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agirlsnightbookbash's review against another edition
Slow moving and just not my thing
smilesgiggle's review against another edition
5.0
Decades after the spread of a virus in Europe, cruise ships still linger in the harbors. Filled with generations of people - forced to stay aboard, never touching ground.
A rebellion has been rising for years - a quiet tide, inching closer and closer.
Esther studied for years, beside her boyfriend Alex, to be become a medic; desperately hoping to gain entrance to med school in the Federated States. Following every rule only to be snatched from her home. Brought to the side of a young man shot, bleeding out and poison in his veins.
Esther can't go back - she finds herself consumed with terror of the Coalies. May, her sister, drags her in farther.
Creative world building, human rights - just very well done and had me obsessed.
A rebellion has been rising for years - a quiet tide, inching closer and closer.
Esther studied for years, beside her boyfriend Alex, to be become a medic; desperately hoping to gain entrance to med school in the Federated States. Following every rule only to be snatched from her home. Brought to the side of a young man shot, bleeding out and poison in his veins.
Esther can't go back - she finds herself consumed with terror of the Coalies. May, her sister, drags her in farther.
Creative world building, human rights - just very well done and had me obsessed.
jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
Life aboard a cruise ship turned refugee camp is less than luxurious, especially with governmental regulations and oversight placing strict restrictions on the residents who already have few options available to them, making conditions particularly ripe for a rebellion in The Stranded by Sarah Daniels.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Aboard the Arcadia are residents descended from European refugees from an apocalyptic war that featured the dangerous spread of a virus; floating near the coastline of the Federated States, which fractured from the United States, there are limited ways to make if off the ship and finally reach land, and a potentially freer life: becoming a medic or cadet for the Federated States. Esther, a loyal citizen, has been working and studying hard to become a medic alongside her boyfriend Alex with the goal to make it to dry land shortly after her cadet sister May does but her entire life’s plan is drastically altered when events occur that bring her sphere together with Nik’s, who is a rebel deeply involved in the long-developing plans to liberate the Arcadia and its residents from the oppressive control of the Federated States, dished out on the ship by head of security, Hadley, and his prolific amount of spying drones. As Esther, unknowingly at first, becomes more deeply intwined with the rebellion after her initial interaction with Nik alliances begin to morph and priorities quickly change, the results of which will impact everyone aboard the ship.
Within a socially stratified society contained in a limited amount of space on a decrepit ship and in a surveillance state led by corrupted governmental powers, a dystopian world with advanced technology is detailed and the narrative has a propulsive momentum throughout moments of action where suspicions that had been slowly developing are eventually revealed as part of a much larger plot. While the characters themselves easily (if too overtly) fit within stereotypical roles common of the genre, they serve the purpose of quickly delineating for readers the “sides” of the fight yet to come to a head without reliance on more nuance to their development and potential growth, they were afforded some emotional complexities, through their backstories and interactions with one another as told through the chapter perspectives of Esther, Nik, and Hadley, that helped to make them feel a bit less like a generic placeholder. Though leaving endings of stories within dystopian societies open-ended is common and allows for readers to envision what might happen next, the conclusion of this narrative instead came across as abrupt and incomplete, without an adequate amount of resolution for the fate of the ship and its residents, and instead is heavily reliant on a sequel to complete and address the loose threads.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Aboard the Arcadia are residents descended from European refugees from an apocalyptic war that featured the dangerous spread of a virus; floating near the coastline of the Federated States, which fractured from the United States, there are limited ways to make if off the ship and finally reach land, and a potentially freer life: becoming a medic or cadet for the Federated States. Esther, a loyal citizen, has been working and studying hard to become a medic alongside her boyfriend Alex with the goal to make it to dry land shortly after her cadet sister May does but her entire life’s plan is drastically altered when events occur that bring her sphere together with Nik’s, who is a rebel deeply involved in the long-developing plans to liberate the Arcadia and its residents from the oppressive control of the Federated States, dished out on the ship by head of security, Hadley, and his prolific amount of spying drones. As Esther, unknowingly at first, becomes more deeply intwined with the rebellion after her initial interaction with Nik alliances begin to morph and priorities quickly change, the results of which will impact everyone aboard the ship.
