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mvsstevens's review against another edition
3.0
I can appreciate YA books whose imagined future is believable and easy to follow.
gabs_myfullbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Body Electric was what I wish every single Young Adult book would be like; entertaining, free of stupid tropes, and original.
*coughs* and it has a really pretty cover *coughs*
This book revolves around Ella Shepherd. She's an awesome main character. Not once did I get annoyed with her. Ella is confused about what is going on with her, but I never thought that this caused her to make annoying/stupid decisions. Her reactions to things always felt realistic to me, as well.
She also has this awesome to read about relationship with Jack. It isn't instalove. It isn't sappy. It feels real and sweet and...ship-worthy. That's something I don't say very often. I. don't. ship. I tolerate, usually. I am a so very non-romantic guys. It is a problem when all you read is Young Adult, but I manage. But Jack and Ella were good together, even I'll admit that.
The plot...this is where I get conflicted, because on one hand, I guessed a lot of the plot twists. It was kind of like Cinder, where I could see something coming, but not in an annoying way where I was mad that it was easy to spot? I suppose that doesn't make much sense. They were good turns to the storyline, they just were guess-worthy good turns to the storyline. I still thought the overall story was well crafted and different than anything I've read before.
The writing is something I usually don't talk about in reviews, but I think it really deserves to be mentioned here, because it was soooo great! It definitely made the story for me. I felt that it captured Ella's voice really well, which is possibly also why I liked her so much. It was great.
Plus, it's a standalone. There wasn't any cliffhanger at the end. I like a book that actually ends with a concrete resolution. I mean, cliffhangers are fine too, but they make me AGONIZE for months until the next book in the series comes out, which is not fun.
This book was my first Beth Revis book, and I have to say, there's a chance that she could become one of my favorite authors after reading this. I'd check this one out if I were you.
The Body Electric was what I wish every single Young Adult book would be like; entertaining, free of stupid tropes, and original.
*coughs* and it has a really pretty cover *coughs*
This book revolves around Ella Shepherd. She's an awesome main character. Not once did I get annoyed with her. Ella is confused about what is going on with her, but I never thought that this caused her to make annoying/stupid decisions. Her reactions to things always felt realistic to me, as well.
She also has this awesome to read about relationship with Jack. It isn't instalove. It isn't sappy. It feels real and sweet and...ship-worthy. That's something I don't say very often. I. don't. ship. I tolerate, usually. I am a so very non-romantic guys. It is a problem when all you read is Young Adult, but I manage. But Jack and Ella were good together, even I'll admit that.
The plot...this is where I get conflicted, because on one hand, I guessed a lot of the plot twists. It was kind of like Cinder, where I could see something coming, but not in an annoying way where I was mad that it was easy to spot?
Spoiler
kind of a coincidence, considering both of these stories deal with cyborgs, hmm.The writing is something I usually don't talk about in reviews, but I think it really deserves to be mentioned here, because it was soooo great! It definitely made the story for me. I felt that it captured Ella's voice really well, which is possibly also why I liked her so much. It was great.
Plus, it's a standalone. There wasn't any cliffhanger at the end. I like a book that actually ends with a concrete resolution. I mean, cliffhangers are fine too, but they make me AGONIZE for months until the next book in the series comes out, which is not fun.
This book was my first Beth Revis book, and I have to say, there's a chance that she could become one of my favorite authors after reading this. I'd check this one out if I were you.
thepaperreels's review against another edition
3.0
Oh man, that was A LOT of Science! And I'm not even complaining! I hope I have this when I was in Highschool. It might have gave me a boost to listen and not dozed off in science class. Okay! Reading The Body Electric is a huge step of me getting out of my comfort zone. See, I don't usually read Sci-Fi. I mean, there's some that I truly enjoyed and loved, but most of them I just tried then marked DNF. Its just not my cup of tea.
But Beth Revis is totally changing me. This is my first book from her and I'm instantly a fan. I'm pretty sure I'll be diving in to her trilogy soon because she's such an incredible writer and I have a feeling that I'll love the trilogy as well.
