Review - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games #1)

Picture from Goodreads

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

Format: Hardcover (374 pages)

Publisher: Scholastic Inc

Publication Date: October 31st 2008

Rating: 5/5
Source: Bought from Amazon

Get it at: Chapters | Amazon |

Summary from Chapters.ca

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death on live TV.

One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor tohis or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rule. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games.

But Katniss has been close to dead before - and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

What I think:
 
I love this book. To date, The Hunger Games is still my favorite of all the Young Adult, Dystopian novel (although, Delirium is closely behind :) ). The plot was amazing and easy to follow. Although the story was told in the point of view of Katniss Everdeen, the audience can easily follow the development of secondary character. The pacing of the book was consistent all the way through. There weren't any filler or any unnecessary scenes. I thought it was well written and edited.


First time I read this book was in 2008, and back then I didn't really like Katniss' character at all. But reading it the second time, I can start to understand Katniss' feeling. Everyone kept on asking me if I was on Gale or Peeta's side. Honestly, I think there weren't any romance between Katniss and Gale. To me, their relationship is a more of a really close friend/family relationship that those two displayed (aside from the movie that push the idea the other way).


I don't have many bad things to say about this book. However, I thought maybe, Cato should be mention a bit more. I really love Rue and I actually cried during the scene. The book, itself is amazing and breathtakingly beautiful.

Overall, I really really really, love this book! Suzanne Collins is one amazing author

Rating: ★★★★★


Side Notes (about the movie):
 
I thought the movie really complemented the book. For example, there were more scene about Cato (not much with Rue though =( ). In addition, there are some character that showed up in the movie, yet not mentioned in the book --> Senaca Crane. But anyways, I recommend the movie to everyone and anyone =).

Review - Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (Uglies #2)

Picture from Chapters.ca

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Format: Paperback (370 pages)

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: November 1st 2005

Rating: 4/5Source: Library Loan

Get it at: Chapters | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author Website: http://scottwesterfeld.com/

Summary from Amazon:

Gorgeous. Popular. Perfect. Perfectly wrong.

Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun -- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom -- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life -- because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.

What I Think:

Right after I finished reading Uglies, I immediately started on Pretties. The beginning is intriguing as the heroine of the story has turned into a "pretty" like she always wanted before she met Shay (Shay is also a Pretty now; read the first book to find out what happen). But here's the catch, Tally's memories have been tampered with and cannot remember in detailed about the days when she was an Ugly. Now, with her new look, she is best friend forever with Shay and of course, Peris. Somehow, during one of her wild parties with all the new Pretties, she met up with an old acquaintance. From then on, she start to regain her memories of her betrayal and the real purpose why she turned into a Pretty. Zane, a "flawed" Pretty. just like Tally, is ready to help her with the mission. However, the Special Circumstances (soldiers of the strict society of the Pretties) are one step ahead of her as her friends all fell into the grasp of authorities.

Again, Scott Westerfeld did a marvelous job describing everything, yet not to put too much detail. He also emphasize the important points such as the dialect of the Pretties (which can be annoying at times). There were more character development focusing on Tally and Zane, but not so  much on Peris. I thought it was funny how Peris seemed to inserted in the story again, even though he seemed to disappeared from the face of earth in the first book (I have yet to figure out his purpose in the story). Shay, on the other hand, was exactly like in the first book, going from all giddy, friendly, mindless girl into a mean person. This time, she has a reason to do that so her personality change was not that annoying compared to her change in Uglies. Dr. Cable (leader of the Special Circumstances) came back to mess with Tally once again so she is still alive from the first book.

Pacing and plot wise, I thought it was a bit slow in middle of the book, but picked up again towards the end. Similar with the first book, it takes a bit of time to get use of the inconsistent pacing. Surprisingly, I really like the twisted ending. It's not opened but with closure that you just have to read the next book.

What I don't like about this book is the love triangle. Towards the end, the story re-introduced David and Tally made up her mind to be with Zane rather than David as she has more things in common with Zane. I felt the whole break up was rushed because in the first book she was super attached to David. Honestly, I don't think Romance is Scott Westerfeld's forte.

