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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Brief Summary:
In a post-apocalyptic version of the US, robots of varying AI are commonplace. Eve (our heroine) lives with her grandpa who is dying of the Big C, bestest friend Lemon Fresh with a sassy attitude, tiny robot Cricket who has a Napoleon Complex, and mechanical explodey dog Kaiser in the wastelands that used to be California, but is now an island of Mad Max gangs. After losing a gladiator bot execution, Eve's world flips upside down when some magic higglety-pigglety occurs and then a beautifully perfect android appears out of the sky, only to tell her she is in trouble. Warring corporations, religious cyborg bounty hunters, crazy car chases in storms of glass, and angelic androids holed up in an ivory tower of radiation ensue with twists and turns along the way for good measure.
What works:
By now, if you follow my blog, you know I love Jay Kristoff's books. The dude seriously knows how to write. His characteristic wit, goofiness, fun just oozes from this book. He still uses his lyric style to great ability here and even though this is a true YA story (as opposed to the stabby bitch of a daughter in Nevernight - his words) it still feels like a Kristoff book. The pace is super quick, and even though there are the world terms to learn, it is never expositiony or info-dumpy, it all feels natural, and once you learn them, you barely remember why you didn't know them before.
And then in true Kristoff fashion, there are twists galore. No spoilers, but most were easy to see coming (YA level here), but the ending was a twist I saw coming, then BOOM, another twist I didn't expect. The ending left on such a cliffhanger, but it still felt as if this book reached a satisfying conclusion. Yes, I know there is another book coming out next Spring, but even if it didn't, I could be satisfied with the ending (though, let's be honest, this story HAS to continue).
That said, I really enjoy the group of characters in Eve's circle. Cricket and Lemon Fresh are really fun and I think they not only provide the comic relief, but also exhibit the true friend relationship that many books fail to show. While Lemon is this perky little street orphan who sasses the crap out of everyone around her, she does have this softer underbelly and loves Eve because she was the only one to see her as a person. And Cricket, even though he is programmed to love/protect Eve, he does challenge the Laws within the world. That and his constant quips about his shiny man parts reminds me so much of Bender from Futurama.
Eve is a wonderfully flawed main character. As the story goes on and she learns more about who she is, her confusion and coming to grips with those revelations are very realistic. Her emotions flare to either side all the time and I think that is something real people would do when they learn what she learns. Her relationship to the other characters is also something that works really well. Sure she has the YA love interest (see below...) but one thing you don't see a ton these days in SFF stories is flat out friendship. I think that is missing in most SFF books because the focus tends to be on heroes saving the day on these massively detailed quests and journeys, and that usually entails the hero/heroine doing things alone, or when with a team, it is usually about the plot. Not in LifeL1k3. Kristoff makes this story about the characters and with Lemon, Cricket, Kaiser, and Eve, their friendship is just as important as the plot. And I like that.
The world itself is really fun. Dystopias are still chugging along but this world feels both unique and relevant to what we are dealing with today in the US. But what I really like about this world is that there are massive shout-outs to other artists without making them overt. I already said there is a Mad Max feel in the area Eve lives. Gangs on bikes wielding anything from baseball bats to flamethrowers. But then there is the city called Armada, made up of landlocked ships of all shapes, which obviously brings to mind China Mieville's The Scar (not to mention the Kraken). Then toss in the AI androids of the Bladerunner series. This amalgamation of cool and differing stories really blend nicely in Kristoff's world.
What doesn't work:
So here is me harping on 1st person again...Here me out, though. In this story, we get 1st person flashbacks of an event integral to the plot. I don't mind these, in fact, I really liked them. They fleshed out the story in important ways while also building that inherent conflict. However, there was a part in the middle where instead of brief flashbacks that were half a page at most, it went into a detailed backstory that lasted many pages. In that section, I was not a fan. Yeah it was important to the overall story, but to me, it was excessive.
I get it, this is YA and all, but I really didn't care for the instant love story here. It connects to the flashback, but, yeah, not a fan. I really didn't like the Lifelike's "all I do, I do for you" mantra. I get it, he's a robot and all that, but even when all the shit hits the fan, it felt contrived, too easy. I wish there was a bit more drag, more slowly developed. But eh, that's just me.
Rating:
4 out of 5
I really liked this book, I love all of Kristoff's books, his style just speaks to me. This is a really cool introduction into an intriguing world and I'm interested to see where he goes with it based on the ending.
