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Ashes Trilogy #1
Ashes of Twilight
Wren MacAvoy works as a coal miner for a domed city that was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century to protect the royal blood line of England when astronomers spotted a comet on a collision course with Earth. Humanity would be saved by the most groundbreaking technology of the time. But after nearly 200 years of life beneath the dome, society has become complacent and the coal is running out. Plus there are those who wonder, is there life outside the dome or is the world still consumed by fire? When one of Wren's friends escapes the confines of the dome, he is burned alive and put on display as a warning to those seeking to disrupt the dome's way of life. But Alex's final words are haunting. "The sky is blue." What happens next is a whirlwind of adventure, romance, conspiracy and the struggle to stay alive in a world where nothing is as it seems. Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence. Ashes of Twilight is the first book in a trilogy by Kassy Tayler.
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 2012
21 people are currently reading
6029 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
December 11, 2012
Ashes of Twilight starts off very strong and quite intriguing when we're taken into this desolate world inside a claustrophobic dome. After the planet was destroyed, humans were forced to take shelter inside a dome where the royals rule, leaving everyone else as mere slaves to insure it all runs properly.
It's your typical dystopian with minor steampunk elements. The blurb as well as the cover clearly makes it sound much more exciting than it is, however. So, when I'm reading this and I pass the half way point with still nothing very monumental happening other than a lot of talk about wanting to leave, I began to rethink what I had gotten myself into. This wasn't an exciting novel, nor was it intense or really that much entertaining. If you think this novel is about leaving this dome and finally finding out what's on the outside, having to survive, learning dark secrets about their world… think again. The whole novel takes place inside the dome, while Wren questions everything she has ever been taught. She questions if the outside is really only flames and nothingness. She questions their way of life. She questions… and questions… and never actually does anything about it. Sure this world is very dark and sinister, people get burned alive, people suffer and the way they live is unimaginable. Nonetheless, there is no "pulse pounding action" here. There is nothing that even compelled me to turn the page other than wanting to be done with it. I mostly found myself bored with the stagnancy. The part of the blurb that states "Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence" only happens during the last 2 chapters...
Furthermore, I'm not the kind of reader who will always notice or pick at particular annoyances with the writing in a book. I did, however, get irritated by the constant repetitiveness in this one. Aside from the persistent questions asked by our protagonist Every. Two. Pages, the most prominent annoyance is the constant appearance of "yet". It seemed like every third sentence was formed using that same conjunction and it literally became distracting. Instead of reading I was hunting for the next "yet". And there it was, again and again. Yes it's small, and might go unnoticed for some, yet… it stood out for me like a sore thumb that kept poking my eyeball.
Even though I haven't mentioned anything positive up to this point, the book wasn't terrible. I did like the dark, dreary world. I liked the mystery of the unknown outside world. It did have extreme potential if only it had a faster pace; more meat to its frivolous bones. The characters that failed to both charm and compel me were no help, either. Every one of them were cut from the same cloth.
When I go into a dystopian I'm looking for an exciting ride: A pulse pounding story that makes you fear for the characters and cringe at the way they have to live. Although Ashes of Twilight is definitely cringe worthy at times, it simply lacked suspense, narrative drive, and clearly fell short of my expectations.
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An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
It's your typical dystopian with minor steampunk elements. The blurb as well as the cover clearly makes it sound much more exciting than it is, however. So, when I'm reading this and I pass the half way point with still nothing very monumental happening other than a lot of talk about wanting to leave, I began to rethink what I had gotten myself into. This wasn't an exciting novel, nor was it intense or really that much entertaining. If you think this novel is about leaving this dome and finally finding out what's on the outside, having to survive, learning dark secrets about their world… think again. The whole novel takes place inside the dome, while Wren questions everything she has ever been taught. She questions if the outside is really only flames and nothingness. She questions their way of life. She questions… and questions… and never actually does anything about it. Sure this world is very dark and sinister, people get burned alive, people suffer and the way they live is unimaginable. Nonetheless, there is no "pulse pounding action" here. There is nothing that even compelled me to turn the page other than wanting to be done with it. I mostly found myself bored with the stagnancy. The part of the blurb that states "Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence" only happens during the last 2 chapters...
Furthermore, I'm not the kind of reader who will always notice or pick at particular annoyances with the writing in a book. I did, however, get irritated by the constant repetitiveness in this one. Aside from the persistent questions asked by our protagonist Every. Two. Pages, the most prominent annoyance is the constant appearance of "yet". It seemed like every third sentence was formed using that same conjunction and it literally became distracting. Instead of reading I was hunting for the next "yet". And there it was, again and again. Yes it's small, and might go unnoticed for some, yet… it stood out for me like a sore thumb that kept poking my eyeball.
Even though I haven't mentioned anything positive up to this point, the book wasn't terrible. I did like the dark, dreary world. I liked the mystery of the unknown outside world. It did have extreme potential if only it had a faster pace; more meat to its frivolous bones. The characters that failed to both charm and compel me were no help, either. Every one of them were cut from the same cloth.
When I go into a dystopian I'm looking for an exciting ride: A pulse pounding story that makes you fear for the characters and cringe at the way they have to live. Although Ashes of Twilight is definitely cringe worthy at times, it simply lacked suspense, narrative drive, and clearly fell short of my expectations.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
November 25, 2012
For those of you thinking of abandoning Ashes of Twilight after the first chapter, I really can't blame you. There's just something about Kassy Tayler's writing, exposition heavy, consisting of chained sentences reading more like a shopping list of events than a story, lots of telling instead of showing, that really doesn't make this an easy book to read. And although I have to say the writing markedly improves as the story progresses, any improvements in the writing couldn't make up for the disappointing plot that's far too predictable for anyone who's familiar with the dystopian genre.
But truth be told, it all comes down to Wren - she's a really poor narrator. It's pretty easy to imagine the basic premise, a society forced to live in a domed city because the rest of the world's been incinerated by a comet - except, maybe the city's leaders are lying, maybe the world's perfectly fine beyond the dome, but Wren though, she just tries way too hard getting her point across. Even beyond the action scenes that's basically five or six sentences in a row of I followed by one of a selection of verbs in the present tense (which annoyed me to no end, could she be a little more creative in telling me what she's doing?), she's just really repetitive, not subtle at all, and leaves nothing to the reader's imagination. Intuitively, I know Wren yearns to be something more than just a coal miner, a shiner, stuck at the dirty bottom of this society while the royals get their nice houses and live large off everyone else's hard work, I get it, but it's really disappointing and gets really old really fast that Wren spends so much time telling and summarizing her problems rather than showing them. I think her overemphasis on how terribly unfair and unjust life in the domed city is actually detracted from the hardscrabble coal mining to support the dome world Wren was supposed to show.
Because, don't get me wrong, there are actually a few powerful scenes later on. After Wren's friend Alex is burned to death for discovering the truth, after she meets this guy Pace who's wanted for also knowing the truth, after she has to hide him in the abandoned coal mining tunnels underneath the city, there's this really neat scene, just the two of them, on the run, desperate, with nothing but their determination to get the truth out there, and they're really not doing anything besides sitting next to each other in this cave, but it's one of the few scenes not overburdened by Wren's tendency to overexplain everything and it actually works because it’s the rare scene that shows exactly what Wren normally tells. That's how you make an impact. But unfortunately, the vast majority of the time, it's just Wren telling me how it is instead of showing through details and actions, and telling just doesn't have the same effect or impact, no matter how unfair this system of supporting the royals is.
