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Phoenix Chronicles #1
The Birth of a Phoenix
Florence Nightingale's life spirals into chaos when a violent race war finally reaches her home in New York. Fleeing the destructive fallout leads her family to a mysterious southern community, but the Colony is divided from within. Young brides are raffle prizes in the name of fairness, breaking religious code means certain death, and under no circumstances are races mixed.
After her father is publicly executed, Florence focuses on rebelling against the monarchy and uprooting the truth behind the Colony's darkest secrets. The only problem is her marriage raffle is looming near, and the more Florence uncovers about the Colony—including the death of her father—the more it endangers both her safety and her sanity.
After her father is publicly executed, Florence focuses on rebelling against the monarchy and uprooting the truth behind the Colony's darkest secrets. The only problem is her marriage raffle is looming near, and the more Florence uncovers about the Colony—including the death of her father—the more it endangers both her safety and her sanity.
298 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2013
1548 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 28, 2014
I rated this 4,7 stars.
OMG. There's nothing else to say. This book gave me goosebumps all over! This is not only an original story, but I love how the characters are so dynamic. My friends know how important character development and dynamics are to me. This book had it all. Florence is so realistic.. You can sympathize with her, even though you're not a badass just like she is.
All characters have backstory - I LOOOVE THAT - you not only get to know the main character, even though it's written out of Florence's perspective. The setting is explained without endless pages of boring descriptions. The more you read, the more you get to know in what world the story is set.
Don't get me started on the relationships. I highly recommend anyone who wants to read this, to go and get it. I will get myself a copy of this, since I got a free e-book version sent from Candice herself (thanks for that!). But I don't want anyone to misinterpret this. I do really think that book is this good.
It got 4,7 stars, because some passages were somehow confusing to read.
Anyway, "the birth of a Phoenix" got me hooked and I can't wait to read the next books to see what happened to my baby Phoenix! (Please don't hurt her (more) Candice!)
OMG. There's nothing else to say. This book gave me goosebumps all over! This is not only an original story, but I love how the characters are so dynamic. My friends know how important character development and dynamics are to me. This book had it all. Florence is so realistic.. You can sympathize with her, even though you're not a badass just like she is.
All characters have backstory - I LOOOVE THAT - you not only get to know the main character, even though it's written out of Florence's perspective. The setting is explained without endless pages of boring descriptions. The more you read, the more you get to know in what world the story is set.
Don't get me started on the relationships. I highly recommend anyone who wants to read this, to go and get it. I will get myself a copy of this, since I got a free e-book version sent from Candice herself (thanks for that!). But I don't want anyone to misinterpret this. I do really think that book is this good.
It got 4,7 stars, because some passages were somehow confusing to read.
Anyway, "the birth of a Phoenix" got me hooked and I can't wait to read the next books to see what happened to my baby Phoenix! (Please don't hurt her (more) Candice!)
January 12, 2015
This book is brutal, in a beautiful way. It will tug on your heart and bring a multitude of emotions boiling to the surface. It deals with racism and oppression, the terrors that come from living under the rule of a monarchy. Readers follow the strong and relentless Florence as she maneuvers the atrocities of The Colony. Forced from her previous life in New York as a result of the Race Wars, she finds that brutality and war are not easy things to escape. Accepting the retched way of Colony life is inexplicably difficult for her to do. Her personality is as fiery as her hair and she resists the Royals to the best of her ability. Through everything Flo carries her hope for a life beyond the mountains. A place where she can live and love the way she chooses.
The characters are fantastic, readers will connect with them instantaneously. You will be swept up in this story and left hungry for the next one.
The author is bold in her storytelling, creating a perfect example of why I love Indie books.
Birth of a Phoenix is not for the faint of heart, but a definite gem in the independent literary world.
The characters are fantastic, readers will connect with them instantaneously. You will be swept up in this story and left hungry for the next one.
The author is bold in her storytelling, creating a perfect example of why I love Indie books.
Birth of a Phoenix is not for the faint of heart, but a definite gem in the independent literary world.
December 31, 2013
Finally a strong and intelligent female character who isn't the center of a ridiculous triangle! The Birth of a Phoenix is a dystopian novel and mystery thriller which tackles issues such as racism, tyranny, genicide, and abuse while still managing to have heartwarming moments and parts that made me laugh out loud. I loved how human the characters seemed to be: lovable, despicable, and everywhere in between. You'll find yourself laughing, crying, and burning with all the rage of a fiery redhead along with Flo and the rest of the character as you progress through the book. If you like blood, mystery, romance, and the eternal fight between good and evil, this is the book for you. I can't wait to read the sequel.
December 31, 2013
Guys, be emotionally prepared before reading this one.
