Scan barcode
lizzy_22's review
4.0
This was quite beautiful with deep, thought provoking themes. I really enjoyed it.
bookishnicole's review
4.0
I liked this book so much until the ending, but I won't tell you why because I hate to spoil endings. It wasn't that it had a bad ending, just one that I didn't like. Other then that the book was amazing, a little slow to start, but it was great once you got there. I've noticed that a lot of books won't give you the background of life before the synopses, for example, I expected The Lost Girl to start with Eva having to move into her Others life, but instead we got to see what Eva was like before she became Amarra, which I loved.
I loved seeing what Eva's life was like before she had to take over this life. It made what she went through becoming Amarra more real. We got to know Sean, her guardian- the boy that she falls for and we got to meet the woman that helped to raise Eva. I loved that we got to see her attachments to her former life.
I felt bad for Eva as she tried to navigate Amarra's life and she learned how Amarra felt toward Eva. I think what I liked most is that it wasn't terribly confusing between the two girls. While it was a great sentiment, I felt that echo's served no purpose even though they were meant to be a solution, they seemed more like a filler for the one that died. Maybe the only reason I felt this was because of how different Eva was from Amarra.
I felt terribly for Ray and all of Amarra's friends and family as they tried to navigate having Eva around either known or unknown to them. When Ray realized that Eva was not Amarra I could have only imagined how that felt for him. I loved that Eva didn't take shit from anyone when they decided to attack her for what she was.
When I offered this book up to a friend, she seemed skeptical as to why I would want to get rid of my copy, but I assured her that this book is really, truly a great book.
I loved seeing what Eva's life was like before she had to take over this life. It made what she went through becoming Amarra more real. We got to know Sean, her guardian- the boy that she falls for and we got to meet the woman that helped to raise Eva. I loved that we got to see her attachments to her former life.
I felt bad for Eva as she tried to navigate Amarra's life and she learned how Amarra felt toward Eva. I think what I liked most is that it wasn't terribly confusing between the two girls. While it was a great sentiment, I felt that echo's served no purpose even though they were meant to be a solution, they seemed more like a filler for the one that died. Maybe the only reason I felt this was because of how different Eva was from Amarra.
I felt terribly for Ray and all of Amarra's friends and family as they tried to navigate having Eva around either known or unknown to them. When Ray realized that Eva was not Amarra I could have only imagined how that felt for him. I loved that Eva didn't take shit from anyone when they decided to attack her for what she was.
When I offered this book up to a friend, she seemed skeptical as to why I would want to get rid of my copy, but I assured her that this book is really, truly a great book.
novelheartbeat's review
4.0
From my blog Auntie Spinelli Reads
4.5/5
What a beautiful story! It was desperate and emotional with a lyrical and captivating prose.
I liked Eva, and I felt bad for her. All her life she'd been trained to be somebody else, never really getting to just be herself. How awful would that be? Imagine not being about to do anything you want to do. You have to like certain things, do certain things, just because your Other does. If your Other gets a bad haircut, or a tattoo, you have to follow suit. You're a nobody, seen as less than human; just a monster, an echo of another person. With all that, I really had to admire Eva's strength. Many times in the story I found myself outraged and indignant over the way that she was being treated. I wanted to storm into the pages and kick some ass while taking names because of the unfairness of it all. But instead of giving up or hiding, she stood tall and faced the people that looked at her with disdain and repulsion.
I kind of hated Ray. While I can see why he did what he did, it doesn't justify it. He was a douchenozzle at best, and many times I wanted to knock his teeth out. I understand that he loved Amarra, and he was grieving, but still. His treatment of Eva when he found out she was an echo was appalling.
The pacing was a bit slow in the first half, but towards the end it really picked up. The premise was enough to keep me fascinated in the slow parts, though. I loved the idea of echoes and Weavers! The echo part reminded me of the movie The Island (where there were clones made only for replacement parts). The world building was very thought out and well developed, making for a convincing setting.
