Review Detail

I'll start out by saying I'm a fan of a well-done dystopian, and I love a dash of Big Brother thrown in as well. Because of that, I've read a LOT of dystopian/Big Brother type books. Maybe that's why from the first page, this book felt very familiar. It's a combination of The Giver, Matched, Delirium, and Under the Never Sky, and while I loved those books and love the elements that go into those worlds, each new addition to the dystopian genre needs to bring a fresh element to the table--either in the world or in the characters--to really bring the book to life.

This book had moments of that. Especially when you find out *why* certain people glitch! o.0 But overall, it didn't quite capture me the way I wanted to be captured. I think it's because a) the world felt so familiar (Community controls everything and for some reason, all is drab and gray, and as a means to achieving world peace, all emotions have been taken from everyone via the chip in their head.) and b) I failed to truly connect with the characters. Zoe has a fascinating dilemma, but I wanted her to really explore herself and her capabilities. Both of her love interests just didn't make me swoon (In fact, one of them made me furious. I hope in book two the author puts his if-you-make-me-mad-girl-I'm-going-to-just-take-what-I-want-anyway butt in his place!), and that made it hard to care about the romance.

HOWEVER.

The story is ambitious and has secrets yet to be revealed, and I think one of the main reasons why I just didn't connect with it this time is because it felt familiar to me and because I tend to gravitate toward grittier/swoonier romances. I think younger YA readers will probably enjoy the characters, and I definitely think this is a great book to cut your teeth on if you're starting to dip your toe into the dystopian waters. I think my kids would probably really enjoy the book.

Overall, I wish I'd connected more with the story, but I think it's a solid start to a new series and one younger YA readers will enjoy.