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The School of Good Mothers by Jessamine Chen

Title: The School for Good Mothers

Author: Jessmine Chan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2022

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 336

Rating: 1/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Frida Liu is struggling. She doesn’t have a career worthy of her Chinese immigrant parents’ sacrifices. She can’t persuade her husband, Gust, to give up his wellness-obsessed younger mistress. Only with Harriet, their cherubic daughter, does Frida finally attain the perfection expected of her. Harriet may be all she has, but she is just enough.

Until Frida has a very bad day.

The state has its eyes on mothers like Frida. The ones who check their phones, letting their children get injured on the playground; who let their children walk home alone. Because of one moment of poor judgment, a host of government officials will now determine if Frida is a candidate for a Big Brother-like institution that measures the success or failure of a mother’s devotion.

Faced with the possibility of losing Harriet, Frida must prove that a bad mother can be redeemed. That she can learn to be good.

I absolutely detested this book. We are reading it for book club and I know I am going to rant at the meeting. Overall I had a few big issues with the book:

  1. Who is this book for? I know how much society pressures mothers and then blames them for anything negative that affects children. Fathers are largely absent from this scenario. The book detailed all of that, but was it new information? No. I know exactly how all this works.

  2. No character growth. I was hoping that Frida and many of the other characters would experience some great character growth. Unfortunately we don’t really that growth. Additionally, Frida repeats herself so much. We hear her whine over and over again. The reputation really got to me.

  3. Conflicted feelings about Frida’s socioeconomic status. Frida is struggling financially at the beginning, but she does have access to resources. Most of the women that she meets at the school do not have access to those resources. The cult between those women and Friday wasn’t really explored and glossed over so much.

  4. The school itself is just ridiculous. I understand that speculative fiction likes to exaggerate circumstances to make a point, but the school and specifically the “children” were just too much to be believable. I just couldn’t.

  5. I know we are supposed to be very annoyed by Frida’s ex-husband and I definitely was. But what was his purpose in the book. Every time he was mentioned or appeared, I just shouted “Fuck the Patriarchy.”

Overall, I slogged through this book and immediately felt like I wasted so many reading days. This felt like a very bad copy of The Handmaid’s Tale that just doesn’t live up to the hype. When I add in all the bullshit about restricting the rights of women, I was so incredibly mad at this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

uzumaki.jpg tombs.jpg black paradox.jpg gyo.jpg great big.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg book of the most.jpg jujutsu13.jpg jujutsu14.jpg jujutsu15.jpg seoulmates.jpg twisted1.jpg jujutsu16.jpg twisted2.jpg twisted3.jpg twisted4.jpg
tags: Jessamine Chan, 1 star, dystopian, science fiction
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 05.24.22
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

Upright Women Wanted.jpg

Title: Upright Women Wanted

Author: Sarah Gailey

Publisher: Tor.com 2020

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 171

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

“That girl’s got more wrong notions than a barn owl’s got mean looks.”

Esther is a stowaway. She’s hidden herself away in the Librarian’s book wagon in an attempt to escape the marriage her father has arranged for her—a marriage to the man who was previously engaged to her best friend. Her best friend who she was in love with. Her best friend who was just executed for possession of resistance propaganda.

The future American Southwest is full of bandits, fascists, and queer librarian spies on horseback trying to do the right thing.

So Sarah Gailey is most definitely going on my must read author list. I love how they write with fun classic tropes turned on their heads. On the surface, this is a story of a post-apocalypse(ish) world where a resistance faction has risen up with the aid of traveling librarians. Sounds like a typical scifi book. But Gailey really focuses on the relationships of the characters and explores gender and identity in this strange world. They did similar things in River and Teeth and Taste of Marrow and I am totally on board of this! This short novella really packs a punch. I wanted so much to see the the further adventures of Esther and Cye along with the resistance. I wanted to learn more about the world they live in. I wanted to meet more interesting characters. Maybe we will get another book set in this world from Gailey.

Ebooks 2020.png

Next up on the TBR pile:

uzumaki.jpg tombs.jpg black paradox.jpg gyo.jpg great big.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg book of the most.jpg jujutsu13.jpg jujutsu14.jpg jujutsu15.jpg seoulmates.jpg twisted1.jpg jujutsu16.jpg twisted2.jpg twisted3.jpg twisted4.jpg
tags: science fiction, dystopian, Sarah Gailey, ebook, 5 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 05.20.20
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Title: Allegiant (Divergent #3)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 2013

Genre: Dystopian Fantasy

Pages: 544

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; Mount TBR; TBR Reduction; Ebook; Seriously Series

What if your whole world was a lie? What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything? What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected? The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

An interesting ending to the Divergent trilogy. I am a bit disappointed in how it ended. Mainly I couldn't get over how abrupt the last twist was. However, I was more in touch with Tris and Four this volume. I was also excited to see more of the outside world and side characters like Cara (really got to love her in this volume). And lots more world building... Overall I really enjoyed this series.

