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When We Wake #1
When We Wake
Sixteen-year-old Tegan is just like every other girl living in 2027—she's happiest when playing the guitar, she's falling in love for the first time, and she's joining her friends to protest the wrongs of the world: environmental collapse, social discrimination, and political injustice.
But on what should have been the best day of Tegan's life, she dies—and wakes up a hundred years later, locked in a government facility with no idea what happened.
The future isn't all she had hoped it would be, and when appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: Does she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better world?
But on what should have been the best day of Tegan's life, she dies—and wakes up a hundred years later, locked in a government facility with no idea what happened.
The future isn't all she had hoped it would be, and when appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: Does she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better world?
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
143 people are currently reading
9359 people want to read
About the author
Karen Healey
34 books428 followersKaren Healey lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she jars stubborn scenes loose by wandering along the river.
She writes speculative fiction and magical romance for young adults and adults, including the award winning When We Wake duology and Guardian of the Dead. Her recent books include Bespoke & Bespelled and (as Kate Healey) the Olympus Inc. series.
She writes speculative fiction and magical romance for young adults and adults, including the award winning When We Wake duology and Guardian of the Dead. Her recent books include Bespoke & Bespelled and (as Kate Healey) the Olympus Inc. series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 762 reviews
June 16, 2016
3.75 stars!
Just when I thought I’d never find another good dystopian read again, here comes an unexpected book, (courtesy of my friend, Jobelle) and I really enjoyed it. I’m only frowning at the conclusion because I don’t have the second book and I really want to continue with the story of Tegan Oglietti, also called “Teeg” and yep, her name alone has already bought me completely. It also helps a lot that she’s a total kick-ass and adorably sarcastic.
Who wouldn’t sympathize with a sixteen year old girl looking forward to a whole life ahead of her (especially now that the boy she’s been secretly in love with was finally her boyfriend)? Then suddenly, she loses her life, everything she knew and everyone she loved?! She does wake up though except she woke up too late, a hundred years later.
I was hooked by the premise and impressed by the world building, the writing and the scienc-y details. It was a very realistic glimpse to the future and it was even more interesting that the story is set in Australia in the year 2127. I was also very amused by the technology. An earring actually rings because those little gems that used to adorn the ears are now the cell phones. Bahaha. It’s also funny that Lilo & Stitch is considered a vintage Disney movie.
I thought the plot was very original. I couldn’t imagine which direction the introduction will take but I couldn’t complain. It was fast-paced, adventurous and smartly written. Downsides are probably the too obvious religious and political references but overall, it was an enjoyable read.
P.S. Happy Early Birthday, Jobelle! (June 19 is her birthday). May you have a dozen cake, a hundred smiles and a thousand books to read! Enjoy your special day! <3
Just when I thought I’d never find another good dystopian read again, here comes an unexpected book, (courtesy of my friend, Jobelle) and I really enjoyed it. I’m only frowning at the conclusion because I don’t have the second book and I really want to continue with the story of Tegan Oglietti, also called “Teeg” and yep, her name alone has already bought me completely. It also helps a lot that she’s a total kick-ass and adorably sarcastic.
Who wouldn’t sympathize with a sixteen year old girl looking forward to a whole life ahead of her (especially now that the boy she’s been secretly in love with was finally her boyfriend)? Then suddenly, she loses her life, everything she knew and everyone she loved?! She does wake up though except she woke up too late, a hundred years later.
I was hooked by the premise and impressed by the world building, the writing and the scienc-y details. It was a very realistic glimpse to the future and it was even more interesting that the story is set in Australia in the year 2127. I was also very amused by the technology. An earring actually rings because those little gems that used to adorn the ears are now the cell phones. Bahaha. It’s also funny that Lilo & Stitch is considered a vintage Disney movie.
I thought the plot was very original. I couldn’t imagine which direction the introduction will take but I couldn’t complain. It was fast-paced, adventurous and smartly written. Downsides are probably the too obvious religious and political references but overall, it was an enjoyable read.
P.S. Happy Early Birthday, Jobelle! (June 19 is her birthday). May you have a dozen cake, a hundred smiles and a thousand books to read! Enjoy your special day! <3
January 26, 2014
DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE MEDIOCRE AVERAGE RATING THIS BOOK HAS BECAUSE IT IS REALLY REALLY GOOD
Honestly I did not have high hopes for this book because of it's deja vu Across the Universe storyline but this was actually really good!
So, in the year of 2027, Teegan was living the best day of her life. However, that ends abruptly when she gets shot and finds herself 100 years into the future when she wakes up from being cryonically frozen.
The world building of When we wake was explored quite well. The story is set in Melbourne, and in 2127, the environment is severely damaged, with oceans rising and extreme weather patterns. Meat has become frowned upon and almost everyone is a vegetarian.
In the novel, Australia has become the new superpower of the world, a land of sources and an open minded continent in terms of gender and sexual orientation.
However, it has a no migrant policy and anyone who tries to come into its borders is sent to detention camps. People from other countries who have received government permission to stay in Australia are called Thirdies and are treated with an less than welcoming attitude.
It was a pretty realistic future where all the electricity are generated by solar/hydro/wind while third world countries still use fossil fuel because they have more oil sources and it's much easier/cheaper for them to do so.
There are some twists to the story, and while they're not that obvious, I wasn't all that surprised when the revelations were revealed.
Now, onto the characters:
Teegan was a great protagonist. When she found out that she was 100 years into the future, she didn't believe it and still felt like she was living in the past, with her boyfriend, family and friends' memories still fresh in her mind.
She wasn't really your typical brooding heroine who complains about her situation. She dealt with the condition she was in (even though she still felt like it was 2027)and tried to live a normal life even though the government is pampering her as this miracle that woke up 100 years later.
The secondary characters were diverse and very likeable. However, because they're not your average YA secondary characters, Teegan stands out in contrast due to her typical YA female looks. Which was a little bit disappointing. It didn't bother me much but still.
And of course we have romance.
The romance between Teegan and Abdi took the back seat of the story and burned slow and sweet. It didn't feel rushed (considering Teegan still had feelings for her boyfriend from the past when she woke up) and as far as I know, I don't think there'll be a love triangle.
So why did I give this 4 and not 5 stars? Well, the similarity of concepts between this and Across the Universe annoyed me a bit, even though it was done quite well. People who have read Across the Universe will notice that when they read this: .
Also, Teegan was cryonically frozen when she was dead. The process/science as to how the freezing process can bring her back to life was never explained properly. In the story, Teegan said she didn't understood much of the science terminology and steps to comprehend how she was frozen felt like a cop out to me.
Aside from that, I enjoyed the book alot. The ending tied its knots together perfectly and even though there's no cliffhanger (thank god) I NEED THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW!
Me:
You:
Me:
Honestly I did not have high hopes for this book because of it's deja vu Across the Universe storyline but this was actually really good!
So, in the year of 2027, Teegan was living the best day of her life. However, that ends abruptly when she gets shot and finds herself 100 years into the future when she wakes up from being cryonically frozen.
The world building of When we wake was explored quite well. The story is set in Melbourne, and in 2127, the environment is severely damaged, with oceans rising and extreme weather patterns. Meat has become frowned upon and almost everyone is a vegetarian.
In the novel, Australia has become the new superpower of the world, a land of sources and an open minded continent in terms of gender and sexual orientation.
However, it has a no migrant policy and anyone who tries to come into its borders is sent to detention camps. People from other countries who have received government permission to stay in Australia are called Thirdies and are treated with an less than welcoming attitude.
It was a pretty realistic future where all the electricity are generated by solar/hydro/wind while third world countries still use fossil fuel because they have more oil sources and it's much easier/cheaper for them to do so.
There are some twists to the story, and while they're not that obvious, I wasn't all that surprised when the revelations were revealed.
Now, onto the characters:
Teegan was a great protagonist. When she found out that she was 100 years into the future, she didn't believe it and still felt like she was living in the past, with her boyfriend, family and friends' memories still fresh in her mind.
She wasn't really your typical brooding heroine who complains about her situation. She dealt with the condition she was in (even though she still felt like it was 2027)and tried to live a normal life even though the government is pampering her as this miracle that woke up 100 years later.
The secondary characters were diverse and very likeable. However, because they're not your average YA secondary characters, Teegan stands out in contrast due to her typical YA female looks. Which was a little bit disappointing. It didn't bother me much but still.
And of course we have romance.
The romance between Teegan and Abdi took the back seat of the story and burned slow and sweet. It didn't feel rushed (considering Teegan still had feelings for her boyfriend from the past when she woke up) and as far as I know, I don't think there'll be a love triangle.
So why did I give this 4 and not 5 stars? Well, the similarity of concepts between this and Across the Universe annoyed me a bit, even though it was done quite well. People who have read Across the Universe will notice that when they read this: .
Also, Teegan was cryonically frozen when she was dead. The process/science as to how the freezing process can bring her back to life was never explained properly. In the story, Teegan said she didn't understood much of the science terminology and steps to comprehend how she was frozen felt like a cop out to me.
Aside from that, I enjoyed the book alot. The ending tied its knots together perfectly and even though there's no cliffhanger (thank god) I NEED THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW!
Me:
You:
Me:
March 8, 2013
What happens after death? Well for Tegan, it's another life. 100 years from now. A fascinating premise indeed! Who's not intrigued by the future? Curious about the state of our planet, the technology, even the fashion? I was really excited to get into this book and for the most part it I really enjoyed it. My problems mostly lay with the way the book came off as a big environmental/social speech.
Tegan is in love and it's all pretty and roses, then she abruptly wakes up… 100 years from now. That would be a shocker on pretty much anybody. I liked how this was done, she was on the defensive, not believing anybody and fighting to get her way. She was a great protagonist for this story and I found her very likeable. Same with the secondary characters she comes to meet and call friends. They were all a little quirky with their own traits and personalities. I liked that they weren't just fluffy plot fillers, they were fun characters and also very loyal to Tegan. Even though she leaves her love behind in the past, she does meet a new guy in the future (of course! ;) and the romance is, although I wouldn't call it chemistry filled, very sweet and well paced.
The plot itself is intriguing, too, we have the usual secrets and conspiracies that come about during the story. We know that what we're told are most likely lies. It's also told through Tegan's voice, her telling us a story that's already happened to her, so she adds short commentaries at spots to make us understand that we should be wary of everything she's being told at this point. I thought this was very well done, it added a great touch of suspense into the novel. The world building itself, though, I will say I expected more. We're suddenly 100 years in the future and not a whole lot is said about society itself. Cars, building, every day life, we don't get any of those details and it came off as very anticlimactic for what you'd expect in a setting such as this. We do get into some details in regards to computers and the environment--the planet as a whole--but it still leaves too many unexplained areas that I'd think anyone talking about the future would immediately want to know.
The environment, however, nope, that one was not forgotten! Our people's damaging ways and prejudices against several minorities were brought up so much in this book that it felt like a big speech on what our corrupt ways will bring if we don't change. The planet dying, extremists who are trying to take things into their own hands, gay marriage being universally accepted, topics like this kept being brought up and not in a way to strengthen world building either--though it did work for that in some ways--but forcefully so that it felt like the book was yelling at me. Yelling at our generation for being the eventual end-all of our world. Shame on us! The first thing I did upon finishing this book was ask a friend "Did you feel this book was very preachy? Like a big speech on how our world is corrupt?"
A fantastic concept, compelling writing, and great characters, When We Wake does have a lot to offer. I wouldn't say it's an especially memorable read, I can already tell I will forget most of this book in a few months, but even with my issues it's still fun and suspenseful while it lasts.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Tegan is in love and it's all pretty and roses, then she abruptly wakes up… 100 years from now. That would be a shocker on pretty much anybody. I liked how this was done, she was on the defensive, not believing anybody and fighting to get her way. She was a great protagonist for this story and I found her very likeable. Same with the secondary characters she comes to meet and call friends. They were all a little quirky with their own traits and personalities. I liked that they weren't just fluffy plot fillers, they were fun characters and also very loyal to Tegan. Even though she leaves her love behind in the past, she does meet a new guy in the future (of course! ;) and the romance is, although I wouldn't call it chemistry filled, very sweet and well paced.
The plot itself is intriguing, too, we have the usual secrets and conspiracies that come about during the story. We know that what we're told are most likely lies. It's also told through Tegan's voice, her telling us a story that's already happened to her, so she adds short commentaries at spots to make us understand that we should be wary of everything she's being told at this point. I thought this was very well done, it added a great touch of suspense into the novel. The world building itself, though, I will say I expected more. We're suddenly 100 years in the future and not a whole lot is said about society itself. Cars, building, every day life, we don't get any of those details and it came off as very anticlimactic for what you'd expect in a setting such as this. We do get into some details in regards to computers and the environment--the planet as a whole--but it still leaves too many unexplained areas that I'd think anyone talking about the future would immediately want to know.
The environment, however, nope, that one was not forgotten! Our people's damaging ways and prejudices against several minorities were brought up so much in this book that it felt like a big speech on what our corrupt ways will bring if we don't change. The planet dying, extremists who are trying to take things into their own hands, gay marriage being universally accepted, topics like this kept being brought up and not in a way to strengthen world building either--though it did work for that in some ways--but forcefully so that it felt like the book was yelling at me. Yelling at our generation for being the eventual end-all of our world. Shame on us! The first thing I did upon finishing this book was ask a friend "Did you feel this book was very preachy? Like a big speech on how our world is corrupt?"
A fantastic concept, compelling writing, and great characters, When We Wake does have a lot to offer. I wouldn't say it's an especially memorable read, I can already tell I will forget most of this book in a few months, but even with my issues it's still fun and suspenseful while it lasts.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
July 1, 2013
Rating: 1.5
First things first, let's talk about what this book did well. For example, the idea behind the book was really cool. The cover design was also really great. Also, the first chapter or so was a really great start to an interesting story.
Other than that though? Just put the book down. Stop- yes stop right there. If you're expecting it to be amazing (like I was), then you need to either lower your expectations, or prepare for a rough ride.
First of all, let's talk about the main character. First of all, SHE IS ANNOYING. I'm not even kidding. All the main character talks (or should I say whines) about (other than herself) is the Beatles. Approximately every other line of this book is about the Beatles. Yes, I get that the main character is obsessed with the Beatles- but I got it after the first 12 references or so. From there, it just got annoying, distracting, and took away from the lack-luster story.
Next, the love interest? Abdi was a boring, two-dimensional character who played the classic role of "loved and hated by the public, but adored by me". Yes, I understand that the story was from the main characters point of view, so of course she found him "perfect", but the whole relationship was a bit rushed, and seemed thrown together haphazardly just to add some quick and easy middle-school style romance appeal.
Let's move on to the story. It was well, boring. Like I said, good idea, but poor execution. The beginning, with the waking up and panicking part, great. Part of the problem, though, is that by the end, when you find out the reason behind this narrated story, it makes the rest of the book seem even MORE pointless than it had before. There were so many details included that
a. wouldn't have been in there if the character WAS telling it to an audience in what should've been a rushed atmosphere
b. NO ONE CARED ABOUT
c. Had almost no reference to the story
A prime example of this would be her included love for Abdi and her constantly being hung up on her 100-year-ago friend Dalmar. In the situation this story was presented in, this stuff shouldn't have been said, and ALSO shouldn't have mattered.