The writing may have been the biggest issue for me, but the plot didn't really do it either. The summary pretty much gives away everything I needed to know, all that’s left is for Wren and her friends to expose the conspiracy keeping everyone inside the dome, and wow did Wren take her time getting to the bottom of things. In the meantime, Wren and Pace, they had a few scenes, but what dystopian couple don't they remind me of? I'm actually more intrigued by Alex, Lucy, and David because the three of them at least don't so blatantly suffer from the plot mandated relationship, their triangle sets the events of the book in motion, and Alex's death genuinely affects Lucy. But at the end of the day, when Alex is vindicated, when his death is given meaning, when Wren finally figures out why they've been kept behind the dome all this time, I'm actually really disappointed. Not only by the reveal with Wren’s father that couldn’t be more cliche or the reason for keeping everyone inside not being because of roving bands of flesh eating mutants (although the people in charge probably wouldn't have to hide that), no, the actual reason just reinforces my impression that I've just read a typical dystopian where the evil dystopian government perpetrates this big lie on its citizens so it can stay in power and for two hundred years everyone's been really dumb about it and not questioned how the fans and vents worked. Even though Wren must’ve pointed out this fact once every three chapters or so.
I think I would've been much more impressed with Ashes of Twilight had the plot twists not been as predictable and generic as they were, but even so, the writing really sank this one, I'm afraid. Disappointment overall, although turns out that canary on the cover's actually pretty relevant to the plot.
But truth be told, it all comes down to Wren - she's a really poor narrator. It's pretty easy to imagine the basic premise, a society forced to live in a domed city because the rest of the world's been incinerated by a comet - except, maybe the city's leaders are lying, maybe the world's perfectly fine beyond the dome, but Wren though, she just tries way too hard getting her point across. Even beyond the action scenes that's basically five or six sentences in a row of I followed by one of a selection of verbs in the present tense (which annoyed me to no end, could she be a little more creative in telling me what she's doing?), she's just really repetitive, not subtle at all, and leaves nothing to the reader's imagination. Intuitively, I know Wren yearns to be something more than just a coal miner, a shiner, stuck at the dirty bottom of this society while the royals get their nice houses and live large off everyone else's hard work, I get it, but it's really disappointing and gets really old really fast that Wren spends so much time telling and summarizing her problems rather than showing them. I think her overemphasis on how terribly unfair and unjust life in the domed city is actually detracted from the hardscrabble coal mining to support the dome world Wren was supposed to show.
Because, don't get me wrong, there are actually a few powerful scenes later on. After Wren's friend Alex is burned to death for discovering the truth, after she meets this guy Pace who's wanted for also knowing the truth, after she has to hide him in the abandoned coal mining tunnels underneath the city, there's this really neat scene, just the two of them, on the run, desperate, with nothing but their determination to get the truth out there, and they're really not doing anything besides sitting next to each other in this cave, but it's one of the few scenes not overburdened by Wren's tendency to overexplain everything and it actually works because it’s the rare scene that shows exactly what Wren normally tells. That's how you make an impact. But unfortunately, the vast majority of the time, it's just Wren telling me how it is instead of showing through details and actions, and telling just doesn't have the same effect or impact, no matter how unfair this system of supporting the royals is.
The writing may have been the biggest issue for me, but the plot didn't really do it either. The summary pretty much gives away everything I needed to know, all that’s left is for Wren and her friends to expose the conspiracy keeping everyone inside the dome, and wow did Wren take her time getting to the bottom of things. In the meantime, Wren and Pace, they had a few scenes, but what dystopian couple don't they remind me of? I'm actually more intrigued by Alex, Lucy, and David because the three of them at least don't so blatantly suffer from the plot mandated relationship, their triangle sets the events of the book in motion, and Alex's death genuinely affects Lucy. But at the end of the day, when Alex is vindicated, when his death is given meaning, when Wren finally figures out why they've been kept behind the dome all this time, I'm actually really disappointed. Not only by the reveal with Wren’s father that couldn’t be more cliche or the reason for keeping everyone inside not being because of roving bands of flesh eating mutants (although the people in charge probably wouldn't have to hide that), no, the actual reason just reinforces my impression that I've just read a typical dystopian where the evil dystopian government perpetrates this big lie on its citizens so it can stay in power and for two hundred years everyone's been really dumb about it and not questioned how the fans and vents worked. Even though Wren must’ve pointed out this fact once every three chapters or so.
I think I would've been much more impressed with Ashes of Twilight had the plot twists not been as predictable and generic as they were, but even so, the writing really sank this one, I'm afraid. Disappointment overall, although turns out that canary on the cover's actually pretty relevant to the plot.
August 10, 2012
I recently discovered the book giveaways here, so you can probably imagine my surprise and delight when I received an email saying I won this book! A free book through Goodreads First Reads! Yay! The package arrived about a few weeks later, which I eagerly ripped open to take a look. When I flipped the book over to the back, I discovered it was in the Young Adult genre. Oh boy. I'm in my 30's. The only YA books I've read over the past 10 years is Harry Potter & The Hunger Games. But, hey, I'm an avid reader, and will give anything a chance, especially when I'm gifted with a free book.
Much to my delight, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The plot is unique and interesting, the characters are well developed, and the writing is wonderful. The story flowed well and kept me interested, so much so that I didn't want to put it down.
Much to my delight, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The plot is unique and interesting, the characters are well developed, and the writing is wonderful. The story flowed well and kept me interested, so much so that I didn't want to put it down.
Want to read
February 24, 2012I am so in love with this cover!
Read
February 22, 2016I love the little bird Pip and I want one. The heroine Wren is so interesting as is the whole premise of the story. I can't even imagine living in an environment like that. Chilling! I can't figure out where in history this story might have happened. It could even be the future I suppose. I think that's part of the book's charm.
Want to read
June 18, 2011This sounds hopelessly like the Hunger Games, even by dystopian YA standards. Break THG down to its barest elements and you get this.
Oh well, I might check it out.
Oh well, I might check it out.
February 8, 2013
Having seen a couple of uninspiring reviews for Ashes of Twilight, I did not have high hopes for my own enjoyment of the novel. However, when a review copy comes, you do what you have to do. Thankfully, I enjoyed this more than my compatriots did, finding it an easy, enjoyable read.
The best part of Ashes of Twilight is the writing. Tayler's style suited me well, with pretty sentences and just enough slang that I guessed the book was set in England. By the end of the book, I marked down several quotes I enjoyed. Tayler has a mature writing style, with no abuse of sentence fragments.
Wren MacAvoy wants more out of life. Born a shiner, she climbs out of the mines every day into the more dangerous reaches of her domed world to speculate on what's above. The rulers say that flames fill the world outside, making the dome a necessity, but she does not think she sees flames out there. Wren is a seeker, curious and unwilling to settle for anything, most especially a life she's been told to live and a boy she's been told to marry.
