Skinned

I would recommend this book to children from age 11-12+. It is not a light read, but it is interesting and intriguing.

Lia Kahn lives in the future, where clothes are electronic, cars drive themselves and... oh. one important thing. They have invented a way to take the brain out of the body after death and put it in a robot body. These are called Skinners.

Lia was popuar, she had nice friends, knew all the latest fashion, she had everything she could ask for. Until that day that she went to babysit instead of her sister. Now she is supposed to be dead. Heck, sometimes she WANTS to be dead, instead of being in this thing the others put her into. She is a robot. And she is not the same. Everyone treats her differently. Her sister hates her, her friends have abandoned her, and her father wishes that he had made the "right choice". The choice to let her die.

This is a story about finding out who we really are inside, without all the external stuff. Put your friendships to the test.

Suddenly, she realises that maybe she doesn't belong with the "orgs" (the normal people). Maybe she belongs with her own kind. The Skinners.

I read the book, but I'm still ambivalent about it. It was an ok story, but it lacked something that I can't quite put my finger on.

Reader reviewed by Arianna J.

This was an interesting book. It reminded my of Scott Westerfield's dystopian societies, in his Uglies series. The characters were original, as was the little world they lived in, the future America (scary to think that the world might actually end up like that!). I thought that the whole plot line seemed really short and was only extending on a couple of main evernts throughout the entire book, but it was an okay read and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes these kinds of dystopian-society books. Enjoy!

Reader reviewed by vicky

   

Lia Kahn is dead, but then again maybe she's not. Before her death Lia had everything a seventeen year old girl could want. She was beautiful, popular, and rich. Then in a horrible accident her world is changed.  She is brought back from the dead with a sophisticated technology that uses AI and a synthetic body. She maintains all her old memories and in many ways she feels she is alive, but some things are very different. Faced with protestors who call what has been done to her an abomination, a sister her has taken over Lia's old life, and the abandonment of her friends the new Lia is left looking for answers to define who and what she has become.
     Skinned tackles some heavy issues including DNA selection, the use of AI, what separates man from machine, and several others. Controversial subjects like these are not uncommon in adult science fiction, but are not usually so obvious in YA. It was a nice change. Skinned is a thought provoking book that leaves you questioning what you believe and why you believe that way. If you like science fiction, think Orwell, Asmov, and Vernes, then you will probably really enjoy Skinned.

Reader reviewed by Kaitlyn

Lia Kahn has everything she could ever want: she is rich, beautiful, popular, and has a perfect boyfriend. Lia Kahn doesn't follow trends, she sets them, because anything she does in her futuristic world is cool.

Then, one day, Lia is involved in a freak car accident, and 'dies.' Her rich parents opt to have her mind "downloaded" into a machine. Basically, a robot with Lia's mind. A skinner.

Lia's whole life changes after this event. Her popularity at school disappears. She is still beautiful, but in a robotic way that most people don't like. She's rich, but her parents don't want her around anymore. And her boyfriend? Well, you'll have to read to find out what happens with him.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The futuristic world was well-developed, and I found myself wanting some of the technologies described. There is new slang worked in quite nicely. I do have to point out, though, that throughout this book I felt very depressed or angry for Lia the majority of the time. Even towards the end I was felt feeling quite sad and I guess I'll need to read the sequel to change that.

Don't let that deter you, though. The reason the book manages to evoke these negative emotions is because it is written so well. You really get to see what Lia is going through and feel for her. I would highly recommend this book.

Reader reviewed by Jessica

In a futuristic society, everything has changed except the human emotions, which run deep in this new voice in science fiction. A family fights to keep their daughter alive and well after a serious accident which should have killed her. With a disturbing quality of life that hasn't been mentioned in another novel so far, "Skinned" brings across the question of what it really means to be human. Something for all teens to read as the main character strives to fit back into the world she once owned, the emotions of being confused in life and struggling to fit in are something that all teenagers can easily relate to as they go through the school experience. Parents, as well, will find parallels with the emotions expressed in this novel as they think about all they would do in order to keep their children alive.

A startling novel with a unique voice, "Skinned" is something for everyone to read and ponder long after the book is over. It will leave all readers questioning what it would be like to be so different from the rest of society, and how they would manage to cope with something like that. All humans have different reactions, but the emotions are the same, which is what makes "Skinned" such a powerful read for people of all ages.

Reader reviewed by stephanie

Reader reviewed by Sara

I liked how the book gave another suprisingly realistic look at what our world may end up looking like.  I was really sad when Lia's sister told lia that she wasn't real or her sister and that she didn't want Lia living in her house anymore.  I feel that this book gives a view of what our future my look like and its not so pretty.
a great book to read on a lazy saturday afternoon.

Reader reviewed by wdebo

This book really drags you in from the first part "I am Lia Kahn. Lia Kahn is dead," to the cliffhanger at the end. I really enjoyed the book and I think the cover is really cool! I love the whole book except for the second to last chapter. Lia is developed really well, and sometimes I just felt like I was Lia Kahn and was going through what she was.

All in all, this was one great book!

Reader reviewed by Katie

Lia Kahn had it all- popularity, money, & beauty. When her self-driving car malfunctioned, all that changed. Her body was so badly injured that there was only one thing that could be done to save her life. Her family opted to have her brain downloaded into an artificial body. She won't ever truly feel again. She can't really die. Lia resents being the newest recipient of the download process. The "skinners" are frowned upon in society and everyone, including her supposed best friends and boyfriend, rejects the new Lia. Even her family eventually regrets what they did to her.


Lia and the others like her are viewed as freaks. Religious groups protest against the "abomination" modern science has created. But Lia wants nothing more than to fit in. Every relationship she has, even with Auden the social outcast, ends badly. How can she accept her new reality when no one else around her will?


I absolutely loved this book. I originally picked this book up at Borders because the cover caught my attention and now I'm glad I did! It was so unique and interesting I could hardly stand to put it down. I thought that it was very well written and that the characters were nicely developed. I'll definitely be buying the rest of the books in the trilogy when they come out! I absolutely recommend this book, especially if you're into futuristic or sci-fi books.

Reader reviewed by TheBookworm

Dark, Depressing, Futuristic Sci-fi Book

Skinned by Robin Wasserman*
Publication Date: September 2008
Not Rated

Skinned was a dark, depressing, futuristic sci-fi book told through a unfortunate anger/sad stricken use-to-be popular dead girl. I got half way through it, but I didnt finish it. Life has enough depressing, wearing things, why do I want to read books like that to?

This book is set in futuristic times with new, interesting gadgets and was sometimes confusing because of it. For people who wish to read this book you should be aware of unnecessary, inappropriate sexual content included.

It was unbelievable how unfair, unjust, and almost horrible Lias predicament was. There was so much betrayal, stereotyping, unjustness, and cruel speculation I couldnt even imagine the humiliation, hurt, anger, sadness that weighed Lias heart down. The book is fiction, not even real, but it felt like a cloud was over me while reading it. So strong were the emotions/atmosphere that the person reading it felt the hurtful hailstones of hatred thrown at the main character.

This has no literary importance, but I absolutely love the size of the book. Its bigger than pocket-sized, but smaller than a normal novel. Its stoutness, makes it easy to fit in your hands. Wish all books were this size!

Skinned was a depressing, heavy read that I would suggest to sci-fi readers.

Date Reviewed: October 29th, 2008