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mms108's review against another edition
It's an interesting premise, but I didn't ever feel particularly interested in the characters' fate. I just felt like Grey couldn't ever get a handle on himself, but at the same time he didn't strike me with any depth. I wasn't 'taken' by this book and won't be following them into the next one.
jojodonut12's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
remivfoliage's review against another edition
2.0
It seemed so interesting in the beginning.
My Synopsis:
Gray had lived in Claysoot for about 17 years. Every boy got Heisted at the age of 18 here. There were no men. The town was surrounded by the Wall. People were told that no one could survive once they went over the Wall.
Gray's brother, Blaine, was 18 and he got Heisted. Gray was trying to find a way to get his brother back. However, he discovered something more.
Bookpick:
The reason why I picked up this book is because this book had been on my shelf for quite a long time. I went travelling with my parents this weekend, so I decided to bring something easy to read with me. Originally, I wanted to bring a happy book which I hadn't read, but ,obviously, there was no such thing on my shelves. Besides, this trip was a hiking trip. I barely had time to read. Once I got home, I got it finished right away.
The Writing:
The use of words are simple. The writing is just the average, not really special. It is a fast-paced book. Although I thought it an action-packed read, it wasn't THAT action. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed.
The Setting:
Claysoot was a primitive town. Outside the Wall was the rest of the world, so much bigger, bleak, to me. I don't want to talk much about this because I don't want to spoil anything. Maybe you'll like it or maybe you won't.
The Characters:
Gray Weathersby: Our main character, first person speaking. (I felt that I hadn't read any book with male protagonist written by a female writer ever since Harry Potter!) He had every strait to be a main character. Brave. Caring for family and friends. Love to volunteer for something dangerous.
From this part, we can see that Gray wasn't like normal guys who didn't pick a fight with girls. And I like him being him.
From this part, I can tell you that...Gray was so ME!!! I never want to be a mother. Ever.
Blaine Weathersby: Gray's elder brother. He got Heisted. He had a three-year-old daughter. Yeah, I know.
Emma: She was the girl who ran away with Gray. She was such a good model!
Well...maybe it's just me. Emma had always liked Blaine better. Because Blaine got Heisted, there was only Gray left. Moreover, Gray looked just like his brother. Emma must have been thinking: why not give it a try.
Best Quotes Ever:
My Synopsis:
Gray had lived in Claysoot for about 17 years. Every boy got Heisted at the age of 18 here. There were no men. The town was surrounded by the Wall. People were told that no one could survive once they went over the Wall.
Gray's brother, Blaine, was 18 and he got Heisted. Gray was trying to find a way to get his brother back. However, he discovered something more.
Bookpick:
The reason why I picked up this book is because this book had been on my shelf for quite a long time. I went travelling with my parents this weekend, so I decided to bring something easy to read with me. Originally, I wanted to bring a happy book which I hadn't read, but ,obviously, there was no such thing on my shelves. Besides, this trip was a hiking trip. I barely had time to read. Once I got home, I got it finished right away.
The Writing:
The use of words are simple. The writing is just the average, not really special. It is a fast-paced book. Although I thought it an action-packed read, it wasn't THAT action. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed.
The Setting:
Claysoot was a primitive town. Outside the Wall was the rest of the world, so much bigger, bleak, to me. I don't want to talk much about this because I don't want to spoil anything. Maybe you'll like it or maybe you won't.
The Characters:
Gray Weathersby: Our main character, first person speaking. (I felt that I hadn't read any book with male protagonist written by a female writer ever since Harry Potter!) He had every strait to be a main character. Brave. Caring for family and friends. Love to volunteer for something dangerous.
That strikes a nerve. Anger rages into my chest, surges against my rib cage. I couldn't care less that we went to school together, spent days sitting in the same classroom. I forget that she's a girl and that I probably shouldn't hit her. I react automatically, dropping Kale's hand and throwing my fist into Chalice's cheek. She deserves it, all of it. I hit her again, this time in the stomach. We end up in the dirt, flailing.
From this part, we can see that Gray wasn't like normal guys who didn't pick a fight with girls. And I like him being him.
