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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review
4.0
I actually don't understand why I don't see more readers enjoying Sophie Cameron's books. I discovered her book Out of the Blue, a wlw sci-fi novel, through Book Box Club and bought The Last Bus to Everland myself. Both of those books were amazing and the latter was even heartbreaking and made me cry loads of ugly tears. I was therefore quite excited when I saw that she had a new book releasing and even more when I saw it was a sci-fi novel again!
It's hard to explain this book, to explain what it's about. It's about a lot of things. It's about personality and what makes you uniquely you and if it is possible for someone else to simply program a new version of you. It's about grief and letting go and what it means to get a second chance with someone who has died too soon and what it means if that second chance might not turn out as expected. It's mostly about love and all the different ways to express love.
And along the way, while showing us about personalities and grief and love, we meet a few truly amazing people, all dealing with their emotions and situations in their own and unique way. I love how this book doesn't tell anyone how to feel, how to grieve or how to love. The author never tells us what to think ourselves, which characters in the story are right and which are wrong. They all have their own reasons and they all in their own way are right.
I also enjoyed the way Cameron dealt with the technological specifics of the story. I think a lot of the techniques Cameron describes in her book are already there. I also believe that sooner or later this is something people will try. And if it all eventually ends like this book does I think it's an amazing outcome. The lines between human and machine will blur and yet I do believe, just like this book, that making a carbon copy of someone else will always be impossible.
If you have never read anything by Sophie Cameron: Please give her a chance! Especially this book and Out of the Blue are also amazing books to gift to younger kids to just see wlw love as it should be: as love.
It's hard to explain this book, to explain what it's about. It's about a lot of things. It's about personality and what makes you uniquely you and if it is possible for someone else to simply program a new version of you. It's about grief and letting go and what it means to get a second chance with someone who has died too soon and what it means if that second chance might not turn out as expected. It's mostly about love and all the different ways to express love.
And along the way, while showing us about personalities and grief and love, we meet a few truly amazing people, all dealing with their emotions and situations in their own and unique way. I love how this book doesn't tell anyone how to feel, how to grieve or how to love. The author never tells us what to think ourselves, which characters in the story are right and which are wrong. They all have their own reasons and they all in their own way are right.
I also enjoyed the way Cameron dealt with the technological specifics of the story. I think a lot of the techniques Cameron describes in her book are already there. I also believe that sooner or later this is something people will try. And if it all eventually ends like this book does I think it's an amazing outcome. The lines between human and machine will blur and yet I do believe, just like this book, that making a carbon copy of someone else will always be impossible.
If you have never read anything by Sophie Cameron: Please give her a chance! Especially this book and Out of the Blue are also amazing books to gift to younger kids to just see wlw love as it should be: as love.
jsenior24's review
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
michaelav89's review
5.0
One of the best books I have read this year. It is refreshing to read a book with LGBTQ+ element that doesn't portray it as a secret but rather as a normal element of a YA life. Great story that covers family, growing up, loss, community and how connected we are in the world now even if you are on a tiny island of the coast of Scotland.
johanna_b's review
4.0
Isla and her family have been grieving the loss of her older sister Flora for 3 years now and their family is falling apart at the seams. But then they are given the chance to be a part of a life changing experiment called Second Chances who claim that, using advanced AI technology, they can bring Flora back. When Flora finally arrives, nothing could have prepared Isla for the girl who is a perfect likeness to her sister in every way. But not everyone on the island that is Isla's home are as accepting of the new Flora. Will Isla be able to bring the island together before Flora is taken away from her again?
This book was heart-wrenching but also had a simple beauty to it. Having recently experienced a loss in my family the themes brought up resonated deeply with me and the book on a whole left me with a lot to think about. It was so easy to read and the author did such a great job with Isla's character. This book was also an emotional roller-coaster right up to the final chapter. The only thing that I found to be lacking was the mystery element. I feel like it could have been elaborated on a little in order to make it more believable. Other than that though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to kids and teens alike! Happy Reading :)
This book was heart-wrenching but also had a simple beauty to it. Having recently experienced a loss in my family the themes brought up resonated deeply with me and the book on a whole left me with a lot to think about. It was so easy to read and the author did such a great job with Isla's character. This book was also an emotional roller-coaster right up to the final chapter. The only thing that I found to be lacking was the mystery element. I feel like it could have been elaborated on a little in order to make it more believable. Other than that though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to kids and teens alike! Happy Reading :)
ailsareads's review
4.0
"I wonder if she can remember any of those days, if they sometimes emerge like stars on an overcast night, or if her mind is all clouds now"
A beautiful tale of grief, loss, family and first love, set on a remote Scottish island. After Isla's sister dies, a tech company brings her back - as a machine. Is Flora really her sister again, or is what makes someone human more than just their memories?
A beautiful tale of grief, loss, family and first love, set on a remote Scottish island. After Isla's sister dies, a tech company brings her back - as a machine. Is Flora really her sister again, or is what makes someone human more than just their memories?
ludwigdvorak's review
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
4.5
What a gorgeously written and beautifully told story that perfectly approaches so many important human elements like grief and loss and what it means to be human. One of my favorite middle grade books so far.
bethu3's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
neslg's review
4.0
so many good lines, especially toward the end. did not expect it to make me sob but holy shit did it get me.