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averycakes505's review against another edition
2.0
Are you looking for another cliché dystopian novel with yet another uninteresting, plain, timid, female lead? Look no further! The motifs are worn out/overdone, the characters are flat, and 'climactic' scenes were anything but. While the overall moral of the story is admirable, it is predictable from the first chapter: a separation in society, a main character from the poverty side, first having loyalty to the 'system' but realizing it's flawed, then rising against the oppressor. It is the perfect book to read before bed. The tired storyline will translate to your sleeping pattern as well.
bookph1le's review against another edition
5.0
I am a huge fan of dystopian YA fiction, but it is a genre that can be very hit or miss. I can see why the idea of it appeals to so many authors, but some of them are more particularly suited to it than others. O'Brien has a real feel for what makes the genre tick. She has picked a particular aspect of human nature, shown how it can become hopelessly twister, and has used that as the lens through which the reader views the story.
While much of the YA literature I've read features a female main character, it's surprising how many of the novels fail to provide a strong, detailed, and likeable main character. Gaia is an illustration of how to do a female character well. She is strong, flawed, and ultimately extremely human. Her griefs and pains are very well portrayed, and I found the depiction of a young woman going on with life in the face of terrible tragedy to be very real. What happens to Gaia affects her and has deep repercussions for her.
I also dearly loved Leon. It's so disappointing for me when the love interest turns out to be a cookie cutter type of character, a handsome, "broken" boy who needs love to heal his wounds. Unlike many unfortunate male love interest characters, Leon is actually a person in his own right. He has a tragic back story that feels real, not like it was attached to him in order to make him endearingly vulnerable.
The love story between Leon and Gaia is wonderful. It grows naturally, slowly, and, when the moment of truth does come, there is a maturity to what these two characters feel for one another. Here, also, I experienced a deep sigh of relief. Rather than the two characters getting together because the novel makes it an inevitability, these two characters actually have reasons for feeling as they do about one another. I really enjoyed the long, slow buildup of their relationship. There is a great deal of tension and chemistry between the two of them, making this one of the best literary romances I've read in a long time, and the best YA romance I've ever read.
O'Brien writes beautifully about love in all its forms. As I am a mother, I was particularly touched by the really lovely depiction of parental love within the novel. The episodes from Gaia's past that O'Brien uses to illustrate the depths of her relationship with her parents are very authentic and very deeply felt. It is easy to see why Gaia loves her parents as she does.
The dystopia in the novel is really well done. I really liked that O'Brien showed how benevolence can turn into something twisted and ugly. Rather than being evil solely for evil's sake, the society in Birthmarked had reasons for its origins, reasons that ultimately resulted in it becoming what it is. This is an interesting commentary on human nature, on the transformational power of emotions.
I'm very much looking forward to the second book in this series. I'm very excited to have found such a promising new author, but I'm also disappointed that this is O'Brien's first novel because I would dearly, dearly love to lose myself in another of her works.
While much of the YA literature I've read features a female main character, it's surprising how many of the novels fail to provide a strong, detailed, and likeable main character. Gaia is an illustration of how to do a female character well. She is strong, flawed, and ultimately extremely human. Her griefs and pains are very well portrayed, and I found the depiction of a young woman going on with life in the face of terrible tragedy to be very real. What happens to Gaia affects her and has deep repercussions for her.
I also dearly loved Leon. It's so disappointing for me when the love interest turns out to be a cookie cutter type of character, a handsome, "broken" boy who needs love to heal his wounds. Unlike many unfortunate male love interest characters, Leon is actually a person in his own right. He has a tragic back story that feels real, not like it was attached to him in order to make him endearingly vulnerable.
The love story between Leon and Gaia is wonderful. It grows naturally, slowly, and, when the moment of truth does come, there is a maturity to what these two characters feel for one another. Here, also, I experienced a deep sigh of relief. Rather than the two characters getting together because the novel makes it an inevitability, these two characters actually have reasons for feeling as they do about one another. I really enjoyed the long, slow buildup of their relationship. There is a great deal of tension and chemistry between the two of them, making this one of the best literary romances I've read in a long time, and the best YA romance I've ever read.
O'Brien writes beautifully about love in all its forms. As I am a mother, I was particularly touched by the really lovely depiction of parental love within the novel. The episodes from Gaia's past that O'Brien uses to illustrate the depths of her relationship with her parents are very authentic and very deeply felt. It is easy to see why Gaia loves her parents as she does.
The dystopia in the novel is really well done. I really liked that O'Brien showed how benevolence can turn into something twisted and ugly. Rather than being evil solely for evil's sake, the society in Birthmarked had reasons for its origins, reasons that ultimately resulted in it becoming what it is. This is an interesting commentary on human nature, on the transformational power of emotions.
