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Strangelets
17-year-old Sophie lies on her deathbed in California, awaiting the inevitable loss of her battle with cancer…
17-year-old Declan stares down two armed thugs in a back alley in Galway, Ireland…
18-year-old Anat attempts to traverse a booby-trapped tunnel between Israel and Egypt…
All three strangers should have died at the exact same moment, thousands of miles apart. Instead, they awaken together in an abandoned hospital—only to discover that they’re not alone. Three other teens from different places on the globe are trapped with them. Somebody or something seems to be pulling the strings. With their individual clocks ticking, they must band together if they’re to have any hope of surviving.
Soon they discover that they've been trapped in a future that isn't of their making: a deadly, desolate world at once entirely familiar and utterly strange. Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home. As the truth comes to light Sophie, Declan, Anat, and the rest must decide what to do with a second chance at life—if they can survive to claim it.
17-year-old Declan stares down two armed thugs in a back alley in Galway, Ireland…
18-year-old Anat attempts to traverse a booby-trapped tunnel between Israel and Egypt…
All three strangers should have died at the exact same moment, thousands of miles apart. Instead, they awaken together in an abandoned hospital—only to discover that they’re not alone. Three other teens from different places on the globe are trapped with them. Somebody or something seems to be pulling the strings. With their individual clocks ticking, they must band together if they’re to have any hope of surviving.
Soon they discover that they've been trapped in a future that isn't of their making: a deadly, desolate world at once entirely familiar and utterly strange. Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home. As the truth comes to light Sophie, Declan, Anat, and the rest must decide what to do with a second chance at life—if they can survive to claim it.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2013
55 people are currently reading
1925 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Gagnon
36 books718 followersMichelle Gagnon is a former modern dancer, bartender, dog walker, model, personal trainer, and Russian supper club performer. Her bestselling adult thrillers THE TUNNELS, BONEYARD, THE GATEKEEPER, and KIDNAP & RANSOM have been published in North America, France, Denmark, Spain, Argentina, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Australia. BONEYARD was a finalist for a 2009 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.
The first book in her Young Adult PERSEFONE trilogy, DON'T TURN AROUND, was selected as one of the best books of 2012 by the American Library Association, Entertainment Weekly Magazine, and Kirkus. It was nominated for an ITW Thriller award, and was a Junior Library Guild and Indienext pick. Along with DON'T LOOK NOW and DON'T LET GO, the entire series received multiple starred reviews and state library awards.
UNEARTHLY THINGS is a modernized, deconstructed version of Jane Eyre set in the world of San Francisco high society. (SoHo Teen, 2017)
Her latest adult novel, KILLING ME, is a neo-noir thriller about unlikely heroines who hunt serial killers.
Michelle lives in Los Angeles, where she is currently attaining a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology.
Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichelleGagno...
or Twitter: @Michelle_Gagnon
The first book in her Young Adult PERSEFONE trilogy, DON'T TURN AROUND, was selected as one of the best books of 2012 by the American Library Association, Entertainment Weekly Magazine, and Kirkus. It was nominated for an ITW Thriller award, and was a Junior Library Guild and Indienext pick. Along with DON'T LOOK NOW and DON'T LET GO, the entire series received multiple starred reviews and state library awards.
UNEARTHLY THINGS is a modernized, deconstructed version of Jane Eyre set in the world of San Francisco high society. (SoHo Teen, 2017)
Her latest adult novel, KILLING ME, is a neo-noir thriller about unlikely heroines who hunt serial killers.
Michelle lives in Los Angeles, where she is currently attaining a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology.
Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichelleGagno...
or Twitter: @Michelle_Gagnon
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
June 5, 2015
Title + Cover + Blurb = doing me right!!!
It was a breath of fresh air meets dance for joy reading something that wasn't humming the tune ->>>
"single white female with mystery power seeking equally mysterious man for long walks, moonlit dinners and dire consequences".
Nothing against that particular breed BUT I'm the type who wants a premise to grab me as much or more (usually much more) than the characters and their relationships. Imagine my delight to read something that offers up a freaky mystery without depending on magic to drive the story?
Basically, I thought this was good, scary scifi which makes it a nice break from the dystopian and paranormal stories dominating the market. I asked myself "WTF" more than once, got creeped out and couldn't wait to see what the explanation was. I didn't end up disappointed, so if you're burnt out on supernatural creatures but want some spooky still I think this could raise a few eyebrows along with hairs on your neck.
It was a breath of fresh air meets dance for joy reading something that wasn't humming the tune ->>>
"single white female with mystery power seeking equally mysterious man for long walks, moonlit dinners and dire consequences".
Nothing against that particular breed BUT I'm the type who wants a premise to grab me as much or more (usually much more) than the characters and their relationships. Imagine my delight to read something that offers up a freaky mystery without depending on magic to drive the story?
Basically, I thought this was good, scary scifi which makes it a nice break from the dystopian and paranormal stories dominating the market. I asked myself "WTF" more than once, got creeped out and couldn't wait to see what the explanation was. I didn't end up disappointed, so if you're burnt out on supernatural creatures but want some spooky still I think this could raise a few eyebrows along with hairs on your neck.
April 16, 2013
And if they were alive, but stuck in some radioactive wasteland...well, that wasn't exactly good news either.
Strangelets had me curious from the moment I read the description and saw that a group of random and unconnected people on the brink of death were going to wake up somewhere else unknown. I knew that they couldn't be in purgatory because of the futuristic nod, but I was very curious to know what the deal would turn out to be.
I loved the first half of this story. We start off with everyone suddenly appearing, then meeting each other, in this facility which had a creepy mental hospital vibe. All of the characters had their own unique story, and I was absorbed in trying to find out how they could be connected. I hardly had any time to read over the weekend, but I found myself sneaking in a few pages here and there because I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Then I got smacked in the face with a bunch of other stuff I wasn't expecting. There isn't much of a way to explain what is going on, but little snippets of the environment reminded me of a jumbled version of The Mist (which part I won't tell because it would reveal too much), Unraveling (more for the technology), and (I'm stretching here with this last one) Jurassic Park.
The second half wasn't as exciting but the end had me nodding in that "I see what you did there" kind of way.
For a stand-alone book, I think the story strained a bit at the seams with trying to go from start to completion while incorporating all of the necessary information in one package. People who want to tie everything back to a root idea which seems believable might struggle somewhat with the concept. But on the plus side, Strangelets got me to root for the characters to find some answers and get to a better place, so the book did serve its purpose from an entertainment standpoint.
I don't think the romance element was even needed in this story but it did add a sweetness to the outcome, so I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Readers who are looking for a non-dystopia sci-fi and prefer a single volume book over a series might want to check this out.
This book provided from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As this was an advanced reader copy, quotes may be changed or omitted from the final copy.
March 22, 2013
It’s hard to describe this book without spoiling and Strangelets is best experienced with a clear mind. Avoid spoilers at all costs! Strangelets can be best categorized as a science fiction thriller horror story with a touch of romance. And yes, it is a young adult read but I think it will appeal to adults as well.
Strangelets finds a group of teenagers who wake up in a strange hospital-like facility. There doesn’t seem to be a way out, nor is there any food. The kids all share something in common: they were on the verge of death prior to waking up in the facility. Cue the spooky Lost violins.
The author creates an intriguing world, full of action-packed twists and turns. I loved the author’s attention to detail, especially with her “United Nations” characters. Each character was from a different country and their personalities and mannerisms really did reflect the country they were from without being stereotypical.
I especially liked Anat, the young Israeli heading off to her military service. Anat truly reflected her upbringing and her pragmatism was that of a soldier. Anat was a ruthless, fierce and a touch paranoid. I also loved Sophie, who was literally taken from her deathbed. If anyone deserved a second chance at life, she did.
To go on any more would spoil the story. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read any of Michelle Gagnon’s books, run to your local bookstore or click that “buy now” button. You’ll be glad you did. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Soho Teen for a review copy of this book.
Strangelets finds a group of teenagers who wake up in a strange hospital-like facility. There doesn’t seem to be a way out, nor is there any food. The kids all share something in common: they were on the verge of death prior to waking up in the facility. Cue the spooky Lost violins.
The author creates an intriguing world, full of action-packed twists and turns. I loved the author’s attention to detail, especially with her “United Nations” characters. Each character was from a different country and their personalities and mannerisms really did reflect the country they were from without being stereotypical.
I especially liked Anat, the young Israeli heading off to her military service. Anat truly reflected her upbringing and her pragmatism was that of a soldier. Anat was a ruthless, fierce and a touch paranoid. I also loved Sophie, who was literally taken from her deathbed. If anyone deserved a second chance at life, she did.
To go on any more would spoil the story. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read any of Michelle Gagnon’s books, run to your local bookstore or click that “buy now” button. You’ll be glad you did. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Soho Teen for a review copy of this book.
April 8, 2013
This review and others are posted at Read, Rinse, Repeat.
My first question while reading Strangelets was: What is a Strangelet? I knew the book featured young strangers mysteriously thrown together in an even more mysterious setting. I thought it was a cutesy way of referring to strangers, similar to how the terms piglets and eaglets refer to a small, cute version of the adult animals. ("Oh, wook at the cute, wittle strangelets!") Umm, no. When the answer was given near the end of the book, it was far from cutesy, and it made my head spin. And by the way, it is an actual scientific term. Thanks, Google!
But before we get to that, I'll start at the beginning which sucked me right in. Six teenage strangers, all from different parts of the world, wake up to find themselves locked in a hospital. Or is it a laboratory? In any case, they are alone, unless you count the terrifying monsters lurking about. Some of them are suspicious of the others, believing that at least one of them must somehow be involved in what increasingly looks like a massive conspiracy. My own mind reeled, trying to figure out how any of this was possible.
When the group finally breaks out of the hospital and splits up, it doesn't feel like a bad Hollywood screenwriter ploy designed to cause as much mayhem as possible while the audience groans in disbelief. In this case, I was definitely worried for the safety of the group when they split up, but their reasons were plausible, and it is a bonus for the reader because we get two concurrent and equally frightening story lines.
I had so many questions while reading the book, and I had no idea where Gagnon was headed. Answers started to come at a furious pace about ¾ of the way through. I wish that they'd been doled out a little more evenly. The book was very fast-paced up until this point, but then the action ground to a halt, replaced by a lot of explaining. I will freely admit that it much of it went right over my head, so I can't really comment on whether there were any holes in the explanations. I felt somewhat bludgeoned into submission, and I decided to just go ahead and accept it. I think that a more gradual approach to the revelations would have alleviated this somewhat. Nevertheless, the mysteries and the action-packed story more than compensate for the overly-talky ending.
My first question while reading Strangelets was: What is a Strangelet? I knew the book featured young strangers mysteriously thrown together in an even more mysterious setting. I thought it was a cutesy way of referring to strangers, similar to how the terms piglets and eaglets refer to a small, cute version of the adult animals. ("Oh, wook at the cute, wittle strangelets!") Umm, no. When the answer was given near the end of the book, it was far from cutesy, and it made my head spin. And by the way, it is an actual scientific term. Thanks, Google!
But before we get to that, I'll start at the beginning which sucked me right in. Six teenage strangers, all from different parts of the world, wake up to find themselves locked in a hospital. Or is it a laboratory? In any case, they are alone, unless you count the terrifying monsters lurking about. Some of them are suspicious of the others, believing that at least one of them must somehow be involved in what increasingly looks like a massive conspiracy. My own mind reeled, trying to figure out how any of this was possible.
When the group finally breaks out of the hospital and splits up, it doesn't feel like a bad Hollywood screenwriter ploy designed to cause as much mayhem as possible while the audience groans in disbelief. In this case, I was definitely worried for the safety of the group when they split up, but their reasons were plausible, and it is a bonus for the reader because we get two concurrent and equally frightening story lines.
I had so many questions while reading the book, and I had no idea where Gagnon was headed. Answers started to come at a furious pace about ¾ of the way through. I wish that they'd been doled out a little more evenly. The book was very fast-paced up until this point, but then the action ground to a halt, replaced by a lot of explaining. I will freely admit that it much of it went right over my head, so I can't really comment on whether there were any holes in the explanations. I felt somewhat bludgeoned into submission, and I decided to just go ahead and accept it. I think that a more gradual approach to the revelations would have alleviated this somewhat. Nevertheless, the mysteries and the action-packed story more than compensate for the overly-talky ending.
September 30, 2020
I am sad not to be able to join the sea of good reviews that Strangelets is receiving :-(
I found the story to be annoying, dragging and boring!
