Posts Tagged ‘dystopian literature’

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Sometimes sequels let me know, but not in this case.  If it is even possible, I loved Scarlet (Feiwel and Friends 2013) even more than I did Cinder.  I introduce Cinder as my all-time favorite Cinderella story.  Marissa Meyer takes the sci-fi cyborg and stirs in elements from yet another fairy tale, this time Little Red Riding Hood.

Scarlet is tough and stubborn enough to walk blindly into danger to rescue her grandmother.  When the police won’t help her, she turns to the mysterious (and possibly dangerous) Wolf to track down what happened.  Scarlet discovers much more than she bargained for, including desperate secrets kept by Wolf and her grandmother.

Don’t worry.  We still get to follow the adventures of Cinder (and her new sidekick Thorne) as she escapes from prison and comes to terms with her real identity and growing Lunar power.  When Cinder’s path collides with Scarlet’s quest, things really get interesting.  Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until the release of Cress in 2014 to find out any more.

Cinder:

Scarlet:

Unwholly by Neal Shusterman

I don’t know where Neal Shusterman comes up with the vividly imagined (and warped and twisted) worlds in his novels, but I am glad he does.  The world of Unwind scared the bejeebies out of me with the aftermath of the Heartland War and the brave new world of unwinding.  The second book in the trilogy, UnWholly (Simon and Schuster 2012), delivers even more danger, intrigue, and betrayal.

Connor now leads the rescued AWOLs who are living at the Graveyard, but he’s not sure he’s up to the task even with the help of the Holy of Whollies, his closest advisors.  His leadership is tested by the daily complaints from those who look up to him and by the useless help from the ADR.  Risa refused to accept a new spine from unwinding, so she fears she is more of a burden than a help–and why does Connor keep pushing her away?  Lev has been defused–literally and figuratively–as everyone in his family but his brother Marcus rejects him and the terms of his punishment keep him from speaking about unwinding.

Three more unforgettable characters join the rest.  Starkey cannot get over his anger at being storked and then sent for unwinding.  He is determined to make his name into a legend even bigger than that of the Akron AWOL.  Miracolina is more than pleased to be a tithe for her family, but she cannot forgive being rescued by people who treat Lev (the former tithe and the clapper who didn’t clap) as a godlike figure.  Finally, Cam is a creation unlike anything the world has ever seen before.  How will these new characters fit in with those from before?  The answers may surprise you as some are worshipped, some are feared, some are tested,  some rebel, and some betray.

The action is fast and the characters are tested and twisted with choices that have no good answers.  Hang on for a wild ride through a future I hope we never see.

 

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Oh. My. Goodness.  Fasten your seatbelts and hang on for one wild ride as Beth Revis presents the stunning conclusion to the Across the Universe trilogy with Shades of Earth.  I was anxious to read and find out what happens to Elder and Amy as they leave Godspeed and explore Centuari Earth.  It was worth the wait.   It was even worth winning the tug of war with my daughter to read it first.

I don’t know how she did it, but Revis packed in even more twists and turns and nonstop action than she did in the first two books.  Once the shuttle reaches the ground, nothing is what it seems and danger lurks within every shadow–terrifying creatures and hostile aliens and deadly plants..  Amy is desperate to wake her parents, but their arrival does not solve all the colony’s problems.  Instead, Amy must come to terms with their faults and imperfections (much as does Meg in my favorite science fiction book A Wrinkle in Time) and the possibility that her parents may even contribute to the problems.  The Earthborn and Shipborn regard each other with distrust, but their survival depends on working together.

Elder and Amy must figure out what secrets are still being hidden before truth can set them all free.  There are even more clues to help them if they can solve the riddles in time.  But ultimately, every choice leads to one final showdown.

I am sad to see this series come to an end.  I will miss Godspeed and the dream of starting a new world.  I can’t wait to see what my students think of this last book, too.  What will you miss about Godspeed?

The Kill Order by James Dashner

I have been intrigued with The Maze Runner series by James Dashner even though they have too much violence for my tastes.  I keep reading hoping to find a reason to redeem the cruelty and violence, but I keep finding more and more reason for despair.  These are popular books with fast-moving plots, and they raise plenty of questions about ends and means.  The Kill Order, the prequel to the series, is no different.  The more answers that are given to why the world of the Maze Runner came to be, the more questions I have.

Fun on a Friday: Son by Lois Lowry

First Lois Lowry gave us Jonas in The Giver. And that ending–whether you loved it or hated it, it left us wondering what happened to Jonas and Gabe as they fled the Community.  What happened to the Community left behind?  Lowry gave us glimpses in two companion books, Gathering Blue and Messenger, but still I wondered.  Now with Son, Lowry takes us back to the Community where it all started and back to Jonas and Gabe.

Listen to what Lowry has to say about Son.  Click the link below:

 Lois Lowry Author Video for Son

i loved getting to know Clair and seeing the boy Gabe grew up to become.  I still wish I knew what happened to the Community and the Giver after Jonas left, but Clair escaped just after Jonas and Gabe.

Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I read the first book in the Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix quite a while ago.  I was surprised to that the series now includes seven books.  I figured it was time to finish off the series set in a future world where overpopulation and food scarcity have given rise to a government that allows only two children per family.  The Population Police enforce these limits by any means necessary.

Among the Hidden (Scholastic 2000) introduces Luke, an illegal third child.  All his life he has remained hidden in his family’s house and woods.  Now that the government has built big fancy houses close by, Luke must remain inside at all times.  However, the new neighbors open him to new possibilities when he discovers another illegal third child, Jen.

 

 

Among the Imposters (Scholastic 2002) follows Luke, now Lee, as he attends Hendrick’s School for boys.  The school is very odd and hides many secrets.  Who can Luke trust with the truth?  How can he help the other boys who tremble at every sound?

 

 

 

Among the Betrayed (Scholastic 2002) gives Nina a choice. Will she betray her new friends and herself in her desperation to stay alive?  Will she give into the demands of the Population Police who hold her in prison and gloat over the betrayal by the boy she loved?

 

 

 

Among the Barons (Scholastic 2003) draws Luke/Lee further into the Grant family.  His little “brother” Smits shows up at Hendricks School with a body guard.  Will he protect Luke’s secret or betray him.  Luke is caught in a web of lies until he no longer knows who he can trust.

 

 

 

Among the Brave (Scholastic 2004) provides Trey an opportunity to discover the courage within himself.  Everyone that Trey has depended on–Luke, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Hendrick–has disappeared as the Population Police overthrow the government.  It is up to Trey to decide what to do and to take action.  As he stumbles from one challenge to the next, he learns that courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act through your fear.

 

Among the Enemy (Scholastic 2005) finds Matthias alone, separated from Percy and Alia.  Everything he does seems to go wrong from the very beginning.  When he tried to save Percy and Alia from the Population Police roundup, he ends up killing several other children and injuring his friends.  When he tries to save Mrs. Talbot, he ends up saving a Population Police officer and finds himself as a new and favored recruit.  When he encounters Nina at Population Police headquarters, will he be able to set aside his grief and disappointment and fear to work with the resistance.  How can he know what is the right choice when there are no good options.

Among the Free (Scholastic 2006) follows Luke through the fall of the Population Police as he struggles to understand what it means to be free.  Luke can’t see how he and the others are having any success in their attempt to undermine the Population Police from the inside, but somehow, they still fall.  Even so, the danger is not past for third children.  When it comes down to it, what will Luke choose to do?

I am glad I finished the series.  Because Haddix introduces new third children and focuses on different ones throughout the series, I never got bored with the books or found them too predictable.  Even though we don’t live is the terror of this future world, we can still connect with the questions raised and choices made by these characters as they learn to be brave and to be free.

Fall Break Reading Challenge

For the past year or so, I’be joined friends from The Nerdy Book Club in taking on the book-a-day challenge.  I don’t always succeed in reading a book every day of break, but just accepting the challenge has helped me increase the number of books I read.  This past week I wanted to read the stack of books I got from the last book order so I could release them to my classroom library.  I have several students who are eagerly awaiting them.

I also talked with my students about setting their own Fall Break Reading Challenge.  Some chose to read some evey day.  Others had books they wanted to finish.  Many rushed to the library to check out play-always to listen to during car trips.  I can’t wait to hear how they did with their challenges Whe I get back tomorrow.

How did I do with my challenge this week?  I didn’t read all the books in my stack, but I did finish nine books, one for each day of vacation.  I didn’t keep up with writing book reviews for all of them, so here is the short version of what I thought of each.  I also include a link to the author’s web page and Goodreads if you want to learn more.

Underworld by Meg Cabot (Point 2012): I loved this one even more than Abandon.  Time is is compressed in this novel, which happens in just one day, but the action and danger is intensified.  Piersin isn’t sure about being trapped in the Underworld with John, but she is desperate to escape when she learns that her cousin Alex may be in danger. Oh yeah, the Furies are still after her.  I loved learning more of John’s history and meeting new characters like Frank and Henry.

Caught by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Scholastic 2012): once again Jonah and Katherine are headed to the past to try to restore a missing child and fix time.  This time, though, Haddix throws in several unexpected twists And ups the danger with all of time freezing.  Of course, Jonah shouldn’t expect things to be simple when returning Albert Einstein’s daughter.  I loved learning more about Mileva, Einstein’s wife, who is as brilliant as he was.  However, even though Jonah asks, we still don’t know which missing child from history he is.

Bar Code Prophecy by Suzanne Weyn (Scholastic 2012): I was very satisfied with the ending to The Bar Code Tattoo and The Bar Code Rebellion, but I was delighted to learn Weyn had added a third book to the story.  Global-1 is back to their dirty work, but is anyone still listening to Decode? Grace works for Global-1 and believes their problems were isolated and past.  But once she turns 17, her life falls apart.  Can Eric, the guy she has a crush on, save her and lead her to answers?  Once again after entering the world in this book, I have an urge to unplug and live off the grid.

