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scottjp's review
2.0
Viral Nation takes place in a world where most of the population has been obliterated by an unnamed virus. America now exists under a sort of benevolent totalitarianism. Crime is dealt with swiftly and harshly, so there is very little of it, at least not anywhere people seem to care about. The justice system is a lot like the one in [b:The Minority Report|65018|Minority Report|Philip K. Dick|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1170626052s/65018.jpg|63086], except that instead of using a team of psychics to predict when crimes will occur, "Time Mariners" retrieve information from the future via a temporal gateway, and (theoretically) crimes are dealt with before they happen.
At the heart of the story is Clover Donovan, an autistic sixteen year-old girl who is cared for by her brother while their father works away from home (their mother died of the virus when Clover was an infant.) Clover is the best thing about the book, at least for the first half or so. I felt she was portrayed well by the author--realistic and likeable, even if she isn't always nice (although this is usually because she has trouble recognizing social cues and often misspeaks.) That's until her condition is revealed to be a gimmick which is never explained, and which comes off as a patronizing attempt to make autistic people feel special.
I thought the story was great in the beginning, but as I neared the end I came to like it less and less. It became obvious that there was no way the story was going to be completed by the end of the book. That revolution mentioned in the summary? It doesn't even get started until the last few chapters. Yes, I know it says "first in a new series" clearly on the front cover, but there is no kind of closure at all. Novels are not a serial medium. If you want to do that, write comics. I feel like I've gotten nothing out of reading this. Will I be rewarded in the second installment, or will I have to wait for the third?
At the heart of the story is Clover Donovan, an autistic sixteen year-old girl who is cared for by her brother while their father works away from home (their mother died of the virus when Clover was an infant.) Clover is the best thing about the book, at least for the first half or so. I felt she was portrayed well by the author--realistic and likeable, even if she isn't always nice (although this is usually because she has trouble recognizing social cues and often misspeaks.) That's until her condition is revealed to be a gimmick which is never explained, and which comes off as a patronizing attempt to make autistic people feel special.
Spoiler
We're eventually told that only autistics can travel through the time portal. At first I thought this meant that only they could cope with it mentally, but it turns out that only they can literally pass through it at all. Anyone else is held back, even somehow being pushed through and out of the submarine craft they travel in. So, only autistic people and objects can pass through? ...okay.I thought the story was great in the beginning, but as I neared the end I came to like it less and less. It became obvious that there was no way the story was going to be completed by the end of the book. That revolution mentioned in the summary? It doesn't even get started until the last few chapters. Yes, I know it says "first in a new series" clearly on the front cover, but there is no kind of closure at all. Novels are not a serial medium. If you want to do that, write comics. I feel like I've gotten nothing out of reading this. Will I be rewarded in the second installment, or will I have to wait for the third?
zapkode's review
5.0
{my thoughts} - This book is based on the lives of Clover and West Donavon. They are both young teenagers that had survived the virus that had killed many worldwide. Out of sheer luck a scientist had discovered a portal that would take him two years into the future. While he was there he stole a vial of the suppressant that would be used to cure the virus and took it back in time to his original timeline.
Clover is a autistic girl with a dog named Mango that helps to calm her when things get rough. She loves to read and can remember nearly everything she sees. She is accepted into the Academy and attends the interview at which point she is denied admission.
Her brother West is working for the farms and when he hears Clover will be at the Academy he applies to work for the Guard. He figures since she will be taken care of at the Academy he could get on with his life. Neither of them had any idea what the future held for them.
This book is thought provoking, it is about time travel and very well written. I found it extremely difficult to put this book down and was up well into the night reading it. All I can say is when is book two coming out? I want to know what is to come of these characters in the future.
{reason for reading} - I received a copy of this book from netgalley in return for an honest review.
Clover is a autistic girl with a dog named Mango that helps to calm her when things get rough. She loves to read and can remember nearly everything she sees. She is accepted into the Academy and attends the interview at which point she is denied admission.
Her brother West is working for the farms and when he hears Clover will be at the Academy he applies to work for the Guard. He figures since she will be taken care of at the Academy he could get on with his life. Neither of them had any idea what the future held for them.
