Category Archives: Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic

Review: A Single Stone by Meg McKinlay

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

A Single Stone by Meg McKinlayA Single Stone
Meg McKinlay
Candlewick Press
Published on March 14, 2017 (Orig. May 1, 2015)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About A Single Stone
Every girl dreams of being part of the line—the chosen seven who tunnel deep into the mountain to find the harvest. No work is more important.

Jena is the leader of the line—strong, respected, reliable. And—as all girls must be—she is small; years of training have seen to that. It is not always easy but it is the way of things. And so a girl must wrap her limbs, lie still, deny herself a second bowl of stew. Or a first.

But what happens when one tiny discovery makes Jena question the world she knows? What happens when moving a single stone changes everything?

My Review
The harsh circumstances of life and Jena’s utter devotion to her people make A Single Stone a captivating story from the first page. I liked the unusual story world and Jena’s journey struggling to make sense of her community as she discovers some dark secrets about the way the leadership operates. I loved her friendships with Luka and Min, and the snippets about the mysterious outsider girl.

I loved the way the metaphor of a single stone being moved or stirred could cause a whole mountain to collapse. It created this sort of knife’s-edge feel to the whole story that’s echoed in every uncovered secret and every moment where Jena faces a difficult choice. Will she be the girl who brings down the mountain or her community in ruin or will she free them? Great tension there.

The story ended a lot differently than I expected. At one point, Jena makes an important confrontation, but I felt like her accusation gets lost in the confusion as a lot of other things happen suddenly. Her choice at the end of the book is a lot more personal rather than community oriented (though it still affects the community), and I guess I hoped for more? Maybe how it affects her other relationships or just a revisiting of the closeness she had with some of the other characters.

On the whole, I really enjoyed reading A Single Stone, and especially loved Jena’s character. This is a great pick for readers looking for dystopian stories but not yet ready for the likes of The Hunger Games or Divergent.

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Cultural Elements
Characters appear to be white. The village is small and cut off from any other known cities or human populations. Women lead the village. Girls are the more highly valued children because of their size and ability to navigate small spaces.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The village has some call and response types of rituals, but they don’t seem to be based on worship of any particular deity.

Violent Content
Female children wear tight wraps on their limbs and torsos which limit their growth in hopes that they’ll grow up to be small enough to climb through the tight crevices of the mountain. Jena learns that the mothers manipulate other elements of growth, sometimes with fatal consequences, in order to try to create a generation of smaller girls to support the village.

When one girl becomes trapped in the rock, the others pull her out, knowing this could cause her thin bones to break, possibly even cause her death.

A girl falls from the top of a rock and dies.

Jena recalls a memory of her own mother’s death following childbirth.

Drug Content
The Mothers use various drugs and medicines to cure illnesses, reduce pain, and at times alter their patients.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: Reintegration by Ashley Bogner

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Reintegration
Ashley Bogner
Createspace Self-publishing
Published on August 18, 2017

Author Website | Goodreads

A perfect citizen. A captured rebel. One decision could destroy them both…

As a Regulator, seventeen-year-old Katherine Holliday’s duty is to protect the people of the Federation from a group of violent rebels who have exiled themselves to the mysterious wilderness. When one of these rebels is captured within the Federation, the government leaders propose an alternative to execution, a procedure they call Reintegration. The procedure involves erasing the rebel’s memory and attempting to make him a member of society. The rebel, a young man named Matthew, is not the violent criminal Katherine expects, and she can’t help but befriend him. A few weeks after Matthew’s Reintegration, Katherine realizes the procedure failed and she is now presented with a choice no one else can help her make. Can she warn her superiors that Reintegration failed, which could mean death for Matthew? Or will she defy everything she knows to help him escape—and risk her own execution?

My Review

Ashley Bogner’s debut novel, Reintegration, calls to mind some of the best dystopian books of our age–books such as Ally Condie’s Matched trilogy, Nadine Brandes’ Out of Time Trilogy, and The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron. It also follows the dystopian pattern of three, being the first of a trilogy. The sequel is set to release in 2018.

Reintegration‘s strongest suit is its characterization. The reader is deeply immersed in Katherine Holliday’s point of view, and experiences the entire plot through her eyes. It was impossible for me not to connect with Katherine on some level, because while reading this book, I was Katherine. I was thinking her thoughts, feeling her emotions, and following along with all of her actions and reactions.