This story follows a young woman named Florence who lives in a violent dystopian society (called the Colony) where slavery is alive and well and misogyny is practically written into law. Girls are raffled off at the age of 16 to a random bachelor. Florence struggles with the thought of her own raffle, and the realization that it will signify not only that she will become some random man's property, but also she will never be with the one she truly loves. (However... Do not confuse this story with a romance novel. It's predominately dystopian.) She discovers a lot of crazy stuff about the Colony and what really led to the death of her father. And I mean a lot. Like, seriously. The plot is really intricate.
Florence herself was awesome! I loved her voice. She was strong, defiant, and loving. Perfect balance of each! I ended up feeling really bad for her because she seemed so real. In fact, all of these characters feel real. (I really want to be friends with Buckwheat, just saying...)
The world was unique, the characters were complex, and the plot was full of insane twists that I never saw coming.
That ending.
Ugh, I just . . . I can't.
December 16, 2013
Ms. Snow's new book was a real page turner. Her characters were complex and engaging and I easily became engrossed in their lives and invested myself in their future. The world the author has created was violent and brutal yet amongst this nightmare the bravery and sacrifice of her heroine Florence shines through.
The love relationship between the two main characters were thoughtfully developed and at times touching. Ms. Snow has a gift for dialogue and for leaving this reader on the edge of my seat. It was exciting, surprising and left me hungry for the next book in the series. Very good book.
The love relationship between the two main characters were thoughtfully developed and at times touching. Ms. Snow has a gift for dialogue and for leaving this reader on the edge of my seat. It was exciting, surprising and left me hungry for the next book in the series. Very good book.
April 23, 2013
If you like young adult dystopian novels that bravely tackle problems such as race, politics and hierarchy you're sure to love this book!
Snow writes with a well-penned hand that captures your attention and has you begging for more. With a fast-paced style and action-packed scenes, at the end of this novel you will be asking for the sequel!
Snow writes with a well-penned hand that captures your attention and has you begging for more. With a fast-paced style and action-packed scenes, at the end of this novel you will be asking for the sequel!
April 6, 2014
This book was great! It's very detailed and imaginative. Once you pick this book up, you won't be able to let it down. There are characters that you'll root for and characters that you'll despise. If anything, this book will have you at the edge of seat with suspense. I highly recommend reading this book!
October 12, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The whole time I was reading I felt like I was right there with the action! I loved everything from the pacing to the unbelievably complicated characters.
I cannot recommend this book enough!
I cannot recommend this book enough!
September 3, 2016
What a bold debut novel! I had such a good time reading it!
I'm not going to give a summary because the synopsis does a good job without giving away any major spoilers. Just expect lots of blood, bravery, and betrayal.
Highly recommended for fans of violent and highly thought provoking YA.
I'm not going to give a summary because the synopsis does a good job without giving away any major spoilers. Just expect lots of blood, bravery, and betrayal.
Highly recommended for fans of violent and highly thought provoking YA.
July 19, 2014
Candice Snow very kindly & generously offered to send me a free ebook copy of her beautiful novel in exchange for an honest review.
So this is one of the most compellingly woven tales I have ever come across. Ya know how you look at the time & you're like "oh, I'll just finish this chapter" but then that chapter turns into half the book? Yeah, this is gonna be one of those reads!
The concept is simple: racism has erupted into an all out war, called the Half War, and forced the young heroine to escape with her father & best friend to a colony in North Carolina where you're reminded of how things must have been before the Civil War. Blacks, or Creatures, are primarily slaves to whites, or Colonists. The young women are raffled off at 16 to any man who put his name in her box & was lucky enough to be picked by the young woman.
The society is greatly segregated by class, race and gender which only makes the story that much more compelling to read. Women show their ages by the color dress they wear. White for any under 16, read for any that are married and in their "fertile" years, and black for any woman who has gone through menopause.
The main character, Florence, grew up in Brooklyn and even though she escaped at a very young age she still remembers how life was there & sees how wrong life in the Colony is. She rebels against their ways in any way she can and even falls in love with someone she shouldn't.
Florence is a very head strong, courageous, broken girl who wants nothing more than freedom to live her life the way she wants, but also the freedom for everyone in the colony; she wants them all to be able to make their own choices and live the lives they want.
Throughout this story I found myself laughing, angry, ready to start a revolution and crying. You can't help but get sucked in; feel as if this is your story. You want to change so much simply because you love the characters and want them to be happy.
I personally imagined myself in it a number of times as a kick ass warrior woman who came in and knocked some heads then set everyone free! But that's my point: this story is something that can too easily be a reality & I think that's what makes it so compelling to read.
I loved every moment of this novel & had to physically force myself to put it down because it's so good. I recommend you all pick up a copy and become engrossed in this world.
Definitely worth all five stars and I cannot wait for the sequel to come out!!
So this is one of the most compellingly woven tales I have ever come across. Ya know how you look at the time & you're like "oh, I'll just finish this chapter" but then that chapter turns into half the book? Yeah, this is gonna be one of those reads!