I'm very much looking forward to the second book in this series. I'm very excited to have found such a promising new author, but I'm also disappointed that this is O'Brien's first novel because I would dearly, dearly love to lose myself in another of her works.
harleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
Well this book was certainly different. Not really what I was expecting, but when is it ever.
I don't really have any negative things to say about it, it's just not my cup if tea. I do wonder though will Gaia find her brothers? Will Leon live to see another day? And does she make it to the forest? I'll defiantly read the next ones..must know how it ends. But this just isn't my favorite( the sad thing is I was so excited to read it too ).
I don't really have any negative things to say about it, it's just not my cup if tea. I do wonder though will Gaia find her brothers? Will Leon live to see another day? And does she make it to the forest? I'll defiantly read the next ones..must know how it ends. But this just isn't my favorite( the sad thing is I was so excited to read it too ).
alicebme's review against another edition
4.0
Very much enjoyed the setting, the original take on the dystopian scene, and the general awesomeness of the main character. I just hope she doesn't let some stupid boy mess her up. Make good decisions, Gaia!!!
murbi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
shorty_320's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book!! I found the premise to be very fresh and not at all anything that I have come across. I honestly did not want to put this book down!
renuked's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 4.5/5
I really, really enjoyed this book! It didn't immediately draw me in from the first line, and the setting took some getting used to, but something about it was really easy to get into. The novel tells the tale of Gaia, a sixteen year old girl following the steps of her mother as a midwife. She lives on the outside of the wall where the people are required to give a quota of 3 babies a month to the Enclave, the governing town within the wall. When her parents are kidnapped, she goes on an epic quest to save them and unravel the mystery her mother left her in the form of a ribbon. It has everything fun imaginable-- secret codes, executions, prisons, long-lost siblings, scandals, forbidden romance, evil people in power. It was a bucketload of merriment.
The setting itself was really different, but it didn't take away from the story. I, for one, absolutely love the medieval type of town with midwives, bakers, market day, public hangings (etc), but it's actually set years in the future. They refer to present day as the "cool age" and have technology such as TV's, computers, and cameras. It's odd to reconcile the old township/historical period sort of feeling with the dystopian, gene sequencing future village. It's interesting though.
Gaia herself is intelligent, and stubbornly fights for what she believes in. She is sweet and kind, and believes that every living thing deserves a chance to live. Even though her scar has put her through some awful times, she isn't bitter or cruel. Her parents and their relationship with Gaia are also wonderfully sweet, they raised her to have morals and values through life experiences. Finally, her relationship with Leon is gradual but tender and beautiful. It isn't love at first sight, or even second sight, but they start to get to know each other and love blossoms.
Finally, the story telling is descriptive, the characters are all engaging. Even the secondary characters have pivotal roles (ex. Mack, Bartlett, Sephie). The world is new and interesting, few authors ever have suggested that the world can go completely backwards, the technology is barely even noticeable. The problems of genetic problems and inbreeding are delicately tackled and remain the focus of the novel, and overall the book is a very light, congenial read.
I really, really enjoyed this book! It didn't immediately draw me in from the first line, and the setting took some getting used to, but something about it was really easy to get into. The novel tells the tale of Gaia, a sixteen year old girl following the steps of her mother as a midwife. She lives on the outside of the wall where the people are required to give a quota of 3 babies a month to the Enclave, the governing town within the wall. When her parents are kidnapped, she goes on an epic quest to save them and unravel the mystery her mother left her in the form of a ribbon. It has everything fun imaginable-- secret codes, executions, prisons, long-lost siblings, scandals, forbidden romance, evil people in power. It was a bucketload of merriment.
The setting itself was really different, but it didn't take away from the story. I, for one, absolutely love the medieval type of town with midwives, bakers, market day, public hangings (etc), but it's actually set years in the future. They refer to present day as the "cool age" and have technology such as TV's, computers, and cameras. It's odd to reconcile the old township/historical period sort of feeling with the dystopian, gene sequencing future village. It's interesting though.
Gaia herself is intelligent, and stubbornly fights for what she believes in. She is sweet and kind, and believes that every living thing deserves a chance to live. Even though her scar has put her through some awful times, she isn't bitter or cruel. Her parents and their relationship with Gaia are also wonderfully sweet, they raised her to have morals and values through life experiences. Finally, her relationship with Leon is gradual but tender and beautiful. It isn't love at first sight, or even second sight, but they start to get to know each other and love blossoms.
Finally, the story telling is descriptive, the characters are all engaging. Even the secondary characters have pivotal roles (ex. Mack, Bartlett, Sephie). The world is new and interesting, few authors ever have suggested that the world can go completely backwards, the technology is barely even noticeable. The problems of genetic problems and inbreeding are delicately tackled and remain the focus of the novel, and overall the book is a very light, congenial read.