The characters that stole the show were the animals. I just love adorable animals with tons of personality in my fiction, and Tayler included bunches. Even better, none of them die, which there has been altogether to much of in my recent reads. Tayler kills people instead. Cat, a cleverly named cat, is my personal favorite. Pip, a canary, also warms my heart. So do the ponies with whom Wren works in the mines, who would not have survived without her aid. I love Wren and Pace for taking such good care of them, and I love Tayler for not putting animals in just to kill them off tragically.
While I did enjoy Ashes of Twilight, I really wish there had been more to it, something unique. None of the elements herein were unfamiliar to me: the dome, the class hierarchy punishing to those on the bottom-most rungs, the terrible air quality, the mining, the instalove, the abusive guy who wants to marry Wren, the twist regarding Wren's father, or the plot arc. All of this I have read in other dystopian novels, not all together like this, but I would still hope to see something solely of Tayler's creation. I have read a lot of dystopian novels, however, so this might not be an issue for readers without so much knowledge of the genre.
One element which should have been better handled is the inclusion of the biblical references. For whatever reason, the shiners only have one book, The Bible. As such, Wren references scripture a lot, as she does in the first sentence. I never really could see a point made with this. The references come thick and fast at the beginning of the novel, but drop off significantly towards the end, without seeming to impact the plot. These should either have served a plot purpose or be taken out entirely. They were not preachy particularly, just out of place.
The most worrying aspect of Ashes of Twilight is Wren's tendency to exhibit TSTL syndrome. As I mentioned, the guy she was supposed to marry, James is abusive. In one of the first scenes, he tries to force himself on her. She is, rightly, uncomfortable around him for the rest of the book. However, she also tells him multiple times that he is a great guy who will make some other girl very happy. No, Wren, he's actually not a great guy, and this makes me doubt your sanity. Can we please stop this trend of pretending that attempted rapists are the kinds of guys any girl should want? They're not. End of story.
Ashes of Twilight does have rather a slow pace, but, if you do not mind that, you might enjoy this book. Tayler's debut might work better for those without too much familiarity with the dystopian genre.
The best part of Ashes of Twilight is the writing. Tayler's style suited me well, with pretty sentences and just enough slang that I guessed the book was set in England. By the end of the book, I marked down several quotes I enjoyed. Tayler has a mature writing style, with no abuse of sentence fragments.
Wren MacAvoy wants more out of life. Born a shiner, she climbs out of the mines every day into the more dangerous reaches of her domed world to speculate on what's above. The rulers say that flames fill the world outside, making the dome a necessity, but she does not think she sees flames out there. Wren is a seeker, curious and unwilling to settle for anything, most especially a life she's been told to live and a boy she's been told to marry.
The characters that stole the show were the animals. I just love adorable animals with tons of personality in my fiction, and Tayler included bunches. Even better, none of them die, which there has been altogether to much of in my recent reads. Tayler kills people instead. Cat, a cleverly named cat, is my personal favorite. Pip, a canary, also warms my heart. So do the ponies with whom Wren works in the mines, who would not have survived without her aid. I love Wren and Pace for taking such good care of them, and I love Tayler for not putting animals in just to kill them off tragically.
While I did enjoy Ashes of Twilight, I really wish there had been more to it, something unique. None of the elements herein were unfamiliar to me: the dome, the class hierarchy punishing to those on the bottom-most rungs, the terrible air quality, the mining, the instalove, the abusive guy who wants to marry Wren, the twist regarding Wren's father, or the plot arc. All of this I have read in other dystopian novels, not all together like this, but I would still hope to see something solely of Tayler's creation. I have read a lot of dystopian novels, however, so this might not be an issue for readers without so much knowledge of the genre.
One element which should have been better handled is the inclusion of the biblical references. For whatever reason, the shiners only have one book, The Bible. As such, Wren references scripture a lot, as she does in the first sentence. I never really could see a point made with this. The references come thick and fast at the beginning of the novel, but drop off significantly towards the end, without seeming to impact the plot. These should either have served a plot purpose or be taken out entirely. They were not preachy particularly, just out of place.
The most worrying aspect of Ashes of Twilight is Wren's tendency to exhibit TSTL syndrome. As I mentioned, the guy she was supposed to marry, James is abusive. In one of the first scenes, he tries to force himself on her. She is, rightly, uncomfortable around him for the rest of the book. However, she also tells him multiple times that he is a great guy who will make some other girl very happy. No, Wren, he's actually not a great guy, and this makes me doubt your sanity. Can we please stop this trend of pretending that attempted rapists are the kinds of guys any girl should want? They're not. End of story.
Ashes of Twilight does have rather a slow pace, but, if you do not mind that, you might enjoy this book. Tayler's debut might work better for those without too much familiarity with the dystopian genre.
December 17, 2012
4.5 Stars
Ashes of Twilight is a breathtaking steam punk novel that will captivate readers until the end. I enjoyed the action, suspense and the plot twists that I was not expecting at all! I'm very much looking forward to the sequel, Shadows of Glass.
Just imagine living in a dome, believing that you must live under it because everything outside of the glass is burning, but then you find out that someone close to you has tried to escape and they have found out something big. There is no fire. And the sky is not red and black. It is blue. The most beautiful shade of blue. Would you want to stay within the dome? Or escape? Well, that's the choice that Wren MacAvoy had to make. Along side her plotting to escape is the gorgeous Pace, a rebel guard, and some of her friends from the coalmines. Together they will begin a revolution and destroy the dome.
I knew I would love this book as soon as I read the blurb. The premise sounded exciting and I was curious to see the romance side it in. The idea did remind me of Breathe by Sarah Crossan, which I loved, but when I read Ashes of Twilight I was simply amazed. It was unique and the characters were incredibly engaging, and they all had played a significant part in the story.
I loved most things about this book but the one point that let it down was the romance. I mean, I loved the romance between Wren and Pace but I felt that their relationship was a bit too sudden; insta-love. They said 'I love you' after about two weeks after they met... and my reaction was something like, "No! Don't ruin the book with insta-love! PLEASE NNOOOOOOO!" Though, I didn't really mind that much after that brief though because the author did write about their relationship extremely well and it was like the two had known each other for years. Pace also made the book a little more exciting, and I fell in love with his funny and optimistic personality.
Ashes of Twilight is not a book that you should miss if you love the steam punk genre, and if you haven't read a steam pink novel before then you better start with this book! I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel because the book ended with such a cliffhanger. July 2013, come soon!
Ashes of Twilight is a breathtaking steam punk novel that will captivate readers until the end. I enjoyed the action, suspense and the plot twists that I was not expecting at all! I'm very much looking forward to the sequel, Shadows of Glass.
Just imagine living in a dome, believing that you must live under it because everything outside of the glass is burning, but then you find out that someone close to you has tried to escape and they have found out something big. There is no fire. And the sky is not red and black. It is blue. The most beautiful shade of blue. Would you want to stay within the dome? Or escape? Well, that's the choice that Wren MacAvoy had to make. Along side her plotting to escape is the gorgeous Pace, a rebel guard, and some of her friends from the coalmines. Together they will begin a revolution and destroy the dome.