As you can probably tell, this story was not really great for me. That said, it'd probably good for younger children, specifically anyone in between grades 5 and 7 (or let's say ages 11 to 14).
First things first, let's talk about what this book did well. For example, the idea behind the book was really cool. The cover design was also really great. Also, the first chapter or so was a really great start to an interesting story.
Other than that though? Just put the book down. Stop- yes stop right there. If you're expecting it to be amazing (like I was), then you need to either lower your expectations, or prepare for a rough ride.
First of all, let's talk about the main character. First of all, SHE IS ANNOYING. I'm not even kidding. All the main character talks (or should I say whines) about (other than herself) is the Beatles. Approximately every other line of this book is about the Beatles. Yes, I get that the main character is obsessed with the Beatles- but I got it after the first 12 references or so. From there, it just got annoying, distracting, and took away from the lack-luster story.
Next, the love interest? Abdi was a boring, two-dimensional character who played the classic role of "loved and hated by the public, but adored by me". Yes, I understand that the story was from the main characters point of view, so of course she found him "perfect", but the whole relationship was a bit rushed, and seemed thrown together haphazardly just to add some quick and easy middle-school style romance appeal.
Let's move on to the story. It was well, boring. Like I said, good idea, but poor execution. The beginning, with the waking up and panicking part, great. Part of the problem, though, is that by the end, when you find out the reason behind this narrated story, it makes the rest of the book seem even MORE pointless than it had before. There were so many details included that
a. wouldn't have been in there if the character WAS telling it to an audience in what should've been a rushed atmosphere
b. NO ONE CARED ABOUT
c. Had almost no reference to the story
A prime example of this would be her included love for Abdi and her constantly being hung up on her 100-year-ago friend Dalmar. In the situation this story was presented in, this stuff shouldn't have been said, and ALSO shouldn't have mattered.
As you can probably tell, this story was not really great for me. That said, it'd probably good for younger children, specifically anyone in between grades 5 and 7 (or let's say ages 11 to 14).
September 28, 2017
The Beatles sang all you need is love. It would be nice if that were true. But, like everyone, they wanted a lot more than love alone; they wanted wealth and glory and freedom and peace. They wanted to travel; they wanted to investigate their spirtuality; they wanted their children to be happy and safe. Love is a good start, but we need more than that to get through.
Now this is one futuristic novel that I may never have been exposed to if it hadn't been for a grade nine student that told me it was a must read. " When We Wake" is a futuristic novel set in Australia, that jumps readers from 2027 to 2128. The Goodreads synopsis is quite stellar and I really don't want to rehash it here. I felt that this book was infused with deeper religious, political, and scientific dilemmas that may or may not deter a struggling reader. Left me with a good cliffhanger, but I guess my new school doesn't have the sequel....yet. Maybe my favorite thing of all was that the book features a teen protagonist that isn't being fought over by two other male characters. Hallelujah!
Now this is one futuristic novel that I may never have been exposed to if it hadn't been for a grade nine student that told me it was a must read. " When We Wake" is a futuristic novel set in Australia, that jumps readers from 2027 to 2128. The Goodreads synopsis is quite stellar and I really don't want to rehash it here. I felt that this book was infused with deeper religious, political, and scientific dilemmas that may or may not deter a struggling reader. Left me with a good cliffhanger, but I guess my new school doesn't have the sequel....yet. Maybe my favorite thing of all was that the book features a teen protagonist that isn't being fought over by two other male characters. Hallelujah!
April 22, 2013
The only reason I read this book was because of Renae's review. I couldn't have been any less interested in the book, to be honest. It sounded like another boring dystopian with a hint of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.
I'm so happy to say that WHEN WE WAKE was different from everything I'd ever read in the genre. Dystopian and science fiction are my favorite genres, and have been ever since I was a kid. I don't often get lucky with them however and I tend to find most of my favorite books in the fantasy and contemporary genres.
I got lucky.
WHEN WE WAKE is set in 2127 where the world is very different from how it is now. But in a good way (for the most part). The world is greener, for one. Mankind learned to live by the land and follow the three 'R's of recycling. Homosexual love isn't viewed any different than heterosexual love - which is awesome. Yet the world is certainly not perfect as racial tensions are higher than ever.
I guess Lennon's 'Imagine' world hasn't happened yet.
Tegan wakes up to this world - like she literally woke up. She was cryogenically frozen for 100 years after being accidentally shot and 'killed'. This is the point where you have to just go with the flow. It doesn't make any sense that Tegan could sign up for being frozen without actually knowing what she was signing up for.
Tegan faces the obvious cultural shock of walking up a hundred years into the future, not to mention the grief that comes with the realization that all of Tegan's friends and family have been dead for a very long time. She also faces the trouble that comes with being the first successful awakened person, target of a cult, and being used by various institutions and people.
Thankfully, Tegan is more than apt to care of herself. She's one of my all time favorite heroines. Tegan is strong and willful. She's definitely not afraid to speak her mind when and wherever she chooses.
The quotes remind me a bit too much of MOCKINGJAY, the finale in the Hunger Games series. Katniss was being used by both the rebels and the formal government for much of the book. What disappointed me was how well Katniss took it. All I wanted was for her to say what Tegan did.
She didn't.
I really love Tegan even though it's not like she was ever the most original character. I like that about her in this case. People can be brave without being a superhero - it's actually possible. Tegan was a brave, wonderful girl who wasn't a superhero, nor did she try to be. I think she was perfect without being... perfect.
While the book deals with a lot of really serious and deep issues like racial discrimination, Healey doesn't fill her entire book with that. She instead fills her time with needed character development and the most important thing to any book - character interaction. Each and every one of Healy's characters are well rounded. I feel like Bethari, Joph, and the others could be in my life and that they could be my friends.
What I truly love about the characters is how different they are. They all come from different religious backgrounds, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. This is very much lacking in most YA (and Adult) literature. The characters are usually white, very rarely anything other than a Christian or an Atheist, and straight. There is nothing wrong with white Christian straight people but I do really love when authors add characters that break the average mold.
Tegan and the other characters were definitely my favorite aspect to the book but the moral and ethical problems that were introduced were another one of my favorites. There are a few that I wish were more elaborated on but for the most part, I felt that they were a very nice addition to the book.
Before I end the review, I want to say that I, like some other reviewers, am very sad to hear that there is a sequel to WHEN WE WAKE in the works. I found the ending perfect for the book and wouldn't want it any other way. I will probably end up reading the sequel just because I want more Tegan but I highly doubt it will be anything like WHEN WE WAKE. But then again, you never know. Healy is probably talented enough to pull it off.
WHEN WE WAKE is an intelligent, beautiful dystopian that really challenges the norm of dystopian novels. With this book, I have a bit more hope that, just maybe, other authors will realize that there is more to dystopian fiction then love triangles. I recommend this book with all my heart and will be seeking out Healy's other books.
I'm so happy to say that WHEN WE WAKE was different from everything I'd ever read in the genre. Dystopian and science fiction are my favorite genres, and have been ever since I was a kid. I don't often get lucky with them however and I tend to find most of my favorite books in the fantasy and contemporary genres.
I got lucky.
WHEN WE WAKE is set in 2127 where the world is very different from how it is now. But in a good way (for the most part). The world is greener, for one. Mankind learned to live by the land and follow the three 'R's of recycling. Homosexual love isn't viewed any different than heterosexual love - which is awesome. Yet the world is certainly not perfect as racial tensions are higher than ever.
I guess Lennon's 'Imagine' world hasn't happened yet.
Tegan wakes up to this world - like she literally woke up. She was cryogenically frozen for 100 years after being accidentally shot and 'killed'. This is the point where you have to just go with the flow. It doesn't make any sense that Tegan could sign up for being frozen without actually knowing what she was signing up for.
Tegan faces the obvious cultural shock of walking up a hundred years into the future, not to mention the grief that comes with the realization that all of Tegan's friends and family have been dead for a very long time. She also faces the trouble that comes with being the first successful awakened person, target of a cult, and being used by various institutions and people.
Thankfully, Tegan is more than apt to care of herself. She's one of my all time favorite heroines. Tegan is strong and willful. She's definitely not afraid to speak her mind when and wherever she chooses.
"It was the truth," I said.
"Truth! We didn't put you on camera to speak the truth! We needed a pretty face!"
"Well, tough," I snapped. "You got me instead. I guess your little clockwork doll broke down."
-page 189
"I am so tired of being used. The army tried to do it, Tatia tried to do it, and now you're trying to do it. I'm a person, not a symbol, not property, and not a prop. If you want me dead, I can't stop you, but I won't make it easier for you either. Dirty your own fucking hands."
-page 273
The quotes remind me a bit too much of MOCKINGJAY, the finale in the Hunger Games series. Katniss was being used by both the rebels and the formal government for much of the book. What disappointed me was how well Katniss took it. All I wanted was for her to say what Tegan did.
She didn't.
I really love Tegan even though it's not like she was ever the most original character. I like that about her in this case. People can be brave without being a superhero - it's actually possible. Tegan was a brave, wonderful girl who wasn't a superhero, nor did she try to be. I think she was perfect without being... perfect.
While the book deals with a lot of really serious and deep issues like racial discrimination, Healey doesn't fill her entire book with that. She instead fills her time with needed character development and the most important thing to any book - character interaction. Each and every one of Healy's characters are well rounded. I feel like Bethari, Joph, and the others could be in my life and that they could be my friends.
What I truly love about the characters is how different they are. They all come from different religious backgrounds, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. This is very much lacking in most YA (and Adult) literature. The characters are usually white, very rarely anything other than a Christian or an Atheist, and straight. There is nothing wrong with white Christian straight people but I do really love when authors add characters that break the average mold.
Tegan and the other characters were definitely my favorite aspect to the book but the moral and ethical problems that were introduced were another one of my favorites. There are a few that I wish were more elaborated on but for the most part, I felt that they were a very nice addition to the book.
Before I end the review, I want to say that I, like some other reviewers, am very sad to hear that there is a sequel to WHEN WE WAKE in the works. I found the ending perfect for the book and wouldn't want it any other way. I will probably end up reading the sequel just because I want more Tegan but I highly doubt it will be anything like WHEN WE WAKE. But then again, you never know. Healy is probably talented enough to pull it off.
WHEN WE WAKE is an intelligent, beautiful dystopian that really challenges the norm of dystopian novels. With this book, I have a bit more hope that, just maybe, other authors will realize that there is more to dystopian fiction then love triangles. I recommend this book with all my heart and will be seeking out Healy's other books.
March 3, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
WHEN WE WAKE is a very political book, and, to a lesser degree, a very religious book. Those aren’t necessarily bad things. But when the politics and religion are preachy, it becomes much harder to enjoy the story hiding underneath.
And the story underneath is intriguing, or at least the premise is. A girl who is brought back to life a hundred years after she dies must learn to adapt to a hostile and unfamiliar world. Everything from technology to language has changed to the point that it’s almost unrecognizable. Initially, Teegan was likeable enough with her Beatles obsession and free running hobby, but she ended up making a few too many temper driven choices that just struck me as stupid–though not as stupid as almost every adult in this book.
The problem arises when WHEN WE WAKE attempts to tackle almost every single potentially polarizing issue dividing people today: hyper environmentalism, vegetarianism, racism, homosexuality, sex change operations, Islam, Christianity, Roman Catholicism, cults, drugs, immigration, totalitarianism, and so many more. The author’s position on all this issues comes across loud and clear. The characters who hold opposing viewpoints are complete villains. The problem isn’t always the issues themselves, which I think most of us would agree the way they are portrayed, it’s just so heavy handed and relentless. The story, such as it was, felt like it was just a series of events strung together in order for the author to get on her soapbox.
I had a hard time finishing this one. Instead of raising issues and letting readers think for themselves, only one position is presented as acceptable in WHEN WE WAKE, not because it is morally or intellectually more tenable (even when it is) but because the opposing view is a caricature/straw man version of itself. Regardless of your political and religious ideologies, it struck me as deeply disrespectful to lampoon and deride opposing viewpoints as thoroughly and overwhelmingly as this book does. There is clearly a sequel planned based on the unresolved ending, WHEN WE RUN, but I won’t be reading it.
Sexual Content:
Kissing
WHEN WE WAKE is a very political book, and, to a lesser degree, a very religious book. Those aren’t necessarily bad things. But when the politics and religion are preachy, it becomes much harder to enjoy the story hiding underneath.
And the story underneath is intriguing, or at least the premise is. A girl who is brought back to life a hundred years after she dies must learn to adapt to a hostile and unfamiliar world. Everything from technology to language has changed to the point that it’s almost unrecognizable. Initially, Teegan was likeable enough with her Beatles obsession and free running hobby, but she ended up making a few too many temper driven choices that just struck me as stupid–though not as stupid as almost every adult in this book.
The problem arises when WHEN WE WAKE attempts to tackle almost every single potentially polarizing issue dividing people today: hyper environmentalism, vegetarianism, racism, homosexuality, sex change operations, Islam, Christianity, Roman Catholicism, cults, drugs, immigration, totalitarianism, and so many more. The author’s position on all this issues comes across loud and clear. The characters who hold opposing viewpoints are complete villains. The problem isn’t always the issues themselves, which I think most of us would agree the way they are portrayed, it’s just so heavy handed and relentless. The story, such as it was, felt like it was just a series of events strung together in order for the author to get on her soapbox.
I had a hard time finishing this one. Instead of raising issues and letting readers think for themselves, only one position is presented as acceptable in WHEN WE WAKE, not because it is morally or intellectually more tenable (even when it is) but because the opposing view is a caricature/straw man version of itself. Regardless of your political and religious ideologies, it struck me as deeply disrespectful to lampoon and deride opposing viewpoints as thoroughly and overwhelmingly as this book does. There is clearly a sequel planned based on the unresolved ending, WHEN WE RUN, but I won’t be reading it.
Sexual Content:
Kissing
March 16, 2013
I picked this book up off the shelf because, well, it was shiny. And the cover is so very, very pretty. Creepy, but the colours do look amazing together.
At first, I just couldn't get into this book. The premise just seemed too sad. To put it in perspective, I had recently read five dystopian books in a row, and without knowing it, in doing so I had filled my mind with all sorts of "We are all going to die! We are going to be taken over by a totalitarian government with horrible laws!" and of course, "Global warming is going to kill us all" scenarios. Basically, I had assured myself we were all going to have a horrible future ahead of us. So, hopefully you can kind of understand why I didn’t particularly feel like reading a story about a teenage girl who accidentally gets shot, is cryogenically frozen and then wakes up in a future that seems great but is actually full of underlying terrible truths - minus all of her family and friends and anyone she loves. I read the first couple of pages and just felt sad, so I promptly stopped.
Well, that turned out to be a big mistake. Because a few weeks later as I was searching through the pile of books that is higher than my bed (and probably consists of more than a few overdues!) I saw the shiny, new cover with the beautiful colours and the creepy girl. I started to read again, and I read, and I read. I couldn’t stop reading - I just had to discover the dark secrets of the seemingly perfect world that Tegan had woken into.
The category this book completes is “a book set in another place and time.” This book is set one hundred, or thereabouts, years in the future, in Australia. Being from New Zealand and having Australia just over the ditch, this book felt pretty close to home for me. I found it easy to imagine that the situation happening in New Zealand would be similar to what would be happening in Australia.