Months later she was pregnant and that jealousy instantly turned to relief. That was when I started being careful with my own slatings, avoiding them when possible. I never want to be a father. Ever.
From this part, I can tell you that...Gray was so ME!!! I never want to be a mother. Ever.
Blaine Weathersby: Gray's elder brother. He got Heisted. He had a three-year-old daughter. Yeah, I know.
Emma: She was the girl who ran away with Gray. She was such a good model!
"I'm trying to say I admire you for what you said about the slating, that I agree with you, that it's not crazy to want to be like the birds, but above all, I'm trying to apologize for how I've judged you all these years. You're different from Blaine but maybe not in a bad way. Maybe in a very good way, and I'm only seeing it for the first time."
Well...maybe it's just me. Emma had always liked Blaine better. Because Blaine got Heisted, there was only Gray left. Moreover, Gray looked just like his brother. Emma must have been thinking: why not give it a try.
Best Quotes Ever:
I sit there, staring at the game pieces, Blaines's clay tokens far outnumbering my wooden ones. Our last unfinished game.
He would have won.
Let's Get Into Some Details: (mild spoiler alert)"Claysoot is nothing but an experiment, Gray. Harvey called it the Laicos Project in the little documentation we've managed to confiscate."
Alright, experiments kinda like The Maze Runner? And there were also other groups? I was tired when I read til here. I could already foresee the rebels fighting with the experiment side."Blaine! You're alive." Craw beams. I can see Emma behind him. Her hair is a mess, sleepy waves coaxed out by the pillows. She holds bedsheets over her chest.
I punch Craw in the face before storming down the hallway.
LOL. First, I'm gonna talk about Emma. Emma had talked about some kinds of birds only have a mate in their lifetime and it had seemed like she wanted to be like that (probably with Blaine *cough* I mean Gray.) Now she already moved on? Wow...that girl really knew how to toy with guys' hearts.
Second, I'd like to say that Gray was just like a guy. His reaction was just like what every guy would, which I really don't understand. He punched Craw. Well...truth is that it was Emma's fault, not Craw's!!! Why didn't he punch Emma? WHY WHY WHY???"I'm so sorry that you had to see me like this, that I even did this, but please don't go."
"I need some time."
"For what?"
"To decide if you deserve a second chance."
.
.
"Everyone deserves a second chance, Gray," she says, the tears still streaming down her face.
"Maybe," I say, and then I turn away from her.
Emma, you're so darn good at acting! Why not apply for an acting school? You betrayed Gray and you wished him could just forgive you like nothing happened. Oh, how naive you are! Just don't talk okay? Leave that boy some space.
I love how Gray treated this with just a maybe and his back. So freaking awesome!
Star-Rating:
I gave this book 2 out of 5 stars. I was considering whether I should give it 2 or 3 stars. (I don't give out half stars because I don't want to confuse myself. La la la ~) Three stars are for books which I don't know whether I like it or not. However, I finally decided to give this book only 2 stars. I like Gray a lot, but I don't like Emma. I'm tired of the plots and I don't want to know more. I have a feeling that Gray and Emma will still be together and I don't want to see that happens. Thus, FYI, I won't read the sequel.
Recommendation:
This book would be perfect for people who expected more 'dramas' and less 'action' of The Maze Runner series.
Happy reading guys ~ :D
topazxglare's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like this book had so much promise but there wasn't enough depth to the writing everything happened so quickly without really developing one this before moving on to the next
tiareleine's review against another edition
3.0
Oh, Taken. Despite the reviews I read, I had high hopes for you. Maybe it had something to do with that gorgeous spine (it does look beautiful on my bookshelf). Maybe I'm just really bad at getting unexcited about a book once I decide to read it. It's probably the second one. I'm a terrible listener.
In the beginning I thought the plot was going to be cool and new and interesting (and to be fair, the idea behind Claysoot and the Heists is very interesting, unexplained and explained) but soon I realized that this dystopia didn't have anything else that every single dystopia doesn't have. Emotion-driven main character. Powerful and corrupt president. Enemy group called the Something (what was it again? The Society? No. The Community? No. The Association? No. Oh yeah, "the Order.") The problem with the plot is that it started out so well, but was ultimately unoriginal.
