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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
“We can think because we have words, without them we won’t have memory to look at the past, or imagination to glimpse into the future.
Without words, we will be imprisoned in the here and now forever.”
― Patricia Forde, The List
Imagine a post-apocalyptic world where people are only allowed to use a list of 500 words in their day to day speech.
And this is how I was drawn to Patricia Ford’s Young Adult novel, ‘The list’.
Yes, I know, more YA, tis the season I suppose.
In ‘The List’ we are introduced to a number of interesting characters. But the main focus is on Letta, the apprentice wordsmith in the city of Ark.
After the death of her master she is promoted to the position of wordsmith, but with that promotion she gains the attention of the city’s near mad, self-righteous tyrant, John Noa.
Coupled with that, Letta finds herself somehow connected to a resistance group, that could prove perilous.
I found this novel quite different from my usual reads, but I suppose that’s what I say all the time, the idea of words as dangerous, their acceptable use controlled by a list given to the people by the government, was fascinating. It brought to mind political correctness, though in this novel the author took this concept to the fifth power.
Letta as a main character was very likable, flawed, brave, resourceful and most importantly with her own agency. She made things happen.
I could feel her changing as a person with every minute that passed. Her thoughts about the resistance group and what they stood for, her willingness to keep the status quo pitted against her love of words and her willingness to discover and save more of their culture.
Another point of view the author decided to show us was of the main villain of the story, through brief passages we were lead through his twisted mind and sense of logical conclusion. I found this very affective and somewhat disturbing. It also created some sympathy, or is empathy the right word here, with the antagonist. Characters and their motivations are a big thing; and I think those shone in the actions and the consequences of those actions.
There was a sense of urgency present throughout, that brought to mind Athens during the Nazi occupation.
The strict rationing of water, food, the curfew and of course the resistance group trying to undermine and save the city whilst hated by most of its citizens.
The author wove a vivid description of Ark and its surroundings. Yes, the story took place pretty much within the city or around it, but I did not feel bored or claustrophobic in any way. The characters and the plot were more than enough to keep my attention riveted.
I really enjoyed Imogen Wilde’s narration, she added that extra bit of atmosphere, emotion, and depth to the characters, by the change of her voice and accent. This was a 3 stars for me.[a:Patricia Forde|1532390|Patricia Forde|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1500660057p2/1532390.jpg][b:The List|35805279|The List|Patricia Forde|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|45213812]
Merged review:
“We can think because we have words, without them we won’t have memory to look at the past, or imagination to glimpse into the future.
Without words, we will be imprisoned in the here and now forever.”
― Patricia Forde, The List
Imagine a post-apocalyptic world where people are only allowed to use a list of 500 words in their day to day speech.
And this is how I was drawn to Patricia Ford’s Young Adult novel, ‘The list’.
Yes, I know, more YA, tis the season I suppose.
In ‘The List’ we are introduced to a number of interesting characters. But the main focus is on Letta, the apprentice wordsmith in the city of Ark.
After the death of her master she is promoted to the position of wordsmith, but with that promotion she gains the attention of the city’s near mad, self-righteous tyrant, John Noa.
Coupled with that, Letta finds herself somehow connected to a resistance group, that could prove perilous.
I found this novel quite different from my usual reads, but I suppose that’s what I say all the time, the idea of words as dangerous, their acceptable use controlled by a list given to the people by the government, was fascinating. It brought to mind political correctness, though in this novel the author took this concept to the fifth power.
Letta as a main character was very likable, flawed, brave, resourceful and most importantly with her own agency. She made things happen.
I could feel her changing as a person with every minute that passed. Her thoughts about the resistance group and what they stood for, her willingness to keep the status quo pitted against her love of words and her willingness to discover and save more of their culture.
Another point of view the author decided to show us was of the main villain of the story, through brief passages we were lead through his twisted mind and sense of logical conclusion. I found this very affective and somewhat disturbing. It also created some sympathy, or is empathy the right word here, with the antagonist. Characters and their motivations are a big thing; and I think those shone in the actions and the consequences of those actions.
There was a sense of urgency present throughout, that brought to mind Athens during the Nazi occupation.
The strict rationing of water, food, the curfew and of course the resistance group trying to undermine and save the city whilst hated by most of its citizens.
The author wove a vivid description of Ark and its surroundings. Yes, the story took place pretty much within the city or around it, but I did not feel bored or claustrophobic in any way. The characters and the plot were more than enough to keep my attention riveted.
