ethanoled's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Did a re-read of this so I could read the last book in the series. The plot kept me reading more than the characters did. The main character seemed kind of full of herself at times to the point where it got unbearable. and the book could have definitely been better if it went through another round of editing.
Spoiler
The relationship felt kind of forced as well,darlala's review against another edition
1.0
DNF. I just can't with this book. I was SO excited to read it. It's such an intriguing idea!! An asteroid headed to Earth! Ancient Atlanteans living on their own planet come to rescue a selection of people from Earth that Qualify! It sounds amazing!
Stop getting excited. It's not.
First of all, it's terribly written. I get that the narrator is a teenager, and I appreciate keeping it real with the types of language and wording an author uses for teenagers, but honestly, this feels so slapdash and unpolished. It feels like a first draft. Phrasing like, "trying not to look over the edge down" kept making me stumble. She randomly starts calling the Earth students "Candidates" out of nowhere. Like, one second, there isn't an official name, and the next, Gwen refers to her classmates as "Candidates", and then it's used as a title like it was more naturally established, when it wasn't.
Secondly, the characters are a who's who of cliches. Gwen is supposed to be a totally brilliant brainiac, but she is flighty, flaky, and completely idiotic. She has zero common sense...to the extent, she would be too dumb to accomplish anything academically, because she's too dumb to figure it out. At one point, she says, "Holy moly, has it already come to this? The Atlantean Instructors already know me by name." She says it like, "Oh em gee, I am so smart, and such a stellar student, they know me!!! They know me!!" In reality, though, SHE JUST FREAKING TOLD THE TEACHER HER NAME.
Laronda, to me, was a really likable character. She's also black, in case the author doesn't make that clear enough with her repetitive mentions of her hair type. Don't worry, though, her incessant usage of "girlfriend" and stereotypical actions, such as doing "a side-to-side thing with her neck and wags her finger in the air" will incessantly remind you. And you can rest assured that ALL of the Earth People of Color in the book are treated in this manner.
Logan is Gwen's crush, and he's SO dreamy, and SO athletic, and SO perfect, and SO who effing cares?
The book is also incredibly boring. I read a quarter of the book - fully 25%. That's at least 150 pages. In that time, I only made it to Gwen's SECOND day of classes after qualifying. I can't drag myself through more of unlikable Gwen's bitching and moaning about how effing out of shape she is. She can't even run two freakin laps around the gym without practically collapsing. It's absurd.
I really wanted to finish this book and be absorbed enough to read the rest of the series. I wanted to learn more about Atlantis. But I can't stand the main character, all of the other characters are one dimensional cliches, and the story is so boring, I literally fall asleep reading it.
Stop getting excited. It's not.
First of all, it's terribly written. I get that the narrator is a teenager, and I appreciate keeping it real with the types of language and wording an author uses for teenagers, but honestly, this feels so slapdash and unpolished. It feels like a first draft. Phrasing like, "trying not to look over the edge down" kept making me stumble. She randomly starts calling the Earth students "Candidates" out of nowhere. Like, one second, there isn't an official name, and the next, Gwen refers to her classmates as "Candidates", and then it's used as a title like it was more naturally established, when it wasn't.
Secondly, the characters are a who's who of cliches. Gwen is supposed to be a totally brilliant brainiac, but she is flighty, flaky, and completely idiotic. She has zero common sense...to the extent, she would be too dumb to accomplish anything academically, because she's too dumb to figure it out. At one point, she says, "Holy moly, has it already come to this? The Atlantean Instructors already know me by name." She says it like, "Oh em gee, I am so smart, and such a stellar student, they know me!!! They know me!!" In reality, though, SHE JUST FREAKING TOLD THE TEACHER HER NAME.
Laronda, to me, was a really likable character. She's also black, in case the author doesn't make that clear enough with her repetitive mentions of her hair type. Don't worry, though, her incessant usage of "girlfriend" and stereotypical actions, such as doing "a side-to-side thing with her neck and wags her finger in the air" will incessantly remind you. And you can rest assured that ALL of the Earth People of Color in the book are treated in this manner.
Logan is Gwen's crush, and he's SO dreamy, and SO athletic, and SO perfect, and SO who effing cares?
The book is also incredibly boring. I read a quarter of the book - fully 25%. That's at least 150 pages. In that time, I only made it to Gwen's SECOND day of classes after qualifying. I can't drag myself through more of unlikable Gwen's bitching and moaning about how effing out of shape she is. She can't even run two freakin laps around the gym without practically collapsing. It's absurd.