Ella is a feisty and smart character. Totally likeable and being in her head is such a smooth ride. She's flawed but makes smart choices and she's a caring and loving daughter! And absolutely not whiny. Ella can stand on her own and for that, I adore her. She makes the book so much easier to read. My heart broke for Jack. He is such a sweet guy! And being in his situation sucks and its great that the author didn't make the romance so cliche. Seriously, I'm relieved. Jack and Ella is a breath of fresh air.
The greatest part of this book is the science stuff. Yes, I just said that. It's amazing how it has an answer to everything questionable! It made the book so believable that I don't know whether to be impressed or scared (because you know, this might be our future!!) I guess, if I have a Jack then it'll be okay. Anyway, the explanations, the city descriptions, the science stuff... Beth Revis is a genius. That's the only explanation.
More of my reviews HERE.
But Beth Revis is totally changing me. This is my first book from her and I'm instantly a fan. I'm pretty sure I'll be diving in to her trilogy soon because she's such an incredible writer and I have a feeling that I'll love the trilogy as well.
Ella is a feisty and smart character. Totally likeable and being in her head is such a smooth ride. She's flawed but makes smart choices and she's a caring and loving daughter! And absolutely not whiny. Ella can stand on her own and for that, I adore her. She makes the book so much easier to read. My heart broke for Jack. He is such a sweet guy! And being in his situation sucks and its great that the author didn't make the romance so cliche. Seriously, I'm relieved. Jack and Ella is a breath of fresh air.
The greatest part of this book is the science stuff. Yes, I just said that. It's amazing how it has an answer to everything questionable! It made the book so believable that I don't know whether to be impressed or scared (because you know, this might be our future!!) I guess, if I have a Jack then it'll be okay. Anyway, the explanations, the city descriptions, the science stuff... Beth Revis is a genius. That's the only explanation.
More of my reviews HERE.
linz's review against another edition
5.0
First of all, I just have to say that I absolutely love the cover. It's simply fantastic.
This is the first Beth Revis book that I've read, but it certainly won't be the last. I was enthralled from the very beginning, and I was despondent each time I had to put the book down to do something mundane - such as work or sleep. I couldn't wait to get back to the story so I could find out what would happen next.
Set in the future, in a world where androids are a common thing, The Body Electric follows Ella Shepherd as she deals with the death of her father, her mother's sickness, a corrupt government, and a complete stranger who claims they used to be in love. Sounds intriguing enough, but toss in the fact that Ella can enter people's dreams and access their memories through her mother's technology, and you've got the makings of a terrific sci-fi tale.
Fast-paced and sprinkled with jaw-dropping plot twists, The Body Electric is not one to miss.
This is the first Beth Revis book that I've read, but it certainly won't be the last. I was enthralled from the very beginning, and I was despondent each time I had to put the book down to do something mundane - such as work or sleep. I couldn't wait to get back to the story so I could find out what would happen next.
Set in the future, in a world where androids are a common thing, The Body Electric follows Ella Shepherd as she deals with the death of her father, her mother's sickness, a corrupt government, and a complete stranger who claims they used to be in love. Sounds intriguing enough, but toss in the fact that Ella can enter people's dreams and access their memories through her mother's technology, and you've got the makings of a terrific sci-fi tale.
Fast-paced and sprinkled with jaw-dropping plot twists, The Body Electric is not one to miss.
evreardon's review against another edition
4.0
Ella Shepherd is fighting for the good of her country. Or so she thinks. Her parents were both scientists making strides in their fields. Her mother, Rose, created a way to relive your happiest memory, called reveries. Her father, attempted to create a cure for his wife's disease by using nanotechnology. One day, Ella receives a warning from a stranger. A stranger named Jack that seems to have known Ella and her father but she's never seen him before. Someone must have made her forget this boy. But who? Ella thinks she's going mad. She's seeing images of her dead father and doesn't know who she can trust. Will she figure out the secrets locked in her mind in time? Or will her life be in jeopardy?
