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willowbark's review against another edition
5.0
I really really enjoyed this book. It was gripping from start to finish with an extremely well planned plot that kept me guessing. I could not put this book down, and I enjoyed the whole ride, despite the very late reveal of everything, which could have been frustrating, but wasn't. I absolutely have to read the next book. Preferably right now.
baileyvk's review against another edition
5.0
This book is really good! It is suspenseful and thought provoking. I wish there was a sequel!!!!!
kadyjak's review against another edition
1.0
This book had so much potential. I wasn't sure what to think of the blurb, but after the first few chapters, I was convinced it would be really good. Unfortunately, I was sick of reading about Mika after about two chapters. Ellie was far more interesting. I stuck it out for 200 pages before I just started skimming because it was so boring.
Sadly, my opinion of the book did not improve after that. It went from just being boring and kind of weird, to slightly interesting but incredibly stupid. I try to be a little more forgiving with childrens books, but they have to at least be semi plausible. The premise of this story is ludicrous. Why is it that in these types of stories, all the adults are either pure evil or unbearably stupid? I guess it's a lazy way of having a bunch of 12 year olds become heroes, but being smarter than really stupid people, isn't that big an accomplishment.
Things I found unbelievable and/or ridiculous:
*That everyone believed everything the government told them and happily gave up their lives and careers to live in squalor, packed together tighter than sardines, so they could survive off of artificially flavored mold. Because everyone believes everything on tv, 100%, without question.
Sure.
*Who the chosen people were to live outside the wall, and that other than those individuals in the government, no one would have questioned anything or tried to explore, invent, etc.
Because we all know that famous actresses are WAY smarter than engineers, right? Wow.
*The idea of mutant kids.
I could have accepted this if there was some remote logical explanation as to how it might be possible, but all they do is suppose that after no one having kids (by the way, why?) for 30 years, there was a new hybrid species.
How does that make any kind of sense?
*The idea of Gorman wanting to use 12/13 year old kids for an army.
Why? What sense does that make? It wasn't even the 'special' kids. Just regular kids with no particular skills or detectable brain power.
Wouldn't it have made much more sense to recruit willing adults? 43 isn't that old. And if you're looking to conquer, don't you want an army that could potentially do some damage rather than scared, whining children?
*The idea that Gorman and the other officials would have been content to do nothing for so long, and that those on the outside - the ones with all the best scientists and technology, and the actual ability to think logically - would have done nothing to ensure that they couldn't be taken over. Or did they all believe that life inside the wall was fantastic?
*Gorman's age.
He's presented as being about 300 or older, but he's only 108. There's a line that says something like 'people weren't meant to live to be 108'.
I had an uncle who lived to be 107, and there have been people who lived to be over 120. And that was without some silly magical pill to make them live forever.
If this stuff were possible, Gorman shouldn't have been anywhere near as decrepit as he was portrayed.
And I have no clue why Ellie and Mika's reunion would trigger anything for anyone else and make the other kids respond. I can accept the weird telepathy thing between the two of them, but why should it extend to others?
This book was just such a mess.
Sadly, my opinion of the book did not improve after that. It went from just being boring and kind of weird, to slightly interesting but incredibly stupid. I try to be a little more forgiving with childrens books, but they have to at least be semi plausible. The premise of this story is ludicrous. Why is it that in these types of stories, all the adults are either pure evil or unbearably stupid? I guess it's a lazy way of having a bunch of 12 year olds become heroes, but being smarter than really stupid people, isn't that big an accomplishment.
Things I found unbelievable and/or ridiculous:
*That everyone believed everything the government told them and happily gave up their lives and careers to live in squalor, packed together tighter than sardines, so they could survive off of artificially flavored mold. Because everyone believes everything on tv, 100%, without question.
Sure.
*Who the chosen people were to live outside the wall, and that other than those individuals in the government, no one would have questioned anything or tried to explore, invent, etc.
Because we all know that famous actresses are WAY smarter than engineers, right? Wow.
*The idea of mutant kids.
I could have accepted this if there was some remote logical explanation as to how it might be possible, but all they do is suppose that after no one having kids (by the way, why?) for 30 years, there was a new hybrid species.
How does that make any kind of sense?
*The idea of Gorman wanting to use 12/13 year old kids for an army.
Why? What sense does that make? It wasn't even the 'special' kids. Just regular kids with no particular skills or detectable brain power.
Wouldn't it have made much more sense to recruit willing adults? 43 isn't that old. And if you're looking to conquer, don't you want an army that could potentially do some damage rather than scared, whining children?
*The idea that Gorman and the other officials would have been content to do nothing for so long, and that those on the outside - the ones with all the best scientists and technology, and the actual ability to think logically - would have done nothing to ensure that they couldn't be taken over. Or did they all believe that life inside the wall was fantastic?
*Gorman's age.
He's presented as being about 300 or older, but he's only 108. There's a line that says something like 'people weren't meant to live to be 108'.
I had an uncle who lived to be 107, and there have been people who lived to be over 120. And that was without some silly magical pill to make them live forever.
If this stuff were possible, Gorman shouldn't have been anywhere near as decrepit as he was portrayed.
And I have no clue why Ellie and Mika's reunion would trigger anything for anyone else and make the other kids respond. I can accept the weird telepathy thing between the two of them, but why should it extend to others?
This book was just such a mess.
jhliu's review against another edition
3.0
Got this one from the library, a kids' sci-fi book that has an interesting premise: after a devastating Animal Plague, a giant wall was built around the northern third of the earth, and everyone moved there while the rest of the earth was poisoned to kill off everything.
The book follow several characters, most notably a set of twins who have been separated but have a connection to each other. The one thing I didn't like was the way the omniscient narrator would tell me what some other character was thinking even when most of the chapter was from another person's point of view.
Won't spoil any plot points here, but it's an interesting book if you like dystopian YA fiction.
The book follow several characters, most notably a set of twins who have been separated but have a connection to each other. The one thing I didn't like was the way the omniscient narrator would tell me what some other character was thinking even when most of the chapter was from another person's point of view.
Won't spoil any plot points here, but it's an interesting book if you like dystopian YA fiction.
reading_under_covers's review against another edition
5.0
I LOOVEE dystopian novels and this one is no exception - literally ordered the sequel 10 chapters ago!
meneecrazy's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
vkemp's review against another edition
4.0
Ellie and Mika are twins; Ellie has been kidnapped by Mal Gorman. It is the future and after the Animal Plague, all humans retreated behind high walls to escape. Mal Gorman has devised a plan to send all children to war, but first he must find the children who are mutants, such as Mike and Ellie. Part of the plan requires a contest where children fly Pod Fighters in arcades; as they progress, the tests get harder and harder. Mika can still sense Ellie and he knows by winning the contest he can be reunited with her. What actually lives outside The Wall? No one knows until Mike escapes.
daniellehorton's review against another edition
3.0
It is a mystery that kept me reading. The two main characters twins Ellie and Mika are engaging, and I can't wait to see what happens next. They are mutants and I want to know all the details about their powers. They have abilities and other quirks that equip them to fight the threats they face. Fast paced and fun!
dianevr's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 stars. A lighter dystopian sci-fi novel, perfect for younger readers. Really enjoyable.