The concept of a couple of unrelated teenagers who were about to die traveling thru a black hole to meet in another place/world was interesting, at first. I became tired of the constant introductions: “who are you? Why are we here? Why are you doing this to me? Where are we?”
I also grew bored of the sense of danger that never amounted to anything: “what was that noise? Did you hear that? Wait! I saw a shadow! Oh my god! Oh my god! What was that thing?”
That kind of suspense didn’t work for me. It reminded me of The Darkling by R.B. Chesterton were things wanted to happen but never did. Strangelet was moving too slow trying to generate suspense, and then the end became abruptly.
- The different POV were all about the same.
- The dialogue kept repeating itself.
- The diary/journal part was… what was that really? Why was that even there?
- Monsters/creatures were trying to eat them and that was that. They were there because… well, an empty world wouldn’t had been fun, I guess.
- The explanation of time traveling was okay; quantum physics can never go wrong! But the ending… the ending people!
*****Spoil alert: stop reading if you don’t want to know how this book ends *******
After all they go through in this other world, a simple push of a button on a freaking machine sends them back to the present. Really, that’s IT?
Sophie: She wakes up back in the hospital , but she is no longer dying. Her cancer was cured (god only knows how or why). Immediately after waking up, she logs on to FB (wasn’t she unable to do anything but breath for months? How come she has an active FB account?).
Anyway, she logs on to FB to find her now boyfriend Declan. Alas! He is online. They make sure they each made it back from the other world fine.
Declan: He wakes up in his bedroom at home and that is that. No mention or remorse of the girlfriend he has (his real girlfriend in the present who is NOT Sophie). Despite being with said girlfriend for a year, and stealing in order to have money to buy her a birthday present, Declan quickly forgot about her when he met Sophie.
Oh! I’m sorry; I almost forgot that a book without insta love does not sell….
The inside flap of the book says: “Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home.”
Total deceiving crap! What secrets were those? What was the key to get back home? None, none, and none.
I found the story to be annoying, dragging and boring!
The concept of a couple of unrelated teenagers who were about to die traveling thru a black hole to meet in another place/world was interesting, at first. I became tired of the constant introductions: “who are you? Why are we here? Why are you doing this to me? Where are we?”
I also grew bored of the sense of danger that never amounted to anything: “what was that noise? Did you hear that? Wait! I saw a shadow! Oh my god! Oh my god! What was that thing?”
That kind of suspense didn’t work for me. It reminded me of The Darkling by R.B. Chesterton were things wanted to happen but never did. Strangelet was moving too slow trying to generate suspense, and then the end became abruptly.
- The different POV were all about the same.
- The dialogue kept repeating itself.
- The diary/journal part was… what was that really? Why was that even there?
- Monsters/creatures were trying to eat them and that was that. They were there because… well, an empty world wouldn’t had been fun, I guess.
- The explanation of time traveling was okay; quantum physics can never go wrong! But the ending… the ending people!
*****Spoil alert: stop reading if you don’t want to know how this book ends *******
After all they go through in this other world, a simple push of a button on a freaking machine sends them back to the present. Really, that’s IT?
Sophie: She wakes up back in the hospital , but she is no longer dying. Her cancer was cured (god only knows how or why). Immediately after waking up, she logs on to FB (wasn’t she unable to do anything but breath for months? How come she has an active FB account?).
Anyway, she logs on to FB to find her now boyfriend Declan. Alas! He is online. They make sure they each made it back from the other world fine.
Declan: He wakes up in his bedroom at home and that is that. No mention or remorse of the girlfriend he has (his real girlfriend in the present who is NOT Sophie). Despite being with said girlfriend for a year, and stealing in order to have money to buy her a birthday present, Declan quickly forgot about her when he met Sophie.
Oh! I’m sorry; I almost forgot that a book without insta love does not sell….
The inside flap of the book says: “Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home.”
Total deceiving crap! What secrets were those? What was the key to get back home? None, none, and none.
April 25, 2013
Original Rating: 2.5/5
Check out our review at The Twins Read.
Gagnon's characters lacked personality and could not elicit much emotion from us aside from indifference and maybe a little annoyance. The story is told in the alternating points of views of Sophie, Declan and Anat. Sophie was sick but after dropping into an alternate dimension, she finds herself miraculously cured, she's a little fragile and scared, a totally nondescript character. Declan is in a word, a thief. He stole something, got chased down by some goons and as he was supposed to get shot, he gets sucked into a black hole and ends up in this alternate dimension. He's supposed to be this witty, charismatic guy but we just couldn't see it. He was actually quite boring. Anat is this surly girl who was supposed to meet her beloved this one fateful night but after an incident that traps her inside a tunnel, she gets sucked into yes, an alternate universe. Anat is cold, harsh and angry most of the time and it's a wonder that she wasn't eaten by the alien monsters first.
Strangelets is a dystopian/sci-fi/paranormal/time-travel hybrid, and it didn't work for us. We didn't feel any compulsion to be pulled into the story line, and we had no idea which way the story was going. Descriptions were made, but were hardly convincing enough to engage us. The monsters, in all their alligator-insect hybrid, didn't even excite us! (And you know us - we love our monsters.) Despite the short time Sophie, Declan and the rest were together, they still found the time to quickly harbor crushes on each other. Forgive us, but it's a tad bit annoying to know that even in strange and harsh circumstances they were subject to, hormones were still apparently very much functioning normally. Strangelets also plays with the possibility of alternate universes - something that is yet another fascinating thing for us - its premise just felt flat and obscure.
While having an interesting blurb, the novel just failed to deliver. Uninteresting and ho-hum characters, bizarre - and in a not in a good way, at that - story progression just won't do it for us.
Check out our review at The Twins Read.
Gagnon's characters lacked personality and could not elicit much emotion from us aside from indifference and maybe a little annoyance. The story is told in the alternating points of views of Sophie, Declan and Anat. Sophie was sick but after dropping into an alternate dimension, she finds herself miraculously cured, she's a little fragile and scared, a totally nondescript character. Declan is in a word, a thief. He stole something, got chased down by some goons and as he was supposed to get shot, he gets sucked into a black hole and ends up in this alternate dimension. He's supposed to be this witty, charismatic guy but we just couldn't see it. He was actually quite boring. Anat is this surly girl who was supposed to meet her beloved this one fateful night but after an incident that traps her inside a tunnel, she gets sucked into yes, an alternate universe. Anat is cold, harsh and angry most of the time and it's a wonder that she wasn't eaten by the alien monsters first.
Strangelets is a dystopian/sci-fi/paranormal/time-travel hybrid, and it didn't work for us. We didn't feel any compulsion to be pulled into the story line, and we had no idea which way the story was going. Descriptions were made, but were hardly convincing enough to engage us. The monsters, in all their alligator-insect hybrid, didn't even excite us! (And you know us - we love our monsters.) Despite the short time Sophie, Declan and the rest were together, they still found the time to quickly harbor crushes on each other. Forgive us, but it's a tad bit annoying to know that even in strange and harsh circumstances they were subject to, hormones were still apparently very much functioning normally. Strangelets also plays with the possibility of alternate universes - something that is yet another fascinating thing for us - its premise just felt flat and obscure.
While having an interesting blurb, the novel just failed to deliver. Uninteresting and ho-hum characters, bizarre - and in a not in a good way, at that - story progression just won't do it for us.
April 1, 2013
If you follow my earlier reviews, then you should know by now that I am a big fan of mystery and thrillers. There is just something about these fast-paced stories that keeps me awake in the wee hours of the mornight; there's just something about the sense of urgency that's common in the genre that keeps me riled and pumped up with excitement. When I saw Strangelets' synopsis, I didn't really absorb all that text. I only saw, in big, bold, capital letters the words MYSTERY and THRILLER. You can pretty much say it was like being blinded by a dazzling ray of light, and the next thing I knew, there was this craving and longing inside me whispering I must have it I must have it I must have it I must have it...
So I did have it. And I've read it. To the very last page; to the very last word. And all in all, all I can say is this: holy smokes sweet mother of jesus so frigging awesome I LOVE IT TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!
There were so much to love and adore in this book. It definitely did not disappoint,. Yes, it is a thriller and a mystery, but it also touches upon paranormal and science fiction elements, too, which makes it a hundred times more fantastic, as it successfully interweaved all these factors together to make one KABOOM-POW story. No kidding, the whole thing felt a roller coaster ride from beginning to end, and didn't fail to keep me at the edge of my seat.
Here are the following that garnered this book a satisfying four stars:
* The mystery aspect of it was pitch-perfect, and together with the fast pace of the story and the strong sense of urgency, it resulted to a highly fulfilling read. The book begins with three seventeen year old teenagers (Sophie, Anat and Declan) who find themselves lumped together in an uncanny-looking facility, with three other kids from all over the world. Unfortunately, it would seem they're the only humans around, and what waits them outside is their dying world - the remnants of the planet they used to call home. What happened? This was their country, their motherland, but why does it look so different now? Where are the other people? Are they the only people around now? Why only them?
These are only some of the questions you'll find yourself asking, and as you go on, you'll find your answers and get even more confusing questions as a result of those answers. All I can say is the premise of this book was such a breathe of fresh air. It plot and the mystery that surrounded it was definitely creepy and strange, that you certainly know something is off about it. What makes it such a fun read is how we are given the information about the world slowly but surely, resulting to an effective building up that would make the reader hungry and craving for more. Kudos to the author for making this happen!
* I love the quantum physics involved. I mean, there weren't a lot, but it was so fun to read them, and the possibilites it offered. The multiple universes were definitely a nice touch. You can say this is my favorite part of the book. I've always been fascinated by quantum physics. I even think it's the most important science out there because of its explanations and its potential to explain the wonders of the universe to us, so it made me one happy reader to see it influencing the storyline here. Multiple universes. Time travel. So many possibilities could sprung out from this concept alone! I reckon those who are looking for something new will appreciate this part of the plot.
* Narrative was really good, too! The story is told in three point-of-views, those of Anat, Declan, and Sophie. I usually try to avoid books with multiple POVs, since they oftentimes backfire in their attempt to make the reader see the world of the book in a wider view, but the distinctive voices of the three made it really easy for me to relate and emphatize with them. The individual voices not only gave me a clear view of the world, but they also allowed me a deeper look into the feelings of the characters, making it a personal read.
Truly, these were the factors that made the book so, so enjoyable to me. They were so fun to read, and it made the experience absolutely pleasurable. However, it is not without its faults. If it were perfect, I would have given it 5 stars. Here are the following that prompted me to decrease a star:
* Annoying characters. As memorable as the internal narration were, that doesn't mean to say the the three cast of heroes were equally striking personality-wise; they were downright irritating - as in can-I-please-kill-these-people-now-before-I-gouge-my-eyes-out irritating. Behold: a girl described as protective and feisty, but downright rude to others; a charismatic know-it-all pseudo-brave guy who made things worse; a sick girl who was the epitome of Mary Sue-ness. A lot of them made stupid decisions (that moved the story, fine, but stupid is stupid) that made me want to go, once again, HULK, SMASH!!! on everything. Fortunately, as infuriating as they were, the previously stated good points made up for it.
* Romance was so... ugh! I was not a fan of the romance. It felt so forced and unnatural, making it hard for me to believe, much less appreciate it. I even wished the two people who developed a mutual understanding and care for each other just stayed as friends or something - the would have spared me the trouble of rolling my eyes every 5 minutes. Oh, well.
* Convenient ending. Like seriously convenient. I did not appreciate it. The ending definitely could have been written better. I don't remember it much, but I think I was reading the climax and then... something bland happened... and it was wrapped up in the next 5 pages or something, with me going HELL NO THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN. I don't know, it was probably just me, but the ending really turned me off, that they all got off so easily, that it went so well for them. Some of you guys may like it, but it kinda ruined my experience for me...
All in all, it was a great, awesome read. The positives definitely outshone the negatives, so despite all my complaints, it was still highly enjoyable. The plotline was engaging, the narrative and writing were compelling, and the twists and turns were frigging awesomesauce. Come April 9, you MUST get this book at the bookstores near you!
So I did have it. And I've read it. To the very last page; to the very last word. And all in all, all I can say is this: holy smokes sweet mother of jesus so frigging awesome I LOVE IT TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!
There were so much to love and adore in this book. It definitely did not disappoint,. Yes, it is a thriller and a mystery, but it also touches upon paranormal and science fiction elements, too, which makes it a hundred times more fantastic, as it successfully interweaved all these factors together to make one KABOOM-POW story. No kidding, the whole thing felt a roller coaster ride from beginning to end, and didn't fail to keep me at the edge of my seat.