If you're looking for a book to make you laugh, this is not the one. I didn't cry (although I feel like I should have), but it was somber, raw, and thought-provoking, addressing death and loss head-on.
Favorite quote:
Maybe that's what the dead do. They stay. They linger. Benign and sweet and painful. They don't need us. They echo all by themselves.
Favorite character: Scatterbrained and optimistic Lekha, for standing by Eva when everyone else turned their back on her.
ASSESSMENT
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing style: 5/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5
World-building: 4/5
Pace: 3.5/5
Cover: 4/5
4.5/5
What a beautiful story! It was desperate and emotional with a lyrical and captivating prose.
I liked Eva, and I felt bad for her. All her life she'd been trained to be somebody else, never really getting to just be herself. How awful would that be? Imagine not being about to do anything you want to do. You have to like certain things, do certain things, just because your Other does. If your Other gets a bad haircut, or a tattoo, you have to follow suit. You're a nobody, seen as less than human; just a monster, an echo of another person. With all that, I really had to admire Eva's strength. Many times in the story I found myself outraged and indignant over the way that she was being treated. I wanted to storm into the pages and kick some ass while taking names because of the unfairness of it all. But instead of giving up or hiding, she stood tall and faced the people that looked at her with disdain and repulsion.
I kind of hated Ray. While I can see why he did what he did, it doesn't justify it. He was a douchenozzle at best, and many times I wanted to knock his teeth out. I understand that he loved Amarra, and he was grieving, but still. His treatment of Eva when he found out she was an echo was appalling.
The pacing was a bit slow in the first half, but towards the end it really picked up. The premise was enough to keep me fascinated in the slow parts, though. I loved the idea of echoes and Weavers! The echo part reminded me of the movie The Island (where there were clones made only for replacement parts). The world building was very thought out and well developed, making for a convincing setting.
If you're looking for a book to make you laugh, this is not the one. I didn't cry (although I feel like I should have), but it was somber, raw, and thought-provoking, addressing death and loss head-on.
Favorite quote:
Maybe that's what the dead do. They stay. They linger. Benign and sweet and painful. They don't need us. They echo all by themselves.
Favorite character: Scatterbrained and optimistic Lekha, for standing by Eva when everyone else turned their back on her.
ASSESSMENT
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing style: 5/5
Originality: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5
World-building: 4/5
Pace: 3.5/5
Cover: 4/5
paperlove's review against another edition
2.0
Das Buch hat zu meinen "SuB-Leichen" gehört, also den Büchern, die schon am längsten auf meinem SuB liegen. Wie es es auf meine Leseliste gelandet ist, weiss ich gar nicht mehr.
Das Buch erzählt die Geschichte einer Protagonistin, die als sogenannter "Echo" fungiert - Menschen, die nur dazu kreiert werden, eine andere Person und ihr Leben zu imitieren, damit sie im Falle des Todes der "Original"-Person, als Ersatz einspringen können. Klingt erst mal schräg, aber die Idee hätte viel Potenzial gehabt, nicht zuletzt dadurch, dass man vor einige existenzielle Fragen gestellt wird wie z.B. "Was macht den Menschen aus?" oder "Kann man einfach so durch eine andere Person ersetzt werden?" Leider bleibt der Plot sehr YA-klischeehaft und oberflächlich und die Autorin schafft es weder ihren Charakteren, noch der Handlung die notwendige Tiefe zu verleihen, die die grundlegende Idee mit sich gebracht hätte. Da empfehle ich euch lieber die Vollendet-Trilogie von Shusterman, die im weitesten Sinn ein ähnliches Thema aufgreift bzw. ähnliche existenzielle Fragen aufwirft, aber viel spannender und tiefgründiger umgesetzt wurde.
Die Handlung an sich kann hier leider gar nicht überzeugen, denn es bleiben einfach zu viele Fragen offen, unausgesprochen oder ungeklärt und man erfährt rein gar nichts über das Worldbuilding hinsichtlich der Hintergründe zur Entstehung und Entwicklung der Echos in dieser Welt, was gepaart mit vielen Plot Holes und einem sprunghaften, oberflächlichen Erzählstil leider nicht überzeugen konnte.
