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bethany_with_a_book's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
estephaniearlette's review
2.0
The plot seems interesting but I just can't get into the groove of things with this book. Maybe I'll pick it up later.
allyriadayne's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it in the way it's obviously just a setup for more books. It was pretty light on the details, never going too deep or straying from the protagonist's perceptions, but this didn't give the book any favours. I would have prefer for it to be a standalone and fill in much more of the details it left out, flesh it out more. But alas, it was not.
Archetype tells the story of a woman waking up to find she has no memory before her "accident". She no only doesn't know her name, she doesn't know how to behave or eat or what words mean. A total wipe out. But is she? Her husbands tries to help her remember their past life together, their marriage and ambitions but she keeps dreaming of another man, another life, another cause. The start of the novel grips you and leaves you wondering who exactly is the protagonist and why did she find herself in a hospital not remembering anything, not even the husband who so lovingly tries to make her comfortable every step of the way.
The second part is well, different. Suddenly everything escalates so quickly it doesn't give you a moment to breath; she's suddenly remembering her past, the man she loves, then "joining" the resistance then infodumps are throw in for good measure about the science-y parts and then it's over. Like I said in the beginning, the book would have benefited from slowing down the second part and actually making the characters FEEL somthing before making them act when there's no more time. The structure is pretty much every dystopia-with-a-resistance YA novel so those parts bore, which shouldn't have! because the concept was actually interesting andI would have liked to have a proper explanation about it.
Anyway, Archetype gives you a taste of the question "am I myself because I have all the memories of my life or because I exist inside my body?". Good questions to ponder, if only the book had meditated on them.
Archetype tells the story of a woman waking up to find she has no memory before her "accident". She no only doesn't know her name, she doesn't know how to behave or eat or what words mean. A total wipe out. But is she? Her husbands tries to help her remember their past life together, their marriage and ambitions but she keeps dreaming of another man, another life, another cause. The start of the novel grips you and leaves you wondering who exactly is the protagonist and why did she find herself in a hospital not remembering anything, not even the husband who so lovingly tries to make her comfortable every step of the way.
The second part is well, different. Suddenly everything escalates so quickly it doesn't give you a moment to breath; she's suddenly remembering her past, the man she loves, then "joining" the resistance then infodumps are throw in for good measure about the science-y parts and then it's over. Like I said in the beginning, the book would have benefited from slowing down the second part and actually making the characters FEEL somthing before making them act when there's no more time. The structure is pretty much every dystopia-with-a-resistance YA novel so those parts bore, which shouldn't have! because the concept was actually interesting andI would have liked to have a proper explanation about it.
Anyway, Archetype gives you a taste of the question "am I myself because I have all the memories of my life or because I exist inside my body?". Good questions to ponder, if only the book had meditated on them.
Spoiler
I was very very much interested in the clone concept, specially when it was revealed the other body was still alive. I'm sure there are books where this concept is better explored, but when the love part of the story came in full focus and the protagonist was two part of the same love triangle (sort of) I wanted more! I would have love the delicious angst but alas, the other body was dead.haramis's review
4.0
I'm of very mixed feelings on this one. It's fairly slow-paced, but it builds to an explosive ending that somewhat redeems it, but not completely.
Issues:
1. Missing Leg: Waters sets up a love triangle here, but then undermines it by immediately letting us, the readers, know that Declan is not telling the truth. Trust is the basis of love, not gushy sexual attraction. Emma tells us that she loves Declan, and maybe she believes it, but I don't think most readers will buy that, and therefore the relationship is stripped of romantic tension because Declan is not really a viable option.
2. Worldbuilding: Ah the fuzzy impressions of a woman with amnesia. It takes a long, long time to start getting a view of the external world, and when we finally do, it's not particularly fleshed out, and it doesn't seem to hold together. Is it a bit [b:Handmaid's Tale|38447|The Handmaid's Tale|Margaret Atwood|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1294702760s/38447.jpg|1119185]? How does the technology work? Is our current tech (phones, tablets) pushed forward enough? Do anyone else think that sounds unlikely? The best science fiction takes the current edge of science and extrapolates it. This is more like magic. I never really bought the world as presented; it only works if it's not examined too closely.
