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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
The List was a fantastic book to read during International Banned Books Week as it deals with a futuristic society that has restricted language to a list of only 500 words. Letta is the apprentice Wordsmith for the community so she is one of the few people who has access to a larger vocabulary to express herself and understand the world though she can only speak this broader language with her mentor and the leader of her society, Ark. As the story progresses Letta meets with some people who work outside the community in a resistance movement. Though she has grown up believing in the values of her society, certain events lead her to question everything. This book will resonate with fans of The Giver and other dystopian or post-apocalyptic narratives.
adventurous
dark
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:
No
Thank you NetGalley for sending me this book for review.
I enjoyed "The List" very much. It takes place in a dystopian society after an apocalyptic event called "The Melting" (some not-so-subtle messages about climate change included here- I like it!). In this society, called "Ark" and ruled by a man appropriately called John Noa, residents can only speak using 500 specified words included on "The List." Letta, our protagonist, is an apprentice wordsmith, who acts as a keeper and facilitator of these words. Letta has never questioned the society that she lives in, but when she becomes associated with a group of outsiders, she begins to see the truth of of John Noa's Ark, and begins to work against his plans to further wipe language from human use.
In many ways this is a typical dystopia- young protagonist is a part of society, discovers its evils, then rebels against it. However, I loved the world building around the limitation of language, and how it affects human relationships and interactions.
My biggest gripe was with the book's ending. I felt as if it was very sudden, and I couldn't tell if this is to be part of a series or not. Overall, 3/5 stars and an enjoyable middle grade read!
I enjoyed "The List" very much. It takes place in a dystopian society after an apocalyptic event called "The Melting" (some not-so-subtle messages about climate change included here- I like it!). In this society, called "Ark" and ruled by a man appropriately called John Noa, residents can only speak using 500 specified words included on "The List." Letta, our protagonist, is an apprentice wordsmith, who acts as a keeper and facilitator of these words. Letta has never questioned the society that she lives in, but when she becomes associated with a group of outsiders, she begins to see the truth of of John Noa's Ark, and begins to work against his plans to further wipe language from human use.
In many ways this is a typical dystopia- young protagonist is a part of society, discovers its evils, then rebels against it. However, I loved the world building around the limitation of language, and how it affects human relationships and interactions.
My biggest gripe was with the book's ending. I felt as if it was very sudden, and I couldn't tell if this is to be part of a series or not. Overall, 3/5 stars and an enjoyable middle grade read!
I don't know, man. This just felt like a mashup of a lot of classic dystopian novels rolled up into one, but it never really got close to the level of any of the books it was trying to be. A little bit of The Giver with some Fahrenheit 451 maybe some 1984 and then some elements of any other dystopian novel. This just never took off for me for some reason.
I was definitely drawn to the idea of the book and the world it described. The thought of a world controlled by language and what words must be used was interesting, but it played out more ridiculous on the book. I think the concept is good, just not enough there to make me care. Even at the beginning when the first bit of intrigue occurs and Marlo shows up unexpectedly and you're trying to figure out who he is and all that... I was just bored.
Hey, and it was cool how things sort of mirror our own world. The story of Noah's Ark is there, I mean with the same name and all, and there is this rebuilding and starting a new world after crazy events. That was cool. Like I said, there was some good stuff here that just needed someone to come along and breathe more life into it. I would go through an entire chapter sometimes and find my mind wandering off, and then I would snap back into it and realize I hadn't missed much.
So if dystopian is your thing, gives this a shot later this year. I've found plenty of great reviews out there. I just love the books it draws inspiration from, but felt this one didn't come anywhere close to being what it could have been. Oh, and the fact that you only get 500 words to use is a cool idea, but whew boy is it hard to read. It just got kind of silly. That's all.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for letting me read this one early!
I was definitely drawn to the idea of the book and the world it described. The thought of a world controlled by language and what words must be used was interesting, but it played out more ridiculous on the book. I think the concept is good, just not enough there to make me care. Even at the beginning when the first bit of intrigue occurs and Marlo shows up unexpectedly and you're trying to figure out who he is and all that... I was just bored.
Hey, and it was cool how things sort of mirror our own world. The story of Noah's Ark is there, I mean with the same name and all, and there is this rebuilding and starting a new world after crazy events. That was cool. Like I said, there was some good stuff here that just needed someone to come along and breathe more life into it. I would go through an entire chapter sometimes and find my mind wandering off, and then I would snap back into it and realize I hadn't missed much.
So if dystopian is your thing, gives this a shot later this year. I've found plenty of great reviews out there. I just love the books it draws inspiration from, but felt this one didn't come anywhere close to being what it could have been. Oh, and the fact that you only get 500 words to use is a cool idea, but whew boy is it hard to read. It just got kind of silly. That's all.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for letting me read this one early!
I’ve often seen people compare this novel to The Giver by Lois Lowry, but I would much more closely compare it to the second book in The Giver quartet, Gathering Blue. Many of the themes and plot points seem almost directly taken to Lowry‘s story. Although this is indeed, a an enjoyable read, I can’t help but feel that,in this case, Icarus has flown too close to the sun. still, I’m going to read the second installment with hopes that that trend doesn’t continue. Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors and has inspired my writing, in many ways. But I would never want to go as far as Forde has.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Initial thoughts: This seems to be leading up to an overall big picture story, which means sequels. Yay. (Make note I also groaned.) It was a simple, middle grade read about a dystopia pulling from Biblical and Bradburyan (that's totally a word now...) inspiration, and I did love the concept of a wordsmith collecting and protecting words.
Full review can be found at Story and Somnomancy.
Initial thoughts: This seems to be leading up to an overall big picture story, which means sequels. Yay. (Make note I also groaned.) It was a simple, middle grade read about a dystopia pulling from Biblical and Bradburyan (that's totally a word now...) inspiration, and I did love the concept of a wordsmith collecting and protecting words.
Full review can be found at Story and Somnomancy.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This middle grade dystopian society was really captivating. Letta is the word keeper’s apprentice in a world where citizens are only allowed to use the 500 words on the approved “List.” If they’re caught saying anything else, they risk being banished past the large gates of the community.
There are assigned jobs, birthing limits, and a mysterious dictator who orchestrates it all. Throughout the book, there are revelations and twists that explain more about how the characters got to the city and the plans the dictator has for the future.
I found this really interesting because it did have vibes similar to The Giver and The Knife of Never Letting Go. There were some twists that even I didn’t foresee, and I think 5th-6th grade readers would love it. A lot of the plot is centered around the ideas of global warming and chemical contamination and religion. I think those were all presented in ways that were understandable and never too “preachy”. It was an interesting read all around.
I received a copy of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
There are assigned jobs, birthing limits, and a mysterious dictator who orchestrates it all. Throughout the book, there are revelations and twists that explain more about how the characters got to the city and the plans the dictator has for the future.
I found this really interesting because it did have vibes similar to The Giver and The Knife of Never Letting Go. There were some twists that even I didn’t foresee, and I think 5th-6th grade readers would love it. A lot of the plot is centered around the ideas of global warming and chemical contamination and religion. I think those were all presented in ways that were understandable and never too “preachy”. It was an interesting read all around.
I received a copy of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.