Divergent:

  • #0.1 The Transfer
  • #0.2 The Initiate
  • #0.3 The Son
  • #0.4 The Traitor
  • #1 Divergent
  • #1.5 Free Four
  • #2 Insurgent
  • #3 Allegiant
tags: 4 stars, dystopian, ebook, fantasy, mount tbr, NPR Teen, Seriously Series, TBR Reduction, Veronica Roth
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 04.25.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Four by Veronica Roth

Title: Four (Divergent #0.1, #0.2, #0.3, #0.4)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 2014

Genre: Dystopian Fantasy

Pages: 285

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; TBR Reduction; Ebook; 52 Books - W16; Seriously Series

Readers first encountered Tobias as "Four" in Divergent. His voice is an integral part of Allegiant. Readers will find more of this charismatic character's backstory told from his own perspective in Four: A Divergent Collection. When read together, these long narrative pieces illuminate the defining moments in Tobias's life. The first three pieces in this volume—"The Transfer," "The Initiate," and "The Son"—follow Tobias's transfer from Abnegation to Dauntless, his Dauntless initiation, and the first clues that a foul plan is brewing in the leadership of two factions. The fourth story, "The Traitor," runs parallel with the events of Divergent, giving readers a glimpse into the decisions of loyalty—and love—that Tobias makes in the weeks after he meets Tris Prior.

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. As a character, I find Four much more interesting than Tris. To hear his life before the events of Divergent was a treat. I especially loved the story "The Son." Of course Four knew his mother was alive before the meeting Insurgent, but it as nice to see his first encounter with Evelyn. These stories could be read at any time, but I felt like reading them after Insurgent was a good choice in terms of the larger storyline.

Divergent:

  • #0.1 The Transfer
  • #0.2 The Initiate
  • #0.3 The Son
  • #0.4 The Traitor
  • #1 Divergent
  • #1.5 Free Four
  • #2 Insurgent
  • #3 Allegiant
tags: 4 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, dystopian, ebook, fantasy, NPR Teen, Seriously Series, TBR Reduction, Veronica Roth
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 04.20.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 2012

Genre: Dystopian Fantasy

Pages: 592

Rating: 4/5 stars  Movie: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: NPR Teen; TBR Reduction; Ebook; A to Z - I; Books to Movies; Seriously Series

As war surges in the factions of dystopian Chicago all around her, Tris attempts to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

I didn't like this one quite as much as I liked Divergent. The constant "who's lying to whom" got a bit annoying after awhile. Just once I want a novel where everyone is completely honest. Other than that annoyance at the entire genre as a whole, I did like the book. I loved seeing Tris grow and realize her true potential. The twists and turns in regards to character's allegiances were a lot of fun. And we get to see the end of Jeanine Matthews and the big revelation at the end. Second books in trilogies are often not as good, but this one was good enough to make me want to read Allegiant immediately.

Movie:

The movie definitely changed things from the book.  I don't think the entire plotline about only a Divergent being able to open the box was necessary to the larger storyline. But whatever, I'm sure the movie makers felt that without it audiences wouldn't understand why Jeanine wanted Divergents. I also have some slight issues with how Caleb was portrayed. I saw him as more of a traitor in the books than the movie. The movie makes him almost a tragic figure. I didn't think it played as well. I also didn't like the killing of Jeanine in the movie. They completely cut Tori out of the sequence. Just didn't sit right with me. Based off of my love of the book, I gave the movie lower stars.

Divergent:

  • #0.1 The Transfer
  • #0.2 The Initiate
  • #0.3 The Son
  • #0.4 The Traitor
  • #1 Divergent
  • #1.5 Free Four
  • #2 Insurgent
  • #3 Allegiant
tags: 3 stars, a to z, Books to Movies, dystopian, ebook, fantasy, NPR Teen, Seriously Series, TBR Reduction, Veronica Roth
categories: Book Reviews, Movies
Monday 04.06.15
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent (Divergent #1)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen 2012

Genre: YA Dystopia

Pages: 410

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall Reading Challenge; NPR Teen; US of YA - Illinois; Ebook; New Author; 52 Books - W48; Book to Movie; Well Rounded - Dystopia

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.

This has been on my list for ages...  I stayed away mostly because I really enjoyed The Hunger Games. I thought this would be too close for me to truly enjoy.  Thankfully they are different enough that I really enjoyed this book. Tris is a good character, not great, but good. You can definitely tell that she is 16 years old, but that's the point right?  We are supposed to follow her journey of growing up, making mistakes, finding her identity. I liked Four as a character and especially loved Christina and Will. My main issue was with the romance sections.  They just felt incredibly forced and fake. For that I knock off one star.  I would have preferred just the fight against the society. Overall, I am excited to read Insurgent, but first let's watch the movie version.

download-1 (1920).jpeg

Movie:

Surprisingly good. I was expecting large deviations from the book. I was expecting annoying characters and no chemistry between the leads.  Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the actors and actresses. The screenplay kept fairly true to the book. There were only a few changes and I understood the need for changes for most of them. The best part were the world building visuals.  I loved the scenes of old Chicago especially the lake shots. I'm hopefully anticipating the second movie...