The world in the future, according to Karen Healey, is not a good one. People are suffering from some sort of global environmental crisis, sea levels are rising and despite the effort made in Australia to go clean and green, global warming is still occurring. All around there are Third World countries suffering the effects because they cannot afford to go green. Australia has introduced a rigorously enforced anti-immigrant policy. Tegan is the first person to be woken up successfully after being frozen and this has unforeseen consequences. It was extremely interesting to see how much progress the world had made in one hundred years, and as far as I can see from this book, not much. In my opinion, if we want any sort of green, healthy future we’d better start now.
In a quiet, not too over the top way I think Tegan is a wonderful heroine and she was my favourite character. With a quietly powerful and strong voice, she seemed innocent but would then say the occasional fantastic quote that reminded you the world was not perfect.
“It was time to give them a lesson in just how surprising Tegan Ogletti could be.“ I love this quote because it sums up the essence of the book. Tegan surprised everybody. She managed to remain strong when she was totally alone, isolated from anyone she used to love, and that strength is a very admirable quality. She went from a confused girl to a motivated one who used her brains to figure out what was really going on, and then she told the world. She was focused on changing the world for the better.
I loved how Tegan had a great appreciation for music, and although I don’t share that passion I feel it really personalises a character and a story when one underlying quality in a person comes through, such as an obsession or passion. I enjoyed how the romance was a subplot in this book, and most of the story was focused on Tegan and her struggle for the truth. The mystery was the main point of the book, and it was great how it was kept that way.
This brings me to a part of the book I really enjoyed. I loved how the book seemed to come full circle, that we were reading Tegan’s story that she was telling to audiences on her tubecast. This connected the parts of the story together right from the beginning.
Reading this book I learnt not to believe everything you see. Tegan steps into a future that seems a lot better than the place she left, but a dark secret is lurking. It taught me to be aware of what is going on and to persevere to discover the truth. I also discovered an interesting and believable perception of the future where technology has advanced and new laws have come into place. Yes, the world has begun to face environmental and political crisis but at what and who’s cost? It is believable, but not so extreme that it seems unreal. Attention to detail made this whole story seem like a link to our future, and that link was fascinating.
I couldn’t get into this book at first, but when I did it was well worth reading. 4/5 stars
At first, I just couldn't get into this book. The premise just seemed too sad. To put it in perspective, I had recently read five dystopian books in a row, and without knowing it, in doing so I had filled my mind with all sorts of "We are all going to die! We are going to be taken over by a totalitarian government with horrible laws!" and of course, "Global warming is going to kill us all" scenarios. Basically, I had assured myself we were all going to have a horrible future ahead of us. So, hopefully you can kind of understand why I didn’t particularly feel like reading a story about a teenage girl who accidentally gets shot, is cryogenically frozen and then wakes up in a future that seems great but is actually full of underlying terrible truths - minus all of her family and friends and anyone she loves. I read the first couple of pages and just felt sad, so I promptly stopped.
Well, that turned out to be a big mistake. Because a few weeks later as I was searching through the pile of books that is higher than my bed (and probably consists of more than a few overdues!) I saw the shiny, new cover with the beautiful colours and the creepy girl. I started to read again, and I read, and I read. I couldn’t stop reading - I just had to discover the dark secrets of the seemingly perfect world that Tegan had woken into.
The category this book completes is “a book set in another place and time.” This book is set one hundred, or thereabouts, years in the future, in Australia. Being from New Zealand and having Australia just over the ditch, this book felt pretty close to home for me. I found it easy to imagine that the situation happening in New Zealand would be similar to what would be happening in Australia.
The world in the future, according to Karen Healey, is not a good one. People are suffering from some sort of global environmental crisis, sea levels are rising and despite the effort made in Australia to go clean and green, global warming is still occurring. All around there are Third World countries suffering the effects because they cannot afford to go green. Australia has introduced a rigorously enforced anti-immigrant policy. Tegan is the first person to be woken up successfully after being frozen and this has unforeseen consequences. It was extremely interesting to see how much progress the world had made in one hundred years, and as far as I can see from this book, not much. In my opinion, if we want any sort of green, healthy future we’d better start now.
In a quiet, not too over the top way I think Tegan is a wonderful heroine and she was my favourite character. With a quietly powerful and strong voice, she seemed innocent but would then say the occasional fantastic quote that reminded you the world was not perfect.
“It was time to give them a lesson in just how surprising Tegan Ogletti could be.“ I love this quote because it sums up the essence of the book. Tegan surprised everybody. She managed to remain strong when she was totally alone, isolated from anyone she used to love, and that strength is a very admirable quality. She went from a confused girl to a motivated one who used her brains to figure out what was really going on, and then she told the world. She was focused on changing the world for the better.
I loved how Tegan had a great appreciation for music, and although I don’t share that passion I feel it really personalises a character and a story when one underlying quality in a person comes through, such as an obsession or passion. I enjoyed how the romance was a subplot in this book, and most of the story was focused on Tegan and her struggle for the truth. The mystery was the main point of the book, and it was great how it was kept that way.
This brings me to a part of the book I really enjoyed. I loved how the book seemed to come full circle, that we were reading Tegan’s story that she was telling to audiences on her tubecast. This connected the parts of the story together right from the beginning.
Reading this book I learnt not to believe everything you see. Tegan steps into a future that seems a lot better than the place she left, but a dark secret is lurking. It taught me to be aware of what is going on and to persevere to discover the truth. I also discovered an interesting and believable perception of the future where technology has advanced and new laws have come into place. Yes, the world has begun to face environmental and political crisis but at what and who’s cost? It is believable, but not so extreme that it seems unreal. Attention to detail made this whole story seem like a link to our future, and that link was fascinating.
I couldn’t get into this book at first, but when I did it was well worth reading. 4/5 stars
September 23, 2016
This book is just so clunky and obvious, I almost didn't finish it. I kept putting the book down to roll my eyes at the two-by-four Healey was swinging around to get her messages across. Because, make no mistake, this is a MESSAGE novel. And not just one message, oh no, Healey squashes as many as she can into the book. And none of it is done with any sort of grace or ease. Everything stops to make sure that we, the reader, grasp the IMPORTANT MESSAGE Healey wishes to impart upon us.
For example, one of the characters is revealed to be a trans person. And it has nothing to do with the plot, just a bit of info. I actually like this, I think it's great to have characters who are not white hetero whatever and not have the novel focus on that particular point about the character. What I have a problem with is the way it's revealed. The entire novel stops in order to make sure we know that piece of info and then moves on. And it's not even revealed in a believable way. See this character is an established drug user (or at least someone who plays at it to disguise what she's really doing) so the fact that she's taking pills shouldn't be noticeable to the narrator. And yet it is, and then we stop what we're doing to establish what the pills are and that the narrator is a-ok with it, and then move on. AND THIS WAS DURING A RATHER INTENSE SCENE. It completely ruined the flow of the novel. And the fix is SO easy, you have narrator look at character A in annoyance when she pops some pills. She explains what they are and narrator accepts that, apologizes for her annoyance and then you MOVE ON.
In another instance the narrator mistakes a boy from the future for her past love. As in, she sees this future boy and flashes back to her now dead boyfriend. She calls him by the wrong name and insists that future boy looks just like past boy. Except she's a white girl and both of those boys were black. Well, she is humiliated. And to make sure that we got the message, Healey makes sure to state outright what was wrong. This was my first real jarring moment. It could have been handled much more subtly with the narrator rushing out of the room in shame (as she does) and the other kids calling her a white racist (as they do- or at least a slang term meaning white racist) and then left at that. There wasn't a need to come right out and say why the narrator was in the wrong, the text said it already. That's just clunky writing and talking down to the reader.
But where it gets hilarious is that a couple of chapters later, when narrator is starting a friendship with future boy she apologizes for the mistake and he says that he forgives her. He goes on to explain that it was explained to him who past boy was and since past boy was nationality from place A and he is same nationality from place B, he could see how she might mistake them for each other. Do you see? Right after the text comes right out to say that it's wrong to say people from one race all look like each other, it subtly goes back and says but really they all do. It's like Healey heard the lesson about why that particular form of racism is bad but didn't really learn it.
There were plenty of other things that bothered me about the novel. Like why, in the format that it's in, does the narrator talk about her romance? It doesn't make sense, it's supposed to be an interview type thing, and the narrator is established as a private person. Or why it's necessary to have two, count em TWO, different bad guy groups. The addition of the religious fanatics didn't add anything to the novel and you could have easily revealed the information they provided in other ways, Healey could even have used the army to do it. Or perhaps her female hacker character.
At this point I think I'm done with Healey's novels. I really, really liked Guardian of the Dead. But none of her novels since that one have come close in content. And this one was just plain bad.
For example, one of the characters is revealed to be a trans person. And it has nothing to do with the plot, just a bit of info. I actually like this, I think it's great to have characters who are not white hetero whatever and not have the novel focus on that particular point about the character. What I have a problem with is the way it's revealed. The entire novel stops in order to make sure we know that piece of info and then moves on. And it's not even revealed in a believable way. See this character is an established drug user (or at least someone who plays at it to disguise what she's really doing) so the fact that she's taking pills shouldn't be noticeable to the narrator. And yet it is, and then we stop what we're doing to establish what the pills are and that the narrator is a-ok with it, and then move on. AND THIS WAS DURING A RATHER INTENSE SCENE. It completely ruined the flow of the novel. And the fix is SO easy, you have narrator look at character A in annoyance when she pops some pills. She explains what they are and narrator accepts that, apologizes for her annoyance and then you MOVE ON.
In another instance the narrator mistakes a boy from the future for her past love. As in, she sees this future boy and flashes back to her now dead boyfriend. She calls him by the wrong name and insists that future boy looks just like past boy. Except she's a white girl and both of those boys were black. Well, she is humiliated. And to make sure that we got the message, Healey makes sure to state outright what was wrong. This was my first real jarring moment. It could have been handled much more subtly with the narrator rushing out of the room in shame (as she does) and the other kids calling her a white racist (as they do- or at least a slang term meaning white racist) and then left at that. There wasn't a need to come right out and say why the narrator was in the wrong, the text said it already. That's just clunky writing and talking down to the reader.
But where it gets hilarious is that a couple of chapters later, when narrator is starting a friendship with future boy she apologizes for the mistake and he says that he forgives her. He goes on to explain that it was explained to him who past boy was and since past boy was nationality from place A and he is same nationality from place B, he could see how she might mistake them for each other. Do you see? Right after the text comes right out to say that it's wrong to say people from one race all look like each other, it subtly goes back and says but really they all do. It's like Healey heard the lesson about why that particular form of racism is bad but didn't really learn it.
There were plenty of other things that bothered me about the novel. Like why, in the format that it's in, does the narrator talk about her romance? It doesn't make sense, it's supposed to be an interview type thing, and the narrator is established as a private person. Or why it's necessary to have two, count em TWO, different bad guy groups. The addition of the religious fanatics didn't add anything to the novel and you could have easily revealed the information they provided in other ways, Healey could even have used the army to do it. Or perhaps her female hacker character.
At this point I think I'm done with Healey's novels. I really, really liked Guardian of the Dead. But none of her novels since that one have come close in content. And this one was just plain bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2017
This is probably about a 3.5 star read.
Tegan Oglietti is known as the Living Dead Girl. She is given that name because Tegan died in the year 2027, actually she was murdered. But through technology and her prior authorization to donate her body to science, her body was saved through cryogenics and woken up a century later. She is told they have woken her to gain data for a government project to rescue and revive dead soldiers. She is only to happy to help because her father was a mortally wounded soldier and she would like to save others even if he couldn't be saved.
Even with the importance of this project Tegan is of course having a bit of a time adjusting, her emotions are still at the place where it was just yesterday, she had started dating Dalmar, her older brothers best friend and her secret love for forever. And her best friend is still Alex. But really those people are no longer in her life and she has to come to terms with that. On top of that the world has changed quite a bit in the 22nd century. Toilets are not the same (in fact it's pretty gross what they do with human waste, good for the planet but gross), temperatures are warmer, computers are different, the majority of people don't eat meat, even the slang is different. Then there is the fact that Tegan is basically the property of the Australian Government. And to top it all off she has the media hounding her every move and a crazy cult called the Inheritors of the Earth following her around and telling her to commit suicide because she is an abomination to God. Her soul has already left her body, she is an empty shell.
Now tell me that's not a lot for a sixteen year old to handle! But surprisingly she's doing a pretty good job, except for the occasional outburst to the media, her fights with Colonel Dawson to gain more freedom, which I fully support, and her problems with her every move being reported by certain fellow classmates.
Tegan is trying to live her second life, she's has a guardian who she cares about, a close new friend and maybe even a love interest when things get a bit funny. She begins to question why her? Why did the government bring backer specifically? Surely there are other candidates that were put in a frozen sleep that have more knowledge of this century and able to deal better than her with the current culture. Then there's the creepy guy from The Inheritors of the Earth that directs the same question at her, why her and what secret project is the government working on.
Tegan now has to decide keep her head down and trying to live a semi normal second life or throw it all out the window and try to make her world a better place.
I liked When We Wake a decent amount but was not exactly in love with it. It read well, was an easy read and it definitely gave me a lot to contemplate. There are issues in this book that happen in their future that can quite possibly become a reality to us and that kind of freaked me out. I really should not turn a blind eye to the earths resources and turmoil, not that I don't ever think about it. It's just so easy to get caught up in your every day life and not consider what is going on outside your own person bubble of yourself and your loved ones. I even liked Tegan and her group of friends. I thought they were all very noble, eco conscious teenagers and shocked about their values considering their age. But I didn't get that emotional attachment with the characters that I do with I book I love, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the subject matter, maybe I was thinking more about the comparison of the fictional world to ours too much, or maybe it was the way it was written but I just didn't get that feel of investment that I do at times.
I was pretty shocked how it ended, and it definitely gives me a reason to pick up the sequel. Which I will most definitely. Maybe something additional will click for me with While We Run.
Tegan Oglietti is known as the Living Dead Girl. She is given that name because Tegan died in the year 2027, actually she was murdered. But through technology and her prior authorization to donate her body to science, her body was saved through cryogenics and woken up a century later. She is told they have woken her to gain data for a government project to rescue and revive dead soldiers. She is only to happy to help because her father was a mortally wounded soldier and she would like to save others even if he couldn't be saved.
Even with the importance of this project Tegan is of course having a bit of a time adjusting, her emotions are still at the place where it was just yesterday, she had started dating Dalmar, her older brothers best friend and her secret love for forever. And her best friend is still Alex. But really those people are no longer in her life and she has to come to terms with that. On top of that the world has changed quite a bit in the 22nd century. Toilets are not the same (in fact it's pretty gross what they do with human waste, good for the planet but gross), temperatures are warmer, computers are different, the majority of people don't eat meat, even the slang is different. Then there is the fact that Tegan is basically the property of the Australian Government. And to top it all off she has the media hounding her every move and a crazy cult called the Inheritors of the Earth following her around and telling her to commit suicide because she is an abomination to God. Her soul has already left her body, she is an empty shell.
Now tell me that's not a lot for a sixteen year old to handle! But surprisingly she's doing a pretty good job, except for the occasional outburst to the media, her fights with Colonel Dawson to gain more freedom, which I fully support, and her problems with her every move being reported by certain fellow classmates.