I knew I would love this book as soon as I read the blurb. The premise sounded exciting and I was curious to see the romance side it in. The idea did remind me of Breathe by Sarah Crossan, which I loved, but when I read Ashes of Twilight I was simply amazed. It was unique and the characters were incredibly engaging, and they all had played a significant part in the story.
I loved most things about this book but the one point that let it down was the romance. I mean, I loved the romance between Wren and Pace but I felt that their relationship was a bit too sudden; insta-love. They said 'I love you' after about two weeks after they met... and my reaction was something like, "No! Don't ruin the book with insta-love! PLEASE NNOOOOOOO!" Though, I didn't really mind that much after that brief though because the author did write about their relationship extremely well and it was like the two had known each other for years. Pace also made the book a little more exciting, and I fell in love with his funny and optimistic personality.
Ashes of Twilight is not a book that you should miss if you love the steam punk genre, and if you haven't read a steam pink novel before then you better start with this book! I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel because the book ended with such a cliffhanger. July 2013, come soon!
July 13, 2012
LOVED this book! The opening paragraph blew me away and sucked me right in. Kassy Tayler is a fantastic writer who is about to make a huge splash in the dystopian and YA genres! Can't wait to read more!
September 3, 2013
According to Huffington Post, Ashes of Twilight is a likely successor to Hunger Games. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-pa...
Want to read
September 17, 2012Ashes of Twilight...alas, this book won't be about what I had hoped.
October 5, 2015
The first thing that tripped me up with this book was the writing style. Some of it I got used to over time but within the first few pages I was greeted with lines such as:
"She'd told us about it, me and my friend Peggy, about the lawns painted a bright ..."
My mind screamed over that. I'm not a grammar expert but I'm pretty sure "us" should've been followed by me and my friend Peggy, not "it". Not to mention that when you take enclosed comma sections out the sentence is supposed to be readable. This one is not. That's page three.
"The bluecoats, our word for the security force in our society, turn ..."
Page 5. Now I'm not sure all of that was needed. Hello of course it's the name of the force in YOUR society. Your society is supposed to be the only one that exists so why would it be the name of the security in another society? Why not just, "The bluecoats, our security force, ..."
Okay, so I let that pass. On page 29. "But the bluecoat, the name we use for the security force of our world due to the blue uniforms they wear, ..."
Yes, apparently we need to be talked to like children and reminded of something we've already been told.
At this point I give up on expecting a writing style I enjoy and instead spend a few chapter bothered by the set-up. I get fantasy needs the suspension of belief. But with dystopian I at least want to believe what I'm reading without needing to take my brain out while I read.
Wren's world is basically a random town(which we're told at some point was not created specifically for the purpose of being enclosed) that had someone drop a glass bowl over it. If you want to get technical we don't know the material and it was built. But basically the town is covered by a bowl made of a material that you can see light and shadows through.
All we're told about the past is that a comet hit and the entire world was covered in flames and has been burning for the past 198 years. This bubble was made in 1878 so i expect most everything that was created and so on to be from materials available at that time. That's it. That's all we're told. No extra details about the creators, creation, or what happened.
Now there's giant fans that keep the air blowing around this bowl. And coal runs pretty much everything.
Here's what I struggled with. What material was made in 1878 that could be used to make a giant bowl to cover a city(they didn't have cranes then did they? What machinery could they have used?) that's so fire proof that it can withstand almost 200 years of constant heat? I'm struggling to think(and I'm not knowledgeable in this area) what material is available now that'd do this? A see-throughish type material at that. I'm sorry, but you take any material and expose it to flames that are never-ending and all-consuming for 200 years, and that material is not solid metal of any type, and I'm just not believing that it'd survive.
But of course this is dystopian and we know the world is a lie which means that, of course, the world is NOT covered in flames. Maybe it never was or only for a year or whatever. Does it ever occur to the idiots living in this dome that A. Their dome couldn't have survived because of the above stated reasons if the world was burning. B. that they'd have cooked in their little dome shell if there were flames out there. And C. that fire needs something to feed it. What the heck has that fire been constantly consuming for the past 200 years?
Okay, okay. So now I'll add some layers to my blinders and acknowledge that everyone in this dome is a moron and would totally not think of any of this. Which, I find I would've needed to do anyway because it's also never occurred to the coal miners that they could do something like tunnel out from under the dome and then tunnel up. Wow, gosh, that couldn't possibly work. They also haven't thought, "water comes from somewhere and flows TOO somewhere(usually the ocean, or a really big lake). Maybe we should follow this river here and escape!"
Alright, so the miners are just as dumb as everyone else. Did I mention that all miners have powers? They are born with a built-in compass and have shiny cat eyes that let them see in the dark. I'm impressed that these people were discovered at any point in history! And they found enough of them to found a working force! Will wonders never cease.
So I've decided that when this bubble was dropped the creators made sure no intelligent life was inside and that some of them had special abilities.
Continuing to my issues of bubbletown. You mean to tell me that people, a lot of people, have managed to survive in the same contained atmosphere for 200 years? What, they didn't use up the oxygen? And the pollution! They mention coal dust flying around, but it'd probably be a lot worse. Because apparently the creators didn't think that maybe it'd be a good idea to have a freaking ventilation system at the top of the dome to filter out old air and new air in. With only a few trees that are planted on tops of buildings that don't do well, I want to know what is providing oxygen to the people and animals? Ah, they must not need oxygen. Also, why are the plants and trees doing so poorly? So the dome isn't glassy, it still allows light in and with all the carbon dioxide from people and animals floating around in the air it should've been like the world's most awesome greenhouse.
So pollution is a minor issue, no one needs oxygen and turning fans on keeps things cool and the dust out of the air. Um last I checked if you went into a room full of dust and turned a fan on it'd just stir the dust up and blow it around. Not to mention that fans are basic items. You put a fan in front of a window or an open door for a reason. Because fans don't create cool air, they circulate air. Having these fans cycling around the hot air would not be cooling this dome down. It'd be cycling warm air!!!
Now for the characters. Most of the characters hold minor roles and aren't particularly awful or awesome. Wren though is some sort of ethereal yoda. I picture her in a flowing white nightdress with her hair floating around her as she hovers above the ground. Because that girl is weird. I have never met anyone, much less a 16-year-old who was so "wise". Her best friend, and crush, dies and she doesn't spend anytime angry with anyone. The person who broke his heart and drove him to it is "understandable". Wren's only other friend who doesn't act like much of a friend is acquitted because "it's understandable". Every freaking time someone does something that should upset Wren, it doesn't, because Wren starts spouting wisdom about why the person did such and such thing and she cant' hold it against them because it's understandable. It was REALLY annoying.
If you want to have a wise 16 year old, fine, but can we make it realistic? She never says anything without proper consideration. When she's asked if she loved the guy who died, she says no because she never let herself. Um, read the first few chapters. She was clearly crushing on the guy and envious of his feelings for Lucy. Okay so she never did act on it, but for her to say nope I didn't, was like *sigh* another nugget of wisdom. Because as an adult I know she probably didn't love him and it was just a crush(understandable considering he was her best friend), but come on how many people who have a crush acknowledge that's all it is and not love?
It was impossible to connect with Wren because of her complacent attitude that left her never experiencing a nice range of emotions because she was "as wise as master Yoda".
