orenji_juice's review against another edition
dark
reflective
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
At the beginning of the book, I was confused with some moments, but by the end of the book, I realised how everything pieced together and it was just so satisfying. I loved the plot twists too, I didn’t predict them. The author’s writing style is great too. This book was a bit gorier than I anticipated, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Thrilling and exhilarating!
Thrilling and exhilarating!
ezzyjane97's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sleepycharlene's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars★★★☆☆
☞ Trigger warnings: **contains spoilers**
Spoiler
amputation, amnesia, blood depiction, captivity & confinement, car accident, dead bodies & body parts, death of a friend, dementia, fire, grief & loss depictions, gun violence, imprisonment & incarceration, knife violence, loss of autonmy, loss of limb, murder, medical experiementation, paralysis, parental neglect, physical injuries.I was hooked for most of it but the ending flagged and I was underwhelmed.
RTC
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littleelfman's review against another edition
5.0
Super well done thriller full of memory wiping, kickass babes and ethics theories made terrifyingly real.
tamj96's review against another edition
4.0
What would you do, if you woke up on a self driving bus, with 6 other people. No one remembers who they are and variations of the trolly problem, do you save a criminal of 5 kittens? 3 criminals or one innocent? A young mother or a teenage boy? The Erasure Initiative is a physiological YA thriller, that had me continuously turning the pages.
Going into this I really had no idea what to expect. But The Erasure Initiative drew me in rather quickly. 7 strangers waking up on a bus and having no idea who they are or why they are there? I was drawn in from the start. Then the trolley problems started coming, at the start it was fun and I enjoyed them. But they quickly became very repetitive and quite annoying. Luckily, at the point they started coming less and less!
Cecily, is the main protagonist, through Nia haking into the bus's computer, we find out that Cecily attended a very elite high school. Where there has been a lot of scandal because of the anonymous 'Blue Fairy'. a lot of the girls journey is finding out for about the Blue Fairy and why it is so relevant to why they are on the bus with no memory.
while I couldn't stop reading, I wasn't in love and I can't put my finger on why. I really enjoyed the characters, there was some bi romance I enjoyed, which I thought was well represented. The twists at the end were extremely clever and not expected at all. I literally put the booked down and 'What the Fuck!'ed when we found out some major points. But there's something I can't pinpoint that didn't do it for me. However I do recommend trying out The Erasure Initiative, it won't disappoint!
Going into this I really had no idea what to expect. But The Erasure Initiative drew me in rather quickly. 7 strangers waking up on a bus and having no idea who they are or why they are there? I was drawn in from the start. Then the trolley problems started coming, at the start it was fun and I enjoyed them. But they quickly became very repetitive and quite annoying. Luckily, at the point they started coming less and less!
Cecily, is the main protagonist, through Nia haking into the bus's computer, we find out that Cecily attended a very elite high school. Where there has been a lot of scandal because of the anonymous 'Blue Fairy'. a lot of the girls journey is finding out for about the Blue Fairy and why it is so relevant to why they are on the bus with no memory.
while I couldn't stop reading, I wasn't in love and I can't put my finger on why. I really enjoyed the characters, there was some bi romance I enjoyed, which I thought was well represented. The twists at the end were extremely clever and not expected at all. I literally put the booked down and 'What the Fuck!'ed when we found out some major points. But there's something I can't pinpoint that didn't do it for me. However I do recommend trying out The Erasure Initiative, it won't disappoint!
bookish_brooklyn's review against another edition
4.0
I received a finished copy of The Erasure Initiative from Allen & Unwin Australia in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.
The Erasure Initiative was absolutely spectacular! I absolutely loved every moment of this completely and utterly unputdownable thril ride of a page turner! I definitely want to read Lili Wilkinson’s other books now, truthfully I feel slightly speechless after that wild ending! Right from the get-go, I honestly had no idea which way everything was going to turn for Cecily, who at the start of this book finds herself awoken on a bus with six supposed strangers, with no recollection who she is!