In a post-apocalyptic version of the US, robots of varying AI are commonplace. Eve (our heroine) lives with her grandpa who is dying of the Big C, bestest friend Lemon Fresh with a sassy attitude, tiny robot Cricket who has a Napoleon Complex, and mechanical explodey dog Kaiser in the wastelands that used to be California, but is now an island of Mad Max gangs. After losing a gladiator bot execution, Eve's world flips upside down when some magic higglety-pigglety occurs and then a beautifully perfect android appears out of the sky, only to tell her she is in trouble. Warring corporations, religious cyborg bounty hunters, crazy car chases in storms of glass, and angelic androids holed up in an ivory tower of radiation ensue with twists and turns along the way for good measure.
What works:
By now, if you follow my blog, you know I love Jay Kristoff's books. The dude seriously knows how to write. His characteristic wit, goofiness, fun just oozes from this book. He still uses his lyric style to great ability here and even though this is a true YA story (as opposed to the stabby bitch of a daughter in Nevernight - his words) it still feels like a Kristoff book. The pace is super quick, and even though there are the world terms to learn, it is never expositiony or info-dumpy, it all feels natural, and once you learn them, you barely remember why you didn't know them before.
And then in true Kristoff fashion, there are twists galore. No spoilers, but most were easy to see coming (YA level here), but the ending was a twist I saw coming, then BOOM, another twist I didn't expect. The ending left on such a cliffhanger, but it still felt as if this book reached a satisfying conclusion. Yes, I know there is another book coming out next Spring, but even if it didn't, I could be satisfied with the ending (though, let's be honest, this story HAS to continue).
That said, I really enjoy the group of characters in Eve's circle. Cricket and Lemon Fresh are really fun and I think they not only provide the comic relief, but also exhibit the true friend relationship that many books fail to show. While Lemon is this perky little street orphan who sasses the crap out of everyone around her, she does have this softer underbelly and loves Eve because she was the only one to see her as a person. And Cricket, even though he is programmed to love/protect Eve, he does challenge the Laws within the world. That and his constant quips about his shiny man parts reminds me so much of Bender from Futurama.
Eve is a wonderfully flawed main character. As the story goes on and she learns more about who she is, her confusion and coming to grips with those revelations are very realistic. Her emotions flare to either side all the time and I think that is something real people would do when they learn what she learns. Her relationship to the other characters is also something that works really well. Sure she has the YA love interest (see below...) but one thing you don't see a ton these days in SFF stories is flat out friendship. I think that is missing in most SFF books because the focus tends to be on heroes saving the day on these massively detailed quests and journeys, and that usually entails the hero/heroine doing things alone, or when with a team, it is usually about the plot. Not in LifeL1k3. Kristoff makes this story about the characters and with Lemon, Cricket, Kaiser, and Eve, their friendship is just as important as the plot. And I like that.
The world itself is really fun. Dystopias are still chugging along but this world feels both unique and relevant to what we are dealing with today in the US. But what I really like about this world is that there are massive shout-outs to other artists without making them overt. I already said there is a Mad Max feel in the area Eve lives. Gangs on bikes wielding anything from baseball bats to flamethrowers. But then there is the city called Armada, made up of landlocked ships of all shapes, which obviously brings to mind China Mieville's The Scar (not to mention the Kraken). Then toss in the AI androids of the Bladerunner series. This amalgamation of cool and differing stories really blend nicely in Kristoff's world.
What doesn't work:
So here is me harping on 1st person again...Here me out, though. In this story, we get 1st person flashbacks of an event integral to the plot. I don't mind these, in fact, I really liked them. They fleshed out the story in important ways while also building that inherent conflict. However, there was a part in the middle where instead of brief flashbacks that were half a page at most, it went into a detailed backstory that lasted many pages. In that section, I was not a fan. Yeah it was important to the overall story, but to me, it was excessive.
I get it, this is YA and all, but I really didn't care for the instant love story here. It connects to the flashback, but, yeah, not a fan. I really didn't like the Lifelike's "all I do, I do for you" mantra. I get it, he's a robot and all that, but even when all the shit hits the fan, it felt contrived, too easy. I wish there was a bit more drag, more slowly developed. But eh, that's just me.
Rating:
4 out of 5
I really liked this book, I love all of Kristoff's books, his style just speaks to me. This is a really cool introduction into an intriguing world and I'm interested to see where he goes with it based on the ending.
3/5
I enjoyed this books plot a lot. I felt like some of the characters were well done. The climax was a little fast paced and shocking in a way. I did feel like the ending of this book left there more to be discussed but it almost makes me sad that it is just a standalone.
I enjoyed this books plot a lot. I felt like some of the characters were well done. The climax was a little fast paced and shocking in a way. I did feel like the ending of this book left there more to be discussed but it almost makes me sad that it is just a standalone.
