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3.24 AVERAGE
3.24 AVERAGE
This was hands down one of the sloppiest books I’ve ever read. One of my biggest grievances with dystopian books is their world building, or, in this case, the lack thereof. We don’t learn until almost 200 pages in that the cause of this dystopian universe is global warming. We learn there was some super genius who created domes to protect those areas from global warming and further destruction, which sort of makes sense. If we gloss over fine details, I will accept this. What we don’t learn is how a select group of people formed telekinetic powers. We don’t learn how it was passed to the main character. Other characters constantly talk about how powerful she is, but we don’t understand why, especially when she only has one pulse (we won’t get into the ridiculous rules of the pulses that don’t make any sense). We don’t learn how Drifters are involved, even though we gain an understanding that they’re supposed to be a large part of the equation. We don’t really learn enough about Clara and Wade’s situation, or what their true intentions are; we just know they’re also important. This entire book is muddled with sort-of information; we know snippets, but it’s never enough to fully immerse the reader in the world.
One piece of the writing that bothered me to no end was how abruptly scenes ended with no resolution. I’m going to spoil things, but I don’t really care. There’s a scene where Clara and Faith get into a fight and Clara learns Faith has the pulse. The last line reads that Dylan can’t ever find out about their fight, and the next chapter jumps into some weird Olympic games where Clara doesn’t mention to anyone what she knows about Faith (kind of weird, considering they’re two forces working against each other, right?). When we finally jump back to a chapter with Faith, there’s no resolution. Did Dylan ever find out about her fight with Clara? Who knows. Suddenly Faith is being escorted to talk to her parents, even though she vowed to always keep it a secret that no one would find out the truth about her parents. But when she reaches Dylan’s mom, it turns out everyone knew her parents were not only Drifters, but also that they died. There’s no explanation for this giant lapse in time and information. There are plenty of scenes like this; another where Faith essentially gets drugged by Wade (and seriously, Faith is angry for maybe two minutes tops). Her brain gets a little fuzzy, and then it’s a few hours later and she’s tucked in bed. No resolve for how she got there. No more information on Wade, even though we just witnessed him drug a girl and kill a dozen Drifters. Nothing. Every chapter ends so abruptly and we’re never given time to fully understand anything that happened.
I don’t even want to get into the characters. We have multiple boys who lurk outside Faith’s bedroom window while she sleeps, but that’s apparently normal. We have Faith, who is a complete airhead, following strangers in the middle of the night and constantly getting herself into bad situations, and lusting after tall people. It was a little freakish how many times someone’s height was mentioned. Wade and Clara were tall, we got it. I didn’t need to hear about their amazon powers or how people went speechless when they realized how tall they were. All the other characters fit neatly into their clichés, leaving them no room for growth or change throughout the book, which makes it impossible to connect with or care about any of them.
One piece of the writing that bothered me to no end was how abruptly scenes ended with no resolution. I’m going to spoil things, but I don’t really care. There’s a scene where Clara and Faith get into a fight and Clara learns Faith has the pulse. The last line reads that Dylan can’t ever find out about their fight, and the next chapter jumps into some weird Olympic games where Clara doesn’t mention to anyone what she knows about Faith (kind of weird, considering they’re two forces working against each other, right?). When we finally jump back to a chapter with Faith, there’s no resolution. Did Dylan ever find out about her fight with Clara? Who knows. Suddenly Faith is being escorted to talk to her parents, even though she vowed to always keep it a secret that no one would find out the truth about her parents. But when she reaches Dylan’s mom, it turns out everyone knew her parents were not only Drifters, but also that they died. There’s no explanation for this giant lapse in time and information. There are plenty of scenes like this; another where Faith essentially gets drugged by Wade (and seriously, Faith is angry for maybe two minutes tops). Her brain gets a little fuzzy, and then it’s a few hours later and she’s tucked in bed. No resolve for how she got there. No more information on Wade, even though we just witnessed him drug a girl and kill a dozen Drifters. Nothing. Every chapter ends so abruptly and we’re never given time to fully understand anything that happened.
I don’t even want to get into the characters. We have multiple boys who lurk outside Faith’s bedroom window while she sleeps, but that’s apparently normal. We have Faith, who is a complete airhead, following strangers in the middle of the night and constantly getting herself into bad situations, and lusting after tall people. It was a little freakish how many times someone’s height was mentioned. Wade and Clara were tall, we got it. I didn’t need to hear about their amazon powers or how people went speechless when they realized how tall they were. All the other characters fit neatly into their clichés, leaving them no room for growth or change throughout the book, which makes it impossible to connect with or care about any of them.
