steffi_au_penguinbooks's review against another edition
3.0
“Hope is a precious thing, isn’t it,” she says. “And yet, we don’t really appreciate it until it’s gone.”
The Jewely by Amy Ewing has a really, really disturbing, crazy and inhuman theme. The idea of surrogates wasn't bad, it was something new in the YA world (at least I haven't read another story like that). I liked this mixture of dystopian and fantasy, where these poor girls have magic to transform objects the way they want to. Further, the idea of "The Lone City" surrounded by water was quiet interesting, too.
The rest of the story was, sadly, very cliche. The lower class ones being ruled by the royals/duchess whatever, the royals using and abusing the lower class ones etc. However, just like the Selection (I compared the Jewel with the Selection, because the beginning were ... similiar. Kind of.), the writing style had something that kept me reading this book and I even started to like it. But then ... oh my ...
This was probably one of the worst lovestories I have ever read in my life. I hate insta love. How can you fall for a guy who is at first extremly nice to you (to me in a disgusting way) and then a rude asshole?! I'm sorry for my language, but if there is something I hate in YA or any book it's insta love. Although I have to admit that I wanted to punch Violet before she met her prince Ash. Ugh. Lovestories can make a good book even better, if the author can find a good mixture, but in this case it destroyed the story and Violet's character.
The only really interesting and outstanding character had been the Duchess. She was scary, cruel and manipulating. Violet was too blind to understand her motives or past (still, it does not excuse her actions), but I feel that she has her own unhappy emotions. If you was raised to be someone and then everything goes wrong you fought your entire life for, well .. Thus, she said she wanted to get children on her own, if she could. I hope we get another chance to really see the woman behind her mask of power and cruelty.
I might have given this book 4 stars, but this stupid lovestory ruinded it completely to me, since it influenced EVERYTHING and ugh.
3 stars
The Jewely by Amy Ewing has a really, really disturbing, crazy and inhuman theme. The idea of surrogates wasn't bad, it was something new in the YA world (at least I haven't read another story like that). I liked this mixture of dystopian and fantasy, where these poor girls have magic to transform objects the way they want to. Further, the idea of "The Lone City" surrounded by water was quiet interesting, too.
The rest of the story was, sadly, very cliche. The lower class ones being ruled by the royals/duchess whatever, the royals using and abusing the lower class ones etc. However, just like the Selection (I compared the Jewel with the Selection, because the beginning were ... similiar. Kind of.), the writing style had something that kept me reading this book and I even started to like it. But then ... oh my ...
This was probably one of the worst lovestories I have ever read in my life. I hate insta love. How can you fall for a guy who is at first extremly nice to you (to me in a disgusting way) and then a rude asshole?! I'm sorry for my language, but if there is something I hate in YA or any book it's insta love. Although I have to admit that I wanted to punch Violet before she met her prince Ash. Ugh. Lovestories can make a good book even better, if the author can find a good mixture, but in this case it destroyed the story and Violet's character.
The only really interesting and outstanding character had been the Duchess. She was scary, cruel and manipulating. Violet was too blind to understand her motives or past (still, it does not excuse her actions), but I feel that she has her own unhappy emotions. If you was raised to be someone and then everything goes wrong you fought your entire life for, well .. Thus, she said she wanted to get children on her own, if she could. I hope we get another chance to really see the woman behind her mask of power and cruelty.
I might have given this book 4 stars, but this stupid lovestory ruinded it completely to me, since it influenced EVERYTHING and ugh.
3 stars
aayla_xiaan's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5
Une très belle histoire.
J’ai adoré l’univers qui reflète un peu notre société : il y a les riches et puissants et leurs esclaves.
Avec le recul j’ai préféré cette série à la sélection.
Le thème de mère porteuse est très bien abordé, et n’est pas choquant (bien sûr qu’il l’est puisque ce n’est pas consenti : mais il n’y a pas de scènes qui pourraient choquer les plus jeunes).
Je me suis attachée à l’héroïne qui est assez courageuse et déterminée. La relation qu’elle entretient avec sa meilleure amie est très forte. Elles s’accrochent toutes les deux à l’espoir fou qu’elles pourront se retrouver : c’est une belle histoire d’amour platonique.
Même les personnages « mauvais », les ennemis des héros, ont quelque chose : soit de profondément maléfique soit quelque chose de touchant.
Le décor est splendide et les détails bien décris. La traduction est bien faite et le travail éditorial bien réalisé : cette couverture est magnifique !