Divergent:

  • #0.1 The Transfer
  • #0.2 The Initiate
  • #0.3 The Son
  • #0.4 The Traitor
  • #1 Divergent
  • #1.5 Free Four
  • #2 Insurgent
  • #3 Allegiant
tags: 4 stars, 52 books in 52 weeks, Books to Movies, dystopian, Fall Reading Challenge, New Author, NPR Teen, US of YA, Veronica Roth, Well Rounded Reader, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 11.28.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

2013 Reading Challenge Round-Up -- Failed Edition

Not too bad this year.  I didn't have a ton of failed challenges...  but here they are.

Goal: 10/12 books

  1. Vampires — The Passage by Justin Cronin (1/20/13)
  2. Werewolves/Shifters –
  3. Fey — Iron’s Prophecy by Julie Kagawa (10/10/13)
  4. Angels/Nephilim — As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason (9/5/13)
  5. Mermaids –
  6. Dragons — Rose of Fire by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (10/21/13)
  7. Zombies — Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (6/13/13)
  8. Demons — The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason (8/1/13)
  9. Witches/Wizards — Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts (3/17/13)
  10. Ghosts — The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade (3/6/13)
  11. Aliens — The Host by Stephenie Meyer (8/24/13)
  12. Other (Djinn) — Ill Wind by Rachel Caine (1/12/13)

 Goal: 4/6 books

  1. The Postman by David Brin (5/27/13)
  2. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (6/20/13)
  3. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (12/6/13)
  4. 1984 by George Orwell
  5. Reahed by Ally Condie (7/12/13)
  6. Children of Men by P.D. James

Goal: 3/5 books

  1. Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (3/2/13)
  2. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (3/2/13)
  3. Lost by Gregory Maguire (7/12/13)
  4. TBD
  5. TBD

Goal: 1/5 books

  1. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (10/27/13)
  2. All for Love
  3. The Devlin Diary by Christi Philips
  4. The Rossetti Letter by Christi Philips
  5. Pope Joan
  6. Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

Goal: 2/5 books

  1. Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade (3/8/13)
  2. The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (7/24/13)
  3. TBD
  4. TBD
  5. TBD

1 from TBR — Change of Fortune by Jen Turano (1/3/13)

2 from TBR — Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi (1/2/13); Wanted by Mark Millar(1/2/13)

3 from TBR — Locke and Key Vol. 1 (1/4/13), Locke and Key Vol 2 (1/4/13), Beauty and the Bitch by Jasmine Haynes (1/9/13)

4 from TBR — The Wedding Gift by Lucy Kevin (1/24/13), The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein (2/7/13), Cowboys vs. Aliens (2/9/13), Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman(3/30/13)

5 from TBR — One Day by David Nicholls (1/29/13), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain (6/22/13), The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman (7/27/13), The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (8/17/13), Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (8/19/13)

1 from series — Fables Vol 17 Inherit the Wind (2/4/13)

2 from series — Locke and Key Vol. 3 (1/5/13), Locke and Key Vol. 4 by Joe Hill (1/6/13)

3 from series — Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris (6/6/13), The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs (6/13/13), Reached by Ally Condie (7/12/13)

4 from series — Heat Stroke (1/12/13), Chill Factor (1/13/13), Firestorm (2/16/13), Thin Air by Rachel Caine (2/22/13)

5 from series — Princess of the Midnight Ball (3/2/13),Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George (3/2/13), The Ghost and the Goth (3/6/13), Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade(3/8/13), The Impossible Cube by Steven Harper (5/4/13)

1 from 2013 releases — Fables 18: Cubs in Toyland (6/23/13)

2 from 2013 releases — And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (8/8/13), Max Stops the Presses by Colleen Gleason (9/5/13)

4 from 2013 releases — A Beautiful Mess Photo Idea Book (9/10/13); The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (9/29/13); Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith(11/7/13); 100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes (11/11/13)

5 from 2013 releases — Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh (11/26/13)

1 from everyone but me — The Passage by Justin Cronin (1/20/13)

2 from everyone but me — The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (7/24/13), A Storm of Swords by George Martin (7/26/13)

3 from everyone but me — Every Day by David Levithan (8/15/13), The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (9/20/13); The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (9/28/13)

4 from everyone but me — Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (10/7/13); Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (10/27/13); The Road by Cormac McCarthy (12/6/13)

5 from everyone but me — A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (4/28/13), The Walking Dead Book Five (5/14/13), The Walking Dead Book Six (5/14/13), The Walking Dead Book Seven (5/17/13), The Walking Dead Volume 17 (5/17/13)

1 reread — Lost by Gregory Maguire (7/12/13)

2 rereads – Coraline by Neil Gaiman (3/21/13), The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (4/30/13)

3 rereads — The Host by Stephenie Meyer (8/24/13); Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne(9/10/13); The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman (10/9/13)

4 rereads — Persuasion (1/21/13), Mansfield Park (2/3/13), Emma (5/22/13), Pride and Prejudice (8/28/13)

5 rereads –

Free space — Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (12/3/13)