The deep characterization did lead to some drawbacks, however–for the first 60% of the book or so, I felt like the plot was spinning its wheels a bit. Katherine rehashed the same issues over and over, without coming to any real conclusions. It wasn’t until she decided to stop worrying and start acting that Reintegration hit the ground running. Once the plot stopped revving its engine and got started for real, it took off at light-speed and never looked back.

The last quarter or so of Reintegration was especially phenomenal. I could not read fast enough to find out what was going to happen! Bogner packs a lot of punches into those last few pages, making up for the slow beginning several times over. There are a lot of secrets hinted at through out the book that weren’t explained by the final page, and some major surprises that I wasn’t expecting. Miss Bogner has chosen to play her cards close to her chest, and there’s no telling what will happen in the following books.  I’m rating Reintegration 3.75 stars out of 5. While Reintegration dragged some through the beginning and middle, the end made up for it with non-stop action and surprises. I’m hoping that the sequels will keep the action going, and get off to a flying start.

Recommended for Ages 13 and up

Cultural Elements
None.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None. 

Romance/Sexual Content
Some light kissing, hand-holding, and hugging. 

Spiritual Content
Matthew is a Christian, and shares his faith with other characters in the book, resulting in one or more conversions. The Federation teaches relative morality (that there is no “right” or “wrong,” and everything is a matter of opinion), and intolerance is a punishable crime under the Federation.

Violent Content
One violent death. Several injuries (some by  use of a “stunner”–a taser-like weapon, and others by fist fights.)

Drug Content
Matthew is drugged to forget his past. A character takes a medical drug later, and experiences painful side effects.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The List by Patricia Forde

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The List
Patricia Forde
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Published August 1, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The List
In the city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. Speak outside the approved lexicon and face banishment. The exceptions are the Wordsmith and his apprentice Letta, the keepers and archivists of all language in their post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval world.

On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words. But when she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob Ark’s citizens of their power of speech, she realizes that it’s up to her to save not only words, but culture itself.

My Review
Strong, evocative writing makes The List a story difficult to put down. I loved Letta’s care for words and her struggle to do what’s right as she begins to realize that may mean defying the leadership and rules of Ark. Something about the story reminded me very much of The Giver. I think because of the repressive environment and Letta’s growing need to escape. I liked Marlo’s character, too, and the way he protected Letta and helped her without expecting anything in return.

Letta’s world has been ravaged by what she refers to as the Melting. Sea levels have risen as a result of polar ice melting due to global warming. The story doesn’t really delve into the politics or anything else, it’s just the background premise, and I thought the pairing of a flood due to sea levels rising and the references to Noah’s Ark were kind of interesting. The story doesn’t try to retell the Biblical tale beyond those few references.

The plot moved quickly and kept me guessing at what would happen next. I think I read the whole book in two sessions—I could barely stand to put it down until the last page. The story builds to a pretty intense climax and resolves with plenty of setup for a sequel.

Other than some references to violence and brief depictions, it’s a pretty clean story, and a great read for those transitioning from middle grade to young adult literature. Fans of dystopian literature, especially stories about communities under repressive rule like Uglies by Scott Westerfeld or Divergent by Veronica Roth definitely need to put The List on their reading lists.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Letta has red hair and pale skin. Marlo has dark hair and olive skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Letta mentions a local boy who wants to mate with her. In this context, it seems like he wants to marry her, or to choose her as his mate. She doesn’t have to worry about this until she’s eighteen, however. It’s clear she feels attracted to Marlo.

Spiritual Content
Letta lives in a town called Ark, founded by a man named John Noa, but that’s basically where the obvious references to the Biblical story end. Noa crafts specific rules governing the behavior of all who live in Ark and banishes anyone who defies his commands.

Marlo believes dreams have spiritual significance. At one point he comes to Letta because he dreamed she called to him. Letta doesn’t share his belief.

Her village contains a statue of a woman referred to as the Goddess, even though she’s reported to be a prophet, the last God sent. Letta briefly wonders how she came to be known as a goddess. At one point, she witnesses a woman petitioning the Goddess for help at the feet of the statue.

