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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
Was a bit too rushed for me. The plot seemed hurried, and it left me confused to what was actually happening most of the time. Love the idea! But not really the execution of it
Beautiful cover. Very interesting premise: our first life is just practice for our second life, our real life, in which we can choose to join one of two realms. Myriad is the nightlife, the emotion, victory and fighting for what you want. Myriad lets you negotiate your offer when making covenant with them, and then when your second life ends, Myriadians believe your spirit is fused with another to live again in the Land of the Harvest. Troika, the other realm, is sunshine and justice and laws and respect for human life. Troika offers everyone the same and Troikians believe your spirit Rests once second life ends; they don't believe in Fusing. If Myriad can't win you, they'd rather you die unsigned then go to Troika. Myriad is about victory, Troika is about justice. So Myriad's night realm is the dark side and Troika is the light side. It wasn't as ambiguous as both the Capitol and District 13 being problematic--in my opinion, Troika is the obvious choice, due to events before the story even starts, and I spent 400 pages rolling my eyes at Tenley Lockwood, the narrator and protagonist. Because she spends over a year being tortured in an asylum because her parents want her to choose Myriad, and because if she remains Unsigned, she'll go to the Realm of Many Ends when she dies, which is literally hell.
I liked Firstlife enough to finish it, and I care enough about what happens next to read the sequel, but I had very mixed feelings while reading, as you can already tell if you've read this far here. I didn't actually like Ten, the protagonist, most of the time; I disagreed with *almost* all of her choices and couldn't believe she'd spent 13 months being tortured in an asylum that she was put into by her parents to make her choose Myriad, and I couldn't believe her parents expected that to win her over?! Myriad offered her parents a much better deal if their daughter chose their realm, because she is apparently the tipping point in this [seemingly pointless] war between the realms; I didn't like the special snowflake-ness of it all. I understand that the realms diverge on basic belief systems and it's like a war over souls and land but it's also the afterlife, why can't they just coexist. I guess I'm Team HART.
I was relieved that the love triangle died before it could begin because while she had two hot guys trying to recruit her, it was obvious that she was only attracted to the Myriad one, Killian (even though the Troika one, Archer, is also attractive...). It was also obvious that Troika was the realm for her, and I get that that conflicts with what her parents want, but her parents are literally the worst so it's just another reason to choose Troika, really. Then she fell in love with Myriad bad boy Killian who I honestly didn't trust until, like, the second to last page when he told her to choose Troika.
I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing--I didn't like the internal narration interrupting Ten's spoken dialogue, and I rolled my eyes every time the numbers obsession came up. I was confused by every mention of something of our world, from the Disney Princess comparison at one point to the "Beam me up Scotty" part, only because this is clearly not our world, so where is the line drawn?
I loved the surprise significance of Ten's Aunt Lina's song, and I can't wait to find out who Aunt Lina's Fused with in the sequel. Like I said, mixed feelings.
I liked Firstlife enough to finish it, and I care enough about what happens next to read the sequel, but I had very mixed feelings while reading, as you can already tell if you've read this far here. I didn't actually like Ten, the protagonist, most of the time; I disagreed with *almost* all of her choices and couldn't believe she'd spent 13 months being tortured in an asylum that she was put into by her parents to make her choose Myriad, and I couldn't believe her parents expected that to win her over?! Myriad offered her parents a much better deal if their daughter chose their realm, because she is apparently the tipping point in this [seemingly pointless] war between the realms; I didn't like the special snowflake-ness of it all. I understand that the realms diverge on basic belief systems and it's like a war over souls and land but it's also the afterlife, why can't they just coexist. I guess I'm Team HART.
I was relieved that the love triangle died before it could begin because while she had two hot guys trying to recruit her, it was obvious that she was only attracted to the Myriad one, Killian (even though the Troika one, Archer, is also attractive...). It was also obvious that Troika was the realm for her, and I get that that conflicts with what her parents want, but her parents are literally the worst so it's just another reason to choose Troika, really. Then she fell in love with Myriad bad boy Killian who I honestly didn't trust until, like, the second to last page when he told her to choose Troika.
I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing--I didn't like the internal narration interrupting Ten's spoken dialogue, and I rolled my eyes every time the numbers obsession came up. I was confused by every mention of something of our world, from the Disney Princess comparison at one point to the "Beam me up Scotty" part, only because this is clearly not our world, so where is the line drawn?
I loved the surprise significance of Ten's Aunt Lina's song, and I can't wait to find out who Aunt Lina's Fused with in the sequel. Like I said, mixed feelings.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 Stars ✨
“The most destructive or constructive actions begin with a single thought. And, ultimately, a single action can decide the direction our lives take. And our deaths.”
First life is your current life, the one you live right now, but it’s only your first. This life is where you make the decision on where you’ll spend your last life- eternity. After you die you begin living your ever-life in one of two realms- Trokia or Myriad, both have a different set of morals and goals. The realms have been at war forever, that’s why you must pick carefully, because someday one side will lose. Before you die you must make a blood covenant with one or the other , if not you’ll be considered unsigned and end up in a place called Many Ends -full of nightmares.
Tenley Lockwood has been locked in an asylum by her parents due to being an unsigned. They want her to make a decision and have given them permission to use any means necessary to get her to make her choice but she’s stubborn. Ten is assigned their best handlers from each realm to recruit and make her choose. She is special though, because she holds the power to help one of the realms win the war. What side will she choose?
I really liked the idea of Firstlife. It’s a pretty neat and unique concept. Just the delivery made me feel like I was on a tilt a whirl. My reading experience with it went something like -
What ?
Hmm…
Oh I get it , I like it!
Nope I’m confused
I think I’m going to DNF
Wait I like it again…
I’m bored
Cringe
This is making my brain hurt
Heartbroken
Interesting
I gotta know
Might read the next one.