Tegan is trying to live her second life, she's has a guardian who she cares about, a close new friend and maybe even a love interest when things get a bit funny. She begins to question why her? Why did the government bring backer specifically? Surely there are other candidates that were put in a frozen sleep that have more knowledge of this century and able to deal better than her with the current culture. Then there's the creepy guy from The Inheritors of the Earth that directs the same question at her, why her and what secret project is the government working on.
Tegan now has to decide keep her head down and trying to live a semi normal second life or throw it all out the window and try to make her world a better place.
I liked When We Wake a decent amount but was not exactly in love with it. It read well, was an easy read and it definitely gave me a lot to contemplate. There are issues in this book that happen in their future that can quite possibly become a reality to us and that kind of freaked me out. I really should not turn a blind eye to the earths resources and turmoil, not that I don't ever think about it. It's just so easy to get caught up in your every day life and not consider what is going on outside your own person bubble of yourself and your loved ones. I even liked Tegan and her group of friends. I thought they were all very noble, eco conscious teenagers and shocked about their values considering their age. But I didn't get that emotional attachment with the characters that I do with I book I love, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the subject matter, maybe I was thinking more about the comparison of the fictional world to ours too much, or maybe it was the way it was written but I just didn't get that feel of investment that I do at times.
I was pretty shocked how it ended, and it definitely gives me a reason to pick up the sequel. Which I will most definitely. Maybe something additional will click for me with While We Run.
November 15, 2012
Tegan Oglietti's life in 2027 was great before she died. It was her first official date with her long time friend Dalmar when she was shot and killed. Then she woke up in 2128 and couldn't believe she had been frozen. She had checked the box on her driver's license to donate her body to science but she had meant donate organs to help people, not be frozen! After a bit of a freak out she decides it is better to be alive than dead so she will try to make the most of it.
At first the future looks great. Technology has improved and new environmental protections have been added. Then she realizes that all this had been done because the earth is in major trouble and global warming. Oceans are rising, land is disappearing, and they are not letting anyone into Australia. Tegan has to re-adjust to culture and it is a bit of a shock. She is seen by some as a miracle and by religious fanatics as something evil. One group of religious fanatics even tell her that she should kill herself and go back to god.
Tegan meets Abdi by mistaking him for Dalmar. It is hard for her to get over Dalmar even though he died 46 years ago. To her it feels like she was just in love. It was sad because he seemed like a great guy we barely got to know. She finds some friendship with Abdi even though he is an immigrant and trying to stay out of the spotlight. There is a small romance but not tell the end. I liked this because there was so much going on and she was still mourning her old life.
There is a mystery surrounding the freezing experiment. The government claims it is a way to bring back soldiers but it seems suspicious why they want to study Tegan so bad? She is the only one that has been brought back but why? Tegan and her new friends decide to hunt down the truth and I had a good ideaas to what it was from the beginning. The journey was still exciting and a few twists and turns along the way. Loved the details of the future and the science fiction elements.
The writing style was a bit different and interesting. Tegan was a huge Beattles fan so each chapter is titled after one of their songs and she often mentions them as she is a music major. This is Tegan's story broadcast on a You Tube like channel. There are breaks in her story where she talks about the present while she is telling her story that give us peaks into where she ends up. I would have liked a epilogue or something extra at the end. It was a bit of an up to your imagination ending.
---
Of course I didn't believe her. Would you? Think about waking up to a completele stranger saying,
Hey, surprise! It's the future!
There were people judging my fashion sense, rating my hotness level, and wondering if dating me would be nevrophilia.
Bethari's computer was asking permission to break into government archives.
What kind of apps dd she have on there?
No mater how much money he'd been offered or how many glittering stars had requested duets, he hadn't sung for them.
But he'd sung for me.
---
*I borrowed an ARC and this in no way affects my review*
At first the future looks great. Technology has improved and new environmental protections have been added. Then she realizes that all this had been done because the earth is in major trouble and global warming. Oceans are rising, land is disappearing, and they are not letting anyone into Australia. Tegan has to re-adjust to culture and it is a bit of a shock. She is seen by some as a miracle and by religious fanatics as something evil. One group of religious fanatics even tell her that she should kill herself and go back to god.
Tegan meets Abdi by mistaking him for Dalmar. It is hard for her to get over Dalmar even though he died 46 years ago. To her it feels like she was just in love. It was sad because he seemed like a great guy we barely got to know. She finds some friendship with Abdi even though he is an immigrant and trying to stay out of the spotlight. There is a small romance but not tell the end. I liked this because there was so much going on and she was still mourning her old life.
There is a mystery surrounding the freezing experiment. The government claims it is a way to bring back soldiers but it seems suspicious why they want to study Tegan so bad? She is the only one that has been brought back but why? Tegan and her new friends decide to hunt down the truth and I had a good ideaas to what it was from the beginning. The journey was still exciting and a few twists and turns along the way. Loved the details of the future and the science fiction elements.
The writing style was a bit different and interesting. Tegan was a huge Beattles fan so each chapter is titled after one of their songs and she often mentions them as she is a music major. This is Tegan's story broadcast on a You Tube like channel. There are breaks in her story where she talks about the present while she is telling her story that give us peaks into where she ends up. I would have liked a epilogue or something extra at the end. It was a bit of an up to your imagination ending.
---
Of course I didn't believe her. Would you? Think about waking up to a completele stranger saying,
Hey, surprise! It's the future!
There were people judging my fashion sense, rating my hotness level, and wondering if dating me would be nevrophilia.
Bethari's computer was asking permission to break into government archives.
What kind of apps dd she have on there?
No mater how much money he'd been offered or how many glittering stars had requested duets, he hadn't sung for them.
But he'd sung for me.
---
*I borrowed an ARC and this in no way affects my review*
February 11, 2013
At first sight When We Wake will call out for you, its bright, sharp, and almost white cover standing out on the shelf amongst the other covers, too dark in comparison. What the cover of When We Wake achieves is a sense of questioning already in the reader, and once the words ‘cryogenically frozen’ in the synopsis are read and connected to the cover, there would be no going back, no putting Karen Healey’s new science fiction offering back on the bookshop shelf. When We Wake provides a quite different future from today’s world, from today’s Australia, packed with political, global, and humanitarian themes involving activism, social justice, distribution of propaganda, corruption, and deceit. Whatever it is that you enjoy, either the science fiction or speculative fiction elements, When We Wake will fascinate you to no end.
It was the year 2027 when sixteen-year-old Tegan Oglietti joined a rally about climate change on the steps of Melbourne’s parliament house with her boyfriend Dalmar and was killed by a sniper. Thanks to her humanitarian beliefs of signing up to be an organ donor, Tegan wakes up 100 years later, the first to wake up after being cryogenically frozen. Tegan had become a major part of a government program to bring soldiers and casualties of war back to life due to the progress of science, but Tegan seeks out the truth in this changed world, much different to the one she knew. Because of the cryogenic freezing Tegan has become the newest celebrity, bringing fame but then also hate from religious and extremist groups who want to see her dead. Among all this, staying true to herself becomes her greatest test.
Tegan is quite a likeable and relatable character. Dealing with change, almost instantly in her case, isn’t easy, but Tegan deals with it with maturity and modesty, thankful that she gets to live a second life, but dejected it won’t be with her parents, brother, her friend Alex, and boyfriend Dalmar. Her predicament proves her fighting to strength to adapt and make change with her longing for the past and the desolation that resides inside her. She never stops questioning, never forgets who she was before she was shot, always determined to protect the memories of her old life and the friends she makes in her new life.
How the future in 2127 is described will make you tremble at the terror of how our very own future may look like (e.g., Australia’s no-migrant policy and denigration of third-world countries) or cry in delight at things like marriage equality, diversity, and if you are vegetarian or vegan, the way the future may lean to your advantage. The setting on a global scale was well detailed. I’m looking forward to exploring Karen Healey’s futuristic world in the next books. As a bonus, if there is a possible space setting in them, then Healey will hit the nail on the head in terms of setting execution.
There was much to enjoy about When We Wake. I found there to be a sort of The Hunger Games in there with Tegan attracting fame and attention and therefore must act like a token figure the government wants her to be. She’d get dressed up, outfit, make up and all, and have to participate in media interviews. Very The Hunger Games-esque, but Healey adds her own ingredients to make it distinctly different. I also loved that it was set in Melbourne, and since this is my home city, it instilled some pessimism in me, a trait which I never want to possess. If someone can do that then you’ve got a winner on your hands. When We Wake did have its moments where I lost interest, but that’s nothing in comparison to all the positives.
Karen Healey has written a strikingly fresh new future through the eyes of Tegan Oglietti. While We Run: come at me!
It was the year 2027 when sixteen-year-old Tegan Oglietti joined a rally about climate change on the steps of Melbourne’s parliament house with her boyfriend Dalmar and was killed by a sniper. Thanks to her humanitarian beliefs of signing up to be an organ donor, Tegan wakes up 100 years later, the first to wake up after being cryogenically frozen. Tegan had become a major part of a government program to bring soldiers and casualties of war back to life due to the progress of science, but Tegan seeks out the truth in this changed world, much different to the one she knew. Because of the cryogenic freezing Tegan has become the newest celebrity, bringing fame but then also hate from religious and extremist groups who want to see her dead. Among all this, staying true to herself becomes her greatest test.
Tegan is quite a likeable and relatable character. Dealing with change, almost instantly in her case, isn’t easy, but Tegan deals with it with maturity and modesty, thankful that she gets to live a second life, but dejected it won’t be with her parents, brother, her friend Alex, and boyfriend Dalmar. Her predicament proves her fighting to strength to adapt and make change with her longing for the past and the desolation that resides inside her. She never stops questioning, never forgets who she was before she was shot, always determined to protect the memories of her old life and the friends she makes in her new life.
How the future in 2127 is described will make you tremble at the terror of how our very own future may look like (e.g., Australia’s no-migrant policy and denigration of third-world countries) or cry in delight at things like marriage equality, diversity, and if you are vegetarian or vegan, the way the future may lean to your advantage. The setting on a global scale was well detailed. I’m looking forward to exploring Karen Healey’s futuristic world in the next books. As a bonus, if there is a possible space setting in them, then Healey will hit the nail on the head in terms of setting execution.
There was much to enjoy about When We Wake. I found there to be a sort of The Hunger Games in there with Tegan attracting fame and attention and therefore must act like a token figure the government wants her to be. She’d get dressed up, outfit, make up and all, and have to participate in media interviews. Very The Hunger Games-esque, but Healey adds her own ingredients to make it distinctly different. I also loved that it was set in Melbourne, and since this is my home city, it instilled some pessimism in me, a trait which I never want to possess. If someone can do that then you’ve got a winner on your hands. When We Wake did have its moments where I lost interest, but that’s nothing in comparison to all the positives.
Karen Healey has written a strikingly fresh new future through the eyes of Tegan Oglietti. While We Run: come at me!
March 18, 2013
3.5 stars
It's the year 2027 in Australia - Melbourne and sixteen year old Tegan Oglietti is having a typical happy day. She's off to a political rally with her best friend Alex and new boyfriend Dalmar. The day was looking up and things couldn't be more perfect.
Till it all faded to black and Tegan woke up in the year 2128, a hundred years into the future.
A sniper was after the Prime Minister that faithful day, but he was sloppy and hit Tegan instead. She died on the way to the hospital but she signed up for a donation program, donating her body to science, only this is a very different kind of science.
Tegan is the first candidate to successfully survive cryonics, a frozen coma. But the future has it's problems and it's secrets and Tegan must choose what kind of role she wants to play in this new life.
When We Wake is a though-provoking, cruel and unique look into one girls journey in life, after death.
In this book Tegan is talking straight to the reader as she tells us her story. What it was like in her old life and what's happening now. I really enjoyed the way this was delivered. It felt more personal and emotional. It was very sad to hear about Alex and her mom and Dalmar since it felt like she could have had such a wonderful life before her her untimely death. Specially with Dalmar, the boy she's always loved and was only with him for one day before this all happened. I've always been a sucker for friends-turned-romance so this was even more bittersweet.
I really enjoy Karen Healey's writing, I've read one of her other books before, Guardian of the Dead and even then I found her work refreshing. But I'd be lying if I said I understood the entire world that Healey tried to convey in the book. It has a very heavy morality and religious approach as well as political and government scandals. Then we have the futuristic conditions and cultural shock and how strange this new reality is to both Tegan and the readers. There was quite a bit of information to process and a lot to take in which made this book a little hard to connect with, but I still found the the general concept pretty incredible.
Tegan is a very easy character to lose yourself with. Her story is terrible and sad but at the same time it's absolutely fascinating. I love the fact that she has her own mind and her own will. She doesn't just roll over and play nice, she does things her way and is determined to have a life according to her rules. I also thought her love for the Beatles was great and I loved that the name of the songs were chapter titles.
Abdi was hard to connect with when we first met him, but eventually he started to grow on me more throughout the book. The romance is light, but it would have felt off if it was anything more then what we got.
I also enjoyed what Marie brought into the story and was glad that she stayed good people since I wasn't sure who I could trust once we get deeper into the story line.
All in all, this turned out to be a decent read. It has it's flaws but it also has it's moments where I was glued to the pages. The characters are intriguing, the writing and the concept fascinating and this really is one of those story that makes you really ponder the possibility of what the future holds. Very scary stuff my friends. I may not have loved this the way I wanted to, but I think fans of this genre will want to experience this spine-tingling dystopia sci-fi thriller escape that is like no other!
This review and more can be seen at WinterHaven Books
It's the year 2027 in Australia - Melbourne and sixteen year old Tegan Oglietti is having a typical happy day. She's off to a political rally with her best friend Alex and new boyfriend Dalmar. The day was looking up and things couldn't be more perfect.
Till it all faded to black and Tegan woke up in the year 2128, a hundred years into the future.
A sniper was after the Prime Minister that faithful day, but he was sloppy and hit Tegan instead. She died on the way to the hospital but she signed up for a donation program, donating her body to science, only this is a very different kind of science.
Tegan is the first candidate to successfully survive cryonics, a frozen coma. But the future has it's problems and it's secrets and Tegan must choose what kind of role she wants to play in this new life.
When We Wake is a though-provoking, cruel and unique look into one girls journey in life, after death.
In this book Tegan is talking straight to the reader as she tells us her story. What it was like in her old life and what's happening now. I really enjoyed the way this was delivered. It felt more personal and emotional. It was very sad to hear about Alex and her mom and Dalmar since it felt like she could have had such a wonderful life before her her untimely death. Specially with Dalmar, the boy she's always loved and was only with him for one day before this all happened. I've always been a sucker for friends-turned-romance so this was even more bittersweet.
I really enjoy Karen Healey's writing, I've read one of her other books before, Guardian of the Dead and even then I found her work refreshing. But I'd be lying if I said I understood the entire world that Healey tried to convey in the book. It has a very heavy morality and religious approach as well as political and government scandals. Then we have the futuristic conditions and cultural shock and how strange this new reality is to both Tegan and the readers. There was quite a bit of information to process and a lot to take in which made this book a little hard to connect with, but I still found the the general concept pretty incredible.
Tegan is a very easy character to lose yourself with. Her story is terrible and sad but at the same time it's absolutely fascinating. I love the fact that she has her own mind and her own will. She doesn't just roll over and play nice, she does things her way and is determined to have a life according to her rules. I also thought her love for the Beatles was great and I loved that the name of the songs were chapter titles.
