jgkulkarni02's review
3.5
I liked it! It was a pretty basic dystopian format.
I figured out Hunter was Aevum pretty much immediately so that element of surprise was lacking for me. And I am not sure how I feel about their romance.
Overall, a decent read. I probably won't read it again, however.
Spoiler
I figured out Hunter was Aevum pretty much immediately so that element of surprise was lacking for me. And I am not sure how I feel about their romance.
Spoiler
Overall, a decent read. I probably won't read it again, however.
wrenlee's review
4.0
Parched
Georgia Clark
I'm quite impressed by this book. At first, it seemed dull and boring, but it steadily gained steam. I was suddenly spending my last hours awake reading it.
I do like the action. It was fast-paced and exciting. It kept you going. You felt like the ending was piled with action. It seemed a bit much for it to be heaped on top of you. I do think it was good overall. The action was edge-of-your-seat. You wanted to know what happened. You were clinging to the characters. The action kept the story going. It made the plot.
The technology is also amazing. It's fantastic. And inventive. A scratch? Awesome. It would be fantastic to have that. Being able to cut it and give it to people? Sharing documents would be so easy. I also liked the technology related to Hunter. He was connected to the technology in ways you couldn't imagine. You gotta love this. I admit the buzzard and floaters are confusing. What are they exactly? I'm guessing hovercars. But it's hard to tell without the descriptions we need. The descriptions were lacking a bit. But it was nice. Some of the technology is fantastic. It's creative and innovative.
And Hunter. I like his personality before he starts loving Tess. He is curious and interested in the world. He wants to know things. He's kind. He was an AI as well. I really liked that. He isn't human, but he acts exactly like one. Of course, I guessed he was Aevum before any of the others knew. I could tell. I mean...he acts human but not enough. You could tell something was up. But he was a good character. Kind. Caring. He really did care for Tess. Why? I don't know. Tess isn't very likable. I didn't like one thing. He seemed too superhuman. He didn't act like a normal AI. Or robot. He had the strength of a million men. And special skin? Oh goodness. He's too superhuman. I didn't like that.
There is a reason why this book isn't a five out of five. While I liked it, there were things I felt like it was a bit...okay in some parts.
I didn't like the beginning. It seemed dull and boring. There was no action I was interested in. It was boring and dull. Yay, girl runs away. (Sarcasm.) I felt like it was lacking. I wanted more. I wanted more world building as well. It seemed vague and confusing. The world was odd. What is that? What are they saying? Tess speaks in Malspeak with other characters in the beginning. What is that word? What are they saying? I'm not sure. It's not translated. We don't get too much from actions or expressions. It's all confusing. There isn't a translation page at the end. I wish I could understand! And beginning wasn't just confusing. It was a bit boring and confusing.
And the romance. I can tell it was well-intentioned. But I don't like it. Why did it form? When? I don't see it. Hunter puts too much into the relationship. Tess doesn't even seem to flinch. She acts like a typical girl until she figures out who Hunter is. You want her to put in effort. She doesn't give anything. She really doesn't. I wanted more. I wanted her to fall for him. And she doesn't seem to. Also, what does Hunter see in Tess? Her bravery? Curiosity? It's not like those really exist. I like Hunter, but I don't like Tess. I know that thee romance is well-intentioned. Hunter saves Tess for love. You can tell that. You can tell that the author is trying. I see that. I applaud her for that. But it didn't work. I didn't see the relationship forming. Nor did I see it holding up well. It might, of course. The benefit of the doubt. But I didn't feel like it was a good romance.
