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alexisneuville's review against another edition
1.0
REVIEW: http://theliteraturelion.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-above-by-leah-bobet.html
Warning: In order to understand this book, you're going to have to REALLY pay attention at the beginning. I read this pretty quickly in the beginning and I was registering everything, but I still had troubles understanding some things, so I had to go back and reread the first few chapters! Even after doing that, I still had some troubles comprehending some of the things.
This book is not written like a normal book - it's written as Matthew actually speaks. It's easy to deal with in the beginning because it's just small things like 'round instead of around, but then it starts getting a bit harder to read as it progresses.
Matthew claims that he loves Ariel, and that he would do anything to protect her. I'm not saying he doesn't, but it just seems like the wrong kind of love. He protects her in a sibling-type way, rather than romantically. They didn't kiss once in the book, and Matthew always calls her 'my Ariel' as if she were a child rather than a girlfriend. It just didn't seem right. Matthew as a character was very fascinating though, how he seemed to be afraid of the Above, yet he wasn't afraid to adventure out in it in order to save the people he loved. Ariel kind of bugged me, how she wouldn't do anything or say anything, yet it seemed like she expected everyone to do everything for her. She just seemed like a lost child to me, not an independent teenager that I think she was supposed to be.
I actually really enjoyed the concept of this plot, but I didn't like how it was executed. Pretty much I liked the whole thing with Atticus and Corner, the recently deceased Safe leader and the common enemy. It was really intruiging! Another good storyline was Ariel's past, with Bea and all those people! I just wish they would say Ariel's real name, because they brought it up SO many times. I don't understand why Matthew wouldn't want to know her name...
There's no doubt this novel is extremely unique, and that's what drew it to me at first! The cover is simply gorgeous, and the premise is awesome! I had never heard anything like this before, and that's why I continued to push through it, hoping that there would be some awesome ending or something. Sadly, Above just fell short for me, and didn't live up to what I expected...
Warning: In order to understand this book, you're going to have to REALLY pay attention at the beginning. I read this pretty quickly in the beginning and I was registering everything, but I still had troubles understanding some things, so I had to go back and reread the first few chapters! Even after doing that, I still had some troubles comprehending some of the things.
This book is not written like a normal book - it's written as Matthew actually speaks. It's easy to deal with in the beginning because it's just small things like 'round instead of around, but then it starts getting a bit harder to read as it progresses.
Matthew claims that he loves Ariel, and that he would do anything to protect her. I'm not saying he doesn't, but it just seems like the wrong kind of love. He protects her in a sibling-type way, rather than romantically. They didn't kiss once in the book, and Matthew always calls her 'my Ariel' as if she were a child rather than a girlfriend. It just didn't seem right. Matthew as a character was very fascinating though, how he seemed to be afraid of the Above, yet he wasn't afraid to adventure out in it in order to save the people he loved. Ariel kind of bugged me, how she wouldn't do anything or say anything, yet it seemed like she expected everyone to do everything for her. She just seemed like a lost child to me, not an independent teenager that I think she was supposed to be.
I actually really enjoyed the concept of this plot, but I didn't like how it was executed. Pretty much I liked the whole thing with Atticus and Corner, the recently deceased Safe leader and the common enemy. It was really intruiging! Another good storyline was Ariel's past, with Bea and all those people! I just wish they would say Ariel's real name, because they brought it up SO many times. I don't understand why Matthew wouldn't want to know her name...
There's no doubt this novel is extremely unique, and that's what drew it to me at first! The cover is simply gorgeous, and the premise is awesome! I had never heard anything like this before, and that's why I continued to push through it, hoping that there would be some awesome ending or something. Sadly, Above just fell short for me, and didn't live up to what I expected...
themissyreads's review against another edition
2.0
This was the authors first ever book so i'm being nice. the world in Above had a lot of interesting things and a lot of little nuggets of potential. The cover is beautiful and that's what drew me in. I didn't love it but i don't think this book wasted my time. This isn't a spoiler but in the story there is an intersex person and the pronouns used were hir and sie. Ive never read anything that not only included an intersex individual but used gender nonbinary pronouns when talking about hir. I just wish it hadn't been so underused and way at the end.
The story felt clunky and i couldn't feel any building tension toward the climax at all. i guess i'm trying to say that the characters were mostly forgettable to me and they failed to get hardly any emotional reaction out of me at all.
