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starzhang1121's review
2.5
Such an interesting premise, such immature writing and melodrama. Probably would've given it five stars in my Hunger Games era, and I feel like that's pretty telling
rageofachilles's review
2.0
This book was okay. Around page 200, I thought it started going in some interesting directions, but none of them were really explored or developed to my satisfaction. The novel didn’t do enough to explain the historical shifts for and against cryogenics, turning her version of America into a paper thin version void of complexity.
cbaker8887's review
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. The premise is fantastic, the execution is not.
The Awoken centers around Alabine Rivers who, dying of cancer, decides to be cryogenically frozen in the hopes of being woken one day. She is brought back to life a century later in 2121 to a much different world. The western United States have broken off into its own country. The rest of the country is a dystopian nightmare, at least for the Awoken. In what is left of the US in 2121 the Awoken are illegal. It is illegal to bring a cryogenically frozen person to life, and those “Awoken” are to be shot on sight. They are not considered human but an other.
When Alabine is brought to life it’s amid gunfire and a quick flight to relative safety with the Resurrectionists who brought her back and rescued her. The Resurrectionists are an underground organization fighting for the rights of the Awoken and those still in cryogenic stasis. Most seem to have some familial connection to those either already brought back to life or still waiting to be brought back. Meanwhile, Alabine is having lucid memories of the love of her life, Max Waters, who plays a central role in the plot.
The novel is action packed and I hear it has been option as a TV series. It would make a fun movie to television show. But the relationships that form, especially near the end of the book, which are critical to the ending, are just completely and utterly unrealistic and makes the novel fall completely flat. Even with science fiction of this nature, a reader has to suspend disbelief and be engaged with the story. I don’t want to give a spoiler but the underpinning of the book is basically undermined by one poorly formed character and his interactions with Alabine. It spoils an otherwise fun read.
The Awoken centers around Alabine Rivers who, dying of cancer, decides to be cryogenically frozen in the hopes of being woken one day. She is brought back to life a century later in 2121 to a much different world. The western United States have broken off into its own country. The rest of the country is a dystopian nightmare, at least for the Awoken. In what is left of the US in 2121 the Awoken are illegal. It is illegal to bring a cryogenically frozen person to life, and those “Awoken” are to be shot on sight. They are not considered human but an other.
When Alabine is brought to life it’s amid gunfire and a quick flight to relative safety with the Resurrectionists who brought her back and rescued her. The Resurrectionists are an underground organization fighting for the rights of the Awoken and those still in cryogenic stasis. Most seem to have some familial connection to those either already brought back to life or still waiting to be brought back. Meanwhile, Alabine is having lucid memories of the love of her life, Max Waters, who plays a central role in the plot.
The novel is action packed and I hear it has been option as a TV series. It would make a fun movie to television show. But the relationships that form, especially near the end of the book, which are critical to the ending, are just completely and utterly unrealistic and makes the novel fall completely flat. Even with science fiction of this nature, a reader has to suspend disbelief and be engaged with the story. I don’t want to give a spoiler but the underpinning of the book is basically undermined by one poorly formed character and his interactions with Alabine. It spoils an otherwise fun read.
brandy_reads's review
4.0
Thank you @duttonbooks and @netgalley for the complimentary ARC.
Could not put this one down and absolutely cannot believe it’s a debut! I love sci-fi, but sometimes they can get heavy on the science and my brain hurts. I didn’t feel like that was the case here; The Awoken was easy to read and understand and didn’t get bogged down in too much detail. This book had me thinking a lot about the ethics of cryogenics and how far is too far to go to save a human life, there were also a lot of parallels to today’s political climate. Why four stars and not five, I found it a little repetitive at times and lack of communication in some scenes bothered me. The ending though… LOVED, it was absolutely perfect. Highly recommend this to fans of dystopian fiction.
#brandysreads #theawoken
Could not put this one down and absolutely cannot believe it’s a debut! I love sci-fi, but sometimes they can get heavy on the science and my brain hurts. I didn’t feel like that was the case here; The Awoken was easy to read and understand and didn’t get bogged down in too much detail. This book had me thinking a lot about the ethics of cryogenics and how far is too far to go to save a human life, there were also a lot of parallels to today’s political climate. Why four stars and not five, I found it a little repetitive at times and lack of communication in some scenes bothered me. The ending though… LOVED, it was absolutely perfect. Highly recommend this to fans of dystopian fiction.