Overall, it seems like Scott Westerfeld is making this trilogy a very big cat and mouse chase. At first, I'm not sure what to make of Shay, other than hate her, but towards the end, Shay is like a big bait to lure out Tally and that Tally is a whole experiment thing designed by Dr Cable and her Special Circumstances. That is my guess so far. I think everyone that read the first book should read the second book. There are so much twists and turns that would surprise you!

I am definitely rushing to the library tomorrow morning to grab the last book!

Rating: ★★★★

Review - Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (Uglies #1)

Picture from Chapters.ca

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia
Format: Paperback (425 pages)

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: February 8, 2005
Rating: 5/5
Source: Library Loan
Get it at: Chapters | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Author's Website: http://scottwesterfeld.com/

Summary from Amazon:

Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.
But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.
 
What I think:

A friend of mind recommended this book way back in high school (to help with an essay), but back then I was not interested in dystopia genre. But when I saw this book at the library I just HAVE to borrow it.

The story follow a young girl, Tally Youngblood, about to turn sixteen, a moment she's been waiting forever. Ever since her best friend, Peris, turned sixteen and received his "pretty" surgery, Tally is more anxious than ever to join her friends in The New Pretty Town where all the new "Pretties" live. However, she met a girl, with the same birthday as her and befriended her. As the summary says, will she risk her new founded friendship for a simple, selfish dream?

I really love how Scott Westerfeld describe everything vividly without telling too much. The character development was impressive as most protagonists and antagonists were describe with appropriate details. Even those who are not mentioned as much, there are various subtle hints scattered in the book so the readers can pick out the clues to figure out. However, my biggest peeve about this story is how Peris is introduced with full detail at the begining, he seemed to be disappeared from the face of earth after Tally set up her mission to find Shay. Also, Shay seemed to be a nice girl at first, but after that, she was mentioned much after Tally found her. I absolutely despise her when Tally found her. To me her change was so drastic that that the author doesn't need to describe her. I just hate her until the end when something happened to her AGAIN. Oh and the romance thing between Tally and David is way too sudden.


What I love the most about the story is that, even though Uglies is a trilogy, Scott Westerfeld still managed to put closure at the end to set up for the next book. In some series that I have read in the past, the ending of any book of a series tend to be too open or a frustrated cliff hanger.

Somehow, I connected to this story more than other dystopian novels I have read so far. Perhaps the theme goes so well with what is occurring today with teenagers all over the world undergoing plastic surgery (although, not as extreme as described in the book) to become the ideal image of what the public perceive as "beauty". The whole cosmetic surgery process symbolize the coming of age, similarly to a new beginning and to make everyone equal. 

I could NOT put this book down once I opened it. It was just that entertaining even with the inconsistent pace!

Rating: ★★★★★

Review - Hana by Lauren Oliver (Delirium #1.5)

Picture from Chapters.ca

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Dystopia
Format: eBook (64 pages)
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: February 2012
Rating: 5/5
Source: Bought at Chapters
Get it at: Chapters

Summary from Goodreads:

The summer before they're supposed to be cured of the ability to love, best friends Lena and Hana begin to drift apart. While Lena shies away from underground music and parties with boys, Hana jumps at her last chance to experience the forbidden. For her, the summer is full of wild music, dancing—and even her first kiss.

But on the surface, Hana must be a model of perfect behavior. She meets her approved match, Fred Hargrove, and glimpses the safe, comfortable life she’ll have with him once they marry. As the date for her cure draws ever closer, Hana desperately misses Lena, wonders how it feels to truly be in love, and is simultaneously terrified of rebelling and of falling into line.

In this digital story that will appeal to fans of Delirium and welcome new admirers to its world, readers will come to understand scenes from Delirium through Hana's perspective. Hana is a touching and revealing look at a life-changing and tumultuous summer.

What I think:

Hana is a companion story to Delirum  and even this is a short story, it still blew me away. The story was told in Hana's point of view and her jealousy towards Alex as he spent so much time with Lena. Although I did see that coming, the relationship between Hana and Lena, did in fact, reflect real life situation. Friends grow apart due to the process of growing up and jealousy is an unwanted feeling if one person start drifting apart in a group of very close friends. In addition, this short gave me insight on Hana, as she sort of disappeared from Lena's life a good half in Delirium to be a teenage rebel.