The story felt clunky and i couldn't feel any building tension toward the climax at all. i guess i'm trying to say that the characters were mostly forgettable to me and they failed to get hardly any emotional reaction out of me at all.
deirdrekoala's review against another edition
3.0
I started this book thinking it was a dystopian science-fiction novel, only to realize while reading that it's an urban fantasy novel that takes place in the present (as far as the reader can tell, anyway. The ambiguous present?). This in itself was a really interesting way to set up a story, so I liked that aspect of discovery. I gave [b:Above|11250671|Above|Leah Bobet|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334007434s/11250671.jpg|16177154] three stars instead of four because I never felt particularly attached to the two main characters, Matthew and Ariel. I was most interested in the antagonist, Corner, and I had to wait and wait to learn Corner's backstory.
mountie9's review against another edition
4.0
The Good Stuff
Absolutely stunning cover
Canadian author (yup that be Toronto on the cover folks)
The writing is wonderfully poetic, expressive and intense and oh so very visual
Has an X-Men feel to it which I really enjoyed
Truly unique, unusual and dark
Well developed characters who grow and change which give it a realistic feel
Truly unique premise/plot - I can honestly say I have never read anything like it
This isn't for everyone, but the right reader will LOVE this and I think this could very well be an award winner as the language is just so beautiful and haunting
Mentions locations I know -- hee hee Queen and Bathurst
The Not So Good Stuff
The writing style took me a while to get into as I am easily distracted and a bit of speed reader. These character flaws of mine made it a harder story to get into (Just an FYI for others like me, but don't give up this is good)
Matthew is a little too EMO for me (This may turn off male readers, but YA girls will probably totally dig)
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"What Atticus calls emergency money, in case you have an emergency; he says, but really it's if you use it, it had better have been an emergency."
"That's why we work together. Because even if we're strange and Cursed and Beasts, the people Above are monsters."
"It's just foolishness to go 'round wanting not to have a Curse, my pa's voice whispers inside, in the dark."
"I whisper before I can help it, knowing that deal or not, it's a gift; knowing there's nothing less wise than to question a gift lest it go right back to the giver,"
Who Should/Shouldn't Read
I would say for the more mature YA reader as the language/writing style might be a little difficult for the general reader
This is not for those who need a fast paced story, this is to be savored and for you to lose yourself in the language
For fans of Urban fantasy definitely
High school Librarians/Teachers there is some swearing so you may have complaints from repressed parents who cringe if their precious angels hear a bad word
4 Dewey's
I picked up a copy at the 2012 OLA Super-conference and its signed by the author
Absolutely stunning cover
Canadian author (yup that be Toronto on the cover folks)
The writing is wonderfully poetic, expressive and intense and oh so very visual
Has an X-Men feel to it which I really enjoyed
Truly unique, unusual and dark
Well developed characters who grow and change which give it a realistic feel
Truly unique premise/plot - I can honestly say I have never read anything like it
This isn't for everyone, but the right reader will LOVE this and I think this could very well be an award winner as the language is just so beautiful and haunting
Mentions locations I know -- hee hee Queen and Bathurst
The Not So Good Stuff
The writing style took me a while to get into as I am easily distracted and a bit of speed reader. These character flaws of mine made it a harder story to get into (Just an FYI for others like me, but don't give up this is good)
Matthew is a little too EMO for me (This may turn off male readers, but YA girls will probably totally dig)
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"What Atticus calls emergency money, in case you have an emergency; he says, but really it's if you use it, it had better have been an emergency."
"That's why we work together. Because even if we're strange and Cursed and Beasts, the people Above are monsters."
"It's just foolishness to go 'round wanting not to have a Curse, my pa's voice whispers inside, in the dark."
"I whisper before I can help it, knowing that deal or not, it's a gift; knowing there's nothing less wise than to question a gift lest it go right back to the giver,"
Who Should/Shouldn't Read
I would say for the more mature YA reader as the language/writing style might be a little difficult for the general reader
This is not for those who need a fast paced story, this is to be savored and for you to lose yourself in the language
For fans of Urban fantasy definitely
High school Librarians/Teachers there is some swearing so you may have complaints from repressed parents who cringe if their precious angels hear a bad word
4 Dewey's
I picked up a copy at the 2012 OLA Super-conference and its signed by the author
bstaats's review against another edition
4.0
Consider yourself warned: Above is like nothing else out there in YA. Above is a truly original and utterly engrossing read, one that is sure to leave a distinct impression on its readers. And frankly, this isn't a book that every reader will love because it's a very tricky one to read and doesn't make for light reading. However, I think it's one that most readers should at least give a chance because if it's one that you will enjoy, it will have a great impact on you.
Reasons to Read:
1.Thoughtful details:
Leah Bobet clearly put a lot of thought into this book, and it is so rich in meaningful topics that I'm not even sure I picked up on all of the ideas and questions it raises. The story comes across as being so detailed and curious, with a very particular story to share. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but overall the details all seemed very conscientious that actually blended together very well and added to the story.