The story had a really slow start, and didn't pick up until a little over halfway through. I am interested to see what happens next and hope the second installment will bring more context to this dystopian world.
The awkward moment your town is mentioned in a book.... and is flooded with everybody dead. What next? My high school?
I love dystopian reads. And when you mix dystopian with a little sci fi, yeah you got me hooked. And that's just what happened with this book. Honestly, when I started reading, I wasn't sure I liked the voice. I often find it hard to get into books that are written in third person. But once I immersed myself in this, I could not put it down. And it wasn't that it was so full of action and adventure (although that was certainly there), it was the characters, and their development and their reactions. The whole book was like a big puzzle I just pieced together and watched take shape!
Blurb from Goodreads:
With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.
In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters who are so powerful they can flatten their enemies by uprooting streetlights, throwing boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with her unusual talent, the mind--and the heart--can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.
Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning and epic triumph about the power of the mind--and of love.
I can honestly say that my initial pull towards this book was not the blurb, but the cover. It's so meaningful to the book. I love that it's not faces of the characters or people in general, but it's a representation of the world Carman builds throughout the book.
Faith is fairly typical for a teen. But she houses a secret that no one knows. And she also posses a power she herself can't even fathom. She's snarky and smart. She is not afraid to stand up for herself and go after what she wants. She's totally filled with attitude, which makes her a bit standoffish, but I am someone who appreciates a lot of sarcasm, and Faith certainly hits the mark in that area. She doesn't make friends easily, but when she does, she is profoundly loyal. And she tries hard not to let things get under her skin, but she can't help but feel that something is off at her new school, and something is off with those she is meeting there. One of her downfalls is how impulsive she can be. There is rarely any thinking with her once she sets her mind to something and this often leads her towards trouble.
Dylan, he's quite mysterious when we first meet him. I wasn't sure if he was the brooding boy, or just shy. I venture to guess that it was all an act, knowing him as I do now. He is after something and he will stop at nothing to get it. He also won't let others get in his way, especially as he beings to form a relationship with Faith. Dylan is quite level headed and allows himself to think things through. He is not easily shaken from his position, and always has a way to reign people in.
Faith's best friend, Liz, is in the story, but I can honestly say I didn't have a connection to her. I didn't feel who she was or what her purpose was, until she is used as a pawn. Then her appearance is understandable since she starts out as Faith's one true friend.
Clara and Wade, well, there is something wrong with them. Their personalities are harsh and cruel. They want what they want and nothing will stand in their way, even if it means hurting a whole slew of people. I highly disliked them both (whIch I assume was what Carman was aiming for, if not, then he missed his mark).
I am pretty sure Hawk is my favorite character. I love how sweet and endearing he is. And he's super smart, and not afraid to show it. His intelligence makes him seem much older than his 13 years. I was curious how he would fit into the story, since the other characters had a few years on him, but it really wasn't an issue. He's funny and a bit awkward and really not afraid to say what he wants to say. I'd like some more background on him.
I can say that initially I had a hard time with the tone of the book. It took me a few chapters to get the feel or what Carman was going for: A world ravished by climate change where people were slowly dwindling from the outer lands and integrating themselves into the "states". We don't get too much of what happens inside the "States' themselves. As a matter of fact, it took me until almost 1/2 way through the book to really understand that Faith and her crew of friends were living in outer territories that didn't have much to offer. And I wondered much of the time why people would not just give in and integrate into the society held within the wall, where it seems there is so much more available (technology, food, etc.). I need more background as to why there are rebel groups, as to why these people choose not to go behind the wall. This was my biggest issue with this book and the reason I could not rate it higher than 4 stars.
I did like Carman's pacing. He kept me turning the pages and sucked me into the story as I wondered what was going on and where he was leading his characters. I can say that I think Carman could have introduced a better understanding of his world earlier on in the book. It took too long for me to understand what was really going on. I also love how there is all this technology amongst a land that seems so barren and unable to sustain people. It's interesting that this technology would exist outside the "states" and that the government would even allow it. While there is this underlying dystopian element, it's not really as harsh as other world's I've been introduced to. The government allows the people outside the wall more freedom than I think they would afford in a highly regulated dystopian society such as the ones we see in The Hunger Games and Divergent. If you're looking for that type of society, you won't find it in this book.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this. I want to know more about the rebels. I would also like to know more about what goes on behind the wall and why the rebels choose to stay out. There has to be something within that part of society that is striking a nerve with these people. I need more of it! Looking forward to seeing how it develops in Tremor.
