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thecultwitch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
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
3.5
jessethereader's review against another edition
4.0
(3.5 stars)
I really enjoyed this book! The characters were very interesting and the story was nicely paced. The only problems I had was the world building and the character development. I had a hard time grasping the world and I felt like I was kind of thrown into it and expected to figure out everything on my own. I also think that it was hard to really care for any of the characters, because I didn't feel like I got to know them well enough in the beginning. Either way this book was really fun and I'm glad that I got the chance to read it! Definitely check it out if you get the chance. :)
ALSO Don't forget to join us (Polandbananasbooks, Katytastic, Elizziebooks, & ArielBissett) for a live show discussing CONTROL on Christine's channel tonight at 7 PM EST! https://www.youtube.com/user/polandbananasBOOKS
I really enjoyed this book! The characters were very interesting and the story was nicely paced. The only problems I had was the world building and the character development. I had a hard time grasping the world and I felt like I was kind of thrown into it and expected to figure out everything on my own. I also think that it was hard to really care for any of the characters, because I didn't feel like I got to know them well enough in the beginning. Either way this book was really fun and I'm glad that I got the chance to read it! Definitely check it out if you get the chance. :)
ALSO Don't forget to join us (Polandbananasbooks, Katytastic, Elizziebooks, & ArielBissett) for a live show discussing CONTROL on Christine's channel tonight at 7 PM EST! https://www.youtube.com/user/polandbananasBOOKS
hiveretcafe's review against another edition
3.0
Ummm. What was that even?
3 stars
I enjoyed this book, without a doubt. It was fast paced from the beginning and the action started from page 5. Anyways, I enjoyed the plot for what it was and though I didn’t agree with Zelia’s decisions sometimes, I could understand where they came from.
I don't feel like this was quite a memorable book to me. Also, it felt like the author was trying too hard in making Cy be the stereotypical, popular male love interest who is dark, brooding and is a jerk in the beginning, but turns out to be a softie. Also, I felt like there was the case of the insta-loves. Where did Cy’s love for Zelia come from????? There could have been more world building done too. There didn’t feel as if there wasn’t enough description of the world outside of the foster house to truly visualize it.
Overall, it was well written and I flew through the story. I just wish there could have been more description and world building as it was difficult to visualize scenes.
PS. Like. What was that even, in the end with Cy? He gaVE HIMSELF UP FOR FREAKING ZELIA? And he still loves her even if she lied to him and drugged him. Um. Okay.
3 stars
I enjoyed this book, without a doubt. It was fast paced from the beginning and the action started from page 5. Anyways, I enjoyed the plot for what it was and though I didn’t agree with Zelia’s decisions sometimes, I could understand where they came from.
I don't feel like this was quite a memorable book to me. Also, it felt like the author was trying too hard in making Cy be the stereotypical, popular male love interest who is dark, brooding and is a jerk in the beginning, but turns out to be a softie. Also, I felt like there was the case of the insta-loves. Where did Cy’s love for Zelia come from????? There could have been more world building done too. There didn’t feel as if there wasn’t enough description of the world outside of the foster house to truly visualize it.
Overall, it was well written and I flew through the story. I just wish there could have been more description and world building as it was difficult to visualize scenes.
PS. Like. What was that even, in the end with Cy? He gaVE HIMSELF UP FOR FREAKING ZELIA? And he still loves her even if she lied to him and drugged him. Um. Okay.
manoncremers's review against another edition
3.0
This review appears on RelleReads. Check it out for reviews, writing and more! Nope, kidding. Just those two.
Control is definitely one of the most difficult books for me to review. I had thought a long while about the rating, and then I came to the conclusion that I still had to write a review. Before you start panicking about why I didn't like this book, it's not that I didn't like it. I'd like to call it somwhere between a disapointment and an interesting novel.