So I read to page 229 and realized that I didn't care. I didn't care what happened to anyone and the amount of stuff I had to force myself to just believe was too much. I apparently would not have been locked in bubbletown. I skimmed the last 80 pages and now I feel like I can turn my attention to something (hopefully) better.
Last thing, the grandfather.
I know there's two more books but with how much I had to endure in this one(what are they magically going to make bubbletown realistic and Wren normal?) and the fact the infamous love triangle is introduced, it's not even a temptation to read further.
In summary, if you like a MC who's annoyingly complacent, hard to relate to, and a world that requires you to believe ridiculous things and turn your brain off ... this is it!
"She'd told us about it, me and my friend Peggy, about the lawns painted a bright ..."
My mind screamed over that. I'm not a grammar expert but I'm pretty sure "us" should've been followed by me and my friend Peggy, not "it". Not to mention that when you take enclosed comma sections out the sentence is supposed to be readable. This one is not. That's page three.
"The bluecoats, our word for the security force in our society, turn ..."
Page 5. Now I'm not sure all of that was needed. Hello of course it's the name of the force in YOUR society. Your society is supposed to be the only one that exists so why would it be the name of the security in another society? Why not just, "The bluecoats, our security force, ..."
Okay, so I let that pass. On page 29. "But the bluecoat, the name we use for the security force of our world due to the blue uniforms they wear, ..."
Yes, apparently we need to be talked to like children and reminded of something we've already been told.
At this point I give up on expecting a writing style I enjoy and instead spend a few chapter bothered by the set-up. I get fantasy needs the suspension of belief. But with dystopian I at least want to believe what I'm reading without needing to take my brain out while I read.
Wren's world is basically a random town(which we're told at some point was not created specifically for the purpose of being enclosed) that had someone drop a glass bowl over it. If you want to get technical we don't know the material and it was built. But basically the town is covered by a bowl made of a material that you can see light and shadows through.
All we're told about the past is that a comet hit and the entire world was covered in flames and has been burning for the past 198 years. This bubble was made in 1878 so i expect most everything that was created and so on to be from materials available at that time. That's it. That's all we're told. No extra details about the creators, creation, or what happened.
Now there's giant fans that keep the air blowing around this bowl. And coal runs pretty much everything.
Here's what I struggled with. What material was made in 1878 that could be used to make a giant bowl to cover a city(they didn't have cranes then did they? What machinery could they have used?) that's so fire proof that it can withstand almost 200 years of constant heat? I'm struggling to think(and I'm not knowledgeable in this area) what material is available now that'd do this? A see-throughish type material at that. I'm sorry, but you take any material and expose it to flames that are never-ending and all-consuming for 200 years, and that material is not solid metal of any type, and I'm just not believing that it'd survive.
But of course this is dystopian and we know the world is a lie which means that, of course, the world is NOT covered in flames. Maybe it never was or only for a year or whatever. Does it ever occur to the idiots living in this dome that A. Their dome couldn't have survived because of the above stated reasons if the world was burning. B. that they'd have cooked in their little dome shell if there were flames out there. And C. that fire needs something to feed it. What the heck has that fire been constantly consuming for the past 200 years?
Okay, okay. So now I'll add some layers to my blinders and acknowledge that everyone in this dome is a moron and would totally not think of any of this. Which, I find I would've needed to do anyway because it's also never occurred to the coal miners that they could do something like tunnel out from under the dome and then tunnel up. Wow, gosh, that couldn't possibly work. They also haven't thought, "water comes from somewhere and flows TOO somewhere(usually the ocean, or a really big lake). Maybe we should follow this river here and escape!"
Alright, so the miners are just as dumb as everyone else. Did I mention that all miners have powers? They are born with a built-in compass and have shiny cat eyes that let them see in the dark. I'm impressed that these people were discovered at any point in history! And they found enough of them to found a working force! Will wonders never cease.
So I've decided that when this bubble was dropped the creators made sure no intelligent life was inside and that some of them had special abilities.
Continuing to my issues of bubbletown. You mean to tell me that people, a lot of people, have managed to survive in the same contained atmosphere for 200 years? What, they didn't use up the oxygen? And the pollution! They mention coal dust flying around, but it'd probably be a lot worse. Because apparently the creators didn't think that maybe it'd be a good idea to have a freaking ventilation system at the top of the dome to filter out old air and new air in. With only a few trees that are planted on tops of buildings that don't do well, I want to know what is providing oxygen to the people and animals? Ah, they must not need oxygen. Also, why are the plants and trees doing so poorly? So the dome isn't glassy, it still allows light in and with all the carbon dioxide from people and animals floating around in the air it should've been like the world's most awesome greenhouse.
So pollution is a minor issue, no one needs oxygen and turning fans on keeps things cool and the dust out of the air. Um last I checked if you went into a room full of dust and turned a fan on it'd just stir the dust up and blow it around. Not to mention that fans are basic items. You put a fan in front of a window or an open door for a reason. Because fans don't create cool air, they circulate air. Having these fans cycling around the hot air would not be cooling this dome down. It'd be cycling warm air!!!
Now for the characters. Most of the characters hold minor roles and aren't particularly awful or awesome. Wren though is some sort of ethereal yoda. I picture her in a flowing white nightdress with her hair floating around her as she hovers above the ground. Because that girl is weird. I have never met anyone, much less a 16-year-old who was so "wise". Her best friend, and crush, dies and she doesn't spend anytime angry with anyone. The person who broke his heart and drove him to it is "understandable". Wren's only other friend who doesn't act like much of a friend is acquitted because "it's understandable". Every freaking time someone does something that should upset Wren, it doesn't, because Wren starts spouting wisdom about why the person did such and such thing and she cant' hold it against them because it's understandable. It was REALLY annoying.
If you want to have a wise 16 year old, fine, but can we make it realistic? She never says anything without proper consideration. When she's asked if she loved the guy who died, she says no because she never let herself. Um, read the first few chapters. She was clearly crushing on the guy and envious of his feelings for Lucy. Okay so she never did act on it, but for her to say nope I didn't, was like *sigh* another nugget of wisdom. Because as an adult I know she probably didn't love him and it was just a crush(understandable considering he was her best friend), but come on how many people who have a crush acknowledge that's all it is and not love?
It was impossible to connect with Wren because of her complacent attitude that left her never experiencing a nice range of emotions because she was "as wise as master Yoda".
So I read to page 229 and realized that I didn't care. I didn't care what happened to anyone and the amount of stuff I had to force myself to just believe was too much. I apparently would not have been locked in bubbletown. I skimmed the last 80 pages and now I feel like I can turn my attention to something (hopefully) better.
Last thing, the grandfather.
I know there's two more books but with how much I had to endure in this one(what are they magically going to make bubbletown realistic and Wren normal?) and the fact the infamous love triangle is introduced, it's not even a temptation to read further.
In summary, if you like a MC who's annoyingly complacent, hard to relate to, and a world that requires you to believe ridiculous things and turn your brain off ... this is it!
September 21, 2012
I received this book through a first reads giveaway, thank you!
From the second I started this book I could not put it down! I absolutely loved the premise (dystopian seems to be my favorite genre lately). I noticed a couple of other people mentioning it being similar to The City of Ember, but I have not read that book so this whole idea was new to me.