Plus, the book was filled with tropes. Plot and romance wise. It was brimming with cliches. I think it's only saving grace that it was narrated by a guy, so it wasn't an exact copy of every other dystopian ever.
There was a love triangle, of course. One that was structured exactly like the ones in books with female main characters. I still hate love-triangles, but I had always wondered why nobody had done one with a guy at the top point. (I mean, I can think of a couple things people might say about that, and judging by some other reviews I read, people seemed to say just exactly what I thought they would) Even though the two love interest fit into "childhood friend" and "new bad-ass" like any other love triangle, it was a little interesting to have a guy at the center of it in the same way a girl would have been. Not interesting enough, though. I still hate love-triangles.
Speaking of love interests, I'm not going to pretend that what Grey and Emma had wasn't insta-love. Because it was. They were kissing regularly before we got out of the first third of the book. However, of all the insta-love I've seen, this is one of the more acceptable instances. 1. They have known each other all their lives and were friends as kids. 2. In Claysoot boys who make attachments probably do so quickly, since they don't think they're going to live past 18. Explained insta-love is better than random insta-love, but not better than no insta-love.
A lot of people complain about the way Gray acts, and I have to agree that he shouldn't have punched a girl (which he did in the first chapter...) and I wouldn't want to date someone who acted like him, I didn't hate him. Also, I really appreciate the fact that Gray didn't take advantage of Bree when she was drunk. I'm not going to give brownie points or anything, because I feel that should be the norm, but still. He's not an asshole.
On the topic of that scene, though, why was Gray not hungover the next morning? He obviously had a lot to drink, and Bree was super hungover the next day. Bit somehow Gray was able to get up and go to his really intense training without so much as a headache? I don't think so.
The world building, like most parts of this book, was great at the beginning. I got a feel for what Claysoot was like, how their society and government worked, all that kind of stuff. However, once they got over the wall, the world building started to fall apart. It wasn't that I was left with questions, it's just that it wasn't vivid anymore. Everything was just pretty generic, it fit right into the mold and didn't jump off the page at me anymore. Making up words for things (can't they just call it a "cafeteria" or "lunchroom" or something?) does not pull readers in. If anything, it pushes them away.
I have to say, though, that I really liked Bree, mostly for her backstory. I'll try to say this without spoiling anything. I liked that the place she came from had some reversed gender roles going on. Not every society is patriarchal, and it's totally believable (and appreciated) that a society could develop and be matriarchal the way hers was. It almost would have been less believable if every one of them have developed to have the same social structure. So that was a really nice touch.
In the end. I found that I liked Taken okay, I really did enjoy reading it, but it wasn't anything too special or exciting. Pick it up if you're looking for a dystopian, but don't go out of your way to get your hands on it.
In the beginning I thought the plot was going to be cool and new and interesting (and to be fair, the idea behind Claysoot and the Heists is very interesting, unexplained and explained) but soon I realized that this dystopia didn't have anything else that every single dystopia doesn't have. Emotion-driven main character. Powerful and corrupt president. Enemy group called the Something (what was it again? The Society? No. The Community? No. The Association? No. Oh yeah, "the Order.") The problem with the plot is that it started out so well, but was ultimately unoriginal.
Plus, the book was filled with tropes. Plot and romance wise. It was brimming with cliches. I think it's only saving grace that it was narrated by a guy, so it wasn't an exact copy of every other dystopian ever.
There was a love triangle, of course. One that was structured exactly like the ones in books with female main characters. I still hate love-triangles, but I had always wondered why nobody had done one with a guy at the top point. (I mean, I can think of a couple things people might say about that, and judging by some other reviews I read, people seemed to say just exactly what I thought they would) Even though the two love interest fit into "childhood friend" and "new bad-ass" like any other love triangle, it was a little interesting to have a guy at the center of it in the same way a girl would have been. Not interesting enough, though. I still hate love-triangles.
Speaking of love interests, I'm not going to pretend that what Grey and Emma had wasn't insta-love. Because it was. They were kissing regularly before we got out of the first third of the book. However, of all the insta-love I've seen, this is one of the more acceptable instances. 1. They have known each other all their lives and were friends as kids. 2. In Claysoot boys who make attachments probably do so quickly, since they don't think they're going to live past 18. Explained insta-love is better than random insta-love, but not better than no insta-love.
