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kristenbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Edit 9-29-19: I'm dropping the rating of this book to 4/5. I don't think my opinion of Beth Revis' books has aged very well. What I mean by this is that now (granted, 4+ years after reading it) many of the more mediocre aspects of the book have stuck in my mind. The rushed ending is the biggest of those, but I think overall I just don't have as strong feelings about this book as I once did, and I don't think it's really an accurate reflection of my favorite books, current taste, or 5/5 books. TBH I think a re-read could even drop it lower, but I'm not confident enough in that assertion to drop it any more than the 4/5.
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9.5/10 (5/5)
Beth Revis has solidified her spot among my favorite authors with The Body Electric. I've talked a bit about how much I appreciate excellent world-building, and how important world-building is to my enjoyment of a book... and Beth Revis gives me pretty much everything I could ever want. The technology is super cool. I feel like this would be a good read for someone wanting to get into sci-fi, because the technology is explained in enough detail to make sense and be interesting, but Revis doesn't bore you with long explanations about how everything works... which wouldn't actually be boring to me, but I was happy with the explanations we got.
Also, it takes place within the same universe as Revis' Across The Universe trilogy. However, since this takes place in the future of the Across The Universe world, and is set on Earth rather than space, that doesn't really have a huge effect on this book because the technology and world are very different from the trilogy. There are, however, a couple Easter eggs that Across The Universe fans will appreciate.
However, there was one aspect that kept gnawing at me and slightly bothered me (not a spoiler-- promise!). So, right from the beginning, the Secessionary War is mentioned. There are a lot of things about the war that are discussed. We see how life is after the war, we learn about some events during the war, but it's never really explained how the war started or what was being fought for. Obviously, "secessionary" speaks for itself, but who was seceding? How did it start? This never got answered, and that really bothered me because it was the only hole in the world-build.
I do feel like the blurb about this slightly misconstrues some of the things in this book, namely the Reveries. The blurb makes it sound like reveries are something only Ella can do because she has special powers, but that's not the case. It's actually a technology that other people can and do use. However, special abilities do make an appearance in this book, so I'm not too bothered by it, because I don't think anyone would be put off by that difference. Just go into it expecting sci-fi/dystopian, not paranormal/dystopian.
Overall, I liked the story. The majority of it was pretty fast-paced, and full of twists and turns. With about 100 pages in, I had been considering it a 9 star book. I was really loving it, and there were definitely some twists and turns that I didn't see coming, but there were a couple things that were unsurprising. However, those last 100 pages... WHOA. So many plot twists. So much craziness. Mind blown. I could not put the book down. It was just utter craziness and I loved it.
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Edit 3-8-15
Beth Revis has completely solidified herself among my favorite authors. Full review to come, but this was just really great.
9.5/10
Immediate first impression:
Per usual, I need a little time to figure out a rating, but this will be receiving a very high rating from me.
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9.5/10 (5/5)
Beth Revis has solidified her spot among my favorite authors with The Body Electric. I've talked a bit about how much I appreciate excellent world-building, and how important world-building is to my enjoyment of a book... and Beth Revis gives me pretty much everything I could ever want. The technology is super cool. I feel like this would be a good read for someone wanting to get into sci-fi, because the technology is explained in enough detail to make sense and be interesting, but Revis doesn't bore you with long explanations about how everything works... which wouldn't actually be boring to me, but I was happy with the explanations we got.
Also, it takes place within the same universe as Revis' Across The Universe trilogy. However, since this takes place in the future of the Across The Universe world, and is set on Earth rather than space, that doesn't really have a huge effect on this book because the technology and world are very different from the trilogy. There are, however, a couple Easter eggs that Across The Universe fans will appreciate.
However, there was one aspect that kept gnawing at me and slightly bothered me (not a spoiler-- promise!). So, right from the beginning, the Secessionary War is mentioned. There are a lot of things about the war that are discussed. We see how life is after the war, we learn about some events during the war, but it's never really explained how the war started or what was being fought for. Obviously, "secessionary" speaks for itself, but who was seceding? How did it start? This never got answered, and that really bothered me because it was the only hole in the world-build.
I do feel like the blurb about this slightly misconstrues some of the things in this book, namely the Reveries. The blurb makes it sound like reveries are something only Ella can do because she has special powers, but that's not the case. It's actually a technology that other people can and do use. However, special abilities do make an appearance in this book, so I'm not too bothered by it, because I don't think anyone would be put off by that difference. Just go into it expecting sci-fi/dystopian, not paranormal/dystopian.