It was definitely a whole experience reading this one. I’m not sure yet if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I found the concept so intriguing but the characters were just ok. I think my favorite would have to be Archer. There were some major cheese and eye roll moments that almost ruined it. Call me crazy - but it did peak my interest enough, I think Im going to try the next one just to see where it goes.
“The most destructive or constructive actions begin with a single thought. And, ultimately, a single action can decide the direction our lives take. And our deaths.”
First life is your current life, the one you live right now, but it’s only your first. This life is where you make the decision on where you’ll spend your last life- eternity. After you die you begin living your ever-life in one of two realms- Trokia or Myriad, both have a different set of morals and goals. The realms have been at war forever, that’s why you must pick carefully, because someday one side will lose. Before you die you must make a blood covenant with one or the other , if not you’ll be considered unsigned and end up in a place called Many Ends -full of nightmares.
Tenley Lockwood has been locked in an asylum by her parents due to being an unsigned. They want her to make a decision and have given them permission to use any means necessary to get her to make her choice but she’s stubborn. Ten is assigned their best handlers from each realm to recruit and make her choose. She is special though, because she holds the power to help one of the realms win the war. What side will she choose?
I really liked the idea of Firstlife. It’s a pretty neat and unique concept. Just the delivery made me feel like I was on a tilt a whirl. My reading experience with it went something like -
What ?
Hmm…
Oh I get it , I like it!
Nope I’m confused
I think I’m going to DNF
Wait I like it again…
I’m bored
Cringe
This is making my brain hurt
Heartbroken
Interesting
I gotta know
Might read the next one.
It was definitely a whole experience reading this one. I’m not sure yet if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I found the concept so intriguing but the characters were just ok. I think my favorite would have to be Archer. There were some major cheese and eye roll moments that almost ruined it. Call me crazy - but it did peak my interest enough, I think Im going to try the next one just to see where it goes.
A very enjoyable read!! At first I was a bit unsure about whether or not I would like it, but then all of a sudden after I'd read a few pages I could not put the book down (even though it took a while for me to finish the book... I blame school and homework)!
Het boek komt vrij traag op gang. Er zitten spannende stukken in, maar ook stukken waarvan ik niet weet wat ze met het verhaal te maken hebben en waar mijn aandacht even verloren gaat. Ik blijf erg lang met vragen zitten over deze nieuwe wereld. Ik ben nieuwsgierig naar wat alles te betekenen heeft, en zonder bepaalde dingen te weten kan ik maar moeilijk volledig in het verhaal kruipen. Vanaf pagina 200 ongeveer kan ik het verhaal ook weer niet meer opzij leggen. Er komen heel wat plotwendingen, fantastisch uitgeschreven passages... en op het einde van het boek wil ik meer lezen over de wereld van Myriad en Troika en over hoe het Ten verder gaat verlopen. Even volhouden bij dit boek dus, maar uiteindelijk toch een aanrader.
Showalter takes the premise that life is just a dress rehearsal literally, because she posits an afterlife divided into three realms: Troika, Myriad and Many Ends. Candidates sign on for either of the first two (the first is bathed in sunlight, and considers that free will/individual actions as important; the second is swathed in darkness, and thinks that fate overrides all, and that individuals cannot prevent the grind of its wheels). If, at the end of their Firstlife, a person is Unsigned, they end up in Many Ends, which roughly corresponds to Hell. The competition for spirits runs high as Troika and Myriad have been at war forever (though I don't recall being told why they are at war), and spirits are inducted into each realm's army.
Apparently critical to the cause (we're told this in the opening pages) is one Tenley "Ten" Lockwood, a 17 year old girl who is confined to the Prynne Asylum. Prynne is designed to help (by any means necessary) its inmates sign to one of the two realms, but Ten isn't having any of it. Fortunately, two super hot guys, one from each realm, are sent to recruit her to their respective causes. Why yes, Teen Harlequin is the publisher, how did you guess?
I hated the first half of the book, and as I slogged through it I kept hoping it would get better. Fortunately for me, it did, as I liked how the story unfolded in the second half. That's the reason I give the book 2 stars. While I realize it's part of a series (what isn't these days), I don't feel the need to continue on with it.
Apparently critical to the cause (we're told this in the opening pages) is one Tenley "Ten" Lockwood, a 17 year old girl who is confined to the Prynne Asylum. Prynne is designed to help (by any means necessary) its inmates sign to one of the two realms, but Ten isn't having any of it. Fortunately, two super hot guys, one from each realm, are sent to recruit her to their respective causes. Why yes, Teen Harlequin is the publisher, how did you guess?
I hated the first half of the book, and as I slogged through it I kept hoping it would get better. Fortunately for me, it did, as I liked how the story unfolded in the second half. That's the reason I give the book 2 stars. While I realize it's part of a series (what isn't these days), I don't feel the need to continue on with it.
This was a very enthralling story. I think my younger self would have rated it 5 stars. Will I read the sequel? Probably. But in no hurry.
I give this book 4.5 stars
MINDBLOWING!!!! This book..just...sigh..gave me so much feelings!!
Loved it from the very first page until the very last, even though there are numerous moments you just want to rip your own heart out of your chest, bury it and face plant yourself next to it..
#FangirlProblems
Extended review on my blog, in DUTCH:
https://melissasbookworldblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/recensie-first-life-gena-showalter/
MINDBLOWING!!!! This book..just...sigh..gave me so much feelings!!
Loved it from the very first page until the very last, even though there are numerous moments you just want to rip your own heart out of your chest, bury it and face plant yourself next to it..
#FangirlProblems
Extended review on my blog, in DUTCH:
https://melissasbookworldblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/recensie-first-life-gena-showalter/