This book is thought provoking, it is about time travel and very well written. I found it extremely difficult to put this book down and was up well into the night reading it. All I can say is when is book two coming out? I want to know what is to come of these characters in the future.
{reason for reading} - I received a copy of this book from netgalley in return for an honest review.
outoftheblue14's review
5.0
E-galley received though Netgalley for review.
After a virus killed most of the world population, what remains of the United States is fifty walled cities. The Company controls everything, after they ended the plague by bringing back a vaccine from the future. Clover Donovan, an intelligent autistic sixteen-year-old girl, lives with her older brother West after their mother died and their father practically abandoned them. Clover has been admitted into Waverley-Stead Academy, but the principal won't have her at school once he discovers she's autistic. Instead, he sends her to work for the Time Mariners, a team of people, controlled by the Company, who travel two years into the future to bring back news.
Once Clover brings back the news that West will be in trouble, the two siblings need to prevent it from happening; if West is suspected of committing a crime in the future, they will arrest and kill him before he has the chance to commit it. While hiding out from the police, they make friends with a group of orphans and start organizing a revolution.
Viral Nation is a strange mixture of dystopian and time-travel. Each citizen is required to take a dose of the vaccine every day to keep healthy; if they stop taking it, they might fall ill and die. Clover is the most interesting character; I loved both her and her love interest (I hope we'll see more of him in the next book). Clover is not limited by autism; she loves reading and running and keeps her anxiety under control, especially thanks to her dog, Mango. I also liked West, who sacrificed himself and his own aspirations in order to take care of his sister.
I don't think I've ever read a post-apocalyptic novel with time travel before. This is an original feature of this book. There's no much going on in this book, it could easily be a mess; but it doesn't.
I want to read the next book in the series *right now*. When is it coming out? Summer of 2014? Too. far. away. *sigh*
After a virus killed most of the world population, what remains of the United States is fifty walled cities. The Company controls everything, after they ended the plague by bringing back a vaccine from the future. Clover Donovan, an intelligent autistic sixteen-year-old girl, lives with her older brother West after their mother died and their father practically abandoned them. Clover has been admitted into Waverley-Stead Academy, but the principal won't have her at school once he discovers she's autistic. Instead, he sends her to work for the Time Mariners, a team of people, controlled by the Company, who travel two years into the future to bring back news.
Once Clover brings back the news that West will be in trouble, the two siblings need to prevent it from happening; if West is suspected of committing a crime in the future, they will arrest and kill him before he has the chance to commit it. While hiding out from the police, they make friends with a group of orphans and start organizing a revolution.
Viral Nation is a strange mixture of dystopian and time-travel. Each citizen is required to take a dose of the vaccine every day to keep healthy; if they stop taking it, they might fall ill and die. Clover is the most interesting character; I loved both her and her love interest (I hope we'll see more of him in the next book). Clover is not limited by autism; she loves reading and running and keeps her anxiety under control, especially thanks to her dog, Mango. I also liked West, who sacrificed himself and his own aspirations in order to take care of his sister.
I don't think I've ever read a post-apocalyptic novel with time travel before. This is an original feature of this book. There's no much going on in this book, it could easily be a mess; but it doesn't.
I want to read the next book in the series *right now*. When is it coming out? Summer of 2014? Too. far. away. *sigh*
nicolemhewitt's review
4.0
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction.
Viral Nation was a really compelling dystopian novel that takes place in a future where most of the population of the world has been wiped out by a virus. Those remaining are led by The Company - an organization that provides everyone with daily doses of the vaccine and prevents crime via time travel. The Company employs people called Time Mariners who travel two years into the future. Any violent crime that is committed in the future is reported and the criminal is executed in the present, thereby preventing the crime from ever being committed.
What I loved:
Clover.
The main character of the book is Clover, a 16-year-old autistic girl who is incredibly intelligent (bordering on savant), if somewhat socially inept. I loved reading the book from her perspective because her viewpoint was often skewed in very interesting ways. Her perception of the world is different than the average person's and it made for a unique read!
Criminals executed based on future crimes.