The concept is simple: racism has erupted into an all out war, called the Half War, and forced the young heroine to escape with her father & best friend to a colony in North Carolina where you're reminded of how things must have been before the Civil War. Blacks, or Creatures, are primarily slaves to whites, or Colonists. The young women are raffled off at 16 to any man who put his name in her box & was lucky enough to be picked by the young woman.
The society is greatly segregated by class, race and gender which only makes the story that much more compelling to read. Women show their ages by the color dress they wear. White for any under 16, read for any that are married and in their "fertile" years, and black for any woman who has gone through menopause.
The main character, Florence, grew up in Brooklyn and even though she escaped at a very young age she still remembers how life was there & sees how wrong life in the Colony is. She rebels against their ways in any way she can and even falls in love with someone she shouldn't.
Florence is a very head strong, courageous, broken girl who wants nothing more than freedom to live her life the way she wants, but also the freedom for everyone in the colony; she wants them all to be able to make their own choices and live the lives they want.
Throughout this story I found myself laughing, angry, ready to start a revolution and crying. You can't help but get sucked in; feel as if this is your story. You want to change so much simply because you love the characters and want them to be happy.
I personally imagined myself in it a number of times as a kick ass warrior woman who came in and knocked some heads then set everyone free! But that's my point: this story is something that can too easily be a reality & I think that's what makes it so compelling to read.
I loved every moment of this novel & had to physically force myself to put it down because it's so good. I recommend you all pick up a copy and become engrossed in this world.
Definitely worth all five stars and I cannot wait for the sequel to come out!!
February 22, 2014
*I read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own*
How great is this book? Well I read it as soon as I got it and stayed up through the night to finish reading it. It was that good. So many emotions erupted as I read this book: I cried, laughed, got angry, and cheered all through it. The storyline kept me guessing and there were quite a few plot twists that took me completely by surprise. The author does an amazing job of creating an emotional connection with the characters and setting them up in a storyline that's believable and well-played out. I think this is an author to watch out for; she has incredible talent and reading her book was definitely a privilege. This is going in my favorite book collection on my kindle for sure!
The main character, Florence, reminded me of Merida from Disney's Brave. She is a strong character and fights for what she believes in. Plus her crazy red hair makes her awesome! Florence's country (dystopian USA) was ravaged by a race war and the results are truly horrific. Florence knows that the beliefs and lifestyle of this new world are wrong and remains true to herself throughout the book. She is truly a great character! Her relationships with all the other characters were believable and in some parts, were extremely touching.
I recommend this book to everyone! Yes, there are grammatical errors (I laughed at loud at one sentence which said "fowl odor" rather than the correct spelling of "foul odor.") But the errors do not take away from the originality of the story and how the author managed to bring it to life. The ending was a cliffhanger and I wish that more could have been resolved. However, this simply means that the next book in the series has the potential to be a very strong book and I will definitely be purchasing it.
How great is this book? Well I read it as soon as I got it and stayed up through the night to finish reading it. It was that good. So many emotions erupted as I read this book: I cried, laughed, got angry, and cheered all through it. The storyline kept me guessing and there were quite a few plot twists that took me completely by surprise. The author does an amazing job of creating an emotional connection with the characters and setting them up in a storyline that's believable and well-played out. I think this is an author to watch out for; she has incredible talent and reading her book was definitely a privilege. This is going in my favorite book collection on my kindle for sure!
The main character, Florence, reminded me of Merida from Disney's Brave. She is a strong character and fights for what she believes in. Plus her crazy red hair makes her awesome! Florence's country (dystopian USA) was ravaged by a race war and the results are truly horrific. Florence knows that the beliefs and lifestyle of this new world are wrong and remains true to herself throughout the book. She is truly a great character! Her relationships with all the other characters were believable and in some parts, were extremely touching.
I recommend this book to everyone! Yes, there are grammatical errors (I laughed at loud at one sentence which said "fowl odor" rather than the correct spelling of "foul odor.") But the errors do not take away from the originality of the story and how the author managed to bring it to life. The ending was a cliffhanger and I wish that more could have been resolved. However, this simply means that the next book in the series has the potential to be a very strong book and I will definitely be purchasing it.
February 19, 2014
Blood, gore and heroine. . .what else to you need. The imagery is a step out of the box and takes you to another world. This was a great, young adult, book! Fantastic detail and imagination went into creating this book can't wait to read the next one.
March 29, 2015
In Birth of a Phoenix by Candice Snow, a dystopian world is brought chillingly to life by an accomplished first-time auhor. Florence, the strong and fiery lead character in this gripping novel must fight every day of her young life—for her dignity, her poor adopted family in the backwoods of North Carolina, for love, and, ultimately, for her life.
Displaced from her home in Brooklyn, New York by the Half War that has pitted the races against each other, we follow Flo through situation after situation that would daunt a young woman of lesser strength—both physical and mental.