A lot of people complain about the way Gray acts, and I have to agree that he shouldn't have punched a girl (which he did in the first chapter...) and I wouldn't want to date someone who acted like him, I didn't hate him. Also, I really appreciate the fact that Gray didn't take advantage of Bree when she was drunk. I'm not going to give brownie points or anything, because I feel that should be the norm, but still. He's not an asshole.
On the topic of that scene, though, why was Gray not hungover the next morning? He obviously had a lot to drink, and Bree was super hungover the next day. Bit somehow Gray was able to get up and go to his really intense training without so much as a headache? I don't think so.
The world building, like most parts of this book, was great at the beginning. I got a feel for what Claysoot was like, how their society and government worked, all that kind of stuff. However, once they got over the wall, the world building started to fall apart. It wasn't that I was left with questions, it's just that it wasn't vivid anymore. Everything was just pretty generic, it fit right into the mold and didn't jump off the page at me anymore. Making up words for things (can't they just call it a "cafeteria" or "lunchroom" or something?) does not pull readers in. If anything, it pushes them away.
I have to say, though, that I really liked Bree, mostly for her backstory. I'll try to say this without spoiling anything. I liked that the place she came from had some reversed gender roles going on. Not every society is patriarchal, and it's totally believable (and appreciated) that a society could develop and be matriarchal the way hers was. It almost would have been less believable if every one of them have developed to have the same social structure. So that was a really nice touch.
In the end. I found that I liked Taken okay, I really did enjoy reading it, but it wasn't anything too special or exciting. Pick it up if you're looking for a dystopian, but don't go out of your way to get your hands on it.
ahargis09's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
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? Yes
4.0
queenb13's review against another edition
3.0
This book had many good ideas that happened way too quickly. While everything that happened was interesting, it happened too quickly for me to really process it, let alone for the characters to. The character development really suffered because of this. They all seemed so two-dimensional to me. Emma is the gentle healer. Bree is the fierce warrior. Blaine is the nice guy. Gray is impulsive. They never amounted to anything more than their surface level descriptions. The main character Gray had a bit more depth to him, but I couldn't make sense of him even. The fast pace also caused a lot of interesting things that have been more deeply explored out for the sake of keeping that story going.
This book also has not only one insta-love, but two. That's right, there's a love triangle, and while I didn't outright hate this one, I never felt the connection between Gray and the two girls. We're told from chapter one that Emma dislikes Gray and prefers Blaine, but within twenty pages of that two of them are making out. And she never develops beyond that! Literally everything that girl says after that has to do with how much she loooooooves him. "But Emma, I thought he was mean! And violent! And you didn't like him!" "Yeah, but then we talked for like five minutes and I realized how wrong I was!" Funny how many years of dislike a five minute conversation can wipe away. Bree has a tad more depth to her, but even she starts liking Gray ridiculously fast after an initial dislike. I just...no.
I was interested enough in the concept to keep reading, and I have enough questions to read the next one. Hopefully events will be explored a bit more deeply and I'll get a better feel for the characters. This wasn't a bad book at all, and if an interesting plot is the biggest things for you, I think you'll enjoy it.