Overall, I liked the story. The majority of it was pretty fast-paced, and full of twists and turns. With about 100 pages in, I had been considering it a 9 star book. I was really loving it, and there were definitely some twists and turns that I didn't see coming, but there were a couple things that were unsurprising. However, those last 100 pages... WHOA. So many plot twists. So much craziness. Mind blown. I could not put the book down. It was just utter craziness and I loved it.
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Edit 3-8-15
Beth Revis has completely solidified herself among my favorite authors. Full review to come, but this was just really great.
9.5/10
Immediate first impression:
Per usual, I need a little time to figure out a rating, but this will be receiving a very high rating from me.
caitlintaylorford's review against another edition
5.0
Reread November 2015. Still mind boggling, still convoluted, still brilliant.
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Beth Revis makes me so happy.
This book - you don't know how long I was waiting for another one of her books. I absolutely adored the Across the Universe series, and waited so very patiently for her to release something new..
THE BODY ELECTRIC DID NOT DISAPPOINT.
Words can't even describe how much I loved this book. I found the story completely unpredictable and I never knew what was going to pop up next. The plot was interesting, and my FAVORITE PART OF THE WHOLE BOOK was her making references to tidbits from Across the Universe! (Solar glass? I see what you did there!)
I'm also very happy she included a little history about the UC at the end of the book. Honestly, I could read this woman's writing forever and ever. She is hands-down one of my favorite authors.
READ THIS
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Beth Revis makes me so happy.
This book - you don't know how long I was waiting for another one of her books. I absolutely adored the Across the Universe series, and waited so very patiently for her to release something new..
THE BODY ELECTRIC DID NOT DISAPPOINT.
Words can't even describe how much I loved this book. I found the story completely unpredictable and I never knew what was going to pop up next. The plot was interesting, and my FAVORITE PART OF THE WHOLE BOOK was her making references to tidbits from Across the Universe! (Solar glass? I see what you did there!)
I'm also very happy she included a little history about the UC at the end of the book. Honestly, I could read this woman's writing forever and ever. She is hands-down one of my favorite authors.
READ THIS
reading_addict_lemon's review against another edition
4.0
Right now I don't know what to say, because this novel started slowly and it was like that until the middle and then, like a montagnerusse ride made me dizzy and spin me until I fell on my head. It blew my mind, honestly and I think this is the craziest novel that I've read so far, this year.
I don't want to give spoilers, so I won't talk to much, but... man, I wouldn't have guessed what was going to happen and who was who, and how the story was going to end. And Ella is such a complexe character and I loved her. She's so real and realistic and she knows a lot of stuff; plus she's such a strong heroine and she has a ton of ambition. I liked Jack too, even sometimes it was kinda hard to see and understand him from Ella's perspective.
This book is good if you want a hell of a ride. Is good when you want something really original, well written, with such fabulous characters and an amazing plot. And I don't want to think about the plot twists that made my head explode. Such an amazing read and I'm glad that I read it. Highly recommend you to pick this up, even if you're not a SF fan or a dystopia fan. It doesn't matter.
I don't want to give spoilers, so I won't talk to much, but... man, I wouldn't have guessed what was going to happen and who was who, and how the story was going to end. And Ella is such a complexe character and I loved her. She's so real and realistic and she knows a lot of stuff; plus she's such a strong heroine and she has a ton of ambition. I liked Jack too, even sometimes it was kinda hard to see and understand him from Ella's perspective.
This book is good if you want a hell of a ride. Is good when you want something really original, well written, with such fabulous characters and an amazing plot. And I don't want to think about the plot twists that made my head explode. Such an amazing read and I'm glad that I read it. Highly recommend you to pick this up, even if you're not a SF fan or a dystopia fan. It doesn't matter.
ameliaveganreader's review against another edition
5.0
The book,the cover,the ending-everything was perfect! And the author naming some people and places and using symbols,was making the story better and better. I'm going to read authors' other books too,starting with Across The Universe. Lana Del Reys' I sing the body electric is not quite this book themed,but it's lovely and strange to listen.
inomniaparatus8's review against another edition
Aaaand I changed my mind. DNF after 7%. That 7% wasn't horrible or anything but it definitely didn't grab me and I had already found inconsistencies and little things that bothered me, SO... Since its a new year, I'm not forcing myself to read things I don't feel like reading, even if I do feel guilty about barely giving it a chance. On to the next one!
zoemig's review against another edition
The last book I read from Beth Revis was her debut novel, Across the Universe, several years ago, and it was a young adult murder mystery told aboard a spaceship that I actually really liked. I don't have a real excuse for not finishing that trilogy, it's something I still plan to do, but in the meantime I somehow picked up her latest release instead. The Body Electric by Beth Revis is the story of Ella Shepard, a girl whose father was killed by terrorists and mother is dying, and who discovers that somebody may have altered her own memories.