Abdi was hard to connect with when we first met him, but eventually he started to grow on me more throughout the book. The romance is light, but it would have felt off if it was anything more then what we got.
I also enjoyed what Marie brought into the story and was glad that she stayed good people since I wasn't sure who I could trust once we get deeper into the story line.
All in all, this turned out to be a decent read. It has it's flaws but it also has it's moments where I was glued to the pages. The characters are intriguing, the writing and the concept fascinating and this really is one of those story that makes you really ponder the possibility of what the future holds. Very scary stuff my friends. I may not have loved this the way I wanted to, but I think fans of this genre will want to experience this spine-tingling dystopia sci-fi thriller escape that is like no other!
This review and more can be seen at WinterHaven Books
November 12, 2013
Tegan lives in future Australia. Her main concerns are her music, activism, and her new boyfriend--until she's killed at an environmentalist rally. She wakes up a hundred years even further into the future, the first successful cryogenic revival of an army project. Some things are better: composting, recycling, and water saving are commonplace, while racism, homophobia, and transphobia are mostly gone. Plus, computers are teensy! Some things are worse: climate change has escalated, and resource disparities are increasing. And many things remain the same: developing nations still lack patented medicines, anti-immigration sentiment has risen, and the public is still only fleetingly interested in injustice.
After Tegan discovers a terrible scheme, she and her new friends have to somehow make it public, all while dodging religious extremists and the Australian army. I thought I would like this more than I did. There were too many plot contrivances--
After Tegan discovers a terrible scheme, she and her new friends have to somehow make it public, all while dodging religious extremists and the Australian army. I thought I would like this more than I did. There were too many plot contrivances--
April 20, 2013
I enjoyed the thriller-style plot of this book but as a SF novel and as literature I felt it really fell short. The future world felt either unrealistic (they refer to portable devices as 'computers', a word which even my high school students don't use any more) or an unimaginative exaggeration of our present world. The refugee and bio-ethical issues explored are obviously relevant to present-day Australia (which is of course not an issue, as SF always reflects contemporary themes) but there's very little in the story that couldn't be set today -it seems a waste of the future setting.
One of the great things about dystopian fiction is that you often get the dramatic moment when the protagonist realised that their perfect world has a very, very dark side to it. Think of the scene in The Giver when the hero sees what really happens when someone is 'released'... We're cheated of this in When We Wake because the heroine is an alien in the society and relentlessly cynical about the future world throughout the book.
The cryogenic theme is not explored in any depth - the main character seems to bounce back from her experience with no psychological ill effects and the only purpose of this plot device seems to be to have someone from the twentieth century in the picture to comment critically on the future world. The characters are blatantly good or evil, with no moral ambiguity or even tough moral choices to make.
I did finish it - not always a given - but this failed to live up to its potential in so many ways.
One of the great things about dystopian fiction is that you often get the dramatic moment when the protagonist realised that their perfect world has a very, very dark side to it. Think of the scene in The Giver when the hero sees what really happens when someone is 'released'... We're cheated of this in When We Wake because the heroine is an alien in the society and relentlessly cynical about the future world throughout the book.
The cryogenic theme is not explored in any depth - the main character seems to bounce back from her experience with no psychological ill effects and the only purpose of this plot device seems to be to have someone from the twentieth century in the picture to comment critically on the future world. The characters are blatantly good or evil, with no moral ambiguity or even tough moral choices to make.
I did finish it - not always a given - but this failed to live up to its potential in so many ways.
May 19, 2013
An enjoyable read overall, yet far from action-packed. But I thought it was great that it took more of the character-based type of story, and it's very clear that the action is saved for the books that are to come in the series. And I also really loved how the future looked in this book because the author didn't glamorize it or add any ridiculous and over-the-top things.
A small scene that touched me is when one of the characters in the book, a Muslim girl, talked about her ex-girlfriend so freely, and even though no one is sure what the REAL future is going to be like, the future in this book kind of gave me hope in a way. I mean yeah, there's obviously still serious problems, but it would be nice to have a future where anyone can love whomever they choose without having to be prejudiced or tortured because of it. I know I won't live to see that future, but it would still be nice.
A small scene that touched me is when one of the characters in the book, a Muslim girl, talked about her ex-girlfriend so freely, and even though no one is sure what the REAL future is going to be like, the future in this book kind of gave me hope in a way. I mean yeah, there's obviously still serious problems, but it would be nice to have a future where anyone can love whomever they choose without having to be prejudiced or tortured because of it. I know I won't live to see that future, but it would still be nice.
October 12, 2014
One of the pleasures of reading often and reading widely is the capacity for books to surprise me. A book I think I’ll enjoy turns out to be rubbish, while other books exceed expectations. This book delighted and invigorated me. I didn’t expect much from When We Wake. It’s not because it’s YA. It’s because it’s set in Australia.
I’m totally kidding. It’s totally because it’s YA. Specifically, dystopian YA. I’ve been burned enough times by it before. There’s something about the allegory of dystopian fiction that YA authors seem to grasp but don’t necessarily execute with the finesse I demand, leaving their worlds hollow and potentially nonsensical. ( Pure is a good example.) So when Karen Healey says her book is about a socially-conscious teenager who dies and wakes up after a hundred years of cryonic suspension, forgive me if I’m sceptical.
I just summarized the plot for you above (did you blink and miss it?). Basically, a century from now sees the effects of global warming become more pronounced, and balances of power shift. Australia has isolated and insulated itself from refugees from worse-off places. Resources like water and meat are regulated or culturally frowned upon, respectively, while technology, education, and drugs are free and cheap. It isn’t exactly the end of the world (yet) so much as a dramatic enhancement of the rich—poor gap.
It’s a scarily realistic picture of how we’ll end up if we continue to pursue our agenda to USE ALL THE FUELS.
Socially-conscious SF is great; socially-conscious young adult SF is even better. Ambiguous post-apocalyptic dystopias like The Hunger Games have their place. However, When We Wake has the benefit of originating from our present, our world. Tegan’s admonishment that she expected the people of the future to “be better” is aimed not at them but at us, the readers of her present. We create the future. It is not fixed in place, but it is up to us to work together and change the course before it becomes too late and too difficult to shift.
Healey accomplishes this without being too preachy, however, because of her relatable protagonist. Tegan is great. She is far from perfect, making numerous mistakes like you would expect anyone to after a hundred-year sleep. But she also has remarkable, fierce independence and integrity. She doesn’t let anyone use her. I kept contrasting her to Katniss from Mockingjay, who seemed so defeated and robbed of agency and ready to serve merely as a figurehead for the larger resistance movement. Tegan isn’t having any of it. She doesn’t cooperate with Colonel Dawson; she doesn’t cooperate with Carl Hurfest; she doesn’t cooperate with the Father of the Inheritors of the Earth. She is her own person, and she might be an unwilling celebrity—the Living Dead Girl!—but damned if that means she isn’t going to speak her mind.
When We Wake also delivers a fairly big dose of realism. Activism and change is hard. It leads to arrests. The government doesn’t like to be challenged. And unlike what movies and books often portray, the general public doesn’t rise up in revolt every time a journalist exposes a scandal. Just think about some of the “shocking” revelations we’ve learned in the past few years that people have largely learned to live with. Has anything materially changed now that we have proof the NSA is watching everyone and everything? No. Because most of us are too lazy and too happy with the convenience of our computers and our Internet. I know I am.
Tegan is not some messiah, not some symbol, at least not yet. She is a sixteen-year-old fugitive from the past who has taken on an enemy much bigger and meaner than her. The ending of the book leaves her fate open for the sequel, and I respect that. It would have been too convenient, too easy, if Healey had wrapped everything up in three hundred pages. Life, change, and revolution don’t work that way.
For a book set over a century into the future, however, When We Wake doesn’t do a very good job of worldbuilding. What, flexible computers and designer drugs, but no self-driving cars? It is too easy to dismiss this as a side-effect of Tegan’s limited narrative voice and culture shock. This is, again, something I tend to encounter in YA that assumes a first-person perspective: in the author’s need to establish a conversational or confessional rapport with the audience, description and exposition fall by the wayside. That being said, Healey at least makes an effort here. Tegan describes future supermarkets, for example, and gives us a little of a primer on what is happening with the rest of the world. It isn’t accurate to say that Healey’s vision of the future is vague so much as it is inconsistent. There’s casual mention of nanotechnology and artificial skin, and they can build (prototype) spaceships. But no one has improved on water reclamation, figured out cold fusion, or invented a new form of media in the past century? While I understand that Healey’s purpose is not to speculate or extrapolate but merely establish a setting for her allegory, the SF nerd in me is disappointed by this lopsided vision of tomorrow.
Still, this book is damn good. It’s the kind of YA I want to read and the kind I want to recommend to younger people; I’m really looking forward to the sequel. Tegan is great. There is no contrived or abusive love triangle in sight; there is a love interest, but the romance is comfortably on the backburner considering, you know, they are running for their lives. A girl’s got to have priorities, right?
Perhaps something for older readers of the book might be Tegan’s adoration of the Beatles. Let’s put it this way: she can sing entire albums (in order) from memory. I don’t think I could sing an entire song, by any artist I like, from memory (I can sing along, but that’s a different type of skill altogether). She has put some time into her Beatles love—and keep in mind she was born in 2011. But the way she speaks about the Beatles as a phenomenon has more in common with someone who lived through them. I could go into a long digression about the way Healey uses the Beatles music and culture as a way to advance both Tegan’s characterization and the plot, but I’m not into that. Suffice it to say that she works some serious cultural allusion mojo here. I like the Beatles, but only casually; I don’t actually own any of their songs or listen to them regularly, and I still really enjoyed this dimension to the book. So I can only imagine how actual Beatles fans will react.
I’m trying to read more YA (and preferably more good YA) to stay in touch with what students I might one day be teaching (if I can get a job!) might be interested in reading. When We Wake is an excellent example of good YA. It has a great female protagonist, but its appeal is for a broad audience of any gender. It’s set in a future, but a future recognizably derived from ours rather than a post-apocalyptic what-if land. And it is alternatingly terrifying and reassuring, which is the best thing for a science-fiction story to be.
I’m totally kidding. It’s totally because it’s YA. Specifically, dystopian YA. I’ve been burned enough times by it before. There’s something about the allegory of dystopian fiction that YA authors seem to grasp but don’t necessarily execute with the finesse I demand, leaving their worlds hollow and potentially nonsensical. ( Pure is a good example.) So when Karen Healey says her book is about a socially-conscious teenager who dies and wakes up after a hundred years of cryonic suspension, forgive me if I’m sceptical.
I just summarized the plot for you above (did you blink and miss it?). Basically, a century from now sees the effects of global warming become more pronounced, and balances of power shift. Australia has isolated and insulated itself from refugees from worse-off places. Resources like water and meat are regulated or culturally frowned upon, respectively, while technology, education, and drugs are free and cheap. It isn’t exactly the end of the world (yet) so much as a dramatic enhancement of the rich—poor gap.
It’s a scarily realistic picture of how we’ll end up if we continue to pursue our agenda to USE ALL THE FUELS.
Socially-conscious SF is great; socially-conscious young adult SF is even better. Ambiguous post-apocalyptic dystopias like The Hunger Games have their place. However, When We Wake has the benefit of originating from our present, our world. Tegan’s admonishment that she expected the people of the future to “be better” is aimed not at them but at us, the readers of her present. We create the future. It is not fixed in place, but it is up to us to work together and change the course before it becomes too late and too difficult to shift.
Healey accomplishes this without being too preachy, however, because of her relatable protagonist. Tegan is great. She is far from perfect, making numerous mistakes like you would expect anyone to after a hundred-year sleep. But she also has remarkable, fierce independence and integrity. She doesn’t let anyone use her. I kept contrasting her to Katniss from Mockingjay, who seemed so defeated and robbed of agency and ready to serve merely as a figurehead for the larger resistance movement. Tegan isn’t having any of it. She doesn’t cooperate with Colonel Dawson; she doesn’t cooperate with Carl Hurfest; she doesn’t cooperate with the Father of the Inheritors of the Earth. She is her own person, and she might be an unwilling celebrity—the Living Dead Girl!—but damned if that means she isn’t going to speak her mind.
When We Wake also delivers a fairly big dose of realism. Activism and change is hard. It leads to arrests. The government doesn’t like to be challenged. And unlike what movies and books often portray, the general public doesn’t rise up in revolt every time a journalist exposes a scandal. Just think about some of the “shocking” revelations we’ve learned in the past few years that people have largely learned to live with. Has anything materially changed now that we have proof the NSA is watching everyone and everything? No. Because most of us are too lazy and too happy with the convenience of our computers and our Internet. I know I am.
Tegan is not some messiah, not some symbol, at least not yet. She is a sixteen-year-old fugitive from the past who has taken on an enemy much bigger and meaner than her. The ending of the book leaves her fate open for the sequel, and I respect that. It would have been too convenient, too easy, if Healey had wrapped everything up in three hundred pages. Life, change, and revolution don’t work that way.
For a book set over a century into the future, however, When We Wake doesn’t do a very good job of worldbuilding. What, flexible computers and designer drugs, but no self-driving cars? It is too easy to dismiss this as a side-effect of Tegan’s limited narrative voice and culture shock. This is, again, something I tend to encounter in YA that assumes a first-person perspective: in the author’s need to establish a conversational or confessional rapport with the audience, description and exposition fall by the wayside. That being said, Healey at least makes an effort here. Tegan describes future supermarkets, for example, and gives us a little of a primer on what is happening with the rest of the world. It isn’t accurate to say that Healey’s vision of the future is vague so much as it is inconsistent. There’s casual mention of nanotechnology and artificial skin, and they can build (prototype) spaceships. But no one has improved on water reclamation, figured out cold fusion, or invented a new form of media in the past century? While I understand that Healey’s purpose is not to speculate or extrapolate but merely establish a setting for her allegory, the SF nerd in me is disappointed by this lopsided vision of tomorrow.
Still, this book is damn good. It’s the kind of YA I want to read and the kind I want to recommend to younger people; I’m really looking forward to the sequel. Tegan is great. There is no contrived or abusive love triangle in sight; there is a love interest, but the romance is comfortably on the backburner considering, you know, they are running for their lives. A girl’s got to have priorities, right?
Perhaps something for older readers of the book might be Tegan’s adoration of the Beatles. Let’s put it this way: she can sing entire albums (in order) from memory. I don’t think I could sing an entire song, by any artist I like, from memory (I can sing along, but that’s a different type of skill altogether). She has put some time into her Beatles love—and keep in mind she was born in 2011. But the way she speaks about the Beatles as a phenomenon has more in common with someone who lived through them. I could go into a long digression about the way Healey uses the Beatles music and culture as a way to advance both Tegan’s characterization and the plot, but I’m not into that. Suffice it to say that she works some serious cultural allusion mojo here. I like the Beatles, but only casually; I don’t actually own any of their songs or listen to them regularly, and I still really enjoyed this dimension to the book. So I can only imagine how actual Beatles fans will react.
I’m trying to read more YA (and preferably more good YA) to stay in touch with what students I might one day be teaching (if I can get a job!) might be interested in reading. When We Wake is an excellent example of good YA. It has a great female protagonist, but its appeal is for a broad audience of any gender. It’s set in a future, but a future recognizably derived from ours rather than a post-apocalyptic what-if land. And it is alternatingly terrifying and reassuring, which is the best thing for a science-fiction story to be.