I really enjoyed Imogen Wilde’s narration, she added that extra bit of atmosphere, emotion, and depth to the characters, by the change of her voice and accent. This was a 3 stars for me.[a:Patricia Forde|1532390|Patricia Forde|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1500660057p2/1532390.jpg][b:The List|35805279|The List|Patricia Forde|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|45213812]
Without words, we will be imprisoned in the here and now forever.”
― Patricia Forde, The List
Imagine a post-apocalyptic world where people are only allowed to use a list of 500 words in their day to day speech.
And this is how I was drawn to Patricia Ford’s Young Adult novel, ‘The list’.
Yes, I know, more YA, tis the season I suppose.
In ‘The List’ we are introduced to a number of interesting characters. But the main focus is on Letta, the apprentice wordsmith in the city of Ark.
After the death of her master she is promoted to the position of wordsmith, but with that promotion she gains the attention of the city’s near mad, self-righteous tyrant, John Noa.
Coupled with that, Letta finds herself somehow connected to a resistance group, that could prove perilous.
I found this novel quite different from my usual reads, but I suppose that’s what I say all the time, the idea of words as dangerous, their acceptable use controlled by a list given to the people by the government, was fascinating. It brought to mind political correctness, though in this novel the author took this concept to the fifth power.
Letta as a main character was very likable, flawed, brave, resourceful and most importantly with her own agency. She made things happen.
I could feel her changing as a person with every minute that passed. Her thoughts about the resistance group and what they stood for, her willingness to keep the status quo pitted against her love of words and her willingness to discover and save more of their culture.
Another point of view the author decided to show us was of the main villain of the story, through brief passages we were lead through his twisted mind and sense of logical conclusion. I found this very affective and somewhat disturbing. It also created some sympathy, or is empathy the right word here, with the antagonist. Characters and their motivations are a big thing; and I think those shone in the actions and the consequences of those actions.
There was a sense of urgency present throughout, that brought to mind Athens during the Nazi occupation.
The strict rationing of water, food, the curfew and of course the resistance group trying to undermine and save the city whilst hated by most of its citizens.
The author wove a vivid description of Ark and its surroundings. Yes, the story took place pretty much within the city or around it, but I did not feel bored or claustrophobic in any way. The characters and the plot were more than enough to keep my attention riveted.
I really enjoyed Imogen Wilde’s narration, she added that extra bit of atmosphere, emotion, and depth to the characters, by the change of her voice and accent. This was a 3 stars for me.[a:Patricia Forde|1532390|Patricia Forde|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1500660057p2/1532390.jpg][b:The List|35805279|The List|Patricia Forde|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|45213812]
Merged review:
“We can think because we have words, without them we won’t have memory to look at the past, or imagination to glimpse into the future.
Without words, we will be imprisoned in the here and now forever.”
― Patricia Forde, The List
Imagine a post-apocalyptic world where people are only allowed to use a list of 500 words in their day to day speech.
And this is how I was drawn to Patricia Ford’s Young Adult novel, ‘The list’.
Yes, I know, more YA, tis the season I suppose.
In ‘The List’ we are introduced to a number of interesting characters. But the main focus is on Letta, the apprentice wordsmith in the city of Ark.
After the death of her master she is promoted to the position of wordsmith, but with that promotion she gains the attention of the city’s near mad, self-righteous tyrant, John Noa.
Coupled with that, Letta finds herself somehow connected to a resistance group, that could prove perilous.
I found this novel quite different from my usual reads, but I suppose that’s what I say all the time, the idea of words as dangerous, their acceptable use controlled by a list given to the people by the government, was fascinating. It brought to mind political correctness, though in this novel the author took this concept to the fifth power.
Letta as a main character was very likable, flawed, brave, resourceful and most importantly with her own agency. She made things happen.
I could feel her changing as a person with every minute that passed. Her thoughts about the resistance group and what they stood for, her willingness to keep the status quo pitted against her love of words and her willingness to discover and save more of their culture.
Another point of view the author decided to show us was of the main villain of the story, through brief passages we were lead through his twisted mind and sense of logical conclusion. I found this very affective and somewhat disturbing. It also created some sympathy, or is empathy the right word here, with the antagonist. Characters and their motivations are a big thing; and I think those shone in the actions and the consequences of those actions.
There was a sense of urgency present throughout, that brought to mind Athens during the Nazi occupation.
The strict rationing of water, food, the curfew and of course the resistance group trying to undermine and save the city whilst hated by most of its citizens.
The author wove a vivid description of Ark and its surroundings. Yes, the story took place pretty much within the city or around it, but I did not feel bored or claustrophobic in any way. The characters and the plot were more than enough to keep my attention riveted.