To start with the interesting aspect of the novel, Control is set in a "dystopian" world where there's a lot of focus on science and technology. As soon as I started reading, I got bombed with all sort of new inventions. Very cool, unless they're suddenly everywhere in the context without having an idea what they are. It was only after a couple of chapters I got to figure out what each thing was. Because of this I was kind of confused thoughout the beginning and it made me less caring for everything else. Further into the book, it were the two houses that grabbed my attention. The rivalry bewteen the two is special and a nice bonus to the overall world. The other elements of Lydia Kang's world however, didn't manage to grab me. It was hard to get into mainly because of the few explanations I got. I would like to see more details in the sequel, especially since it felt like the author rushed over these and went straight into the action and the actual plot.
The world usually says a lot about how the plot is going to be. As I mentioned that I liked the tentions between the two houses, I also really enjoyed the refreshing take on science. It's something not many YA books do. Thinking about it, it's actually not impossible for our society to head that way. The writing was at its best with the action scenes. I just flew throuh those. Despite all this, I also have to mention the little things that made it hard for me to finish. A big part of this book felt like a not so original novel with a rather predictable plot. From the moment we start getting hints on a specific topic, it's really not that hard to figure out the rest of the story. The only surprising twist was the romance. I didn't think there was going to be any until I actually got it 60 % in. Furthermore, I hope I'm not the only one who was annoyed by the slow pacing, despite the entertaining scenes and suspense. At times it was way too easy for me to put down, when I actually shouldn't have.
I can see a trilogy with potential with the characters introduced in Control. Reading about teens with a dark environment, you're sometimes in the need for a lighter scene and they're there to make you smile. They're entertaining and there conversations always kept me interested. When looking at every character, I can be honest and say that I didn't really care for a lot of them in the beginning of the book. I was still processing everything else (the world), and my love for them has come a tad later. This had a lot to do with the obvious lack of character development. Having finished the book, I still have this feeling that I don't know them very well. My love for Zelia wasn't really there in the beginning, and hasn't come when I read the last page. She, like every other character, came across as superficial. I did like her surprising relationship with a certain guy. Don't mind me, I was okay with the sweet moments and romantic talk. They're that couple I'll possibly add to my shipping list in the future.
The ending was expected, and yet the author managed to throw in multiple plot twists I could have never seen coming. In a way, they made sense when looking at everything as a whole. I do think the ending was good because we get what we want to happen throughout Control. With a certain plot twist there's a whole new storyline to continue in the sequels of the book. If only I hadn't lost interest when getting to the last page. For some reason I was relieved to having almost finished it that I may rushed over the ending. However, I can't say the ending wasn't good because it leaves me wanting more.
Control is a book which felt like a let-down a lot of times while reading. I was expecting more, and I'm sad that I'm not statisfied. It turned out to be a story with surprising twists in both a positive and a negative way. The characters were the thing I enjoyed most, and I'm curious to see how they'll develop in the sequel. Talking about it, I have no idea if I'll eventually pick it up. I probably will because of the ending and most of all: peer pressure. Damn you, peer pressure.
"Trust no one, I scold myself. Even if they smell good."
- Lydia Kang, Control
Control is definitely one of the most difficult books for me to review. I had thought a long while about the rating, and then I came to the conclusion that I still had to write a review. Before you start panicking about why I didn't like this book, it's not that I didn't like it. I'd like to call it somwhere between a disapointment and an interesting novel.
To start with the interesting aspect of the novel, Control is set in a "dystopian" world where there's a lot of focus on science and technology. As soon as I started reading, I got bombed with all sort of new inventions. Very cool, unless they're suddenly everywhere in the context without having an idea what they are. It was only after a couple of chapters I got to figure out what each thing was. Because of this I was kind of confused thoughout the beginning and it made me less caring for everything else. Further into the book, it were the two houses that grabbed my attention. The rivalry bewteen the two is special and a nice bonus to the overall world. The other elements of Lydia Kang's world however, didn't manage to grab me. It was hard to get into mainly because of the few explanations I got. I would like to see more details in the sequel, especially since it felt like the author rushed over these and went straight into the action and the actual plot.