The timeline is a little screwy to me. I can't figure out how many years ago Ella's dad died and when Akilah's and Ella's year of service began. It makes it a little confusing but it's easily overlooked.
Over all, I loved it. It's very sci-fi. And while it seems it's a standalone novel, I would love to read a second one or a novella describing how Jack and Ella come to terms with everything they know now.
Read my full review at http://justanotherbelle.wordpress.com/
The timeline is a little screwy to me. I can't figure out how many years ago Ella's dad died and when Akilah's and Ella's year of service began. It makes it a little confusing but it's easily overlooked.
Over all, I loved it. It's very sci-fi. And while it seems it's a standalone novel, I would love to read a second one or a novella describing how Jack and Ella come to terms with everything they know now.
Read my full review at http://justanotherbelle.wordpress.com/
elizabethbane's review against another edition
3.0
This book really was pretty off the rails, sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. The main character is the definition of unreliable and suffers from hallucinations, so it's a very surreal read - you get a lot of whiplash trying to figure out what is real and what isn't. I liked this aspect of the book. The ending, however, had one too many twists for me - my eyes were definitely rolling at a few of them.
This is a standalone novel, which I appreciate (not every story needs to be a quadrilogy, and this definitely didn't need to be), but because this had to tell a complete story and establish the universe in 400 pages, the word-building was pretty shallow. The evil people are evil because that's the way they are, and the good people are good because they are, but there's not a lot of explanation behind it. Maybe a couple of the twists could have been sacrificed for some more comprehensive world-building.
Overall enjoyable - not as magical or engaging as Revis's Across The Universe series, though.
This is a standalone novel, which I appreciate (not every story needs to be a quadrilogy, and this definitely didn't need to be), but because this had to tell a complete story and establish the universe in 400 pages, the word-building was pretty shallow. The evil people are evil because that's the way they are, and the good people are good because they are, but there's not a lot of explanation behind it. Maybe a couple of the twists could have been sacrificed for some more comprehensive world-building.
Overall enjoyable - not as magical or engaging as Revis's Across The Universe series, though.
hazelstaybookish's review against another edition
4.0
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I have to admit I was nervous about The Body Electric as I first started reading it. I’ve never read anything by Beth Revis before and I really have never been known for reading sci-fi novels. That contributed to a very slow start for me. It took time for me to fully take in the completely high-tech post-war world of New Venice as Revis introduced it through the eyes of Ella Shepherd.
“The sea is a dangerous place because it makes you believe in forever.”
But then I started to finally absorb the world-building several chapters in because it was seriously vividly put and well-imagined. Also, the story started getting good. Like, suddenly swept away kind of good. Before I knew it, I devoured the book in a sitting and was thinking, woah that was fantastic.
“If I can only see him in madness, is it worth trying to hold onto sanity?”
Usually, I find that I like to focus on characters when I read- getting to really know the characters inside out- but I found that I wasn’t doing that with Ella or any of the characters. It was the plot that truly had me enamoured. It had twist and turns- not exactly surprising revelations (although there were a few) but turnabouts that made me eager to know more and find out what will happen next. Revis sure knows how to tell an interesting tale and keep it at a satisfying pace.
“What if eternity is nothing more than me, alone, in the darkness?”
More than that, the writing in The Body Electric was totally compelling. And oh goodness, the romance. It was pretty low-key but I absolutely lived (liked/loved) Ella and Jack together. The angst because of their to-be-discovered-further-in-the-story past (feels agh) and the fun banter just got to me. I’m a sucker for those things.
“He will never stand down. He will never give up. Not on the war. Not on me.”
This one was undeniably pretty awesome. Again, I don’t read much science fiction but I’ll be sure to pick up any of Revis’s books now and possibly read more books from the genre. The Body Electric was impressive and thrilling- overall a great read.