2.Prose-like writing:
I know some people who reviewed Above mentioned that they struggled with the writing; and yes, it definitely isn't written in the same style that the majority of books are written. But the way Leah writes Above just rolls off the tongue, with gorgeous phrasing and imagery that just flows off the page to meet with your imagination. It's stunning, really. But I can also see how this wouldn't be enjoyable for every reader (it all depends on taste). But it also captures the perspective of the narrator very well, and gives him a distinct voice.
3.An intelligent read:
Above is one YA book that really stood out to me as an intelligent book. It's one that makes you question norms and expectations, and re-evaluate things we readily take for granted. And the way it's written can be confusing at times (and yes, a bit convoluted in some phrases) but you really need to adapt your mind to it and be willing to embrace these differences to appreciate Above. And THAT is something I thoroughly enjoyed about it.
Above deals with a lot of notions and ideas, most of which fit in quite well with contemporary society. This urban fantasy portrays a remarkable story of a group of people just trying to fit in - somewhere, wherever that may be. And whether that may be with each other or not. And there isn't any easy answer to this, as Leah shows with Above, and each of the characters has a lesson to learn that will truly change their life.
But moreso, the story is tragic. I'm not sure if this was intended at all, but it seemed to me that Above did a good job tackling issues of equality among people and accepting the differences and flaws of others. And it took this a step further by highlighting the dangers of rejecting others and the hurt that can stem from that.
Yet I can also see how this would not be a book for every reader; it's beautiful, yes, but it requires a bit of patience to get used to the style and flow of the writing and really absorb yourself in the story. But once you do, here's a book that won't easily be forgotten.
Review copy received from Scholastic Canada for review.
Reasons to Read:
1.Thoughtful details:
Leah Bobet clearly put a lot of thought into this book, and it is so rich in meaningful topics that I'm not even sure I picked up on all of the ideas and questions it raises. The story comes across as being so detailed and curious, with a very particular story to share. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but overall the details all seemed very conscientious that actually blended together very well and added to the story.
2.Prose-like writing:
I know some people who reviewed Above mentioned that they struggled with the writing; and yes, it definitely isn't written in the same style that the majority of books are written. But the way Leah writes Above just rolls off the tongue, with gorgeous phrasing and imagery that just flows off the page to meet with your imagination. It's stunning, really. But I can also see how this wouldn't be enjoyable for every reader (it all depends on taste). But it also captures the perspective of the narrator very well, and gives him a distinct voice.
3.An intelligent read:
Above is one YA book that really stood out to me as an intelligent book. It's one that makes you question norms and expectations, and re-evaluate things we readily take for granted. And the way it's written can be confusing at times (and yes, a bit convoluted in some phrases) but you really need to adapt your mind to it and be willing to embrace these differences to appreciate Above. And THAT is something I thoroughly enjoyed about it.
Above deals with a lot of notions and ideas, most of which fit in quite well with contemporary society. This urban fantasy portrays a remarkable story of a group of people just trying to fit in - somewhere, wherever that may be. And whether that may be with each other or not. And there isn't any easy answer to this, as Leah shows with Above, and each of the characters has a lesson to learn that will truly change their life.
But moreso, the story is tragic. I'm not sure if this was intended at all, but it seemed to me that Above did a good job tackling issues of equality among people and accepting the differences and flaws of others. And it took this a step further by highlighting the dangers of rejecting others and the hurt that can stem from that.
Yet I can also see how this would not be a book for every reader; it's beautiful, yes, but it requires a bit of patience to get used to the style and flow of the writing and really absorb yourself in the story. But once you do, here's a book that won't easily be forgotten.
Review copy received from Scholastic Canada for review.
bahnree's review against another edition
5.0
Matthew lives in a place called Safe, which is an underground haven for all sorts of outcasts from society, whether they’re like Atticus, the founder who has pincers like a crab, or like Ariel, who is hiding some sort of trauma and turns into a bee when she’s afraid. Matthew was born in Safe and has scales and clawed feet. He is also the Storyteller for the community, and memorizes the stories of each person in Safe and how they came from “Above,” a world similar to our own. However, Matthew doesn’t know everything about people like Ariel, Atticus, or Corner, the only person ever to be exiled from Safe, for a horrible crime. When tragedy hits Safe itself, Matthew has to protect those in Safe, while trying to find out what really happened to Corner and to Ariel.
