Dystopian – Page 8 – My Good Reads

‘Land’ – Alex Campbell

‘Land’ is a title that I might well not have picked up had it not been on the list of nominations for Carnegie 2016. The cover gives little away, but the blurb hints at a rich and enthralling story that will hook the reader if they get close.

The boxes for YA dystopian novel are ticked, but there is something different about this that gets under your skin from the moment you start reading.

Christy is a heroine that could, quite easily, be disliked, but I found her engaging. While she is, in some respects, a puppet for others’ ideas I felt she truly came into her own at the points in the novel where she forgets what she has been told to do, and acts on her own beliefs.

There are numerous strands to this novel, and I was continually second-guessing what would happen. Watching the gradual disintegration of Land did not affect me unduly, perhaps because you are told from early on what Christy’s role is to be. However, the end of the novel left me somewhat open-mouthed. I loved it!

‘The Sin Eater’s Daughter’ – Melinda Salisbury

Having read a rather scathing review of this, I admit to starting it with some trepidation.

Twylla is the Sin Eater’s Daughter, relied upon by her villagers to absolve them of their sins. Early in life she is taken to the castle and told that her role in life is to fulfil the wishes of the gods.

According to those she interacts with, Twylla can kill with a poisoned touch. She is chosen to marry the Prince, but the appearance of farmer boy Lief throws this into question.

Unfortunately, for large parts of the novel Twylla does nothing. She worries about everything but never actually takes any action.

I was annoyed by the epilogue as its ambiguity made little sense. Not one of my most enjoyable reads Ii have to say.

‘Mind Games’ – Teri Terry

‘Mind Games’ is set in a futuristic world, where people willingly plug into Realtime – a virtual world that allows them to learn and travel without their bodies having to go anywhere.

I loved the ‘Slated’ trilogy, so was curious to see what would happen in this story.
Luna refuses to join in the technologically-dependant lifestyle favoured by her peers. We assume that her misgivings are linked to something to be revealed later…they are.

I felt this to be a little slow initially. As soon as Luna is selected for the testing process, and we see the world unravelling, it became a book I can only describe as mesmerising.

Luna was a great character and this was an intriguing idea. I am not ashamed to admit I loved Gecko, and the revelation of what is actually taking place made me feel cold!

Slated trilogy – Teri Terry

Slated set up the premise for the trilogy clearly.

Kayla has had her memory wiped, and yet she finds herself able to recall details from her past that she shouldn’t be able to remember. Her new family are none the wiser that Kayla is different. We see her struggle to find out who she is/was, and, inevitably, who she can trust as her past catches up with her present. Intriguing ending that leads us nicely onto…

Fractured.

The middle book is often the one that gives the back-story or pads out the idea until the final part. This was NOT one of those books. In Fractured we follow Kayla as she learns more about who she was and why she underwent the Slating procedure. Complex and pacy. Loved it, and could not wait to see what happened in…

Shattered.

Wow! If you’ve come this far, you’re invested in the characters and want to see how thing turn out for them. While this happens, there are also new characters that pique your interest. A strong end to the series.

While I loved the series, and cannot wait to read ‘Mind Games’ by the same author, I wish the marketing had not been so heavily female-biased. This is a series that I could see many enjoying, but I think some will overlook it because of the overly-‘girly’ covers.

‘Only Ever Yours’ – Louise O’Neill

This was recommended by a colleague, and I am so glad she thought to pass it on.

The social structure of O’Neill’s novel is a witty satire on contemporary society. ‘Eves’ – as the girls are known – have one main function in life: to do whatever it takes to follow ‘The Rules’ and secure themselves a partner for life so they can procreate and bear children. If this fails, they become concubines. The worst thing that will happen is the failed ‘Eves’ return to The School as teachers to the next generation.

As I read this, my heart was in my mouth. The idea that we could live in a society where women are only valued for their looks and ability to keep men happy was horrifying…oh, hang on, could I have just missed the point?

The obvious parallels between so many of the ideas/views given to teenagers now made me want to scream as I was reading this. I found myself shaking my head at regular intervals as I read. Not least because I know of so many teenagers I teach who would not see any harm in the views expressed during the majority of the novel.

My only criticism of this stems from the relationship between Frieda – our narrator – and her friend, Isobel. The relationship between these two characters never really seemed to ring true, and I wasn’t given enough of an insight into the character of Isobel to feel as I think I was meant to at the end of the novel.

It is clear that this novel has hit a nerve, and it is certainly a novel I would recommend.