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narcissia's review against another edition
3.0
Good story and themes, great world building, slow and tedious pacing, some superfluous dialogue. Violence.
reader4evr's review against another edition
2.0
Rating: 2.5
I had high expectations for this book since it won a Printz award but this book let me down. Don't get me wrong, the writing was really nice but I felt the storyline just kind of dragged. This took me over a week to read this book and usually when that happens, I know it just didn't keep me interested like I had hoped.
I think boys will like it because of the yucky-ness.
I had high expectations for this book since it won a Printz award but this book let me down. Don't get me wrong, the writing was really nice but I felt the storyline just kind of dragged. This took me over a week to read this book and usually when that happens, I know it just didn't keep me interested like I had hoped.
I think boys will like it because of the yucky-ness.
bookph1le's review against another edition
5.0
A fast-paced, imaginative, and gripping book. I was literally biting my nails while reading it. The story sucked me in from the very beginning and didn't let go until I'd read the last word. I can hardly wait for the next installment.
mimimilaa's review against another edition
4.0
This book was definitely fun and an easy read. It's very fast paced and I got through the whole thing in two sittings, less than 24 hours. I thought this story was very unique and an interesting futuristic world. That being said, I really wish that we had gotten a bit more world-building up front. As I said, this book was very fast-paced; by page 100 you've already reached the tough decision talked about at the back on the back of the book. I loved the writing in this book and really the only complaint that I have is that it's not longer and the world wasn't developed enough. Because of this, though, there were times when I was a bit confused by what was going on but I managed to understand it.
I love Nita as a character; even though she is a swank she wants to work and put in the effort to make it back to her family and I think that's very admirable. The emerging love interest was kind of a given to me, very cliche in my opinion, but I am a sucker for some romance so it wasn't that big of a deal. I'm hoping that Nailer and Pima stay platonic, though, because I really don't want to see them go down the path of a love triangle. I also think it's nice to just simply have a friendship between a boy and a girl; they don't always have to end up together.
Nevertheless, I am so excited to pick up the companion novel, The Browned Cities.
I love Nita as a character; even though she is a swank she wants to work and put in the effort to make it back to her family and I think that's very admirable. The emerging love interest was kind of a given to me, very cliche in my opinion, but I am a sucker for some romance so it wasn't that big of a deal. I'm hoping that Nailer and Pima stay platonic, though, because I really don't want to see them go down the path of a love triangle. I also think it's nice to just simply have a friendship between a boy and a girl; they don't always have to end up together.
Nevertheless, I am so excited to pick up the companion novel, The Browned Cities.
abbyl819's review against another edition
4.0
I had no idea what to expect going into this book, as I had never heard of it before the class I had to read it for. I had low expectations but in the end I am so glad that I read it and even would like to read the other companion books isn the series. The things that I was the most impressed with was the incredible world building. It is done in a very immersive style, where you re thrown in and yet don't feel confused or lost because you are learning so much about the world without even realizing it. It is set in such a realistic and plausible world that it is easy to understand and believe.
marti4's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
chuskeyreads's review against another edition
4.0
To be honest, I only picked up this book because it won the Printz Award. The summary really doesn't do the book justice - it sounded a little boring. But when I began reading, I was sucked into Nailer's world of scavenging copper from old beached tankers. Most dystopian novels rely on their high tech schemes, but the setting for this novel far more interesting - pirates and beach shanties and clipper ships. The rusty, grimy living conditions added to the desperation of Nailer and his friends and heightened the action scenes.
There were are few places that were a little predictable and a few phrases that lost their luster from too much repetition (e.g. "blossoms of pain"), but overall the writing was well done. The descriptions of the people and the wrecked ship were quite visceral:
"The captain lay bloated, his face puffed and purpled, the sun baking and ruining his flesh.”
The part that struck me the most was the potential reality of the story - almost like a modern version of Lord of the Flies<\i> - kids willing to kill for survival.
On to the sequel . . .
There were are few places that were a little predictable and a few phrases that lost their luster from too much repetition (e.g. "blossoms of pain"), but overall the writing was well done. The descriptions of the people and the wrecked ship were quite visceral:
"The captain lay bloated, his face puffed and purpled, the sun baking and ruining his flesh.”
The part that struck me the most was the potential reality of the story - almost like a modern version of Lord of the Flies<\i> - kids willing to kill for survival.
On to the sequel . . .
abaugher's review against another edition
5.0
WOOO HOOO!!! Excellent! steam punk, action-packed! boy book, super for girls who like adventure. pass it on!