Point Total: 190/250

  1. Read the second book in a series – The Impossible Cube by Steven Harper (5/4/13)
  2. Read a book with water on the cover –
  3. Read a book with a colour in the title –
  4. Read  a book set in the 1900′s – And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini   (8/8/13)
  5. Read a book whose author name begins with M (First or last) – Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (6/13/13)
  6. Read a book published during your birth year – The Color Purple by Alice Walker (6/24/13)
  7. Read a book with a door, lock or key on the cover –
  8. Read a book with a flower/flowers on the cover – Wedding of the Century (8/14/15)
  9. Read a book with something ‘hot’ in the title (sun, fire, heat, etc) – The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs (6/13/13)
  10. Read a book whose author name begins with J (first name only) – The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga (7/27/13)
  11. Read a book currently on a bestseller list – The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (7/7/13)
  12. Read a book that shows a woman from behind – The Hostage by Susan Wiggs (5/22/13)
  13. Read a book with a moon or stars on the cover –
  14. Read a book with an adjective in the title – The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill by Mark Bittner (6/26/13)
  15. Read a book whose author name begins with J (last name only) –
  16. Read any book in one weekend (Friday to Sunday) – Fables Vol 18: Cubs in Toyland (6/23/13)
  17. Read a book with a child on the cover – Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (6/20/13)
  18. Read a book with over 400 pages – Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (5/11/13)
  19. Read a book with an animal on the cover – A Storm of Swords by George Martin (7/26/13)
  20. Read a book whose author name begins with A (first or last) – Emma by Jane Austen (5/22/13)

Point total: 245/250

  1. Read a book with a famous painting on the cover –
  2. Read a book with a man and woman on the cover – Beauty or the Bitch by Jasmine Haynes (1/9/13)
  3. Read a book by a new to you author – Locke and Key Vol 2 by Joe Hill (1/4/13)
  4. Read a book that you’ve read before – Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (2/3/13)
  5. Read a book whose author name begins with J (First or last) – Change of Fortune by Jen Turano (1/3/13)
  6. Read a book that’s a collection of short stories – Stories of Hans Christian Anderson (2/26/13)
  7. Read a book about family – The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (2/14/13)
  8. Read a book currently on the NYT Bestsellers list – Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (3/15/13)
  9. Read the first book in a series – Ill Wind by Rachel Caine (1/12/13)
  10. Read a book whose author name starts with F (first or last) – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2/9/13)
  11. Read a bio/auto bio/memoir – A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah (1/21/13)
  12. Read a book with a first and last name in the title – Good Omens (Agnes Nutter) by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1/3/13)
  13. Read a historical mystery – A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock (1/22/13)
  14. Read a book by a female author – Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi (1/2/13)
  15. Read a book whose author name begins with M (first or last) – Wanted by Mark Millar (1/2/13)
  16. Read a cult classic – Locke and Key Vol 4 Keys to the Kingdom (1/6/13)
  17. Read a book no longer under copyright – Persuasion by Jane Austen (1/21/13)
  18. Read a fantasy/scifi/steampunk – A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (1/9/13)
  19. Read a book you got for Christmas – Locke and Key Vol 3 Crown of Shadows by Joe Hill (1/5/13)
  20. Read a book whose author begins with A (first or last) – Terror by Night by Ambrose Bierce (2/14/13)
tags: book bingo, dystopian, fairy tales, historical fiction, paranormal, RC Check-up, t4mc
categories: Reading Challenges
Thursday 01.02.14
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

road-book (1920).jpeg

Title: The Road

Author: Cormac McCarthy

Publisher: Vintage 2007

Genre: Dystopia

Pages: 241

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall into Reading; Dystopian; Monthly Key Word -- December; Book to Movie; Bingo -- 4 from everyone but me; NPR SciFan (perpetual); Fantasy Project (perpetual)

How I Got It: Library loan

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Another meh book.  I can appreciate the stark simplicity of the writing, but I just wasn't a fan of the rest of the book.  Nothing grabbed me and kept me really interested in reading.  I'm fairly certain that I finished because it's only 241 pages.  Don't really see what all the hype was about.  I guess it just wasn't my kind of book.

road (1920).jpeg

Movie:

The movie added a ton of action beats that just don't exist in the book.  It also expanded the role of the wife.  I understand why they did it for a wide spread release movie.  The book just doesn't have enough to appeal to mass audiences.  Overall, I like the movie better than the book, but It still just wasn't something that really held my attention.

tags: 3 stars, book bingo, Book to Movie, Cormac McCarthy, dystopian, fall into reading, Fantasy Project, monthly key word, NPR SciFi/Fan
categories: Book Reviews, Movies
Friday 12.06.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Reached by Ally Condie

Title: Reached (Matched #3)

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Books 2012

Genre: YA Dystopia

Pages: 512

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Dystopian; Seriously Series; Library Loan; Bingo -- 3 from series

How I Got It: Library loan

The wait is over.

One young woman has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matters most—family, love, choice. Her quiet revolution is about to explode into full-scale rebellion.