DNF: There was nothing particularly wrong with this book, but it just wasn't gripping me in the way Kristoff's other books have. I didn't connect with the main character at all and I think the genre was just a little bit too outside my preferences to persevere.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
I am a huge Jay Kristoff fan, so imagine my dismay the first time I tried to read LIFEL1K3 and hated every second of it. I made it about 200 pages in and called it quits. I was quite dissapointed and questioned the fact I considered myself such a big fan. Fast forward to 2020 and I decided it was time to give LIFEL1K3 another chance and what would you know, I LOVED it this time around. Jay as usual is the master of world building and shattering his readers hearts.
In what's left of the country after World War 4.0, Eve lives on a scrap of land of what used to be the West Coast. Living life looking over her shoulder, Eve isn't looking for trouble. She spends her time building bots and then fighting them in the dome, until one night the fight goes horribly wrong and she destroys the opposing bot with her mind and screaming. Now with the Brotherhood (A band of religious men who believe that people with abnormal abilities are abominations) Eve just wants to keep her head down, but all the changed when Ezekiel, a Lifelike (an robot that resembles as human, with the capability to make its own choices) literally crash lands at her feet, insisting that she is this mysterious "Ana." With her best friend Lemonfresh, her robot companion named Cricket and Ezekiel she is on a quest to save the ones she loves. But in the process, Eve uncovers secrets that change everything.
I liked Eve's character a lot, I found her fearless and determined. She's rough around the edges and snarky and will do anything for the ones she loves and cares about. As the story unfolds you begin to see a change in Eve, it's subtle but it is there and the more you read the clearer it becomes. In the climax of the book everything is explained.
I really loved all the secondary characters as well, we get to see some of the story from Lemonfresh's point of view and she is just as sassy and loyal as Eve is. Ezekiel is such a complicated character, in the sense as there is so much more of him that needs to be developed. He is one of the twelve Lifelike's that were created several years earlier and it is easy to tell that his understanding of the world and emotions aren't developed, which I've come to learn was purposely done. (I'm writing this review after having read the whole trilogy, so you will see more of this addressed and discussed in the upcoming novels.)
Jay will always be my favorite when it comes to world building, from Nevernight, Illuminae and Aurora Rising there wasn't one world that he built or helped build that I didn't like. LIFEL1K3 was unique and different and though I wished that the past of what is left of the "yousay" was explained it doesn't change the story. My only complaint was I wish there was a glossary of the slang that Jay has created, at some points it was a little hard to follow because I wasn't sure what the characters were actually meaning. But again, it is only a tiny thing and nothing more.
Overall I really enjoyed LIFEL1K3 and I am glad I gave it another shot. Like I said above, this review is being written after I I have finished this series so all I have to say is this: Buckle up, because you aren't expected what is going to happen next.
I am a huge Jay Kristoff fan, so imagine my dismay the first time I tried to read LIFEL1K3 and hated every second of it. I made it about 200 pages in and called it quits. I was quite dissapointed and questioned the fact I considered myself such a big fan. Fast forward to 2020 and I decided it was time to give LIFEL1K3 another chance and what would you know, I LOVED it this time around. Jay as usual is the master of world building and shattering his readers hearts.
In what's left of the country after World War 4.0, Eve lives on a scrap of land of what used to be the West Coast. Living life looking over her shoulder, Eve isn't looking for trouble. She spends her time building bots and then fighting them in the dome, until one night the fight goes horribly wrong and she destroys the opposing bot with her mind and screaming. Now with the Brotherhood (A band of religious men who believe that people with abnormal abilities are abominations) Eve just wants to keep her head down, but all the changed when Ezekiel, a Lifelike (an robot that resembles as human, with the capability to make its own choices) literally crash lands at her feet, insisting that she is this mysterious "Ana." With her best friend Lemonfresh, her robot companion named Cricket and Ezekiel she is on a quest to save the ones she loves. But in the process, Eve uncovers secrets that change everything.
I liked Eve's character a lot, I found her fearless and determined. She's rough around the edges and snarky and will do anything for the ones she loves and cares about. As the story unfolds you begin to see a change in Eve, it's subtle but it is there and the more you read the clearer it becomes. In the climax of the book everything is explained.
I really loved all the secondary characters as well, we get to see some of the story from Lemonfresh's point of view and she is just as sassy and loyal as Eve is. Ezekiel is such a complicated character, in the sense as there is so much more of him that needs to be developed. He is one of the twelve Lifelike's that were created several years earlier and it is easy to tell that his understanding of the world and emotions aren't developed, which I've come to learn was purposely done. (I'm writing this review after having read the whole trilogy, so you will see more of this addressed and discussed in the upcoming novels.)