Within a socially stratified society contained in a limited amount of space on a decrepit ship and in a surveillance state led by corrupted governmental powers, a dystopian world with advanced technology is detailed and the narrative has a propulsive momentum throughout moments of action where suspicions that had been slowly developing are eventually revealed as part of a much larger plot. While the characters themselves easily (if too overtly) fit within stereotypical roles common of the genre, they serve the purpose of quickly delineating for readers the “sides” of the fight yet to come to a head without reliance on more nuance to their development and potential growth, they were afforded some emotional complexities, through their backstories and interactions with one another as told through the chapter perspectives of Esther, Nik, and Hadley, that helped to make them feel a bit less like a generic placeholder. Though leaving endings of stories within dystopian societies open-ended is common and allows for readers to envision what might happen next, the conclusion of this narrative instead came across as abrupt and incomplete, without an adequate amount of resolution for the fate of the ship and its residents, and instead is heavily reliant on a sequel to complete and address the loose threads.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
k8lynn's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this book was awesome. so hard to stop reading! i definitely would like to read more buy this author!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
serinde4books's review
3.0
This had a slow start, and Alex made me so angry the reading sped up so that I could find out what his fate was.. In the end though I wanted more. I wanted to know what happened, it felt incomplete. I enjoyed the premise, and the characters drew me in. But i hate ambiguous endings, and it pulled the rating down as a result. This was still a solid read and I would recommend to those who like ambiguous endings.
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.
*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.
kaylastivers's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
annaalsup's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.75
It felt a tad long, but I think that comes with the multi-POV. I struggled to connect with any one character because of that as well, but the writing and the concept was unique and clear.
dkyrisch's review against another edition
4.0
This is a debut YA book by Sarah Daniels and the premise just grabs you from the beginning. Forty years ago after a devastating war, the luxury cruise ship Arcadia becomes banished from Europe and all the occupants are now stuck. Anchored off the US coast which is now The Federated States. Not the same and under harsh rule and the occupants are not allowed to leave the ship.
This book is compared to both Divergent and The Hunger Games so how can it not be awesome?
Not so much a spoiler: It IS awesome. We have three alternating POVs: Sixteen year old Nik who is trying to help cause a rebellion: A act to liberate the Arcadia. Also sixteen year old Esther who is trying to just study and be a doctor. She gets dragged into the rebellion. And of course we have a POV of a baddie: Hadley. Boo!
In true expert YA fashion this one blends action, drama, evil governments, social issues. and high tension. Being older now I tend to gravitate towards more adult books so I am pretty picky about what few YA books I read and this one just checks the boxes! If I were to nitpick at all I would say it may have been too cumbersome with the three POVs. I think it would be paced better with less. But still a great book for a debut author. Highly recommended!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book is compared to both Divergent and The Hunger Games so how can it not be awesome?
Not so much a spoiler: It IS awesome. We have three alternating POVs: Sixteen year old Nik who is trying to help cause a rebellion: A act to liberate the Arcadia. Also sixteen year old Esther who is trying to just study and be a doctor. She gets dragged into the rebellion. And of course we have a POV of a baddie: Hadley. Boo!
In true expert YA fashion this one blends action, drama, evil governments, social issues. and high tension. Being older now I tend to gravitate towards more adult books so I am pretty picky about what few YA books I read and this one just checks the boxes! If I were to nitpick at all I would say it may have been too cumbersome with the three POVs. I think it would be paced better with less. But still a great book for a debut author. Highly recommended!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
kaitdevon's review against another edition
5.0
The Stranded was such a great novel. I've been really into dystopia-type novels lately and this one was perfect. There is bit of a slow start but it is needed to set up all the characters and eventual plot line. There are also multiple POVs which makes the story telling so interesting. The last two hundred pages are so jam-packed with action that I could not put the book down. I highly recommend to anyone who likes futuristic books (gave me the same feel as when I read the Hunger Games). Can't wait for book two!!