Violent Content
She hears rumors of prisoners tortured for information, and at one point hears screams from a prison cell. She finds a gravely injured man and tries to help him. His injuries are briefly but specifically described. A woman Letta knows gets captured and executed by soldiers.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: Day Moon by Brett Armstrong

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, New Adult 18up, Sci-Fi, , , ,

Day Moon
Brett Armstrong
Clean Reads
Published March 26, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Day Moon
In A.D. 2039, a prodigious seventeen year old, Elliott, is assigned to work on a global soft-ware initiative his deceased grandfather helped found. Project Alexandria is intended to provide the entire world secure and equal access to all accumulated human knowledge. All forms of print are destroyed in good faith, to ensure everyone has equal footing, and Elliott knows he must soon part with his final treasure: a book of Shakespeare’s complete works gifted him by his grandfather.

Before it is destroyed, Elliott notices something is amiss with the book, or rather Project Alexandria. The two do not match, including an extra sonnet titled “Day Moon”. When Elliott investigates, he uncovers far more than he bargained for. There are sinister forces backing Project Alexandria who have no intention of using it for its public purpose.

Elliott soon finds himself on the run from federal authorities and facing betrayals and deceit from those closest to him. Following clues left by his grandfather, with agents close at hand, Elliott desperately hopes to find a way to stop Project Alexandria. All of history past and yet to be depend on it.

My Review
Ever since I read The Giver in probably fourth or fifth grade, dystopian stories have held a special place in my heart. I loved this premise about knowledge being stored and then used to manipulate others. It reminded me a bit of the Matched series by Ally Condie or The Great Library series by Rachel Caine.

I had kind of a love/hate relationship with the voice of Day Moon. On the one hand, Elliot works as a software engineer, and the way he talks and thinks reminds me a great deal of the way my husband, also a software engineer, communicates. So it felt really authentic. On the other hand, it also tended to be very passive and use a lot of words to say things. I think that kind of writing weighed the story down and kept me at a distance from scenes that should have been super intense.

I enjoyed the use of Shakespeare and the search for clues from Elliot’s grandfather, but sometimes the plot seemed to jump around and leave important threads hanging. For instance, near the beginning, Elliot’s superiors close in around him, demanding he produce the book his grandfather left him, the book which he lent to his friend Lara. Elliot never seems to consider whether this places Lara in danger, even as the guys looking for the book become more and more sinister. For a long stretch, it seems he forgets about the book altogether while he gets wrapped up in the search for his grandfather’s clues. I kept reading scenes thinking, okay, yeah, but where’s the book?! Who has the book?! Are the bad guys about to get it? Where is it?

I also struggled with the timeline of the story. It’s supposed to be set in 2039, which is only about 22 years from now. Elliot recalls stories from his grandfather about driverless cars and combustion engines when it seems like these would be things familiar to his parents’ generation as well. I didn’t understand why everything seemed tied to his grandfather when so little time had passed. Maybe Elliot never knew his father? I don’t recall any explanation on that in the story.

One of the cool elements in Day Moon was the way Elliot and Lara connected over a shared passion for artwork. I liked that they were students in an accelerated program, which gave some reason for them to act a little less like teens and more like college kids. On the other hand, though, I didn’t feel like they had any real teen issues at all. Neither of them lived with parents or seemed to feel close ties with immediate family members. I didn’t get the sense that they were breaking into adulthood, but more like they were experienced participants, so I don’t think I would really classify the story as young adult. It’s more like clean new adult fiction.

While this wasn’t my favorite book, readers looking for a dystopian story featuring a character with strong software talents will find it easy to identify with Elliot’s gentle, sometimes awkward character. Shakespeare fans may enjoy the way quotes and elements from Shakespeare’s works are woven into a sort of scavenger hunt. The light romance between Elliot and Lara may appeal to readers looking for a bit of summer love, too.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
Not a lot of ethnic or cultural details in the story.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A man and woman frantically kiss on top of a hotel bed, but separate before going to sleep. Elliot feels conscious of his attraction to Lara, but also committed to Christian virtues in relationships.

Spiritual Content
Elliot prays for help in times of need. At one point, he pauses to examine his behavior and worries he isn’t being very Christ-like.

Violent Content
A man knocks someone unconscious with a shovel. At one point, Elliot and his allies leave a man tied up in the trunk of a car while they figure out what to do next.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

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The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press
Published September 14, 2008

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About The Hunger Games
The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The ‘tributes’ are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.

