chluless's review against another edition
2.0
It's a shame that I don't have much to say, because this book had so much potential. It could have been excellent, instead I found it mildly interesting. 'Concentr8' is a book to pass the time with when it could have been so much better.
I understand the idea behind the book, pills given out to keep troublesome children quiet to benefit teachers and parents. A political scandal and motives to drug children disguised as medicine. A hostage situation which turns into a revelation from a Journalist to expose the truth, however the execution of the idea could have been much better.
The majority of the novel was pointless rambling in the heads of badly written troubled teens. The main characters are the stereotypical 'chavvy' London teenagers from a crime ridden, poverty stricken, council estate. Problem is that the portrayal of the teens in my opinion was slightly insulting. They seemed to lack morals, intelligence and basic common sense. What should have been complex and flawed characters were reduced to a single stereotype. Each teen with the exception of Karen, (the only girl) felt too similar.
I do have praise for the Journalist, she was a character who was well written, along with the unredeemable, rude Mayor. I hated him and liked the journalist. Other than those two I had mild concern about Troy and Blaze in the second half of the novel (whose characterisations were slightly different to the other boys).
Unfortunately, the book feels unfinished to me. In my opinion the end was rather abrupt and left me with unanswered questions.
2/5 stars. A promising idea but it did not live up to my expectations. I would be interested in reading more from this author, as I feel that this book didn't show off his skill or writing style.
I understand the idea behind the book, pills given out to keep troublesome children quiet to benefit teachers and parents. A political scandal and motives to drug children disguised as medicine. A hostage situation which turns into a revelation from a Journalist to expose the truth, however the execution of the idea could have been much better.
The majority of the novel was pointless rambling in the heads of badly written troubled teens. The main characters are the stereotypical 'chavvy' London teenagers from a crime ridden, poverty stricken, council estate. Problem is that the portrayal of the teens in my opinion was slightly insulting. They seemed to lack morals, intelligence and basic common sense. What should have been complex and flawed characters were reduced to a single stereotype. Each teen with the exception of Karen, (the only girl) felt too similar.
I do have praise for the Journalist, she was a character who was well written, along with the unredeemable, rude Mayor. I hated him and liked the journalist. Other than those two I had mild concern about Troy and Blaze in the second half of the novel (whose characterisations were slightly different to the other boys).
Unfortunately, the book feels unfinished to me. In my opinion the end was rather abrupt and left me with unanswered questions.
2/5 stars. A promising idea but it did not live up to my expectations. I would be interested in reading more from this author, as I feel that this book didn't show off his skill or writing style.
rachelhaylee's review against another edition
1.0
This novel was honestly terrible! I DNF at 50%, and it was like torture. All the characters needed a punch in the face, or kick in the stomach. You can decide. I do not recommend this to anyone, you will probably be bored to death. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
Check out my full review at: https://rachwithbooks.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/review-concentr8/
Check out my full review at: https://rachwithbooks.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/review-concentr8/
katieeliza's review against another edition
3.0
Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for a review.
I enjoyed the book. The narrative style where the author uses multiple narration was more successful than the premise of the novel but an enjoyable read.
I enjoyed the book. The narrative style where the author uses multiple narration was more successful than the premise of the novel but an enjoyable read.
sydneylmeyer7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
oliviaemily's review against another edition
DNF. I really wanted to read this. In fact, I was excited to. The synopsis enticed me, and I've not read dystopian in a while, and so I figured this book would be perfect. I was wrong.
I tried to read this book, I really did, but I hated the way in which it was written. I'm not a big believer in first person writing when it means the language is compromised. Yes, I understand that the book is written from the perspective of teenage Londoners, and so yes, it's very clever the way that Sutcliffe has written the book in their voice. Yet it's horrible to read, for there's a lack of grammar, and sometimes, simple full-stops. Again, I understand that this was with reason, but it simply wasn't for me.
Frankly, when I reached Lee's first chapter I couldn't take any more - a whole chapter with no full-stops? No thank you.
I tried to read this book, I really did, but I hated the way in which it was written. I'm not a big believer in first person writing when it means the language is compromised. Yes, I understand that the book is written from the perspective of teenage Londoners, and so yes, it's very clever the way that Sutcliffe has written the book in their voice. Yet it's horrible to read, for there's a lack of grammar, and sometimes, simple full-stops. Again, I understand that this was with reason, but it simply wasn't for me.
Frankly, when I reached Lee's first chapter I couldn't take any more - a whole chapter with no full-stops? No thank you.
guardianghost's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
juliwi's review against another edition
4.0
I remember when I was in primary school that something of a ADHD-craze hit the Netherlands. Across the country more and more boys, especially, were diagnosed with ADHD and medicated to control their behaviour. I also remember my parents thinking this increased diagnosing of children younger than ten wasn't a good idea. So when I saw a novel addressing this very topic, I knew I wanted to read it. And I was immensely and positively surprised by Sutcliffe's novel.
One of the things I liked about Concentr8 is that it's a novel that is not just a story, but also aims to be a lesson. Not in an overly pedantic way, but in an attempt to raise awareness for a topic that is clearly close to the author's heart. The way we treat the children in our societies is crucial and yet often neglected. Whether it's the continuously growing pressure on children to succeed in standardised tests or neglecting to take their concerns seriously, it is not necessarily an easy world for children, let alone for those living in war zones. I am always happy to see fiction novels pick up such controversial yet important topics and Sutcliffe's approaches his with the seriousness it deserves. Between chapters he quotes research on ADHD and his narrative also makes it clear he did a lot of research for this book. Of course he has his own opinion on the matter, but he doesn't force it down the reader's throat.