Tess. She is a bit annoying. Also, it seems impossible for her to change completely into a tough girl. She is tough in the beginning. But we don't get to see the unwritten change between Eden girl to Badlands girl. I know we see some. But I wanted more. We also don't get the Badlands adventures. We get some when she tells Hunter stories. But they aren't much. She isn't special really. Not Achilles. She's not too smart or too brave. She isn't Lana or Benji. I feel bad for comparing her to the other Kudzu, but she isn't anything special. The only thing that makes her anything special is the artilect-knowing part of her. She doesn't have too many specialties. I didn't like her personality. She was acting rude to her uncle at first. And her friend. But acting nicer to the strangers in Kudzu? And wondering why Naz is being cold? Um...well...you're a stranger. They have reasons to be distrustful.
I feel like this book could have been better. If it had more world building, clearer details, it would have been pretty great. Overall, it was pretty good.
Weather:
Sunny with 20% chance of rain
4/5
Georgia Clark
I'm quite impressed by this book. At first, it seemed dull and boring, but it steadily gained steam. I was suddenly spending my last hours awake reading it.
I do like the action. It was fast-paced and exciting. It kept you going. You felt like the ending was piled with action. It seemed a bit much for it to be heaped on top of you. I do think it was good overall. The action was edge-of-your-seat. You wanted to know what happened. You were clinging to the characters. The action kept the story going. It made the plot.
The technology is also amazing. It's fantastic. And inventive. A scratch? Awesome. It would be fantastic to have that. Being able to cut it and give it to people? Sharing documents would be so easy. I also liked the technology related to Hunter. He was connected to the technology in ways you couldn't imagine. You gotta love this. I admit the buzzard and floaters are confusing. What are they exactly? I'm guessing hovercars. But it's hard to tell without the descriptions we need. The descriptions were lacking a bit. But it was nice. Some of the technology is fantastic. It's creative and innovative.
And Hunter. I like his personality before he starts loving Tess. He is curious and interested in the world. He wants to know things. He's kind. He was an AI as well. I really liked that. He isn't human, but he acts exactly like one. Of course, I guessed he was Aevum before any of the others knew. I could tell. I mean...he acts human but not enough. You could tell something was up. But he was a good character. Kind. Caring. He really did care for Tess. Why? I don't know. Tess isn't very likable. I didn't like one thing. He seemed too superhuman. He didn't act like a normal AI. Or robot. He had the strength of a million men. And special skin? Oh goodness. He's too superhuman. I didn't like that.
There is a reason why this book isn't a five out of five. While I liked it, there were things I felt like it was a bit...okay in some parts.
I didn't like the beginning. It seemed dull and boring. There was no action I was interested in. It was boring and dull. Yay, girl runs away. (Sarcasm.) I felt like it was lacking. I wanted more. I wanted more world building as well. It seemed vague and confusing. The world was odd. What is that? What are they saying? Tess speaks in Malspeak with other characters in the beginning. What is that word? What are they saying? I'm not sure. It's not translated. We don't get too much from actions or expressions. It's all confusing. There isn't a translation page at the end. I wish I could understand! And beginning wasn't just confusing. It was a bit boring and confusing.
And the romance. I can tell it was well-intentioned. But I don't like it. Why did it form? When? I don't see it. Hunter puts too much into the relationship. Tess doesn't even seem to flinch. She acts like a typical girl until she figures out who Hunter is. You want her to put in effort. She doesn't give anything. She really doesn't. I wanted more. I wanted her to fall for him. And she doesn't seem to. Also, what does Hunter see in Tess? Her bravery? Curiosity? It's not like those really exist. I like Hunter, but I don't like Tess. I know that thee romance is well-intentioned. Hunter saves Tess for love. You can tell that. You can tell that the author is trying. I see that. I applaud her for that. But it didn't work. I didn't see the relationship forming. Nor did I see it holding up well. It might, of course. The benefit of the doubt. But I didn't feel like it was a good romance.
Tess. She is a bit annoying. Also, it seems impossible for her to change completely into a tough girl. She is tough in the beginning. But we don't get to see the unwritten change between Eden girl to Badlands girl. I know we see some. But I wanted more. We also don't get the Badlands adventures. We get some when she tells Hunter stories. But they aren't much. She isn't special really. Not Achilles. She's not too smart or too brave. She isn't Lana or Benji. I feel bad for comparing her to the other Kudzu, but she isn't anything special. The only thing that makes her anything special is the artilect-knowing part of her. She doesn't have too many specialties. I didn't like her personality. She was acting rude to her uncle at first. And her friend. But acting nicer to the strangers in Kudzu? And wondering why Naz is being cold? Um...well...you're a stranger. They have reasons to be distrustful.
I feel like this book could have been better. If it had more world building, clearer details, it would have been pretty great. Overall, it was pretty good.
Weather:
Sunny with 20% chance of rain
4/5
hollylynna's review
4.0
Discovered this on a list page turners and enjoyed it vey much. How can you go wrong with robots, renewable resources, and romance? ( that's on the cover..I totally did not make that up!)
sepia_witch's review
3.0
I received this book as part of the Goodreads giveaway program.
I found I was immediately pulled into this story. I liked the main character Tessandra and was intrigued by the harsh environment she was living in. I also enjoyed the description of the contrasting city of Eden. However, as quickly as I was pulled in, I found my interest waning. At times I felt as though there was too much going on. I did enjoy the book as a whole but the ending seemed to be stretched out and the continued personal issues being lumped together a little much. But, as I stated, I did like the book and I felt that the Tess was nicely written.
I found I was immediately pulled into this story. I liked the main character Tessandra and was intrigued by the harsh environment she was living in. I also enjoyed the description of the contrasting city of Eden. However, as quickly as I was pulled in, I found my interest waning. At times I felt as though there was too much going on. I did enjoy the book as a whole but the ending seemed to be stretched out and the continued personal issues being lumped together a little much. But, as I stated, I did like the book and I felt that the Tess was nicely written.
amullen03's review
4.0
Tess is 16 and lives in Eden. After her scientist mother is killed she runs away to the bad lands. Things are not what she things they will be there and she decides to return. The thing is that she can not go back to the way things were. She decides to work with Kudzu. Things keep going differently then what she expects. She starts having feelings towards Hunter but then he turns out not to be what she thought,.
There is alot of Tess figuring things out. She is 16 but acts more like an adult. I liked that this story didn't feel like a YA but a Sci Fi book.
It reminded me of the video games my husband liked to place. Even though I am not a huge fan of robots, I felt like this was such a good story. Plus how many sci fi/YA/romance stories are out there that are this awesome!
There is alot of Tess figuring things out. She is 16 but acts more like an adult. I liked that this story didn't feel like a YA but a Sci Fi book.
It reminded me of the video games my husband liked to place. Even though I am not a huge fan of robots, I felt like this was such a good story. Plus how many sci fi/YA/romance stories are out there that are this awesome!
kate_farber's review
3.0
3.5 stars! I admit, I initially judged it by the cover and was skeptical. Though if I had found it on my library shelf in 1996 I would have been all over it, so maybe it's time to bring back old-school. Beats the hell out of "languishing white girl" any day.
It's so refreshing to find a YA author who seems to have actually thought out their dystopia. Clark took the time to craft different cultures for the Badlands and Eden, and it shows. I particularly loved how we're just tossed right in without a lot of hand-holding and get to learn by seeing, as it were. It takes guts for a YA author to just drop in a made up language on page 2, and I'm glad Clark and her publisher trusted us readers enough to do it.
It does suffer from some too-convenient plotting, and certain events were too easily anticipated. Also, I felt the pacing was too fast. Clark does a good job populating her world with a motley cast, but we're hurried past most of them. "Thrilling" is an apt descriptor and don't get me wrong, I liked that aspect, but an extra fifty/hundred pages might have let the story breathe a bit more. Plus, that would have allowed events to happen more organically, instead of needing to be forced along by events of questionable plausibility (why would Tess just blurt illegal things in public? why does nothing have a real password?). The Badlands are the most interesting part, but we have to leave them behind by chapter 3. We should have been able to spend more time with the people and places- Henney! Myrtle Beach! Kep Sa'ain!- since they were damn fascinating.
