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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
I really really really liked this book. The girl in this story has a rear disorder called Synesthesia, she can taste colors and if people tell a lie. When Alison wakes to find that she is in a mental institution and is being accused of murder she must figure out why she is there. She meets a very special doctor along the way and there are a few surprises. I could not put this book down.
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. This is not her story. Unless you count the part where I killed her.
When 16 year old Alison wakes up in a secure hospital room and is then sent to a mental institution, she has no idea what sent her there. The last thing she remembers is fighting with a girl called Tori, the most perfect popular girl at school. It soon turns out that Tori is missing and Alison is the main suspect. But Alison can’t explain what happened, One minute she was fighting Tori – the next she disintegrated. But that’s impossible, isn’t it?
I liked this book, well the first half at least. I heard about this book through a fellow booktuber and I knew that I had to read it. This might sound a bit weird but I find books about mental health and institutions quite interesting.
Anderson spends about the first half of the book introducing us to Alison and her surroundings. Alison has synesthesia which means that she can see sounds and taste colours. We are introduced to some of the other patients as well and I really liked Alison’s interactions with them.
The story starts to change when we are introduced to Dr Sebastian Faraday a ‘doctor’ who takes a keen interest in Alison and her synesthesia. I don’t want to spoil this book for others so I won’t say what happens from there.
I didn't really like the last few chapters of this book. I thought that what happened was completely ridiculous
When 16 year old Alison wakes up in a secure hospital room and is then sent to a mental institution, she has no idea what sent her there. The last thing she remembers is fighting with a girl called Tori, the most perfect popular girl at school. It soon turns out that Tori is missing and Alison is the main suspect. But Alison can’t explain what happened, One minute she was fighting Tori – the next she disintegrated. But that’s impossible, isn’t it?
I liked this book, well the first half at least. I heard about this book through a fellow booktuber and I knew that I had to read it. This might sound a bit weird but I find books about mental health and institutions quite interesting.
Anderson spends about the first half of the book introducing us to Alison and her surroundings. Alison has synesthesia which means that she can see sounds and taste colours. We are introduced to some of the other patients as well and I really liked Alison’s interactions with them.
The story starts to change when we are introduced to Dr Sebastian Faraday a ‘doctor’ who takes a keen interest in Alison and her synesthesia. I don’t want to spoil this book for others so I won’t say what happens from there.
I didn't really like the last few chapters of this book. I thought that what happened was completely ridiculous
~3.5 stars. I enjoyed Alison's voice throughout most of this book, and I particularly liked the portrayal of her synesthete experience (although I found it frustrating that it took as long as it did for anyone to bring up the possibility of her having synesthesia!). Pacing-wise I found this book to be unbalanced -- the first 3/4ths are pretty slow-moving, and we don't get very much information related to the mystery. Then in the last quarter all of a sudden things start happening too quickly! This happens in conjunction with what feels like a change in genre/tone -- the first 3/4ths reads more like a contemporary, character-driven story, of a teenage girl with synesthesia and her experience in a psychiatric hospital. While we do get hints that something supernatural is at play, things take quite a strange turn in the last quarter, where all of a sudden things become much more sci-fi and even Alison as a character seems a bit different than she had before. I had a hard time getting on board with this change and it came across as kinda far-fetched and not very well fleshed out. I wanted more from the sci-fi aspect; if the story was going to go there, then I wanted it to commit to it. I also didn't fall for the romance in here, which I felt was...problematic in some ways (). I also wish we'd gotten to know the side characters of Mel and Tori better, as they come across as pretty flat (particularly Mel, who we barely even meet, and who seems to be primarily being used as a plot device).
Spoiler
I mean, she is just 16/17 years old and he is in a position of authority when they first get to know each other
The romance was creepily inappropriate and I would have liked to see more development between Alison and Tori but overall it was interesting enough to capture my attention for an entire sick day.
Ultraviolet is a paranormal, sci-fi mystery with a hint of romance that is the coming-of-age story of a sixteen (going on seventeen) year old girl who believes she has killed one of her classmates and finds herself in a mental hospital. Set in Canada, this contemporary fiction has a beautiful setting, interesting characters, and unforeseen plot twists that will leave you wondering what the heck is going on in a delightful way.
The story does start off a little slow with a tad too much self-loathing from the main protagonist, Alison, and about halfway through the novel takes a twist for the "Umm... what the heck?" However, unlike other novels that go for the surprising, unseen plot twists (*cough*[b:Evernight|2722413|Evernight (Evernight #1)|Claudia Gray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1306376600s/2722413.jpg|2748013]*cough*), Ultraviolet does set the reader up with lots of foreshadowing to make the drastic switch in genres an easy pill to swallow.
The subject matter of a girl with an acute case of synesthesia was incredibly interesting. I'd never heard of this condition and spent lot of time Googling it on the webernet of wonder.
The cast of characters is great, if not a tad one-dimensional and I did think the love-story was a little awkward and rushed, but I sure did get the tingles when Alison was with her man.
My only complaint: The ending had me screaming NOES!!! And I'm hoping, praying, and begging for a sequel to this story. While I thought the story wrapped things up nicely and that the story could end where it is just fine, I want.... *bites spoiler tongue*
In summation: Be on the look out for this wonderfully unique story. It's a great read.
The story does start off a little slow with a tad too much self-loathing from the main protagonist, Alison, and about halfway through the novel takes a twist for the "Umm... what the heck?" However, unlike other novels that go for the surprising, unseen plot twists (*cough*[b:Evernight|2722413|Evernight (Evernight #1)|Claudia Gray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1306376600s/2722413.jpg|2748013]*cough*), Ultraviolet does set the reader up with lots of foreshadowing to make the drastic switch in genres an easy pill to swallow.
The subject matter of a girl with an acute case of synesthesia was incredibly interesting. I'd never heard of this condition and spent lot of time Googling it on the webernet of wonder.
The cast of characters is great, if not a tad one-dimensional and I did think the love-story was a little awkward and rushed, but I sure did get the tingles when Alison was with her man.
My only complaint: The ending had me screaming NOES!!! And I'm hoping, praying, and begging for a sequel to this story. While I thought the story wrapped things up nicely and that the story could end where it is just fine, I want.... *bites spoiler tongue*
In summation: Be on the look out for this wonderfully unique story. It's a great read.
5 stars
Ultraviolet is one of those books that I saw everywhere. All of my blogging friends and people I follow loved it, pretty much. So it was on my radar for a while, but I kept putting it off because... I was scared. Scared it wouldn't live up to my expectations. But I will never do that again. This book was amazing and I'm pretty much demanding that everyone reads it. Time for a different kind of review.
Are you tired of lackluster writing in YA? Read Ultraviolet.
The above passage shows (not counting the prologue) the first paragraphs of Ultraviolet. I just had to read that far and I knew I was getting into something good. Talk about showing, not telling. Talk about amazing imagery. And what an opening! That just sucks you right in. The writing quality never failed to amaze me, with the unique imagery enabled by writing from the perspective of someone with synesthesia producing some of the most amazing passages.
Are you tired of wishy-washy female main characters? Read Ultraviolet.
I wouldn't go all out and say that Alison is a strong female main character, but she's absolutely not a pushover. Considering her constant doubts about her sanity and her internal battles, it's still amazing how much resilience she shows. She's incredibly intelligent and pensive about how her actions are perceived by others. Considering my love for her and my love for Juliette from Shatter Me, maybe I should look into some more "main characters questioning their sanity" books. It's just such a deep and thorough characterization that I love. (And Alison is much stronger than Juliette, for the Shatter Me dislikers.)
Are you tired of instalove? Read Ultraviolet.
So there's a love story here that basically comes at just the right pace. Alison has trouble trusting people, and that doesn't exclude the love interest. There's a beautiful, gradual build up, and the book is not too centered on the romance, as there's still enough mystery surrounding the plot which keeps you turning the pages quickly.
Are you tired of predictable plot lines? Read Ultraviolet.
Ultraviolet is the kind of book where, while you're reading, you have no idea where it could go. The mystery surrounding Alison's psychotic break and Tori's disappearance is a prevailing question mark. The cliché and predictable have no place in this novel, and it will continually surprise you. Plot twists happen that come out of NOWHERE, but then suddenly make the whole story make sense. If you're looking for something compulsively readable, look no further. When you get into this story, you might as well tell your loved ones they won't see you again till you're done.
Are you tired of cliffhanger endings in series? Read Ultraviolet.
It's been a while since I could comfortably say this, but this is a book in a series that you could seriously read as a stand alone. There is a clear story arc in this book that is tied up nicely at the end. R.J. Anderson doesn't need a cliffhanger ending, because her writing quality and amazing story will have you ordering the next book anyway.