February 27, 2013
Just yesterday, series information was added to Goodreads for When We Wake. I'm so glad that happened before I wrote up this review, because, honestly, the open-ended ending might have left me rather unsatisfied if I didn't know there was going to be more. Plus, I'm just excited there will be more, because When We Wake was a delight all the way through, populated with lovable characters, science-fictiony goodness, and references to The Beatles.
Before I get into the serious plot stuff, I have to talk about all of The Beatles love in this book. My parents raised me on music from the 60s and 70s, so, though I'm not a child of that age, I sure do know most of the music, and The Beatles have always been amongst my favorites, even if my favorite album changes through the years. Every chapter title is a Beatles song, but the references go much deeper than that, and you better believe I adore every single one. The songs do even serve a plot point, providing a link to her old life and a way to connect with the people of 2128 through music.
Tegan makes a wonderful heroine. Awakened over a hundred years after her last memory and informed of her death and revival, she is, understandably, freaked. However, after some time to mourn over her old life, she makes the best out of her new situation. She is helpful, hopeful, loving, determined, and sarcastic. Her voice thoughout When We Wake is a delight, and I connected to her immediately, not just because of her love of The Beatles.
Reviving Tegan a century later enables Healey to impart information to the reader in a logical way. Tegan really does not know anything about the world she's in and can ask questions and receive answers without it feeling like an infodump. Healey uses the device to the fullest and spaces out Tegan's education well. Healey does not feel the need to drop everything on the reader all at once, taking breaks for character development or to talk about less serious things like slang or toilets (in this future, people poo into compost buckets).
What makes this novel stand out from many others is that the society in which Tegan awakes really does seem to verge on utopian for quite a while. Sure, it's not completely perfect, but it seems largely better than the past. The world has warmed due to the depletion of the ozone layer, but mankind is now living in such a way as to diminish the negative effects on the environment. Homosexual love is now valued just as highly as heterosexual love, something our society really needs to learn to accept. The more Tegan learns, the more negatives appear in this future world, including continued racial tensions.
When We Wake, though not focused on romance, does have a couple of very sweet relationships. Tegan develops a crush on a Abdi, a musically-gifted, clever boy from Djibouti. Watching them slowly overcome the difficulties their situations (he's a thirdie - from the third world - and she's the Living Dead Girl) place on a relationship is adorable. I also really love Joph and Bethari, and I hope those girls can work out their issues and get back together.
The only thing missing from the novel for me were high enough stakes. There's some action and they are in danger, but, for whatever reason, they never felt especially imperilled. Perhaps this is due to the lack of death toll in the novel, or the narrative device whereby the entirety of the book is a broadcast being issued live by Tegan, since that means she survives to the end. In the sequel, I hope to see more from the dystopian government, so that I can really feel scared for Tegan and her friends.
Karen Healey was unknown to me prior to When We Wake, but I will definitely be reading more of her books, including the sequel to this novel. When We Wake is a must-read for Beatles fans and for those who enjoy dystopian stories that don't focus entirely on romance.
Before I get into the serious plot stuff, I have to talk about all of The Beatles love in this book. My parents raised me on music from the 60s and 70s, so, though I'm not a child of that age, I sure do know most of the music, and The Beatles have always been amongst my favorites, even if my favorite album changes through the years. Every chapter title is a Beatles song, but the references go much deeper than that, and you better believe I adore every single one. The songs do even serve a plot point, providing a link to her old life and a way to connect with the people of 2128 through music.
Tegan makes a wonderful heroine. Awakened over a hundred years after her last memory and informed of her death and revival, she is, understandably, freaked. However, after some time to mourn over her old life, she makes the best out of her new situation. She is helpful, hopeful, loving, determined, and sarcastic. Her voice thoughout When We Wake is a delight, and I connected to her immediately, not just because of her love of The Beatles.
Reviving Tegan a century later enables Healey to impart information to the reader in a logical way. Tegan really does not know anything about the world she's in and can ask questions and receive answers without it feeling like an infodump. Healey uses the device to the fullest and spaces out Tegan's education well. Healey does not feel the need to drop everything on the reader all at once, taking breaks for character development or to talk about less serious things like slang or toilets (in this future, people poo into compost buckets).
What makes this novel stand out from many others is that the society in which Tegan awakes really does seem to verge on utopian for quite a while. Sure, it's not completely perfect, but it seems largely better than the past. The world has warmed due to the depletion of the ozone layer, but mankind is now living in such a way as to diminish the negative effects on the environment. Homosexual love is now valued just as highly as heterosexual love, something our society really needs to learn to accept. The more Tegan learns, the more negatives appear in this future world, including continued racial tensions.
When We Wake, though not focused on romance, does have a couple of very sweet relationships. Tegan develops a crush on a Abdi, a musically-gifted, clever boy from Djibouti. Watching them slowly overcome the difficulties their situations (he's a thirdie - from the third world - and she's the Living Dead Girl) place on a relationship is adorable. I also really love Joph and Bethari, and I hope those girls can work out their issues and get back together.
The only thing missing from the novel for me were high enough stakes. There's some action and they are in danger, but, for whatever reason, they never felt especially imperilled. Perhaps this is due to the lack of death toll in the novel, or the narrative device whereby the entirety of the book is a broadcast being issued live by Tegan, since that means she survives to the end. In the sequel, I hope to see more from the dystopian government, so that I can really feel scared for Tegan and her friends.
Karen Healey was unknown to me prior to When We Wake, but I will definitely be reading more of her books, including the sequel to this novel. When We Wake is a must-read for Beatles fans and for those who enjoy dystopian stories that don't focus entirely on romance.
October 22, 2015
A copy of this novel was provided by Allen and Unwin in exchange for an honest review.
To be entirely honest, I take some comfort in reading about horrible futures and dystopian societies in other countries. Not because I am a sadist and relish in their downfall. No, it’s just like: aw, yeah, Australia is just chilling down in the ocean and everything’s fine. We’re fine. We’re fine.
When We Wake is set in an Australia of the future. *cue screaming* We’re one of the superpowers, one of the only countries left with water – we’re fabulous. But cruel. We have a no immigrant policy, and there are crazy people shooting other people that they think are immigrants – and they’re also shooting Australians because they’re obviously bogans. We're focussed on tech, and we have some shady business going down with cryonics. Yeah, not a pretty picture of our future. Actually kind of scary, but sadly not too hard to imagine.
But there are also some plus sides, like gender equality and acceptance of sexual orientation. But these few lights are smothered by the rest of the darkness of this future.
Crazy good imaginings of the future of Australia aside, When We Wake is a really good novel. I do like reading books set in my home country. It feels much more personal, and this was personal in a creepy way. I know it seems like I am going on about this, but I think the world building was the best aspect of this novel. It was so very well thought out, not just a: yup the future is bad, really bad. There were descriptions of all kinds of things, but they weren’t given in info dumps, either. It was great.
But onwards.
I liked the small cast of characters in When We Wake, it really allowed me as a reader to get to know each of them in depth, rather than just in passing. We even got to know the characters in the past quite well, due to Tegan’s memories and flashbacks. All the characters were very distinct, and fleshed out really well, especially Bethari. Whilst I felt that Tegan and Beth became besties a little quickly to be realistic, I did appreciate the inclusion of a friend that actually meant something to the main character. The romance between Abdi and Tegan also moved a little quickly for my taste, and I wasn’t entirely behind it. I was still a fan, but I kind of felt like Abdi went from: ew, gross to: kiss me quite swiftly. But this romance wasn’t the focus the novel, so it was easy to overlook in the scheme of things.
I liked the progression of the storyline, and felt that there was ample time given to Tegan to adjust to her new life in the future, but also realise that not everything is the way it seems. The climax was kind of anti-climatic in a way, but I didn’t feel like it needed to be a Big Huge Reveal.
I am really excited about reading the next book in the series, because I want to know what happens to Tegan and her friends now that they are privy to information they were never supposed to have.
A chilling imagining of the future in a unique setting, When We Wake is a captivating novel for any young adult reader.
© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.
Your Turn: Do you feel a little freaked out when reading imaginings of the future of your country? Do you think that futuristic/dystopian novels need a Big Huge Reveal?
To be entirely honest, I take some comfort in reading about horrible futures and dystopian societies in other countries. Not because I am a sadist and relish in their downfall. No, it’s just like: aw, yeah, Australia is just chilling down in the ocean and everything’s fine. We’re fine. We’re fine.
When We Wake is set in an Australia of the future. *cue screaming* We’re one of the superpowers, one of the only countries left with water – we’re fabulous. But cruel. We have a no immigrant policy, and there are crazy people shooting other people that they think are immigrants – and they’re also shooting Australians because they’re obviously bogans. We're focussed on tech, and we have some shady business going down with cryonics. Yeah, not a pretty picture of our future. Actually kind of scary, but sadly not too hard to imagine.
But there are also some plus sides, like gender equality and acceptance of sexual orientation. But these few lights are smothered by the rest of the darkness of this future.
Crazy good imaginings of the future of Australia aside, When We Wake is a really good novel. I do like reading books set in my home country. It feels much more personal, and this was personal in a creepy way. I know it seems like I am going on about this, but I think the world building was the best aspect of this novel. It was so very well thought out, not just a: yup the future is bad, really bad. There were descriptions of all kinds of things, but they weren’t given in info dumps, either. It was great.
But onwards.
I liked the small cast of characters in When We Wake, it really allowed me as a reader to get to know each of them in depth, rather than just in passing. We even got to know the characters in the past quite well, due to Tegan’s memories and flashbacks. All the characters were very distinct, and fleshed out really well, especially Bethari. Whilst I felt that Tegan and Beth became besties a little quickly to be realistic, I did appreciate the inclusion of a friend that actually meant something to the main character. The romance between Abdi and Tegan also moved a little quickly for my taste, and I wasn’t entirely behind it. I was still a fan, but I kind of felt like Abdi went from: ew, gross to: kiss me quite swiftly. But this romance wasn’t the focus the novel, so it was easy to overlook in the scheme of things.
I liked the progression of the storyline, and felt that there was ample time given to Tegan to adjust to her new life in the future, but also realise that not everything is the way it seems. The climax was kind of anti-climatic in a way, but I didn’t feel like it needed to be a Big Huge Reveal.
I am really excited about reading the next book in the series, because I want to know what happens to Tegan and her friends now that they are privy to information they were never supposed to have.
A chilling imagining of the future in a unique setting, When We Wake is a captivating novel for any young adult reader.
© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.
Your Turn: Do you feel a little freaked out when reading imaginings of the future of your country? Do you think that futuristic/dystopian novels need a Big Huge Reveal?
August 7, 2016
Tegan Oglietti was born in Melbourne in 2010. At the age of 16, she's shot and killed. Then she wakes up in 2128, having been the product of a military cryogenics experiment. She struggles to adapt to life in the future, especially when she learns that the experiment may not be as good a thing as she first thinks.
Look, this book paints a very bleak view of the future. It's a world in which climate change plays a huge role, a world where Australia is both more diverse and more bigoted than it is at the moment, a world where many of today's issues - especially immigration and refugees - play an even bigger part. It's very political at times, and I can understand why that turned a lot of people off. But I really enjoyed the political elements.
I also liked that each of the chapter titles was a Beatles song, as it tied in nicely with Tegan's love for The Beatles. It's possible I spent most of the afternoon with Here Comes the Sun stuck in my head.
This is the third Karen Healey book I've read this year, and what I love most about her books is the diversity. It's not just one token character. There are multiple people of colour, all of whom are fully fleshed out and fully developed characters with quirks and personality traits all of their own. There are gay characters, asexual characters, transgender characters throughout, and it's never a big deal or something that shocks the main characters. It's just there, exactly like it is in the real world.
Basically, I can understand why this book isn't for everyone. But personally, I liked the bleak picture it paints for the future, as well as the hope it still offers.
Look, this book paints a very bleak view of the future. It's a world in which climate change plays a huge role, a world where Australia is both more diverse and more bigoted than it is at the moment, a world where many of today's issues - especially immigration and refugees - play an even bigger part. It's very political at times, and I can understand why that turned a lot of people off. But I really enjoyed the political elements.
I also liked that each of the chapter titles was a Beatles song, as it tied in nicely with Tegan's love for The Beatles. It's possible I spent most of the afternoon with Here Comes the Sun stuck in my head.
This is the third Karen Healey book I've read this year, and what I love most about her books is the diversity. It's not just one token character. There are multiple people of colour, all of whom are fully fleshed out and fully developed characters with quirks and personality traits all of their own. There are gay characters, asexual characters, transgender characters throughout, and it's never a big deal or something that shocks the main characters. It's just there, exactly like it is in the real world.
Basically, I can understand why this book isn't for everyone. But personally, I liked the bleak picture it paints for the future, as well as the hope it still offers.
April 13, 2016
meh.
- i'm all for liberal/issues books but i agree with the people who said this was kind of heavy handed.
- Healey created a muslim (bi?) lesbian character and a trans lesbian character whose fates were to be injured and left behind so the confirmed-straight mc and her love interest could escape. YAWN. (the sneak peek of the next book reveals at least one of them made it out, but there's no mention of the other.)
- speaking of the love interest... Teegan had a black (Dalmar, who is Somalian) boyfriend in her original/first life. they are together for one day. when she's revived, she sees a black classmate (Abdi, who is from Djibouti) and calls him by her boyfriend's name. she has some "OMG wait people think i'm RACIST" horror but it's explained away by her just being too in love with and sad about her former boyfriend, and of course she and Abdi hook up by the end of the book despite only saying a few sentences to each other the whole time. it definitely reads like Healey/Teegan consider them interchangeable. especially considering Healey called her Chinese character a "China Doll" in Guardian of the Dead.
diversity doesn't count if you treat your diverse characters like this.
- i read the sneak peek of the next book and it seems like a literal copy of the victory tour from the hunger games.
- i'm all for liberal/issues books but i agree with the people who said this was kind of heavy handed.
- Healey created a muslim (bi?) lesbian character and a trans lesbian character whose fates were to be injured and left behind so the confirmed-straight mc and her love interest could escape. YAWN. (the sneak peek of the next book reveals at least one of them made it out, but there's no mention of the other.)
- speaking of the love interest... Teegan had a black (Dalmar, who is Somalian) boyfriend in her original/first life. they are together for one day. when she's revived, she sees a black classmate (Abdi, who is from Djibouti) and calls him by her boyfriend's name. she has some "OMG wait people think i'm RACIST" horror but it's explained away by her just being too in love with and sad about her former boyfriend, and of course she and Abdi hook up by the end of the book despite only saying a few sentences to each other the whole time. it definitely reads like Healey/Teegan consider them interchangeable. especially considering Healey called her Chinese character a "China Doll" in Guardian of the Dead.
diversity doesn't count if you treat your diverse characters like this.
- i read the sneak peek of the next book and it seems like a literal copy of the victory tour from the hunger games.
March 19, 2016
Fantastic world building and thoughtful concept. This novel gives the reader an insight into what Australia may be like in 100 years time through the eyes of 16 year old Tegan who was frozen and revived. The story is reflective on the current political, religious, and environmental landscape, and how it could impact the future. It's a novel that calls for action and sends a strong message to young readers to start caring about how today's actions/inactions could make or break the future. The plot is captivating as it leaves you wondering "what are they hiding?" however the characters felt somewhat flat and underdeveloped, the protagonist's friends also seemed like stereotypical "besties." Nonetheless a worthwhile read with a positive message and presents a compelling but frightening future.