Spoiler
I understand that he's impulsive, but there is a fine line between that and stupid, and he crosses that many times. Like when he discovers that Maude is speaking to an adult male. Why on earth would he just randomly shout out that he's a twin and escaped the Heist when he's just discovered that his leader has been lying to him all his life? For all he knew, the minute everyone knew he was really 18 he'd be Heisted. And then later, when he gets picked up by Marco and Frank's group, he ignores his gut instinct that these people are trouble, even though this entire time he's been telling us that he always listens to his emotions in making decisions . His reasoning for it makes no sense. Why on earth would Emma not be able to survive the outside just as well as him? He kept saying that since he survived the Heist he would be okay, but the Heist doesn't take girls. So why wouldn't Emma have just a good of chance as him? It just didn't make sense. Oh, and Frank? I knew he was the real bad guy and framing Harvey before he even opened his mouth. Of course, Gray keeps getting these "feelings" that Frank is lying, but he just ignores them, even though he "always listens to his feelings!" It was just so contradictory.Spoiler
For instance, I would have loved to meet a Forgery, to hear things from their point of view. I know Harvey said that they were programmed to be loyal to Frank, but he also said that they had all the existing memories and personality of the person they were copied from. What if one of them wanted life more than they wanted to serve Frank? How would he feel learning that he is nothing more than a copy, made only for his expendability? That's a fascinating psychological concept that isn't touched on at all. Also, the characters learn new information so fast they never get a chance to really react to it. The people who were Heisted, for example, never really reacted the way I imagined people would upon learning their whole life has been an experiment. Sure, they get angry at Harvey and want to kill him, but that's only expressed internally, in Gray's thoughts, and in brief snatches of calm conversation between soldiers. Where's the rage upon realizing your whole life has been controlled? Shouldn't they lash out? Gray's been called impulsive, but he barely even reacts beyond thinking that he wants to kill Harvey. On top of that, the society the Heisted people come from is primitive, far different from the world they enter into, yet they all take it in a stride. They go from using candles to video-cameras without batting an eye. Shouldn't they be experiencing some sort of culture shock, or at least questioning everything around them in an attempt to learn about this new, advanced world? Gray is always thinking how strange everything is, but he never asks. Why doesn't he ask, try to learn? It doesn't make sense.This book also has not only one insta-love, but two. That's right, there's a love triangle, and while I didn't outright hate this one, I never felt the connection between Gray and the two girls. We're told from chapter one that Emma dislikes Gray and prefers Blaine, but within twenty pages of that two of them are making out. And she never develops beyond that! Literally everything that girl says after that has to do with how much she loooooooves him. "But Emma, I thought he was mean! And violent! And you didn't like him!" "Yeah, but then we talked for like five minutes and I realized how wrong I was!" Funny how many years of dislike a five minute conversation can wipe away. Bree has a tad more depth to her, but even she starts liking Gray ridiculously fast after an initial dislike. I just...no.
I was interested enough in the concept to keep reading, and I have enough questions to read the next one. Hopefully events will be explored a bit more deeply and I'll get a better feel for the characters. This wasn't a bad book at all, and if an interesting plot is the biggest things for you, I think you'll enjoy it.
literallytara's review against another edition
3.0
Disclosure: Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full review from The Librarian Who Doesn't Say Shhh!
None of the men in Claysoot make it past eighteen. Without fail, on their eighteenth birthdays, all men disappear in a flash of light and sound and shaking ground. Poof. Gone. Never to be seen again. They call it the Heist. Gray Weathersby is mentally preparing for his own Heist, but then he discovers a secret (there's always a secret, right?) that might lead him to the truth about the Heists, about Claysoot, and about the wall surrounding their quiet society.
Now here's a book that does something a little different. I've been reading a lot of YA dystopian trilogies, and they seem to follow a pattern for how the plot will unfold over the three books. I thought I knew what the plot arc might be with this one, but Bowman actually surprised me when she messed with that. She doesn't draw things out. Which I'm glad for, because I was prepared for a really boring middle section. NOPE. What I thought would happen at the end happened early on. The story went an awesomely different direction, while still holding on to the key mysteries presented at the beginning. The pacing, in that sense, is spot on (at least for me. I like action). However, it also felt like a lot was going on throughout the novel. By the end of the novel, I felt like I'd already read a trilogy. Or at least the first two books. I'd like that, because it was different and surprising, but also felt strangely disconnected from the story.
Also, I do have a little beef with authors who have characters withhold their secrets for justalittlelonger than necessary. For example, when a character says something like, "I will reveal the truth to you, but not today. Get some dinner and clean up and go to bed, and I'll explain it all to you tomorrow." Really? Why? Who does that in real life? It's just a manipulation of the plot to keep readers waiting, but I find it lazy. I'm also a wee bit tired of the love triangle thing. Oh, the sweet girl-next door that the main character grew up with versus the kick-ass, passionate girl the main character just met. YAWN. We all know who the main character always ends up with.