When 16-year-old Katniss’s young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. She sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

My Review
My favorite thing about The Hunger Games is the balance between Katniss and Peeta. Katniss is a survivor. She’s strong and clever with traps and snares but emotions totally mystify her. Peeta’s work at the bakery affords him physical strength, but his real asset in the Games is his intuition, his understanding of others, and his strength of heart. Those two need each other if they have any hope of surviving in the arena.

While the plot moves quickly and the threat of death keeps readers on the edge of their seats, the story’s real victory is its unforgettable characters. Rue, the clever, young tribute Katniss watches in training, and Cinna, her compassionate costume designer and unexpected ally, remain my favorites.

While it’s very clean in other ways, The Hunger Games, as you might imagine from the description, has some strong violence which may make it the wrong pick for younger or more sensitive readers. My daughter has been asking to read Divergent, which has more violence and some sexual content, which I’m not sure she’s ready for, so reading The Hunger Games was an alternative I felt more comfortable with, and which still let her into the young adult spectrum. We read the book together and sometimes stopped to talk about what was happening.

The Hunger Games Movie
After reading the book, my daughter and I watched the movie together. It does have some brief, mild profanity, and of course, gives visual to the violence depicted in the scenes of the book. The movie stays pretty true to the spirit of the book, though it does streamline and minimize some things. For instance, instead of Katniss listening to hours of a tribute being tortured, she quickly ends his life in an act of mercy. You can read a full content breakdown of the movie here.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Cultural Elements
Major characters are white and straight, except Rue and Thresh, who are black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. They spend nights together, but usually one or other is gravely injured, and at any rate, no mention of anything sexual happening.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Strong violence. Tributes actively try to kill one another with weapons and traps. An older teen kills a younger one with a spear. A girl kills opponents with knives. Mutant wasps kill and wound others. A boy bashes another tribute’s skull in with a rock. Genetically mutated monsters which appear to be some kind of human/dog hybrid chase tributes, torturing one they catch. (Katniss describes hearing the pained sounds of the victim for hours, but can’t see what’s happening.)

Drug Content
Katniss samples wine with her dinner. Her mentor, Haymitch, abuses alcohol. He stumbles about drunk and at one point collapses into his own vomit.

 

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Review: Perfect by Cecelia Ahern

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Perfect
Cecelia Ahern
Feiwel & Friends
Available April 4, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads
Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed by a morality court, Celestine’s life has completely fractured–all her freedoms gone.

Since Judge Crevan has declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with Carrick–the only person she can trust.

But Celestine has a secret–one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. A secret that has already caused countless people to go missing.

Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save just herself or to risk her life to save all Flawed people.

And, most important of all, can she prove that to be human in itself is to be Flawed?

My Review
Perfect was the first book by Cecelia Ahern that I’ve read. Even though I haven’t read the first book in the series, I found it fairly easy to follow the story. I think reading the first book would have helped me understand her relationship with Carrick better and made their reunion more meaningful.

The premise was the most interesting part to me. Celestine lives in a society in which good behavior is vital to survival. One mistake can leave a person literally branded as imperfect and make them outcasts. When Celestine ignores her society’s rules about shunning those outcasts marked Flawed, she earns her own branding.

The story made me think a lot of the beginning of I Corinthians chapter 13. It starts with this list of really impressive abilities—being able to perform miracles, helping the poor, speaking in the tongues of angels, etc—but warns, “if I have not love, I am nothing.”

In Perfect, Celestine’s society has become obsessed with living this outwardly perfect life. What Celestine discovers, though, is the price to live such a “perfect” life demands giving up compassion, mercy, and empathy. She rallies others around her to stop living these cold, rule-bound lives and instead forgive each other, show mercy. She wants everyone to realize that no one is without flaw, and therefore the system is based on a lie anyway.

I liked that message a lot. Readers who enjoyed Lauren Oliver’s Delirium or Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies will probably enjoy this book.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. They have sex. The scene describes some lead-in, but not the actual event. Guard corral a group of women into a barn and force them to change into skimpy outfits to shame them.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Celestine remembers a terrible incident in which Judge Crevan brands her without anesthesia. Soldiers believe Celestine hides underneath a pile of kindling and demand that her family light it.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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