Aus diesem Grund kann ich nur 2 Sterne vergeben für die zumindest interessante Idee, deren Umsetzung leider nicht gelungen ist.
Das Buch erzählt die Geschichte einer Protagonistin, die als sogenannter "Echo" fungiert - Menschen, die nur dazu kreiert werden, eine andere Person und ihr Leben zu imitieren, damit sie im Falle des Todes der "Original"-Person, als Ersatz einspringen können. Klingt erst mal schräg, aber die Idee hätte viel Potenzial gehabt, nicht zuletzt dadurch, dass man vor einige existenzielle Fragen gestellt wird wie z.B. "Was macht den Menschen aus?" oder "Kann man einfach so durch eine andere Person ersetzt werden?" Leider bleibt der Plot sehr YA-klischeehaft und oberflächlich und die Autorin schafft es weder ihren Charakteren, noch der Handlung die notwendige Tiefe zu verleihen, die die grundlegende Idee mit sich gebracht hätte. Da empfehle ich euch lieber die Vollendet-Trilogie von Shusterman, die im weitesten Sinn ein ähnliches Thema aufgreift bzw. ähnliche existenzielle Fragen aufwirft, aber viel spannender und tiefgründiger umgesetzt wurde.
Die Handlung an sich kann hier leider gar nicht überzeugen, denn es bleiben einfach zu viele Fragen offen, unausgesprochen oder ungeklärt und man erfährt rein gar nichts über das Worldbuilding hinsichtlich der Hintergründe zur Entstehung und Entwicklung der Echos in dieser Welt, was gepaart mit vielen Plot Holes und einem sprunghaften, oberflächlichen Erzählstil leider nicht überzeugen konnte.
Aus diesem Grund kann ich nur 2 Sterne vergeben für die zumindest interessante Idee, deren Umsetzung leider nicht gelungen ist.
kaylakaotik's review
5.0
Wow! Mandanna’s debut novel has to be the best book I’ve read this year. No, I take that back. It has to be the best book I’ve read in a really long time. I love it. In fact, I loved it a lot more than I thought I would.
The concept of echoes was different. It was a much more complex and fascinating process than the typical cloning. And while Mandanna doesn’t go as in-depth into the process of creating echoes as I would have liked, she does tell you enough. It’s enough to be intrigued and curious, but also somewhat hesitant. There’s a fear of the unknown that makes it all the better.
The book was just fantastic. The writing was beautifully done. Mandanna’s writing is powerful and full of emotion. The characters were real. I understood every character and how their behavior fit them. While I might not have agreed with a character, I understood them (even the Weavers). I feel like that’s an important part of characters. The plot was fantastic. I really don’t think there’s enough good things I could possibly say.
I know many people would like a sequel to The Lost Girl, but I personally hope this stays a stand-alone book. I think, while not perfect, the ending was nicely done. I like it being as open to interpretation as it is. Yes, it would have been nice to have a definite answer as to what happens, but sometimes it’s good to leave it to the imagination.
In case it isn’t obvious, I recommend The Lost Girl to anyone that hasn’t already read it . And I look forward to Sangu Mandanna’s next book.
The concept of echoes was different. It was a much more complex and fascinating process than the typical cloning. And while Mandanna doesn’t go as in-depth into the process of creating echoes as I would have liked, she does tell you enough. It’s enough to be intrigued and curious, but also somewhat hesitant. There’s a fear of the unknown that makes it all the better.
The book was just fantastic. The writing was beautifully done. Mandanna’s writing is powerful and full of emotion. The characters were real. I understood every character and how their behavior fit them. While I might not have agreed with a character, I understood them (even the Weavers). I feel like that’s an important part of characters. The plot was fantastic. I really don’t think there’s enough good things I could possibly say.