Her desperate love for a black servant her own age is thwarted time and again as she is forced to marry someone else at age sixteen. It's the time-honored tradition in The Colony, which is ruled by an evil upper caste of people called The Blackwoods. They are the self-proclaimed royalty in The Colony, and their word is law. Dissension is punishable by a quick and painful death.
Will Flo ultimately escape her bondage and find true love? Or will she remain a struggling victim of circumstance and ironclad rules beyond her control?
This book kept me guessing, as any good book should. There are plenty of highs and lows, many falling so fast and close upon the other that the reader can easily lose track if he or she is not paying close attention.
This book is not for the faint-hearted. There are graphically violent scenes that may make you queasy as Florence tries to solve the mystery of The Faceless—a race of monsters that roam a nearby wood, wreaking terror and havoc on all who wander too near.
The portions of the book that deal with Florence's romance are well-drawn, and keep the reader guessing as to whether Flo will ever requite her complicated feelings for Tyrese. There is precious little love to be had anywhere else in The Colony as rules, traditions, and plain old bigotry seem to rule the day—and night.
The environment created as a backdrop for this book is so real you can smell the flowers and feel the raindrops on your head during one of the passing thunderstorms that Flo is deathly afraid of. That's another aspect of the book I found satisfying—the lead character's strengths are balanced equally with her weaknesses, making her eminently believable.
In all, I found this book to be a first-class read for anyone who appreciates and enjoys YA literature. The author clearly knows what her audience is expecting, and delivers with a great debut novel. I look forward to a sequel.
Displaced from her home in Brooklyn, New York by the Half War that has pitted the races against each other, we follow Flo through situation after situation that would daunt a young woman of lesser strength—both physical and mental.
Her desperate love for a black servant her own age is thwarted time and again as she is forced to marry someone else at age sixteen. It's the time-honored tradition in The Colony, which is ruled by an evil upper caste of people called The Blackwoods. They are the self-proclaimed royalty in The Colony, and their word is law. Dissension is punishable by a quick and painful death.
Will Flo ultimately escape her bondage and find true love? Or will she remain a struggling victim of circumstance and ironclad rules beyond her control?
This book kept me guessing, as any good book should. There are plenty of highs and lows, many falling so fast and close upon the other that the reader can easily lose track if he or she is not paying close attention.
This book is not for the faint-hearted. There are graphically violent scenes that may make you queasy as Florence tries to solve the mystery of The Faceless—a race of monsters that roam a nearby wood, wreaking terror and havoc on all who wander too near.
The portions of the book that deal with Florence's romance are well-drawn, and keep the reader guessing as to whether Flo will ever requite her complicated feelings for Tyrese. There is precious little love to be had anywhere else in The Colony as rules, traditions, and plain old bigotry seem to rule the day—and night.
The environment created as a backdrop for this book is so real you can smell the flowers and feel the raindrops on your head during one of the passing thunderstorms that Flo is deathly afraid of. That's another aspect of the book I found satisfying—the lead character's strengths are balanced equally with her weaknesses, making her eminently believable.
In all, I found this book to be a first-class read for anyone who appreciates and enjoys YA literature. The author clearly knows what her audience is expecting, and delivers with a great debut novel. I look forward to a sequel.
March 22, 2015
I LOOOVE THIS BOOK! It really made me care about the characters and what was happening to them. Really original idea, too, and a LOT of important issues are touched upon really well. 4.5 stars!
August 2, 2014
Posted On http://www.fangirlavue.blogspot.com/
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or content of my review.
Dystopian Establishment . Romance . Kick ass protagonist .
These are all the ingredients needed to create a great dystopian book, yes? Correct! Yet, Candice Snow has taken The Birth of a Phoenix to a whole new level in YA literature.
One of my favorite things about reading a book that isn't well known, is that you don't have to worry about hype. With all the buzz, comes what I call "bandwagon opinions" and spoilers, which can sometimes ruin a reading experience for you. So when I picked up The Birth of a Phoenix, I had no expectations at all, but boy did the author deliver. First and foremost, our main character, Florence, would have to be one of my favorite female protagonists to date. She's a 16 year old who has witnessed more death and despair than anyone my own age could endure, but yet she remained strong. There were moments where she broke down completely, showing us a side of vulnerability and raw emotion, but that is what made her character so realistic! The relationships with other characters that Florence obtained, was another aspect of the story that I enjoyed. The backstory of how some of these characters met, the dialogue, which was often sharp-tongued, witty, and deep, to the romance that sparked with a childhood friend, were all truly genuine. No "insta love" here people!
As I was reading, I had no problem imagining myself within the world that the author created. I could picture everything so vividly. The dusty roads, the small-cramped cabins, the tall evergreens and wild grass in the forests, even the grand estate of the royal family. I absolutely love a book that pulls you into the surroundings, giving us an illusion that we were there as well.
