whatsupbeatrice's review against another edition
1.0
I just couldn't stand this book. I found it to be completely unrealistic and a poor attempt at trying to prove a point. What even was the point trying to be proven-that gender is important? That getting to decide for yourself what your gender is is important? That none of it matters because /gasp/ the main character fell in love?? On top of that, I couldn't tell if I found the whole thing just silly or plain rude. Spark and Whistler, as well as Spark's family seemed to be two dimensional and completely undeveloped. None of the actions of the characters made any sense and really?? Passing a law against sex?? In what would would that ever happen. I apologise for the harsh review, but I just didn't find this book really worth the time I spent reading it, though it was honestly a very fast read.
ksadowski's review
2.0
What did I just read? And why did it get such a good review in VOYA?
I usually loved books in verse, but the rhyming in this one really took away from the story. And while the premis was interesting--really interesting, it was seriously under-developed. As were the characters. They didn't evolve, the did things just for sake of plot not because that was their character and for heavens sake, if Spark and Whisper were that into each other and gender was such an issue, don't you think they would have asked each other? Especially before running away together, it's not like the didn't break any other laws.
I usually loved books in verse, but the rhyming in this one really took away from the story. And while the premis was interesting--really interesting, it was seriously under-developed. As were the characters. They didn't evolve, the did things just for sake of plot not because that was their character and for heavens sake, if Spark and Whisper were that into each other and gender was such an issue, don't you think they would have asked each other? Especially before running away together, it's not like the didn't break any other laws.
mesy's review
2.0
A fast read considering it is only 148 pages of prose poetry. And what is the message of the book? Gender is important for the function of society? Or is it that sex will find a way. Our main character, Spark, meets Whistler, gender unknown but given that we can assume that Spark is female based on the cover (or can we) by the end we know the two teens are in fact the opposite sex. What hard with this book is that it does nothing to deal with the attachment that people can have when involved with someone that might lead to romance. Case and point, Spark and Whistler, or Spark's parents. We know the latter gender of those two because that is what Spark tells us instead of going with some gender neutral name for them, something that would have upped the realism in this science fiction book. And with Whistler, the guess is that they are male because if the emergence of chin hair one day despite taking pills to make everyone the same.
Another thing with this book is that we never get a reason for why and do this gender unknowing thing. Is it because of overpopulation so this is the way to control the population by having everyone be unisex? Is it for some other reason like some assertion of health for a community as a whole? There just no explanation making this a hard science fiction to believe.
While not hated in my book it is just a confusing mess. Why a mess? Well, the idea is interesting but just fell flat. The characters are not in depth at all. Fully exploring the idea doesn't happen. The writing is dull and not impact-full (a must for prose poetry). And finally, I just could not get into it despite gender being a topic that fully interests me!
On another note, the person who did the cover at should have read the blurb or at least the text. A redhead would have been a no go cause there is no hair in this book, everyone is cleanly shaven from head to toe. Oh well, just shos how the author doesn't help in the cover art department.
Another thing with this book is that we never get a reason for why and do this gender unknowing thing. Is it because of overpopulation so this is the way to control the population by having everyone be unisex? Is it for some other reason like some assertion of health for a community as a whole? There just no explanation making this a hard science fiction to believe.
While not hated in my book it is just a confusing mess. Why a mess? Well, the idea is interesting but just fell flat. The characters are not in depth at all. Fully exploring the idea doesn't happen. The writing is dull and not impact-full (a must for prose poetry). And finally, I just could not get into it despite gender being a topic that fully interests me!
On another note, the person who did the cover at should have read the blurb or at least the text. A redhead would have been a no go cause there is no hair in this book, everyone is cleanly shaven from head to toe. Oh well, just shos how the author doesn't help in the cover art department.
nawestbrook's review
1.0
I can't go into it, but if it were possible to give a book negative ratings, I would.
thatlibrarynerd's review
1.0
Novels in verse are tough to pull off, so I started this one with low expectations but awareness that a talented author could make a short, strong impact. The short part was right. As for 'strong impact', more like that of a feather pillow against a cinderblock wall.
Basically a weird dystopia that makes no sense (you can't have that many personal freedoms and expressions stripped without a dictatorial government, and mass overpopulation means major scarcity of resources--it just isn't logical) in which the narrator's main concern is, "OMG what if this person's genitals look like mine?!"
Basically a weird dystopia that makes no sense (you can't have that many personal freedoms and expressions stripped without a dictatorial government, and mass overpopulation means major scarcity of resources--it just isn't logical) in which the narrator's main concern is, "OMG what if this person's genitals look like mine?!"
taralorraine's review
2.0
This book had some ok ideas, but it was still too unbelievable in every way. It wasn't a very well executed attempt at dystopian lit I my opinion.
The worst part, though, was the cover!!! Shouldn't reading the book be a requirement for doing the cover art?? Or even the blurb on the back!
The worst part, though, was the cover!!! Shouldn't reading the book be a requirement for doing the cover art?? Or even the blurb on the back!
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