I really wanted to finish this book and be absorbed enough to read the rest of the series. I wanted to learn more about Atlantis. But I can't stand the main character, all of the other characters are one dimensional cliches, and the story is so boring, I literally fall asleep reading it.
dewey007's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
travelgirlut's review against another edition
2.0
There was a decent premise to this book, but it's in serious need of an editor. Interesting parts get short shrift and dull parts go in forever. Plus the main character is a bit whiney, and don't get me started on her crush. Ugh. Too bad the story got lost in all the teenage angst.
gwenhwyfar82's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
divine529's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
November 2022
This was a reread for me and before you read any part of my review, I need to tell you a little bit about my relationship with this series. My feelings on this series are complex. This is one of those books and series that has so much potential to be good, but in the long run, isn't the best, but is incredibly compelling in a way I don't understand. So, I call this Book Candy.
Now we can get into the rest. This book follows our main protagonist, Gwen Lark, in a futuristic world where an asteroid is going to hit the Earth and destroy everything. An ancient race of aliens who hail from a far off planet called Atlantis, says they'll save some people and bring them back to their planet, but in order to do so, you have to be between the ages of 12 and 18 and you have to go through a process to Qualify. That's basically what this book is about - going through the process of qualification to see if you're one of the lucky people who get saved and things go from there.
All of the elements of this book are substandard at best and could use a huge edit, but it's interesting and compelling enough to make you want to keep reading.
Of course I'll probably revisit this again in the future because it's certainly entertaining and compelling and just good Book Candy when you need it.
This was a reread for me and before you read any part of my review, I need to tell you a little bit about my relationship with this series. My feelings on this series are complex. This is one of those books and series that has so much potential to be good, but in the long run, isn't the best, but is incredibly compelling in a way I don't understand. So, I call this Book Candy.
Now we can get into the rest. This book follows our main protagonist, Gwen Lark, in a futuristic world where an asteroid is going to hit the Earth and destroy everything. An ancient race of aliens who hail from a far off planet called Atlantis, says they'll save some people and bring them back to their planet, but in order to do so, you have to be between the ages of 12 and 18 and you have to go through a process to Qualify. That's basically what this book is about - going through the process of qualification to see if you're one of the lucky people who get saved and things go from there.
All of the elements of this book are substandard at best and could use a huge edit, but it's interesting and compelling enough to make you want to keep reading.
Of course I'll probably revisit this again in the future because it's certainly entertaining and compelling and just good Book Candy when you need it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Injury/injury detail, Death, Blood, Confinement, Ableism, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Cancer
nuphoc3's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book so much that I literally bought the series .
theliterarysewist's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This storyline grabbed my attention right away. Sci-fi dystopian? HECK YEAH! And honestly, Gwen is one of the most realistic YA leads in this setting I’ve read in a long time.
_mkarys's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, why is this series so underhyped?
Qualify is a YA Dystopian Sci-fi read perfect for fans of the genre, especially books like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and others even outside the Dystopian genre that have become pop culture classics. I could easily visualize the story, as if it were a movie, and it’s no surprise that the series has been optioned for film. Hollywood, why don’t you hurry up?
The fact that an asteroid is set for a collision course for Earth gave my subconscious quite the material for apocalyptic nightmares, but it made for quite the setup for a story, especially since survival depends on whether or not you have the necessary skills to qualify and be moved to Atlantis. And yet, despite the high stakes, the story isn’t just an adrenaline rush. Most of it takes place in the Regional Qualification Center, where the characters are split into dorms and attend lessons that will prepare them for the following tests. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story, because I love academic settings, and I loved learning more about the Atlanteans. I do admit, however, that I would have preferred if some of the other lessons that seemingly bring nothing to the plot would have been cut so as to not slow down the pace of the story.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the mystery surrounding the crash of the shuttles, since it brings in the “Who dun it” element that I’m weak for, and of course, the romance. The author sets up a love triangle between Gwen, Logan and Aeson, and unlike most love triangles, this was one that I actually enjoy. Both Logan and Aeson have things going on for them. Logan seems the more easily likeable character, but there’s something about Aeson…I have a feeling that there’s something beneath his arrogance and sarcasm, and I’m very curious to see where this budding connection with Gwen will lead in the future books. Oh, would you look at that. They’re all out, so I don’t have to wait!
So if you’re a fan of classic dystopians, academic settings, high stakes, and books that would look really good as movies, then please check out this book and series. I can’t wait to continue it!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
Qualify is a YA Dystopian Sci-fi read perfect for fans of the genre, especially books like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and others even outside the Dystopian genre that have become pop culture classics. I could easily visualize the story, as if it were a movie, and it’s no surprise that the series has been optioned for film. Hollywood, why don’t you hurry up?