Cette dystopie a quelque chose de plus sombre et dérangeant que La Sélection à mon goût, et j’ai bien aimé cet aspect du scénario. Un YA à ne pas manquer !
Une très belle histoire.
J’ai adoré l’univers qui reflète un peu notre société : il y a les riches et puissants et leurs esclaves.
Avec le recul j’ai préféré cette série à la sélection.
Le thème de mère porteuse est très bien abordé, et n’est pas choquant (bien sûr qu’il l’est puisque ce n’est pas consenti : mais il n’y a pas de scènes qui pourraient choquer les plus jeunes).
Je me suis attachée à l’héroïne qui est assez courageuse et déterminée. La relation qu’elle entretient avec sa meilleure amie est très forte. Elles s’accrochent toutes les deux à l’espoir fou qu’elles pourront se retrouver : c’est une belle histoire d’amour platonique.
Même les personnages « mauvais », les ennemis des héros, ont quelque chose : soit de profondément maléfique soit quelque chose de touchant.
Le décor est splendide et les détails bien décris. La traduction est bien faite et le travail éditorial bien réalisé : cette couverture est magnifique !
Cette dystopie a quelque chose de plus sombre et dérangeant que La Sélection à mon goût, et j’ai bien aimé cet aspect du scénario. Un YA à ne pas manquer !
pippisboeken's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Violet. She was nice written. The romance I found a bit fake. But the struggles from the Juwel and her feelings they are nothing but a good story.
divyasree1601's review against another edition
1.0
Yeeeeaaaaahhhh, I fell for the cover too.....I technically SHOULD have reviewed it before but voila here we are!
1 and half stars, REAL charming!
First off, the Characters
Oh. my. gosh. They were SO annoying. Their NAMES.
It should be named The Rainbow!
Ever heard people say "Oh gosh this book is dripping rainbows, it's so colourful!"? This one unfortunately is QUITE literal. The character names here are either colours or animals. Yes. There's Violet and her sister is Hazel. There's a Raven and her brother is Crow. And there's a Cinder and her brotheris ASH. I mean like SHIT.
The story line
was fucking dry. NOTHING happened. NOTHING. She went to The Jewel. There was a dry insta-love(Oh I'll get to that later). And poof the end.
The Love.
I had to. I had to put this as a seperate subheading, NOT sorry. I mean what the heck was THAT?! I actually LIKE insta love but THIS. She actually GRINS that wicked...I'm sorry but I really think I'm going to be sick. She doesnt even fight for him. It's like in the end, in the 'plot' she kind of FORGETS that she has fucking MAGIC. She couldnt saved him within an eye's blink! Instead she just surrenders him and wants to kill Carnelian. I know. Carnelian. Again. The name. Urgh.
The Plot.
This is why I'm giving it that half star. It was not like "OH SHIT WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED??!" but it was "Okay, at last some surprise". Counts for something right?
That's all I can say about it. I want to trash this book more, in fact. But I wont. Because Amy Ewing has really put effort into giving it to my hands, I have to respect her. You CAN read this book, it's fast paced, you'll fly over it. I'm not sure if you'll like it though. The writing style is okay. And for the love of the gods, this is NOTHING like The Selection, I actually gave Selection 4.5 I think. This was an experience. Idk if I'll continue the series. Maybe I'll take it when I want a fast read or in a slump.
leyaruth42's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know why other reviewers didn't like this book. Is it a blatant rip off of the Handmaids Tale? Yes. But since the new show and the author have decided to make that story a political commentary on the current political situation, I refuse to read her story. I prefer this version. Is the romance a bit forced and typically YA? Yes. But I totally understand why Violet would like Ash. He's the only person who actually sees her as a person, instead of a piece of furniture. I do feel like it is a conglomeration of several other YA dystopian novels. And yes it needs more world building. But in all I enjoyed it. I'm moving on to the sequels.
samanthajth's review against another edition
3.0
The Jewel is a dystopian combining The Selection type of story with a unique world (time period?). Violet, #197, is from the Marsh where people from there are basically at the bottom of the totem pole. When girls go through puberty they have some kind of testing done to see if they have these certain abilities the royal can use. If they do then they are pretty much slaves to the royal. These abilities allow them to make things grow, change colors of things, and do these different things that can then be used in creating children. They are basically able to create and grow children with certain personalities and other traits, so the royal women use these girls to create the child they "want".