No, it's not that I really like executions, but I thought that this was a very interesting and unique concept. What if we really could stop crimes before they even occurred? If someone was found guilty of a crime in the future, would it be so wrong to punish them for it in the present? It brought up some complex questions. I also liked that the characters all saw the positives of this system and didn't really question it until it directly affected them (I won't say exactly how).
The idea of Time Mariners, whose job it was to bring back future news was also very distinctive.
The mystery of the vaccine.
There is a mystery about what the vaccine actually does and if it is actually necessary. I don't want to say much about it because I don't want to spoil it, but I thought that this mystery added a lot to the overall storyline.
What I didn't love:
The time travel.
Wait, I actually did like the time travel! But it sometimes added confusion to the book with time loops and people who learned things in one timeline but then couldn't unlearn them when the timeline changed, etc. This is kind of a general problem with time travel that can't really be completely avoided, though. And, at least in this book, all of those problems were acknowledged rather than ignored.
The romances.
There were two romances in this book, both of which felt like plot devices rather than actual romances. There was very little emphasis put on the romances, which would be okay except that it caused me not to believe them. Now, to give the author credit, Clover's relationship is actually two years in the future, so it makes sense that it's not really developed in the present story. However, the romance between Clover's brother West and his longtime crush Bridget just feels thrown in to serve the plot (so that Bridget will go along with everything that happens) and it seems very sudden and forced to me. I'm hoping that the romantic elements are explored further in future books.
Overall, I was very intrigued by Viral Nation and will definitely read the next book in the series to find out what happens to Clover, West and company. I thought that this was a unique dystopian novel and would recommend it to fans of the genre. 4/5 Stars.
**Disclosure: This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
Viral Nation was a really compelling dystopian novel that takes place in a future where most of the population of the world has been wiped out by a virus. Those remaining are led by The Company - an organization that provides everyone with daily doses of the vaccine and prevents crime via time travel. The Company employs people called Time Mariners who travel two years into the future. Any violent crime that is committed in the future is reported and the criminal is executed in the present, thereby preventing the crime from ever being committed.
What I loved:
Clover.
The main character of the book is Clover, a 16-year-old autistic girl who is incredibly intelligent (bordering on savant), if somewhat socially inept. I loved reading the book from her perspective because her viewpoint was often skewed in very interesting ways. Her perception of the world is different than the average person's and it made for a unique read!
Criminals executed based on future crimes.
No, it's not that I really like executions, but I thought that this was a very interesting and unique concept. What if we really could stop crimes before they even occurred? If someone was found guilty of a crime in the future, would it be so wrong to punish them for it in the present? It brought up some complex questions. I also liked that the characters all saw the positives of this system and didn't really question it until it directly affected them (I won't say exactly how).
The idea of Time Mariners, whose job it was to bring back future news was also very distinctive.
The mystery of the vaccine.
There is a mystery about what the vaccine actually does and if it is actually necessary. I don't want to say much about it because I don't want to spoil it, but I thought that this mystery added a lot to the overall storyline.
What I didn't love:
The time travel.
Wait, I actually did like the time travel! But it sometimes added confusion to the book with time loops and people who learned things in one timeline but then couldn't unlearn them when the timeline changed, etc. This is kind of a general problem with time travel that can't really be completely avoided, though. And, at least in this book, all of those problems were acknowledged rather than ignored.
The romances.
There were two romances in this book, both of which felt like plot devices rather than actual romances. There was very little emphasis put on the romances, which would be okay except that it caused me not to believe them. Now, to give the author credit, Clover's relationship is actually two years in the future, so it makes sense that it's not really developed in the present story. However, the romance between Clover's brother West and his longtime crush Bridget just feels thrown in to serve the plot (so that Bridget will go along with everything that happens) and it seems very sudden and forced to me. I'm hoping that the romantic elements are explored further in future books.
Overall, I was very intrigued by Viral Nation and will definitely read the next book in the series to find out what happens to Clover, West and company. I thought that this was a unique dystopian novel and would recommend it to fans of the genre. 4/5 Stars.
**Disclosure: This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
fyrekatz's review
5.0
Review for Netgalley, Awesome book....
