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alexalovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Reviewed originally on Alexa Loves Books
I remember being incredibly nervous about reading Incarnate because of all the hype that had built up around it. But my worrying was incredibly uncalled for - I absolutely LOVED this debut novel. It definitely earns a spot as one of my favorite reads of 2012 so far!
The Characters
While reading Incarnate, I found that I totally felt for Ana. It would be very difficult to live in a world where everyone has an immediate reaction or even prejudice against you simply because you were born. It is made fairly clear that Ana grew up feeling out of place, shunned and like she didn't even deserve to feel, enjoy or simply live. It hurt my heart because here was this intelligent, lovely and completely determined girl, who no one acknowledges (and she lives with a terrible parent, by the way). One of the best parts of the novel is watching Ana's transformation as she learns that what she feels should be respected, what she wants is valid and that she too places a role in the society, though it's still unclear what that role might be.
As for Sam, well, I LOVED him from the very first time he appears in the novel. How could you not love someone who is incredibly charming, intelligent, artistically inclined, noble and who manages to immediately accept Ana? I love how he never once treated her like she didn't belong or that she wasn't a valid person because of her circumstances of birth. His kindness, affection and the time and effort he spent on Ana, his demonstration of his respect for her wants, opinions and needs - those were all lovely to read about. Watching as he comes to really care for her is simply heartwarming. But more on that later.
The Story
This novel completely intrigued me from start to finish. I was never certain of what would happen next, and my curiosity was what had me flipping the pages as quickly as I could! It was always exciting to find out more about Ana and about Heart. I thought there was a great pace to the book, cleverly weaving together the quieter, sweeter moments with the intense, action-packed scenes.
I was totally enthralled as well by the combination of futuristic technology with the presence of creatures like sylph and dragons. Though it was definitely a clash between the stuff of science fiction and the paranormal creatures, I thought it was well done. After all, we don’t know anything about Heart that we don’t learn through Ana’s experience - I personally feel like anything could happen in that place.
The romance was lovely. It moved so, so slow that I was just (mentally) yelling at Sam to get a move on for a lot of the scenes between him and Ana. But the build-up and the end result just more than totally made sense and I now think it wouldn’t have worked any other way.
A quick aside before I give my recommendation - one of my favorite parts of the novel is the masquerade. It was definitely a big event, both in the city and in the novel as a whole, and I loved everything about it - from the descriptions of the festivities and costumes to what went down.
Personally, I say you should...
... definitely read this fantastic debut YA novel! It's got an incredible and quite unique story, as well as elements of romance, paranormal and science fiction. Jodi Meadows did a wonderful job and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
(This was originally published on Alexa Loves Books)
I remember being incredibly nervous about reading Incarnate because of all the hype that had built up around it. But my worrying was incredibly uncalled for - I absolutely LOVED this debut novel. It definitely earns a spot as one of my favorite reads of 2012 so far!
The Characters
While reading Incarnate, I found that I totally felt for Ana. It would be very difficult to live in a world where everyone has an immediate reaction or even prejudice against you simply because you were born. It is made fairly clear that Ana grew up feeling out of place, shunned and like she didn't even deserve to feel, enjoy or simply live. It hurt my heart because here was this intelligent, lovely and completely determined girl, who no one acknowledges (and she lives with a terrible parent, by the way). One of the best parts of the novel is watching Ana's transformation as she learns that what she feels should be respected, what she wants is valid and that she too places a role in the society, though it's still unclear what that role might be.
As for Sam, well, I LOVED him from the very first time he appears in the novel. How could you not love someone who is incredibly charming, intelligent, artistically inclined, noble and who manages to immediately accept Ana? I love how he never once treated her like she didn't belong or that she wasn't a valid person because of her circumstances of birth. His kindness, affection and the time and effort he spent on Ana, his demonstration of his respect for her wants, opinions and needs - those were all lovely to read about. Watching as he comes to really care for her is simply heartwarming. But more on that later.
The Story
This novel completely intrigued me from start to finish. I was never certain of what would happen next, and my curiosity was what had me flipping the pages as quickly as I could! It was always exciting to find out more about Ana and about Heart. I thought there was a great pace to the book, cleverly weaving together the quieter, sweeter moments with the intense, action-packed scenes.
I was totally enthralled as well by the combination of futuristic technology with the presence of creatures like sylph and dragons. Though it was definitely a clash between the stuff of science fiction and the paranormal creatures, I thought it was well done. After all, we don’t know anything about Heart that we don’t learn through Ana’s experience - I personally feel like anything could happen in that place.
The romance was lovely. It moved so, so slow that I was just (mentally) yelling at Sam to get a move on for a lot of the scenes between him and Ana. But the build-up and the end result just more than totally made sense and I now think it wouldn’t have worked any other way.