Summing Up:
I could go on for days talking about how Ultraviolet ticks all the boxes: fleshed out secondary characters, non-stereotypical friendships, a sense of thoughtfulness about people's motivations, emotional depth, contemporary realism, etc. etc. etc. But if I haven't convinced you by now, I don't think that'll help. This book is amazing, and I wish I could erase my memory and experience it for the first time all over again.
Recommended To:
Anyone who said yes to any of the questions above.
Ultraviolet is one of those books that I saw everywhere. All of my blogging friends and people I follow loved it, pretty much. So it was on my radar for a while, but I kept putting it off because... I was scared. Scared it wouldn't live up to my expectations. But I will never do that again. This book was amazing and I'm pretty much demanding that everyone reads it. Time for a different kind of review.
Are you tired of lackluster writing in YA? Read Ultraviolet.
The darkness behind my eyelids was thick and stank of chemicals, as though someone had poured black oil inside my head. My tongue lay like a dead slug in my mouth, and my limbs felt too heavy to lift.
Had I been sick? Was I injured? Or...
My stomach sloshed, rebelling against the thought. I couldn't be dying. I was only sixteen years old. Yet my skin itched with the coarseness of unfamiliar sheets, and the mattress beneath me felt rubbery. The air was stale and lukewarm. Where else could I be but in a hospital?
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson
The above passage shows (not counting the prologue) the first paragraphs of Ultraviolet. I just had to read that far and I knew I was getting into something good. Talk about showing, not telling. Talk about amazing imagery. And what an opening! That just sucks you right in. The writing quality never failed to amaze me, with the unique imagery enabled by writing from the perspective of someone with synesthesia producing some of the most amazing passages.
Are you tired of wishy-washy female main characters? Read Ultraviolet.
Yes, I was lonely. But not lonely enough to make myself vulnerable to someone who'd hurt me once and might well do it again.
Ultraviolet, R.J. Anderson
I wouldn't go all out and say that Alison is a strong female main character, but she's absolutely not a pushover. Considering her constant doubts about her sanity and her internal battles, it's still amazing how much resilience she shows. She's incredibly intelligent and pensive about how her actions are perceived by others. Considering my love for her and my love for Juliette from Shatter Me, maybe I should look into some more "main characters questioning their sanity" books. It's just such a deep and thorough characterization that I love. (And Alison is much stronger than Juliette, for the Shatter Me dislikers.)
Are you tired of instalove? Read Ultraviolet.
So there's a love story here that basically comes at just the right pace. Alison has trouble trusting people, and that doesn't exclude the love interest. There's a beautiful, gradual build up, and the book is not too centered on the romance, as there's still enough mystery surrounding the plot which keeps you turning the pages quickly.
Are you tired of predictable plot lines? Read Ultraviolet.
Ultraviolet is the kind of book where, while you're reading, you have no idea where it could go. The mystery surrounding Alison's psychotic break and Tori's disappearance is a prevailing question mark. The cliché and predictable have no place in this novel, and it will continually surprise you. Plot twists happen that come out of NOWHERE, but then suddenly make the whole story make sense. If you're looking for something compulsively readable, look no further. When you get into this story, you might as well tell your loved ones they won't see you again till you're done.
Are you tired of cliffhanger endings in series? Read Ultraviolet.
It's been a while since I could comfortably say this, but this is a book in a series that you could seriously read as a stand alone. There is a clear story arc in this book that is tied up nicely at the end. R.J. Anderson doesn't need a cliffhanger ending, because her writing quality and amazing story will have you ordering the next book anyway.
Summing Up:
I could go on for days talking about how Ultraviolet ticks all the boxes: fleshed out secondary characters, non-stereotypical friendships, a sense of thoughtfulness about people's motivations, emotional depth, contemporary realism, etc. etc. etc. But if I haven't convinced you by now, I don't think that'll help. This book is amazing, and I wish I could erase my memory and experience it for the first time all over again.
Recommended To:
Anyone who said yes to any of the questions above.
I really enjoyed this book up until the last 2 or 3 chapters. Wasn't really over keen on the ending but loved the story line and characters
girl with synesthesia in a psych ward believing she has killed a fellow student. Ends with aliens. Pretty good actually.
The imagery and language used in this novel is so vivid that you too feel as if you can taste words, be swept away by a letter or number, know a person just by the letters in their name, be so overwhelmed by language you feel the true magic inherit in it. Alison is a gift of a heroine that you'll root for through every page. You'll want to steal her away and protect her from a world she is too gifted for. This novel is a gift and I cannot recommend it enough!