I really enjoyed Imogen Wilde’s narration, she added that extra bit of atmosphere, emotion, and depth to the characters, by the change of her voice and accent. This was a 3 stars for me.[a:Patricia Forde|1532390|Patricia Forde|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1500660057p2/1532390.jpg][b:The List|35805279|The List|Patricia Forde|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|45213812]
The List is a science fiction adventure set in dystopian times. I cheered for Letta as she makes choices that jeopardize her safety, but ultimately help her save the people of Ark, the society that now exists after the melting and the flood. The story encourages the reader to think about what would happen if our words and language were taken from us. It makes us think about the leaders who try and take the freedom of speech away and the consequences that would follow. There are a few loose ends that are never tied up, which is unfortunate. I'm still wondering what happened in some situations! Overall, I enjoyed the book and believe it would be fun read for 5th through 7th grade.
Was clean, pretty well written, and an interesting enough concept. Rather unoriginal ideas but alright.
The List" was described as "The Giver" meets 1984 -- and in many ways that rings true. Individuals are assigned roles (per The Giver) and there are attempts at censorship from the "powers that be" (1984esque). The List is labeled as a middle-grades book so it is not as indepth as most of the YA books I've read. However, it is a nice "light" version on some hefty topics.
The end lends itself to a sequel, which I would likely read if it were published.
The end lends itself to a sequel, which I would likely read if it were published.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Jabberwocky and Netgalley for providing me a copy for review.
The List is a middle-grade dystopian novel set in the not-too-distant future where global warming has melted the ice caps in an event called The Melting. It follows Letta, the young apprentice wordsmith of Ark, the planned community of survivors which is ruled by John Noa and his Green Warriors
One of Letta’s jobs is to assist her master, Benjamin, in maintaining The List: an approved vocabulary of 500 words. Those not using List to communicate (aside from Letta, Benjamin, John Noa and his ruling class) are punished for infractions, and banished if they continue.
Banishment means being taken from Ark and left alone in the surrounding forest. Some people survive, some do not.
There is also Tintown outside Ark. These were people who arrived too late to be granted entrance into Ark, so they are forced to live outside and survive in any manner they can. Some scavenge and exchange their finding for favors from within Ark.
There’s also another group of people called Desecrators by those within Ark. They are looked down upon, considered evil and a threat to the way of life in Ark.
While Benjamin is away on a wordfinding mission (the wordsmith is in charge of gathering and recording words and their meanings from outside of Ark, determining whether they should be stored or a plea to John Noa should be made to have them added to List), Letta encounters a young boy, Marlo, who has been wounded by gavvers (Ark’s version of police/guards). Letta soon realizes Marlo is a Desecrator, but despite this, she risks her life to save his.
While Letta has always felt safe in Ark, in Marlo’s presence she begins to see how every aspect of life is controlled by Noa: vocabulary, food, water. the inability to choose one’s mate, the inability to have as many children as you like (each mated pair is allowed two: if you have a third child, it is taken away and given to a couple with one or none—having a fourth child means the entire family is banished). There is no art, no music.
Letta helps Marlo recover and contacts the Desecrators to come get him. Then Letta receives word that Benjamin died on his trip, and she is now the wordsmith and must carry on his work.
Aside from learning the man she has considered a father figure has died, there is something that doesn’t sit right with Letta, and as she begins questioning more and more the inner workings of Ark, she receives a note: BENJAMIN NOT DEAD.
Letta’s search for the truth leads her back to the Desecrators and uncovers a plot to rid Ark of all language, permanently. As wordsmith, Letta feels she cannot stand by and let this happen.
Her quest to foil Noa’s plan leads to revelations about her own forgotten past that changes everything she thought she knew about the world.
The characters are a strong point in the book. Letta is a likable protagonist. Secondary characters aren’t as well developed, but serve their purpose.
At times the story felt like a mishmash of other dystopians: The Giver, The Hunger Games, even a tiny bit of The Maze Runner. This felt more like an homage rather than a wannabe copycat retelling, but the similarities did very much lend an air of having read this all before.
If you are considering this for your middle-grade reader: be advised there are some descriptions of torture and death that might be an issue for some, based on maturity level.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I felt like the ending was setting up a potential sequel, and I would be interested enough to return to this world.
3 out of 5 stars.