Read
February 16, 2013This book would have been a million times better if Karen had LISTENED TO ME and changed the end to my wedding to Bethari. Also, the best bit is the acknowledgements, and I recommend that you read them first.
(But seriously this book is great and I was very chuffed to be an early reader of it.)
(But seriously this book is great and I was very chuffed to be an early reader of it.)
February 12, 2013
When we wake was a book I knew I had to get my hands on. From the moment I saw the stunning white cover I was so curious about what was inside. I don’t know how many times I have said this but I am going to say it once again, white covers are the best! On a shelf they POP amongst all the blacks & reds. I used to be a sucker for a cover that had red on it but now that is everywhere so it doesn’t get me as excited. I suppose one day this will happen with white covers... hmmm... Anyway, the book, I hadn’t read the blurb so I went into When We Wake blind and what fascinating things I came upon.
Tegan is a girl who lived in the year 2027, she had a loving family, a great best friend and a brand new boyfriend. Upon going to a rally where the Australian Prime Minister is set to speak to protesters she is struck dead in a failed attempt to assassinate the PM. Jump ahead 100 years and Tegan is revived in the year 2028 to find that since she had donated her body to science she had been cryogenically frozen and is the first successful revival ever. I haven’t read a book that touched upon this possibility ever before so it was a welcome surprise to see where this story was headed. As Tegan wakes up she is somewhat of a celebrity, known as The Living Dead Girl. A tangled political web is weaved as a religious group, known as The Inheritors of the Earth want Tegan to kill herself in God’s name, supporters of a No Migrant policy in Australia want her deported because they see her as an immigrant from another time and the government wants her to be a spokesperson for the amazing things that science can do.
I really enjoyed all the different aspects of this story. The world building was great and seeing just how much our current way of life had effected where the world was in 2028 was shocking. Admittedly, I don’t really pay attention to issues such a global warming (I probably should, I know) but this book really opened my eyes to what our children’s futures could look like. Not being fluent in the issue I don’t know how much of what the world looks like in Karen Healey’s future is actually plausible but nevertheless she painted a wonderful picture of a very bleak and frightening future.
When Tegan first woke up after her 100 year coma, she seemed pretty sprite for someone who had been asleep for that long. Immediately she escapes from the lab and is jumping across buildings and running as if she had been working out for those 100 years. This seemed a little weird to me, one would think that she would be pretty incapacitated after staying still for so long. Her escaping wasn’t the only thing that she jumped into head-on, she was a bit of a hot head and was always a getting ahead of herself and doing things without thinking. I liked her though, she questioned everything around her and didn’t just sit back and accept what she was told by the people who brought her back. Her inquisitive personality led her to some shocking findings about the people who woke her up and I enjoyed her amateur methods of finding stuff out. She makes new friends and they have some secrets of their own as well. I really liked Bethari, she was just as quick to jump into tricky situations as Tegan was and they struck up a pretty good friendship. Another really solid relationship in When We Wake is the romance. Tegan and Abdi don’t exactly hit it off right away and their relationship grows nice and slow. I definitely appreciated how their relationship took time to grow and didn’t feel completely random. Their love of music and the situations that they got themselves into brought them together.
The story is told from Tegan as she is doing a podcast as a sort of memoir and telling the world what she has found out since waking up. One thing that did bother me about the execution of the story is how she referred to things as being part of the future. She would say things like “The clothes of the future...” or “The music of the future...” but she is supposed to be doing the podcast for the people living in her time so it didn’t really make sense. She talked as if she was talking to the people of the past at times and it left me feeling disjointed as to the time line of the story.
When We Wake was incredibly unique and full of really great world building. When we find out what is really going on at the heart of all the religious/political drama it definitely gets you curious as to where this story will go in the next instalments. While I did have a few issues with how the story played out this is definitely a series that I will be continuing on with and I think you should give it a shot too!
--
An Advance Reading Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
Tegan is a girl who lived in the year 2027, she had a loving family, a great best friend and a brand new boyfriend. Upon going to a rally where the Australian Prime Minister is set to speak to protesters she is struck dead in a failed attempt to assassinate the PM. Jump ahead 100 years and Tegan is revived in the year 2028 to find that since she had donated her body to science she had been cryogenically frozen and is the first successful revival ever. I haven’t read a book that touched upon this possibility ever before so it was a welcome surprise to see where this story was headed. As Tegan wakes up she is somewhat of a celebrity, known as The Living Dead Girl. A tangled political web is weaved as a religious group, known as The Inheritors of the Earth want Tegan to kill herself in God’s name, supporters of a No Migrant policy in Australia want her deported because they see her as an immigrant from another time and the government wants her to be a spokesperson for the amazing things that science can do.
I really enjoyed all the different aspects of this story. The world building was great and seeing just how much our current way of life had effected where the world was in 2028 was shocking. Admittedly, I don’t really pay attention to issues such a global warming (I probably should, I know) but this book really opened my eyes to what our children’s futures could look like. Not being fluent in the issue I don’t know how much of what the world looks like in Karen Healey’s future is actually plausible but nevertheless she painted a wonderful picture of a very bleak and frightening future.
When Tegan first woke up after her 100 year coma, she seemed pretty sprite for someone who had been asleep for that long. Immediately she escapes from the lab and is jumping across buildings and running as if she had been working out for those 100 years. This seemed a little weird to me, one would think that she would be pretty incapacitated after staying still for so long. Her escaping wasn’t the only thing that she jumped into head-on, she was a bit of a hot head and was always a getting ahead of herself and doing things without thinking. I liked her though, she questioned everything around her and didn’t just sit back and accept what she was told by the people who brought her back. Her inquisitive personality led her to some shocking findings about the people who woke her up and I enjoyed her amateur methods of finding stuff out. She makes new friends and they have some secrets of their own as well. I really liked Bethari, she was just as quick to jump into tricky situations as Tegan was and they struck up a pretty good friendship. Another really solid relationship in When We Wake is the romance. Tegan and Abdi don’t exactly hit it off right away and their relationship grows nice and slow. I definitely appreciated how their relationship took time to grow and didn’t feel completely random. Their love of music and the situations that they got themselves into brought them together.
The story is told from Tegan as she is doing a podcast as a sort of memoir and telling the world what she has found out since waking up. One thing that did bother me about the execution of the story is how she referred to things as being part of the future. She would say things like “The clothes of the future...” or “The music of the future...” but she is supposed to be doing the podcast for the people living in her time so it didn’t really make sense. She talked as if she was talking to the people of the past at times and it left me feeling disjointed as to the time line of the story.
When We Wake was incredibly unique and full of really great world building. When we find out what is really going on at the heart of all the religious/political drama it definitely gets you curious as to where this story will go in the next instalments. While I did have a few issues with how the story played out this is definitely a series that I will be continuing on with and I think you should give it a shot too!
--
An Advance Reading Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
May 8, 2013
Guys! It’s more Australian dystopic fiction! (I mean, technically it is Australian dystopic fiction. Karen Healey is from New Zealand, but W3 takes place in Melbourne.)
Australian! Dystopic! Fiction! With a pretty cover! And oh, so many Beatles references!
Ahem.
In 2027, seventeen-year-old Tegan Oglietti is having a great day: The boy she has long loved from afar has just professed his love for her; she has a happy home life with her mom and older brother; and she, her boyfriend, and her best friend are heading off to a political rally where the Prime Minister will be in attendance, so the chance their voices will be heard is high. But Tegan is shot on the steps of Parliament when a sniper’s bullet misses its intended target, and she wakes up one hundred years later as part of a science experiment.
Sadly, the future is not the beautiful one she and her friends fought for in the past. Some things have changed for the better—Muslims are accepted without question now and LGBTQ people and relationships are part of the norm—but global warming has only gotten worse, resources are scarce enough that Australia isn’t allowing immigrants anymore, and—chillingly—eating meat is considered irresponsible and something only “thirdies” (a derogatory term for people from third-world countries) do.
This is a lot for any girl from the past to take in, and making matters worse is that the project Tegan is part of seems (unsurprisingly) to not be entirely on the up and up. The military and the scientists told her it was part of an initiative to revive dead soldiers, but Tegan is finding evidence that suggests otherwise. Duhn-duhn-duuuhn!
W3 has a “setup” feel to it, in that there is a lot of world-building and introducing of characters, but it is all done so well that I didn’t mind. I’m not sure how many books are going to be in this series, but this one has provided a good, solid backdrop for all future books. Part of it is that since the events take place in 2127 I didn’t have to do a whole lot of suspension of belief; the state of the world in Healey’s novel seems totally viable.
The characterization is solid. Tegan is a fierce, positive MC who achieves a good balance of independence and trust in others. Her emotional responses to waking up in the future—when she allows us to be privy to them—were so raw and real that my heart hurt for her. I can’t imagine the pain of knowing that your friends and family went on to suffer, love, and live great and terrible lives without you, and that you didn’t get to share that with them, will never be able to see them again. But Tegan doesn’t spend too much time dwelling on this; she has pressing business to attend to in her new present and she does a great job of carrying on, even when fundamentalists are urging her to commit suicide and reporters are twisting her words. On the whole Healey has written a complex, interesting cast of characters, strong in their convictions and intelligent enough to keep things exciting.
The first-person POV definitely works for this novel, describing events in a realistic teenage voice with a dash of longing and just enough “if I had known then what I know now...” to keep me turning the pages. The only thing that was a little off to me was that a few times Tegan seems too hasty about how cool and accepting she is: “Oh, you’re Muslim and that’s totally cool with me; my boyfriend was Muslim. Oh, you’re trans? You don’t even know how okay I am with that.” It reminded me of people who say things like, “I’m totally cool with gay people! Some of my best friends are gay!” And then there is always a “but.” I kept waiting for the “but.” I know this is such a small gripe, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.
Overall, When We Wake is a gripping, emotional novel, a strong kickoff to the series, and I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be big. Personally, I’m waiting for the official release date of While We Run so I can put a heart around it on my calendar.
Australian! Dystopic! Fiction! With a pretty cover! And oh, so many Beatles references!
Ahem.
In 2027, seventeen-year-old Tegan Oglietti is having a great day: The boy she has long loved from afar has just professed his love for her; she has a happy home life with her mom and older brother; and she, her boyfriend, and her best friend are heading off to a political rally where the Prime Minister will be in attendance, so the chance their voices will be heard is high. But Tegan is shot on the steps of Parliament when a sniper’s bullet misses its intended target, and she wakes up one hundred years later as part of a science experiment.
Sadly, the future is not the beautiful one she and her friends fought for in the past. Some things have changed for the better—Muslims are accepted without question now and LGBTQ people and relationships are part of the norm—but global warming has only gotten worse, resources are scarce enough that Australia isn’t allowing immigrants anymore, and—chillingly—eating meat is considered irresponsible and something only “thirdies” (a derogatory term for people from third-world countries) do.
This is a lot for any girl from the past to take in, and making matters worse is that the project Tegan is part of seems (unsurprisingly) to not be entirely on the up and up. The military and the scientists told her it was part of an initiative to revive dead soldiers, but Tegan is finding evidence that suggests otherwise. Duhn-duhn-duuuhn!
W3 has a “setup” feel to it, in that there is a lot of world-building and introducing of characters, but it is all done so well that I didn’t mind. I’m not sure how many books are going to be in this series, but this one has provided a good, solid backdrop for all future books. Part of it is that since the events take place in 2127 I didn’t have to do a whole lot of suspension of belief; the state of the world in Healey’s novel seems totally viable.
The characterization is solid. Tegan is a fierce, positive MC who achieves a good balance of independence and trust in others. Her emotional responses to waking up in the future—when she allows us to be privy to them—were so raw and real that my heart hurt for her. I can’t imagine the pain of knowing that your friends and family went on to suffer, love, and live great and terrible lives without you, and that you didn’t get to share that with them, will never be able to see them again. But Tegan doesn’t spend too much time dwelling on this; she has pressing business to attend to in her new present and she does a great job of carrying on, even when fundamentalists are urging her to commit suicide and reporters are twisting her words. On the whole Healey has written a complex, interesting cast of characters, strong in their convictions and intelligent enough to keep things exciting.
The first-person POV definitely works for this novel, describing events in a realistic teenage voice with a dash of longing and just enough “if I had known then what I know now...” to keep me turning the pages. The only thing that was a little off to me was that a few times Tegan seems too hasty about how cool and accepting she is: “Oh, you’re Muslim and that’s totally cool with me; my boyfriend was Muslim. Oh, you’re trans? You don’t even know how okay I am with that.” It reminded me of people who say things like, “I’m totally cool with gay people! Some of my best friends are gay!” And then there is always a “but.” I kept waiting for the “but.” I know this is such a small gripe, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.
Overall, When We Wake is a gripping, emotional novel, a strong kickoff to the series, and I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be big. Personally, I’m waiting for the official release date of While We Run so I can put a heart around it on my calendar.
December 17, 2014
When We Wake was not what I was expecting, but I still mostly enjoyed it. It’s the story of Tegan, a sixteen year old girl who was accidentally shot and killed, then brought back to life 100 years later. She had been cryonically frozen and was the first successful revival, making her the face of this controversial project. However, the military also has other plans for Tegan that she doesn’t discover until it’s too late.
Just a quick a note about the writing style, since I know some people aren’t a fan of this kind. There is breaking of the fourth wall in When We Wake. It’s told in a way that the whole story has already happened and Tegan is telling us about it. She mostly stays in the past, but occasionally she’ll bring up events and feelings from the present. I actually like this, since it felt very conversational. It also kept me engaged since I wanted to know how she got to where she is and why she feels the need to tell us the entire story.
At times When We Wake felt like a political agenda disguised as a Dystopian novel. It was a little off putting. I know that the political situation often plays an important part in the world building of a Dystopian, but in this case it was very overwhelming. I felt like the author was essentially writing a call to action rather than a piece of fiction. The world is ours 100 years later and almost every single one of today’s issues has gotten worse. For the most part the focus is on climate change, immigration, and military spending. I did like the climate change aspect, since I did get my degree in environmental science. I also agreed with the views presented on the subject, but as for the other two? I felt bombarded with information and opinions and I didn’t like it. The theme of standing up for what’s right and trying to make change is great, but it took over this book.
Another thing that I didn’t like was all of the Beatles references. This is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t like them and I think that they’re overrated. Somehow Tegan is able to twist almost every conversation into something about the Beatles and it got really annoying. The chapter titles are cute, but everything else was a little much.
I did enjoy the plot. It’s fast paced and action packed. Tegan refuses to just blindly follow what the military tells her to do. She stands up for herself and others which is quite admirable. When she realizes that she wasn’t brought back to life for the reasons she thought, she begins an investigation which leads her and her new friends into lots of trouble. The second half of the story picks up a strong religious angle, since a fanatical group is quite opposed to Tegan’s resurrection, but it wasn’t quite as forceful as the politics.
