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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
This book took me a second time listen to really give a fair rating. The first time I listened to the book, I was so annoyed with the babyish/airheaded sounding narrator that I could barely listen to it. I hated the character of Jenna just from this initial listen. However, as I got more into the book, the themes and ethical dilemmas made this such a compelling read that I decided to listen to it again. (I wish I would have read a hard copy of the book!)
After listening to it again, I decided that I really liked this book. There were so many great themes in this, such as how far would a parent go to save a child and is this what the child really wants. Should parents control their children for their own safety? There is the dilemma of child worship to the point of instilling a sense of perfectionism that the child cannot live up to. There is the question of death and religion and whether death is an acceptable alternative to artificially prolonging life. There is the question of whether regulation of science and technology is good or bad. There is the question of what makes us human. Woven through all of this is Thoreau's Walden Pond.
I struggled with whether to rate this a 3 or a 4 mainly because I felt like the story left too many questions. The epilogue tidies things up which brings some satisfaction, but leaves so many questions about what happened in-between. I understand there are more books, which I will read. Hopefully, these sequels explain more of that in-between time. All in all, I think this is a fantastic read for the themes alone. It would make a great discussion book.
After listening to it again, I decided that I really liked this book. There were so many great themes in this, such as how far would a parent go to save a child and is this what the child really wants. Should parents control their children for their own safety? There is the dilemma of child worship to the point of instilling a sense of perfectionism that the child cannot live up to. There is the question of death and religion and whether death is an acceptable alternative to artificially prolonging life. There is the question of whether regulation of science and technology is good or bad. There is the question of what makes us human. Woven through all of this is Thoreau's Walden Pond.
I struggled with whether to rate this a 3 or a 4 mainly because I felt like the story left too many questions. The epilogue tidies things up which brings some satisfaction, but leaves so many questions about what happened in-between. I understand there are more books, which I will read. Hopefully, these sequels explain more of that in-between time. All in all, I think this is a fantastic read for the themes alone. It would make a great discussion book.
~*~*~*~ RE-READ REVIEW ~*~*~*~
This is such a creepy little book! Really great combo of coming of age, sci-fi in the near future, and mystery. Forget the rest of the series, this is the one you should read. You can watch Jenna grow as the story unfurls, with the language changing from incredibly simple to more and more complex.
This is such a creepy little book! Really great combo of coming of age, sci-fi in the near future, and mystery. Forget the rest of the series, this is the one you should read. You can watch Jenna grow as the story unfurls, with the language changing from incredibly simple to more and more complex.
It started rather slow and it took a while before I was hooked. But of course it is how Jenna experienced her "awakening". Collecting facts and remembering only bits and pieces that don't make sense at first, but once she has enough pieces of the puzzle she can complete the whole picture in no time at all. So the speed in this story changed continuously and felt a little rushed at the end.
Still wondering the importance of Dane's role... he popped up a little to often in my opinion to not have a meaning...
The most intriguing about this book is the idea behind it, the possibilities, the consequences, the risks, the ethics ... if this technology would become feasible one day...
Still wondering the importance of Dane's role... he popped up a little to often in my opinion to not have a meaning...
The most intriguing about this book is the idea behind it, the possibilities, the consequences, the risks, the ethics ... if this technology would become feasible one day...
I'm not very good with words so I'll just say that I really liked this book. REALLY.
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this book. What I expected was a bit more sinister than the actual truth, but that didn't stop me from liking the book and Jenna. A couple of twists caught me a bit by surprise and it was an interesting look at how we define humanity without delving too deeply into it. I would have liked to see a little more of the global viewpoint and that sort of thing. It felt very contained and isolated, which maybe was for effect. In any case, a quick little read that I liked.
2.5 stars
All of the characters annoyed me to the point that I skimmed a lot of this book. The only thing that saved it was the plot. Even that was slow.
All of the characters annoyed me to the point that I skimmed a lot of this book. The only thing that saved it was the plot. Even that was slow.
This is totally what the Battlestar Galactica spinoff show Caprica is going to be about. Grief-stricken parents will do anything to bring back their daughter after she dies, including transplanting her thoughts and memories into an artificial body.
When I heard there is a new sequel to this, I picked up the audio version for a re-read to refresh my memory. It wasn't quite as suspenseful the second time around, but you do get the satisfaction of noticing the clues that Pearson gives you. The audio reading is well-done - it doesn't call attention to itself but is smooth and suited to the story. Here's what I had to say the first time I read it:
This is a page-turner. I was absolutely hooked by the premise, because it could have gone so many different directions from the first chapter. Jenna is 17 and has just woken up from a coma. She doesn't remember anything. You've got an enigmatic character - she doesn't know who she is or who she wants to be. All the supporting characters are acting strangely, in one way or another. There's a mystery to solve, but it's a mystery of the mind - and of who we are and what defines us. Plus a whole slew of ethical dilemmas. I couldn't put it down, even after the first big reveal. Basically, I'm having trouble finding fault with it. It's thoughtful AND gripping all at the same time - what more do you want?
Jenna is 17, but I think it could 'read' much younger, and readers of different ages would take something different away from the story, and the questions it raises.
This is a page-turner. I was absolutely hooked by the premise, because it could have gone so many different directions from the first chapter. Jenna is 17 and has just woken up from a coma. She doesn't remember anything. You've got an enigmatic character - she doesn't know who she is or who she wants to be. All the supporting characters are acting strangely, in one way or another. There's a mystery to solve, but it's a mystery of the mind - and of who we are and what defines us. Plus a whole slew of ethical dilemmas. I couldn't put it down, even after the first big reveal. Basically, I'm having trouble finding fault with it. It's thoughtful AND gripping all at the same time - what more do you want?
Jenna is 17, but I think it could 'read' much younger, and readers of different ages would take something different away from the story, and the questions it raises.