Blurb from Goodreads:
With the help of her mysterious classmate Dylan Gilmore, Faith Daniels discovers that she can move objects with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a “pulse,” and Dylan has the talent, too.
In riveting action scenes, Faith demonstrates her ability to use her pulse against a group of telekinesis masters who are so powerful they can flatten their enemies by uprooting streetlights, throwing boulders, and changing the course of a hurtling hammer so that it becomes a deadly weapon. But even with her unusual talent, the mind--and the heart--can be difficult to control. If Faith wants to join forces with Dylan and save the world, she’ll have to harness the power of both.
Patrick Carman’s Pulse trilogy is a stunning and epic triumph about the power of the mind--and of love.
I can honestly say that my initial pull towards this book was not the blurb, but the cover. It's so meaningful to the book. I love that it's not faces of the characters or people in general, but it's a representation of the world Carman builds throughout the book.
Faith is fairly typical for a teen. But she houses a secret that no one knows. And she also posses a power she herself can't even fathom. She's snarky and smart. She is not afraid to stand up for herself and go after what she wants. She's totally filled with attitude, which makes her a bit standoffish, but I am someone who appreciates a lot of sarcasm, and Faith certainly hits the mark in that area. She doesn't make friends easily, but when she does, she is profoundly loyal. And she tries hard not to let things get under her skin, but she can't help but feel that something is off at her new school, and something is off with those she is meeting there. One of her downfalls is how impulsive she can be. There is rarely any thinking with her once she sets her mind to something and this often leads her towards trouble.
Dylan, he's quite mysterious when we first meet him. I wasn't sure if he was the brooding boy, or just shy. I venture to guess that it was all an act, knowing him as I do now. He is after something and he will stop at nothing to get it. He also won't let others get in his way, especially as he beings to form a relationship with Faith. Dylan is quite level headed and allows himself to think things through. He is not easily shaken from his position, and always has a way to reign people in.
Faith's best friend, Liz, is in the story, but I can honestly say I didn't have a connection to her. I didn't feel who she was or what her purpose was, until she is used as a pawn. Then her appearance is understandable since she starts out as Faith's one true friend.
Clara and Wade, well, there is something wrong with them. Their personalities are harsh and cruel. They want what they want and nothing will stand in their way, even if it means hurting a whole slew of people. I highly disliked them both (whIch I assume was what Carman was aiming for, if not, then he missed his mark).
I am pretty sure Hawk is my favorite character. I love how sweet and endearing he is. And he's super smart, and not afraid to show it. His intelligence makes him seem much older than his 13 years. I was curious how he would fit into the story, since the other characters had a few years on him, but it really wasn't an issue. He's funny and a bit awkward and really not afraid to say what he wants to say. I'd like some more background on him.
I can say that initially I had a hard time with the tone of the book. It took me a few chapters to get the feel or what Carman was going for: A world ravished by climate change where people were slowly dwindling from the outer lands and integrating themselves into the "states". We don't get too much of what happens inside the "States' themselves. As a matter of fact, it took me until almost 1/2 way through the book to really understand that Faith and her crew of friends were living in outer territories that didn't have much to offer. And I wondered much of the time why people would not just give in and integrate into the society held within the wall, where it seems there is so much more available (technology, food, etc.). I need more background as to why there are rebel groups, as to why these people choose not to go behind the wall. This was my biggest issue with this book and the reason I could not rate it higher than 4 stars.
I did like Carman's pacing. He kept me turning the pages and sucked me into the story as I wondered what was going on and where he was leading his characters. I can say that I think Carman could have introduced a better understanding of his world earlier on in the book. It took too long for me to understand what was really going on. I also love how there is all this technology amongst a land that seems so barren and unable to sustain people. It's interesting that this technology would exist outside the "states" and that the government would even allow it. While there is this underlying dystopian element, it's not really as harsh as other world's I've been introduced to. The government allows the people outside the wall more freedom than I think they would afford in a highly regulated dystopian society such as the ones we see in The Hunger Games and Divergent. If you're looking for that type of society, you won't find it in this book.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this. I want to know more about the rebels. I would also like to know more about what goes on behind the wall and why the rebels choose to stay out. There has to be something within that part of society that is striking a nerve with these people. I need more of it! Looking forward to seeing how it develops in Tremor.
