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parchmentdreams's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Veronica Roth's Poster Girl is the first book I've read by the author, and what a book! Roth's adult dystopian novel is set in a post-surveillance society, featuring the literal "poster girl" of the previous regime - Sonya Kantor.
We follow Sonya as she lives in the Aperture, a specially designed prison for the remnants of the Delegation. Poster Girl is the story of one young woman as she struggles to find herself - her identity and her role in life - in a society that has moved on without her. The novel cleverly and gently discusses topics such as surveillance and digital identities, suicide, societal and economic disparities, and how it feels to live in a world which no longer makes sense.
Roth's writing lends itself very well to film adaptation, in the way the author build us a world and almost places us inside it right alongside the main character. The lead herself, Sonya, had the potential to be an incredible unlikeable character, and while she was certainly a naive teen, as a woman her character is strong yet sensitive. I loved that Sonya was able to look back on the mistakes she had made as a child (and even as an adult) and recognise and make an effort to grow from those errors. She wasn't whiny or self-absorbed as a lot of characters in this sort of setting end up coming across, and I really enjoyed the chemistry between her and Alexander.
Overall, this was a very well written and engaging novel, about a young woman struggling to find and accept who she is in a post-surveillance world that has moved on without her. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves dystopian or speculative fiction, with sci-fi elements and in depth characters.
"She's a speck of dust here, unobserved and unremarked upon. Everywhere, in every direction, is emptiness. Everywhere, in every direction, is freedom."
We follow Sonya as she lives in the Aperture, a specially designed prison for the remnants of the Delegation. Poster Girl is the story of one young woman as she struggles to find herself - her identity and her role in life - in a society that has moved on without her. The novel cleverly and gently discusses topics such as surveillance and digital identities, suicide, societal and economic disparities, and how it feels to live in a world which no longer makes sense.
Roth's writing lends itself very well to film adaptation, in the way the author build us a world and almost places us inside it right alongside the main character. The lead herself, Sonya, had the potential to be an incredible unlikeable character, and while she was certainly a naive teen, as a woman her character is strong yet sensitive. I loved that Sonya was able to look back on the mistakes she had made as a child (and even as an adult) and recognise and make an effort to grow from those errors. She wasn't whiny or self-absorbed as a lot of characters in this sort of setting end up coming across, and I really enjoyed the chemistry between her and Alexander.
Overall, this was a very well written and engaging novel, about a young woman struggling to find and accept who she is in a post-surveillance world that has moved on without her. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves dystopian or speculative fiction, with sci-fi elements and in depth characters.
"She's a speck of dust here, unobserved and unremarked upon. Everywhere, in every direction, is emptiness. Everywhere, in every direction, is freedom."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and War