With dystopian novels, us readers tend to notice a bit of repetitiveness, which is what I thought would be the case here. Again, I was proven wrong. Candice Snow has created a world, a society rather, built completely around oppression. Racism plays a big role within this fictional community as people are separated according to their race, wealthiness, and IQ levels. Alongside racism, this book also touched basis on a subject that I rarely see within YA fiction . . . sexism. Women have no voice within this community. They live under laws that forbid them to work, or even educate themselves, making their purpose only to marry at 16 and bear children for their husbands.
With all the wonderful things about this book that I praise, they're also a few minor things that I disliked as well. For instance, I felt many of the situations in the book were created as an afterthought. Many of them came out of left field, leaving me a bit confused at times. Other situations weren't elaborated until the last few chapters of the book, which caused the storyline to drag out a bit longer than needed. I also noticed that there was a bit of repetitiveness involving certain scenes. Something would occur in chapter 3, and I would see the exact same narrative repeated later on in chapter 5. But again, they were completely minor, (to me atleast) and didn't alter my opinion on the book as a whole.
The Birth of a Phoenix is a refreshing, yet gory read that I think all dystopian lovers will devour. The plot is completely original and covers heavy topics that we don't always encounter in YA. The characters have depth and meaning, and the narrative completely sucks you in through every twist and turn, down to the very last page. I definitely enjoyed this book, and will be anticipating the next upcoming books within the series!
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or content of my review.
Dystopian Establishment . Romance . Kick ass protagonist .
These are all the ingredients needed to create a great dystopian book, yes? Correct! Yet, Candice Snow has taken The Birth of a Phoenix to a whole new level in YA literature.
One of my favorite things about reading a book that isn't well known, is that you don't have to worry about hype. With all the buzz, comes what I call "bandwagon opinions" and spoilers, which can sometimes ruin a reading experience for you. So when I picked up The Birth of a Phoenix, I had no expectations at all, but boy did the author deliver. First and foremost, our main character, Florence, would have to be one of my favorite female protagonists to date. She's a 16 year old who has witnessed more death and despair than anyone my own age could endure, but yet she remained strong. There were moments where she broke down completely, showing us a side of vulnerability and raw emotion, but that is what made her character so realistic! The relationships with other characters that Florence obtained, was another aspect of the story that I enjoyed. The backstory of how some of these characters met, the dialogue, which was often sharp-tongued, witty, and deep, to the romance that sparked with a childhood friend, were all truly genuine. No "insta love" here people!
As I was reading, I had no problem imagining myself within the world that the author created. I could picture everything so vividly. The dusty roads, the small-cramped cabins, the tall evergreens and wild grass in the forests, even the grand estate of the royal family. I absolutely love a book that pulls you into the surroundings, giving us an illusion that we were there as well.
With dystopian novels, us readers tend to notice a bit of repetitiveness, which is what I thought would be the case here. Again, I was proven wrong. Candice Snow has created a world, a society rather, built completely around oppression. Racism plays a big role within this fictional community as people are separated according to their race, wealthiness, and IQ levels. Alongside racism, this book also touched basis on a subject that I rarely see within YA fiction . . . sexism. Women have no voice within this community. They live under laws that forbid them to work, or even educate themselves, making their purpose only to marry at 16 and bear children for their husbands.
With all the wonderful things about this book that I praise, they're also a few minor things that I disliked as well. For instance, I felt many of the situations in the book were created as an afterthought. Many of them came out of left field, leaving me a bit confused at times. Other situations weren't elaborated until the last few chapters of the book, which caused the storyline to drag out a bit longer than needed. I also noticed that there was a bit of repetitiveness involving certain scenes. Something would occur in chapter 3, and I would see the exact same narrative repeated later on in chapter 5. But again, they were completely minor, (to me atleast) and didn't alter my opinion on the book as a whole.
The Birth of a Phoenix is a refreshing, yet gory read that I think all dystopian lovers will devour. The plot is completely original and covers heavy topics that we don't always encounter in YA. The characters have depth and meaning, and the narrative completely sucks you in through every twist and turn, down to the very last page. I definitely enjoyed this book, and will be anticipating the next upcoming books within the series!
April 7, 2014
I got the e-book version free for I promise I would read and review this book within 3 weeks after owning this. In fact, I could not make it in 3 weeks. I am sorry =)
I definitely had a good time with this book! Actually, I doubted I would in the beginning since this was written by a newly debuted author, until this proved me wrong! Fast-paced yet detailed, helping me to imagine what it looked like to be in the world Snow built in this story. I could also sense the atmosphere there, being nervous when things there were about to reach the climax.
The characters are pleasant to follow, and I think I have a similarity with Flo, the female lead character who is easily exploded lol, though sometimes she's so extremely brave and underestimating her best friend yet her lover, Tyrese in term of bravery. Strangely I do not put any liking toward Flo lol instead, I fell in love with Theodore. He's so kind and so soft I feel like protecting him lol.
For all dystopian story lovers, I recommend you this book! Snow is really able to put romance as one of the desperate things needed to fight for in a place which everybody is differed based on their skin color and any other genetic stuffs, which marriage becomes a forceful thing to do for the sake of reproduction and multiplication.