Fascinating and wholly intriguing premise, right? I definitely haven’t read anything like it before in such a long time! Initially though, it did give me slight Whisper and Weapon vibes (if you haven’t read the duology by Lynette Noni, get on it!) but I knew as soon as I started reading The Erasure Initiative, that this was going to be a gripping, atmospheric ride with intrigue and suspense at every turn!
I always enjoy a hard hitting novel that will completely not only keep one guessing, but oh has it been a long while that made me question my morals! See, throughout The Erasure Initiative, when Cecily and company are on the bus and trying to figure out what’s going on, let alone who they are, they find they’re on the receiving ends of various simulations, essentially having to decide who won’t get hit by a bus! In addition, as the reader learns more about the origins and purposes behind The Erasure Initiative, I found myself wondering about a certain niche of people and debating if they’re truly able to reform from previously evil ways!
The characters within The Erasure Initiative were such a fascinating array to read about too! Even more so because they didn’t completely know who they are, with Cecily often wondering what her normal life was like prior to waking up on the bus, wondering how she might be connected to some of these other strangers, namely Paxton and Nia. She feels inexplicably drawn to both of them and I really loved reading about her undeniable chemistry with Nia especially (not going to lie, Paxton read like a bit of an airhead to me, so I didn’t really care for his dynamic with Cecily, namely because Cecily was clearly more drawn to Nia!). With fragments of Cecily’s memories coming back to her, scenes that certainly err on the more dark and worrisome and certainly traumatic side (we’re talking being taken into a closet, hearing a baby’s cry, noticing lots of blood, that sort of thing), I really found myself completely intrigued as to all of the reveals!
The pacing and twists and turns of this book completely had me on tender hooks throughout, honestly! The concept of The Erasure Initiative and its moral grounds made for a completely new, raw and unique reading experience for me, too! I completely urge everyone to pick up a copy of this brilliant, outstanding and perpetually mind blowing book, I promise it’ll keep you wondering and guessing right until the end! It’s a stand alone too, so I’m completely lamenting that it’s likely that we won’t be getting a sequel! Though I definitely cannot wait to read more of Lili Wilkinson’s books!
The Erasure Initiative was absolutely spectacular! I absolutely loved every moment of this completely and utterly unputdownable thril ride of a page turner! I definitely want to read Lili Wilkinson’s other books now, truthfully I feel slightly speechless after that wild ending! Right from the get-go, I honestly had no idea which way everything was going to turn for Cecily, who at the start of this book finds herself awoken on a bus with six supposed strangers, with no recollection who she is!
Fascinating and wholly intriguing premise, right? I definitely haven’t read anything like it before in such a long time! Initially though, it did give me slight Whisper and Weapon vibes (if you haven’t read the duology by Lynette Noni, get on it!) but I knew as soon as I started reading The Erasure Initiative, that this was going to be a gripping, atmospheric ride with intrigue and suspense at every turn!
I always enjoy a hard hitting novel that will completely not only keep one guessing, but oh has it been a long while that made me question my morals! See, throughout The Erasure Initiative, when Cecily and company are on the bus and trying to figure out what’s going on, let alone who they are, they find they’re on the receiving ends of various simulations, essentially having to decide who won’t get hit by a bus! In addition, as the reader learns more about the origins and purposes behind The Erasure Initiative, I found myself wondering about a certain niche of people and debating if they’re truly able to reform from previously evil ways!
The characters within The Erasure Initiative were such a fascinating array to read about too! Even more so because they didn’t completely know who they are, with Cecily often wondering what her normal life was like prior to waking up on the bus, wondering how she might be connected to some of these other strangers, namely Paxton and Nia. She feels inexplicably drawn to both of them and I really loved reading about her undeniable chemistry with Nia especially (not going to lie, Paxton read like a bit of an airhead to me, so I didn’t really care for his dynamic with Cecily, namely because Cecily was clearly more drawn to Nia!). With fragments of Cecily’s memories coming back to her, scenes that certainly err on the more dark and worrisome and certainly traumatic side (we’re talking being taken into a closet, hearing a baby’s cry, noticing lots of blood, that sort of thing), I really found myself completely intrigued as to all of the reveals!