With exquisite prose, the emotionally gripping conclusion to the international–bestselling Matched trilogy returns Cassia, Ky, and Xander to the Society to save the one thing they have been denied for so long, the power to choose.

A decent ending to this young adult trilogy.  I won't say it's been my favorite dystopian, but I did enjoy reading it.  After Crossed, I was a little concerned about where the story was going.  I thought it wouldn't be fresh.  I thought it would be too predictable.  Thankfully, Condie infects her writing with so much lyricism and poetry that I didn't mind the predictable parts.  I love the different voices of Ky, Cassia, and Xander.  Three distinct personalities with hopes and fears came out in the separate chapters.  Overall, I think I loved the style of Reached even more than the plot.  I don't usually side with style, but in this case, it leads to a strong finish.

Matched:

  1. Matched
  2. Crossed
  3. Reached
tags: 4 stars, Ally Condie, dystopian, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 07.12.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Title: Never Let Me Go

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Publisher: Vintage International 2005

Genre: Dystopian fiction

Pages: 288

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: T4MC -- Child on cover; Dystopian; Monthly - June; TBR Pile; Book to Movie

How I Got It: I own it

From the Booker Prize-winning author of The Remains of the Day comes a devastating new novel of innocence, knowledge, and loss. As children Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy were students at Hailsham, an exclusive boarding school secluded in the English countryside. It was a place of mercurial cliques and mysterious rules where teachers were constantly reminding their charges of how special they were.

Now, years later, Kathy is a young woman. Ruth and Tommy have reentered her life. And for the first time she is beginning to look back at their shared past and understand just what it is that makes them special–and how that gift will shape the rest of their time together. Suspenseful, moving, beautifully atmospheric, Never Let Me Go is another classic by the author of The Remains of the Day.

I so wanted to like this novel.  I heard amazing things about the story and the style and the entire concept.  However, I did not enjoy the book.  My biggest complaint is with the style.  The book is narrated by Kathy who is 31-years-old.  A lot of the story is told by her relating a story from her childhood.  I felt that Kathy was relating this stories as if she was 13.  I just didn't buy the fact that she was an adult.  Maybe this was intentional.  Given who Kathy is and how the story progresses, it could have been done on purpose.  But I felt myself being constantly distracted by the sentence construction and word choices.  I just couldn't actually get behind the story.  As to the plot and characters, I have mixed feelings.  I liked Kathy and Tommy, but loathed Ruth.  Ruth is meant to be a sticky character, but I wanted to punch her every time she appeared.  Also, I figured out the big plot reveal about 30 pages in (way before the author says anything).  It seemed obvious and not really that exciting.  I've seen other books and movies do the idea justice.  This just wasn't one of them.  Although a highly recommended book, it just wasn't for me.  On the next selection...

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Movie:

Since, I didn't love the novel, I didn't think I would like the movie.  And I was correct.  I felt that the movie didn't even get into the relationship between the three leads.  We seen to get an abridged version of the plot.  Things happen but we don't know why or the motivation behind the characters.  As such, I liked the movie less than the book.  It just didn't do anything for me.

tags: 3 stars, dystopian, Kazuo Ishiguro
categories: Book Reviews, Movies
Thursday 06.20.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

London Eye by Tim Lebbon

Title: London Eye (Toxic City #1)

Author: Tim Lebbon

Publisher: Pyr 2012

Genre: SciFi - Dystopian

Pages: 228

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: SubGenre - Horror, Scifi; New Author; Library; Eclectic - Urban Fantasy

How I Got It: Library Loan

Two years after London is struck by a devastating terrorist attack, it is cut off from the world, protected by a military force known as Choppers. The rest of Britain believes that the city is now a toxic, uninhabited wasteland.

But Jack and his friends—some of whom lost family on what has become known as Doomsday—know that the reality is very different. At great risk, they have been gathering evidence about what is really happening in London—and it is incredible.

Because the handful of London's survivors are changing. Developing strange, fantastic powers. Evolving.

Upon discovering that his mother is still alive inside London, Jack, his sister, and their three friends sneak into a city in ruins. Vast swathes have been bombed flat. Choppers cruise the streets, looking for survivors to experiment upon. The toxic city is filled with wonders and dangers that will challenge Jack and his friends... and perhaps kill them. But Jack knows that the truth must be revealed to the outside world or every survivor will die.

I had some reservations about this book after reading some of the Goodreads reviews.  And I admit it wasn't amazing, but it has great potential.  I was only halfway in the characters and storyline until we got into Toxic London.  With the first encounters of the Barrens, I was hooked.  I love the idea of a virus that gives some people extra abilities.  Once humanity acquires abilities, how do we deal?  I think the politics and struggle between the Superiors, Irregulars, and Choppers is the most interesting aspect to this book.  I am tempted to read the other books in the series (once they are released) just to see where the struggle ends.  The characters themselves aren't that well defined.  Thank goodness the story kept me interested.