#brandysreads #theawoken
thereadroversbookclub's review
3.0
HEY ALEXA PLAY BRING ME TO LIFE BY EVANESCENCE!
Wake me up inside (a goo filled sac!)
Call my name (Alabine Rivers!!!) and save me from the dark (with the Resurrectionists!)
Bid my blood to run
on behalf of the Awoken!
Save me from the nothing I’ve becOoOome!
(if you just sang the above to the chorus of the above song, I LOVE YOU!)
The Awoken is an action packed speculative fiction novel that will flood your nervous system with adrenaline and your mouth with audible gasps and “what the snickerdoodle-doo” ’s !
Looking into a crystal ball it appears that Alabine Rivers has a blazing future ahead of her…
-strapped on the fast track for a successful political career? CHECK!
-a passionate relationship with the love of her life? CHECK!
-a diagnosis of terminal cancer? *UGHHHH ☹ *
Upon learning her diagnosis, she decides to pursue cryogenics – freezing her body and hoping to awake a century later when a cure for cancer is readily available. *queue the thematic music now!!!!*
The world Alabine wakes up to is one in which her kind are ILLEGAL and shot on sight, EEEEK! What quickly transpires is a propulsive, whip lash of a ride! Plot twists, humanity, LOVE, politics, suspense… Monroe Howes’ latest novel has it all, my bookish folks!
A MILLION GLIMMERING, SHIMMERING BOOKISH THANKS TO DUTTON BOOKS FOR MY GIFTED REVIEW COPY!! ILY X INFINITY!
Alright, I’m off to go research cryogenics so I can freeze my body and wake up in a future world where I can get paid to read books and eat cheese all day! TAH-TAHHHH!!!!!!
Wake me up inside (a goo filled sac!)
Call my name (Alabine Rivers!!!) and save me from the dark (with the Resurrectionists!)
Bid my blood to run
on behalf of the Awoken!
Save me from the nothing I’ve becOoOome!
(if you just sang the above to the chorus of the above song, I LOVE YOU!)
The Awoken is an action packed speculative fiction novel that will flood your nervous system with adrenaline and your mouth with audible gasps and “what the snickerdoodle-doo” ’s !
Looking into a crystal ball it appears that Alabine Rivers has a blazing future ahead of her…
-strapped on the fast track for a successful political career? CHECK!
-a passionate relationship with the love of her life? CHECK!
-a diagnosis of terminal cancer? *UGHHHH ☹ *
Upon learning her diagnosis, she decides to pursue cryogenics – freezing her body and hoping to awake a century later when a cure for cancer is readily available. *queue the thematic music now!!!!*
The world Alabine wakes up to is one in which her kind are ILLEGAL and shot on sight, EEEEK! What quickly transpires is a propulsive, whip lash of a ride! Plot twists, humanity, LOVE, politics, suspense… Monroe Howes’ latest novel has it all, my bookish folks!
A MILLION GLIMMERING, SHIMMERING BOOKISH THANKS TO DUTTON BOOKS FOR MY GIFTED REVIEW COPY!! ILY X INFINITY!
Alright, I’m off to go research cryogenics so I can freeze my body and wake up in a future world where I can get paid to read books and eat cheese all day! TAH-TAHHHH!!!!!!
softspiritreads's review
3.0
I LOVE THIS PREMISE SO MUCH. Brilliant, intriguing, intense!
I did not however love the narration style and wish it had been written from a different perspective. It lowered the stakes too much because you always know that the MC makes it in the end… because she survives to narrate it.
I also wish the author made it into a 2-3 book series and really dug into the story and characters more. I found myself not caring about the events or betrayals or loves because… it just went fast. It felt like the author did a lot of “telling” versus “showing”
That said, it’s worth a read! A great story overall.
I did not however love the narration style and wish it had been written from a different perspective. It lowered the stakes too much because you always know that the MC makes it in the end… because she survives to narrate it.
I also wish the author made it into a 2-3 book series and really dug into the story and characters more. I found myself not caring about the events or betrayals or loves because… it just went fast. It felt like the author did a lot of “telling” versus “showing”
That said, it’s worth a read! A great story overall.
beccccam's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
scottt's review
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
richash0's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0