Breaking the Surface

by Amanda Zieba

When Flynn gets the chance to leave her home on the ocean floor to spend some time on the surface, she has a long list of things to do. Things make friends, eat a cheeseburger, go to the beach, shop, go on a date and get her driver's license. She didn't really expect "reverse a science experiment gone wrong" or "save family from impending doom" to show up on the list. But now that they have, what will she do? This book is author Amanda Zieba's young adult debut. It is an original dystopian that promises to deliver readers with drama and adventure. Join Flynn as she navigates the perils of high school and as she figures out how to define "home".

Genres: Young Adult

200 pages, Paperback

First published January 22, 2014

Reviews

[Erin Merrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally got to read this one! This was a fun little read by Amanda Zieba, her first YA dystopian debut.

Flynn a teenage girl lives in the ARK. Not the the kind of arc you are thinking of, but a self contained dome miles below the ocean surface - the Animal Regeneration Kingdom. Flynn and her family have been under the sea surface for 11 years now. At the start of the book it's the big day. The day Flynn leaves the ARK for a foreign exchange program of sorts and gets the chance to go up and above - above ground to the surface - dry land. Flynn gets to experience all kinds of firsts: new friends, public high school, her first party, Disney World, ice cream on hot days, and sand in her toes. Flynn's exchange program life is perfect. Her new "sister" Nora, the girl she is rooming with, is amazing and quickly becoming her best friend. Life is just perfect for Flynn. Having an equally exciting time is the person Flynn traded places with, Nina, Nora's sister. Life below the surface with people all a little introverted like her self, seeing sea creatures up close and personal, meeting Scientists, Professors and learning about secret studies and new experiments... life at the ARK for Nina is all she dreamed it would be. How could anything go wrong?

This is where the story goes from fun little YA peppy book, to experiments gone wrong, to things happening in front of your eyes that should never be happening. This is the part in the book where Flynn finds out who she really is, has to decide what is more important, life on the surface, her freedom, friends, the sand.. or saving her family, her home. This where Nina will have to prove herself, where she will be tested, where she will have to help her new family and friends save the only home they have had for 11 years. Can both sets of teen girls, one above, one below, come together to reverse the effects of a situation quickly spinning out of control?

I actually don't know because AMANDA LEFT ME HANGING AT THE END OF THIS BOOK!!! :-) Good thing is she writing #2 soon, soon we will know the fate of Flynn, Caspian, Nina and the innocents in the ARK.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Breaking the Surface, readers are introduced to a host of scientists and teens caught in a disaster once PE-328, a liquid amalgam designed to rid pollution from the oceans, accidentally causes the creatures of the water world to exhibit human characteristics including intelligent thought and speech. With half of the water world bent on revenge against the nature-destroying humans and the other half of the water world intent on helping the nature-loving humans continue with their efforts to right the wrongs against the environment, Flynn and her friends must come together to formulate a plan that will save not only their scientist parents who are being held hostage, but the rest of the inhabitants of the ARK and the unsuspecting humans on the surface before it's too late.

This book is the first in the series by the amazing author, Amanda Zieba, who combines science, adventure, and a first-hand knowledge of teens to create a page-turning dystopian thriller.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Argh!! How does it end?!! I hope there is a sequel! Great story.