I really want to read the second part of this series! I hope that it will be published here in Indonesia, or perhaps I could get the e-book for free again? Hehe.
Thank you, YA-Dystopian Book Club and Candice Snow for the e-book! =)))
For further review, just visit http://milovesme.wordpress.com =)
I definitely had a good time with this book! Actually, I doubted I would in the beginning since this was written by a newly debuted author, until this proved me wrong! Fast-paced yet detailed, helping me to imagine what it looked like to be in the world Snow built in this story. I could also sense the atmosphere there, being nervous when things there were about to reach the climax.
The characters are pleasant to follow, and I think I have a similarity with Flo, the female lead character who is easily exploded lol, though sometimes she's so extremely brave and underestimating her best friend yet her lover, Tyrese in term of bravery. Strangely I do not put any liking toward Flo lol instead, I fell in love with Theodore. He's so kind and so soft I feel like protecting him lol.
For all dystopian story lovers, I recommend you this book! Snow is really able to put romance as one of the desperate things needed to fight for in a place which everybody is differed based on their skin color and any other genetic stuffs, which marriage becomes a forceful thing to do for the sake of reproduction and multiplication.
I really want to read the second part of this series! I hope that it will be published here in Indonesia, or perhaps I could get the e-book for free again? Hehe.
Thank you, YA-Dystopian Book Club and Candice Snow for the e-book! =)))
For further review, just visit http://milovesme.wordpress.com =)
November 18, 2013
I was thoroughly engrossed in this book... up until the end. I will say it could use a good editing - drove me crazy how the author used "'s" (apostrophe "s") to indicate plural. And every instance of "rampant" was written as "ramped". BUT - that's my teacher mother/grammar police coming through.
The theme is race, and a dystopian society where blacks are called "creatures" and have to work for the "colonists", and women are auctioned off at age 16 to a man in marriage. Many horrid things are revealed as the novel goes on - I found myself staying up late because I just had to read a bit more. THEN - the last few chapters seem rushed, and just don't seem to fit with the pacing of the rest of the book.
That being said, I would recommend this book to fans of dystopian fiction. I await more from this promising author.
The theme is race, and a dystopian society where blacks are called "creatures" and have to work for the "colonists", and women are auctioned off at age 16 to a man in marriage. Many horrid things are revealed as the novel goes on - I found myself staying up late because I just had to read a bit more. THEN - the last few chapters seem rushed, and just don't seem to fit with the pacing of the rest of the book.
That being said, I would recommend this book to fans of dystopian fiction. I await more from this promising author.
July 13, 2014
I received a free ebook copy of this book in promise for a review. I finished it a few weeks ago but wanted to take my time writing the review. So here we go.
I really enjoyed this book, however I just couldn't bring myself to give it a complete 5 star rating. It is like a 4.6ish.
The reason I couldn't give it a five is because I had a little bit of a hard time understanding exactly what was going on in the beginning. Once I got past that part and figured out what was going on, I really enjoyed the book. I thought the characters were very well developed and enjoyable. There was also a lot going on throughout the book to keep my attention drawn to the book. So overall I would say that this is a great book to read.
I really enjoyed this book, however I just couldn't bring myself to give it a complete 5 star rating. It is like a 4.6ish.
The reason I couldn't give it a five is because I had a little bit of a hard time understanding exactly what was going on in the beginning. Once I got past that part and figured out what was going on, I really enjoyed the book. I thought the characters were very well developed and enjoyable. There was also a lot going on throughout the book to keep my attention drawn to the book. So overall I would say that this is a great book to read.
January 12, 2015
Rating: 3.5/5
**I RECEIVED AN ADVANCED SIGNED COPY OF THIS BOOK**
I liked this book, the concept and plot were different. However I feel like the cover just won't catch many people's attention...I don't like the cover and as a graphic designer, the cover of a book represent a lot. If someone were to judge this book by it's cover, they'd think it was a bad book when its actually an interesting amazing story. The text in the book is also TOO SMALL which annoyed me. Honestly those two technical things are what I disliked and what I would change. Overall, it is a different type of story and a goodread.
**I RECEIVED AN ADVANCED SIGNED COPY OF THIS BOOK**
I liked this book, the concept and plot were different. However I feel like the cover just won't catch many people's attention...I don't like the cover and as a graphic designer, the cover of a book represent a lot. If someone were to judge this book by it's cover, they'd think it was a bad book when its actually an interesting amazing story. The text in the book is also TOO SMALL which annoyed me. Honestly those two technical things are what I disliked and what I would change. Overall, it is a different type of story and a goodread.
June 22, 2014
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review of the book. I am very thankful to Candice Snow for allowing me this opportunity.
I rate this 2.5 stars. While I gave the book 2.5 stars, there were aspects of the book that I did enjoy and that I found refreshing. This review contains many ****SPOILER ALERTS***.