3. Pacing: This book takes forever to get anywhere. It suits the story the author wants to tell--how else can you properly portray what was a slow recovery of health and memory? Still, those things aren't precisely interesting. It's possible to put together most of the truth, if not the whole truth relatively early on, which means we spend most of the book waiting for Emma to catch up. It's not exactly compelling.
4. Actions scenes: Are not necessarily well-described. There was one where I literally could not piece together how the characters had survived, maybe it too is supposed to be somewhat fuzzy?
Good stuff:
1. Late reveals serve as an excellent punch in the emotional teeth. Waters taps basic human fears to ratchet up the drama in a very moving way.
2. Emma does eventually start to gel as a person, and that is exciting as far as seeing where the next book goes.
I would say this is a 3.5, mostly based on a rating spike for the last 20%. My basis in this case is to round up or down based on my interest in the sequel. I reserved the next book at the library the instant I closes this one, so I'm calling it a 4.
Issues:
1. Missing Leg: Waters sets up a love triangle here, but then undermines it by immediately letting us, the readers, know that Declan is not telling the truth. Trust is the basis of love, not gushy sexual attraction. Emma tells us that she loves Declan, and maybe she believes it, but I don't think most readers will buy that, and therefore the relationship is stripped of romantic tension because Declan is not really a viable option.
2. Worldbuilding: Ah the fuzzy impressions of a woman with amnesia. It takes a long, long time to start getting a view of the external world, and when we finally do, it's not particularly fleshed out, and it doesn't seem to hold together. Is it a bit [b:Handmaid's Tale|38447|The Handmaid's Tale|Margaret Atwood|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1294702760s/38447.jpg|1119185]? How does the technology work? Is our current tech (phones, tablets) pushed forward enough? Do anyone else think that
Spoiler
soul transfer3. Pacing: This book takes forever to get anywhere. It suits the story the author wants to tell--how else can you properly portray what was a slow recovery of health and memory? Still, those things aren't precisely interesting. It's possible to put together most of the truth, if not the whole truth relatively early on, which means we spend most of the book waiting for Emma to catch up. It's not exactly compelling.
4. Actions scenes: Are not necessarily well-described. There was one where I literally could not piece together how the characters had survived, maybe it too is supposed to be somewhat fuzzy?
Spoiler
Also Declan could have won six times over by not taking Emma home with him at the end or at least restraining her. Fortunately he was being stupid so she could escape.Good stuff:
1. Late reveals serve as an excellent punch in the emotional teeth. Waters taps basic human fears to ratchet up the drama in a very moving way.
2. Emma does eventually start to gel as a person, and that is exciting as far as seeing where the next book goes.
I would say this is a 3.5, mostly based on a rating spike for the last 20%. My basis in this case is to round up or down based on my interest in the sequel. I reserved the next book at the library the instant I closes this one, so I'm calling it a 4.
byrningup's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. This book was wild. Even when I correctly what was happening, I was still wrong. And that epilogue... yeah, I guess I should read the sequel
cjmichel's review against another edition
4.0
Archetype: A Novel from M.D. Waters came to me as a Goodread's Giveaway contest winner and I am so glad because this novel is a real winner as well. It is so well written and riveting that I found it difficult to put down.
Emma wakes under bright lights to strange voices and seemingly with the mind of a newborn. She has to relearn common existence. Luckily she has the help of a handsome husband with the patience of a saint. Emma's recovery to full cognizance is rife with unexpected twists and turns while she battles a voice in her head feeding her visions of another life. Join Emma on this journey to remember who she really is and who she wants to be. You will be glad that you did.
Emma wakes under bright lights to strange voices and seemingly with the mind of a newborn. She has to relearn common existence. Luckily she has the help of a handsome husband with the patience of a saint. Emma's recovery to full cognizance is rife with unexpected twists and turns while she battles a voice in her head feeding her visions of another life. Join Emma on this journey to remember who she really is and who she wants to be. You will be glad that you did.
fabmom52's review
5.0
This book was fantastic. Let me sum it up-you know how you say to yourself when you are reading a book you find a good time to put it down. In Archetype there is never a good time-in a great way. It is a thrill ride. There is romance, drama, suspense, action and a little bit of sci-fi (don't be discouraged if you don't like sci=fi a lot-you can still read it. Oh-did I mention the love triangle-between Emma, Declan an Noah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The fist book ends and you just want more.
I can not wait until July. And don't be fooled by the cover; it seems like a book have read before; a woman wakes up after an accident and doesn't remember her husband (ie; Before I go to Sleep)-but is nothing like that-so much more Involved.
don't want to spoil it more.
I can not wait until July. And don't be fooled by the cover; it seems like a book have read before; a woman wakes up after an accident and doesn't remember her husband (ie; Before I go to Sleep)-but is nothing like that-so much more Involved.
don't want to spoil it more.
lostinagoodread's review
4.0
This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read
Oh my gosh, this book was intense, and impossible to stop reading once I started. This is definitely an amazing suspense novel with some interesting scientific ideas behind it. So much that happened in this book completely blew my mind, and I found myself surprised at the twists that kept coming. What really made this story is how it makes readers think about where the future of humanity could go, if some of these scientific advancements actually happened.
The world building in this story is disturbing but not unsurprising, it is reminiscent of THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (a classic book). Fertility is at an all-time low during this time and girls are trained to become wives of the richest men in the world. It's scary to think that the world could turn into something like this.
ARCHETYPE gives readers an amazing main character that is truly someone I admire. Emma wakes up with no memory of the past, and as much as she tries to remember she just can't. Her dreams give her a view of a life that contradicts what she has been told, she doesn't know which story to believe. Slowly her memory begins to come back to her, as we see two parts to one person, it was interesting to bring these two characters together as a new person. Emma is a character that learns to fight for what she believes in,a dn for the freedom of the female population.
The one small issue with this book that made it difficult to love the story was the romance aspect. It seemed overdone and Emma gave in to easily to trust just because she was told she loved this person. Neither of these two male characters treat Emma with any respect (in my opinion), and I don't believe that either of those characters were a right match for Emma. Though both male characters were intriguing and I definitely wanted to know more about each of them.
Overall this book was amazing, and intense, it's addictive because you want to know the truth behind what happened to Emma. The ending of this book is crazy and M.D. Waters leaves you needing more as soon as possible (I'm glad that the next book will be out soon). I am excited to see what is next for Emma, and how she deals with the revelations that came out in this book.
Oh my gosh, this book was intense, and impossible to stop reading once I started. This is definitely an amazing suspense novel with some interesting scientific ideas behind it. So much that happened in this book completely blew my mind, and I found myself surprised at the twists that kept coming. What really made this story is how it makes readers think about where the future of humanity could go, if some of these scientific advancements actually happened.
The world building in this story is disturbing but not unsurprising, it is reminiscent of THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood (a classic book). Fertility is at an all-time low during this time and girls are trained to become wives of the richest men in the world. It's scary to think that the world could turn into something like this.
ARCHETYPE gives readers an amazing main character that is truly someone I admire. Emma wakes up with no memory of the past, and as much as she tries to remember she just can't. Her dreams give her a view of a life that contradicts what she has been told, she doesn't know which story to believe. Slowly her memory begins to come back to her, as we see two parts to one person, it was interesting to bring these two characters together as a new person. Emma is a character that learns to fight for what she believes in,a dn for the freedom of the female population.
The one small issue with this book that made it difficult to love the story was the romance aspect. It seemed overdone and Emma gave in to easily to trust just because she was told she loved this person. Neither of these two male characters treat Emma with any respect (in my opinion), and I don't believe that either of those characters were a right match for Emma. Though both male characters were intriguing and I definitely wanted to know more about each of them.
Overall this book was amazing, and intense, it's addictive because you want to know the truth behind what happened to Emma. The ending of this book is crazy and M.D. Waters leaves you needing more as soon as possible (I'm glad that the next book will be out soon). I am excited to see what is next for Emma, and how she deals with the revelations that came out in this book.
elsiemookow's review against another edition
3.0
Fun book, definitely in the category of beach read because it was so predictable. I'll pick up the sequel simply because I've been trying to intersperse my heavier novels with some fun action type novels.