Even with how long it took me to read this... the story was actually really good. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Interesting idea and concept and 'real' characters. Clover is so real with her problems and how they used them. This story is about an outbreak that kills off a lot of people but with a bit of time travel in it too. Awesome story!
Even with how long it took me to read this... the story was actually really good. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Interesting idea and concept and 'real' characters. Clover is so real with her problems and how they used them. This story is about an outbreak that kills off a lot of people but with a bit of time travel in it too. Awesome story!
sk24's review
Unfortunately, I have to put this one down and mark it as a DNF. I just couldn't get into it, couldn't connect with the characters or the story. I thank the publisher/NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read it, but I regretfully must stop. It just wasn't for me.
iissaa's review
5.0
Ah yes, viral nation was AMAZING it was not cliché at all. The characters and plot were competely and perfectly realistic for a sci-fi story. I loved it my goodness I did.
elindx's review
4.0
I received this book as a first-reads giveaway.
My biggest complaint about this read is the cliffhanger. Well, not the cliffhanger itself, but the fact that there was no real ending of the book.
The story felt nice and fresh, kind of a worst case scenario that actually could happen. The characters were nice and interesting, and it was easy to forget that they were just teenagers.
A really good and interesting book, and I can't wait to read more about Clover's story.
My biggest complaint about this read is the cliffhanger. Well, not the cliffhanger itself, but the fact that there was no real ending of the book.
The story felt nice and fresh, kind of a worst case scenario that actually could happen. The characters were nice and interesting, and it was easy to forget that they were just teenagers.
A really good and interesting book, and I can't wait to read more about Clover's story.
heather4994's review
5.0
I really loved this novel! There's a little bit of something for everyone in it. A little bit of romance, a little bit of evil, a little mystery, and a whole new apocalyptic world to explore.
The characters- There are a lot of characters in this novel and the secondary characters play a big role in this novel so it's hard to just explore main characters. I'll say this- they are all very important.
West Donovan is the older brother in the Donovan family. This is a guy who puts his life on hold to take care of his sister. He helps the little old lady next door get her rations. He put his dreams on hold so his sister didn't get sent to live in the nightmarish Foster City, a place adults pretend is a reputable and caring institution for taking care of the orphans left behind after the virus killed so many. West is a really good guy. He's so patient with Clover. He is really easy to like. He worries a bit. But I guess that's what older brothers do.
Clover Donovan is West's younger sister. She is very intelligent. She is direct to the point of being rude, though not intentionally. She is stubborn. And she is autistic. All these things work in her favor. There is no way you can't like Clover. I laughed when something unexpected came out of her mouth and got pissed when she was bullied. I loved seeing the world through Clover's eyes. It was very cut and dried, decisions made based on fact, not emotions. But then little loopholes started getting thrown in or I guess I should say monkey wrenches and it was interesting to see Clover work through those. And romance? How she handled that was interesting as well. She is a very lovable character.
Then there's Jude. Clover meets him at the Academy reception. They are two kids that don't fit in with the rest of the crowd there. Jude is from Foster City. He likes Clover's service dog, Mango and puts her at ease. But it's how they know each other later on that's really interesting and what Jude reveals about himself that makes him such a great secondary character. He really rocks!
And Bridget. I couldn't get if she was flighty spoiled rich girl in the beginning or just thrust into this role of headmaster's daughter and she didn't know what to do with it. But she finally develops into a full character and I understood her.
There's Mrs. Finch, Isaiah, and Clover's trainer Leanne. They have bit parts yet play a huge part in the story.
I won't tell you who the bad guy is....
The world- The story takes place in post apocalyptic Reno Nevada. There are a lot of empty buildings and it isn't very crowded. A virus swept through the world and killed 95% of the population before a cure was found. People have portals on the back of their necks where they get a vaccine daily to keep the virus from coming back. Children are educated up to the age of 16 when they are allowed to test for the Academy, apply to work for the Company or work for the government. If you work for the Company, you live in the barracks. West couldn't work for them because he had to take care of Clover. Crime prevention is done by having time travelers go two years in the future and find out who was going to commit a crime and if it was a capital offense, the person is executed. Lesser offenses seem to be ignored. Such as the crimes committed in Foster City. It is not a perfect system. Food is scarce. So is electricity and other goods like candles, toilet paper, clothes, etc. Everything is reused. The world building is excellent.