I won't do a plot summary because, well, if you've made it this far I assume you already have an idea of what to expect. Instead, I will talk about what I thought needed work, what I liked, and what I loved.
What I didn't like:
-Throughout the book I had a hard time with repetitiveness and inconsistencies. In terms of repetitiveness; I kept having deja vu moments were I could almost swear that I had read the same passage earlier in the book. Inconsistencies: little things like Yes, these might seem nitpicky, but there were too many of these for my liking.
-Many of the plot developments were a little too convenient. This happened more towards the end of the novel,
-And the biggest WTF moment... This could have been an ok plot development if it was discussed more at length, but it's just mentioned a few more times in passing really. Honestly, it made me laugh more than anything, which I don't think was the point.
-The idea of a resistance is good, but it should have been introduced much sooner. It was almost as if it was an afterthought.
-If Flo came from New York, why does everyone think that there is no outside world left? Yes, we know that Flo ran because of bombing, but if the Colony didn't get bombed doesn't that make the chances of an outside city being intact 50/50?
-Jobs in the Colony-really, there are only 4 jobs to choose from? It seems a little strange that the Colony would need that many doctors and teachers. It was a good idea to have a caste system, it works really well in other dystopian novels, like The Selection, but the idea of only there being only 4 jobs made it too implausible to me.
-Character development-Flo was the only character that was really well developed. Tabby and Teddy were moderately developed-I actually really loved Teddy and wished his role had been expanded. I had a hard time really caring for anyone else because they had no depth. In fact, I found that there were too many characters to keep track of.
What I liked:
-I liked the IDEA of the Faceless. I think at the beginning the development of the group was very strong. I liked that this was a major deterrent to why people didn't try to leave, as well as how so many people went missing. What I didn't like was the finding that the Faceless
-Relationships. I loved the development of Teddy and Flo's relationship. This part was well done, but too short lived. I started to think to myself what was the point of Teddy, since it was over so quickly. As for Flo and Tyrese, meh. I liked Tyrese. For me the relationship just wasn't believable enough. Yes, there was passion written about, but it seemed more like a lust situation-kids that have intense crushes but don't understand what love really is. I know lots of people will disagree, which is fine-I just didn't have a pull for them together.
What I LOVED:
-The creation story. I loved the twist on this. It was amazing! It was really insightful to see that women once had power but misused it, so that's why women are in the inferior position in the Colony.
-Creatures/race war. This is what originally drew me to this book. It's a twist on dystopians that I haven't come across yet, so I was excited to read about it. This plot line was well developed through the whole book. This was probably the strongest part of the novel.
-The Button tradition. This is the most endearing aspect of the novel. I loved the idea of it and what it represents.
-The Marriage Raffle. The writing of Flo's marriage raffle was done remarkably well. It was set up nicely and was very believable. And Teddy, haha, I just have to laugh at him sneaking his ballot in last minute.
-Fat bottomed girls make the Colony go 'round. I found it fascinating to read about how the men desire larger women because they equate it with fertility. An original idea in terms of young adult literature.
-Limbo. This was the best chapter of the book. It was almost worth sticking through the other issues I have with the book.
I liked the attempt to have Flo I guess my issue with it is that Flo didn't really seem to change from before to after. The idea of rebirth in my mind is to symbolize that the character has gained strength. However, Flo seemed to be this person the whole way through.
Overall, I liked the ideas of the book. I just felt that too many things were rushed, too many ideas were not explored enough. There were so many areas that had the potential to make this a stronger novel, but failed to be developed properly. I thought a big turning point would be when Florence is facing her trial and it seemed like the atmosphere of the audience was going to to make Flo into a leader. This is touched on briefly later in the book, at the resistance meeting and after the war, but it wasn't consistent enough for me.
So, I guess to sum it up-this had potential and a ton of great ideas and plot turns. The execution of a lot of these ideas is what fell short for me. There were things I longed to be expanded on because they would have greatly strengthened the novel, and there were things that I wish were omitted. I know writing is not an easy thing to do, and I applaud Candice Snow's attempt.
I rate this 2.5 stars. While I gave the book 2.5 stars, there were aspects of the book that I did enjoy and that I found refreshing. This review contains many ****SPOILER ALERTS***.
I won't do a plot summary because, well, if you've made it this far I assume you already have an idea of what to expect. Instead, I will talk about what I thought needed work, what I liked, and what I loved.
What I didn't like:
-Throughout the book I had a hard time with repetitiveness and inconsistencies. In terms of repetitiveness; I kept having deja vu moments were I could almost swear that I had read the same passage earlier in the book. Inconsistencies: little things like Yes, these might seem nitpicky, but there were too many of these for my liking.
-Many of the plot developments were a little too convenient. This happened more towards the end of the novel,
-And the biggest WTF moment... This could have been an ok plot development if it was discussed more at length, but it's just mentioned a few more times in passing really. Honestly, it made me laugh more than anything, which I don't think was the point.