First off, I need to admit that this is one of my two favorite debuts this year, and I think it’s completely brilliant. I’ve read a lot of reviews for this, and the one complaint that I’ve seen the most, and completely disagree with, is that it’s confusing to read and illogical. Matthew, the narrator and POV, uses words a little strangely, it is true. But it’s the dialect of Safe, and it is internally consistent and logical throughout the book. Just compare it to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: it’s difficult to read and interpret sometimes, but totally worth it, AND much easier than Huck Finn, in my opinion. I loved the language in this, and the way they use words just a little bit differently than us. But the main thing I want to say is that if you can persevere through the difficulty, this book is very, very rewarding. There’s also the “confusion” of one of the character’s gender, but it’s an intended mystery within the story, so you’re supposed to wonder about it, and the answer we are given is perfect for the character and the story.
I really loved all the characters in this. Matthew especially, but Jack Flash, Ariel, Whisper, Corner, and Atticus were so real, so complex, and so interesting that I loved every moment with them, even when they made bad choices, or REALLY bad choices, but especially when they were strong and did the right thing. Corner and Atticus tore my heart into shreds, so there’s also that.
I’m not going to talk too much about the portrayal of mental illness, because I’m not qualified, but I thought it was respectfully done. It shows several different ways of behaving towards people with mental illness, and the characters that have to struggle with it are not defended or blamed at face value, but they are held responsible for their moral choices. There is a lot of fear in this novel, fear of “Them,” of mental illness, of “Above,” of people down below in Safe. All of the characters struggle with it, and some of them overcome it.
My favorite part of the book was the point of view: the choice of which was perfect, Matthew is the perfect person to tell this story. He’s the Storyteller, and while reading his story, we see him making choices on how to present stories, whether it is Jack Flash’s story of his time Above, or the overall story in the novel. We see how other characters perceive, interpret, or tell stories, whether or not they are true. Matthew himself controls much of the truth about the other characters, because he is the keeper of the stories. This makes him very powerful in influencing the choices of others, although not completely responsible, and it’s a very interesting part of the plot of the novel. The past of the characters is very important to the present story—they almost run parallel to each other, with important events in one influencing or reflecting important events in the other. Matthew thinks about this often and learns the importance of getting the past straight so one can deal properly with the present.
(also posted at my blog, bahnree.blogspot.com)
First off, I need to admit that this is one of my two favorite debuts this year, and I think it’s completely brilliant. I’ve read a lot of reviews for this, and the one complaint that I’ve seen the most, and completely disagree with, is that it’s confusing to read and illogical. Matthew, the narrator and POV, uses words a little strangely, it is true. But it’s the dialect of Safe, and it is internally consistent and logical throughout the book. Just compare it to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: it’s difficult to read and interpret sometimes, but totally worth it, AND much easier than Huck Finn, in my opinion. I loved the language in this, and the way they use words just a little bit differently than us. But the main thing I want to say is that if you can persevere through the difficulty, this book is very, very rewarding. There’s also the “confusion” of one of the character’s gender, but it’s an intended mystery within the story, so you’re supposed to wonder about it, and the answer we are given is perfect for the character and the story.
I really loved all the characters in this. Matthew especially, but Jack Flash, Ariel, Whisper, Corner, and Atticus were so real, so complex, and so interesting that I loved every moment with them, even when they made bad choices, or REALLY bad choices, but especially when they were strong and did the right thing. Corner and Atticus tore my heart into shreds, so there’s also that.
I’m not going to talk too much about the portrayal of mental illness, because I’m not qualified, but I thought it was respectfully done. It shows several different ways of behaving towards people with mental illness, and the characters that have to struggle with it are not defended or blamed at face value, but they are held responsible for their moral choices. There is a lot of fear in this novel, fear of “Them,” of mental illness, of “Above,” of people down below in Safe. All of the characters struggle with it, and some of them overcome it.
My favorite part of the book was the point of view: the choice of which was perfect, Matthew is the perfect person to tell this story. He’s the Storyteller, and while reading his story, we see him making choices on how to present stories, whether it is Jack Flash’s story of his time Above, or the overall story in the novel. We see how other characters perceive, interpret, or tell stories, whether or not they are true. Matthew himself controls much of the truth about the other characters, because he is the keeper of the stories. This makes him very powerful in influencing the choices of others, although not completely responsible, and it’s a very interesting part of the plot of the novel. The past of the characters is very important to the present story—they almost run parallel to each other, with important events in one influencing or reflecting important events in the other. Matthew thinks about this often and learns the importance of getting the past straight so one can deal properly with the present.
(also posted at my blog, bahnree.blogspot.com)
gothiebiovenom's review against another edition
5.0
I picked up this book from my library expecting a story about fairies, I was not expecting it would be about genetic mutations instead.
