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Author: Kristen Simmons
Pages: 364
Level: Young Adult
Published: January 31, 2012
"New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved."
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.
Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved."
Review:
I have to start off by saying that I love dystopia books. They are definitely my all time favorite genre of writing.
One thing that I find with most well written, heart-felt dystopia novels is that war completely destroys.
That is,war completely destroys, but some things are worth fighting for.
Another thing that I really love dystopia for is that they all have one thing in common: hope.
It's really interesting for me to read about; how the characters struggle with fighting for something that can get them and everyone they care about demolished, but they fight anyways because they believe so strongly that it's the right thing to do.
It's oddly inspirational. ^.^
Anyway, back to the actual review.
By reading the inside cover of the book (listed above), it sounds absolutely AMAZING. I was so excited to start reading. I had been on the look out for a book that could possibly beat The Hunger Games and this sounded perfect.
The first couple pages were good. The author did a good job with a hook and made me want to keep reading for about the first 20 pages, which is about when Ember's mother is being arrested.
After that, things got a little too girly/needy for me.
Once Chase, the boy that arrests Ember's mother, is in the picture, the main character, Ember, gets really whiny and annoying. It kinda sucks being stuck in her head.
Reason 1: Ember is overly dramatic.
a) "My eyes widened."
b) "I couldn't breathe."
c) "My heart stopped."
d) "My voice shook. My whole body shook."
I felt that these types interjections were on every single page. C'mon girl, you're supposed to be tough. Stop and grow a pair. (please.)
Reason 2: Ember is stupid.
a) So imagine you are being attacked. It's natural to defend yourself, to want to hurt the person who is trying to hurt you. Right? Well, Ember gets angry at Chase for defending her from a guy who was going to rape her.
Ember: "You almost killed that guy! You would have if I didn't stop you."
Chase: "They were going to hurt you."
Ember: "So that makes it okay?"
Well Ember, that guy was going to rape you. So, HECK YES THAT MAKES IT OKAY.
b)Ember is still stupid. Like running away from safety, stupid. Multiple times.
c) Chase: "Hey, are you-"
Ember: *slaps him*
Me: ????????
d) Ember: " I guess I leave my clothes on, right?"
Me: Well, yeah, unless you want to sleep naked with some guy in the same sleeping bag. That's not awkward.
Reason 3: Another thing that bothered me was the writing style. A lot of the sentences didn't make sense. For example:
a) "The ground was relatively flat and not too rocky." Now thats all well and good until I read later (in the same setting) "And though the ground was cold and uneven..."
Wait, what? But you just said.....??
b)"One of the soldiers had short brown hair that grayed around his temples, and wrinkles around the corners of his mouth that made him appear too old for his age." Umm, how do you know his age? This is first person, right?
Reason 4: Sometimes, this book seemed cheesy and a little too run down, like the author is stealing ideas from another author.
a) Chase: "I promised I'd never hurt you." Hellooooo, Twilight anyone?
I don't know, I'm probably being more frugal that I should be but these things annoyed me. This book was taken over by fluffy romance and totally ruined the potential it had to be a true dystopian book (in my eyes).
The first couple pages were good. The author did a good job with a hook and made me want to keep reading for about the first 20 pages, which is about when Ember's mother is being arrested.
After that, things got a little too girly/needy for me.
Once Chase, the boy that arrests Ember's mother, is in the picture, the main character, Ember, gets really whiny and annoying. It kinda sucks being stuck in her head.
Reason 1: Ember is overly dramatic.
a) "My eyes widened."
b) "I couldn't breathe."
c) "My heart stopped."
d) "My voice shook. My whole body shook."
I felt that these types interjections were on every single page. C'mon girl, you're supposed to be tough. Stop and grow a pair. (please.)
Reason 2: Ember is stupid.
a) So imagine you are being attacked. It's natural to defend yourself, to want to hurt the person who is trying to hurt you. Right? Well, Ember gets angry at Chase for defending her from a guy who was going to rape her.
Ember: "You almost killed that guy! You would have if I didn't stop you."
Chase: "They were going to hurt you."
Ember: "So that makes it okay?"
Well Ember, that guy was going to rape you. So, HECK YES THAT MAKES IT OKAY.
b)Ember is still stupid. Like running away from safety, stupid. Multiple times.
c) Chase: "Hey, are you-"
Ember: *slaps him*
Me: ????????
d) Ember: " I guess I leave my clothes on, right?"
Me: Well, yeah, unless you want to sleep naked with some guy in the same sleeping bag. That's not awkward.
Reason 3: Another thing that bothered me was the writing style. A lot of the sentences didn't make sense. For example:
a) "The ground was relatively flat and not too rocky." Now thats all well and good until I read later (in the same setting) "And though the ground was cold and uneven..."
Wait, what? But you just said.....??
b)"One of the soldiers had short brown hair that grayed around his temples, and wrinkles around the corners of his mouth that made him appear too old for his age." Umm, how do you know his age? This is first person, right?
Reason 4: Sometimes, this book seemed cheesy and a little too run down, like the author is stealing ideas from another author.
a) Chase: "I promised I'd never hurt you." Hellooooo, Twilight anyone?
I don't know, I'm probably being more frugal that I should be but these things annoyed me. This book was taken over by fluffy romance and totally ruined the potential it had to be a true dystopian book (in my eyes).
Cover: 3/5
Character Rating: 0/5
Style: 0/5
Development: 1/5
Overall:
*
It is a sad, sad day. Only one star :( If you've read this book, tell me what you think of it. 
lololol! I've seen this book around for awhile but never read a review like this! Reason 2:Ember is stupid XD
ReplyDeleteAw but I still want to read it... It's dystopian so I feel obligated.
Haha thank you :)
ReplyDeleteI say, go for it. I'm definitely part of the minority. I've seen tons of reviews out there praising it.