Here are the following that garnered this book a satisfying four stars:
* The mystery aspect of it was pitch-perfect, and together with the fast pace of the story and the strong sense of urgency, it resulted to a highly fulfilling read. The book begins with three seventeen year old teenagers (Sophie, Anat and Declan) who find themselves lumped together in an uncanny-looking facility, with three other kids from all over the world. Unfortunately, it would seem they're the only humans around, and what waits them outside is their dying world - the remnants of the planet they used to call home. What happened? This was their country, their motherland, but why does it look so different now? Where are the other people? Are they the only people around now? Why only them?
These are only some of the questions you'll find yourself asking, and as you go on, you'll find your answers and get even more confusing questions as a result of those answers. All I can say is the premise of this book was such a breathe of fresh air. It plot and the mystery that surrounded it was definitely creepy and strange, that you certainly know something is off about it. What makes it such a fun read is how we are given the information about the world slowly but surely, resulting to an effective building up that would make the reader hungry and craving for more. Kudos to the author for making this happen!
* I love the quantum physics involved. I mean, there weren't a lot, but it was so fun to read them, and the possibilites it offered. The multiple universes were definitely a nice touch. You can say this is my favorite part of the book. I've always been fascinated by quantum physics. I even think it's the most important science out there because of its explanations and its potential to explain the wonders of the universe to us, so it made me one happy reader to see it influencing the storyline here. Multiple universes. Time travel. So many possibilities could sprung out from this concept alone! I reckon those who are looking for something new will appreciate this part of the plot.
* Narrative was really good, too! The story is told in three point-of-views, those of Anat, Declan, and Sophie. I usually try to avoid books with multiple POVs, since they oftentimes backfire in their attempt to make the reader see the world of the book in a wider view, but the distinctive voices of the three made it really easy for me to relate and emphatize with them. The individual voices not only gave me a clear view of the world, but they also allowed me a deeper look into the feelings of the characters, making it a personal read.
Truly, these were the factors that made the book so, so enjoyable to me. They were so fun to read, and it made the experience absolutely pleasurable. However, it is not without its faults. If it were perfect, I would have given it 5 stars. Here are the following that prompted me to decrease a star:
* Annoying characters. As memorable as the internal narration were, that doesn't mean to say the the three cast of heroes were equally striking personality-wise; they were downright irritating - as in can-I-please-kill-these-people-now-before-I-gouge-my-eyes-out irritating. Behold: a girl described as protective and feisty, but downright rude to others; a charismatic know-it-all pseudo-brave guy who made things worse; a sick girl who was the epitome of Mary Sue-ness. A lot of them made stupid decisions (that moved the story, fine, but stupid is stupid) that made me want to go, once again, HULK, SMASH!!! on everything. Fortunately, as infuriating as they were, the previously stated good points made up for it.
* Romance was so... ugh! I was not a fan of the romance. It felt so forced and unnatural, making it hard for me to believe, much less appreciate it. I even wished the two people who developed a mutual understanding and care for each other just stayed as friends or something - the would have spared me the trouble of rolling my eyes every 5 minutes. Oh, well.
* Convenient ending. Like seriously convenient. I did not appreciate it. The ending definitely could have been written better. I don't remember it much, but I think I was reading the climax and then... something bland happened... and it was wrapped up in the next 5 pages or something, with me going HELL NO THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN. I don't know, it was probably just me, but the ending really turned me off, that they all got off so easily, that it went so well for them. Some of you guys may like it, but it kinda ruined my experience for me...
All in all, it was a great, awesome read. The positives definitely outshone the negatives, so despite all my complaints, it was still highly enjoyable. The plotline was engaging, the narrative and writing were compelling, and the twists and turns were frigging awesomesauce. Come April 9, you MUST get this book at the bookstores near you!
March 15, 2013
STRANGELETS is one of the weirdest books I've ever read. The whole book is so out there. It's hard to really compare it to anything. The one thing I can think of is SILENT HILL (the video game with these: ) and even that isn't really close to STRANGELETS.
Since this book is easily spoiled, I cannot really say much about the story or the characters. Unless, of course, you are willing to read through mild to major spoilers for the book and no one likes that.
The lowest part of STRANGELETS is most definitely the beginning and by beginning I mean the first 25% of the book. The first 25% is confusing to the point where the reader might start to loose interest rapidly. The flipping of POVs was annoying and the book introduced to many characters at once.
These problems are solved after 25% but the problem is many readers won't want to read a fourth of a book just to reach the good parts. It's almost as crazy as watching a season of something you hate just because someone tells you the next season is awesome.
not that I've done that...
because I haven't....
really...
Thankfully, most of the problems were solved and the book read much faster and was more enjoyable than before. The original problem of flipping POVs, while still present throughout the book, faded and became overlook-able.
A big downside to the story is the romance between two of the main characters. It was so... pointless. I don't even see the reason for it in the story. It was not only emotionless and lame, it was extremely insta. The whole book takes place in around five days and in that time the two characters manage to fall in love.
Characters
My biggest problem with the characters was their ages. Sophie, Declan, and Anat are all seventeen though they don't read like a seventeen year old. They felt more fourteen/fifteen than seventeen really. The ways they talked and thought were more of a young teen than a seventeen year old.
Sophie was the Mary Sue of the bunch. She was “absolutely perfect in every way” (go get yourself a gold star if you know where this is from). I was really bored with her attitude and overall personality. She could have used a shot of uniqueness to her. I was very indifferent to her.
Declan was pretty much the male version Sophie, except he had more of a personality. He wasn't bad either as none of the characters are really bad ones, just a lot of touching up and fixing up.
Anat was the best of the seven or so characters. She could also have used some character development but I did like her character. She was pretty badass. That was really her main character trait but I still liked it in the way that you can like a badass - but otherwise personality-less - character in an action movie.
Yosh. Haha Yosh. She's a pretty bland character. She does get spiced up but I felt like the big twist about her character was a bit forced and random. It felt like one of those twists about a character that is only there because a) the author needed a twist and b) the author didn't know which character to use her/his amazing twist on.
The other minor characters weren't very developed either. They had names without a personality - or even a tiny hint of a personality. They were mainly used to progress the plot and that was that.
Plot and Writing
Plot
The plot has to be one of the best parts of the book. If there is one think I cannot ever say about STRANGELETS is that it isn't unique because it's definitely not lacking in imagination.
STRANGELETS's main story is very strange yet I say that in a most loving way. As a lover of all things crazy, it's practically a must that I like this - which I do. I don't know if everyone will love this crazy, messed up story but I certainly do.
I can't really say anything much about the story because practically anything I say will ruin it and no, I'm not overreacting. I really might ruin it for you. STRANGELETS is very much a book that needs a vague review.
All I can really do in the plot section is repeat unique (and other synonyms for it) over and over again which gets boring really fast so I'll just skip ahead to the next mini section.
Writing
The word that first comes into my mind when I think about the writing for this book is vivid. The descriptions were pretty nice. I loved all the descriptions of these (minor spoiler ahead) .
Another awesome thing about the writing is the tension. STRANGELETS is one of those books where you feel this almost ominous feeling about what will happen. While the book missed the scary part for me, it was very tense. The atmosphere was perfectly done to add this little feeling in your gut throughout the book.
Likes and Dislikes
Likes
- writing
- plot
- setting
Dislikes
- characters
Conclusion
STRANGELETS is a must read. It's not perfect but it's pretty good. I don't think everyone will love this book but it's hard to hate it.
Since this book is easily spoiled, I cannot really say much about the story or the characters. Unless, of course, you are willing to read through mild to major spoilers for the book and no one likes that.
The lowest part of STRANGELETS is most definitely the beginning and by beginning I mean the first 25% of the book. The first 25% is confusing to the point where the reader might start to loose interest rapidly. The flipping of POVs was annoying and the book introduced to many characters at once.
These problems are solved after 25% but the problem is many readers won't want to read a fourth of a book just to reach the good parts. It's almost as crazy as watching a season of something you hate just because someone tells you the next season is awesome.
not that I've done that...
because I haven't....
really...
Thankfully, most of the problems were solved and the book read much faster and was more enjoyable than before. The original problem of flipping POVs, while still present throughout the book, faded and became overlook-able.
A big downside to the story is the romance between two of the main characters. It was so... pointless. I don't even see the reason for it in the story. It was not only emotionless and lame, it was extremely insta. The whole book takes place in around five days and in that time the two characters manage to fall in love.
Characters
My biggest problem with the characters was their ages. Sophie, Declan, and Anat are all seventeen though they don't read like a seventeen year old. They felt more fourteen/fifteen than seventeen really. The ways they talked and thought were more of a young teen than a seventeen year old.
Sophie was the Mary Sue of the bunch. She was “absolutely perfect in every way” (go get yourself a gold star if you know where this is from). I was really bored with her attitude and overall personality. She could have used a shot of uniqueness to her. I was very indifferent to her.
Declan was pretty much the male version Sophie, except he had more of a personality. He wasn't bad either as none of the characters are really bad ones, just a lot of touching up and fixing up.
Anat was the best of the seven or so characters. She could also have used some character development but I did like her character. She was pretty badass. That was really her main character trait but I still liked it in the way that you can like a badass - but otherwise personality-less - character in an action movie.
Yosh. Haha Yosh. She's a pretty bland character. She does get spiced up but I felt like the big twist about her character was a bit forced and random. It felt like one of those twists about a character that is only there because a) the author needed a twist and b) the author didn't know which character to use her/his amazing twist on.
The other minor characters weren't very developed either. They had names without a personality - or even a tiny hint of a personality. They were mainly used to progress the plot and that was that.
Plot and Writing
Plot
The plot has to be one of the best parts of the book. If there is one think I cannot ever say about STRANGELETS is that it isn't unique because it's definitely not lacking in imagination.
STRANGELETS's main story is very strange yet I say that in a most loving way. As a lover of all things crazy, it's practically a must that I like this - which I do. I don't know if everyone will love this crazy, messed up story but I certainly do.
I can't really say anything much about the story because practically anything I say will ruin it and no, I'm not overreacting. I really might ruin it for you. STRANGELETS is very much a book that needs a vague review.
All I can really do in the plot section is repeat unique (and other synonyms for it) over and over again which gets boring really fast so I'll just skip ahead to the next mini section.
Writing
The word that first comes into my mind when I think about the writing for this book is vivid. The descriptions were pretty nice. I loved all the descriptions of these (minor spoiler ahead) .
Another awesome thing about the writing is the tension. STRANGELETS is one of those books where you feel this almost ominous feeling about what will happen. While the book missed the scary part for me, it was very tense. The atmosphere was perfectly done to add this little feeling in your gut throughout the book.
Likes and Dislikes
Likes
- writing
- plot
- setting
Dislikes
- characters
Conclusion
STRANGELETS is a must read. It's not perfect but it's pretty good. I don't think everyone will love this book but it's hard to hate it.
March 22, 2013
I was super excited to read Strangelets, but unfortunately this book was a big disappointment. To me the plot was unique, but not planned out very well. The switching points of view were awful and distracting. The pacing was too slow. The characters were super annoying. The writing was dull. You get the idea. I just really didn't like this book.
When I first started the book, Sophie seemed brave and likable. Well, that got blown out of the water pretty quickly. She's a total Mary Sue and super whiny. I wanted to smack her for the majority of the story. Declan was a jerk, and I really couldn't stand him either. There was just nothing likable about him. He wasn't even one of those hot and tough, but somehow still lovable jerks... He was the kind of jerk that you wanted to kick in the face so he'd shut his jerky mouth. Anat was self-absorbed and dull. The secondary characters were all cookie-cutter and plain. Nothing stood out (in a good way) character-wise.
The plot was a big mess, in my opinion. The book moved so incredibly slowly at first, and barely sped up after the first 25-30%. The ending was pretty convenient and somewhat perfect. Annoying. Also, Gagnon's writing was so boring. Every sentence had about the same cadence, even. Even though there were three points of view, none of the characters voices really varied. Sure, Gagnon affected awful pseudo-Irish dialogue for Declan, but it wasn't believable. His sentences were still structured exactly like Sophie's and Anat's. Also, there was a stupid romance involving insta-love. Yuck.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, but that's just my opinion. I think that this book will have a very specific set of fans who enjoy a certain type of book that I just don't like. If you want to give it a try (some people like it), then check it out at the library first. Don't spend your money on it until you're sure this novel is for you.