Although my copy of The Body Electric was an ebook, this novel is listed as being 482 pages, and it does not feel that way at all! It is thrilling and fun and well-written and intense. Ella has the ability to enter peoples minds (using technology), but it turns out the one mind she cannot trust may be her own. Revis' writing flows easily and is full of action, so although I don't generally read a lot of science fiction, she definitely keeps me interested in it. I was less committed to the romantic subplot, and the story itself could be quite predictable and rely on some too convenient incidences, but The Body Electric is a very approachable and enjoyable book that easily reminds me why I liked Revis' writing in the first place--and why I should definitely finish her other books!
Although my copy of The Body Electric was an ebook, this novel is listed as being 482 pages, and it does not feel that way at all! It is thrilling and fun and well-written and intense. Ella has the ability to enter peoples minds (using technology), but it turns out the one mind she cannot trust may be her own. Revis' writing flows easily and is full of action, so although I don't generally read a lot of science fiction, she definitely keeps me interested in it. I was less committed to the romantic subplot, and the story itself could be quite predictable and rely on some too convenient incidences, but The Body Electric is a very approachable and enjoyable book that easily reminds me why I liked Revis' writing in the first place--and why I should definitely finish her other books!
perfectperusals's review against another edition
4.0
The Body Electric takes place in a futuristic and technologically advanced world after the Secessionary War. When Ella Shepherd, the daughter of two brilliant scientists, discovers she can use her mother’s invention, the Reverie, to enter other people’s dreams, she is recruited by the head of the Unified Countries government to infiltrate the dreams of a suspected terrorist. But her whole world is thrown into doubt when she starts to see visions of her dead father, and meets a boy she doesn’t remember who swears they were once in love. She is soon thrust into the midst of an underground rebel organization, Zunzana, and begins to uncover the truth: that nothing is what is seems and no one can be trusted. In this classic sci-fi dystopia full of androids, high tech CuffLINKS, and plot twists I definitely did not see coming. One thing I know for sure, Beth Revis writes science fiction that I love to read.
raynerayne's review against another edition
4.0
Wow!! One thing I can say about this novel is that there wasn't one moment that wasn't suspenseful! The plot is very intricate and complex and I absolutely loved it although the ending was a bit abrupt :( I would have liked more of a detailed resolution... But s'all good.
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
4.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
Yeah, 200th book of 2014!
I'm always on a quest to search for good Dystopian novels, but to be honest, that's not even why I chose this book. I mean, look at its cover. I found it to be one of the covers that stood most out for me last year. It almost feels like a bonus that the story itself was so good too...
Ella works in a spa, using a technology her mother created to let people relive their memories and that will allow Ella to enter these memories. It's a bit like the Animus from Assassin's Creed now I think of it. Still struggling with the loss of her father, who was murdered by terrorist because of his work, and the upcoming loss of her mother, who terminally ill and deteriorating quickly, Ella starts to see mysterious things, like images of her father trying to tell her something. When different groups are telling Ella different stories, what should she believe?
One of the things I really liked is the setting: Malta. I don't think I've read a lot of books set in that region, and even though the stories takes place a long from now in the future I still think it added to the story even though the biggest part of the story takes place in so called New Venice, built between the two main islands of Malta.
Technology has advanced, there's colonization of space, androids to do chores and experimental nanobots that will instantly heal you (to a certain point where it starts to get dangerous). However, there's also talk about the limitations of these advances, where will they stop. It even asks the famous question from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? : What is it that makes humans human? (As I write this review I wonder if the title is in fact a reference to Philip K. Dick)
The story started as the usual dystopian YA. Girl is asked to help spy on the rebels, she meets rebels, we all know what happens next. But is has been given nice twists, even to the mandatory love-subplot. It also stars one of the biggest plot-twists from last year, which I should have seen coming, but saw far too late.
I haven't even mentioned the best part: It's a standalone! It's still possible to write Dystopian YA without feeling the need to stretch the story endlessly! I read most of this book on a train/waiting for said train (as it was such a nice, fast read), and I'm definitely going to check out Beth Revis' other series Across the Universe.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Yeah, 200th book of 2014!
