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bigbeardedbookseller's review
3.0
A good idea and well-executed but doesn't shine out for me as anything special in the YA world.
Dystopian romances are often predictable, and even though this book left us with a great cliff-hanger it was just another dystopian romance.
Worth a read but not so different from so many out there
Dystopian romances are often predictable, and even though this book left us with a great cliff-hanger it was just another dystopian romance.
Worth a read but not so different from so many out there
jammytots's review
adventurous
mysterious
sad
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? No
3.75
thebooksareeverywhere's review
4.0
https://thebooksareeverywhere.com/2018/01/16/review-the-territory-1-by-sarah-govett/
I have been provided with a copy of the book and payment by the author in exchange for an honest review. This has not changed my review in any way.
I started this book thinking it might take me a while to get into. Thinking it might be a little young and not something I'd usually read. But soon enough, I was picking this book up whenever I had a spare minute just to find out what was happening next.
Rather than this book being in chapters, it had a break every couple of pages and I loved that. It meant that I didn't have to committ myself to sitting down and finishing 20+ pages, and that I could literally read this book whenever. And that's one of the reasons I finished this one in under 2 days!
I also found the writing utterly captivating. Although this book read as though it would suit young teens, I still enjoyed it immensely. Because of this, the book was only 200 pages long and very easy to read, which I loved!
I adored the characters and world. The world had just enough relating to Earth as we know it to ensure I could picture everything clearly, but enough differences to make it stand completely on it's own as something unique. And this book is just that - unique.
Noa lives in a difficult, dangerous and terrifying world and I felt I could really relate to her feelings. Her thoughts shone through incredibly in the writing and I felt her emotions clearly. Noa isn't the only character I loved - this book actually has some really great side characters. I felt close to Noa's friends and family and I felt everything they went through right along with them.
Overall, The Territory is intense, emotional and unique. It left me with tears in my eyes, and now I'm absolutely hooked and can't wait to continue with the story! I would highly recommend this book for teens aged 12-16 and are readers of dystopia.
★★★★
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
I have been provided with a copy of the book and payment by the author in exchange for an honest review. This has not changed my review in any way.
I started this book thinking it might take me a while to get into. Thinking it might be a little young and not something I'd usually read. But soon enough, I was picking this book up whenever I had a spare minute just to find out what was happening next.
Rather than this book being in chapters, it had a break every couple of pages and I loved that. It meant that I didn't have to committ myself to sitting down and finishing 20+ pages, and that I could literally read this book whenever. And that's one of the reasons I finished this one in under 2 days!
I also found the writing utterly captivating. Although this book read as though it would suit young teens, I still enjoyed it immensely. Because of this, the book was only 200 pages long and very easy to read, which I loved!
I adored the characters and world. The world had just enough relating to Earth as we know it to ensure I could picture everything clearly, but enough differences to make it stand completely on it's own as something unique. And this book is just that - unique.
Noa lives in a difficult, dangerous and terrifying world and I felt I could really relate to her feelings. Her thoughts shone through incredibly in the writing and I felt her emotions clearly. Noa isn't the only character I loved - this book actually has some really great side characters. I felt close to Noa's friends and family and I felt everything they went through right along with them.
Overall, The Territory is intense, emotional and unique. It left me with tears in my eyes, and now I'm absolutely hooked and can't wait to continue with the story! I would highly recommend this book for teens aged 12-16 and are readers of dystopia.
★★★★
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
daydreamerjade's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mjmoore's review
5.0
At this time of the year, there are many young people revising for, and taking exams, and we all know there’s a lot of pressure on them. However, imagine if a failure could mean being sent to your death…
Noa lives in a near-future where climate change and flooding have drastically reduced the amount of liveable land, now known as The Territory. To be allowed to stay, children at 15 must achieve a high pass on their exams. The rest are sent to the Wetlands, where conditions mean a life of misery, and often death.
If that isn’t difficult enough, the richest children have been equipped with a ‘node’, which allows them to download the information needed for their exams – exams which are based more on fact recall than application…
Sarah has managed to achieve a lot with this book. On one level it’s a compelling dystopian story, and her world building is so well done that this future world feels very real, and scarily close! The flooding which led to the Territory formation is explained, as is the technology available for the rich.
Running through the story however, are also thought-provoking issues, which will make you think a little more about our education system, rich and poor, politics, the climate etc.
Then added to this, is a very real day to day story of a teenager, as she deals with issues of friendship and relationships, school and study.
Despite all this going on, it’s a fast paced story, which kept me turning those pages to find out what would happen next. It has a satisfying conclusion, but is all set up for the rest of the trilogy, which I’m waiting impatiently for.
Firefly Press kindly sent me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review, and is my first experience of this new publisher. I will certainly checking out more of their books, and have already bought Lost On Mars.
Noa lives in a near-future where climate change and flooding have drastically reduced the amount of liveable land, now known as The Territory. To be allowed to stay, children at 15 must achieve a high pass on their exams. The rest are sent to the Wetlands, where conditions mean a life of misery, and often death.
If that isn’t difficult enough, the richest children have been equipped with a ‘node’, which allows them to download the information needed for their exams – exams which are based more on fact recall than application…
Sarah has managed to achieve a lot with this book. On one level it’s a compelling dystopian story, and her world building is so well done that this future world feels very real, and scarily close! The flooding which led to the Territory formation is explained, as is the technology available for the rich.
Running through the story however, are also thought-provoking issues, which will make you think a little more about our education system, rich and poor, politics, the climate etc.
Then added to this, is a very real day to day story of a teenager, as she deals with issues of friendship and relationships, school and study.
Despite all this going on, it’s a fast paced story, which kept me turning those pages to find out what would happen next. It has a satisfying conclusion, but is all set up for the rest of the trilogy, which I’m waiting impatiently for.
Firefly Press kindly sent me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review, and is my first experience of this new publisher. I will certainly checking out more of their books, and have already bought Lost On Mars.
imm34x's review
3.0
It was an "ok" book . The way that this book was written makes you want to read it even more but at the end I got disappointed . This book didn't live up to my expectations
bradfordreader's review
3.0
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I gave this book to one of my students (aged 12) as a reward, they read it in less than 24 hours and said they loved it! Their review is as follows
This book is about an average teenage girl and also the struggles she will face in modern society even though it is set in 2059. This is more a sci-fi book as it shows the power of robot brains. This book also has modern and historical links, such as having to have rations but still having things we have such as buses. This book will have me waiting for books 2 and 3. This book will also make you wonder what would happen if this happened to us and the quote 'limited space requires limited number' will surely be the tagline of a future box office hit. This book will leave you wanting more.
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After my student read this book I decided to give it a go myself. For me it doesn't have huge crossover appeal but I think kids would enjoy it and get some good messages out of it re:education etc.
I gave this book to one of my students (aged 12) as a reward, they read it in less than 24 hours and said they loved it! Their review is as follows
This book is about an average teenage girl and also the struggles she will face in modern society even though it is set in 2059. This is more a sci-fi book as it shows the power of robot brains. This book also has modern and historical links, such as having to have rations but still having things we have such as buses. This book will have me waiting for books 2 and 3. This book will also make you wonder what would happen if this happened to us and the quote 'limited space requires limited number' will surely be the tagline of a future box office hit. This book will leave you wanting more.
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After my student read this book I decided to give it a go myself. For me it doesn't have huge crossover appeal but I think kids would enjoy it and get some good messages out of it re:education etc.
sianbaird's review
2.0
I found the structure of this book quite confusing as there were no chapters, but i did get used to it by about the 100 page mark. I also felt the writing style was aimed at younger people, but it still explored some themes that were not so much.
marcia_94's review
4.0
3.5 stars
School exams are stressful and can change your life but none are as stressful or life-changing as the ones 15-year-old teenagers have to undergo in Sarah Govett's The Territory.
It's the year 2059 and the water levels are rising causing a severe lack of land to live in and, therefore, making people who don't pass the exam to be sentenced to live in the Wetlands (a dangerous place filled with deadly diseases and no medical facilities), and not able to return to safety because of the high electric fences surrounding it.
Noa Blake is one of the many teens taking the exam and, in this first book, we see how she deals with everything (friends, family, boys and the crazy amount of studying). However, to make things worse and more unfair, the richest kids can have a surgical implant that allows them to 'download' information into their brains without having to study.
The Territory is a great book in the way that it criticises the educational system because even now the richest families can afford to enrol their children in better schools and have tutors while the less rich are obligated to accept the conditions their schools have. It also raises awareness for climate change and global warming, issues that are of utmost importance today.
The author created a very rich world and plot and I can't wait for the sequel!
Image Source
School exams are stressful and can change your life but none are as stressful or life-changing as the ones 15-year-old teenagers have to undergo in Sarah Govett's The Territory.
It's the year 2059 and the water levels are rising causing a severe lack of land to live in and, therefore, making people who don't pass the exam to be sentenced to live in the Wetlands (a dangerous place filled with deadly diseases and no medical facilities), and not able to return to safety because of the high electric fences surrounding it.
Noa Blake is one of the many teens taking the exam and, in this first book, we see how she deals with everything (friends, family, boys and the crazy amount of studying). However, to make things worse and more unfair, the richest kids can have a surgical implant that allows them to 'download' information into their brains without having to study.
The Territory is a great book in the way that it criticises the educational system because even now the richest families can afford to enrol their children in better schools and have tutors while the less rich are obligated to accept the conditions their schools have. It also raises awareness for climate change and global warming, issues that are of utmost importance today.
The author created a very rich world and plot and I can't wait for the sequel!
Image Source