1.5 stars.
Summery of the book - Spoilers
Liz: I have an obsession with how things feel. Can I hold your hand constantly?
Faith: Sure thing. Are these jeans too tight?
Liz: No, girl. They're perfectly shaped to show off your butt.
Faith: PERFECT!!! That'll make all the boys look at me.
Wade: Hi.
Faith: Like, how tall are you?
Wade: Taller than you, babe.
Faith: PERFECT!!! BE MY BOYFRIEND!!
Hawk: *short and smart*
Faith: You're too short. And too young.
Hawk: But I like how those jeans fit you and I can get you free stuff.
Faith: OKAY!!!
Dylan: *broods*
Faith: *notices* How tall is he???
Wade: Don't even look at that pathetic excuse for a boy.
Faith: OKAY!!
Wade: Sweet.
Liz: *moves to the States*
Faith: *mopes*
Wade: Hey, wanna go to a dark isolated place and hang out with me?
Faith: SURE!!!
Wade: *slips Faith a Wire-Code*(Equivalent of a rape drug only he doesn't rape her he kills her parents and a bunch of other people)
Faith: Wow. That was weird. I'm not sure I should hang out with Wade anymore.
Dylan: *facepalm* Should I be rethinking how I feel/think about this girl?.....Nah.
Me: *headdesk*
Hawk: *watches Faith sleep*
Me: Holy crap. Creepy.
Hawk: Hey. Just watching you sleep. Can I come in?
Faith: SURE!! Hop in bed with me!!
Hawk: COOL.
Dylan: *watches both of them sleep*
Me: HOLY $#!+. STALKER ALERT.
Clara: *monster crushing on Dylan*
Wade: I've never loved someone like I love Faith.
Me: But..you killed her parents..?
Dylan: You have a pulse, Faith.
Faith: I do?! Does that mean I'm alive??
Dylan: No, you have a "pulse". You can move things with your mind.
Faith: Hmmm. *not sure*
Dylan: I've been watching you sleep, and you do it in your sleep, so I'm telling the truth.
Faith: Wow! He's been watching me sleep! How smexy...
Me: Make it stop.
Clara and Wade: *creepy siblings being creepy*
Faith and Dylan: *fall in love as they practice "pulsing" together* (That sounds so wrong.)
Clara: Faith stole my boyfriend so now she's gonna suffer.
Clara and Wade: *take place in the Field Games and try not to use their powers to cream everyone*
Clara: *kills Liz*
Faith: NOOOOOOOOOO
Dylan: *takes Faith to shadowy places to meet his mummy and learn more about the Pulse*
Dylan: I think she has the second pulse.
Faith: Lalalalaaallalla
Dylan's Mom: This one? Seriously? Oh, well. Train her well, son. She's our only hope.
Faith: Lalalalaaallalla
Dylan: I believe in her!
Faith: So what's going on?
Dylan" You have a second pulse, like me, that prevents things from hurting you, unless it's your weakness. Mine is rocks.
Dylan: Also, remember when Wade gave you a Wire-Code and you not remembering that night? He killed your parents.
Faith: I'm going to go *brood*
Dylan: Don't kill yourself!
Faith: I shall exact revenge.
Clara, Wade, Dylan, and Faith: *big showdown*
Dylan and Faith: *mostly triumphant*
Book: *foreshadowing telling me nothing is over yet, sadly*
Me: *twitch* Nope.
Summery of the book - Spoilers
Spoiler
Faith: I will stop at nothing to get me a boyfriend. My requirements are: must be taller than me but it's okay if he's an a-hole.Liz: I have an obsession with how things feel. Can I hold your hand constantly?
Faith: Sure thing. Are these jeans too tight?
Liz: No, girl. They're perfectly shaped to show off your butt.
Faith: PERFECT!!! That'll make all the boys look at me.
Wade: Hi.
Faith: Like, how tall are you?
Wade: Taller than you, babe.
Faith: PERFECT!!! BE MY BOYFRIEND!!