Such a good read and interesting idea.
I loved the characters, even the "villian".
Having a male narrator was a welcome breath of fresh air, as most fantasy books I've read have been narrated by females.
Fantastic book by a new author, I look forward to reading her next release :)
Such a good read and interesting idea.
I loved the characters, even the "villian".
Having a male narrator was a welcome breath of fresh air, as most fantasy books I've read have been narrated by females.
Fantastic book by a new author, I look forward to reading her next release :)
kylek's review against another edition
5.0
I don't know how to express everything that this book puts you through. It was a strangely beautiful Tale. Told by a great Teller. And it spoke of the dark true thing. The one that is always the hardest to accept.
If you are curious as to what I mean, then give Above a try.
If you are curious as to what I mean, then give Above a try.
alexisneuville23's review against another edition
1.0
REVIEW: http://theliteraturelion.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-above-by-leah-bobet.html
Warning: In order to understand this book, you're going to have to REALLY pay attention at the beginning. I read this pretty quickly in the beginning and I was registering everything, but I still had troubles understanding some things, so I had to go back and reread the first few chapters! Even after doing that, I still had some troubles comprehending some of the things.
This book is not written like a normal book - it's written as Matthew actually speaks. It's easy to deal with in the beginning because it's just small things like 'round instead of around, but then it starts getting a bit harder to read as it progresses.
Matthew claims that he loves Ariel, and that he would do anything to protect her. I'm not saying he doesn't, but it just seems like the wrong kind of love. He protects her in a sibling-type way, rather than romantically. They didn't kiss once in the book, and Matthew always calls her 'my Ariel' as if she were a child rather than a girlfriend. It just didn't seem right. Matthew as a character was very fascinating though, how he seemed to be afraid of the Above, yet he wasn't afraid to adventure out in it in order to save the people he loved. Ariel kind of bugged me, how she wouldn't do anything or say anything, yet it seemed like she expected everyone to do everything for her. She just seemed like a lost child to me, not an independent teenager that I think she was supposed to be.
I actually really enjoyed the concept of this plot, but I didn't like how it was executed. Pretty much I liked the whole thing with Atticus and Corner, the recently deceased Safe leader and the common enemy. It was really intruiging! Another good storyline was Ariel's past, with Bea and all those people! I just wish they would say Ariel's real name, because they brought it up SO many times. I don't understand why Matthew wouldn't want to know her name...
There's no doubt this novel is extremely unique, and that's what drew it to me at first! The cover is simply gorgeous, and the premise is awesome! I had never heard anything like this before, and that's why I continued to push through it, hoping that there would be some awesome ending or something. Sadly, Above just fell short for me, and didn't live up to what I expected...
Warning: In order to understand this book, you're going to have to REALLY pay attention at the beginning. I read this pretty quickly in the beginning and I was registering everything, but I still had troubles understanding some things, so I had to go back and reread the first few chapters! Even after doing that, I still had some troubles comprehending some of the things.
This book is not written like a normal book - it's written as Matthew actually speaks. It's easy to deal with in the beginning because it's just small things like 'round instead of around, but then it starts getting a bit harder to read as it progresses.
Matthew claims that he loves Ariel, and that he would do anything to protect her. I'm not saying he doesn't, but it just seems like the wrong kind of love. He protects her in a sibling-type way, rather than romantically. They didn't kiss once in the book, and Matthew always calls her 'my Ariel' as if she were a child rather than a girlfriend. It just didn't seem right. Matthew as a character was very fascinating though, how he seemed to be afraid of the Above, yet he wasn't afraid to adventure out in it in order to save the people he loved. Ariel kind of bugged me, how she wouldn't do anything or say anything, yet it seemed like she expected everyone to do everything for her. She just seemed like a lost child to me, not an independent teenager that I think she was supposed to be.
I actually really enjoyed the concept of this plot, but I didn't like how it was executed. Pretty much I liked the whole thing with Atticus and Corner, the recently deceased Safe leader and the common enemy. It was really intruiging! Another good storyline was Ariel's past, with Bea and all those people! I just wish they would say Ariel's real name, because they brought it up SO many times. I don't understand why Matthew wouldn't want to know her name...
There's no doubt this novel is extremely unique, and that's what drew it to me at first! The cover is simply gorgeous, and the premise is awesome! I had never heard anything like this before, and that's why I continued to push through it, hoping that there would be some awesome ending or something. Sadly, Above just fell short for me, and didn't live up to what I expected...
melaniefiction's review against another edition
1.0
My brain just can't seem to make sense of this style of writing.