In the end, I did enjoy When We Wake. The plot and characters are great, and the overall message is one I can get behind. However, the heavy use of politics (and to some extent, religion) just kept me from rating it higher. It just didn’t feel like fiction to me, but more like the author was pushing her own opinions. Of course, I don’t know how the author feels on these issues, but that’s how I felt she presented them.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Just a quick a note about the writing style, since I know some people aren’t a fan of this kind. There is breaking of the fourth wall in When We Wake. It’s told in a way that the whole story has already happened and Tegan is telling us about it. She mostly stays in the past, but occasionally she’ll bring up events and feelings from the present. I actually like this, since it felt very conversational. It also kept me engaged since I wanted to know how she got to where she is and why she feels the need to tell us the entire story.
At times When We Wake felt like a political agenda disguised as a Dystopian novel. It was a little off putting. I know that the political situation often plays an important part in the world building of a Dystopian, but in this case it was very overwhelming. I felt like the author was essentially writing a call to action rather than a piece of fiction. The world is ours 100 years later and almost every single one of today’s issues has gotten worse. For the most part the focus is on climate change, immigration, and military spending. I did like the climate change aspect, since I did get my degree in environmental science. I also agreed with the views presented on the subject, but as for the other two? I felt bombarded with information and opinions and I didn’t like it. The theme of standing up for what’s right and trying to make change is great, but it took over this book.
Another thing that I didn’t like was all of the Beatles references. This is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t like them and I think that they’re overrated. Somehow Tegan is able to twist almost every conversation into something about the Beatles and it got really annoying. The chapter titles are cute, but everything else was a little much.
I did enjoy the plot. It’s fast paced and action packed. Tegan refuses to just blindly follow what the military tells her to do. She stands up for herself and others which is quite admirable. When she realizes that she wasn’t brought back to life for the reasons she thought, she begins an investigation which leads her and her new friends into lots of trouble. The second half of the story picks up a strong religious angle, since a fanatical group is quite opposed to Tegan’s resurrection, but it wasn’t quite as forceful as the politics.
In the end, I did enjoy When We Wake. The plot and characters are great, and the overall message is one I can get behind. However, the heavy use of politics (and to some extent, religion) just kept me from rating it higher. It just didn’t feel like fiction to me, but more like the author was pushing her own opinions. Of course, I don’t know how the author feels on these issues, but that’s how I felt she presented them.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
December 25, 2014
"When We Wake" by Karen Healey is book 1 of the series. The next book "While We Run" will be released in May 2014. It is young adult scifi and reasonably well done.
The story: Tegan is a young high school student who is going to a rally in present-day Australia with her boyfriend when a shot rings out. She awakens in the twenty-second century, revived from a cryogenic sleep and the world has not become better. Just different.
Any problems with this story? Well... it depends. The book takes a middle road between Global Warming predictions and religious hysteria. Tegan is a religious girl... Catholic. The author doesn't just say she is Catholic but the author develops the character as a moderately religious person who visits the Church on the major holidays and knows what she's doing when she gets there. There is a scene in a Church where she demonstrates this ability and her comfort in a church. She believes in G-d. She believes in the eternity of her soul and that becomes part of the discussion in this book.
If you are revived from cryogenic sleep after dying, does your soul awaken too or did it go to G-d?
The author does not go too deeply into this subject because we are talking about a young high school girl. Not too many young people could answer such a question. Nevertheless, the author does tackle this issue briefly and does not throw it away. There is no absolute answer to this question offered in the book. "Go ask your priest" is about the best she ends up with which is fine.
Global Warming is assumed to have happened but it's not portrayed as a horror. There are good and bad aspect of it and that is also fine. The author does not use the book as a platform to beat kids over the head. I am grateful. I've seen Ben Bova novels not do as well as Karen Healy has done here regarding this subject.
The main source of conflict in the book seems to be immigration reform. Australia seems to be doing pretty well in the future as most people would expect. However, they have cracked down on refugees who come from countries that don't treat the Earth well... people who use fossil fuels, for example, or eat animals. The author tries to be balanced but clearly she thinks that calling immigrants names simply because they want to live in a good place is not a good idea.
Keep in mind that they people doing these terrible things must be Progressives and the author uses the word "Progressive" to describe good people. On the other hand, these same "good people" are the ones who are using bad names and acting like horses behinds! So... to me this constitutes balance. All people (bad and good people) have a mixture of both traits. No one is entirely good and no one is entirely bad. No one is treated as insane. Even the military gets a break though they are doing wrong things as well.
Over all, I'm giving this book a pass on politics.
Is it for kids? Probably not. It talks about sex in a glancing way. Some kissing. No sex. No cursing. The audience is teens.
The book ends well but clearly we are only half way through the story at least. The next book "While We Run" is coming out in May 2014. I'll read it.
The story: Tegan is a young high school student who is going to a rally in present-day Australia with her boyfriend when a shot rings out. She awakens in the twenty-second century, revived from a cryogenic sleep and the world has not become better. Just different.
Any problems with this story? Well... it depends. The book takes a middle road between Global Warming predictions and religious hysteria. Tegan is a religious girl... Catholic. The author doesn't just say she is Catholic but the author develops the character as a moderately religious person who visits the Church on the major holidays and knows what she's doing when she gets there. There is a scene in a Church where she demonstrates this ability and her comfort in a church. She believes in G-d. She believes in the eternity of her soul and that becomes part of the discussion in this book.
If you are revived from cryogenic sleep after dying, does your soul awaken too or did it go to G-d?
The author does not go too deeply into this subject because we are talking about a young high school girl. Not too many young people could answer such a question. Nevertheless, the author does tackle this issue briefly and does not throw it away. There is no absolute answer to this question offered in the book. "Go ask your priest" is about the best she ends up with which is fine.
Global Warming is assumed to have happened but it's not portrayed as a horror. There are good and bad aspect of it and that is also fine. The author does not use the book as a platform to beat kids over the head. I am grateful. I've seen Ben Bova novels not do as well as Karen Healy has done here regarding this subject.
The main source of conflict in the book seems to be immigration reform. Australia seems to be doing pretty well in the future as most people would expect. However, they have cracked down on refugees who come from countries that don't treat the Earth well... people who use fossil fuels, for example, or eat animals. The author tries to be balanced but clearly she thinks that calling immigrants names simply because they want to live in a good place is not a good idea.
Keep in mind that they people doing these terrible things must be Progressives and the author uses the word "Progressive" to describe good people. On the other hand, these same "good people" are the ones who are using bad names and acting like horses behinds! So... to me this constitutes balance. All people (bad and good people) have a mixture of both traits. No one is entirely good and no one is entirely bad. No one is treated as insane. Even the military gets a break though they are doing wrong things as well.
Over all, I'm giving this book a pass on politics.
Is it for kids? Probably not. It talks about sex in a glancing way. Some kissing. No sex. No cursing. The audience is teens.
The book ends well but clearly we are only half way through the story at least. The next book "While We Run" is coming out in May 2014. I'll read it.
July 12, 2019
Rated 4.5 really.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Strong characters with distinctive voices. Lots of (intersectional) diversity. On-point social/environmental commentary perfectly integrated into the story. Fast pace.
Cons: A few familiar tropes/premises.
WARNING! One brutal death. Mass murder of children.
Will appeal to: Readers who care about the state our world is in. Readers who like a thrilling yet romantic adventure. Beatles fans.
I'm ordinarily all for books without tropes, or employing as little of them as it's humanly possible - but sometimes an author can breath new life into an old concept, or make up for a familiar scenario with a great execution. Both things happen in When We Wake - hence my rating. (Also, for your information, this one is set in Australia, which is a nice change from your usual all-American scenario).
THE GOOD FIGHT
I was originally drawn to WWW because of its premise - a girl dying (well, almost), getting frozen and waking up a century later. Though I'm sure it's not a new concept, I've never seen it used in YA, and I was curious how it would pan out. But this book has a lot more to offer than a sci-fi/afterlife (or relife) crossover story. I was prepared for the huge SJW vibe, but got pleasantly surprised by the amount of diversity. The highest point of it is Bethari, a bisexual, hijabi teen hacker/aspiring journalist who befriends the main character Tegan. Oddly, while in 2128 Australia both Muslim and queer people seem to be perfectly integrated (and the government has gone to great lengths to minimise environmental problems, though a bit late), there's a cruel no-immigrant policy in place that struck too close to home, what with the current situation in Europe and the U.S. I loved how Tegan is not perfect - in her first life, she wasn't a true activist, but more like a follower of her friend Alex and her crush Dalmar - but she's inquisitive, and her heart is in the right place. She begins to question the real reason why she's been revived and its impact on society, while refusing to think of herself as an abomination, the way a certain religious cult does. She mourns her past life (that, for her, is only a day away), but embraces the perils that her new one hides under its facade if she doesn't stay down, and bravely fights for the right cause. [...]
Whole review here.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Strong characters with distinctive voices. Lots of (intersectional) diversity. On-point social/environmental commentary perfectly integrated into the story. Fast pace.
Cons: A few familiar tropes/premises.
WARNING! One brutal death. Mass murder of children.
Will appeal to: Readers who care about the state our world is in. Readers who like a thrilling yet romantic adventure. Beatles fans.
I'm ordinarily all for books without tropes, or employing as little of them as it's humanly possible - but sometimes an author can breath new life into an old concept, or make up for a familiar scenario with a great execution. Both things happen in When We Wake - hence my rating. (Also, for your information, this one is set in Australia, which is a nice change from your usual all-American scenario).
THE GOOD FIGHT
I was originally drawn to WWW because of its premise - a girl dying (well, almost), getting frozen and waking up a century later. Though I'm sure it's not a new concept, I've never seen it used in YA, and I was curious how it would pan out. But this book has a lot more to offer than a sci-fi/afterlife (or relife) crossover story. I was prepared for the huge SJW vibe, but got pleasantly surprised by the amount of diversity. The highest point of it is Bethari, a bisexual, hijabi teen hacker/aspiring journalist who befriends the main character Tegan. Oddly, while in 2128 Australia both Muslim and queer people seem to be perfectly integrated (and the government has gone to great lengths to minimise environmental problems, though a bit late), there's a cruel no-immigrant policy in place that struck too close to home, what with the current situation in Europe and the U.S. I loved how Tegan is not perfect - in her first life, she wasn't a true activist, but more like a follower of her friend Alex and her crush Dalmar - but she's inquisitive, and her heart is in the right place. She begins to question the real reason why she's been revived and its impact on society, while refusing to think of herself as an abomination, the way a certain religious cult does. She mourns her past life (that, for her, is only a day away), but embraces the perils that her new one hides under its facade if she doesn't stay down, and bravely fights for the right cause. [...]
Whole review here.
November 13, 2012
When We Wake had an extremely creepy premise. I'm not a huge fan of creepy stories, so I think that contributed to me not enjoying the book as much as I was hoping to. When We Wake showed just how scary both the government's power and science can be.
When We Wake starts off in 2027, present day for the main character- Tegan. After she dies, the next thing she knows, she ends up waking up 100 years in the future. She is (justifiably) very freaked out. I liked Tegan as a character, but the fact that she was frozen and revived grossed me out a lot.
She had to adjust to the new world, which I found very weird. Certain inventions and the way most people easily accepted Tegan surprised me. Tegan made two good friends there, but I didn't like either friend. Also, there was a guy character in the book whose background I found to be kind of weird, although his background started to make more sense the further I read.
However, the plot was interesting. I liked how the writing sucked you in and I ended up reading though it pretty quickly. At first, I thought the book was just going to be about how Tegan had to adjust to her new life in the future and different problems she encountered. It turned out to have a much bigger idea, regarding what the government's true purpose for her was.
Despite the creepy plot and not liking certain characters, When We Wake had a really nice writing style and an interesting plot. Also, Tegan was a good main character. Overall, I'd give it 3 out of 5 flowers. I think people who like the sci-fi genre and the idea for this book might really enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me.
Review to be posted closer to release date at: http://www.thebookbelles.blogspot.com
When We Wake starts off in 2027, present day for the main character- Tegan. After she dies, the next thing she knows, she ends up waking up 100 years in the future. She is (justifiably) very freaked out. I liked Tegan as a character, but the fact that she was frozen and revived grossed me out a lot.
She had to adjust to the new world, which I found very weird. Certain inventions and the way most people easily accepted Tegan surprised me. Tegan made two good friends there, but I didn't like either friend. Also, there was a guy character in the book whose background I found to be kind of weird, although his background started to make more sense the further I read.
However, the plot was interesting. I liked how the writing sucked you in and I ended up reading though it pretty quickly. At first, I thought the book was just going to be about how Tegan had to adjust to her new life in the future and different problems she encountered. It turned out to have a much bigger idea, regarding what the government's true purpose for her was.
Despite the creepy plot and not liking certain characters, When We Wake had a really nice writing style and an interesting plot. Also, Tegan was a good main character. Overall, I'd give it 3 out of 5 flowers. I think people who like the sci-fi genre and the idea for this book might really enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me.
Review to be posted closer to release date at: http://www.thebookbelles.blogspot.com
January 29, 2016
YES IM DONE!
Pros:
- good concept
- interesting aspect of religion and culture
- interesting and strong start
Cons:
OH GOSH SO MANY THINGS
ONE THE ROMANCE WAS NOT GOOD... THE GUY MADE ME FEEL SO UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT WAS SO AWKWARD. Like one minute she hates him and than next he's like singing for her and she is so happy. Not to mention not long ago (at least for her) she was in love with someone else. Now she's all like " Abdi in underwear. Mmm." like NO.
Also her "friendship" with some people were so awkward like she would tell them she loved them but like not even mean it¿ Also they had these very awkward talks about her sex life. I just didn't care.
Also the writing.... No no no no . It was like she was talking down on the reader. The whole time she was like "oh but that is not how it actually happened" or "oh I promised to tell you the truth" LIKE ????
Also they used mental illness as an adjective which is absolutely not right!
I should have found all the politics and stuff of the future interesting. But I didn't really... Everyone started saying that she should kill herself because she doesn't have a soul. I'm like "um ok than"... Also everyone was so rude there and we didn't even learn much about the technology which I frankly don't remember if they mentioned it much. The whole thing I liked about that generation is no one ate meat which is just a personal thing I liked.
Overall really meh. Wouldn't recommend this... Had a good concept but was very dull ...
Pros:
- good concept
- interesting aspect of religion and culture
- interesting and strong start
Cons:
OH GOSH SO MANY THINGS
ONE THE ROMANCE WAS NOT GOOD... THE GUY MADE ME FEEL SO UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT WAS SO AWKWARD. Like one minute she hates him and than next he's like singing for her and she is so happy. Not to mention not long ago (at least for her) she was in love with someone else. Now she's all like " Abdi in underwear. Mmm." like NO.
Also her "friendship" with some people were so awkward like she would tell them she loved them but like not even mean it¿ Also they had these very awkward talks about her sex life. I just didn't care.
Also the writing.... No no no no . It was like she was talking down on the reader. The whole time she was like "oh but that is not how it actually happened" or "oh I promised to tell you the truth" LIKE ????
Also they used mental illness as an adjective which is absolutely not right!
I should have found all the politics and stuff of the future interesting. But I didn't really... Everyone started saying that she should kill herself because she doesn't have a soul. I'm like "um ok than"... Also everyone was so rude there and we didn't even learn much about the technology which I frankly don't remember if they mentioned it much. The whole thing I liked about that generation is no one ate meat which is just a personal thing I liked.
Overall really meh. Wouldn't recommend this... Had a good concept but was very dull ...
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