The pacing and twists and turns of this book completely had me on tender hooks throughout, honestly! The concept of The Erasure Initiative and its moral grounds made for a completely new, raw and unique reading experience for me, too! I completely urge everyone to pick up a copy of this brilliant, outstanding and perpetually mind blowing book, I promise it’ll keep you wondering and guessing right until the end! It’s a stand alone too, so I’m completely lamenting that it’s likely that we won’t be getting a sequel! Though I definitely cannot wait to read more of Lili Wilkinson’s books!
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘I wake up, and for a few precious seconds I don't realise there's anything wrong.’
A girl wakes up on a self-driving bus. She has no idea who she is, or how she got there. There is a nametag on her T-shirt: ‘Cecily’. There are six other people on the bus, each with a nametag and no memories. They start talking, trying to work out who they are and what is happening. The screen on each seatback gives them instructions. There is a series of tests — each of them needs to choose an outcome. Tests like this one:
‘You are in a moving vehicle. Before you the road forks. Ahead there are five pedestrians. On the side road there is one pedestrian. You can press a button and the bus will turn off onto the side road. The bus will not stop. Do you press the button? YES/NO’
Each passenger must choose an outcome: the majority wins. This is only the beginning.
And what do you do, in a situation where the past is unknown (and irrelevant)? What choices do you make? Who are the seven people on this bus, and why are they there? How do you choose which lives to save?
As the story progresses, the stakes become higher. While each of the seven characters has a role, the major characters are Cecily, Nia and Paxton. Cecily is determined to escape, and Nia may be able to help her. Small clues emerge, their perceptions of each other change. But the more they learn, the more challenging choices become.
What an engrossing story this is! I picked it up and could not put it down because I needed to know how it would end. Are any of these people worth saving? Can any of us be saved from ourselves? There are a couple of twists that made me uncomfortable (choices can be difficult) but the story held my attention from beginning to end. There is a mystery to solve and several moral issues to consider.
Highly recommended, and not just for its intended YA audience.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
A girl wakes up on a self-driving bus. She has no idea who she is, or how she got there. There is a nametag on her T-shirt: ‘Cecily’. There are six other people on the bus, each with a nametag and no memories. They start talking, trying to work out who they are and what is happening. The screen on each seatback gives them instructions. There is a series of tests — each of them needs to choose an outcome. Tests like this one:
‘You are in a moving vehicle. Before you the road forks. Ahead there are five pedestrians. On the side road there is one pedestrian. You can press a button and the bus will turn off onto the side road. The bus will not stop. Do you press the button? YES/NO’
Each passenger must choose an outcome: the majority wins. This is only the beginning.
And what do you do, in a situation where the past is unknown (and irrelevant)? What choices do you make? Who are the seven people on this bus, and why are they there? How do you choose which lives to save?
As the story progresses, the stakes become higher. While each of the seven characters has a role, the major characters are Cecily, Nia and Paxton. Cecily is determined to escape, and Nia may be able to help her. Small clues emerge, their perceptions of each other change. But the more they learn, the more challenging choices become.
What an engrossing story this is! I picked it up and could not put it down because I needed to know how it would end. Are any of these people worth saving? Can any of us be saved from ourselves? There are a couple of twists that made me uncomfortable (choices can be difficult) but the story held my attention from beginning to end. There is a mystery to solve and several moral issues to consider.
Highly recommended, and not just for its intended YA audience.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
shelleyrae's review against another edition
4.0
The Erasure Initiative is an absorbing and entertaining YA psychological thriller from Lili Wilkinson
“I wake up, and for a few precious seconds I don't realise there's anything wrong.”
