fictionalkate's review against another edition
4.0
Atlantia has always been home to Rio. But she has never loved the underwater city as much as her mother or twin sister Bay. When Rio's chance to go to the world above is taken away from her, Rio not only loses her dream of Above but also her sister. Not wanting to lose everything, Rio comes up with a plan to escape Below. It has never been done before but Rio isn't like everyone else. She is a secret Siren. But before Rio can make it Above, secrets about Atlantia come out and Rio might be the only one who can save the underwater city before it is too late.
Rio is one of those characters that I loved to read about because she's a somewhat unlikely heroine (despite her super special secret). She is scared and confused after having lost both her sister and her mother without getting to say goodbye. But not willing to let the world take advantage of her, Rio goes to vast lengths to get what she wants. She loves her mother and Bay and she finds it hard finding out secrets they kept when they were with her in Atlantia. What I liked most about Rio is how strong and smart she is. She's not one of those characters who run into danger with half-baked plans. She is a planner and she thinks everything though. I also adored the romance which developed for Rio and True. Their interactions are adorable and they work as a couple. Beautifully paced, the romantic storyline worked perfectly for me as a reader.
The setting of Atlantia is an interesting one. I was expecting this to be a book about mermaids with this story taking place under the sea. And whilst Atlantia does take place underwater, the city is inhabited by humans living in a reverse snow-globe (with the town staying dry on the bottom of the ocean and the water separating them from the land Above). The way of life for those who live Below was an interesting on and it made a lot of sense to me.
After reading Atlantia I realized there just aren't enough books about Sirens! I've not read another YA novel about these mythical creatures and I loved how Ally Condie approached the idea of them. I also loved how the society world with their unique brand of religion and governing bodies. The plot does have a few twists and I really liked how events developed across the novel.
Atlantia was an interesting book with a fantastic setting. It's interesting with a few twists and secrets coming out as Rio discovers the truth behind Atlantia. I loved that this book was a standalone and thought it delivered the perfect amount of story for its pages. Romance, mystery, supernatural creatures which aren't quite what they seem and a very likeable heroine - Atlantia is a fantastic read which adds something just a little bit different to the YA scene.
Thanks to Penguin Teen Australia for the review copy
Rio is one of those characters that I loved to read about because she's a somewhat unlikely heroine (despite her super special secret). She is scared and confused after having lost both her sister and her mother without getting to say goodbye. But not willing to let the world take advantage of her, Rio goes to vast lengths to get what she wants. She loves her mother and Bay and she finds it hard finding out secrets they kept when they were with her in Atlantia. What I liked most about Rio is how strong and smart she is. She's not one of those characters who run into danger with half-baked plans. She is a planner and she thinks everything though. I also adored the romance which developed for Rio and True. Their interactions are adorable and they work as a couple. Beautifully paced, the romantic storyline worked perfectly for me as a reader.
The setting of Atlantia is an interesting one. I was expecting this to be a book about mermaids with this story taking place under the sea. And whilst Atlantia does take place underwater, the city is inhabited by humans living in a reverse snow-globe (with the town staying dry on the bottom of the ocean and the water separating them from the land Above). The way of life for those who live Below was an interesting on and it made a lot of sense to me.
After reading Atlantia I realized there just aren't enough books about Sirens! I've not read another YA novel about these mythical creatures and I loved how Ally Condie approached the idea of them. I also loved how the society world with their unique brand of religion and governing bodies. The plot does have a few twists and I really liked how events developed across the novel.
Atlantia was an interesting book with a fantastic setting. It's interesting with a few twists and secrets coming out as Rio discovers the truth behind Atlantia. I loved that this book was a standalone and thought it delivered the perfect amount of story for its pages. Romance, mystery, supernatural creatures which aren't quite what they seem and a very likeable heroine - Atlantia is a fantastic read which adds something just a little bit different to the YA scene.