A quick aside before I give my recommendation - one of my favorite parts of the novel is the masquerade. It was definitely a big event, both in the city and in the novel as a whole, and I loved everything about it - from the descriptions of the festivities and costumes to what went down.
Personally, I say you should...
... definitely read this fantastic debut YA novel! It's got an incredible and quite unique story, as well as elements of romance, paranormal and science fiction. Jodi Meadows did a wonderful job and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
(This was originally published on Alexa Loves Books)
tdeshler's review against another edition
3.0
There was promise in the world created here, but in the end I had more questions than answers. I guess that is why this is a series. What's with the dragons anyway? Seems a bit gratuitous.
lets_b_libros's review against another edition
2.0
Okay, you know what's sad about this book? It's so forgettable. I picked it up some time last year (I can't remember when, that's the point) and it made absolutely no impression on me! I picked it up again a couple days ago to take on a trip, and on the bus I realized that I already had read it!
From what I do remember, the parts the author tried to make mysterious were confusing and the love story was half baked. This book was an awesome chance to make an amazing, breathtaking, mind-blowing world, and it just fell short.
From what I do remember, the parts the author tried to make mysterious were confusing and the love story was half baked. This book was an awesome chance to make an amazing, breathtaking, mind-blowing world, and it just fell short.
thebacklistbook's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have no idea if it is just me, but I felt strong undercurrents of "ism" in this book. Simply replace the word nosoul with black, Chinese, gay, etc. Ana is the Newsoul in heart, or the nosoul, depending on who is asked. She replaced someone and having had zero control over this; She is still hated, fiercely.
The people of heart remind me of certain of my own family members (distant family), who would never accept me were I certain things listed above. Some people completely shut down because as soon as they learn you are "Other" you are now an object to them, you don't matter.
These are the people of Heart. It is more than a little Ironic that a people Living in village called Heart possess such little compassion and caring. This book really made me think; It has been a while since that happened, I thank you [a:Jodi Meadows|4116488|Jodi Meadows|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1389713448p2/4116488.jpg].
The people of heart remind me of certain of my own family members (distant family), who would never accept me were I certain things listed above. Some people completely shut down because as soon as they learn you are "Other" you are now an object to them, you don't matter.
These are the people of Heart. It is more than a little Ironic that a people Living in village called Heart possess such little compassion and caring. This book really made me think; It has been a while since that happened, I thank you [a:Jodi Meadows|4116488|Jodi Meadows|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1389713448p2/4116488.jpg].
booksofamber's review against another edition
3.0
Full review here: http://www.booksofamber.com/2012/04/incarnate-by-jodi-meadows.html
I feel a little let down by Incarnate, given the hype surrounding this novel before its release. I enjoyed it a lot, but it's not one of my favourites and I had problems with a few things.
Firstly, I absolutely loved the world it was set in. It was fascinating to read about, and there were so many new things to see and learn. I really hope we explore more of this world in the next book in the series, otherwise I'll be very disappointed!
There were lots of questions that were brought up in this book, and by the end a lot of them had been answered but so many more had been discovered! I have mixed feelings about this, as it leaves a lot of room for the sequel, but I am dying to know what the heck is going on because I honestly have no clue!
I liked the main character, Ana, and felt sorry for her because of the way Li had brought her up. I did get quite annoyed by her temper tantrums that happened not just in the beginning, but throughout the whole book.
I'm confused about how I feel about Sam. He was really sweet at times, but he was also moody and annoyingly secretive. He was a 5000 year old bloke in an 18 year old body, and I have to admit that I had trouble with his and Ana's relationship because, come on, she was 4982 years younger than him.
The writing style was good, but I wasn't a fan of how most of the dialogue was written. It was very wooden, and drawn out and I think there could have been a more simple way to say things that would have worked better.
Overall, it was a good book, and I'll definitely be reading the sequel because I love the world and the soul concept in general. I'm not sure about Janan, or any of that, but I look forward to finding out more!
I feel a little let down by Incarnate, given the hype surrounding this novel before its release. I enjoyed it a lot, but it's not one of my favourites and I had problems with a few things.
Firstly, I absolutely loved the world it was set in. It was fascinating to read about, and there were so many new things to see and learn. I really hope we explore more of this world in the next book in the series, otherwise I'll be very disappointed!
There were lots of questions that were brought up in this book, and by the end a lot of them had been answered but so many more had been discovered! I have mixed feelings about this, as it leaves a lot of room for the sequel, but I am dying to know what the heck is going on because I honestly have no clue!
I liked the main character, Ana, and felt sorry for her because of the way Li had brought her up. I did get quite annoyed by her temper tantrums that happened not just in the beginning, but throughout the whole book.
I'm confused about how I feel about Sam. He was really sweet at times, but he was also moody and annoyingly secretive. He was a 5000 year old bloke in an 18 year old body, and I have to admit that I had trouble with his and Ana's relationship because, come on, she was 4982 years younger than him.