Toxic City

  • 1. London Eye
  • 2. Reaper's Legacy
  • 3. Contagion
tags: 4 stars, dystopian, science fiction, Tim Lebbon
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 03.16.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Crossed by Ally Condie

Title: Crossed (Matched #2)

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Books 2011

Genre: YA Dystopian

Pages: 367

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: SubGenre -- Scifi/Fan, Dys; Women Authors; TBR Pile; Seriously Series; Eclectic - Dystopian

How I Got It: I own it

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

I figured that the second book would be a bit of a let down after the amazing first book.  This one is good, just not amazing.  I did love seeing what is outside Society, but the overall plotline and pacing didn't grab my attention.  The addition of Indie and Eli and even Hunter did make up for some of the pacing issues.  I like meeting of new people.  Ky and Cassia are good characters, but they seem to flounder here.  Cassia starts questioning everything, but not in a good way.  Ky continues to hold back and keep secrets from Cassia.  If these two have any future, they really need to start being honest with one another.  Of course, they are only seventeen.  After all they have seen and know, I expect to see more growing up.  Oh well, there's always the conclusion...

Matched:

  1. Matched
  2. Crossed
  3. Reached
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tags: 4 stars, Ally Condie, dystopian, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 03.01.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched (Matched #1)

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Speak 2010

Genre: YA Dystopian

Pages: 369

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Genre - Dystopia; New Author; TBR Pile; Seriously Series; Blogger Recommendation

How I Got It: I own it

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

I was a bit reluctant to start this series.  I wanted to, but heard from so many that it was just a Hunger Games clone.  Well, not really.  I think of this as a mix of The Hunger Games, Brave New World, and Logan's Run.  I really loved the idea of this "perfect" where everything is chosen for you.  You are safe, but are you really living?  Cassia learns the difference after 17 years of being a perfect citizen.  By the end of the book I was rooting for Cassia and her struggle to find happiness in her society.  Usually I don't like love triangles, but I must say that this one felt genuine.  I liked Xander and he did nothing to diminish his standing.  But Ky is easily the best choice for Cassia.  I can't wait to dive into the next book to see where Cassia's journey takes her.

Matched:

  1. Matched
  2. Crossed
  3. Reached
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tags: 5 stars, Ally Condie, dystopian, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 02.21.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 3
 

2013 Dystopia Reading Challenge

From Blog of Erised:

Love Dystopian books? Then this is just the right thing for you! If you're as big of a fan as I am of post-apocalyptic dystopia books (and even if your are not) you are welcome to join the challenge!
We will try to read 24 Dystopian books in 2013 as the challenge goal, which means 2 per month, if you would like to read them monthly. You can of course make your own schedule. 2 per month is plenty because it still gives you time to explore and love books from other genres.
At the end of the year there will also be a giveaway with great prizes!
Rules
> The challenge will run from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013. Each month will have its own link form so you will be able to share your book reviews. You do not have to review the books you read to participate, but only those who read/reviewed at least one dystopian book will be able to participate in the giveaway (you can track your reading without the reviews with Goodreads, Shelfari etc.).
> Books that count in this challenge must include any form of post-apocalyptic theme (book sites like Goodreads are good sources of genre information). The books must be full-length.
> All formats allowed.
> Rereads allowed.
> It does not matter whether it's a series or a stand-alone book.
> If you are participating, grab the challenge button from below and post it on you blog. You can also make a post with the header (the code is also below). Please include the link back to this post so others will be able to participate as well.
> If you will participate, put the sign-up link to your blog post (about the challenge) or blog (for the button) directly into the linky below. Sign-ups will be open until December 20, 2013.
> You do not have to list your books in advance, go and do as you please. Read as many as you want (you can read more than 24!) and whenever you want, as long as you have fun!
> Info about the giveaway will be available in December 2013.
Levels
Level 1: Recruit (1 to 6 books)
Level 2: Rebel (7 to 12 books)
Level 3: Revolutionist (13 to 18 books)
Level 4: Leader (19+ books)
Each time you reach a new level, you will receive a badge.

I am going to start with the Recruit level of 6 books.  This may be increased as the year goes on.  My tentative TBR list:

  1. TBD
  2. TBD
  3. TBD
  4. TBD
  5. TBD
  6. TBD
tags: dystopian
categories: Reading Challenges
Thursday 01.03.13
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

Title: Aftertime (Aftertime #1)

Author: Sophie Littlefield

Publisher: Luna 2011

Genre: Dystopian, Zombie

Pages: 384

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:  Zombies; Support Your Local Library

How I Got It: Library Loan

Awakening in a bleak landscape as scarred as her body, Cass Dollar vaguely recalls surviving something terrible. Having no idea how many weeks have passed, she slowly realizes the horrifying truth: Ruthie has vanished.And with her, nearly all of civilization.Where once-lush hills carried cars and commerce, the roads today see only cannibalistic Beaters—people turned hungry for human flesh by a government experiment gone wrong.

In a broken, barren California, Cass will undergo a harrowing quest to get Ruthie back. Few people trust an outsider, let alone a woman who became a zombie and somehow turned back, but she finds help from an enigmatic outlaw, Smoke. Smoke is her savior, and her safety.