When I first started the book, Sophie seemed brave and likable. Well, that got blown out of the water pretty quickly. She's a total Mary Sue and super whiny. I wanted to smack her for the majority of the story. Declan was a jerk, and I really couldn't stand him either. There was just nothing likable about him. He wasn't even one of those hot and tough, but somehow still lovable jerks... He was the kind of jerk that you wanted to kick in the face so he'd shut his jerky mouth. Anat was self-absorbed and dull. The secondary characters were all cookie-cutter and plain. Nothing stood out (in a good way) character-wise.
The plot was a big mess, in my opinion. The book moved so incredibly slowly at first, and barely sped up after the first 25-30%. The ending was pretty convenient and somewhat perfect. Annoying. Also, Gagnon's writing was so boring. Every sentence had about the same cadence, even. Even though there were three points of view, none of the characters voices really varied. Sure, Gagnon affected awful pseudo-Irish dialogue for Declan, but it wasn't believable. His sentences were still structured exactly like Sophie's and Anat's. Also, there was a stupid romance involving insta-love. Yuck.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, but that's just my opinion. I think that this book will have a very specific set of fans who enjoy a certain type of book that I just don't like. If you want to give it a try (some people like it), then check it out at the library first. Don't spend your money on it until you're sure this novel is for you.
April 14, 2013
Hey! What the….. Oh Em Gee!!! Slightly feeling mind freaked here!! Seriously Michelle Gagnon you EVIL MASTERMIND You!!
Im not sure what I was expecting when I began reading Strangelets.. What I got was a story in full swing.. 3 different teenagers in 3 different parts of the world die at the exact same moment or do they? Well friggen purchase the book because I am telling you.. YOU want to but this book..
Sophie’s waiting to die of cancer the doctors have told her only a miracle can save her.. Laying in bed she wonders what death will be like..
Declan just wanted to buy his girlfriend a necklace when he takes a job lifting a box from an empty house.. Only it wasnt empty..
Anat just wanted to be free to love her boyfriend.. They are from different rival countries and something happened along the way..
They wake up alone in a hospital setting each in their own room.. They discover each other plus 3 more.. Nico is from Switzerland.. Zain from India.. and Yosh from Japan..
I felt as soon as the book started I was in for an amazingly wild ride.. Of course I was correct.. I was truly upset every time I had to put my book down to tend to life.. I was eager to get back to find out what the heck was going on I tried to figure it out.. BTW I was Soo WRONG! I really did try though I had one idea.. the wrong one.. And believe me it was a struggle I was completely perplexed! I swear ill never be a writer! Thats okay I never really wanted to be one.. I wanted to be a librarian..
The story was definitely a great one mysterious and totally on the edge of your seat.. The characters felt real and likeable.. Okay well Anat was slightly annoying to me.. But I can understand where she is coming from.. I really liked Sophie myself the girl has some spunk!
Im not sure what I was expecting when I began reading Strangelets.. What I got was a story in full swing.. 3 different teenagers in 3 different parts of the world die at the exact same moment or do they? Well friggen purchase the book because I am telling you.. YOU want to but this book..
Sophie’s waiting to die of cancer the doctors have told her only a miracle can save her.. Laying in bed she wonders what death will be like..
Declan just wanted to buy his girlfriend a necklace when he takes a job lifting a box from an empty house.. Only it wasnt empty..
Anat just wanted to be free to love her boyfriend.. They are from different rival countries and something happened along the way..
They wake up alone in a hospital setting each in their own room.. They discover each other plus 3 more.. Nico is from Switzerland.. Zain from India.. and Yosh from Japan..
I felt as soon as the book started I was in for an amazingly wild ride.. Of course I was correct.. I was truly upset every time I had to put my book down to tend to life.. I was eager to get back to find out what the heck was going on I tried to figure it out.. BTW I was Soo WRONG! I really did try though I had one idea.. the wrong one.. And believe me it was a struggle I was completely perplexed! I swear ill never be a writer! Thats okay I never really wanted to be one.. I wanted to be a librarian..
The story was definitely a great one mysterious and totally on the edge of your seat.. The characters felt real and likeable.. Okay well Anat was slightly annoying to me.. But I can understand where she is coming from.. I really liked Sophie myself the girl has some spunk!
April 21, 2013
I was immediately drawn to this book in the store because of its creepy cover and strange title. After checking out a few positive reviews here on goodreads (Thanks Nenia!) I decided to give it a try. Holy crap was this book one wild ride! It started off interesting and never got dull even for a moment. I had a hard time putting it down, which is why I finished it in less than a day.
Declan, Sophie, and Anat are three teenagers who are moments away from death when they are sucked through a strange portal and all find themselves in a strange infirmary with three other teenagers. Where are they? What are they doing here? Why are they here? And where is everyone else? These are just a few of the questions surging through their minds as they find to puzzle out what has happened to them.
I loved this book, I really did. I really like stories with strange scenarios such as this and it kept me guessing even until the very end. I really liked Declan and Sophie, and even though Anat was kind of a bitch,I was rooting for her too. The story was fast paced but not too fast to be enjoyable and the writing style was great, espescially the dialogue. The only problem I had was that I didn't want it to end! *laughs* There were still a few unanswered questions that I have, so I hope there will be a sequel or follow up book somewhere down the road. All in all, this was an intense, exciting book!
Declan, Sophie, and Anat are three teenagers who are moments away from death when they are sucked through a strange portal and all find themselves in a strange infirmary with three other teenagers. Where are they? What are they doing here? Why are they here? And where is everyone else? These are just a few of the questions surging through their minds as they find to puzzle out what has happened to them.
I loved this book, I really did. I really like stories with strange scenarios such as this and it kept me guessing even until the very end. I really liked Declan and Sophie, and even though Anat was kind of a bitch,I was rooting for her too. The story was fast paced but not too fast to be enjoyable and the writing style was great, espescially the dialogue. The only problem I had was that I didn't want it to end! *laughs* There were still a few unanswered questions that I have, so I hope there will be a sequel or follow up book somewhere down the road. All in all, this was an intense, exciting book!
March 6, 2013
2.5 stars.
Interesting premise that started strong, but eventually petered out with flimsy explanations that did not suspend disbelief in the slightest, and romantic moments that felt forced and out of place amid the life-or-death setting.
Interesting premise that started strong, but eventually petered out with flimsy explanations that did not suspend disbelief in the slightest, and romantic moments that felt forced and out of place amid the life-or-death setting.
October 19, 2018
When I see an intriguing book synopsis, I make an effort to eventually read the book whether or not the author is familiar to me. That's how I came to read Strangelets, whose book jacket blurb reminded me of Patrick Ness's More Than This, one of the best novels I've ever read. A group of teenagers from around the world, similar only in that they were all about to die, awaken in an abandoned clinic, locked inside with no escape route. Sophie Page from Palo Alto, California had been in the final throes of death from lymphoma; Declan Murphy, a runner of illegal goods in Galway, Ireland, was about to be shot by a Russian thug; Anat Erez, an Israeli military trainee, had been sneaking through an underground tunnel when an earthquake hit. They and a few other adolescents—Zain (from New Delhi, India), Nico Bruder (Switzerland), and Yosh Mori (Kyoto, Japan)—work to free themselves from the clinic, but accomplishing that is only the start of their problems.
Nico's father is a scientist living in New York, and Nico recognizes the area outside the clinic as being near where his father works. However, it's nothing like the New York any of them remember. Deserted cars line the streets, and the blacktop is broken and weed-choked as though the city had been uninhabited for years. The silence is unsettling, but things worsen when a bizarre new animal breed begins stalking the group of teens, a dangerous creature they have no idea how to defend against. It's up these discombobulated kids to learn why the world has transformed, and whether there's any changing it back to what it was. What's the secret behind the events of the past few hours? The answer is out there, but it may be more shocking and awful than Sophie or her companions can accept.
There's a lot of promise in the story idea, but I can't say Strangelets fulfills that promise. Perhaps there are too many coincidences and unexplained elements, which is a shame because the essential concept could be turned into a spectacular novel. Simply having come up with the idea for Strangelets is sufficient reason to believe in Michelle Gagnon as a storyteller and be willing to read her again. I also appreciate the allusion on page one hundred thirty to the 2003 horror movie Jeepers Creepers 2, though I liked the first movie better. Because Strangelets has a decent finish, I might rate it one and a half stars, and I'm glad I gave it a try. You never know when you'll stumble onto a new author you love.
Nico's father is a scientist living in New York, and Nico recognizes the area outside the clinic as being near where his father works. However, it's nothing like the New York any of them remember. Deserted cars line the streets, and the blacktop is broken and weed-choked as though the city had been uninhabited for years. The silence is unsettling, but things worsen when a bizarre new animal breed begins stalking the group of teens, a dangerous creature they have no idea how to defend against. It's up these discombobulated kids to learn why the world has transformed, and whether there's any changing it back to what it was. What's the secret behind the events of the past few hours? The answer is out there, but it may be more shocking and awful than Sophie or her companions can accept.
There's a lot of promise in the story idea, but I can't say Strangelets fulfills that promise. Perhaps there are too many coincidences and unexplained elements, which is a shame because the essential concept could be turned into a spectacular novel. Simply having come up with the idea for Strangelets is sufficient reason to believe in Michelle Gagnon as a storyteller and be willing to read her again. I also appreciate the allusion on page one hundred thirty to the 2003 horror movie Jeepers Creepers 2, though I liked the first movie better. Because Strangelets has a decent finish, I might rate it one and a half stars, and I'm glad I gave it a try. You never know when you'll stumble onto a new author you love.
March 14, 2019
Strangelets
Michelle Gagnon
Personal Response:
Strangelets was a different type of book than what I usually read. It was an action packed mystery, but it was also a horror novel. I will admit that there were times when I thought the author could have changed some things to make it more of an easy read, but there was definitely a lot going on. It was written in third person with more than one person having a bigger impact on the perspective. I thought Strangelets was a really good change from what I usually read, and it had a respectable ending as well.
Plot:
Sophie, Anat, Yosh, Zain, Declan, and Nico all woke up in hospital rooms after their near encounters with death. When all six were together they worked on a plan to escape. Sending the smallest two through the vents Yosh returned alone, but the others assumed he had just run off on his own. Out in the open, the characters searched for any other living being only to get chased back inside by a bear and something bigger and more fierce. The following morning they went out to search for food and better shelter, but it wasn’t until they split up that they found out the truth behind the thrinaxes and Yosh. Yosh was born in that universe and grew up with the thrinaxes and other creatures; Nico’s father had pulled everyone together in hopes of just saving his son’s life, but all those near death and teenage aged ended up being pulled with. Good news being that only one of the six died, and Sophie got the machine to work saving the other five’s lives. Upon their return home, the characters made a few adjustments to their lives and continued on from there.
Characterization:
Yosh’s species was unknown besides the fact that her people had time traveled twenty years prior into the diluted universe then the other five had. She came there with the thrinaxes and a few other species, and she read a lot about the ways of humans. Yosh pretended to come at the same time as the other five, but she merely wanted to find out what they knew and use them. Threatening their lives seemed easy enough for Yosh to do as she could control the thrinaxes through mind. All Yosh wanted was to get to a new universe where there would be enough food for the thrinaxes to live off of.
Sophie was on her deathbed and she accepted that; however, she never got to leave the hospital. Some of the others thought she was faking her illness, but she was really slow and weak. Sophie changes the most throughout Strangelets though. Over the length of the book, Sophie regained a lot of her strength and overcame her sickness. She became more determined instead of staying afraid of everything. Sophie was the reason everyone returned back to their lives on Earth, keeping in touch with one another. She also overcame her cancer.
Setting:
Strangelets took place in the year 2033 in Long Island Uptown, New York. This played a big part in the book due to the characters being transported twenty years in the future and the damage of the world itself. Most people living before had disappeared or been killed; new creatures were created and dominating the food chain. The ground itself was covered in long grass, vines, and new forests throughout rundown towns.
Thematic Connection:
A theme in Strangelets is appearance versus reality. An example of this is dealing with Yosh. Yosh pretends to be one of the other characters who came to the new universe through a black hole- strangelet. Yosh plays the role of an innocent Japanese girl who knows nothing about the other characters or the monsters that were chasing them. Yosh is quiet until she needs something from the others, revealing the truth that she is able to communicate with the beasts. When the other characters find out Yosh’s true identity they quickly lose trust in her and fear her.
Recommendation:
I recommend Strangelets to the age group teen to young adult. This book would be better suited for male readers as there is a lot of science issues and fighting, but it could be for females as well because there is also romance. Strangelets is a science-fiction novel that is based on the future.
Michelle Gagnon
Personal Response:
Strangelets was a different type of book than what I usually read. It was an action packed mystery, but it was also a horror novel. I will admit that there were times when I thought the author could have changed some things to make it more of an easy read, but there was definitely a lot going on. It was written in third person with more than one person having a bigger impact on the perspective. I thought Strangelets was a really good change from what I usually read, and it had a respectable ending as well.
Plot:
Sophie, Anat, Yosh, Zain, Declan, and Nico all woke up in hospital rooms after their near encounters with death. When all six were together they worked on a plan to escape. Sending the smallest two through the vents Yosh returned alone, but the others assumed he had just run off on his own. Out in the open, the characters searched for any other living being only to get chased back inside by a bear and something bigger and more fierce. The following morning they went out to search for food and better shelter, but it wasn’t until they split up that they found out the truth behind the thrinaxes and Yosh. Yosh was born in that universe and grew up with the thrinaxes and other creatures; Nico’s father had pulled everyone together in hopes of just saving his son’s life, but all those near death and teenage aged ended up being pulled with. Good news being that only one of the six died, and Sophie got the machine to work saving the other five’s lives. Upon their return home, the characters made a few adjustments to their lives and continued on from there.
Characterization:
Yosh’s species was unknown besides the fact that her people had time traveled twenty years prior into the diluted universe then the other five had. She came there with the thrinaxes and a few other species, and she read a lot about the ways of humans. Yosh pretended to come at the same time as the other five, but she merely wanted to find out what they knew and use them. Threatening their lives seemed easy enough for Yosh to do as she could control the thrinaxes through mind. All Yosh wanted was to get to a new universe where there would be enough food for the thrinaxes to live off of.
Sophie was on her deathbed and she accepted that; however, she never got to leave the hospital. Some of the others thought she was faking her illness, but she was really slow and weak. Sophie changes the most throughout Strangelets though. Over the length of the book, Sophie regained a lot of her strength and overcame her sickness. She became more determined instead of staying afraid of everything. Sophie was the reason everyone returned back to their lives on Earth, keeping in touch with one another. She also overcame her cancer.
Setting:
Strangelets took place in the year 2033 in Long Island Uptown, New York. This played a big part in the book due to the characters being transported twenty years in the future and the damage of the world itself. Most people living before had disappeared or been killed; new creatures were created and dominating the food chain. The ground itself was covered in long grass, vines, and new forests throughout rundown towns.
Thematic Connection:
A theme in Strangelets is appearance versus reality. An example of this is dealing with Yosh. Yosh pretends to be one of the other characters who came to the new universe through a black hole- strangelet. Yosh plays the role of an innocent Japanese girl who knows nothing about the other characters or the monsters that were chasing them. Yosh is quiet until she needs something from the others, revealing the truth that she is able to communicate with the beasts. When the other characters find out Yosh’s true identity they quickly lose trust in her and fear her.
Recommendation:
I recommend Strangelets to the age group teen to young adult. This book would be better suited for male readers as there is a lot of science issues and fighting, but it could be for females as well because there is also romance. Strangelets is a science-fiction novel that is based on the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2013
4.5 Stars!! Click here to see the full blog post
Sophie, Declan, and Anat don’t know each other, but they are about to. They all mysteriously disappear and end up in the same place. What’s even weirder is that there are other kids there when they wake up- Zain, Nico, and Yosh. They all have to rely on each other if they want to survive. Problem is they have no idea where to go and what happened to everyone else. Also, there appears to be no one else around to help. The place is deserted. Sophie, Declan, and Anat know something is going on, but they can’t really act on it. When strange things begin to happen, they try to get the hell out of dodge. What they should have done was stay put. It seems someone isn’t who they seem. Someone knows what’s really going and what the creatures are, that are chasing them.
Is this all a dream or is this all really happening? It’s survival of the fittest in this new novel.
This is the strangest book that I’ve ever read...but I happen to like strange. :D This book had me intrigued from the beginning. I was like: where are they and what’s really going on? I love a book that keeps you guessing. I think that the different point of views also helped. If there weren’t different point of views, you would be confused and wouldn’t know what was going on. They each had their own personalities and they came from different parts of the world. I found that fascinating. I didn’t really know what to expect from this book. I just went with the flow and enjoyed it. There were twists and turns everywhere that had you questioning everything you thought you knew. I think the ending was nicely done, but it does leave a few unanswered questions. It makes me wonder if there is going to be another one. Probably not.. but I just had to put that out there.
Sophie- She is terminally ill; she has lymphoma and only has months to live. She has accepted her fate and is ready to die. When she sees a ball of light, she thinks it’s her time to go. When she wakes up in a hospital again, she seems to take it well. That is until she realizes there is no one to take care of her. She is weak when the book starts out and becomes stronger as the book progresses. She may be the girl that slows everyone down, but she becomes a major player.
Declan- He is a thief and can pick just about any lock. He was on a job to steal something and was about to get shot when he sees a ball of light as well. Declan is the comic relief. I was laughing at most of what he said and my favorite quote is probably going to be from him. He is strong when he needs to be and also supportive. Oh, and did I mention he is from Ireland? No.. well he is and the accent.. SWOON….I couldn’t resist him.
Anat- When we meet her, she is running away to be with her forbidden love….you can guess what happens :D She was going to be in a war and she is one tough cookie. She needs help from no one and she lets you know that up front. She just wants to get back to her home and she doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. I don’t think they would have survived without her. She was pretty awesome; she just had a bad attitude.
Overall I loved the strangeness of this book. It took me into another place and time.
Favorite quotes:
Quote #1 from Sophie
She’d rarely seen two people take such an instant and extreme dislike to each other. Sophie got the feeling that if they weren’t arguing about this, it would be something else, like whether or not aliens existed or if veal should be illegal.
Quote #2 from Declan
“Of course. At your service, “Declan snapped. “Please note the emergency exits to the front and the rear, and know that in the event of a water landing, your seat won’t be a damn bit of use to you. Oh and if you feel the need to pray, make sure it’s to science, and not God, because apparently he doesn’t give a whit about you.”
“Enough already,” Nico groaned
“Fasten your seatbelts, trays in the upright position, and thanks for flying Murphy air!”
Sophie, Declan, and Anat don’t know each other, but they are about to. They all mysteriously disappear and end up in the same place. What’s even weirder is that there are other kids there when they wake up- Zain, Nico, and Yosh. They all have to rely on each other if they want to survive. Problem is they have no idea where to go and what happened to everyone else. Also, there appears to be no one else around to help. The place is deserted. Sophie, Declan, and Anat know something is going on, but they can’t really act on it. When strange things begin to happen, they try to get the hell out of dodge. What they should have done was stay put. It seems someone isn’t who they seem. Someone knows what’s really going and what the creatures are, that are chasing them.
Is this all a dream or is this all really happening? It’s survival of the fittest in this new novel.
This is the strangest book that I’ve ever read...but I happen to like strange. :D This book had me intrigued from the beginning. I was like: where are they and what’s really going on? I love a book that keeps you guessing. I think that the different point of views also helped. If there weren’t different point of views, you would be confused and wouldn’t know what was going on. They each had their own personalities and they came from different parts of the world. I found that fascinating. I didn’t really know what to expect from this book. I just went with the flow and enjoyed it. There were twists and turns everywhere that had you questioning everything you thought you knew. I think the ending was nicely done, but it does leave a few unanswered questions. It makes me wonder if there is going to be another one. Probably not.. but I just had to put that out there.
Sophie- She is terminally ill; she has lymphoma and only has months to live. She has accepted her fate and is ready to die. When she sees a ball of light, she thinks it’s her time to go. When she wakes up in a hospital again, she seems to take it well. That is until she realizes there is no one to take care of her. She is weak when the book starts out and becomes stronger as the book progresses. She may be the girl that slows everyone down, but she becomes a major player.
Declan- He is a thief and can pick just about any lock. He was on a job to steal something and was about to get shot when he sees a ball of light as well. Declan is the comic relief. I was laughing at most of what he said and my favorite quote is probably going to be from him. He is strong when he needs to be and also supportive. Oh, and did I mention he is from Ireland? No.. well he is and the accent.. SWOON….I couldn’t resist him.
Anat- When we meet her, she is running away to be with her forbidden love….you can guess what happens :D She was going to be in a war and she is one tough cookie. She needs help from no one and she lets you know that up front. She just wants to get back to her home and she doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. I don’t think they would have survived without her. She was pretty awesome; she just had a bad attitude.
Overall I loved the strangeness of this book. It took me into another place and time.
Favorite quotes:
Quote #1 from Sophie
She’d rarely seen two people take such an instant and extreme dislike to each other. Sophie got the feeling that if they weren’t arguing about this, it would be something else, like whether or not aliens existed or if veal should be illegal.
Quote #2 from Declan
“Of course. At your service, “Declan snapped. “Please note the emergency exits to the front and the rear, and know that in the event of a water landing, your seat won’t be a damn bit of use to you. Oh and if you feel the need to pray, make sure it’s to science, and not God, because apparently he doesn’t give a whit about you.”
“Enough already,” Nico groaned
“Fasten your seatbelts, trays in the upright position, and thanks for flying Murphy air!”
July 9, 2013
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Thank you to Soho Teen for providing me with a review copy, in exchange for a honest review.
Strangelets is actually the 2nd book that I've read by Michelle Gagnon. The first being "Don't Turn Around", now I'm not entirely sure if Gagnon's books are for me. Strangelets is a highly unusual book that I have trouble categorizing because it's a blend of so many different genres. Strangelets has a great premise, but ultimately it isn't executed well at all and is somewhat of a literary mess.
Based on the description, you would think Strangelets is some sort of thriller/mystery, but it is far from it. The beginning of Strangelets definitely has the characteristics of a thriller, but as the novel goes on, this book became pretty convoluted. Parts of the book were sci-fi, while other parts were reminiscent of a thriller, but it didn't really work well for this book. It felt as if the author couldn't make up her mind about what genre she wanted to write a book in. That being said, Strangelets isn't a bad novel, but the mesh of different genres didn't work so well.
The beginning of Strangelets was actually extremely intriguing and was a pretty promising start to this book. All of the characters were pretty distinct in the beginning and it was interesting how diverse their backgrounds were. As the novel went on, I really started to lose interest in the characters because I really had no clue as to what was going on. The whole novel had this "mysterious" Maze Runner vibe, but here the vibe doesn't work too well. It takes well too long for the reader to find out what in the world is happening and by that point I truly no longer cared. The author's explanations were pretty shaky, not to mention that they were complete nonsensical info-dumps. I think it would have worked better for me if Gagnon slowly, gradually gave the reader some indication as to what was going on.
There is a little bit of romance in Strangelets and it is executed far better than the main plot. The romance may not have been entirely necessary, but it was definitely Gagnon's strong suit while writing this novel. I definitely would have liked a bit more development with the romance, but it was definitely done pretty well.
I kept reading Strangelets, truly because of the strong beginning and a hope that it would end strong. I thought that maybe that the ending would be spectacular because of the big lead up that seemed was inevitable. The ending of the book was so unsatisfactory and was definitely pretty lame in my opinion. The conclusion felt a bit out of place and was an extremely odd plot point to include in this book. The ending was an extreme let down and really, really disappointed me.
Strangelets was truly a let down and was extremely disappointing. A lot of the book's plot points felt a bit incongruous and so utterly unsuitable. This book definitely had a ton of promise, if it was executed properly. I think I'll give Gagnon another chance because both of her books had excellent promise and premises. Some readers will enjoy this strange novel, but I have a feeling that most will feel disappointed.
Thank you to Soho Teen for providing me with a review copy, in exchange for a honest review.
Strangelets is actually the 2nd book that I've read by Michelle Gagnon. The first being "Don't Turn Around", now I'm not entirely sure if Gagnon's books are for me. Strangelets is a highly unusual book that I have trouble categorizing because it's a blend of so many different genres. Strangelets has a great premise, but ultimately it isn't executed well at all and is somewhat of a literary mess.
Based on the description, you would think Strangelets is some sort of thriller/mystery, but it is far from it. The beginning of Strangelets definitely has the characteristics of a thriller, but as the novel goes on, this book became pretty convoluted. Parts of the book were sci-fi, while other parts were reminiscent of a thriller, but it didn't really work well for this book. It felt as if the author couldn't make up her mind about what genre she wanted to write a book in. That being said, Strangelets isn't a bad novel, but the mesh of different genres didn't work so well.