The story- I understood how the world got to the state it was in and how it was trying to come back from it's state of almost dying out. I thought the added element of time travel made this story a lot more interesting than other dystopians. There isn't a lot to the time travel, but it makes the crime prevention story believable and what happens in the plot necessary. People drop like flies or don't...because there can be many different time loops you aren't sure what's true or not. But I was definitely worried through a lot of the book when I realized Shaunta Grimes wasn't shy about killing off important characters.
My thoughts- Can I just say again.... I LOVED it! Clover was funny and so sweet. I wanted to hug her so many times even though she would have pushed me away, she's not a hugger. I loved the relationship between West and Clover. She never saw all the ways he took care of her until she had to function without him. Even then, I'm not sure she noticed, but as a reader, I did. When Clover takes care of herself, she's very resourceful. She did a great job. I loved how the time travel element was brought into the story. Everything really clicked into place to me. It wasn't the same tired old dystopian. In a genre that is overrun with viruses, zombies and natural disasters, Viral Nation really stands out.
Again, I received a copy of this novel from the publisher for review. This did not influence my review. The opinions expressed are my own.
The characters- There are a lot of characters in this novel and the secondary characters play a big role in this novel so it's hard to just explore main characters. I'll say this- they are all very important.
West Donovan is the older brother in the Donovan family. This is a guy who puts his life on hold to take care of his sister. He helps the little old lady next door get her rations. He put his dreams on hold so his sister didn't get sent to live in the nightmarish Foster City, a place adults pretend is a reputable and caring institution for taking care of the orphans left behind after the virus killed so many. West is a really good guy. He's so patient with Clover. He is really easy to like. He worries a bit. But I guess that's what older brothers do.
Clover Donovan is West's younger sister. She is very intelligent. She is direct to the point of being rude, though not intentionally. She is stubborn. And she is autistic. All these things work in her favor. There is no way you can't like Clover. I laughed when something unexpected came out of her mouth and got pissed when she was bullied. I loved seeing the world through Clover's eyes. It was very cut and dried, decisions made based on fact, not emotions. But then little loopholes started getting thrown in or I guess I should say monkey wrenches and it was interesting to see Clover work through those. And romance? How she handled that was interesting as well. She is a very lovable character.
Then there's Jude. Clover meets him at the Academy reception. They are two kids that don't fit in with the rest of the crowd there. Jude is from Foster City. He likes Clover's service dog, Mango and puts her at ease. But it's how they know each other later on that's really interesting and what Jude reveals about himself that makes him such a great secondary character. He really rocks!
And Bridget. I couldn't get if she was flighty spoiled rich girl in the beginning or just thrust into this role of headmaster's daughter and she didn't know what to do with it. But she finally develops into a full character and I understood her.
There's Mrs. Finch, Isaiah, and Clover's trainer Leanne. They have bit parts yet play a huge part in the story.
I won't tell you who the bad guy is....
The world- The story takes place in post apocalyptic Reno Nevada. There are a lot of empty buildings and it isn't very crowded. A virus swept through the world and killed 95% of the population before a cure was found. People have portals on the back of their necks where they get a vaccine daily to keep the virus from coming back. Children are educated up to the age of 16 when they are allowed to test for the Academy, apply to work for the Company or work for the government. If you work for the Company, you live in the barracks. West couldn't work for them because he had to take care of Clover. Crime prevention is done by having time travelers go two years in the future and find out who was going to commit a crime and if it was a capital offense, the person is executed. Lesser offenses seem to be ignored. Such as the crimes committed in Foster City. It is not a perfect system. Food is scarce. So is electricity and other goods like candles, toilet paper, clothes, etc. Everything is reused. The world building is excellent.
The story- I understood how the world got to the state it was in and how it was trying to come back from it's state of almost dying out. I thought the added element of time travel made this story a lot more interesting than other dystopians. There isn't a lot to the time travel, but it makes the crime prevention story believable and what happens in the plot necessary. People drop like flies or don't...because there can be many different time loops you aren't sure what's true or not. But I was definitely worried through a lot of the book when I realized Shaunta Grimes wasn't shy about killing off important characters.