Roused by the jolting movements of the self driving bus she is riding in, Cecily, who only learns her name from the sticker on her t-shirt (HELLO! MY NAME IS CECILY), realises she has no memory of herself. Neither does she remember where she is coming from, or where she is going, and recognises none of six strangers, of varying ages and ethnicities, accompanying her. As the group speculate about their predicament, the other passengers having admitted they are similarly affected, a message appears on the screens in front of them...
“You are in a moving vehicle. Before you the road forks. Ahead, there are five pedestrians. On the side road there is one pedestrian. You can press a button and the bus will turn off onto the side road. The bus will not stop. Do you press the button? YES/NO”
This is only the first of several tests that force the passengers to choose between life and death.
In this well-paced novel, fraught with escalating tension, Wilkinson offers an intriguing premise that explores issues surrounding identity, personality, and morality in The Erasure Initiative. With no past with which to define yourself, what sort of person would you choose to be? Are we shaped by nature or nurture? Can someone ever be anything other than who they are? How do you determine the value of a life?
Cecily may not remember anything about who she is, but she is certain she does not want to be on this bus which seems to be circling a deserted island, and is determined to do all she can to escape it. Though wary of placing her trust in her fellow passengers she is especially drawn to Nia, a dark-skinned, shaved-head girl with an anti authoritarian attitude, a high tech prosthetic leg and computer hacking skills, and Paxton, whose confidence, warm smile, and good looks help dampen her anxiety.
“What do you do when you learn that you’re the villain of your own story?”
I enjoyed the varied characters in The Erasure Initiative, though some have a larger role to play than others in the story, they each have a purpose. As the passengers struggle to piece together their identities, based on the few clues they are able to glean, their assessments of each other, and themselves, waver and shift. Cecily in particular is blind-sided by information that contradicts her perception of herself and who she wants to be.
Clever, compelling and challenging, The Erasure Initiative is a great read, sure to impress.
“I wake up, and for a few precious seconds I don't realise there's anything wrong.”
Roused by the jolting movements of the self driving bus she is riding in, Cecily, who only learns her name from the sticker on her t-shirt (HELLO! MY NAME IS CECILY), realises she has no memory of herself. Neither does she remember where she is coming from, or where she is going, and recognises none of six strangers, of varying ages and ethnicities, accompanying her. As the group speculate about their predicament, the other passengers having admitted they are similarly affected, a message appears on the screens in front of them...
“You are in a moving vehicle. Before you the road forks. Ahead, there are five pedestrians. On the side road there is one pedestrian. You can press a button and the bus will turn off onto the side road. The bus will not stop. Do you press the button? YES/NO”
This is only the first of several tests that force the passengers to choose between life and death.
In this well-paced novel, fraught with escalating tension, Wilkinson offers an intriguing premise that explores issues surrounding identity, personality, and morality in The Erasure Initiative. With no past with which to define yourself, what sort of person would you choose to be? Are we shaped by nature or nurture? Can someone ever be anything other than who they are? How do you determine the value of a life?
Cecily may not remember anything about who she is, but she is certain she does not want to be on this bus which seems to be circling a deserted island, and is determined to do all she can to escape it. Though wary of placing her trust in her fellow passengers she is especially drawn to Nia, a dark-skinned, shaved-head girl with an anti authoritarian attitude, a high tech prosthetic leg and computer hacking skills, and Paxton, whose confidence, warm smile, and good looks help dampen her anxiety.
“What do you do when you learn that you’re the villain of your own story?”
I enjoyed the varied characters in The Erasure Initiative, though some have a larger role to play than others in the story, they each have a purpose. As the passengers struggle to piece together their identities, based on the few clues they are able to glean, their assessments of each other, and themselves, waver and shift. Cecily in particular is blind-sided by information that contradicts her perception of herself and who she wants to be.
Clever, compelling and challenging, The Erasure Initiative is a great read, sure to impress.