The royal cannot have children for whatever reason (I'm still not exactly sure why...), and so they borrow these girls bodies, and force them to have their children. The girls are simply known as the surrogates with a number attached to them according to how well they are able to use their 'abilities'. The royal only see them as bought and paid for slaves. They force them to wear leashes, force them not to speak, and other dramatic things. This book definitely had a dark and twisted plot. But it was so unique and fascinating! I had a few problems with it, but I still really enjoyed it and flew through it.
There are different houses ruled over by the royals which is inside The Jewel. Around the Jewel you have the Marsh where it is the poverty stricken area, and then you have the Farm where the food is made, the Bank where the shops are. It is kind of like your typical dystopian where the city is separated depending on wealth and what you do in society. And then you have the main area where the rich (royal) rule over everything. And so in that aspect this book is your typical dystopian in the way that the city is laid out. Other than the world building, it is so unique!
When the girls get old enough they get auctioned off, and they are at that point known as a number. The ladies of all these different houses will come in and bid on them depending on how strong their abilities are.
Violet goes and lives with the Duchess - the Lady of the Lake. The Lady of the Lake wants to have a girl that is this perfect human being to marry one of the children of another royal family. It is kind of confusing. So, anyway, we follow Violet as she moves into the royal house, and how she is treated like a slave. She has been bought by one of the more odd royal ladies. On one hand she seems really ruthless, but then on the other hand she does something really mean, but then it is seems she almost feels guilty for it. So you have this back and forth stuff going on between Violet and the Duchess.
When you first go into this book you have to put aside reality, and how the human population works. If you try looking at things in a realistic way then The Jewel will probably suck for you. This book was definitely unique, dark, twisted, and weird. A lot of people are unhappy with the instalove, and so as I was reading I was waiting for it to show itself. And...I have to admit there were several times I had to stop and roll my eyes. It is so cheesy and ridiculous, which is one reason I rated this book 3 stars. If the romance part would have been done differently then I think it would have had a higher rating from me.
The book wasn't anything deep or special just something fun and entertaining (and twisted) to read. The basic idea has been done a million and one times, but some of the ideas were really unique, and so I think that is why I enjoyed it so much.
The royal cannot have children for whatever reason (I'm still not exactly sure why...), and so they borrow these girls bodies, and force them to have their children. The girls are simply known as the surrogates with a number attached to them according to how well they are able to use their 'abilities'. The royal only see them as bought and paid for slaves. They force them to wear leashes, force them not to speak, and other dramatic things. This book definitely had a dark and twisted plot. But it was so unique and fascinating! I had a few problems with it, but I still really enjoyed it and flew through it.
There are different houses ruled over by the royals which is inside The Jewel. Around the Jewel you have the Marsh where it is the poverty stricken area, and then you have the Farm where the food is made, the Bank where the shops are. It is kind of like your typical dystopian where the city is separated depending on wealth and what you do in society. And then you have the main area where the rich (royal) rule over everything. And so in that aspect this book is your typical dystopian in the way that the city is laid out. Other than the world building, it is so unique!
When the girls get old enough they get auctioned off, and they are at that point known as a number. The ladies of all these different houses will come in and bid on them depending on how strong their abilities are.
Violet goes and lives with the Duchess - the Lady of the Lake. The Lady of the Lake wants to have a girl that is this perfect human being to marry one of the children of another royal family. It is kind of confusing. So, anyway, we follow Violet as she moves into the royal house, and how she is treated like a slave. She has been bought by one of the more odd royal ladies. On one hand she seems really ruthless, but then on the other hand she does something really mean, but then it is seems she almost feels guilty for it. So you have this back and forth stuff going on between Violet and the Duchess.
When you first go into this book you have to put aside reality, and how the human population works. If you try looking at things in a realistic way then The Jewel will probably suck for you. This book was definitely unique, dark, twisted, and weird. A lot of people are unhappy with the instalove, and so as I was reading I was waiting for it to show itself. And...I have to admit there were several times I had to stop and roll my eyes. It is so cheesy and ridiculous, which is one reason I rated this book 3 stars. If the romance part would have been done differently then I think it would have had a higher rating from me.
The book wasn't anything deep or special just something fun and entertaining (and twisted) to read. The basic idea has been done a million and one times, but some of the ideas were really unique, and so I think that is why I enjoyed it so much.
proudlocks's review against another edition
5.0
Really good book, kept me enthralled from beginning to end and can’t wait to read the next in the series!