-The idea of a resistance is good, but it should have been introduced much sooner. It was almost as if it was an afterthought.
-If Flo came from New York, why does everyone think that there is no outside world left? Yes, we know that Flo ran because of bombing, but if the Colony didn't get bombed doesn't that make the chances of an outside city being intact 50/50?
-Jobs in the Colony-really, there are only 4 jobs to choose from? It seems a little strange that the Colony would need that many doctors and teachers. It was a good idea to have a caste system, it works really well in other dystopian novels, like The Selection, but the idea of only there being only 4 jobs made it too implausible to me.
-Character development-Flo was the only character that was really well developed. Tabby and Teddy were moderately developed-I actually really loved Teddy and wished his role had been expanded. I had a hard time really caring for anyone else because they had no depth. In fact, I found that there were too many characters to keep track of.
What I liked:
-I liked the IDEA of the Faceless. I think at the beginning the development of the group was very strong. I liked that this was a major deterrent to why people didn't try to leave, as well as how so many people went missing. What I didn't like was the finding that the Faceless
-Relationships. I loved the development of Teddy and Flo's relationship. This part was well done, but too short lived. I started to think to myself what was the point of Teddy, since it was over so quickly. As for Flo and Tyrese, meh. I liked Tyrese. For me the relationship just wasn't believable enough. Yes, there was passion written about, but it seemed more like a lust situation-kids that have intense crushes but don't understand what love really is. I know lots of people will disagree, which is fine-I just didn't have a pull for them together.
What I LOVED:
-The creation story. I loved the twist on this. It was amazing! It was really insightful to see that women once had power but misused it, so that's why women are in the inferior position in the Colony.
-Creatures/race war. This is what originally drew me to this book. It's a twist on dystopians that I haven't come across yet, so I was excited to read about it. This plot line was well developed through the whole book. This was probably the strongest part of the novel.
-The Button tradition. This is the most endearing aspect of the novel. I loved the idea of it and what it represents.
-The Marriage Raffle. The writing of Flo's marriage raffle was done remarkably well. It was set up nicely and was very believable. And Teddy, haha, I just have to laugh at him sneaking his ballot in last minute.
-Fat bottomed girls make the Colony go 'round. I found it fascinating to read about how the men desire larger women because they equate it with fertility. An original idea in terms of young adult literature.
-Limbo. This was the best chapter of the book. It was almost worth sticking through the other issues I have with the book.
I liked the attempt to have Flo I guess my issue with it is that Flo didn't really seem to change from before to after. The idea of rebirth in my mind is to symbolize that the character has gained strength. However, Flo seemed to be this person the whole way through.
Overall, I liked the ideas of the book. I just felt that too many things were rushed, too many ideas were not explored enough. There were so many areas that had the potential to make this a stronger novel, but failed to be developed properly. I thought a big turning point would be when Florence is facing her trial and it seemed like the atmosphere of the audience was going to to make Flo into a leader. This is touched on briefly later in the book, at the resistance meeting and after the war, but it wasn't consistent enough for me.
So, I guess to sum it up-this had potential and a ton of great ideas and plot turns. The execution of a lot of these ideas is what fell short for me. There were things I longed to be expanded on because they would have greatly strengthened the novel, and there were things that I wish were omitted. I know writing is not an easy thing to do, and I applaud Candice Snow's attempt.
April 30, 2018
Putting the YA genre to shame!! Here is a dystopian novel that focuses more on the psychological than the social. While the novel explores social issues such as class, race, and gender, it focuses more on how far humans will go when their situations push them psychologically over the edge. What happens when you back a dog into a corner? Will he lie down and submit, or will he rise up and fight? The main character, Florence, is pushed to her limits and beyond by the tyrannical Colony run by a self-proclaimed monarchy intent on destroying others for selfish gain. Factor in a katana wielding, red-headed Florence and you're in for a treat of a lifetime. I love that this novel is different from other YA coming-of-age dystopian novels, and really isn't YA at all, especially since Florence is 18 (an adult) when shit hits the fan. This novel will make you question reality and explore the psyche's power to take over the human mind when tested and traumatized. Throw in a forbidden romance and you have the makings of a great read! Love, love, love this novel and can't wait to read the second one!
February 13, 2015
A very good and unique storyline. I liked that the idea of society is somehow so different but at the same time similar to ours. Sometimes I found myself thinking of the book as a little bit boring. But that feeling went away eventually.
I give the book 3.8 stars ( normally I don't do half or quarter stars..) for the idea. Not 4 stars because I somehow couldn't symphatize with Florence, the main character.
I give the book 3.8 stars ( normally I don't do half or quarter stars..) for the idea. Not 4 stars because I somehow couldn't symphatize with Florence, the main character.
April 11, 2016
GREAT GOOGLY GOOGLY WHAT WAS THAT.
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