I have to admit I was nervous about The Body Electric as I first started reading it. I’ve never read anything by Beth Revis before and I really have never been known for reading sci-fi novels. That contributed to a very slow start for me. It took time for me to fully take in the completely high-tech post-war world of New Venice as Revis introduced it through the eyes of Ella Shepherd.
“The sea is a dangerous place because it makes you believe in forever.”
But then I started to finally absorb the world-building several chapters in because it was seriously vividly put and well-imagined. Also, the story started getting good. Like, suddenly swept away kind of good. Before I knew it, I devoured the book in a sitting and was thinking, woah that was fantastic.
“If I can only see him in madness, is it worth trying to hold onto sanity?”
Usually, I find that I like to focus on characters when I read- getting to really know the characters inside out- but I found that I wasn’t doing that with Ella or any of the characters. It was the plot that truly had me enamoured. It had twist and turns- not exactly surprising revelations (although there were a few) but turnabouts that made me eager to know more and find out what will happen next. Revis sure knows how to tell an interesting tale and keep it at a satisfying pace.
“What if eternity is nothing more than me, alone, in the darkness?”
More than that, the writing in The Body Electric was totally compelling. And oh goodness, the romance. It was pretty low-key but I absolutely lived (liked/loved) Ella and Jack together. The angst because of their to-be-discovered-further-in-the-story past (feels agh) and the fun banter just got to me. I’m a sucker for those things.
“He will never stand down. He will never give up. Not on the war. Not on me.”
This one was undeniably pretty awesome. Again, I don’t read much science fiction but I’ll be sure to pick up any of Revis’s books now and possibly read more books from the genre. The Body Electric was impressive and thrilling- overall a great read.
zoesnicholson's review against another edition
4.0
I wasn't sure what to expect of The Body Electric, not having been much of a fan of Beth's [b: Across the Universe|8235178|Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1)|Beth Revis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401852218s/8235178.jpg|13082532], but I'll admit I finished this pleasantly surprised. The Body Electric is a well-written and intelligently plotted novel that even provides a bit of food for thought with the concepts it covers.
Through technology developed by her mother, Ella has the power to enter people's dreams and memories. But when Ella begins seeing visions from her dead father and meets a boy that claims they used to be in love, she begins to realize that everything around her is not as it seems...and that someone may have altered her memory.
Ella is a protagonist that is easy to admire and sympathize with. She's nobody special - she's just a teenage girl - and I appreciate how Revis didn't take the "special snowflake" route.
The first 70% of The Body Electric reads like any other generic YA dystopian or science fiction novel. But suddenly the pieces come together, slowly but surely, and the brilliance of the story, and of Revis' storytelling, begins to show, and suddenly everything makes sense.
If anything, I just wish the beginning and middle hooked me in as much as the ending did. Nonetheless, I appreciate what Beth Revis did here, and I found it to be an eye-opening book with some intriguing and relevant social commentary.
l1brarygirl's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting read! Loved the bonus content and how this story takes place in the same world as her "Across the Universe" series.
plumeriade's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
this book was enjoyable for a good part of it, though I did some skimming. but the last like, 5% is one major reveal and outlandishly convenient happening after another.
also, if I'm not completely off base/imagining things, we have a bit of a murderous jealous lesbian playing a major part. and even if that wasn't the intent, someone had to notice that's what it seems like...
edit: I did like the concept, though, and if you did too, give [b:vN|13033939|vN (The Machine Dynasty, #1)|Madeline Ashby|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327673811s/13033939.jpg|18197447] a shot.
this book was enjoyable for a good part of it, though I did some skimming. but the last like, 5% is one major reveal and outlandishly convenient happening after another.
also, if I'm not completely off base/imagining things, we have a bit of a murderous jealous lesbian playing a major part. and even if that wasn't the intent, someone had to notice that's what it seems like...
edit: I did like the concept, though, and if you did too, give [b:vN|13033939|vN (The Machine Dynasty, #1)|Madeline Ashby|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327673811s/13033939.jpg|18197447] a shot.