Concentr8 is a mix between different genres. On the one hand it's a dystopian novel about how we treat our children in a distant future, on the other hand it is a YA novel about children growing up in a world that doesn't care for them. It's also social commentary and, to a certain extent, science fiction. This mix is quite heady and probably not for everyone. I struggled through the first few chapters as Sutcliffe attempted to capture the voice of London teenagers, occasionally writing without punctuation and using slang. But once I got into it, I found that Concentr8 really worked for me. There was an insolence in how the novel addressed readers like me: relatively well-settled in life and having never had to deal with poverty or class. It doesn't make reading Concentr8 fun, but it does make it relevant. Sutcliffe doesn't give you a clear cut answer and doesn't even attempt to end with a classic happy ending, but it will leave you with a great set of questions to consider.
Despite struggling at the beginning, I ended up being really touched by Sutcliffe's Concentr8. He gives a voice here to teenagers who aren't often heard, highlighting a problem we prefer to forget about. Although it may be a struggle, I'd recommend this to those interested in YA fiction and social commentary.
For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2017/08/review-concentr8-by-william-sutcliffe.html
One of the things I liked about Concentr8 is that it's a novel that is not just a story, but also aims to be a lesson. Not in an overly pedantic way, but in an attempt to raise awareness for a topic that is clearly close to the author's heart. The way we treat the children in our societies is crucial and yet often neglected. Whether it's the continuously growing pressure on children to succeed in standardised tests or neglecting to take their concerns seriously, it is not necessarily an easy world for children, let alone for those living in war zones. I am always happy to see fiction novels pick up such controversial yet important topics and Sutcliffe's approaches his with the seriousness it deserves. Between chapters he quotes research on ADHD and his narrative also makes it clear he did a lot of research for this book. Of course he has his own opinion on the matter, but he doesn't force it down the reader's throat.
Concentr8 is a mix between different genres. On the one hand it's a dystopian novel about how we treat our children in a distant future, on the other hand it is a YA novel about children growing up in a world that doesn't care for them. It's also social commentary and, to a certain extent, science fiction. This mix is quite heady and probably not for everyone. I struggled through the first few chapters as Sutcliffe attempted to capture the voice of London teenagers, occasionally writing without punctuation and using slang. But once I got into it, I found that Concentr8 really worked for me. There was an insolence in how the novel addressed readers like me: relatively well-settled in life and having never had to deal with poverty or class. It doesn't make reading Concentr8 fun, but it does make it relevant. Sutcliffe doesn't give you a clear cut answer and doesn't even attempt to end with a classic happy ending, but it will leave you with a great set of questions to consider.
Despite struggling at the beginning, I ended up being really touched by Sutcliffe's Concentr8. He gives a voice here to teenagers who aren't often heard, highlighting a problem we prefer to forget about. Although it may be a struggle, I'd recommend this to those interested in YA fiction and social commentary.
For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2017/08/review-concentr8-by-william-sutcliffe.html
chrissireads's review against another edition
2.0
I appreciated what this book was trying to do, but it really didn't work for me. I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters. It didn't really capture my attention either. It's an intriguing idea, that some might enjoy though!
liisp_cvr2cvr's review against another edition
3.0
"If you opened all the doors on all the cages at London Zoo you’d get the exact something – playtime for the animals and everyone else shitting bricks. It’d be the zookeepers that’d get eaten first- ain’t that the truth."
I found the read slightly emotional- the thoughts of each child of why they do what they do, how much they really do or don't understand and at times how much, leaving aside the main event of the book, is not actually their fault. How they have been let down by the system that is greedy for money, fame and power.
Each paragraph is narrated through the eyes of the characters… we have the youngsters where the writing style is exactly the way they would speak (so, bad grammar!It's quite genius, really!) and we have the mayor, the journalist, the odd paragraph through the eyes of the negotiator. At the end of each paragraph is a factual piece about ADD medicines. Quite frankly, a scary eye-opening read. It’s as if the whole book is created to get the factual pieces across in a hands-on manner. As if explaining maths by using apples or something :)
Aside from the children, the characters of the journalist, the mayor and the negotiator have been perfectly brought across and with each paragraph my reading voice changed the tune and the voice accordingly.
Quite interesting… I would recommend at least to try and read this book. It will give some food for thought… Let us all interpret the message to our best abilities…
Book via: Netgalley
I found the read slightly emotional- the thoughts of each child of why they do what they do, how much they really do or don't understand and at times how much, leaving aside the main event of the book, is not actually their fault. How they have been let down by the system that is greedy for money, fame and power.
Each paragraph is narrated through the eyes of the characters… we have the youngsters where the writing style is exactly the way they would speak (so, bad grammar!It's quite genius, really!) and we have the mayor, the journalist, the odd paragraph through the eyes of the negotiator. At the end of each paragraph is a factual piece about ADD medicines. Quite frankly, a scary eye-opening read. It’s as if the whole book is created to get the factual pieces across in a hands-on manner. As if explaining maths by using apples or something :)
Aside from the children, the characters of the journalist, the mayor and the negotiator have been perfectly brought across and with each paragraph my reading voice changed the tune and the voice accordingly.
Quite interesting… I would recommend at least to try and read this book. It will give some food for thought… Let us all interpret the message to our best abilities…
Book via: Netgalley
kba76's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting idea, but can't understand why we don't get any real insight into the character who initiated the action. Frustrating.