I'm always on a quest to search for good Dystopian novels, but to be honest, that's not even why I chose this book. I mean, look at its cover. I found it to be one of the covers that stood most out for me last year. It almost feels like a bonus that the story itself was so good too...
Ella works in a spa, using a technology her mother created to let people relive their memories and that will allow Ella to enter these memories. It's a bit like the Animus from Assassin's Creed now I think of it. Still struggling with the loss of her father, who was murdered by terrorist because of his work, and the upcoming loss of her mother, who terminally ill and deteriorating quickly, Ella starts to see mysterious things, like images of her father trying to tell her something. When different groups are telling Ella different stories, what should she believe?
One of the things I really liked is the setting: Malta. I don't think I've read a lot of books set in that region, and even though the stories takes place a long from now in the future I still think it added to the story even though the biggest part of the story takes place in so called New Venice, built between the two main islands of Malta.
Technology has advanced, there's colonization of space, androids to do chores and experimental nanobots that will instantly heal you (to a certain point where it starts to get dangerous). However, there's also talk about the limitations of these advances, where will they stop. It even asks the famous question from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? : What is it that makes humans human? (As I write this review I wonder if the title is in fact a reference to Philip K. Dick)
The story started as the usual dystopian YA. Girl is asked to help spy on the rebels, she meets rebels, we all know what happens next. But is has been given nice twists, even to the mandatory love-subplot. It also stars one of the biggest plot-twists from last year, which I should have seen coming, but saw far too late.
I haven't even mentioned the best part: It's a standalone! It's still possible to write Dystopian YA without feeling the need to stretch the story endlessly! I read most of this book on a train/waiting for said train (as it was such a nice, fast read), and I'm definitely going to check out Beth Revis' other series Across the Universe.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
tiareleine's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
When I first heard Beth Revis was writing another full length novel I was beyond excited. I mean, how could I not be? The Across the Universe trilogy is one of my favorite series. Then I entered a giveaway for a review copy, and somehow I was lucky enough to win. Once again, beyond excited. Then I got it in the mail a few weeks before its release date. Do I have to say it again?Beyond. Excited.
Then I started reading it, and it wasn't exactly what I had expected. It was good, don't get me wrong. 4 stars is not a bad rating in the slightest, but I hadn't anticipated how different it would be from Across the Universe.
I know, I know; it's not part of the same series, it's not even a spin-off, but that's how my expectations had set themselves up. I don't want you to fall into the same hole. They are similar in some aspects (they're both science fiction with political drama) but mostly they're very different.
The other thing that gave me kind of the wrong impress was the synopsis, because there were some things I didn't really think lined up with it. This part in particular:
Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.
Okay, so the story follows a girl named Ella Shepherd, that part is true. However, she has not dedicated her life to using her "unique gift," at the beginning of the story she doesn't even know that she can do that. The part about the technology her mother developed is true, though. Anyway, it goes on to say that she starts seeing impossible things, and she gets recruited to use thisability technology she has access to in order to spy for the government. A mysterious boy shows up claiming to know her--but she doesn't know him--and he wants her to help fight against the government.
Be honest, as exciting as that sounds, it also sounds pretty cliché, right? I mean, a mysterious boy claiming to know her? A rebel organization fighting against the government? We've all seen these things before.
But you know what The Body Electric has that other dystopian stories don't have?
An unreliable narrator.
That's what sets it apart.
Ella starts off the story being absolutely sure of what she knows, but soon it comes to light that maybe she isn't. Maybe Jack, the mysterious boy claiming to know her, is right. Like the synopsis said, "But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings." I tend not to go for books with unreliable narrators, because it can easily make the story too frustrating for me to stand. However, (because Across the Universe was one of the most frustrating books I've ever read, and yet I still liked it) I trust Beth Revis to make a frustrating story worth reading.
The mysterious boy and love interest, Jack, I actually really like. It's funny, when he first showed up I was sure I was going to hate him. I mean, he came up and claimed he knew Ella, but she didn't know him. He gave her a mysterious warning and then left. That's veering dangerously close to trope territory. Thankfully, his character development managed to take a turn before it crashed into Brooding Jerk ditch, and he revealed himself to be a cocky but lovable good guy.
The setting for the story is Malta, and I really like that. Not Malta specifically (though I'm sure it's a nice place) just the fact that it's somewhere besides generic-post-apocalyptic-America. It's refreshing to get a dystopian set somewhere else.
You may be wondering, with all these positive points, why 4 stars and not 5?