Thanks to Penguin Teen Australia for the review copy
kbaird's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book had an interesting premise. A whole civilization contained underwater. Twin sisters who are completely different. A mother's mysterious death. The youth of this civilization have a choice to make when they come of age; whether they want to continue to live below the water or go above where the air is contaminated and your life expectancy is shorter. Rio yearns for above but after her mother's death, her twin sister begs her to stay below with her. At the time of choosing, Rio chooses to stay below and her sister surprises everyone and goes above. This devastates Rio and leaves her questioning why her sister wanted to go above.
I feel this is the important part of the story. Rio makes some tangents off this path and it gets a little weird and very unbelievable. I think this book had a lot going for it, but fell a little short on delivering. Rio turns out to have a special voice that she has had to keep hidden and she goes to save her sister and expose her voice. I think the climax of the story is underwhelming. I greatly enjoyed reading most of this book but the end was not something I enjoyed.
Overall, an interesting subject that fell flat when being delivered. I had more questions coming out of the book then I had going in.
I feel this is the important part of the story. Rio makes some tangents off this path and it gets a little weird and very unbelievable. I think this book had a lot going for it, but fell a little short on delivering. Rio turns out to have a special voice that she has had to keep hidden and she goes to save her sister and expose her voice. I think the climax of the story is underwhelming. I greatly enjoyed reading most of this book but the end was not something I enjoyed.
Overall, an interesting subject that fell flat when being delivered. I had more questions coming out of the book then I had going in.
alexa_gr's review against another edition
3.0
The beginning was better than I expected, but it got worse over the book. It's right that there was very little development of the love story and the explanation of the siren thing was a bit short.
The ending was ok and all in all the book was it too. But it's definitely not a must read.
The ending was ok and all in all the book was it too. But it's definitely not a must read.
sarahelainereads's review against another edition
2.0
I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical when I first cracked open Atlantia. Condie is one of those authors that I remain on the fence about; although I thoroughly enjoyed Matched, the next two books were a bit dry.
And, despite the fact that Atlantia is about an underwater city, I also found it to be a bit dry.
In the beginning, Atlantia gave me a Divergent sort of vibe; it's an underwater city, built because things above water had become so intolerable (as far as conditions for humans to thrive), that a group of humans were sent to an underwater city to ensure the continuity of the human race. Over the generations, the population of Atlantia grew, as did the families within it. When each citizen turns a certain age, they can choose to stay in Atlantia or to go Above.Rio, a girl who has always yearned to see the Above, promises that she will stay in Atlantia with her sister, Bay. Bay has never wanted to leave the city, and with the recent death of their mother, she is terrified of being left alone. However, (surprise!!) Bay decides to go Above. Because of the rule that only one of each family may go Above, Rio is the one left behind in the Below.
Confused by her sister's actions, she seeks counsel in her aunt, Maire, a dangerous siren who supposedly uses the power of her voice to control others against their will. From Maire, she learns things about herself and the well-kept secrets of her city; things that will change her perspective forever.
It sounds like a good story, doesn't it? At least, that's what I thought from reading the blurb on the back of the book. I think we should have a new saying: "Don't judge a book by its blurb." In fact, maybe we shouldn't judge the book by anything but the book itself. Judging it by anything other than that often leads to disappointment.
There was nothing inherently wrong with the plot. Although it had many dystopia elements that you've seen before (thus the Divergent reference above) it was fairly intriguing, and that kept me going. What I hated was simply the writing style.
If I could give this book an award, it would be the "Dullest Characters of All Time" award.
Rio, the narrator, is the MOST BORING OF THEM ALL. She's supposed to be *spoiler alert* a siren, but at the end of the book I still wasn't entirely sure what a siren actually was. And there was some emphasis of her being the "last siren." What is the significance in this?? I DON'T GET IT.
I don't know how to explain what I felt, reading through Rio's eyes. Her voice feels flat and emotionless, and she sees things through almost a tilted perspective. Her sentences were choppy and repetitive, like a kindergartener wrote them.
She’s going to tell me the story, and I’m going to listen. And I am afraid.
I am going to pick up this book, and I am going to read. And I am bored.
Seriously, where was this girl's spunk? I'm not saying she has to be one of those heroine's that refuses to let anyone stand in her way and eats men for breakfast, but she should at least be a little pissed off that her sister left her behind. Instead of being mad, she throws a Rio pity party.