For the Beaters are out there.

And the humans grip at survival with their trigger fingers. Especially when they learn that she and Ruthie have become the most feared, and desired, of weapons in a brave new world….

A dystopian world inhabited by Beaters and survivors.  I loved the bleak feel of this novel.  It didn't try to glamorize the end of the world as we know it.  The book showed the stark reality of surviving in this new and desolate world.  The graphic description of desolation is haunting.  We really get a feel for the nothingness that is left.  I appreciate this departure from the fancy dystopian novels I've read in the past.

The characters are memorable.  No one is a clear likable character.  Instead each one has good and bad qualities; much like you find in real people.  Sometimes I wanted to hug Cass and others I wanted to smack her.  She's real.  She has problems.  She has past issues.  She has insecurities.  But she also has a drive to survive and reclaim her daughter.  Smoke is an enigma.  We don't get a huge amount of information from or about him, but we understand that Cass must rely on someone.  I predict that he becomes a white knight in the end.  Hopefully we get more from him in future books.  There's too many other minor characters to list, but they all made an impression.  I can't wait to read the next book.

Aftertime

  • #1 Aftertime
  • #1.5 Survivors
  • #2 Rebirth
  • #3 Horizon
tags: 5 stars, dystopian, Sophie Littlefield, zombies
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 04.09.12
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 1
 

The Elephant Mountains by Scott Ely

Title: The Elephant Mountains

Author:  Scott Ely

Publisher: Orca 2011

Genre: YA dystopian/survival

Pages: 203

Rating: 3 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: A to Z Authors: E

How I Got It: ARC from LibraryThing Early Reviews Program

 Global warming and an unprecedented series of hurricanes have put New Orleans and most of the low-lying areas of the South underwater.  In the chaos and anarchy that results as cities and towns are abandoned, fifteen-year-old Stephen is suddenly left to fend for himself.  He soon encounters Angela, a college student whose parents have been killed.  Navigating the labyrinth of flooded fields and towns in an airboat, the two set out in search of Stephen's mother and higher ground.  Armed with both guns and the skills his survivalist father has taught him, Stephen struggles to maintain hope and his humanity in the face of violence and desperation.

An interesting plotline, but I think the book failed to live up to the promise.  I love dystopian/survival literature.  I think it has to do with my love of zombies.  But really any survival stories are right up my alley.  I started this book seeing the scary potential future.  What Ely predicts could happen.  Hurricanes and global warming could rise the waters enough to swallow a lot of the low-lying southern lands.  New Orleans would be toast.  Florida would disappear.  And the rest would be under varying amounts of water.  People would have to flee to higher ground or attempt to ride out the water.  Anarchy and chaos would reign if it happened quick enough.  I bought all of the environmental changes.  I bought the desperation the changes brought.  I could imagine all this happening.  Those parts of the book rang true. 

Unfortunately, the characters fell flat.  Stephen, while the most interesting character, seemed lost; as if he didn't have a personality apart from the "not quite a man" status.  I couldn't quite connect to his inner struggles.  Angela started as an interesting character but quickly got lost.  She portrayed herself as a devout Christian, but then that aspect fell away.  I would have liked more consistency with the character.  And everyone else was only in the picture for a few pages each.  We met someone, shared a few stories, and then they disappeared or were killed.  I get that it is supposed to be a fairly solitary journey, but I would have liked to spend a little more time with some of those characters. 

Overall, an interesting premise.  But it didn't quite follow through.  I would recommend to fans of dystopian/survival literature.

tags: 3 stars, dystopian, Scott Ely, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 10.05.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 3
 

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: This World We Live In (The Last Survivors #3)

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Publisher: Harcourt 2010

Genre: YA dystopian

Pages: 239

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Fantasy

How I Got It: borrowed from library

It's been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth's climate. For Miranda Evans, life as she knew it no longer exists. Her friends and neighbors are dead, the landscape is frozen, and food is increasingly scarce.

The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda's father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda's complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship.

I wanted to like this book.  I really did.  I mostly enjoyed the first two books.  But this one just completely threw me.  I understand the concept that after the upheaval caused by the moon, society would dramatically change.  However, I do not understand why everyone has to be either evil or whiny egotists.  All the whiny, the fighting, the little regard for each other got to me.  I really started to hate many of the characters.  First Syl (my least favorite of the characters), then Matt (for his treatment of family after Syl comes along), then Lisa (she was always a bit selfish, even more now), then Laura (agoraphobic, anyone?), then Miranda (she was always whiny), and finally Alex (his self-righteous "God will save us" act just pissed me off).  By the end of the book, I didn't care of who lived.  I was just done with the series.  The only reason the book still earned 2 stars is because of the first two books.  I liked them (not loved, but liked) so I had to see the story to the author's intended conclusion.  Definitely glad that I borrowed this one from the library.  I will be returning it ASAP to get something that I hope is better reading.