The List is a middle-grade dystopian novel set in the not-too-distant future where global warming has melted the ice caps in an event called The Melting. It follows Letta, the young apprentice wordsmith of Ark, the planned community of survivors which is ruled by John Noa and his Green Warriors
One of Letta’s jobs is to assist her master, Benjamin, in maintaining The List: an approved vocabulary of 500 words. Those not using List to communicate (aside from Letta, Benjamin, John Noa and his ruling class) are punished for infractions, and banished if they continue.
Banishment means being taken from Ark and left alone in the surrounding forest. Some people survive, some do not.
There is also Tintown outside Ark. These were people who arrived too late to be granted entrance into Ark, so they are forced to live outside and survive in any manner they can. Some scavenge and exchange their finding for favors from within Ark.
There’s also another group of people called Desecrators by those within Ark. They are looked down upon, considered evil and a threat to the way of life in Ark.
While Benjamin is away on a wordfinding mission (the wordsmith is in charge of gathering and recording words and their meanings from outside of Ark, determining whether they should be stored or a plea to John Noa should be made to have them added to List), Letta encounters a young boy, Marlo, who has been wounded by gavvers (Ark’s version of police/guards). Letta soon realizes Marlo is a Desecrator, but despite this, she risks her life to save his.
While Letta has always felt safe in Ark, in Marlo’s presence she begins to see how every aspect of life is controlled by Noa: vocabulary, food, water. the inability to choose one’s mate, the inability to have as many children as you like (each mated pair is allowed two: if you have a third child, it is taken away and given to a couple with one or none—having a fourth child means the entire family is banished). There is no art, no music.
Letta helps Marlo recover and contacts the Desecrators to come get him. Then Letta receives word that Benjamin died on his trip, and she is now the wordsmith and must carry on his work.
Aside from learning the man she has considered a father figure has died, there is something that doesn’t sit right with Letta, and as she begins questioning more and more the inner workings of Ark, she receives a note: BENJAMIN NOT DEAD.
Letta’s search for the truth leads her back to the Desecrators and uncovers a plot to rid Ark of all language, permanently. As wordsmith, Letta feels she cannot stand by and let this happen.
Her quest to foil Noa’s plan leads to revelations about her own forgotten past that changes everything she thought she knew about the world.
The characters are a strong point in the book. Letta is a likable protagonist. Secondary characters aren’t as well developed, but serve their purpose.
At times the story felt like a mishmash of other dystopians: The Giver, The Hunger Games, even a tiny bit of The Maze Runner. This felt more like an homage rather than a wannabe copycat retelling, but the similarities did very much lend an air of having read this all before.
If you are considering this for your middle-grade reader: be advised there are some descriptions of torture and death that might be an issue for some, based on maturity level.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I felt like the ending was setting up a potential sequel, and I would be interested enough to return to this world.
3 out of 5 stars.
DNF @ 36%
Actual Rating: 2.5
In the future, global warming has led to a mass-melting, which has flooded the world and destroyed most of the written word. Words no longer exist as they once did, and everyone speaks List: a language that is strictly controlled. List only allows people to speak certain words, and if you are caught speaking non-List, you risk banishment.
In the town of Ark, the wordsmith Benjamin and his apprentice, Letta, are in charge of finding and collecting the words of old so as the language will never truly be forgotten. Their job is to store words that are removed from circulation, and to also supply specialised word-sets to those requiring specific words for each individual profession.
When Benjamin leaves town on a word-collecting trip, Letta crosses paths with a young boy named Marlo who is a desecrator - one who does not obey the List. Injured and being hunted by gavvers, Letta decides to help the boy get back to his own people, risking her own livelihood in doing so.
The whole idea behind this book is incredibly unique, but I just don't know if it's something that can be portrayed all too well in a novel. It reminded me a bit of The Book of Eli, so I think it would be a story much better suited to a film, and something that I'd willingly pay money to see. In novel form however, the story is very slow going, and I often felt my attention drifting.
The List-speak was interesting, though it did mess with the flow of text when used in dialogue. All I could think of whenever anyone spoke was the voice of a stereotypical neanderthal. Ya know, deep, gruff, and unintelligent. I just couldn't wrap my head completely around it, and a lot of the talk - whilst extremely simple - was completely lost on me.
All-in-all the idea behind The List is a unique one, but it's a story that's difficult to tell. Forde has done an excellent job creating an interesting world that is no longer ruled by words, but where words are ruled by humans. I am sure there are many people who would gain pleasure from this story, but it's unfortunately just a little too slow going for my liking.
I may very well come back to this one in the future, but for now I need to put it on hold.
Actual Rating: 2.5
In the future, global warming has led to a mass-melting, which has flooded the world and destroyed most of the written word. Words no longer exist as they once did, and everyone speaks List: a language that is strictly controlled. List only allows people to speak certain words, and if you are caught speaking non-List, you risk banishment.