What is my point...
Think, Sarah, THINK.
Oh right... So, in short terms, this book had a beautiful "feel" to it, Atlantia was serene and magical. BUT,
her characters were ill-developed and made me want to yawn.
Short and sweet! (Sort of.)
dlberglund's review against another edition
3.0
After the Divide, people had chosen or sacrificed themselves to stay in the Above, breathing the polluted air and living lives with shortened lifespans. Or, they lived in the Below, a big water-proof hamster habitat under the water.
Parts of the books were musical and captivating, and parts were choppy and rough. I never quite understood parts of the culture, and some of the characters didn't come fully formed.
Interesting, and probably better than her previous trilogy, but still not actually great literature.
Parts of the books were musical and captivating, and parts were choppy and rough. I never quite understood parts of the culture, and some of the characters didn't come fully formed.
Interesting, and probably better than her previous trilogy, but still not actually great literature.
forsakenfates's review
2.0
I’m not sure what I was expecting with this book, but it definitely wasn’t want I got. The premise was very unique. I loved the idea of Atlantia and the world above and the whole choice between staying below or going above, however I felt like we were thrown in this world with little to not thought or explanation.
The world building in the book was plain bad. I did not get a sense of what Atlantia was truly like, yes the Divide was clearly explained, but the actual workings of Atlantia and what it was like living there was extremely lacking. I don’t think we ever even got a full description of Atlantia. I just feel like it was expected I already understood the world when I started the book.
While the world was way under developed, the characters were a struggle too. We barely knew Bay but she was clearly very important to Rio. The entirety of the plot is Rio trying to be reunited with Bay and figure out why she left in the first place. Then you had the side plot of Atlantia falling apart. But the characters seemed dry and I was not at all emotionally invested in them. I did appreciate however, that the romance was not a huge part of this book. True and Rio were cute together and I like them working together to figure out why Bay and Fen left, but their relationship wasn’t the central part of the book.
This book had a lot of potential with the idea. But it completely fell short. The world was underdeveloped and the lack of explanation really hindered my enjoyment. I was unable to grasp Atlantia as a place and even the sirens were poorly explained. I’m still not really sure what exactly they are capable of. The ending also seemed rushed and then the book ended quite abruptly without really explaining the consequences of Rio choices in the Above.
2.5/ 5 Stars and only because of the potential.
The world building in the book was plain bad. I did not get a sense of what Atlantia was truly like, yes the Divide was clearly explained, but the actual workings of Atlantia and what it was like living there was extremely lacking. I don’t think we ever even got a full description of Atlantia. I just feel like it was expected I already understood the world when I started the book.
While the world was way under developed, the characters were a struggle too. We barely knew Bay but she was clearly very important to Rio. The entirety of the plot is Rio trying to be reunited with Bay and figure out why she left in the first place. Then you had the side plot of Atlantia falling apart. But the characters seemed dry and I was not at all emotionally invested in them. I did appreciate however, that the romance was not a huge part of this book. True and Rio were cute together and I like them working together to figure out why Bay and Fen left, but their relationship wasn’t the central part of the book.
This book had a lot of potential with the idea. But it completely fell short. The world was underdeveloped and the lack of explanation really hindered my enjoyment. I was unable to grasp Atlantia as a place and even the sirens were poorly explained. I’m still not really sure what exactly they are capable of. The ending also seemed rushed and then the book ended quite abruptly without really explaining the consequences of Rio choices in the Above.
2.5/ 5 Stars and only because of the potential.
turrean's review against another edition
3.0
A dystopian undersea world. Some nice overtones of mermaid-ness (sirens, a "witch" who can "take" your voice, people who need the sea to survive). I'm also a sucker for twin stories.
I found it a bit slow going. Because the rules of the society were couched in religious terms, it made the story a bit dreamier and more remote, because you'd start looking for a rational explanation for events, or failing that, a consistently magical one, and then you'd say, Oh, right, religion.