Last Survivors

  • #1 Life as We Knew It
  • #2 The Dead and the Gone
  • #3 This World We Live In
  • #4 The Shade of the Moon
tags: 2 stars, dystopian, Susan Beth Pfeffer, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 08.19.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 3
 

The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: The Dead and the Gone (The Last Survivors #2)

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Publisher: Graphia 2010

Genre: YA dystopian

Pages: 308

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library

How I Got It: borrowed from library

An asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth, and every conceivable natural disaster occurs. Seventeen-year-old Alex Morales's parents are missing and presumed drowned by tsunamis. Left alone, he struggles to care for his sisters Bri, 14, and Julie, 12. Things look up as Central Park is turned into farmland and food begins to grow. Then worldwide volcanic eruptions coat the sky with ash and the land freezes permanently. People starve, freeze, or die of the flu. Only the poor are left in New York—a doomed island—while the rich light out for safe towns inland and south. The wooden, expository dialogue and obvious setup of the first pages quickly give way to the well-wrought action of the snowballing tragedy. —Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library  Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Another mixed book for me.  Good, but not great.  In this volume we enter the same world as Life As We Knew It, but move the setting to NYC and the Morales family.  I definitely liked Alex much better than Miranda.  He was a much more sensible character.  I really rooted for him and his sisters to survive and escape from Manhattan.  I'm glad Pfeffer abandoned the first person diary entries for third person diary-like entries.  We don't get as much inner blah monologue.  We see the story unfold from Alex's perspective and hear his thoughts, but everything in much more streamlined.  The story was accurately horrific in scenes and actions.  The first book was almost completely insulated in the family home.  In this one we get out and about, seeing what has happened all over Manhattan and hearing about the rest of the country.

My complaints about the novel center on the focus on the Catholic faith.  The Morales family are devout Catholics.  Okay.  But often it seems that Pfeffer brings that fact to the forefront without much considering to its use.  Why are we constantly reminded by the Moraleses themselves that they're Catholic?  I would think that they know that fact already.  I would have like to see the faith through actions as opposed to direct words.  Those passages started to grate on me, but the fast-moving plotline kept the book from being abandoned.

Now, off to the conclusion of the trilogy...

Last Survivors

  • #1 Life as We Knew It
  • #2 The Dead and the Gone
  • #3 This World We Live In
  • #4 The Shade of the Moon
tags: 4 stars, dystopian, Susan Beth Pfeffer, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 08.16.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: Life as We Knew It  (The Last Survivors #1)

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Publisher: Graphia 2008

Genre: YA dystopian

Pages: 337

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; 2011 -- To YA or YA Not

How I Got It: borrowed from the library

It's almost the end of Miranda's sophomore year in high school, and her journal reflects the busy life of a typical teenager: conversations with friends, fights with mom, and fervent hopes for a driver's license. When Miranda first begins hearing the reports of a meteor on a collision course with the moon, it hardly seems worth a mention in her diary. But after the meteor hits, pushing the moon off its axis and causing worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, all the things Miranda used to take for granted begin to disappear. Food and gas shortages, along with extreme weather changes, come to her small Pennsylvania town; and Miranda's voice is by turns petulant, angry, and finally resigned, as her family is forced to make tough choices while they consider their increasingly limited options. Yet even as suspicious neighbors stockpile food in anticipation of a looming winter without heat or electricity, Miranda knows that that her future is still hers to decide even if life as she knew it is over.

I really wanted to love this book.  Dystopian novels are right up my alley.  They're like my love of disaster films, not matter how cheesy.  So I went into this book wanting to love it, and I just liked it.  It was good, but not great...

The Good

The plot about the moon being pushed closer to us because of an asteroid and then wrecking our entire ecosystem is one I haven't read about in awhile.  I liked the background story.  I liked that the story was told from one family's (or really one person's) perspective.  It made the horrors and uncertainty that much more real.  The story then becomes a struggle for survival.  What happens to life when almost everything is stripped away?  We get to see how the family deals with it.  Even though the story covers almost a year, the writing kept up the pace.  It didn't fall into the dullness that I thought it would.  I appreciate that.

The Not-So-Good

The style of the book.  It's written as Miranda's diary entries.  Okay, not a bad gimmick.  But after while, I started to hate her whining.  I felt that I was listening to a 13-year-old girl whine and pick fights with her mom than a 16-year-old girl.  Maybe I don't remember all this whining at 16.  It's possible that that's what all 16-year-old girls are like, but I really don't remember that.  And after awhile, I just really wanted to slap her.  Also I couldn't stand the character of Megan, the fundamentalist Christian.  I couldn't tell what the point of having her in the story way...  Are we to sympathize with the her struggles or think she's just crazy?  Either way, it felt like too much of a plot gimmick.

So, there we go.  Good, but not great.  At any rate, I'll be reading the second and third books of the trilogy.

Last Survivors 1

  • #1 Life as We Knew It
  • #2 The Dead and the Gone
  • #3 This World We Live In
  • #4 The Shade of the Moon
tags: 4 stars, dystopian, Susan Beth Pfeffer, young adult
categories: Book Reviews
Monday 08.15.11
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
Comments: 2
 

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