The Statistical Probability of  Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith  (Little, Brown and Company 2012): I had read good reviews of this title and was not disappointed.  A missed flight brings together Hadley and Oliver on a flight to London. They end up sitting together and maybe falling in love, but different paths await them in London.  Flashbacks fill in Hadley’s history with her parent’s divorce, but Oliver just hints at his family’s story.  If you are looking For a contemporary love story, look no further.

Pinned by Alfred C. Martino, narrated by Mark Shanahan (Listen and Live Audio 2005, Houghton Mifflin 2005): I listened to this one from the Sync YA downloads offered this summer.  It is the gripping story of two New Jersey wrestlers.  Ivan Korski and Bobby Zane are both driven to become the state champion in the 129 pound weight class their senior year.  They come from very different backgrounds and face different pressures on and off the mat, but they share a desire to win.  The book alternates between their stories as they head to the final showdown.  By the time I neared the end, I didn’t know which boy I wanted to come outmoded on top.  It didn’t matter because the ending is a cop-out.

The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, and Treachery by Steve Sheinkin (Scholastic 2010): I keep telling you that your history textbook leaves out all the good stuff from history.  Sheinkin fills in all the juicy details about Benedict Arnold.  Arnold could have been the first comic book Hero or action figure if not for one choice which left him villain instead.  I read this one on the edge of my seat.

Through Georgia’s Eyes by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez and Julie Paschkis (Henry Holt and Company 2006): We visited the Eiteljorg museum today and I head straight to their two Georgia O’Keefe paintings.  I found this picture book biography in the bookstore.  The illustrations evoke O’Keefe’s paintings while the text shows her independence and determination to see the world her way.

My Name Is Georgia: A Portrait by Jeannette Winter (Sandpiper 2003) If I ever move into another life where collecting art is a possibility, I would own at least one of Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings. The flowers are my favorites, but I also love the desert landscapes and the bones. This picture book biography hints at the beauty and power of an O’Keefe painting while giving the broad strokes of her life and vision.

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts (Little, Brown and Company 2011):  If  you liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid (I sure did), you will want to add this title to you stack of books to read.  Rafe has a plan. He is going to break every rule in the student handbook and earn points doing so.  Who knows what the prize might be (survival?), but can he do it before he loses his three lives?  I enjoyed the conversational tone as Rafe confesses all.  Oh yes, Rafe is an artist, and the drawings are my favorite part of the book.

I had hoped to finish Between Shades of Gray (no, not THAT book) by Ruta Sepetys, but I’m writing this blog post instead.  I’ll tell you more about this gripping historical fiction novel later.  It wont’ take long to finish because it’s hard to put down.  How did you do with your reading challenge?

Cover Reveal!

I am so excited to be part of the cover reveal for Elana Johnson’s third book in the Possession trilogy:  Abandon.  I first “met” Elana Johnson through her blog where she gives insider information on being a writer, raves over good books, and shares a peek into her life as she balances writing with teaching and family. I don’t know how she does it all.  She also contributes to the League of Extraordinary Writers, the blog for all things dystopian. This cover reveal is hosted by AToMR Blog Tours.

I have not had a chance to read Possession, the first book yet, but I loved Surrender, the second book.  Now there’s going to be a third book published by Simon and Schuster in June 2013.  Are you ready for the cover?  No, I think you should read the chilling description first:

seduced by power,
broken by control,

and consumed by love…


Vi has made her choice between Jag and Zenn, and the Resistance may have suffered for it. But with the Thinkers as strong as ever, the rebels still have a job to do. Vi knows better than anyone that there’s more at stake than a few broken hearts. 

But there is a traitor among them…and the choices he makes could lead to the total destruction of everything Vi has fought for.

Vi, Jag, and Zenn must set their problems aside for the Resistance to have any hope of ending the Thinkers’ reign. Their success means everything…and their failure means death.
Now, it that doesn’t make you want to read it, here’s the cover:
That’s not all:  There’s more!  I have not yet made the move to Pinterest (I’m afraid of one more thing to suck me into the Internet), but this might tempt me to join the dark side.

ALSO:
Elana is running a Pinterest contest for the cover. She wants to get 500 pins (or repins) over the next two days. If we can get that many, she’ll pick someone who pinned the cover to win a $50 Amazon gift card. 

It’s so easy to do this. All you have to do is click this PIN IT button and select one of your boards to pin the cover to. Elana has done everything else!

Don’t have a Pinterest board yet? Put it on your Tumblr page. Your Facebook page. Your twitter stream. Elana will count those too! Just be sure to tag her (@ElanaJ on twitter, Possession by Elana Johnson on Facebook).

Fun on a Friday: Book trailer for Unwholly

Unwind just might be my favorite book by Neal Shusterman.  It is the story of a future United States torn apart by a second Civil War over the issue of abortion.  In the compromise to end the war, the concept of unwinding is born.  Babies will live, but teenagers (between the ages of 13 – 17) can be harvested for the body parts for transplants.  If your parents declare you too unruly, if you a not-good-enough ward of the state, or if you were born for it, you can be unwound.  You’re still alive, just in pieces spread throughout many different people.

Unwholly continues the story.  It came out this week, and here is the trailer for it.  Only watch it if you dare:

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