I was very impressed with the main character (Wren). She's definitely a character I would want my children reading about and looking up to. She didn't give in to sexual desires (which seems to be all to common with YA novels lately) and actually thought about her actions. She was a selfless character, a great role model.
One thing that stood out to me was that the author did a fantastic job with her descriptions. Through the whole story I felt as if I was really there in the tunnels or the dome with the characters. At the same time, the descriptions were not so heavily weighed with detail that it got boring.
All-in-all I'm really sad the book had to end, I would have loved to keep reading about Wren, Pace, and everyone else!
From the second I started this book I could not put it down! I absolutely loved the premise (dystopian seems to be my favorite genre lately). I noticed a couple of other people mentioning it being similar to The City of Ember, but I have not read that book so this whole idea was new to me.
I was very impressed with the main character (Wren). She's definitely a character I would want my children reading about and looking up to. She didn't give in to sexual desires (which seems to be all to common with YA novels lately) and actually thought about her actions. She was a selfless character, a great role model.
One thing that stood out to me was that the author did a fantastic job with her descriptions. Through the whole story I felt as if I was really there in the tunnels or the dome with the characters. At the same time, the descriptions were not so heavily weighed with detail that it got boring.
All-in-all I'm really sad the book had to end, I would have loved to keep reading about Wren, Pace, and everyone else!
December 3, 2012
I'm not angry, just disappointed. I would have been angry if I had spent more time on it - as it was, I quit after about 10 minutes of reading. My initial thoughts were that the narrator (Wren? See, I didn't even get far enough to know her name for sure...) was annoying - speaking way too 'educated' and precisely and properly for someone was was supposed to be a lower class worker. Also, she was questioning and criticizing her society so immediately, it didn't give me a chance to see what the world was like. The tone was almost journalistic. Then I got to page 5 and read this: 'No one wants to mess with the filchers. They roam the underside of the dome, a law within themselves. The bluecoats, our word for the security force in our society, turn a blind eye to their activities because they are useful to them. They do their dirty work for reward...' Holy freakin' pronouns, Batman! And the whole 'our world for the security force in our society...' Awkward. I'm not usually one to give up on a book so quickly, but I just can't go on. Too bad - it sounded like an interesting premise.
Oh yeah - I got this as an ARC from Goodreads First Reads.
Oh yeah - I got this as an ARC from Goodreads First Reads.
December 26, 2012
I couldn't put this book down once I started it. I was afraid it was going to be like Hunger Games, though there were similarities it was completely different. It was also one of those books where I didn't realize it was a young adult book until much later.
I can only describe this novel as a Post-apocalyptic steampunk, overthrow the current government for the happiness and well being of all kind of novel. The main character is a 16 year old girl named Wren who inadvertently starts a revolution.
This novel has great action and romance and everything in between. The author has excellent flow and pace. Some passages even seemed lyrical to me. She paints an amazingly vivid picture, yet doesn't bog the story down with excess description.
I'm glad I bought this book. I was on the fence about it, as it seems I've been reading a lot of political post apocalyptic novels lately. I found it in paperback at Wal Mart for 10 dollars, so I couldn't resist. I always think.. If I hate it, I can return it. Needless to say, I'm keeping it. I really needed a good book to get me through at work through the holidays and this one did not disappoint.
I can only describe this novel as a Post-apocalyptic steampunk, overthrow the current government for the happiness and well being of all kind of novel. The main character is a 16 year old girl named Wren who inadvertently starts a revolution.
This novel has great action and romance and everything in between. The author has excellent flow and pace. Some passages even seemed lyrical to me. She paints an amazingly vivid picture, yet doesn't bog the story down with excess description.
I'm glad I bought this book. I was on the fence about it, as it seems I've been reading a lot of political post apocalyptic novels lately. I found it in paperback at Wal Mart for 10 dollars, so I couldn't resist. I always think.. If I hate it, I can return it. Needless to say, I'm keeping it. I really needed a good book to get me through at work through the holidays and this one did not disappoint.
September 19, 2012
I absolutely loved this book! I couldn't put it down! From the easy to follow storyline, to the loveable characters this has got to be in my top 5! I was privelaged to get to read the advance reader's copy and plan to pass it on to many more so they can share the love between Wren, Pace, Pip, and Cat!
reviewcopies
April 22, 2012YESSSS so happy to have this book. want to read it NOW! :)
November 23, 2012
This is one of the best dystopian books I've read in a long time! It kinda reminded me of The City of Ember a bit.
June 17, 2014
I always like reading about dystopias and this book definitely did not disappoint. Loved it from start to finish
January 2, 2013
The sky is blue.
Four simple words that would be a catalyst to the revolution that Wren MacAvoy would spearhead. In this book about a dystopian world where a caste social system is in place, a world where people live their lives ruled by a military faction and royals where the privileged few who never had to work a day in their lives, Wren has chosen to live a solitary life. Even surrounded by friends, she doesn't let anyone come close. But when Alex, the one person in her life who made sure she was accepted, died in her arms, she would come face-to-face with the dangers of going against the "bluecoats"and trusting one of them to aid in her cause for freedom. Nuggets of doubt would be planted in her mind, specs of restlessness and discontent in living in a claustrophobic dome would bloom inside her as she realizes that Alex made it outside.
The knowledge that the world outside the dome is an inferno has been instilled in them since the beginning of time. But one by one, pieces of clues unfold leading into a discovery that everything isn't what they seem.
At a time when dystopian novels seem to be a dime a dozen, Ashes of Twilight had to work extra hard to distance itself from the rest. I needed to see Wren's world as exactly how she lived it: dark, oppressive, violent - ruled with an iron fist. There's always an extra degree of emotion when you put the characters in difficult situations and the author wrote the exact ambiance flawlessly. I remember watching a movie about Loretta Lynn; aptly dubbed, The Coal Miner's Daughter. In some aspects, this book was exactly how that movie was. Wherein no amount of washing would get rid of the soot under the characters' fingernails or how futile it was to shut off the coughing sound of someone who has a black lung. But it wasn't just the mine where it showed how efficient Tayler was in creating the visceral world in her book. Even the world above where confined apartments were built like tombs against the walls of boulders surrounding the dome. The rivers running underneath the dome and the over-all feeling that the walls would close in on you in a blink of an eye.
Tayler was also very proficient in not giving too much away. In some cases, I found myself questioning why no one would clue in and follow Wren during one of her disappearing acts. I mean if she's got a target on her back, wouldn't anyone want to keep a close eye on her comings and goings? There is an underlying hint that when it comes down to it, no one really cared where ever Wren chooses to go. It made for a suspenseful read anyway: the thought that anyone could follow her in the caves and discover what or who she was hiding. I, myself was at the edge of my seat every time she goes and disappears.
One thing that I've enjoyed with this book as well was the romance between Pace and Wren. I must admit that I've always been on the fence when it comes to love stories in a dystopian setting. After all, how could anyone choose that time to fall in love when the circumstances were dire? Some may say their romance developed fast but theirs didn't feel forced or awkward to me or that it happened instantly. I think the author just did an awesome job at convincing me, that's all. The desperation between the two certainly added to short time it took for the propinquity of their relationship.