The beginning of Strangelets was actually extremely intriguing and was a pretty promising start to this book. All of the characters were pretty distinct in the beginning and it was interesting how diverse their backgrounds were. As the novel went on, I really started to lose interest in the characters because I really had no clue as to what was going on. The whole novel had this "mysterious" Maze Runner vibe, but here the vibe doesn't work too well. It takes well too long for the reader to find out what in the world is happening and by that point I truly no longer cared. The author's explanations were pretty shaky, not to mention that they were complete nonsensical info-dumps. I think it would have worked better for me if Gagnon slowly, gradually gave the reader some indication as to what was going on.
There is a little bit of romance in Strangelets and it is executed far better than the main plot. The romance may not have been entirely necessary, but it was definitely Gagnon's strong suit while writing this novel. I definitely would have liked a bit more development with the romance, but it was definitely done pretty well.
I kept reading Strangelets, truly because of the strong beginning and a hope that it would end strong. I thought that maybe that the ending would be spectacular because of the big lead up that seemed was inevitable. The ending of the book was so unsatisfactory and was definitely pretty lame in my opinion. The conclusion felt a bit out of place and was an extremely odd plot point to include in this book. The ending was an extreme let down and really, really disappointed me.
Strangelets was truly a let down and was extremely disappointing. A lot of the book's plot points felt a bit incongruous and so utterly unsuitable. This book definitely had a ton of promise, if it was executed properly. I think I'll give Gagnon another chance because both of her books had excellent promise and premises. Some readers will enjoy this strange novel, but I have a feeling that most will feel disappointed.
April 8, 2013
Strangelets was a strange and fascinating read. I had no idea what to expect from the book and enjoyed following the characters as they found themselves in a strange hosptal.
What I liked most about the story is that I didn’t know the direction it was going. I understood that all of the characters were on the verge of death before they woke up in the strange hospital, but I didn’t know what it all meant. Lots of theories were tossed around by the characters and myself and honestly, all of them were plausible. Could they all be in some sort of purgatory or hell? Were they alive, dead, or somewhere in between? Where were they, what did they all have in common? Was this some sort of lesson? Or was it actually happening? WHAT was going on?!
Then, things around them started to get weird. There was no one in the hospital except other teenagers who were equally confused as to why they were there. No staff, no visitors, and no exit. As the story progressed, the world outside started to resemble a post apocalyptic world, but it didn’t make sense because not that much time had passed. There was all this overgrowth, dusty houses, rusted cars, no food, and ferocious animals, but only a day had passed. Or did it? Not all of the characters could agree on what day it was. I started to care about the characters as well. While some of them were harder to relate to, like Anat, I started to understand their motives and feelings. Declan and Sophie were my favorites and their connection was an enjoyable side note. But all of the characters had their own stories and secrets and had to work together to figure out what was going on.
Strangelets was such a fascinating read because I was on the edge of my seat, turning the pages eagerly to find out what would happen next and waiting for the mystery to unravel. And when it did, I was really impressed with the direction it took. Strangelets had characters I started to care about and an adventure and mystery that captured all of my attention. I highly recommend it and I also enjoyed the fact that it doesn’t appear to be a part of a series, but a stand alone novel. It gets harder everyday to find a good YA non contemporary novel that isn’t part of a series, so I find that to be a major plus. A definite must read for fans of science fiction, thrillers, mystery, horror, and post apocalyptic YA novels with a touch of romance.
Review from Love, Literature, Art, and Reason book review blog: http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2013/04...
What I liked most about the story is that I didn’t know the direction it was going. I understood that all of the characters were on the verge of death before they woke up in the strange hospital, but I didn’t know what it all meant. Lots of theories were tossed around by the characters and myself and honestly, all of them were plausible. Could they all be in some sort of purgatory or hell? Were they alive, dead, or somewhere in between? Where were they, what did they all have in common? Was this some sort of lesson? Or was it actually happening? WHAT was going on?!
Then, things around them started to get weird. There was no one in the hospital except other teenagers who were equally confused as to why they were there. No staff, no visitors, and no exit. As the story progressed, the world outside started to resemble a post apocalyptic world, but it didn’t make sense because not that much time had passed. There was all this overgrowth, dusty houses, rusted cars, no food, and ferocious animals, but only a day had passed. Or did it? Not all of the characters could agree on what day it was. I started to care about the characters as well. While some of them were harder to relate to, like Anat, I started to understand their motives and feelings. Declan and Sophie were my favorites and their connection was an enjoyable side note. But all of the characters had their own stories and secrets and had to work together to figure out what was going on.
Strangelets was such a fascinating read because I was on the edge of my seat, turning the pages eagerly to find out what would happen next and waiting for the mystery to unravel. And when it did, I was really impressed with the direction it took. Strangelets had characters I started to care about and an adventure and mystery that captured all of my attention. I highly recommend it and I also enjoyed the fact that it doesn’t appear to be a part of a series, but a stand alone novel. It gets harder everyday to find a good YA non contemporary novel that isn’t part of a series, so I find that to be a major plus. A definite must read for fans of science fiction, thrillers, mystery, horror, and post apocalyptic YA novels with a touch of romance.
Review from Love, Literature, Art, and Reason book review blog: http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2013/04...
March 13, 2013
This is a review that I’ve sat and tried to figure out how not to spoil the book with too many details. I am a sucker for the books that kinda mess with your mind, and well, this one kinda does that. I will do my best to not spoil anything, because it seems to be easy to do that with this one.
The three main characters were all interesting in their own ways. Some good and some bad. Sophie has been sick for a long time, and had come to grips with the fact that she was going to die. Declan on the other hand was not expecting to die at all, and didn’t want to accept that he really had. Anat, well, she was bossy and moody. But why wouldn’t she be, she had been on her way to her fiance and then wakes up here. She’s a little angry. They were perfect kids at all, and that made them more realistic.
The premise was something that caught my attention. Three teen, all the same age, dying at the same exact time. The world building was slow at the beginning, and did take some time to get going. Once they make it out of the building they woke up in, they aren’t expecting what they find. They have no idea where they really are. They all have to work together to figure out what is going on, and they don’t exactly get along so there is banter between them. There were some eerie things going on, and it is like that from the beginning, and as the mystery unfolds the pieces start to fall into place. It was all a little strange, but I still wanted to know how they ending up where they had and how. Once the big reveal of the how and why, everything took off and the ending came so fast, it just felt rushed. But overall, it answered all the questions and still was a pretty good ending.
Strangelets was an interesting read for sure. The quantum physics aspect of this was what I found really fascinating and the whole parallel world was as well. Full of suspense, betrayal and super creepy happenings, it made for a fast read. Fans of thrillers, and science fiction will enjoy this one.
The three main characters were all interesting in their own ways. Some good and some bad. Sophie has been sick for a long time, and had come to grips with the fact that she was going to die. Declan on the other hand was not expecting to die at all, and didn’t want to accept that he really had. Anat, well, she was bossy and moody. But why wouldn’t she be, she had been on her way to her fiance and then wakes up here. She’s a little angry. They were perfect kids at all, and that made them more realistic.
The premise was something that caught my attention. Three teen, all the same age, dying at the same exact time. The world building was slow at the beginning, and did take some time to get going. Once they make it out of the building they woke up in, they aren’t expecting what they find. They have no idea where they really are. They all have to work together to figure out what is going on, and they don’t exactly get along so there is banter between them. There were some eerie things going on, and it is like that from the beginning, and as the mystery unfolds the pieces start to fall into place. It was all a little strange, but I still wanted to know how they ending up where they had and how. Once the big reveal of the how and why, everything took off and the ending came so fast, it just felt rushed. But overall, it answered all the questions and still was a pretty good ending.
Strangelets was an interesting read for sure. The quantum physics aspect of this was what I found really fascinating and the whole parallel world was as well. Full of suspense, betrayal and super creepy happenings, it made for a fast read. Fans of thrillers, and science fiction will enjoy this one.
April 8, 2013
Strangelets is one of those (many) books where the concept is more interesting than the execution.
I'm not sure who told authors that every YA needs romance but they're badly mistaken. There is no need to add romance to a science-fiction/dystopian YA, especially not when it's poorly done. Most of this book takes place in less than a week. In that time, crushes start, relationships between complete strangers flourish and it all detracts from the plot. This isn't summer camp! I buy summer camp romances because everything is beautiful and magical at camp. I don't buy "Oh my goodness we're transported to this scary dystopian world...hey she's pretty cute," romances. Nope. Can't.
This book has a diverse ensemble cast. With a little more development they could've been really interesting. Instead we get more types (with potential) than people. Sophie the girl who was dying of cancer. Declan the badboy with a heart of gold. Rico the strong stubborn uncommunicative type. For me, the character with the most potential was Anat--the strong, tall, feisty girl from Israel. But none of these characters are given time to become anything more than a basic type which is disappointing.
However some people won't mind all that. It's a fun adventurous story. But as a reader I need more. I need characters that leap off the page and science that I actually believe. I don't want to see what inspired your book so transparently (the Large Hadron Collider, Lost, Israel-Palestine conflict). This book stays on the surface which is disappointing because I feel like the concept had the potential to do more.
For reviews and more visit my blog Galavanting Girl Books
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not sure who told authors that every YA needs romance but they're badly mistaken. There is no need to add romance to a science-fiction/dystopian YA, especially not when it's poorly done. Most of this book takes place in less than a week. In that time, crushes start, relationships between complete strangers flourish and it all detracts from the plot. This isn't summer camp! I buy summer camp romances because everything is beautiful and magical at camp. I don't buy "Oh my goodness we're transported to this scary dystopian world...hey she's pretty cute," romances. Nope. Can't.
This book has a diverse ensemble cast. With a little more development they could've been really interesting. Instead we get more types (with potential) than people. Sophie the girl who was dying of cancer. Declan the badboy with a heart of gold. Rico the strong stubborn uncommunicative type. For me, the character with the most potential was Anat--the strong, tall, feisty girl from Israel. But none of these characters are given time to become anything more than a basic type which is disappointing.
However some people won't mind all that. It's a fun adventurous story. But as a reader I need more. I need characters that leap off the page and science that I actually believe. I don't want to see what inspired your book so transparently (the Large Hadron Collider, Lost, Israel-Palestine conflict). This book stays on the surface which is disappointing because I feel like the concept had the potential to do more.
For reviews and more visit my blog Galavanting Girl Books
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2013
3.5 stars
You could definitely feel the suspense as Gagnon brought readers to her conclusion. The entire first half of the book, I was on the edge of my seat wondering where she would go with it. The characters were well drawn, and I have to admit that my favorite character was Anat. There aren't a lot of kick butt Israeli girls in YA fiction. I kept reading just on her character alone. She generally had the best ideas, and her instincts were spot on.
I felt that the big reveal of why this was happening was rushed. Here are these kids blindly walking around and then bam, pages of explanation. Also, if you have a character who knows more information than you know, wouldn't logic dictate that you interrogate said character until they tell everything they know? It grates on my nerves when movies or books don't have unknowing people pestering the ones with the answers.
A big shout out to The Big Bang Theory in helping me understand some of the explanations given. If not for Sheldon Cooper, then some of the premise of the book would not have made sense.
I hate to say this, but I kinda wish the author had taken another 40 pages or so to slow down the ending. There was this great lead up to the ending, and I felt cheated with the end result. I don't know if there is a sequel being planned, but it felt like this was it. I'm not really sure where another book could go, but I would have like to see a little more explanation and not such a speedy conclusion.
And, as always I must mention the language. It was not prevalent as in every other sentence, but it was noticeable. Declan was the biggest offender, and with his accent he turned the f bomb into fecking on several occasions.
You could definitely feel the suspense as Gagnon brought readers to her conclusion. The entire first half of the book, I was on the edge of my seat wondering where she would go with it. The characters were well drawn, and I have to admit that my favorite character was Anat. There aren't a lot of kick butt Israeli girls in YA fiction. I kept reading just on her character alone. She generally had the best ideas, and her instincts were spot on.
I felt that the big reveal of why this was happening was rushed. Here are these kids blindly walking around and then bam, pages of explanation. Also, if you have a character who knows more information than you know, wouldn't logic dictate that you interrogate said character until they tell everything they know? It grates on my nerves when movies or books don't have unknowing people pestering the ones with the answers.
A big shout out to The Big Bang Theory in helping me understand some of the explanations given. If not for Sheldon Cooper, then some of the premise of the book would not have made sense.
I hate to say this, but I kinda wish the author had taken another 40 pages or so to slow down the ending. There was this great lead up to the ending, and I felt cheated with the end result. I don't know if there is a sequel being planned, but it felt like this was it. I'm not really sure where another book could go, but I would have like to see a little more explanation and not such a speedy conclusion.
And, as always I must mention the language. It was not prevalent as in every other sentence, but it was noticeable. Declan was the biggest offender, and with his accent he turned the f bomb into fecking on several occasions.