I know many people would like a sequel to The Lost Girl, but I personally hope this stays a stand-alone book. I think, while not perfect, the ending was nicely done. I like it being as open to interpretation as it is. Yes, it would have been nice to have a definite answer as to what happens, but sometimes it’s good to leave it to the imagination.
In case it isn’t obvious, I recommend The Lost Girl to anyone that hasn’t already read it . And I look forward to Sangu Mandanna’s next book.
cher_n_books's review
2.0
I loved the movie, "The Island", and the premise of this novel seemed to suggest a similar type of story. The enjoy-ability factor on the other hand was way off the mark. This had all the markings of YA that I don't enjoy - particularly being written in 1st person of a 17 yr old girl that seemed to think more like I did when I was 12-13. When I saw "pinky-swear" around 30%, I knew I should put the book down and move along, but I trudged on. Meh.
samiism's review
5.0
WOW!
Four hours. This book took me four hours to read while at work. This was just... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it. I was 82% in the ebook when I decided to take a break and go to Half.com to order myself a hardcover copy. ($0.75 + $3 shipping whuuuut?!)
Eva is an echo of Amarra. Eva has spent her entire life learning everything about Amarra, because Eva's sole purpose for having been created is to replace Amarra should she die...which she does. Both of them aren't happy about this. Amarra thinks Eva is a thief out to steal everything from her, while Eva thinks Amarra goes out of her way to make their lives miserable.
Amarra doesn't want to share everything with Eva, especially when it comes to Ray.
While Amarra seems like a bitch for the way she regards Eva, I completely understand where she's coming from because I understand how Eva feels if the shoe were on the other foot. Eva's relationship with Sean is something Eva wouldn't want to share either.
Ray complicates things as well. He catches on to the ruse, and it's putting Eva in danger. He hasn't moved on from Amarra, and how could he when her echo is walking and breathing so close to him?
And Sean? Ugh.... Eva pining for him was just heartbreaking. I enjoyed this book, truly. The feels I got were real.
Four hours. This book took me four hours to read while at work. This was just... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it. I was 82% in the ebook when I decided to take a break and go to Half.com to order myself a hardcover copy. ($0.75 + $3 shipping whuuuut?!)
Eva is an echo of Amarra. Eva has spent her entire life learning everything about Amarra, because Eva's sole purpose for having been created is to replace Amarra should she die...which she does. Both of them aren't happy about this. Amarra thinks Eva is a thief out to steal everything from her, while Eva thinks Amarra goes out of her way to make their lives miserable.
Amarra doesn't want to share everything with Eva, especially when it comes to Ray.
They want me to tell you all about him. They want me to tell you everything, everything we did, the places we’ve been, secrets we’ve told each other. All that stuff. But you’re crazy if you think I will. You’re a thief. You’ve stolen everything else. But you can’t have this. You have no right to him.
While Amarra seems like a bitch for the way she regards Eva, I completely understand where she's coming from because I understand how Eva feels if the shoe were on the other foot. Eva's relationship with Sean is something Eva wouldn't want to share either.
Ray complicates things as well. He catches on to the ruse, and it's putting Eva in danger. He hasn't moved on from Amarra, and how could he when her echo is walking and breathing so close to him?
“You were made so she could have that second chance!”
“She didn’t want it!” I shout back. People on the street are beginning to stare, but I don’t care. “She didn’t want me, remember? I don’t owe her a bloody thing. She wanted her one life and she had it. You love her, you want her back, and I understand that, but all this”—I raise my hands, show them to him—“all of me? This is mine. You don’t get to think about taking it away.”
And Sean? Ugh.... Eva pining for him was just heartbreaking. I enjoyed this book, truly. The feels I got were real.
kblincoln's review
3.0
I dithered mightily over this rating. It's probably more like 3.5 stars. The writing itself was fine. The main character, Eva, was plucky and conflicted...it's just...well...it wasn't to my taste.
Sometimes I wonder if some books don't click with me because I've watched too much tv/movies and read too many books with science fiction and fantasy themes. Once a trope is explored once or twice, something new needs to be added to it or it doesn't hold my interest.