In the town of Ark, the wordsmith Benjamin and his apprentice, Letta, are in charge of finding and collecting the words of old so as the language will never truly be forgotten. Their job is to store words that are removed from circulation, and to also supply specialised word-sets to those requiring specific words for each individual profession.
When Benjamin leaves town on a word-collecting trip, Letta crosses paths with a young boy named Marlo who is a desecrator - one who does not obey the List. Injured and being hunted by gavvers, Letta decides to help the boy get back to his own people, risking her own livelihood in doing so.
The whole idea behind this book is incredibly unique, but I just don't know if it's something that can be portrayed all too well in a novel. It reminded me a bit of The Book of Eli, so I think it would be a story much better suited to a film, and something that I'd willingly pay money to see. In novel form however, the story is very slow going, and I often felt my attention drifting.
The List-speak was interesting, though it did mess with the flow of text when used in dialogue. All I could think of whenever anyone spoke was the voice of a stereotypical neanderthal. Ya know, deep, gruff, and unintelligent. I just couldn't wrap my head completely around it, and a lot of the talk - whilst extremely simple - was completely lost on me.
All-in-all the idea behind The List is a unique one, but it's a story that's difficult to tell. Forde has done an excellent job creating an interesting world that is no longer ruled by words, but where words are ruled by humans. I am sure there are many people who would gain pleasure from this story, but it's unfortunately just a little too slow going for my liking.
I may very well come back to this one in the future, but for now I need to put it on hold.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a hard book to write a review for, but I'm giving it 4 stars because I think I would have enjoyed it as a child. I did enjoy it as an adult, but I skimmed a few parts where it was a bit overly descriptive for my tastes. It was well edited, so that's a big (big) plus in my book. I was really drawn to the cover of this one. Kudos to the artist who made it.
*rating is 3.5*
Can you imagine a society in which you can only use 500 words? It’s a scary though, words are freedom and to have that taken away would be crippling. This is the world in which Letta (play on letter I am guessing) has to live in. This book elicited some unwanted emotional responses, most was anger and disgust. I had to put the book down multiple times, read another book then come back to it. Considering this is suppose to be a children’s book (middle school grade) I was a bit shocked at some of what happens, there is multiple mentions of violence some of it a bit graphic, so if your child wants to read this you may want to double check if you are okay with this.
Forde’s writing was extremely easy to read and I really like the creative way she had the chapter titles, which was a list word and it’s definition. I think if I was in a society as this I would need to be a wordsmith, I cannot understand the whole stuttered speaking. I understand why Noa did this too, which sort of freaks me out honestly. I can say that I did not like the ending, although if this is a part of a series that leaving the end open like that is fine, however if this is a one-shot book than it stirs way more questions than it answers. I did like the characters you were obviously suppose to like and of course was disgusted by the ones you are not suppose to like. Maybe if I had read this as a child I wouldn’t have had such a emotional reaction to this book. I will say that the story and where it was going was extremely predictable, but considering what ages this book is aimed at I am completely fine with it.
Can you imagine a society in which you can only use 500 words? It’s a scary though, words are freedom and to have that taken away would be crippling. This is the world in which Letta (play on letter I am guessing) has to live in. This book elicited some unwanted emotional responses, most was anger and disgust. I had to put the book down multiple times, read another book then come back to it. Considering this is suppose to be a children’s book (middle school grade) I was a bit shocked at some of what happens, there is multiple mentions of violence some of it a bit graphic, so if your child wants to read this you may want to double check if you are okay with this.
Forde’s writing was extremely easy to read and I really like the creative way she had the chapter titles, which was a list word and it’s definition. I think if I was in a society as this I would need to be a wordsmith, I cannot understand the whole stuttered speaking. I understand why Noa did this too, which sort of freaks me out honestly. I can say that I did not like the ending, although if this is a part of a series that leaving the end open like that is fine, however if this is a one-shot book than it stirs way more questions than it answers. I did like the characters you were obviously suppose to like and of course was disgusted by the ones you are not suppose to like. Maybe if I had read this as a child I wouldn’t have had such a emotional reaction to this book. I will say that the story and where it was going was extremely predictable, but considering what ages this book is aimed at I am completely fine with it.
***I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review***
I felt like this book was very much like “The Giver” or “1984.” Definitely dystopian, but not really anything more in substance.
I felt like this book was very much like “The Giver” or “1984.” Definitely dystopian, but not really anything more in substance.