The writing style was good, but I wasn't a fan of how most of the dialogue was written. It was very wooden, and drawn out and I think there could have been a more simple way to say things that would have worked better.
Overall, it was a good book, and I'll definitely be reading the sequel because I love the world and the soul concept in general. I'm not sure about Janan, or any of that, but I look forward to finding out more!
xsophiehoughton's review against another edition
3.0
I adored Jodi's Orphan Queen series, but had never read any of her other books, so decided to buy a copy of Incarnate after hearing really good things about it. Ana is strange in this world. She is a new soul, in a world where everyone is reincarnated after death, and her arrival coincides with the permanent disappearance of one of Heart's most beloved citizens. When she appears in the city, she is shunned, as others are afraid of her, and what her being a new soul means. Same is the only one who will help her and stand up for her, and a romance blossoms between them. However, the hatred of a new soul being in the city, especially when it is under attack from dragons and sylph, may lead to them being separated.
This book was strange. I liked the premise, and the world building, but still found something a bit lacking. Ana was very headstrong, and a bit too impulsive at times, but she grew on me, and her and Sam's relationship was sweet. I'm reviewing this over a year after reading it, and being honest, I can't remember too much about the book. I think I have the other books on my shelves somewhere, but am considering whether to offload them, because I don't think I'm invested in the series enough. Disappointing considering how much I love Jodi's other series.
This book was strange. I liked the premise, and the world building, but still found something a bit lacking. Ana was very headstrong, and a bit too impulsive at times, but she grew on me, and her and Sam's relationship was sweet. I'm reviewing this over a year after reading it, and being honest, I can't remember too much about the book. I think I have the other books on my shelves somewhere, but am considering whether to offload them, because I don't think I'm invested in the series enough. Disappointing considering how much I love Jodi's other series.
theawkwardbookw's review against another edition
2.0
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCferU-BCL2dlFjWdD0rS75Q/videos
I picked this book up simply because the cover is absolutely gorgeous, I also heard great things about this series. After reading the synopsis, I was hooked. It sounded like such an interesting concept. Reincarnation has always been interesting to me so you can imagine my excitement when stumbling across this book.
Unfortunately, I have mixed feelings about the book. Although I did like it, I found it to be boring and slow at times. Don't get me wrong, the world Jodi Meadow's created is pretty cool if you ask me. The dragons and Sylph attacks were a nice touch of A LITTLE BIT of action - not much though, to my disappointment. I really wanted to like the romance between Sam and Ana, but at times it just drove me crazy. Ana complained non-stop about Sam not "trying anything with her"... YOU CAN MAKE A MOVE TO GIRL JUST SAYING! I do admire how well he treats her though, you go Sammy boy!
Overall, the book was OKAY. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. I would recommend this book if you like utopias with a twist of fantasy thrown in there for good measure.
I picked this book up simply because the cover is absolutely gorgeous, I also heard great things about this series. After reading the synopsis, I was hooked. It sounded like such an interesting concept. Reincarnation has always been interesting to me so you can imagine my excitement when stumbling across this book.
Unfortunately, I have mixed feelings about the book. Although I did like it, I found it to be boring and slow at times. Don't get me wrong, the world Jodi Meadow's created is pretty cool if you ask me. The dragons and Sylph attacks were a nice touch of A LITTLE BIT of action - not much though, to my disappointment. I really wanted to like the romance between Sam and Ana, but at times it just drove me crazy. Ana complained non-stop about Sam not "trying anything with her"... YOU CAN MAKE A MOVE TO GIRL JUST SAYING! I do admire how well he treats her though, you go Sammy boy!
Overall, the book was OKAY. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. I would recommend this book if you like utopias with a twist of fantasy thrown in there for good measure.
prisoner24601's review against another edition
2.0
Summary: After 5,000 years of the same souls being reincarnated, Ana, anew soul, is born and on her eighteenth birthday sets off on a mission to learn the truth about her existence.
I did not like the main character she was annoying and constantly spewing negative comments. The whole world with a beating wall and bloody dragons and sylphs (yes I finally wikipedia'ed it and found out what it was) was relatively uninteresting. For the first time ever the love interest bored me. Sam/Dossam whatever bored me to death. Maybe it was because he was 5 thousand years old, I don't know, but I was utterly bored by him.
I guess the writing style was nice to read. Kudos to the Jodi Meadows but the plot could have been better.
I disliked this book. My reaction is:
I did not like the main character she was annoying and constantly spewing negative comments. The whole world with a beating wall and bloody dragons and sylphs (yes I finally wikipedia'ed it and found out what it was) was relatively uninteresting. For the first time ever the love interest bored me. Sam/Dossam whatever bored me to death. Maybe it was because he was 5 thousand years old, I don't know, but I was utterly bored by him.
I guess the writing style was nice to read. Kudos to the Jodi Meadows but the plot could have been better.
I disliked this book. My reaction is: