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Dans un futur proche, l'humanité a trouvé le moyen de soigner toutes les maladies : les transférer aux criminels, dont la quasi-totalité vient des ghettos, maintenus au ban d'une société qui touche à la perfection.
C'est dans ce monde qu'est née Talia Hale. À seize ans, elle est la fille chérie d'un politique qui se voit déjà Premier ministre d'Angleterre. Atteinte d'un simple rhume, au plus grand dégoût de son entourage, elle doit subir son premier Transfert. Mais à l'hôpital, Talia sauve une fillette d'une agression, et cette petite fille des ghettos lui fait découvrir l'envers du décor et l'horreur d'un système où seuls les plus riches ont le droit à la santé. Pour changer une société où la frontière entre bien et mal est plus floue que jamais, Talia devra briser le cocon doré dans lequel elle a grandi et combattre tout ce en quoi elle a toujours cru... y compris son propre père.
C'est dans ce monde qu'est née Talia Hale. À seize ans, elle est la fille chérie d'un politique qui se voit déjà Premier ministre d'Angleterre. Atteinte d'un simple rhume, au plus grand dégoût de son entourage, elle doit subir son premier Transfert. Mais à l'hôpital, Talia sauve une fillette d'une agression, et cette petite fille des ghettos lui fait découvrir l'envers du décor et l'horreur d'un système où seuls les plus riches ont le droit à la santé. Pour changer une société où la frontière entre bien et mal est plus floue que jamais, Talia devra briser le cocon doré dans lequel elle a grandi et combattre tout ce en quoi elle a toujours cru... y compris son propre père.
264 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2015
10 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
About the author
Kate Blair
5 books35 followersBorn on a tiny island stuck to the south coast of England, Kate Blair has worked as a museum curator, a clown and at a theme park on the Jersey Shore. She's made furniture for the Sydney Olympic Village and been a cook on a ship on the Great Barrier Reef. She now lives in Toronto and is a young adult author, a mother of two small children, and very, very tired. Her first novel. Transferral, was nominated for MYRCA, Snow Willow Award and Sunburst Awards. It was optioned for TV and translated into French. Her second novel, Tangled Planet, is out in Canada in autumn 2017, and in the US in spring 2018.
I tend to only review books I've loved - which is why my reviews are mostly 5*.
I tend to only review books I've loved - which is why my reviews are mostly 5*.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 10, 2017
Un bon roman dystopique YA avec un message qui résonne dans l'actualité
June 4, 2016
Immediately after seeing this book, I knew I had to get it. Think about it: the world where criminals are punished with diseases? I mean, definitely, a book I want to get my hands on!
The entire concept, while intriguing, is rather dark. If you think of horrible criminals, murderers, rapists. etc then you think, "okay, I can get on board with this." but petty crimes? It makes you think about the line, where it is and what happens if it's crossed. Children? What age should a person be legally punished to receive a disease as punishment, and what happens in until one reaches that age? What about being the child of a criminal? Does that child get a "fair shot?" What about immunity? See, it's quite thought-provoking and I guarantee you, this book will make you think long and hard.
Even way after finishing.
Talia, our main character, is one that never questioned the system, always believing there are "good vs bad " and that the system saves the lives of the innocent. However, after a rather violent encounter in which she saves a little girl, Talia starts to unravel the truth behind the system and is forced to see things in a new light.
There are a lot of things I would say about Talia, how naive and impulsive she is. How selfish she could be at times; even when she was in the middle of doing a selfless act. But. She has a tough, strong heart, and watching her morph into a fighter was one of my favorite parts of the book.
While some secondary characters played a more important role, each one held a level of significance to the story. Her father, in particular. I hated how quick he was to throw out Talia and her concerns, let alone feelings. Galen, too. There's a hint of a romance, one that slowly develops but doesn't overshadow the importance of the plot.
My main issue - was the ending. I felt it was rushed and lacked this... punch I was hoping for. Considering the entire build up of the book, the ending was weak and left too many variables open. Especially since his is a standalone.
My personal issues aside, I rather liked Transferral. I loved how unique the concept was, how much it made me think. If you're looking for a quick, unique read that will stick with you long after finishing, I recommend Transferral!
I received this book for free from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The entire concept, while intriguing, is rather dark. If you think of horrible criminals, murderers, rapists. etc then you think, "okay, I can get on board with this." but petty crimes? It makes you think about the line, where it is and what happens if it's crossed. Children? What age should a person be legally punished to receive a disease as punishment, and what happens in until one reaches that age? What about being the child of a criminal? Does that child get a "fair shot?" What about immunity? See, it's quite thought-provoking and I guarantee you, this book will make you think long and hard.
Even way after finishing.
Talia, our main character, is one that never questioned the system, always believing there are "good vs bad " and that the system saves the lives of the innocent. However, after a rather violent encounter in which she saves a little girl, Talia starts to unravel the truth behind the system and is forced to see things in a new light.
There are a lot of things I would say about Talia, how naive and impulsive she is. How selfish she could be at times; even when she was in the middle of doing a selfless act. But. She has a tough, strong heart, and watching her morph into a fighter was one of my favorite parts of the book.
While some secondary characters played a more important role, each one held a level of significance to the story. Her father, in particular. I hated how quick he was to throw out Talia and her concerns, let alone feelings. Galen, too. There's a hint of a romance, one that slowly develops but doesn't overshadow the importance of the plot.
My main issue - was the ending. I felt it was rushed and lacked this... punch I was hoping for. Considering the entire build up of the book, the ending was weak and left too many variables open. Especially since his is a standalone.
My personal issues aside, I rather liked Transferral. I loved how unique the concept was, how much it made me think. If you're looking for a quick, unique read that will stick with you long after finishing, I recommend Transferral!
I received this book for free from The Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
December 26, 2015
I didn't mean to read this book when I did. I picked it up from my desk and started reading the first page. Just to gauge whether I wanted to read it on Christmas Day, you see. Except that first page turned into the first chapter, which turned into the next three chapters. By the time Christmas Dinner had started I'd managed to read this entire book in stolen snatches of time from my hectic Christmas Day. I don't regret it. This was a fantastic book.
The basic premise of transferral of illness to criminals is one I had never heard of before, making it unique as well as entertaining. I've read many dystopian stories, and this one is chilling in how easily it makes sense that this would happen. As a mother, I would often give anything to take on the illness of my children when they're sick. Take that to an extreme level where that illness could be given to someone who had broken the law... I could see something like that happening if we had the technology.
Kate Blair exposes the other side of that kind of technology, the side where criminals suffer much more than they should have, where there is no treatment for the ill because there is this idea that they deserve it. It's a terrifying alternate universe. I don't want to say too much more for fear of giving away the book, but this is definitely one you should give a chance to.
The basic premise of transferral of illness to criminals is one I had never heard of before, making it unique as well as entertaining. I've read many dystopian stories, and this one is chilling in how easily it makes sense that this would happen. As a mother, I would often give anything to take on the illness of my children when they're sick. Take that to an extreme level where that illness could be given to someone who had broken the law... I could see something like that happening if we had the technology.
Kate Blair exposes the other side of that kind of technology, the side where criminals suffer much more than they should have, where there is no treatment for the ill because there is this idea that they deserve it. It's a terrifying alternate universe. I don't want to say too much more for fear of giving away the book, but this is definitely one you should give a chance to.
May 28, 2017
This book had a lot of potiental and i was very intriuged by it based on the synopsis, but sadly it didn't live up to its potiental.
This book is only 191 pages and it was just very rushed, the writing was choppy, and i ended up not really having any emotional connection with the characters or the story because there just wasn't enough time for it to develop, for me.
This book is only 191 pages and it was just very rushed, the writing was choppy, and i ended up not really having any emotional connection with the characters or the story because there just wasn't enough time for it to develop, for me.
July 31, 2017
** I received the e-ARC version of this book in exchange for an honest review. **
Transferral by Kate Blair is a standalone young adult science fiction novel. In a world where criminals are punished with diseases from the good citizens of the city, we follow the daughter of the politician who supports these actions as she goes through a self evalutation of right and wrong. This book begs the questions: when are the lines blurred between good and evil? Is this the route our world might take in the future to eradicate crime in our cities? Is this just another type of segregation between the upper and lower class?