Jay will always be my favorite when it comes to world building, from Nevernight, Illuminae and Aurora Rising there wasn't one world that he built or helped build that I didn't like. LIFEL1K3 was unique and different and though I wished that the past of what is left of the "yousay" was explained it doesn't change the story. My only complaint was I wish there was a glossary of the slang that Jay has created, at some points it was a little hard to follow because I wasn't sure what the characters were actually meaning. But again, it is only a tiny thing and nothing more.
Overall I really enjoyed LIFEL1K3 and I am glad I gave it another shot. Like I said above, this review is being written after I I have finished this series so all I have to say is this: Buckle up, because you aren't expected what is going to happen next.
Dakle, skoro sam odustala. Ali, s obzirom na broj knjiga koje sam ove godine DNFala, ovu sam odlučila završiti.
BOI, am I glad I did! Većina knjige mi je meh, ali zato četvrti dio... DAYUM! DAYUM! DAYUM!
Solidna četvorka.
BOI, am I glad I did! Većina knjige mi je meh, ali zato četvrti dio... DAYUM! DAYUM! DAYUM!
Solidna četvorka.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book was amazing and I really enjoyed reading it, but it didn't grip me to not be able to put it down until the end. But WOAH what an ending
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In typical Jay Kristoff fashion, Lifel1k3 is an action-packed thrill ride of a book. It opens with a gladiator-style fight between robots, and the action never lets up.
Eve is eking out a life on an island that used to be Los Angeles. She has a best friend, Lemon, and she lives with her grandfather, her adorable cyborg dog, and a hilarious robot named Cricket. Life in their post-apocalyptic world is rough. Criminal gangs roam the streets, and a group of religious fanatics are looking to crucify anyone who's different. Eve fights in the arena to earn money to pay for medicine for her dying grandfather. When she exhibits strange powers during a fight, she gets a lot of unwanted attention.
Eve and Lemon end up on the run with a very handsome android named Ezekiel, who seems to have a past with Eve, but one she can't remember. As they journey through a hellish landscape, running from a scary bounty hunter and other "lifelikes," extremely realistic androids like Ezekiel, Eve tries to put together the pieces of her past.
So, there are a lot of things I liked about this book. Eve and Lemon are awesome best friends, and they've always got each other's backs. The post-apocalyptic hellscape the characters travel across is very cool, and I particularly loved the description of a city that's made of ships that have run aground. The mystery of who Eve is was well done, and there are a lot of cool plot twists (some I guessed and some I didn't). There's a mystery loosely based on the history of the last Romanovs. The plot never stops moving, and it's a very engaging story.
There were some aspects I didn't like as much. The romance was very blah and did nothing for me. I'm not opposed to fictional human/android relationships, but Ezekiel is really dull. Much of the romance is seen in flashbacks, and I just never felt any investment in it. The tone of the flashbacks is very different than the rest of the book, and the tonal switch is a little weird.
Overall, the stuff I liked outweighs the stuff I didn't like, and I really enjoyed the book. There is a last act revelation that sets up some really interesting possibilities for the sequel, and I'm very interested to see where Kristoff takes the story from here.
I received an ARC from Amazon Vine.
Eve is eking out a life on an island that used to be Los Angeles. She has a best friend, Lemon, and she lives with her grandfather, her adorable cyborg dog, and a hilarious robot named Cricket. Life in their post-apocalyptic world is rough. Criminal gangs roam the streets, and a group of religious fanatics are looking to crucify anyone who's different. Eve fights in the arena to earn money to pay for medicine for her dying grandfather. When she exhibits strange powers during a fight, she gets a lot of unwanted attention.
Eve and Lemon end up on the run with a very handsome android named Ezekiel, who seems to have a past with Eve, but one she can't remember. As they journey through a hellish landscape, running from a scary bounty hunter and other "lifelikes," extremely realistic androids like Ezekiel, Eve tries to put together the pieces of her past.
So, there are a lot of things I liked about this book. Eve and Lemon are awesome best friends, and they've always got each other's backs. The post-apocalyptic hellscape the characters travel across is very cool, and I particularly loved the description of a city that's made of ships that have run aground. The mystery of who Eve is was well done, and there are a lot of cool plot twists (some I guessed and some I didn't). There's a mystery loosely based on the history of the last Romanovs. The plot never stops moving, and it's a very engaging story.
There were some aspects I didn't like as much. The romance was very blah and did nothing for me. I'm not opposed to fictional human/android relationships, but Ezekiel is really dull. Much of the romance is seen in flashbacks, and I just never felt any investment in it. The tone of the flashbacks is very different than the rest of the book, and the tonal switch is a little weird.
Overall, the stuff I liked outweighs the stuff I didn't like, and I really enjoyed the book. There is a last act revelation that sets up some really interesting possibilities for the sequel, and I'm very interested to see where Kristoff takes the story from here.
I received an ARC from Amazon Vine.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes