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nderiley's review against another edition
3.0
To be fair, I totally didn't pay attention that this was a YA book, which brings my review down a star. I think if I were a young adult, I would have liked it a heck of a lot more. Reading it as an adult, it was still entertaining. I wish the author had gone more into differences between the two time periods. I also thought the switching narrative between some secretive current time and the telling of her story was a no value add.
nelsey's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
3.0
nice book to read after not reading sci-fi for a while. it’s not anything too crazy (it takes place in a world we could easily imagine and find ourselves in), but it’s honestly such a cool concept. i probably won’t continue the series anytime soon, but i appreciate how quick and easy of a book it was
bookishmadness's review against another edition
4.0
What it's about: Tegan dies at the tender age of sixteen, yet wakes up from a frozen state one hundred years later. The world seems to have made a lot of changes for the better, yet she still isn't convinced about it all. She shows us her journey in a sequence of memories.
What I thought: The surreal thing about When We Wake, is that by 2127 our world could be exactly as described in the book. This dystopian-type world is not completely unimaginable and that knowledge will rock you to your very core. Tegan manages to not only survive and accept what she left behind but to adapt to this new world she is brought in to. Her trio of friends give the story an extra boost, making the whole ride even more exciting. Healey has managed to write this story so well, that you can go from feeling like you're part of the story, to simply being an outside viewer without causing any confusion or distraction.
For all the lovers of all things sci-fi and dystopian, you will thoroughly enjoy When We Wake!
The Good: A dystopian book that gives us a very realistic view of the future, makes reading this book something different.
The Bad: While I loved this story, I wished more could have been explained, and the story gone on longer. It felt slightly incomplete.
Rating: 4 Bookstacks
What I thought: The surreal thing about When We Wake, is that by 2127 our world could be exactly as described in the book. This dystopian-type world is not completely unimaginable and that knowledge will rock you to your very core. Tegan manages to not only survive and accept what she left behind but to adapt to this new world she is brought in to. Her trio of friends give the story an extra boost, making the whole ride even more exciting. Healey has managed to write this story so well, that you can go from feeling like you're part of the story, to simply being an outside viewer without causing any confusion or distraction.
For all the lovers of all things sci-fi and dystopian, you will thoroughly enjoy When We Wake!
The Good: A dystopian book that gives us a very realistic view of the future, makes reading this book something different.
The Bad: While I loved this story, I wished more could have been explained, and the story gone on longer. It felt slightly incomplete.
Rating: 4 Bookstacks
bergelicious818's review against another edition
3.0
Amazing Read! I am absolutely thrilled to have found another great dystopian series! It has such a great appeal to it, because it is based in the not so distant future and is real, rather relatable situation that the people of earth could find themselves in. The writing was perfect for the story, and the characters were real and emotional and allowed me to invest something in them. I'm excited to read the sequel!
debbiebarr's review against another edition
4.0
A great science-fiction novel that examines the way we deal with--and sometimes ignore--the big issues around us. I have to admit, it was great reading a YA sci-fi that wasn't a dystopian. Healey did a great job creating a future that feels truly possible--right down to the way humanity tends to exploit those less fortunate around us. Though this may sound like the future is bleak for humanity, the book is filled with great characters who are eager to make change happen, even at great cost.
Thrilling and thought-provoking, WHEN WE WAKE is a poignant stand-alone novel full of great details about the future including technology, slang and fashion. A great pick for fans of Beth Revis' ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.
Thrilling and thought-provoking, WHEN WE WAKE is a poignant stand-alone novel full of great details about the future including technology, slang and fashion. A great pick for fans of Beth Revis' ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.
kimlynn77's review against another edition
4.0
The future does not look bright, especially after you wake from a 100-year cryogenic nap. Eagerly awaiting the sequel!
rockyroadbutch's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
nklosty's review against another edition
4.0
The idea of what the future holds always offers up lots of controversy. This story and Teeg are no different. How would people from our past be regarded? I loved the Beatles' themed chapter titles 92
avadawson08's review against another edition
2.0
Had a very slow start - Didn't get interesting until the very end of the book
christajls's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic
When We Wake was a book I was excited for. I mean cryogenetics? Waking up 100 years in the future? A secret government conspiracy? What’s not to like? What I didn’t expect was that it would an incredibly thought provoking and fascinating read that I am still thinking about days later.
The most striking thing about When We Wake is that is holds a pretty realistic vision of the future. This isn’t a dystopian novel where everything seems to have fallen apart. Instead you are presented with all the ways society has improved – our computers are better, Islamaphobia and homophobia have turned into relics of the past, meat is no longer consumed at the same ridiculous rate, we’ve taken steps, like humanure, to improve the environment. Like Tegan I was pretty excited to see that so many things had changed for the better. And Karen Healey backs up this vision of the future by surrounding Tegan with a cast of racially and sexually diverse characters.