The characters were written well. Wren is easily one of those heroines who never had to answer to anybody but herself. She may sound a bit defeatist in the beginning but she'll change your mind once she starts assuming the role she was to play in the revolution.
If I had any qualms about this book, I've got to say it's the amount of questions Wren had to ask on numerous occasions. The paragraphs were littered with them. It frustrated me at times. As well, the author took a lot of time in the romance rather than actually looking for the doorway outside. I mean, if the focus of the story was the fact that one of the characters perished in search of a way outside the dome, you would think that the major characters would actually be doing exactly that and spend less time...canoodling.
Despite my problems, I still enjoyed this book. The ending paved the way for the instalment that has me impatiently and eagerly waiting. Ashes of Twilight is a white-knuckle read that will have your heart on a steady, albeit quick pace.
Four simple words that would be a catalyst to the revolution that Wren MacAvoy would spearhead. In this book about a dystopian world where a caste social system is in place, a world where people live their lives ruled by a military faction and royals where the privileged few who never had to work a day in their lives, Wren has chosen to live a solitary life. Even surrounded by friends, she doesn't let anyone come close. But when Alex, the one person in her life who made sure she was accepted, died in her arms, she would come face-to-face with the dangers of going against the "bluecoats"and trusting one of them to aid in her cause for freedom. Nuggets of doubt would be planted in her mind, specs of restlessness and discontent in living in a claustrophobic dome would bloom inside her as she realizes that Alex made it outside.
The knowledge that the world outside the dome is an inferno has been instilled in them since the beginning of time. But one by one, pieces of clues unfold leading into a discovery that everything isn't what they seem.
At a time when dystopian novels seem to be a dime a dozen, Ashes of Twilight had to work extra hard to distance itself from the rest. I needed to see Wren's world as exactly how she lived it: dark, oppressive, violent - ruled with an iron fist. There's always an extra degree of emotion when you put the characters in difficult situations and the author wrote the exact ambiance flawlessly. I remember watching a movie about Loretta Lynn; aptly dubbed, The Coal Miner's Daughter. In some aspects, this book was exactly how that movie was. Wherein no amount of washing would get rid of the soot under the characters' fingernails or how futile it was to shut off the coughing sound of someone who has a black lung. But it wasn't just the mine where it showed how efficient Tayler was in creating the visceral world in her book. Even the world above where confined apartments were built like tombs against the walls of boulders surrounding the dome. The rivers running underneath the dome and the over-all feeling that the walls would close in on you in a blink of an eye.
Tayler was also very proficient in not giving too much away. In some cases, I found myself questioning why no one would clue in and follow Wren during one of her disappearing acts. I mean if she's got a target on her back, wouldn't anyone want to keep a close eye on her comings and goings? There is an underlying hint that when it comes down to it, no one really cared where ever Wren chooses to go. It made for a suspenseful read anyway: the thought that anyone could follow her in the caves and discover what or who she was hiding. I, myself was at the edge of my seat every time she goes and disappears.
One thing that I've enjoyed with this book as well was the romance between Pace and Wren. I must admit that I've always been on the fence when it comes to love stories in a dystopian setting. After all, how could anyone choose that time to fall in love when the circumstances were dire? Some may say their romance developed fast but theirs didn't feel forced or awkward to me or that it happened instantly. I think the author just did an awesome job at convincing me, that's all. The desperation between the two certainly added to short time it took for the propinquity of their relationship.
The characters were written well. Wren is easily one of those heroines who never had to answer to anybody but herself. She may sound a bit defeatist in the beginning but she'll change your mind once she starts assuming the role she was to play in the revolution.
If I had any qualms about this book, I've got to say it's the amount of questions Wren had to ask on numerous occasions. The paragraphs were littered with them. It frustrated me at times. As well, the author took a lot of time in the romance rather than actually looking for the doorway outside. I mean, if the focus of the story was the fact that one of the characters perished in search of a way outside the dome, you would think that the major characters would actually be doing exactly that and spend less time...canoodling.
Despite my problems, I still enjoyed this book. The ending paved the way for the instalment that has me impatiently and eagerly waiting. Ashes of Twilight is a white-knuckle read that will have your heart on a steady, albeit quick pace.
February 5, 2017
3.5 stars
What I Liked: 1) Wren. I always like defiant heroines, and she is defiant from the very beginning. Even when we first meet her she is breaking one of the cardinal rules of her world. She's very strong in that she knows not to just accept what is expected of her, because there is something better out there. 2) I liked Pace a lot. It's hard not to like this guy. He kind of reminds me of a puppy dog. He's a little helpless when he is in Wren's world, but he's got a lot of strength to him too. Especially when they are "above." 3) "The Sky Is Blue." This is the mantra that seems to keep Wren and her friends going after Alex's death. There is something so simple in that phrase, yet when you are in the book, it's very powerful. I love how it brought everything together and became such an important piece of the story. 4) Two worlds. There are two very distinct worlds within this book. There is that of the shiners, who live below in the tunnels, and that of the people who live above. Author Kassy Tayler did a very good job in making this two places so different, yet showing both the reader and the characters how the spirit of the people can be the same. I thought this was one of the best parts of the story.
What I Didn't Like: Just a few little things here and there: there are some things about Wren that I didn't understand. She is a Shiner, which is someone who lives underground and mines for coal. And there is a very obvious physical distinction between the shiners and other people, that had to do with their eyes. I don't know if maybe my imagination just wasn't working properly, but I can't figure out what that was supposed to be. I know it's supposed to be there, but I had a hard time visualizing it and that really messes me up when I'm reading. Also, there was an unnecessary death that made me quite angry. This isn't so much a complaint about the writing of the story, but I just can't believe she did that to her characters.
Overall Thoughts: Steampunk meets Dystopia in this new YA from author Cindy Holby (pen name, Kassy Tayler). I'm not the biggest steampunk fan, but the dystopian side of the story appealed to me. Heroine Wren takes a Katniss-esque step into the spotlight when she unwillingly becomes the leader of a band of "Seekers" who aim to learn the truth about the world outside the dome. Between the characters and the plot, there is a lot to enjoy about Ashes of Twilight. I had a hard time connecting with some of the details, and it made the visualization a little difficult, but other that I think Ashes of Twilight was an interesting story that will intrigue fans of the steampunk genre.
What I Liked: 1) Wren. I always like defiant heroines, and she is defiant from the very beginning. Even when we first meet her she is breaking one of the cardinal rules of her world. She's very strong in that she knows not to just accept what is expected of her, because there is something better out there. 2) I liked Pace a lot. It's hard not to like this guy. He kind of reminds me of a puppy dog. He's a little helpless when he is in Wren's world, but he's got a lot of strength to him too. Especially when they are "above." 3) "The Sky Is Blue." This is the mantra that seems to keep Wren and her friends going after Alex's death. There is something so simple in that phrase, yet when you are in the book, it's very powerful. I love how it brought everything together and became such an important piece of the story. 4) Two worlds. There are two very distinct worlds within this book. There is that of the shiners, who live below in the tunnels, and that of the people who live above. Author Kassy Tayler did a very good job in making this two places so different, yet showing both the reader and the characters how the spirit of the people can be the same. I thought this was one of the best parts of the story.