And so with The Lost Girl, I felt it didn't open up for me any new territory in the murky moral pit of cloning.
The main character is an Echo. She was created and raised at the request of the parents of a girl named Amarra. She reads Amarra's diary, memorizes her favorite things, and must endure major experiences that Amarra undergoes. She's not allowed to do anything that Amarra wouldn't do. All this is preparation for the remote chance that Amarra might die-- and then the Echo will take her place.
Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go also explore the ethics of cloning beings with no respect for their right to a life. The major theme in The Lost Girl is how the girl Echo, later naming herself Eva, tries to fight the fate laid out for her by her creators.
Like I said above, the writing is fine. One of the locations is Bangalore and the descriptions of life there are cool. Eva's sympathetic and I found myself rooting for her, but part of the reason her story didn't feel like it added anything for me to the clone conundrum was that a lot of the rules regarding Echoes and their lives seemed arbitrary and frankly, so incredibly anti-human/civil rights that I couldn't believe it. (Reading Frankenstein is punishable by death? Really? Cute concept, but the theme of a creation rebelling against its maker is so prevalent in our society (adam and eve in the garden of Eden, for example) that this arbitrary rule annoyed me.) Echoes are illegal in some countries, yet the creators brand the Echoes in a highly visible area? I longed for a more complex, realistic status for Eva, one more likely to occur in a Western Industrialized country.
If this is the first time you're coming across cloning in fiction, than I think this book is a very accessible, action/light romance starting point to that murky swamp. So it probably deserves the full 4 stars.
I just found myself skimming sometimes.
This Book's Snack Rating: A can of Pringles for the snackable action with sci-fi elements in a chip with only light substance
Sometimes I wonder if some books don't click with me because I've watched too much tv/movies and read too many books with science fiction and fantasy themes. Once a trope is explored once or twice, something new needs to be added to it or it doesn't hold my interest.
And so with The Lost Girl, I felt it didn't open up for me any new territory in the murky moral pit of cloning.
The main character is an Echo. She was created and raised at the request of the parents of a girl named Amarra. She reads Amarra's diary, memorizes her favorite things, and must endure major experiences that Amarra undergoes. She's not allowed to do anything that Amarra wouldn't do. All this is preparation for the remote chance that Amarra might die-- and then the Echo will take her place.
Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion and Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go also explore the ethics of cloning beings with no respect for their right to a life. The major theme in The Lost Girl is how the girl Echo, later naming herself Eva, tries to fight the fate laid out for her by her creators.
Like I said above, the writing is fine. One of the locations is Bangalore and the descriptions of life there are cool. Eva's sympathetic and I found myself rooting for her, but part of the reason her story didn't feel like it added anything for me to the clone conundrum was that a lot of the rules regarding Echoes and their lives seemed arbitrary and frankly, so incredibly anti-human/civil rights that I couldn't believe it. (Reading Frankenstein is punishable by death? Really? Cute concept, but the theme of a creation rebelling against its maker is so prevalent in our society (adam and eve in the garden of Eden, for example) that this arbitrary rule annoyed me.) Echoes are illegal in some countries, yet the creators brand the Echoes in a highly visible area? I longed for a more complex, realistic status for Eva, one more likely to occur in a Western Industrialized country.
If this is the first time you're coming across cloning in fiction, than I think this book is a very accessible, action/light romance starting point to that murky swamp. So it probably deserves the full 4 stars.
I just found myself skimming sometimes.
This Book's Snack Rating: A can of Pringles for the snackable action with sci-fi elements in a chip with only light substance
andimontgomery's review
2.0
I just don't get how I can be so far off others' reviews. The plot was interesting, but the writing was so flat. I didn't like Eva, and really didn't care much about what happened to her. Oh, well.
paigereadspages's review
3.0
The plot of this book was very clever. The characters were perfect and beautifully "illustrated". The idea of the book was a little hard to follow at the beginning but a couple chapters in I understood it. This book is a fantastic mix of love, action, and suspense. And I recommend reading it.