Bonus points for a)robots!, and b) the fact that I loved Tess's backstory. I'm not necessarily sold on Tess herself (probably because of her too-convenient tendency to blurt things out), but I always like characters with real, cringe-worthy flaws. I didn't even hate the romance, and I've been vehemently thumbs-down on every YA romance I've read recently.
Not sure if there's going to be a sequel (it works either way), but if so, I'll definitely be checking it out. It's been a while since a new YA book make me want more.
It's so refreshing to find a YA author who seems to have actually thought out their dystopia. Clark took the time to craft different cultures for the Badlands and Eden, and it shows. I particularly loved how we're just tossed right in without a lot of hand-holding and get to learn by seeing, as it were. It takes guts for a YA author to just drop in a made up language on page 2, and I'm glad Clark and her publisher trusted us readers enough to do it.
It does suffer from some too-convenient plotting, and certain events were too easily anticipated. Also, I felt the pacing was too fast. Clark does a good job populating her world with a motley cast, but we're hurried past most of them. "Thrilling" is an apt descriptor and don't get me wrong, I liked that aspect, but an extra fifty/hundred pages might have let the story breathe a bit more. Plus, that would have allowed events to happen more organically, instead of needing to be forced along by events of questionable plausibility (why would Tess just blurt illegal things in public? why does nothing have a real password?). The Badlands are the most interesting part, but we have to leave them behind by chapter 3. We should have been able to spend more time with the people and places- Henney! Myrtle Beach! Kep Sa'ain!- since they were damn fascinating.
Bonus points for a)robots!, and b) the fact that I loved Tess's backstory. I'm not necessarily sold on Tess herself (probably because of her too-convenient tendency to blurt things out), but I always like characters with real, cringe-worthy flaws. I didn't even hate the romance, and I've been vehemently thumbs-down on every YA romance I've read recently.
Not sure if there's going to be a sequel (it works either way), but if so, I'll definitely be checking it out. It's been a while since a new YA book make me want more.
elizabethwig's review
4.0
Teaching a robot to love + classic YA dystopia with rich walled-in city and poor outskirts + environmental problems due to drought = a surprisingly different, well-balanced, and exciting read.
li3an1na4's review
2.0
A pretty simple and predictable dystopian future YA book. I think I correctly guessed most the important plot points pretty early on. Extremely underdeveloped characters with a main character who is bafflingly stupid. She blurts out secret rebel plans and anti-government rhetoric without meaning to. A romantic subplot that is basically similar to the Harry Potter "love conquers all" idea.
I think my rating is based on what I think the book could have been more than what it was. I like the world the author created, especially the Badlands and how things worked there. I wish we could have seen more of it. I thought there were some interesting secondary characters that really would have benefited from further development. The technology that was created was pretty standard fare, but at the same time, an interesting way of looking at it. Unfortunately, it wasn't discussed for as long as it perhaps should have been. This is one of the rare books that would have benefited from another 100 pages or so of more background story.
I'd say it's probably a great intro book for teens or preteens to this genre of book. But for anyone else, it's going to be far too simplistic and lacking.
I think my rating is based on what I think the book could have been more than what it was. I like the world the author created, especially the Badlands and how things worked there. I wish we could have seen more of it. I thought there were some interesting secondary characters that really would have benefited from further development. The technology that was created was pretty standard fare, but at the same time, an interesting way of looking at it. Unfortunately, it wasn't discussed for as long as it perhaps should have been. This is one of the rare books that would have benefited from another 100 pages or so of more background story.
I'd say it's probably a great intro book for teens or preteens to this genre of book. But for anyone else, it's going to be far too simplistic and lacking.
nicholasbobbitt1997's review
3.0
This is a neat little story, and I especially love the creole conlang Clark envisions for the Badlands.
More...