April 15, 2013
My POV.
This is a review really hard to do, because Strangelets is one of those books that you liked yet you don't know how to explain why. And worst, you can't say openly the things you probably would, because it could spoil it for everyone.
The plot is very interesting, as you read in the summary. 3 strangers that were about to die just wake up in a very different world. A dangerous one. It is above all levels of creepy. Once you are into the story there is nothing that can put you back.
You like creepy things? Yes? Then you'll love Strangelets.
You like Sc/fic? Yes? Then, you'll like Strangelets.
You like mystery? Yes? Then, you'll definetely like Strangelets.
My only problem while reading this books is that the beginning was a bit confusing, I wasn't getting the idea, it took me a little time to really understand and like the next chapters.
Also, I just CAN'T handle insta-love, and in a way Strangelets has an insta-love story. Yes, I loved Sophie and Declan's relationship, I really did (plus, I loved Declan's name, that was my favorite thing ever!), but still, I think the time for them to get involved in a love story was just too fast.
The characters were really okay, I feel them in the way I love to feel the emotions of the person behind the characters. My very favorite was Anat, she was a really kick-ass. And I really loved how all of them get to know each other despite they are from different parts of the world.
The dystopian world where they are awoke is really frightening. Terrible, and once again, creepy.
I think you must give this book a chance! This is a very unique histoy, and you will be blown away with those fantastic moments of action.
This is a review really hard to do, because Strangelets is one of those books that you liked yet you don't know how to explain why. And worst, you can't say openly the things you probably would, because it could spoil it for everyone.
The plot is very interesting, as you read in the summary. 3 strangers that were about to die just wake up in a very different world. A dangerous one. It is above all levels of creepy. Once you are into the story there is nothing that can put you back.
You like creepy things? Yes? Then you'll love Strangelets.
You like Sc/fic? Yes? Then, you'll like Strangelets.
You like mystery? Yes? Then, you'll definetely like Strangelets.
My only problem while reading this books is that the beginning was a bit confusing, I wasn't getting the idea, it took me a little time to really understand and like the next chapters.
Also, I just CAN'T handle insta-love, and in a way Strangelets has an insta-love story. Yes, I loved Sophie and Declan's relationship, I really did (plus, I loved Declan's name, that was my favorite thing ever!), but still, I think the time for them to get involved in a love story was just too fast.
The characters were really okay, I feel them in the way I love to feel the emotions of the person behind the characters. My very favorite was Anat, she was a really kick-ass. And I really loved how all of them get to know each other despite they are from different parts of the world.
The dystopian world where they are awoke is really frightening. Terrible, and once again, creepy.
I think you must give this book a chance! This is a very unique histoy, and you will be blown away with those fantastic moments of action.
April 7, 2013
Sophie, Declan, and Anat are all very differently people from different locations. But they both were about to die at the exact same time and then were sucked into a vortex/portal/whirlwind hole?! They wake up in a hospital or at least that is what it looks like. There are six kids total and they see no way out. The group must work together to escape and figure out what is happening. Where are they? What happened? Who put them there? Can they trust each other?
For most of the book I really had no idea what was happening to them. I had many theories...purgatory, psychology experiment, scientific experiment gone wrong, natural disaster, alien invasion, a dream, or a million other things. I actually don't even want to talk much about the plot too much because the fun part of the book was discovering each shock with the characters. There were so many twists and crazy things happening! It was really creepy at times.
Sophie was a sweet girl. She was weak from being sick but she held in there. Declan was charming and good looking and took care of Sophie. There wasn't much romance, which was the way it should be since the characters were busy dealing with a lot of crazy but I liked the way Sophie and Declan grew closer and looked out for each other. Anat was the snarky badass. The story follows these three but they also meet Nico, Zane, and Yosh at the hospital when they wake up. I didn't really trust the other three since the book doesn't follow their POV and the plot was so cray cray I didn't trust anything! This was a crazy, mysterious, creepy, mind boggling story!
*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
For most of the book I really had no idea what was happening to them. I had many theories...purgatory, psychology experiment, scientific experiment gone wrong, natural disaster, alien invasion, a dream, or a million other things. I actually don't even want to talk much about the plot too much because the fun part of the book was discovering each shock with the characters. There were so many twists and crazy things happening! It was really creepy at times.
Sophie was a sweet girl. She was weak from being sick but she held in there. Declan was charming and good looking and took care of Sophie. There wasn't much romance, which was the way it should be since the characters were busy dealing with a lot of crazy but I liked the way Sophie and Declan grew closer and looked out for each other. Anat was the snarky badass. The story follows these three but they also meet Nico, Zane, and Yosh at the hospital when they wake up. I didn't really trust the other three since the book doesn't follow their POV and the plot was so cray cray I didn't trust anything! This was a crazy, mysterious, creepy, mind boggling story!
*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
April 11, 2013
My Thoughts:
I was really excited to read Strangelets, I read Michelle debut last year Don't Turn Around and it was a great thriller, and I was hoping that this book would be just as good. Strangelets had me on the edge of my seat, you didn't find everything out right away, you were just as confused as the characters. Each character came from a different place and had me wondering what was going on, who were these teenagers and what did they all have in common.
When all three of these teenagers wake up in a strange room, they have no idea how they got here just that they were all facing death and now they are here, in a strange and desolate world of Long Island. I don't want to give much away in the summary of this book because you have to read it to enjoy it and I don't want to spoil it.
Each character gave me something to want to know about them, how did they end up here and I wanted to know more about their pasts, we only got a glimpse of them before they woke up in the different and strange world. They each had distinct and different personalities and I loved how diverse each one was, from a different part of the world.
Overall, this book was a great read but I was a little disappointed only because I was hoping for a bit more action, there was of course action and suspense but, for some reason I wanted more but, Gagnon definitely didn't disappoint!
I was really excited to read Strangelets, I read Michelle debut last year Don't Turn Around and it was a great thriller, and I was hoping that this book would be just as good. Strangelets had me on the edge of my seat, you didn't find everything out right away, you were just as confused as the characters. Each character came from a different place and had me wondering what was going on, who were these teenagers and what did they all have in common.
When all three of these teenagers wake up in a strange room, they have no idea how they got here just that they were all facing death and now they are here, in a strange and desolate world of Long Island. I don't want to give much away in the summary of this book because you have to read it to enjoy it and I don't want to spoil it.
Each character gave me something to want to know about them, how did they end up here and I wanted to know more about their pasts, we only got a glimpse of them before they woke up in the different and strange world. They each had distinct and different personalities and I loved how diverse each one was, from a different part of the world.
Overall, this book was a great read but I was a little disappointed only because I was hoping for a bit more action, there was of course action and suspense but, for some reason I wanted more but, Gagnon definitely didn't disappoint!
August 7, 2015
Michelle Gagnon has written an amazing post-apocalyptic/mystery story that had me guessing throughout the book about what was going on. I was caught on the synopsis of this book, and when I finally opened it up to read, I was not disappointed. The description of the future where Anat, Declan, and Sophie end up is very descriptive. The details in this novel were fantastic. I could imagine everything from the world down to what exists in the world. I loved Declan and Sophie, and the way their relationship developed over the course of the novel. I don't know how I felt about Anat, one moment I would like her and the next I couldn't stand her. Even so... all three of these characters were fantastically written. Along with the other three characters helped move the story along nicely. I must say that Yosh was probably my favorite secondary character in the novel because she was so intriguing with how she added to the story. I liked the ending, although I had one lingering question after I turned the very last page that was never really answered (or even mentioned again after it's one brief appearance).
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a mystery novel with a mostly post-apocalyptic setting.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a mystery novel with a mostly post-apocalyptic setting.
April 29, 2013
This was a page turner with some SciFi meat to it, and I was glad I picked it up. I wan't too fond of Gagnon's first book, and the story in this one is better written (if even less plausible). It was a nice change from zombies and vampires. I will recommend this one to readers who like fast-paced thrillers who are not looking for a whole bunch of character development (everyone is a GIANT stereotype). It would be perfect for the beach. I especially enjoyed the title. Nice "Doctor Who" reference from the Irish character. I docked it a star for a too-neat ending, and felt it was a shame because the story could have continued in future books on new worlds. Oh, well.
March 19, 2013
4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book. It had a fast moving plot that kept me captivated and an array of characters I really liked hearing from.
Absolutely did not see the twist coming, but I love where it ended up.
Michelle has a way of writing that pretty much ensures I'll read anything and everything she does.
I really enjoyed this book. It had a fast moving plot that kept me captivated and an array of characters I really liked hearing from.
Absolutely did not see the twist coming, but I love where it ended up.
Michelle has a way of writing that pretty much ensures I'll read anything and everything she does.
March 1, 2013
Here is my review:
http://theforsaken707.blogspot.com/20...
http://theforsaken707.blogspot.com/20...
September 24, 2013
Strangelets is about six teenagers who all were supposed to die at the exact same time around the world. Instead of dying the six were sucked into a black hole and ended up in a place that looks to be an abandoned hospital. The book follows Anat an Israeli girl who was in military training but was escaping to be with her fiancée, Sophie an American girl dying of cancer, and Declan a boy from Ireland who makes money by getting hired to steal things. At the hospital Anat, Sophie and Declan meet an Indian boy named Zain, a Japanese girl named Yosh, and Swedish boy named Nico. Together the teens search and find a way out of the hospital through vents. They send Yosh and Zain up there since they were the smallest but the true mystery begins when Yosh returns without Zain saying he disappeared. They finally get out of the hospital only to find that they might have been better off being trapped inside. The world looks like a nuclear explosion or disaster happened. The pavement and roads were eroded and caved in. The buildings were deteriorating and had vines and plants growing on them. The city looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. Nico fortunately recognizes where they are, his father’s science lavatory in New Jersey.
The crew sees an abnormal animal print and wonder what it could possibly be. Later on that night out of now where a bear comes running toward the group and they are now running for their lives but when the bear doesn’t attack they figure out that the bear wasn’t running after them it was running away from something. They find their way to main roads but see nothing more than the same desolated streets and abandoned cars that they had seen before. They come across a house that belonged to an old lady. When they enter the house they encounter another animal attack but Yosh’s scream scares it off. They read the old lady’s diary and discover that the monsters are green, scaly, hairy and now roaming the earth along with a massive of amount of people disappearing, nowhere to be found. The group decides to go their separate ways, Declan, Sophie, and Nico head out to look for Nico’s father who lives in New Jersey and Anat and Yosh to look for a supplies and a boat to escape elsewhere.
Nico goes to his father’s house to only find it empty. He sees a picture of himself in bed at a hospital in a coma but he doesn’t remember ever being in one. He also sees a coded map from his father telling him his location. They venture out to find Nico’s father. On the journey there Declan and Sophie form feelings for each other and a bond between them starts. Soon all turns for the worst when they encounter another one of the monsters. When they thought that the monster finally had them a sound called the attack off. They discovered that it was Nico’s father that had called them off with an impersonation call whistle of the monster. Nico’s father built an underground home where they stayed until they decided it was time to leave. As soon as they leave they are attacked by the monsters again and this time they don’t win. They are knocked out and are being dragged by the monsters. Where? They don’t know.
Anat and Yosh are to attacked by the monster but find a car and make a quick getaway to a gun supply store. They managed to find the last gun in the store. Yosh lets Anat in on a secret; she is telepathic and uses this skill to call off the monsters that were at the door of the store ready to attack. They find a grocery store stocked with food but that’s not the only thing they find. The monsters are there and now their numbers have increased even more. Yosh doesn’t seem afraid though and that is because she is controlling the monsters. Once Yosh has Anat trapped she informs her that she is not form this planet but another and came here through a black hole. The monsters ate all the animal life and moved on to humans. Now the human life is getting more and more extinct and the monsters will soon die from lack of food. Yosh explains to Anat that a nuclear event involving a strangelet occurred and sucked them all into a new dimension. Now she is trying to get back to her home planet and is using Nico’s father to start up the reactor to make that happen. Unless Anat wants to be the next meal she has to follow Yosh back to the science lavatory.
Anat, Nico, Declan, and Sophie are all back at the lavatory but they find Zain’s bones and they know there faith isn’t good. They sneak out of the room and find Nico and his Dad talking to Yosh about starting up the reactor again. Nico’s father originally started up the reactor to the exact time when Nico would die so he could try to save him by reversing time. Instead he created black holes that transported people into new dimensions. Nico’s Dad refuses to start it back up again because starting up the reactor could mean putting them in a dimension were Nico dies in a coma. Yosh threatens Nico’s life if his father doesn’t start the reactor but his father doesn’t budge. She tells monster to strike Nico but the monster accidently kills Nico sending his father over the edge. He agrees to start up the reactor because in another dimension there might be a way to save his son. But losing his son has made him even crazier and he ends up not starting up the reactor. Yosh is done playing games and tells the monsters to kill the group. When they thought they were gone for good this time, Sophie pushes the button that starts the reactor and suddenly they are all in a new place, a new dimension.