Hawk: *short and smart*
Faith: You're too short. And too young.
Hawk: But I like how those jeans fit you and I can get you free stuff.
Faith: OKAY!!!
Dylan: *broods*
Faith: *notices* How tall is he???
Wade: Don't even look at that pathetic excuse for a boy.
Faith: OKAY!!
Wade: Sweet.
Liz: *moves to the States*
Faith: *mopes*
Wade: Hey, wanna go to a dark isolated place and hang out with me?
Faith: SURE!!!
Wade: *slips Faith a Wire-Code*(Equivalent of a rape drug only he doesn't rape her he kills her parents and a bunch of other people)
Faith: Wow. That was weird. I'm not sure I should hang out with Wade anymore.
Dylan: *facepalm* Should I be rethinking how I feel/think about this girl?.....Nah.
Me: *headdesk*
Hawk: *watches Faith sleep*
Me: Holy crap. Creepy.
Hawk: Hey. Just watching you sleep. Can I come in?
Faith: SURE!! Hop in bed with me!!
Hawk: COOL.
Dylan: *watches both of them sleep*
Me: HOLY $#!+. STALKER ALERT.
Clara: *monster crushing on Dylan*
Wade: I've never loved someone like I love Faith.
Me: But..you killed her parents..?
Dylan: You have a pulse, Faith.
Faith: I do?! Does that mean I'm alive??
Dylan: No, you have a "pulse". You can move things with your mind.
Faith: Hmmm. *not sure*
Dylan: I've been watching you sleep, and you do it in your sleep, so I'm telling the truth.
Faith: Wow! He's been watching me sleep! How smexy...
Me: Make it stop.
Clara and Wade: *creepy siblings being creepy*
Faith and Dylan: *fall in love as they practice "pulsing" together* (That sounds so wrong.)
Clara: Faith stole my boyfriend so now she's gonna suffer.
Clara and Wade: *take place in the Field Games and try not to use their powers to cream everyone*
Clara: *kills Liz*
Faith: NOOOOOOOOOO
Dylan: *takes Faith to shadowy places to meet his mummy and learn more about the Pulse*
Dylan: I think she has the second pulse.
Faith: Lalalalaaallalla
Dylan's Mom: This one? Seriously? Oh, well. Train her well, son. She's our only hope.
Faith: Lalalalaaallalla
Dylan: I believe in her!
Faith: So what's going on?
Dylan" You have a second pulse, like me, that prevents things from hurting you, unless it's your weakness. Mine is rocks.
Dylan: Also, remember when Wade gave you a Wire-Code and you not remembering that night? He killed your parents.
Faith: I'm going to go *brood*
Dylan: Don't kill yourself!
Faith: I shall exact revenge.
Clara, Wade, Dylan, and Faith: *big showdown*
Dylan and Faith: *mostly triumphant*
Book: *foreshadowing telling me nothing is over yet, sadly*
Me: *twitch* Nope.
It started off kind of slow but it eventually picked up speed. I knew there was something off about Wade & Clara from the start but I never imagined Clara would be so psychotic & evil (poor Liz!)! Jealousy is not a good color. Someone really needs to knock Clara & Wade (especially Clara!) off of their high horses. A storm is brewing & it sounds like it could be one heck of a battle!
This was a fun dystopian story with likable characters and a good plot-line. The chapter titles made me laugh.
Meh... Lol this book was ok, nothing crazy to get excited about lol. POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD*** I felt the "pulses" weren't explained well enough and was lacking imagination... You know it's a power but how they get it or how it even works is a little lacking. Not to mention one pulse is you can move stuff and the other is you can stop it? Ok... How creative lol, characters were fine didn't really get attached to any of them. I would possibly continue reading this series if I'm bored out of my mind and have nothing else to read.
This was a promising start to a trilogy. I'm interested to see where the story will take off from here. My only complaint is that in my opinion this book was advertised as an action book with powers and plenty of action/fight scenes, but we didn't really see any superhuman powers until a good half way through the book. Plus, we didn't get any superhuman fight scenes till the last couple pages of the book. That was a little disappointing. Also, the main character Faith seemed to unrealistically fall in love with two boys in a matter of a week. It just went from ...wow he's hot... to ... I love him. Otherwise, this was a good novel that had me in suspense the whole time. Plus, the training scenes would make for an excellent movie training montage if I say so myself.