My thoughts- Can I just say again.... I LOVED it! Clover was funny and so sweet. I wanted to hug her so many times even though she would have pushed me away, she's not a hugger. I loved the relationship between West and Clover. She never saw all the ways he took care of her until she had to function without him. Even then, I'm not sure she noticed, but as a reader, I did. When Clover takes care of herself, she's very resourceful. She did a great job. I loved how the time travel element was brought into the story. Everything really clicked into place to me. It wasn't the same tired old dystopian. In a genre that is overrun with viruses, zombies and natural disasters, Viral Nation really stands out.
Again, I received a copy of this novel from the publisher for review. This did not influence my review. The opinions expressed are my own.
trisha_thomas's review
3.0
Viral Nation is the story about a brother and sister who are trying to survive in a world that was torn apart by a plague years ago. Through a drug that must be given every day, we have managed to keep the plague away for the most part. And through time travel, we have solved many issues with murder and crime by being able to already know what happens 2 years in the future.
What I liked:
Clover:
I love that Clover is not your typical girl. She is autistic and has service dog there to help her through tough moments when she becomes too upset. I absolutely love that Clover is not your typical perfect girl (she gets upset, doesn't always understand emotions and isn't always tactful with what she says or how she says it) and I thought her autism was so well done and handled respectfully.
I also like that it, in the beginning, proved to be a very pivotal part of how things turn out
West:
I do like that we have multiple POV. Understanding the world through West's eyes and how he cares for Clover helped to bring the story to life and to help understand the world (and how it's so different from now)
Mango:
Mango was too cute and I enjoyed how much he loved and cared for Clover and their whole relationship.
What I struggled with:
The world:
I just didn't feel like there was enough world building. I felt so lost in the beginning because it just seems like we would use the time travel for such better things. And I wasn't 100% sure on how the whole school system, caste system and military system all worked. Maybe I missed it during one of the few info-dump sessions but I just felt like I didn't wholly understand it all. And I found it hard to believe that so many adults would leave so many kids alone - like the Foster city and all that. I just found that tough to buy into. No one is helping the youth!?
The love:
It felt a little too insta....not my favorite kind
All in all, I think I struggled to fully immerse myself into the story because the world kept me confused. I had a tough time believing that we wouldn't have been able to utilize time travel more and do more for the people now. But, after I just ignored my concerns and got into the story, I really enjoyed Clover and West and the struggle and mystery in the story. It was fast paced and enjoyable.
I would like to thank NetGalley for providing this ebook to me in exchange for an honest review
What I liked:
Clover:
I love that Clover is not your typical girl. She is autistic and has service dog there to help her through tough moments when she becomes too upset. I absolutely love that Clover is not your typical perfect girl (she gets upset, doesn't always understand emotions and isn't always tactful with what she says or how she says it) and I thought her autism was so well done and handled respectfully.
I also like that it, in the beginning, proved to be a very pivotal part of how things turn out
West:
I do like that we have multiple POV. Understanding the world through West's eyes and how he cares for Clover helped to bring the story to life and to help understand the world (and how it's so different from now)
Mango:
Mango was too cute and I enjoyed how much he loved and cared for Clover and their whole relationship.
What I struggled with:
The world:
I just didn't feel like there was enough world building. I felt so lost in the beginning because it just seems like we would use the time travel for such better things. And I wasn't 100% sure on how the whole school system, caste system and military system all worked. Maybe I missed it during one of the few info-dump sessions but I just felt like I didn't wholly understand it all. And I found it hard to believe that so many adults would leave so many kids alone - like the Foster city and all that. I just found that tough to buy into. No one is helping the youth!?
The love:
It felt a little too insta....not my favorite kind
All in all, I think I struggled to fully immerse myself into the story because the world kept me confused. I had a tough time believing that we wouldn't have been able to utilize time travel more and do more for the people now. But, after I just ignored my concerns and got into the story, I really enjoyed Clover and West and the struggle and mystery in the story. It was fast paced and enjoyable.
I would like to thank NetGalley for providing this ebook to me in exchange for an honest review