What I Didn't Like: Just a few little things here and there: there are some things about Wren that I didn't understand. She is a Shiner, which is someone who lives underground and mines for coal. And there is a very obvious physical distinction between the shiners and other people, that had to do with their eyes. I don't know if maybe my imagination just wasn't working properly, but I can't figure out what that was supposed to be. I know it's supposed to be there, but I had a hard time visualizing it and that really messes me up when I'm reading. Also, there was an unnecessary death that made me quite angry. This isn't so much a complaint about the writing of the story, but I just can't believe she did that to her characters.
Overall Thoughts: Steampunk meets Dystopia in this new YA from author Cindy Holby (pen name, Kassy Tayler). I'm not the biggest steampunk fan, but the dystopian side of the story appealed to me. Heroine Wren takes a Katniss-esque step into the spotlight when she unwillingly becomes the leader of a band of "Seekers" who aim to learn the truth about the world outside the dome. Between the characters and the plot, there is a lot to enjoy about Ashes of Twilight. I had a hard time connecting with some of the details, and it made the visualization a little difficult, but other that I think Ashes of Twilight was an interesting story that will intrigue fans of the steampunk genre.
December 16, 2012
I don't know why I like stories that describe our society in a time when it is not functioning like what we live in now. They often give me a glimpse of what life might be like and I find myself wondering if I could cope in that kind of a life. I enjoyed The City of Ember because of how interesting it was to me to know how people began to rebuild their life--without the knowledge or supplies we are used to. This book is set in a time when people built a dome to protect the people from fire as they had predicted that the earth would be consumed from fire. They have different factions of society.
They have been working at those jobs and living in this dome for 200 years. The royals have everything and then there are workers who do the back breaking work of keeping the coal mined and the fans going. Children are getting tired of the slavery they feel and the feeling that they need something better than living below ground and working all of their lives. As they gather together to try and find a way out-they risk their lives. Romantic relationships are in this book, so better for teens and up. The story kept me reading. I wanted to find out what happened. It is well written and enjoyable to read.
They have been working at those jobs and living in this dome for 200 years. The royals have everything and then there are workers who do the back breaking work of keeping the coal mined and the fans going. Children are getting tired of the slavery they feel and the feeling that they need something better than living below ground and working all of their lives. As they gather together to try and find a way out-they risk their lives. Romantic relationships are in this book, so better for teens and up. The story kept me reading. I wanted to find out what happened. It is well written and enjoyable to read.
November 21, 2012
It has been quite sometime since I was absorbed by a book so much. I found myself reading through it non-stop for a solid day. The book combines elements from both Dystopian and Steampunk genres, the storyline and setting are very similar to City of Ember if you have ever read that book, it just feels more developed and more involved than Ember did. Wren is a nicely developed character and someone that you actually care about and I think that's the main reason it turned into a page turner for me, was wanting to make sure she was gonna be ok from chapter to chapter. It carries the same message many books do know a days I feel which is be who you really are and don't be afraid to be different and stand out. It also has you ask questions, don't just believe what everyone says and does, but question it and make informed choices.
December 19, 2012
I loved it. I was turning pages like I was popping potatoe chips!! The whole time I was reading this I kept envisioning my trip to Carlsbad caverns in New Mexico. It was like I was right there again, and I could visualize everything while reading. I have been inside the cave while experiencing a "total blackout" that is beyond dark- it's total blindness! I'm not so sure what to make out of the shiners eyes adapting to that though. It's just one of those, I'm gonna just go with it, things! I did love the little canary Pip, that is pleasantly included in the story.
Overall I found it to be a very entertaining, and an enjoyable read. I will be anxiously waiting for the sequel!
On a sidenote, I just read another book which featured a dome, The Complex. Could be a growing trend!?!
Overall I found it to be a very entertaining, and an enjoyable read. I will be anxiously waiting for the sequel!
On a sidenote, I just read another book which featured a dome, The Complex. Could be a growing trend!?!
January 31, 2015
Listened to the audio version- great narrator!
Reminded me somewhat of the Hunger Games, not in the plot, but in the feel of it- Dystopian society, a controlling government with secrets, young female heroine who is strong, tough and watches out for the people she cares about, love interest, and strict social class separation
I thought the characters were very real. For example, Pace is a cute, strong young guy, but he's also scared of dark enclosed spaces and cares about his mama.
I hope that the next book does not disappoint!
topics: finding your purpose and identity in life, love and friendships,
The next book does disappoint. I don't think I even finished it.
Reminded me somewhat of the Hunger Games, not in the plot, but in the feel of it- Dystopian society, a controlling government with secrets, young female heroine who is strong, tough and watches out for the people she cares about, love interest, and strict social class separation
I thought the characters were very real. For example, Pace is a cute, strong young guy, but he's also scared of dark enclosed spaces and cares about his mama.
I hope that the next book does not disappoint!
topics: finding your purpose and identity in life, love and friendships,
The next book does disappoint. I don't think I even finished it.
May 18, 2013
Ashes of Twilight.... Loved it. In a dystopian land under a protective dome, society is divided between royals and working class. Most of the story happens below ground with the Shiners, or coal miners. Like in other dystopian fiction, someone has a problem with the way society has tried to protect them or brainwash them. Wren wants more than living under ground and dying young from black lung. She wants to see the sky and breath the air outside of the dome. But everyone knows outside is nothing but a raging world consumed by flames.
Great beginning, but left me hanging a little at the end.
Great beginning, but left me hanging a little at the end.
February 17, 2016
I won this book through firstreads. It was awesome!! If you like dystopian books, this is for you! I spent most of my Saturday reading the book and stayed up until 11:30 pm to finish. Loved th characters, the plot, the ending and the setting. The author vividly describes the different parts of "the dome" so you feel you are there. I hope this becomes a series. I want to know what happens next!
August 13, 2012
Ashes of Twilight is a book that made me think about my own life. The main character in the story questions her life. She wants, needs more than what everyone else seems to simply accept as the way things are. She is constantly told what to do, and more frequently told what not to do. As she takes the reader along for this adventure she discovers just how much her decisions affect the lives of others around her.
Great story.
Great story.
August 13, 2014
In my opinion this is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. Sure, the story line seems somewhat familiar, but the book itself was composed in the most lovely and readable fashion; I literally hated to put this book down. I usually have difficulty immersing myself in the first book in a given series, but not so here. From the first few sentences to the last paragraph I was enthralled. I LOVED this book!!!!! :)
June 11, 2016
I loved this book! Would definitely recommend it to fans of THG, Under the Never Sky, The Host and Divergent. Lovely writing style, nice pace, unique setting and love for animals <3 The end was marvelous.
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NL:
Wat een superleuk boek <3 Aanraders voor fans van Under the Never Sky (world building), THG (de romance deed me daar wel wat aan denken) en Divergent/The Host (ondergronds leven in een grot met een rivier). Ook een boek met een hart voor dieren. Dystopische YA van de bovenste plank!
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NL:
Wat een superleuk boek <3 Aanraders voor fans van Under the Never Sky (world building), THG (de romance deed me daar wel wat aan denken) en Divergent/The Host (ondergronds leven in een grot met een rivier). Ook een boek met een hart voor dieren. Dystopische YA van de bovenste plank!
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