The ending was a bit rushed and I thought that the author would end Hana's perspective about the same time frame as in Delirium. I really wanted to know what Hana think and whether or not she is feels guilty after Lena and Alex were captured. I also wanted to know if Hana went through the surgery and what she thought of her best friend after. I guess I need to read the sequel to find out.

Review - Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Delirium #1)

Picture from Chapters.ca

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Dystopia
Format: Trade Paperback (470 pages)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 7th 2012
Rating: 5/5
Source: Bought from Chapters
Get it at: Chapters | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Summary from Goodreads:

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. And I've always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

My Thoughts:

The story is about Lena, a seventeen years old girl that is anxiously waiting for her eighteenth's birthday for her surgery in which all teens get on their birthday. This surgery is said to be mandatory in order to permanently remove Love from a person, to make society equal. Love is regard as a disease in Lena's society as it can make someone mad or worse, death. However, after meeting with a certain government regulator, Alex, or so Lena first thought, she begin to find herself facing the new, forbidden emotion. Perhaps the what she heard about Love is not what it seems anymore.

Delirium was such an enchanting and astounding book. Few books have yet to touched me deeply, however Delirium did the job just find. The story was very well written and I can imagine every single details as I read each pages. Lauren Oliver did such a great job convincing me that "Love" is actually a deadly thing since, at first, I thought that there is no way one can live in a loveless world.





I particularly love how the layout of the chapters were set up. . Each chapter begins with a quotes to help the readers understand how Lena's society works. These quotes are from well known fairy tales or nursery rhymes that we all have heard when we were little but they are all twisted. This reminds me of "Ring around the Rosies", something that I sang practically all the time while playing with other kids when I was younger. Something with such a happy tune that literally means the Black Plague. The ending was heartbreaking and I don't know if I ever read something like that before. 

Overall, Delirium was  hauntingly beautiful.

Review - Matched by Ally Condie (Matched #1)

Picture from Chapter.ca

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Dystopia
Format: Trade Paperback (369 pages)
Publisher: Penguin Young Reader Group
Publication Date: September 20, 2011
Source: Bought
Rating: 3.5/5
Get it at: Chapters | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Summary from Goodreads:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander''s face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham''s face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it''s a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she''s destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can''t stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society''s infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she''s known and a path that no one else has dared to follow

Side Notes:

Matched was one of the first Dystopian story I willingly read. Don't get me wrong, I love to read but I was forced to read many dystopian and utopian back in High School. So I guess with all the forcing in English class, I tend to associate this genre back to all the unpleasant English classes... That is why I avoid this genre until now because a lot of people recommended good novels and they are all dystopian themed. 

What I think: 

Matched was definitely an interesting story, however, I thought that the plot was a bit unoriginal as it very similar to A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Giver by Lois Lowry. However, it was a good fast read. 

The story follows Cassia Reyes, a normal teenage girl about to enter a ceremony that determines her future, to find her lifetime partner - her matched. The society in which she lives in is highly controlled by government - hobbies, poetry, fasion school, marriage as well as death days. Despite all the unpleasant things Cassia still looked forward to her Matching ceremony, in which is the only time she get to wear a extravagant dress. To her surprise, she got matched with Xander, her best friend and neighbor. However, the next day, Cassia learned that she has another matched, a mysterious boy named Ky. Cassia begins to doubt the perfect and flawless society in which she lives in. Why would a perfect society make mistake?

The beginning was certainly intriguing, however, as I read on, I can help to think about the whole love triangle because it seems really similar to Twilight - a confuse female protagonist and two male side characters.  I felt really bad for Xander, helping Cassia achieving her goal yet Cassia does not give him anything in return. 


Character development wise was a bit disappointing as author didn't specifically went into details about the protagonists as much as I hope. There was a LOT of  of guesswork going on, in particular with Xander's case.  But after all the twists, Ally Condie finally explained everything towards the end.


The plot was okay, I mean, with all the young adult dystopian story, the protagonist has try to change the government's cruel ruling right? Anyways, the plot has some potential, although it was not original, the twists and turns made up for it.


I look forward reading Crossed.