The fact that an asteroid is set for a collision course for Earth gave my subconscious quite the material for apocalyptic nightmares, but it made for quite the setup for a story, especially since survival depends on whether or not you have the necessary skills to qualify and be moved to Atlantis. And yet, despite the high stakes, the story isn’t just an adrenaline rush. Most of it takes place in the Regional Qualification Center, where the characters are split into dorms and attend lessons that will prepare them for the following tests. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story, because I love academic settings, and I loved learning more about the Atlanteans. I do admit, however, that I would have preferred if some of the other lessons that seemingly bring nothing to the plot would have been cut so as to not slow down the pace of the story.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the mystery surrounding the crash of the shuttles, since it brings in the “Who dun it” element that I’m weak for, and of course, the romance. The author sets up a love triangle between Gwen, Logan and Aeson, and unlike most love triangles, this was one that I actually enjoy. Both Logan and Aeson have things going on for them. Logan seems the more easily likeable character, but there’s something about Aeson…I have a feeling that there’s something beneath his arrogance and sarcasm, and I’m very curious to see where this budding connection with Gwen will lead in the future books. Oh, would you look at that. They’re all out, so I don’t have to wait!
So if you’re a fan of classic dystopians, academic settings, high stakes, and books that would look really good as movies, then please check out this book and series. I can’t wait to continue it!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
_ckarys's review against another edition
4.0
If like me you’re a fan of the good old classic dystopians like The Hunger Games, then I cannot recommend QUALIFY enough. Reading this book made me so nostalgic, but it was also amazing to immerse myself into a completely different world, with characters that creep under your skin and keep you glued to the pages.
From the very start of the novel, the author did an amazing job at wooing me into the Lark family dynamic, to the point where I was crying within the first 10% of the book. Healthy family bonds are one of my favorite things in books, and the Larks are just precious! I may also have a shameless crush on big brother George, but don’t tell that to Logan or Aeson.
For the majority of the novel, the story takes place in a Qualification Center, which is perfect for fans of academic settings. This is also the place where the majority of the character and world-building happens, and I was very intrigued by the tidbits of Atlantean culture we got to learn alongside our protagonist, Gwen, which also added a touch of mystery (as I’m not wholly sold on the Atlantean’s humanitarian act) that made the read all the more enjoyable!
However, my favorite aspect of the story was the characters themselves. Qualify counts on a large cast of diverse characters with a plethora of different personalities. It’s no surprise this series is optioned for a screen adaptation! I loved the huge emphasis put on friendships and camaraderie, despite the premises of the novel would seem to put these characters one against the other. Gwen was the perfect protagonist to follow. She’s incredibly intelligent, but relatable in her clumsiness and generosity. I was also very engaged with her sentimental dramas. I adore her chemistry with Logan, but I love her scenes with the Atlantean pilot Aeson Kass even more. Those two are serving antagonistic banter, and I cannot wait to see more of their relationship unfolding in the next books, which are all already available!
My one complaint—and this comes down entirely to personal taste—is that I could have done with less descriptions of the lessons themselves. While some served to add insights on Atlantis and on elements that would prove vital to events of the novel, others felt unnecessarily descriptive and drawn out, and they slowed the otherwise incredible pacing of the story.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.
From the very start of the novel, the author did an amazing job at wooing me into the Lark family dynamic, to the point where I was crying within the first 10% of the book. Healthy family bonds are one of my favorite things in books, and the Larks are just precious! I may also have a shameless crush on big brother George, but don’t tell that to Logan or Aeson.
For the majority of the novel, the story takes place in a Qualification Center, which is perfect for fans of academic settings. This is also the place where the majority of the character and world-building happens, and I was very intrigued by the tidbits of Atlantean culture we got to learn alongside our protagonist, Gwen, which also added a touch of mystery (as I’m not wholly sold on the Atlantean’s humanitarian act) that made the read all the more enjoyable!
However, my favorite aspect of the story was the characters themselves. Qualify counts on a large cast of diverse characters with a plethora of different personalities. It’s no surprise this series is optioned for a screen adaptation! I loved the huge emphasis put on friendships and camaraderie, despite the premises of the novel would seem to put these characters one against the other. Gwen was the perfect protagonist to follow. She’s incredibly intelligent, but relatable in her clumsiness and generosity. I was also very engaged with her sentimental dramas. I adore her chemistry with Logan, but I love her scenes with the Atlantean pilot Aeson Kass even more. Those two are serving antagonistic banter, and I cannot wait to see more of their relationship unfolding in the next books, which are all already available!
My one complaint—and this comes down entirely to personal taste—is that I could have done with less descriptions of the lessons themselves. While some served to add insights on Atlantis and on elements that would prove vital to events of the novel, others felt unnecessarily descriptive and drawn out, and they slowed the otherwise incredible pacing of the story.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.