FINAL GRADE: C This is a good book. Really. As a dystopian fan, I enjoyed it simply for the world-building and figuring-out-the-mystery elements. The flaws listed above knocked from a B to a C, since I just can't give it the same grades I gave to books like The Madman's Daughter, Wonder, and The Holders (all earned a B). Dystopian is my "I don't care if it's not actually that good, Imma read it anyway!" genre, so that's why I'm glad I read the book. It's also why I might continue the series.
Required Reading: Required for dystopian fans.
Library Recommendations: I would buy it for a middle or high school library. Either audience would appreciate it. Be aware of frank references to sex...in this world, men must have regularly scheduled sex from an early age to ensure survival of the society since they are all heisted at eighteen. If I remember right, it is wrapped up in euphemisms that keep the focus on the society rather than the sex. There are also scenes of violence and death.
Full review from The Librarian Who Doesn't Say Shhh!
None of the men in Claysoot make it past eighteen. Without fail, on their eighteenth birthdays, all men disappear in a flash of light and sound and shaking ground. Poof. Gone. Never to be seen again. They call it the Heist. Gray Weathersby is mentally preparing for his own Heist, but then he discovers a secret (there's always a secret, right?) that might lead him to the truth about the Heists, about Claysoot, and about the wall surrounding their quiet society.
Now here's a book that does something a little different. I've been reading a lot of YA dystopian trilogies, and they seem to follow a pattern for how the plot will unfold over the three books. I thought I knew what the plot arc might be with this one, but Bowman actually surprised me when she messed with that. She doesn't draw things out. Which I'm glad for, because I was prepared for a really boring middle section. NOPE. What I thought would happen at the end happened early on. The story went an awesomely different direction, while still holding on to the key mysteries presented at the beginning. The pacing, in that sense, is spot on (at least for me. I like action). However, it also felt like a lot was going on throughout the novel. By the end of the novel, I felt like I'd already read a trilogy. Or at least the first two books. I'd like that, because it was different and surprising, but also felt strangely disconnected from the story.
Also, I do have a little beef with authors who have characters withhold their secrets for justalittlelonger than necessary. For example, when a character says something like, "I will reveal the truth to you, but not today. Get some dinner and clean up and go to bed, and I'll explain it all to you tomorrow." Really? Why? Who does that in real life? It's just a manipulation of the plot to keep readers waiting, but I find it lazy. I'm also a wee bit tired of the love triangle thing. Oh, the sweet girl-next door that the main character grew up with versus the kick-ass, passionate girl the main character just met. YAWN. We all know who the main character always ends up with.
FINAL GRADE: C This is a good book. Really. As a dystopian fan, I enjoyed it simply for the world-building and figuring-out-the-mystery elements. The flaws listed above knocked from a B to a C, since I just can't give it the same grades I gave to books like The Madman's Daughter, Wonder, and The Holders (all earned a B). Dystopian is my "I don't care if it's not actually that good, Imma read it anyway!" genre, so that's why I'm glad I read the book. It's also why I might continue the series.
Required Reading: Required for dystopian fans.
Library Recommendations: I would buy it for a middle or high school library. Either audience would appreciate it. Be aware of frank references to sex...in this world, men must have regularly scheduled sex from an early age to ensure survival of the society since they are all heisted at eighteen. If I remember right, it is wrapped up in euphemisms that keep the focus on the society rather than the sex. There are also scenes of violence and death.
couchnest's review against another edition
2.0
Had high hopes for this one, but it is taking me FOREVER to read so it isn't really THAT gripping, otherwise I would be done by now.
FINALLY finished this book. Taken has taken hours from my life that I could have spent on something else. I can't put my finger on why this book just didn't do anything for me. The only thing I can figure is that I just didn't care, about any of the characters. There was nothing really that earth shattering, new, or exciting. I won't say I didn't like it, but just that it did not make me want to drop everything to read it. In the end, I was skimming as fast as I could to get on to the next, better, book.
FINALLY finished this book. Taken has taken hours from my life that I could have spent on something else. I can't put my finger on why this book just didn't do anything for me. The only thing I can figure is that I just didn't care, about any of the characters. There was nothing really that earth shattering, new, or exciting. I won't say I didn't like it, but just that it did not make me want to drop everything to read it. In the end, I was skimming as fast as I could to get on to the next, better, book.