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3.32 AVERAGE
3.32 AVERAGE
This is the kind of YA that I really like, and should probably stick to. It's the kind that brings up so many questions and morality issues, and it really makes you stop and think. Or at least, you'll take time to think about things after you're done, because you definitely won't want to stop reading this one. It's a page turner for sure.
My one complaint on this book was that it was way too short. I wanted more story, and felt like we were just getting started. There is a lot more story to tell here. It was hard to get a great feel for the characters, mostly because it's told in first person narration, so we only ever get to know what Mason is thinking, and it's really the other characters who are the most interesting, and who have the most to tell us. I would have like to see this story in third person narrative, told from different perspectives. But I guess no book is perfect. It would be nice to read more books set in this world, but it's unclear if this is a start of a series.
I would highly recommend this one, and will be looking for more by this author.
My one complaint on this book was that it was way too short. I wanted more story, and felt like we were just getting started. There is a lot more story to tell here. It was hard to get a great feel for the characters, mostly because it's told in first person narration, so we only ever get to know what Mason is thinking, and it's really the other characters who are the most interesting, and who have the most to tell us. I would have like to see this story in third person narrative, told from different perspectives. But I guess no book is perfect. It would be nice to read more books set in this world, but it's unclear if this is a start of a series.
I would highly recommend this one, and will be looking for more by this author.
Really neat premise, but I would have preferred the book to end without the epilogue. Didn't need it and didn't want it--made it too neat and tidy. But other than that, really fun read.
Mason's mother supposedly works at a "normal" nursing home but one day he finds that instead of taking care of the elderly she is really caring for several teenagers that appear to be in a catatonic state. When one of the teens awakens he discovers that there are even more bizarre secrets to be uncovered.
-Michael S.-
-Michael S.-
Everything was alright up until the incredibly rushed end
The plot of the book was the best part, but it was very predictable from just reading the back cover synopsis. The “surprise” ending was no surprise at all. You could pretty much just read the back of the book and figure out the plot and the ending from that. Besides the plot faults, the characters are all very interesting and amusing and the story is easy to read. The cover looks cool and does draw me in, but the cover had only a little part to do with the book. For most of the book its just running around with nothing that really makes you want to keep reading and reading. It was an OK book with no surprise.
Reviewed by Kole for Book Sake.
Reviewed by Kole for Book Sake.
Bodeen, S.A. The Gardener. 2010.
Mason visits his mom at work and finds that she's caring for four comatose teens rather than the elderly persons he expected to find. When one of the teens wakes up from her coma, Mason escapes with her and learns the truth about his father and an experiment to create self-sustaining humans.
This book was okay. I can see how my tweens, especially those who are fans of science fiction, would enjoy this book. I didn't find it as engrossing as other books, but it wasn't a horrible book.
Recommended for: tweens, fans of science fiction
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
Mason visits his mom at work and finds that she's caring for four comatose teens rather than the elderly persons he expected to find. When one of the teens wakes up from her coma, Mason escapes with her and learns the truth about his father and an experiment to create self-sustaining humans.
This book was okay. I can see how my tweens, especially those who are fans of science fiction, would enjoy this book. I didn't find it as engrossing as other books, but it wasn't a horrible book.
Recommended for: tweens, fans of science fiction
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
I'd give this 3.5 stars. I liked the idea of this book and some of the characters. The second half was much better than the first. The ending had me wondering about a book 2. I'd recommend this to science-fiction fans who appreciate reading about "out there" possibilities/advancements in science.
When I saw this book at the store I picked it up for one simple reason - I'd read The Compound, also by Bodeen, and found it to be one of the most interesting books I'd ever read. The Gardener did not disappoint. I found it very interesting and hard to put down. The story is fascinating and very much with the same motivation as The Compound - when the world ends, in the future, how can we survive it? I highly recommend this book (and The Compound, too!)!
I like a good dystopian sci-fi premise, and this had that in theory...but the execution was pretty weak. All of the SHOCKING DEVELOPMENTS were actually super telegraphed and obvious, and the whole thing had a certain obviousness to it. I read the whole thing, and it wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't very good. I thought the ending was kind of sweet, but not exactly satisfying, and the whole thing lacked depth and nuance.
I really liked this. Yes, it was a YA ( a very young YA ) book, but it was still enjoyable. The action kept it moving right alot. Gives a lot of think about.