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soleil_soleil's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
#unimpressed.
My bones to pick:
- not super believable and plausible. Kind of on the nose that the sheltered kid comes out and does all of these things, only to find out thatshe's not actually the real daughter .
- the way the book was physically printed in who separate halves in opposite directions. Not comfortable to read!
My bones to pick:
- not super believable and plausible. Kind of on the nose that the sheltered kid comes out and does all of these things, only to find out that
- the way the book was physically printed in who separate halves in opposite directions. Not comfortable to read!
eponineeurydice's review against another edition
3.0
Okay... the beginning of this book almost made me put it down. I hated that Gemma was impulsive and careless, I hated that I figured out the mystery before her, I hated the clumsy way that parents and shaming was dealt with... also the romance I feel like wasn't done very well. But it did have its moments. The writing was nice enough, and the last 100 or so pages got me invested. But I don't know if it was really entirely worth reading because of how long it took for it to get good. I think Lyra was a really cool character but I feel like the whole time, the characters were just doing stuff "just because." I just don't think the characters were very likeable, and that's kind of a deal-breaker for me. This was I think a pretty average book. Really interesting concept, maybe not the best excecution.
smateer73's review against another edition
4.0
This book was very interesting. Gemma and Lyra's separate stories that are yet woven together will each captivate you in their own way. There is a lot of language, which is the only downfall. Other than that, I highly recommend this book.
spatterson12's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book over a weekend just because I couldn’t stop. The book is told from two perspectives and is divided in half. It’s cool to read one perspective, flip over and read the other, watching how the world’s collide. At first I was disappointed at the end, only because I didn’t realize a sequel was coming out Fall 2017.
potatochipswhat's review against another edition
3.0
Underdeveloped characters, bland romances, horny teens and horny clones, repetitive, made the mistake of reading it Lyra first and then Gemma without alternating, it made gemmas story a bit boring.
Good premise, but difficult to understand at times and there was too much descriptive language, language techniques and abstract thinking and not enough plot and action to fulfill the sci fri genre it set out to be. Became wish washy and made the story rather slow
Good premise, but difficult to understand at times and there was too much descriptive language, language techniques and abstract thinking and not enough plot and action to fulfill the sci fri genre it set out to be. Became wish washy and made the story rather slow
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Two stories in one, both complementing the other and tying one narrative together.
The first half of the book concentrates on Lyra, a replica, who knows she is not human, living in a research institute, treated as an object, a test subject (called '72' by all but herself). Her story of increasing awareness is quite nicely handled, and the morality of cloning/testing is a complicated and rather dark one.
The second half introduces a character that comes into Lyra's world near the end of her narrative - Gemma, a girl with heart problems, who has made her own discoveries - that her father is somehow connected with the research institute that has housed Lyra all of her life.
Just how are their worlds connected?
It's a great plot, with twists, deaths, mysteries, with connections between the two and some scenes viewed from both perspectives.
A very pertinent topic, and one that Young Adult readers will enjoy in this context. The two girls and their stories contain plenty to hold attention as well as contemplation.
I've enjoyed Oliver's books before, and this was no exception, the dual narrative worked very well indeed and though you might only read one story, you need to read both for the fuller picture (Lyra's first I would say).
This could make a great film, and would be great for KS3/4 book clubs in schools or libraries.
With thanks to Edelweiss for the advance copy, sent for review purposes.
Two stories in one, both complementing the other and tying one narrative together.
The first half of the book concentrates on Lyra, a replica, who knows she is not human, living in a research institute, treated as an object, a test subject (called '72' by all but herself). Her story of increasing awareness is quite nicely handled, and the morality of cloning/testing is a complicated and rather dark one.
The second half introduces a character that comes into Lyra's world near the end of her narrative - Gemma, a girl with heart problems, who has made her own discoveries - that her father is somehow connected with the research institute that has housed Lyra all of her life.
Just how are their worlds connected?
It's a great plot, with twists, deaths, mysteries, with connections between the two and some scenes viewed from both perspectives.
A very pertinent topic, and one that Young Adult readers will enjoy in this context. The two girls and their stories contain plenty to hold attention as well as contemplation.
I've enjoyed Oliver's books before, and this was no exception, the dual narrative worked very well indeed and though you might only read one story, you need to read both for the fuller picture (Lyra's first I would say).
This could make a great film, and would be great for KS3/4 book clubs in schools or libraries.
With thanks to Edelweiss for the advance copy, sent for review purposes.
ergoebel's review against another edition
5.0
THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD!!! I bought it just because of how pretty the cover is and I am SO GLAD I did because it is amazing!
sarahreadsbooks_'s review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
I did it. I FINALLY finished the book I’ve had for the longest time sitting on my shelf (since 2016). One of my goals for this year was to read this book, and I’m happy that I’ve completed this goal. As for the story itself, it was an interesting concept. I think the ending was rushed and definitely could have been fleshed out/explored more.