious place, the language.

The Pretties like, have this dialect that they think is way bubbly, when in actual fact it's totally missing. It's like, zero milli-Helens out of a possible one whole Helen. I'm sure Scotty-wa didn't mean for it to be bogus, but it was just completely misery making. 

Apart from being completely distracting and ridiculous, it made the whole of New Pretty Town seem like they were extras in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. It was really a huge obstacle in the way of me actually enjoying the book, and it wasn't the only one.
The only redeeming quality in this book was the fact that there wasn't a blow-by-blow account of Tally on her hover board, Tally falling off her hover board and Tally being saved by her crash bracelets. I count it as a small mercy though, and not an all out win.

I'm well aware that sometimes in a series, books can follow the same formula; this happens a lot for example, in the Alex Rider series. However, Pretties has exactly the same plot as Uglies. Instead of wanting to be Pretty, Tally this time wants to be a Crim- her whole world seems to revolve around this clique and her quest to belong in it. Once she gets lost in the Wilderness, again; she finds herself in a love triangle, again. The same sequence of events takes the same overly long time to unfold, again. I really felt as though I was reading the same book but with additional irritating colloquialisms and some of the worst handling of taboo subjects I have ever seen.

Once the Crims become aware of the lesions in their brain, they commence in a growing rate of destructive behaviour in order to gain brief periods of clarity, or in Pretty-talk: 'bubbly'. Such behaviour includes extreme and dangerous stunts, starvation and self-injury. If that wasn't enough to set my teeth on edge, the latter gave way to a separate group called Cutters- who were ritualistic group self-injurers.
I'm not opposed to subjects such as these being approached in literature but when it's done in a way that somehow makes it entirely justifiable and the right way to deal with things, is not okay with me. Nor does this shoddy attempt at being controversial blindside me in the sheer number of plot holes littered throughout this book.
The main source being Tally's knowledge. The book starts off with her being absolutely unaware of any history whatsoever; her time on the run and the boy she fell in love with were completely alien to her. When her memories started coming back, she was what only can be described as a medical miracle; suddenly she remembered ancient history like she'd just read it out of a book. With the simple explanation of, "Tally remembered from her lessons in school..." was the equivalent of putting a plaster on a gaping wound, considering in Uglies she didn't even know what a railway line was. As a reader, I was just meant to accept this and I wasn't having any of it.

When the author wasn't bombarding us with very obvious inconsistencies he spent the remainder of his time preaching about the passed and how awful it was. The 'Rusties' and the 'Pre-Rusties' were stupid, barbaric and awful. It seems as though Westerfeld wanted a platform to release every issue he has with the world and used his book to do so. The plot once again becomes lost in this Rustie-bashing, as there is no proof to say otherwise, I tend to forget why exactly we're trying to change the world back into the awful place it once was. The world just isn't believable, there's only a shallow explanation to how the world became the way it did, I would like to say Westerfeld explores more in the next two books, but honestly I wouldn't bet my life on it.

I tried to give this series a chance, even after the first book got less than favourable reviews on my part but after this debacle I'm hanging up my Pretty dress and beating myself into a bloody pulp with the ugly stick. It's time for me to re-enter the world of the Rusties you guys, and I dont think I'll be returning.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Review: Uglies

In the first of this series we are sent into a future world where, at the age of 16, every person undergoes a form of extreme plastic surgery to turn them from an 'ugly' to a 'pretty.'
The theory behind is this, if everyone is beautiful and looks the same, the petty bias that comes from looking different will ultimately be eradicated. I guess because they're too busy looking sexy to fight.
Tally Youngblood is 15 and a resident of Uglyville, she's recently just lost her best friend to New Pretty Town and is eagerly awaiting the day she can join him in the land of the pretties. Of course, the way things are- nothing is what it seems. Tall finds herself in a particularly bad situation where she has to choose between betraying her friends or remaining an ugly forever.

Complete with Government cover ups, conspiracy theories and living in a blatantly obvious Big Brother lifestyle. This has all the generic bits and pieces to the typical YA dystopian future story. Uglies focuses very obviously on norms that run amok in today's society, particularly that of body images and what it is that people see as ugly and beautiful. I really liked the ideas behind this story, and while I enjoyed it- I did feel parts of it could have executed a lot better.

I found no strength in the protagonist, Tally or in her sidekick- Shay. Both of their desires to seek the truth behind the beautiful lie (and every subsequent action) has to do with their immediate attraction to the 'ugly' but oh-so-dreamy David. At times I found this very uncomfortable to read, unlike other female protagonists there is no real courage in their convictions. (What would Buffy say, really?)
I'll give her something though, Tally has moments where she's completely badass on a hoverboard- but my estimations take like a stone to water when she has a ridiculous cat fight with her newest best friend over a wilderness boy. (I know it's set hundreds of years into the future, but surely they could have kept the idiom bros before -- you know what, never mind.)
Another thing I found difficult to deal with was the overuse of the words 'ugly' and 'pretty', I get the feeling the author wanted to make it abundantly clear that we should never see the world so black and white but were forced to do regardless, and by the person who is telling us not to. It got too confusing for words, really.

A lot of the plot, while a great idea seemed to take an absolute age to unfold, it made the reading difficult and I didn't sink into the story as quickly as I'd have liked to. I don't usually count pages of chapters but I found myself waiting to see how many pages it took for something new to happen. The writing itself was a fine read, although there wasn't much jumping out at me. I always expect these sorts of novels to lead me one way and then jerk me round a corner to somewhere completely different, this novel however took me on a very clear path. I knew what was going to happen and wasn't surprised when it did.

Not to say I didn't enjoy this though, I couldn't really put it down even when I wanted to. I'm not sure if it was because it was an addictive albeit easy read, or I just wanted it over and done with.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Review: Insurgent

Much like the beginning of this book, I'm going to rush in exactly where I left off, on a train and exhausted; sleeping in the arms of man/boy Tobias. (Four, when we're mad at him.)
In terms of content and pace, I'm in the more unpopular pool of liking this book at lot more than Divergent. I'm in a mind to say that more happens but it's very much all filler and no killer again. The main crux of the action seemed to happen in the last few chapters and I'm not sure why some of the things that happened, happened- but more on that later.

On the bright side, the main body of the book was filled with a bit more action, amongst Triss' confusion a lot seemed to happen in terms of getting a deeper insight into the other factions. I was really happy about that, although I do enjoy reading about Dauntless and Abegnation- the other factions seem like the Ravenclaw/Hufflepuffs in Roth's world- it was nice to see the others get some of the limelight. Roth also goes into more detail about what a Divergent actually is and that was something I was struggling with.

One thing I was hoping for was a connection with the main characters, I started to forge thin threads to some of them and was hoping to cement a bond that would have me crying with them. Unfortunately these characters were nowhere to be seen.

Triss bless her heart, is clearly suffering from PTSD, you know- having watched both her parents die, shooting her brainwashed best friend in the head and having one of her worst nightmares come to life at the hands of a sexy Eric.
Triss is more of the Post-Heaven-Buffy than the Badass-Baby-Buffy I was told all about.  She's more confused and conflicted than ever, she doesn't seem to know what she's doing or who she's doing it with. Trusting her boyfriend's abusive father without a moment's hesitation being one of those things. To deal with the growing guilt, she takes to throwing herself into immensely stupid situations. All the while she's brooding over Tobias and if she's not fighting with him, she's shutting him up with her tongue.

The usually level headed and least-Dauntless of the lot Tobias seems to have channeled his inner Bruce Banner, he's a downright arse to Triss most of the time in this book. Even after finding out about Will, he's more upset at being lied to rather than being concerned that his girlfriend is pretty much crumbling before his eyes and not at all sympathetic to her reasons behind not being able to yield a gun. Of course that's when he's not putting blind faith into a mother that's been absent for most his life or hulking out and beating up his dad in public. 

Caleb and Peter, well they seem to have lost and gained a heart almost simultaneously. They're definitely my two favourite characters, if I had to choose. Their inevitable switcheroo wasn't all that surprising, you could see it a mile off. They still keep true to the foundations of their characters which is a good thing.
I want to take this time to say how much I love Uriah, because I do. I really love Uriah.

The character deaths still a big fat zero for me, I don't know why Roth makes the most random people die. Marlene's was fairly sad but I didn't connect to her on any level, her murder was horrific though, I was clenching my teeth for a bit afterwards. I won't even pretend to remember the name of the guy who died on the ladder. I moved on faster than Triss did.
The most annoying was Jeanine's death though, she was supposed to be the trilogy's Big Bad and she died far too easily and barely put up a fight. I hope she comes back as some kind of android and is worse than ever. That would be cool.

The book ended true to form in a frozen in time moment, that would certainly unfreeze at the exact moment it left off in book three. Again, the twist could be seen clearer than headlights on a dark night but it was satisfying having the big reveal. It indeed answered a lot of my questions, especially the history behind the factions.

Don't let all my ranting fool you, I really like this series. It's probably one of the more messed up trilogies I've read, all my reviews indicate me disliking it but I don't. It's ever so confusing; I really enjoy myself while I'm reading it, Roth writes wonderfully despite all the flaws I find. I'm greatly looking forward to the next installment. I know it's a bit of a wait though, so until then. Be brave, readers

RATING: ★★★☆☆. 

Review: Divergent

Review: Divergent

I'm trying this new thing were I try to take things slowly, reading books in one or two nights doesn't really allow me to remember things. Having said that, I didn't expect to swallow this book whole the way I did, it wasn't meant to happen anyway.
I really enjoyed this book, although probably not in the same capacity as I did when I first picked up The Hunger Games (my other Tumblr recommendation). Although it IS wonderfully written, (in an easy to read without getting too confused kind of way).

Beatrice Prior lives in a world where her society is split up into five factions, Abegnation, the selfless; Erudite, the intelligent; Amity, the peaceful; Candor, the honest and Dauntless, the Brave.
Every person, at the age of sixteen gets the opportunity to choose the faction they would like to be in by taking an aptitude test.
With her inconclusive results, Beatrice struggles with the choice of staying with her family or leaving to discover who she really is, all the while harbouring the secret that she is in fact, Divergent. When it comes to the choosing ceremony, she makes a decision that will ultimately change her life forever.

I would have liked to have known a little about how the factions came into being, I probably would have sacrificed a chunk of the horrendously long Dauntless initiation process in order to have it. I don't know about anyone else, but I do like to know why my future is oh so dystopian. Sooner, rather than later.
I found this lack of backstory in the beginning a bit of a deterrent more than anything. I felt like I had to just accept that they were there in their position and not question any of it, which naturally let me to question but why? every couple of chapters. As the animosity between the factions grew, my frustrations grew with it. At least I got to find out why being a Divergent is so dangerous, though.

Once the first stage of initiation was over and done with, the book really started picking up for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the next two stages, Roth’s imagination seems to have no bounds when it comes up with ways to scare her characters senseless.
The introduction of the Dauntless-born initiates offered up a respite from the ‘evil’ faction members, which I found I desperately needed and gave way to a nicer image of the faction and what Dauntless could be like without all the corruption.
And corruption there was, as we find out in the last 100 or so pages of the book. This is where the plot truly thickens, with a truly nasty surprise for Tris and the rest of the members.

Regardless of how much I enjoyed the latter part of the book, I still found there was a key ingredient missing and I’m not sure why that is. I wasn’t attatched to the characters the way I should have been, so the deaths meant very little to me. Even the romance in the story was lacking somewhat, I didn’t get the same twisting knot in my stomach when I truly feel sorry for the star crossed lovers. Four did make an impression on me, as did Tris- I’m hoping the second installment will truly make me care for them.
My real intrigue lies with black haired, Dauntless leader Eric. Although, where’s the surprise there?

Despite the few flaws, Roth still kept me interested enough to read the whole thing, cover to cover in a record time. I have hope for this series, I really do- I’m not ready to count it out when there’s a second installment just waiting for me and could completely turn it around.

Watch this space, I guess. 

RATING: ★★★☆☆ 

Review: Hunger Games Trilogy

I read The Hunger Games with the film's release breathing hot air down my neck; It wasn't the primary reason I gave in but I wanted my own imagination to fill in the blanks before Hollywood did it for me.
I went in blind. I read no reviews, no summaries and I didn't even bother reading the blurb. I ignored the posters and adverts and pictures of the actors the best I could- I went purely what I was seeing on my dashboard everyday. (Most of the time, this led to avoidance via rapid finger scrolling). I put my faith in you all and I'm glad I did, for I was greatly rewarded.

Set in an oppressive dystopian future, we are introduced to Katniss Everdeen, a District 12 seventeen-year-old badass hunter. She lives in a world that is the product of 'the first rebellion', an uprising from long ago. No longer a free country, all twelve Districts are reminded of their passed convictions by an annual (and very public) 'Reaping Ceremony' for the Hunger Games; a battle to the death consisting of 24 children. (A boy and a girl from each District.)

Without giving anything away; Gore ensues

The Games were created for the means of entertainment for the rich Capitol (one could argue it could also have been a way to distract the people of Panem from the real issues) and to distill an already strong fear in the hearts of the people of the Districts. They were at the Capitol's mercy and they knew it.
The plot reminded me very much of what's going on in society today, in the age of reality television and very much in the time of economical/political strife- so I found myself empathising and even relating to parts of the book which made it an even better read. 

Needless to say I was sucked in instantly.
Panem, the Districts and Games became very real to me. I was there at the Reapings, trying to remember to breathe. I could smell the blood and the roses. I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach when I was reading the twist of the second Quarter Quell and I spent the majority of the books curled into the foetal position crying my eyes out; mourning the loss of so many wonderful people.
I've not become attached to so many characters in one series since Harry Potter, I would love to spend another 500 words giving them all a heartfelt mention but I'll resist. Although, never again will gold eyeliner and sugar cubes be just gold eyeliner and sugar cubes.

Aside from Protagonist Katniss, whose strength, courage and will to live I admired, the bulk of my love gravitated towards the beautiful Peeta Mellark.
It had everything to do with his heart, but not necessarily what he gave to Katniss. He was, in an almost pure form, everything that is good in the world. I often looked to him to be the small pulse of light in what seemed to be a never ending tunnel of darkness.

I loved the series- I really did. It was bloody, it was controversial, at times it was a little cheesy, sometimes a little too cheesy- I love all kinds of cheese so I was happy with that.
It successfully managed to blur the lines between good and evil though, absolutely everyone was tinted in an (un)healthy glow of grey. At times I made exasperated sighs, because I knew what was going to happen next... but something else happened instead. It had a funny way of keeping me on my toes like that.
Most of all, it was chock full of hope in seemingly hopeless situations- you're always rooting for the good guy, even when you're not sure entirely if the good guys are actually good anymore.
In the end, once you've painfully uncurled your fingers and you've waded through the olympic sized pools of syrupy blood, you manage to see the silver lining in it all.

You know, after you've flushed all the blood from you eyes with tears. 

Rating:  ★★★★★ (!)