Well, it's because of the beginning. It took me a little while to get into the book, the beginning didn't immediately enthrall me the way the beginning of Across the Universe did (and yes, I'm going to keep mentioning that book, because 1. It was on my mind while I was reading, and I think it's important for reviewers to convey their reading experience honestly because reviews are almost entirely subjective, and 2. It's a good series, you should all go read it). I'll admit the beginning had me worried. It wasn't too long, though, before the heart-wrenching twists began, and then I was hooked; but I couldn't forget the beginning. I had to account for the beginning in my rating.
One last note before I try to put together a coherent conclusion, though it's not part of the Across the Universe series, there are Easter-eggs for AtU readers. I love when authors do that. It's such a simple thing that can make a book a lot more fun for people who have read the author's other work.
Over all, I really enjoyed The Body Electric, it's an interesting story with likable characters and realistic politics. I recommend it for fans of sci-fi, but for those of you who read and loved AtU, The Body Electric really stands on it's own. It is a very different story. Remember that.
When I first heard Beth Revis was writing another full length novel I was beyond excited. I mean, how could I not be? The Across the Universe trilogy is one of my favorite series. Then I entered a giveaway for a review copy, and somehow I was lucky enough to win. Once again, beyond excited. Then I got it in the mail a few weeks before its release date. Do I have to say it again?
Then I started reading it, and it wasn't exactly what I had expected. It was good, don't get me wrong. 4 stars is not a bad rating in the slightest, but I hadn't anticipated how different it would be from Across the Universe.
I know, I know; it's not part of the same series, it's not even a spin-off, but that's how my expectations had set themselves up. I don't want you to fall into the same hole. They are similar in some aspects (they're both science fiction with political drama) but mostly they're very different.
The other thing that gave me kind of the wrong impress was the synopsis, because there were some things I didn't really think lined up with it. This part in particular:
Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.
Okay, so the story follows a girl named Ella Shepherd, that part is true. However, she has not dedicated her life to using her "unique gift," at the beginning of the story she doesn't even know that she can do that. The part about the technology her mother developed is true, though. Anyway, it goes on to say that she starts seeing impossible things, and she gets recruited to use this
Be honest, as exciting as that sounds, it also sounds pretty cliché, right? I mean, a mysterious boy claiming to know her? A rebel organization fighting against the government? We've all seen these things before.
But you know what The Body Electric has that other dystopian stories don't have?
An unreliable narrator.
That's what sets it apart.
Ella starts off the story being absolutely sure of what she knows, but soon it comes to light that maybe she isn't. Maybe Jack, the mysterious boy claiming to know her, is right. Like the synopsis said, "But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings." I tend not to go for books with unreliable narrators, because it can easily make the story too frustrating for me to stand. However, (because Across the Universe was one of the most frustrating books I've ever read, and yet I still liked it) I trust Beth Revis to make a frustrating story worth reading.
The mysterious boy and love interest, Jack, I actually really like. It's funny, when he first showed up I was sure I was going to hate him. I mean, he came up and claimed he knew Ella, but she didn't know him. He gave her a mysterious warning and then left. That's veering dangerously close to trope territory. Thankfully, his character development managed to take a turn before it crashed into Brooding Jerk ditch, and he revealed himself to be a cocky but lovable good guy.
The setting for the story is Malta, and I really like that. Not Malta specifically (though I'm sure it's a nice place) just the fact that it's somewhere besides generic-post-apocalyptic-America. It's refreshing to get a dystopian set somewhere else.
You may be wondering, with all these positive points, why 4 stars and not 5?
Well, it's because of the beginning. It took me a little while to get into the book, the beginning didn't immediately enthrall me the way the beginning of Across the Universe did (and yes, I'm going to keep mentioning that book, because 1. It was on my mind while I was reading, and I think it's important for reviewers to convey their reading experience honestly because reviews are almost entirely subjective, and 2. It's a good series, you should all go read it). I'll admit the beginning had me worried. It wasn't too long, though, before the heart-wrenching twists began, and then I was hooked; but I couldn't forget the beginning. I had to account for the beginning in my rating.
One last note before I try to put together a coherent conclusion, though it's not part of the Across the Universe series, there are Easter-eggs for AtU readers. I love when authors do that. It's such a simple thing that can make a book a lot more fun for people who have read the author's other work.
Over all, I really enjoyed The Body Electric, it's an interesting story with likable characters and realistic politics. I recommend it for fans of sci-fi, but for those of you who read and loved AtU, The Body Electric really stands on it's own. It is a very different story. Remember that.