The world usually says a lot about how the plot is going to be. As I mentioned that I liked the tentions between the two houses, I also really enjoyed the refreshing take on science. It's something not many YA books do. Thinking about it, it's actually not impossible for our society to head that way. The writing was at its best with the action scenes. I just flew throuh those. Despite all this, I also have to mention the little things that made it hard for me to finish. A big part of this book felt like a not so original novel with a rather predictable plot. From the moment we start getting hints on a specific topic, it's really not that hard to figure out the rest of the story. The only surprising twist was the romance. I didn't think there was going to be any until I actually got it 60 % in. Furthermore, I hope I'm not the only one who was annoyed by the slow pacing, despite the entertaining scenes and suspense. At times it was way too easy for me to put down, when I actually shouldn't have.
I can see a trilogy with potential with the characters introduced in Control. Reading about teens with a dark environment, you're sometimes in the need for a lighter scene and they're there to make you smile. They're entertaining and there conversations always kept me interested. When looking at every character, I can be honest and say that I didn't really care for a lot of them in the beginning of the book. I was still processing everything else (the world), and my love for them has come a tad later. This had a lot to do with the obvious lack of character development. Having finished the book, I still have this feeling that I don't know them very well. My love for Zelia wasn't really there in the beginning, and hasn't come when I read the last page. She, like every other character, came across as superficial. I did like her surprising relationship with a certain guy. Don't mind me, I was okay with the sweet moments and romantic talk. They're that couple I'll possibly add to my shipping list in the future.
The ending was expected, and yet the author managed to throw in multiple plot twists I could have never seen coming. In a way, they made sense when looking at everything as a whole. I do think the ending was good because we get what we want to happen throughout Control. With a certain plot twist there's a whole new storyline to continue in the sequels of the book. If only I hadn't lost interest when getting to the last page. For some reason I was relieved to having almost finished it that I may rushed over the ending. However, I can't say the ending wasn't good because it leaves me wanting more.
Control is a book which felt like a let-down a lot of times while reading. I was expecting more, and I'm sad that I'm not statisfied. It turned out to be a story with surprising twists in both a positive and a negative way. The characters were the thing I enjoyed most, and I'm curious to see how they'll develop in the sequel. Talking about it, I have no idea if I'll eventually pick it up. I probably will because of the ending and most of all: peer pressure. Damn you, peer pressure.
mom2triplets04's review against another edition
3.0
I read this as a read along with other you tubers. I probably would not have chosen this book. I gave it 3 stars because I struggled with the medical terms throughout the book. It was very fast moving in the beginning but then the end really dragged. I did not like how it ended but it did leave you wanting to get the next book which will come out in 2014 or 2015.
nicksquiggles's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't read a book in a long time with so many surprises! Several times the end of a chapter would make me hold my breathe and be in shock. This meant I just HAD to keep reading to see what was coming next.
I would highly recommend this book, I loved the special traits the characters had, and all the futuristic tech within the world.
Zel was a great main character, I think she was strong and not perfect like so many other main characters seem to be. Ana was a really interesting character, I hope we get to hear more from her in the next book.
The pacing for this book is very fast, however I think it worked in this book and it kept me excited the entire time. Maybe in the sequel we will have more character development from the characters we already know to hear more about their backgrounds.
I would highly recommend this book, I loved the special traits the characters had, and all the futuristic tech within the world.
Zel was a great main character, I think she was strong and not perfect like so many other main characters seem to be. Ana was a really interesting character, I hope we get to hear more from her in the next book.
Spoiler
I am really sad to read about what's happening to Cy in the end, but as this is not going to be a stand alone novel, I have hope that we will see him again.The pacing for this book is very fast, however I think it worked in this book and it kept me excited the entire time. Maybe in the sequel we will have more character development from the characters we already know to hear more about their backgrounds.
aneeqah's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, I can't pinpoint why I didn't live this one. It was good but just lacked something.