So even though there is not every supposed to be
We are told that the religious beliefs of the communities were basically designed around what it was necessary for the Above / Below people to believe, rather than an organic outgrowth of existing belief. Sort of an Esperanto religion. People DO believe in spite of everything, but as a reader it was hard to untangle whether characters still sought to explain things in terms of miracles because of habit or because they still believed. I really liked the protagonist's explanation of why certain events fell out as they did -- she could explain things "rationally". Yet she still thought of her aunt's last gift as a miracle.
I found it a bit slow going. Because the rules of the society were couched in religious terms, it made the story a bit dreamier and more remote, because you'd start looking for a rational explanation for events, or failing that, a consistently magical one, and then you'd say, Oh, right, religion.
So even though there is not every supposed to be
Spoiler
more than one siren in a family...well, maybe it's a miracle. Why bats that have spent generations in the undersea city (what are they eating??) can shift easily to seashore life. Miracle. Why Rio, Maire, and the evil villain's siren abilities are so different from those of other sirens. Miracle?We are told that the religious beliefs of the communities were basically designed around what it was necessary for the Above / Below people to believe, rather than an organic outgrowth of existing belief. Sort of an Esperanto religion. People DO believe in spite of everything, but as a reader it was hard to untangle whether characters still sought to explain things in terms of miracles because of habit or because they still believed. I really liked the protagonist's explanation of why certain events fell out as they did -- she could explain things "rationally". Yet she still thought of her aunt's last gift as a miracle.
catholicamanda's review against another edition
2.0
I know this has been said more than a hundred times, but this book is NOT about mermaids. I knew that before I borrowed this book from the library and yet I still expected mermaids from the title and the cover. So, there are no mermaids but there are sirens.
I love the concept for this book. An underwater city where people live basically in a bubble. That is cool. I would have loved a story about characters in this world except they didn’t want to stay. They wanted to go Above even though everyone who goes Above dies. I did not get that at all.
Then there is Rio. As a character, I didn’t care what happened to her. And Bay as well. It seems like as an audience we are supposed to care about Bay. I didn’t know anything about her. Rio has these memories of her that we get glimpses of but to me it feels as though Bay is just avoiding talking to her sister, telling her what is going on. It doesn’t seem like Bay really cares about Rio. And I really didn’t care what happened to either of them.
So Rio is supposed to be a siren. However, what exactly a siren is and how they came to be was never fully explained. It just happened. That kind of threw me out of the story. I like to know the why behind what happened. I just didn’t get that about the sirens.
I was really just bored and didn’t care one way or another what happened to the characters. Sure it was entertaining at points but not really enough to keep me really interested. I finished the book because I can’t not finish books. My sister might like this book because she enjoyed Matched more than I did. It just wasn’t a book for me.
This review first appeared at CatholicAmanda.com.
I love the concept for this book. An underwater city where people live basically in a bubble. That is cool. I would have loved a story about characters in this world except they didn’t want to stay. They wanted to go Above even though everyone who goes Above dies. I did not get that at all.
Then there is Rio. As a character, I didn’t care what happened to her. And Bay as well. It seems like as an audience we are supposed to care about Bay. I didn’t know anything about her. Rio has these memories of her that we get glimpses of but to me it feels as though Bay is just avoiding talking to her sister, telling her what is going on. It doesn’t seem like Bay really cares about Rio. And I really didn’t care what happened to either of them.
So Rio is supposed to be a siren. However, what exactly a siren is and how they came to be was never fully explained. It just happened. That kind of threw me out of the story. I like to know the why behind what happened. I just didn’t get that about the sirens.
I was really just bored and didn’t care one way or another what happened to the characters. Sure it was entertaining at points but not really enough to keep me really interested. I finished the book because I can’t not finish books. My sister might like this book because she enjoyed Matched more than I did. It just wasn’t a book for me.
This review first appeared at CatholicAmanda.com.
danielasunshine16's review against another edition
1.5
I did not like this book at all, I found that the writting style was annoying it gave too many descriptions of things that didnt matter to the plot and it wasn’t enggaging enough. I loved the premise of the book but it was porrly executed at least for my taste.