I’m fascinated by the concept of the book and the characters.
A must read for fans of Hunger Games and The Handmaidens Tale.
I’m fascinated by the concept of the book and the characters.
A must read for fans of Hunger Games and The Handmaidens Tale.
heatherbri's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
cheshirebelle's review against another edition
5.0
Dit. Boek. Is. Geweldig. Maar. Echt. <3. De schrijfstijl, het verhaal, de manier waarop je de wereld ingezogen wordt. Amy sleurt je mee en je wilt stiekem alleen maar meer!
jlove731's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, is the first word that comes to my mind. I am blown away by Amy Ewig's presentation of such a cruel and dangerous world and yet you cannot help but be entrapped in its pages. I just adored everything that is The Jewel.
"It seems like for every time the Jewel makes me angry or uneasy or sad, I discover something beautiful in it."
Violet Lasting, not just her first name but her last name as well is very fitting. After being taken away from her home, put through tests, and then thrown into such a cruel world, Violet has more strength than most. She makes no illusions about a glamorous world, but also is not stupid about how she acts either. I love how she preservers, how she insists on people still knowing she's a human too, not just a purchase to play around with. Although, I don't envy her. I'm not sure I could be put through such horrible things and treated like a slave just carry someone else's baby. I have high hopes for Violet in the future and I cannot see what she can do next.
So let's talk boys. I'll start with Lucian who in so many ways reminds me of Cinna from The Hunger Games. He's one of those instantly love, almost hero-like characters that you look forward to seeing. Then there's Garnet, who first, has the most amazing name ever! On top of that, he's blonde, tall, built, and I absolutely love his carefree personality. See, with Garnet regardless of being part of The Jewel, you can tell he wants no part of it and he won't conform to ways everyone expects of him. We don't see too much of Garnet in this book, but I sure hope to see much more in the future. Then lastly that leaves Ash Lockwood. Oh Ash and your perfect gray-green eyes and the way you treat Violet as if she is actually human. I just adored Ash and everything about him, and at the same time felt so bad for the situation he has been forced into. He's another one that I can only hope we'll see more of.
When I say I hope to see more of the boys, it is because this story and this world is not focused on males or romance. The Jewel is a much darker and sinister story, not in the way of horror but in the horrible situations that humans are forced to endure. See, the woman basically rule the Jewel and regardless of the money, and glamour, and frivolous items...it is not such a beautiful place to live.
Overall, I absolutely adored this book. The Jewel is definitely worth a buy and I cannot wait (will be begging) for the next book!
Find this review at Shortie Says
"It seems like for every time the Jewel makes me angry or uneasy or sad, I discover something beautiful in it."
Violet Lasting, not just her first name but her last name as well is very fitting. After being taken away from her home, put through tests, and then thrown into such a cruel world, Violet has more strength than most. She makes no illusions about a glamorous world, but also is not stupid about how she acts either. I love how she preservers, how she insists on people still knowing she's a human too, not just a purchase to play around with. Although, I don't envy her. I'm not sure I could be put through such horrible things and treated like a slave just carry someone else's baby. I have high hopes for Violet in the future and I cannot see what she can do next.
So let's talk boys. I'll start with Lucian who in so many ways reminds me of Cinna from The Hunger Games. He's one of those instantly love, almost hero-like characters that you look forward to seeing. Then there's Garnet, who first, has the most amazing name ever! On top of that, he's blonde, tall, built, and I absolutely love his carefree personality. See, with Garnet regardless of being part of The Jewel, you can tell he wants no part of it and he won't conform to ways everyone expects of him. We don't see too much of Garnet in this book, but I sure hope to see much more in the future. Then lastly that leaves Ash Lockwood. Oh Ash and your perfect gray-green eyes and the way you treat Violet as if she is actually human. I just adored Ash and everything about him, and at the same time felt so bad for the situation he has been forced into. He's another one that I can only hope we'll see more of.
When I say I hope to see more of the boys, it is because this story and this world is not focused on males or romance. The Jewel is a much darker and sinister story, not in the way of horror but in the horrible situations that humans are forced to endure. See, the woman basically rule the Jewel and regardless of the money, and glamour, and frivolous items...it is not such a beautiful place to live.
Overall, I absolutely adored this book. The Jewel is definitely worth a buy and I cannot wait (will be begging) for the next book!
Find this review at Shortie Says