Rating: 4 stars
Cover Rating: 5 stars (Very shiny and pretty, maybe not super relevant, but pretty.)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: April 23, 2013
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Page Count: 403 p.
Add it: Goodreads
Marina is the only one who has faced the Fades and the Dark and lived. She can't tell them about it though, because she doesn't remember. Most of the other kids don't like her because their parents sacrificed their lives to bring her back. Marina wishes she could remember something, anything to make these people feel like she was worth the sacrifice. Tobin, who's father died saving her, starts to be kind to her. It may only be what his father wanted, but it may be something more. Together they may be able to unravel her past and the lies that try to keep them safe.
I enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and kept you turning pages. The Fades sort of remind me of Dementors at first. They seemed eerie and wispy. It's hard to imagine living a life like this. Never really being in the dark, not seeing stars or other parts of the world.
My one big complaint about this novel is the shifting tone. In the beginning it's all action, then it changes, then it's funny, then it's serious, scary etc. There wasn't a set tone for this novel, which while it isn't a terrible thing, kind of made the book seem all over the place.
I really enjoyed this story though. As it unraveled it was easy to guess where it was going, but there were so many threads to get there that some things were luckily still a surprise. Even at 400 pages this book seemed to fly by. The world and the story were just so fascinating that I never wanted to stop reading.
I feel like we could have gotten to know all the characters a bit better, but this is a series so there is always the next book. I'm very curious to see where McQuein plans on taking these books because this first one was fine by itself. I certainly want to know what happens next, but I felt like this book finished up nicely.
If you're looking for a nice dytopian-y supernatural-ish sci-fi-sorta read, check this one out. It was fun and fast and I quite enjoyed it. And for the record, Rue was my favorite character. So, more Rue in book two!
First Line:
"Someone's attention shouldn't have physical weight, but it does."
Favorite Line:
"His fingers split the spaces between my own, turning out hands into a shared fist."
I haven't read much about this one, but it sounds good! It's a shame when the first book in a series isn't as developed as it could be, but hopefully this is addressed in the sequel.
ReplyDeleteI like the cover, too!