There is no trace of Zain, Nico, or his father in this new dimension. It’s as if they never existed. Anat is back in her continent but instead of being in Egypt with her fiancée she is in the army doing a mission which turns out to be capturing the enemy, her fiancée, and him having no memory of her at all. Declan’s life is pretty much the same and Sophie is cured form her cancer and goes to Ireland to be with Declan to continue their budding love.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book is that with every chapter you discovered something new to the mystery of what happen to the world and how they all ended up in the same place at the same time. You never knew what exactly was going to happen next. I liked how the book built on things that lead to the big unforeseen surprise at the end with Yosh being the bad guy. It kept the story more suspenseful and the twist and turns in the book more thrilling. I also liked how in the end she left even more mystery with the reader by leaving them to figure out what happened to Zain, Nico, and his father and why they don’t exist in the new dimension. She didn’t give everyone in the book a happy ending which added to the intensity and realness of the book for more me because in real life not everyone gets a happy ending.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers and suspense. Once you start reading this book you are not going to want to put it down because you want to know happens next and what they will uncover. It has the right amount of scariness to it without making you stay up at night checking your closet and under your bed. This book is a great read if you’re a boy or girl because it appeals to both genders. Also this book would be good for those who like science fiction or post-apocalyptic fiction. It will have you making hypothesis throughout the book to the question of how the world became so desolated. Overall this book is a perfect fit for anyone that likes cliff hangers.
The crew sees an abnormal animal print and wonder what it could possibly be. Later on that night out of now where a bear comes running toward the group and they are now running for their lives but when the bear doesn’t attack they figure out that the bear wasn’t running after them it was running away from something. They find their way to main roads but see nothing more than the same desolated streets and abandoned cars that they had seen before. They come across a house that belonged to an old lady. When they enter the house they encounter another animal attack but Yosh’s scream scares it off. They read the old lady’s diary and discover that the monsters are green, scaly, hairy and now roaming the earth along with a massive of amount of people disappearing, nowhere to be found. The group decides to go their separate ways, Declan, Sophie, and Nico head out to look for Nico’s father who lives in New Jersey and Anat and Yosh to look for a supplies and a boat to escape elsewhere.
Nico goes to his father’s house to only find it empty. He sees a picture of himself in bed at a hospital in a coma but he doesn’t remember ever being in one. He also sees a coded map from his father telling him his location. They venture out to find Nico’s father. On the journey there Declan and Sophie form feelings for each other and a bond between them starts. Soon all turns for the worst when they encounter another one of the monsters. When they thought that the monster finally had them a sound called the attack off. They discovered that it was Nico’s father that had called them off with an impersonation call whistle of the monster. Nico’s father built an underground home where they stayed until they decided it was time to leave. As soon as they leave they are attacked by the monsters again and this time they don’t win. They are knocked out and are being dragged by the monsters. Where? They don’t know.
Anat and Yosh are to attacked by the monster but find a car and make a quick getaway to a gun supply store. They managed to find the last gun in the store. Yosh lets Anat in on a secret; she is telepathic and uses this skill to call off the monsters that were at the door of the store ready to attack. They find a grocery store stocked with food but that’s not the only thing they find. The monsters are there and now their numbers have increased even more. Yosh doesn’t seem afraid though and that is because she is controlling the monsters. Once Yosh has Anat trapped she informs her that she is not form this planet but another and came here through a black hole. The monsters ate all the animal life and moved on to humans. Now the human life is getting more and more extinct and the monsters will soon die from lack of food. Yosh explains to Anat that a nuclear event involving a strangelet occurred and sucked them all into a new dimension. Now she is trying to get back to her home planet and is using Nico’s father to start up the reactor to make that happen. Unless Anat wants to be the next meal she has to follow Yosh back to the science lavatory.
Anat, Nico, Declan, and Sophie are all back at the lavatory but they find Zain’s bones and they know there faith isn’t good. They sneak out of the room and find Nico and his Dad talking to Yosh about starting up the reactor again. Nico’s father originally started up the reactor to the exact time when Nico would die so he could try to save him by reversing time. Instead he created black holes that transported people into new dimensions. Nico’s Dad refuses to start it back up again because starting up the reactor could mean putting them in a dimension were Nico dies in a coma. Yosh threatens Nico’s life if his father doesn’t start the reactor but his father doesn’t budge. She tells monster to strike Nico but the monster accidently kills Nico sending his father over the edge. He agrees to start up the reactor because in another dimension there might be a way to save his son. But losing his son has made him even crazier and he ends up not starting up the reactor. Yosh is done playing games and tells the monsters to kill the group. When they thought they were gone for good this time, Sophie pushes the button that starts the reactor and suddenly they are all in a new place, a new dimension.
There is no trace of Zain, Nico, or his father in this new dimension. It’s as if they never existed. Anat is back in her continent but instead of being in Egypt with her fiancée she is in the army doing a mission which turns out to be capturing the enemy, her fiancée, and him having no memory of her at all. Declan’s life is pretty much the same and Sophie is cured form her cancer and goes to Ireland to be with Declan to continue their budding love.
The thing I enjoyed most about this book is that with every chapter you discovered something new to the mystery of what happen to the world and how they all ended up in the same place at the same time. You never knew what exactly was going to happen next. I liked how the book built on things that lead to the big unforeseen surprise at the end with Yosh being the bad guy. It kept the story more suspenseful and the twist and turns in the book more thrilling. I also liked how in the end she left even more mystery with the reader by leaving them to figure out what happened to Zain, Nico, and his father and why they don’t exist in the new dimension. She didn’t give everyone in the book a happy ending which added to the intensity and realness of the book for more me because in real life not everyone gets a happy ending.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers and suspense. Once you start reading this book you are not going to want to put it down because you want to know happens next and what they will uncover. It has the right amount of scariness to it without making you stay up at night checking your closet and under your bed. This book is a great read if you’re a boy or girl because it appeals to both genders. Also this book would be good for those who like science fiction or post-apocalyptic fiction. It will have you making hypothesis throughout the book to the question of how the world became so desolated. Overall this book is a perfect fit for anyone that likes cliff hangers.
June 19, 2015
Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon
4 stars
Whimsical Writing Scale: 4
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: Sophie-4.25 Anat-4
Swoon Worthy Scale: 4
The Villain- This is something I really liked. I won’t spoil anything except that you will be surprised where this book goes.
Villain Scale: 4.25
Character Scale: 4.5
Plotastic Scale: 4.5
Cover Thoughts: I really like the cover. I don’t love it, but it has a creepy feel. Kind of similar to the book and it also fits the book. So yay! Plus the cover is what drew me in and made me curious.
A copy was provided by Netgalley and Soho Press in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
Sophie is lying in a hospital bed in California. She knows she’s going to die, but instead of being scared she’s embracing it. Declan is a typical bad boy. The one time he decides to do something without thieving to buy something for his girlfriend he ends up in a situation where he’s gunned down in an alley in Ireland. Anat is trying to escape her life and be with the man she loves. Doing so involves her crossing through a booby-trapped tunnel between Israel and Egypt. These three strangers should’ve died at the same time, a thousand miles apart, and the same age of 17. But they didn’t. They awaken in an abandoned hospital and discover they aren’t alone. Three other teens are with them and they are from different countries. As they band together to find away to escape they encounter things that aren’t from this planet and a desolate Long Island. One teen harbors a secret that could get them home, but what will they risk to be home again? Wow… this book is so different. It’s absolutely thrilling. I was completely engrossed in this book and it’s just so freaking good. This book has a lot of everything. There’s a lot of science talk and concepts that tie in to the big secret of what’s going on, but it was really intriguing. I’m terrible at science and I hate learning about, but I actually enjoyed the science that Gagnon introduced. I would talk about more things involved that make this book so awesome and unique, but it would ruin the experience of reading. Trust me this is one experience that you don’t want to miss.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 4
The main female characters are Sophie and Anat. I really liked Sophie. She was real and probably the easiest for me to connect to. Sophie was interesting, but I feel like we didn’t really get to know her. We didn’t know her hobbies or friends before she was sick and I feel like it’s kind of a key trait in writing a book with a cancer patient. A person is always different before they are sick and we would get slight glimpses of it, but they were small. Anat definitely knows how to kick ass and I was very intimidated by her character even though I wasn’t even in the book. It’s refreshing to see a heroine take the lead in a journey, but Anat is too hard and expects too much out of people. She realizes that Sophie is recovering and doesn’t have much strength or have military background but she still treats her as though she should be in tip-top-shape. I don’t think that’s a very fair judgment. I also found it annoying how she always seemed to want to hit somebody for moving too slow. I liked her more as the book went on, but she was really hard for me to like at first.The main female characters are Sophie and Anat. I really liked Sophie. She was real and probably the easiest for me to connect to. Sophie was interesting, but I feel like we didn’t really get to know her. We didn’t know her hobbies or friends before she was sick and I feel like it’s kind of a key trait in writing a book with a cancer patient. A person is always different before they are sick and we would get slight glimpses of it, but they were small. Anat definitely knows how to kick ass and I was very intimidated by her character even though I wasn’t even in the book. It’s refreshing to see a heroine take the lead in a journey, but Anat is too hard and expects too much out of people. She realizes that Sophie is recovering and doesn’t have much strength or have military background but she still treats her as though she should be in tip-top-shape. I don’t think that’s a very fair judgment. I also found it annoying how she always seemed to want to hit somebody for moving too slow. I liked her more as the book went on, but she was really hard for me to like at first.
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: Sophie-4.25 Anat-4
The main male character is Declan. Declan isn’t a bad character. In fact, he’s a pretty interesting one. I don’t get why he needed to have such a ‘bad boy’ stereotype. I like, OK love, bad boys but that doesn’t mean I need one in every story. Declan being stereotyped as a bad boy didn’t make me like him any more as I would’ve thought. He wasn’t bad character in the least. He had good qualities and I enjoyed his POV. I’ve been noticing that YA is starting to have a lot more male POV or maybe it’s just the books I’m reading. I like having a male POV along with female ones. It makes the story more interesting. I think I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the story if it was just one POV. Why I’m talking about POVs when I should be talking about Declan is something I have no answer for. I need to get back on task. Declan isn’t a remarkable character, at least not for me. He was pretty stereotypical and not even in the way that I would find myself loving. *cough* Damon Black *cough cough*I guess what I’m trying to say is Declan is a pretty normal guy that’s only memorable traits are getting himself into trouble, picking locks, and fighting his feelings for Sophie. Things I did really like about him are his intelligence and caring for Sophie. I guess getting into trouble a lot made him have a quick mind. He also helped Sophie a lot. There is a lot of walking in this book. I mean a lot and Sophie is recovery from cancer and he helps her walk. That’s a pretty admirable trait.
Swoon Worthy Scale: 4
The Villain- This is something I really liked. I won’t spoil anything except that you will be surprised where this book goes.
Villain Scale: 4.25
The three other members of there are Nico, Zane and Yosh. Nico isn’t an incredibly likable character. For a while I couldn’t stand him, but he eventually grows on you. Zane was nice enough. Yosh is hard to trust because something always seemed off about her.
Character Scale: 4.5
This book was really cool (probably not the best choice of words, but I think of anything else). I never felt bored reading Strangelets. I was sucked into the journey, even with all the walking or running. This book blew my mind. I wasn’t expecting anything that I was thrown (well a few basic things, but not the paranormal twists). This book is full of surprises and I don’t think it’s one that should be missed.
Plotastic Scale: 4.5
Cover Thoughts: I really like the cover. I don’t love it, but it has a creepy feel. Kind of similar to the book and it also fits the book. So yay! Plus the cover is what drew me in and made me curious.
A copy was provided by Netgalley and Soho Press in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2017
I was so confused for 3/4 of this book. Strangelets was severely lacking in so many areas. I understand that there was supposed to be some kind of mystery aspect because the author didn't explain anything and everything was coming together piece by piece but it wasn't working. The 'Strangelets' were thrown into another dimension along with 90% of the human population and some aliens were brought into ours. Then there was an apocalypse and stuff. Half of the time they were just walking around and whining. The characters were underdeveloped and unrealistic. I couldn't click with this book. It just didn't work.
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