However, the future is no utopia either. Over population is still a concern. There is some pretty extreme discrimination against third world countries and refugees are shoved into camps with horrible conditions at the Australian border. The future it seems is just as disappointing as it is miraculous. Which is kind of what it’s like today. We presently make great advances in science, technology and policy, but there are always negatives as well – school shootings, terrorist attacks etc. There’s this really moving moment in When We Wake where Tegan says “”I wanted you to be better. You should be better.” And it’s true. 100 years from now we should be better. But I liked that Karen Healey provided us with the same sort of “give and take” society as we have now – just amped up a couple notches. Because in all honestly that’s the most likely scenario.
I also really liked the way Karen Healey made use of the group the “Inheritors of the Earth.” A group with religious origins they argue for a return to the traditional ways. I liked that she used this group as a representation of the ways religion can get a little…extreme. But she also didn’t present them as evil per say, and took the time to note that groups like this have often twisted the original teachings of the faith they originated from. They shouldn’t be seen as universal representatives. (For example when people think creationists = all Christians. So annoying).
It helps of course that at the heart of this story was an extremely likable narrator. Tegan is interesting, she’s independent, she loves the Beatles and she’s a fish out of water. She’s as new to this future as you are as the reader. Which means you can learn along with her, rather than having to read long explanations to set the scene. And I loved the breaks in the main narrative where Tegan is talking directly to you – her reader/viewer. It made When We Wake a much more personal read giving it a stronger impact.
This is the beginning of a series and I am excited to see what’s next for Tegan. But I also kind of liked the ending the way it is. It’s so open ended and allows for so much discussion about many important issues.
Recommendation: When We Wake is a really smart book. It addresses so many interesting issues like the ethics of cryogenics, responsibility to other nations, expectations on our government to tell us the truth and so many more. It’s exciting and interesting and filled with Beatles references. Highly recommended for science fiction fans and those who love to discuss the books they read.
When We Wake was a book I was excited for. I mean cryogenetics? Waking up 100 years in the future? A secret government conspiracy? What’s not to like? What I didn’t expect was that it would an incredibly thought provoking and fascinating read that I am still thinking about days later.
The most striking thing about When We Wake is that is holds a pretty realistic vision of the future. This isn’t a dystopian novel where everything seems to have fallen apart. Instead you are presented with all the ways society has improved – our computers are better, Islamaphobia and homophobia have turned into relics of the past, meat is no longer consumed at the same ridiculous rate, we’ve taken steps, like humanure, to improve the environment. Like Tegan I was pretty excited to see that so many things had changed for the better. And Karen Healey backs up this vision of the future by surrounding Tegan with a cast of racially and sexually diverse characters.
However, the future is no utopia either. Over population is still a concern. There is some pretty extreme discrimination against third world countries and refugees are shoved into camps with horrible conditions at the Australian border. The future it seems is just as disappointing as it is miraculous. Which is kind of what it’s like today. We presently make great advances in science, technology and policy, but there are always negatives as well – school shootings, terrorist attacks etc. There’s this really moving moment in When We Wake where Tegan says “”I wanted you to be better. You should be better.” And it’s true. 100 years from now we should be better. But I liked that Karen Healey provided us with the same sort of “give and take” society as we have now – just amped up a couple notches. Because in all honestly that’s the most likely scenario.
I also really liked the way Karen Healey made use of the group the “Inheritors of the Earth.” A group with religious origins they argue for a return to the traditional ways. I liked that she used this group as a representation of the ways religion can get a little…extreme. But she also didn’t present them as evil per say, and took the time to note that groups like this have often twisted the original teachings of the faith they originated from. They shouldn’t be seen as universal representatives. (For example when people think creationists = all Christians. So annoying).
It helps of course that at the heart of this story was an extremely likable narrator. Tegan is interesting, she’s independent, she loves the Beatles and she’s a fish out of water. She’s as new to this future as you are as the reader. Which means you can learn along with her, rather than having to read long explanations to set the scene. And I loved the breaks in the main narrative where Tegan is talking directly to you – her reader/viewer. It made When We Wake a much more personal read giving it a stronger impact.
This is the beginning of a series and I am excited to see what’s next for Tegan. But I also kind of liked the ending the way it is. It’s so open ended and allows for so much discussion about many important issues.
Recommendation: When We Wake is a really smart book. It addresses so many interesting issues like the ethics of cryogenics, responsibility to other nations, expectations on our government to tell us the truth and so many more. It’s exciting and interesting and filled with Beatles references. Highly recommended for science fiction fans and those who love to discuss the books they read.