A very thought provoking story that everyone should get a chance to read!
LIKES:
UNIQUE CONCEPT
I loved the idea this book put forth. Criminals being punished with illness depending on the severity of their crimes. Living in our world now where there is so much violence, murder, rape, and gangs sometimes a prison sentence just doesn't seem like enough. Blair puts the idea in your head in the beginning of the book that this protocol is beneficial to a better country, but by the end of the book you're left thinking, is it really worth it?
A part of me wants to say yes, murder and rape should carry a heavier sentence then life in prison, but the other part of me struggles with the idea of the less fortunate citizens who have no choice but to steal and make their money illegally in order to survive. I think the real problem lies in the division between the rich and the poor.
THE WRITING
Blair does a fantastic job with telling her story. I love books that make you question and think about the way you live your own life, and this book does that. The writing was well done and well planned out. The story was very cohesive and never once boring. Blair was able to capture the essence of both the rich lifestyle and the poor lifestyle through her vivid descriptions and dialogues between the characters. Truly thought provoking!
THE CHARACTERS
I really liked the characters in the story especially Talia and Galen. They come from two very sides of the spectrum with their own ideas of what right and wrong are. I liked how they were able to come together and work hard for a common goal but still keep to their individual charms. And the character growth from Talia was also very clear and to the point.
DISLIKES:
THE ENDING
This may be a bit of a personal issue, but I was not quite satisfied with the ending. I felt it was a bit abrupt and didn't really hold strong like the rest of the book did. For me, a standalone book should end with the story-lines being neatly finished and that's something that I felt didn't happen. We don't get to know what happened with the Transferral program after the big publicized event that occurred, we don't know what happened to Piers after his incident at the end, and we don't get to hear from Tig again after she became ill. These are jsut some of the examples I wish were cleared at the end so the story could come to a close and leave me satisfied.
But besides that, the book was a great read!
Transferral by Kate Blair is a standalone young adult science fiction novel. In a world where criminals are punished with diseases from the good citizens of the city, we follow the daughter of the politician who supports these actions as she goes through a self evalutation of right and wrong. This book begs the questions: when are the lines blurred between good and evil? Is this the route our world might take in the future to eradicate crime in our cities? Is this just another type of segregation between the upper and lower class?
A very thought provoking story that everyone should get a chance to read!
LIKES:
UNIQUE CONCEPT
I loved the idea this book put forth. Criminals being punished with illness depending on the severity of their crimes. Living in our world now where there is so much violence, murder, rape, and gangs sometimes a prison sentence just doesn't seem like enough. Blair puts the idea in your head in the beginning of the book that this protocol is beneficial to a better country, but by the end of the book you're left thinking, is it really worth it?
A part of me wants to say yes, murder and rape should carry a heavier sentence then life in prison, but the other part of me struggles with the idea of the less fortunate citizens who have no choice but to steal and make their money illegally in order to survive. I think the real problem lies in the division between the rich and the poor.
THE WRITING
Blair does a fantastic job with telling her story. I love books that make you question and think about the way you live your own life, and this book does that. The writing was well done and well planned out. The story was very cohesive and never once boring. Blair was able to capture the essence of both the rich lifestyle and the poor lifestyle through her vivid descriptions and dialogues between the characters. Truly thought provoking!
THE CHARACTERS
I really liked the characters in the story especially Talia and Galen. They come from two very sides of the spectrum with their own ideas of what right and wrong are. I liked how they were able to come together and work hard for a common goal but still keep to their individual charms. And the character growth from Talia was also very clear and to the point.
DISLIKES:
THE ENDING
This may be a bit of a personal issue, but I was not quite satisfied with the ending. I felt it was a bit abrupt and didn't really hold strong like the rest of the book did. For me, a standalone book should end with the story-lines being neatly finished and that's something that I felt didn't happen. We don't get to know what happened with the Transferral program after the big publicized event that occurred, we don't know what happened to Piers after his incident at the end, and we don't get to hear from Tig again after she became ill. These are jsut some of the examples I wish were cleared at the end so the story could come to a close and leave me satisfied.
But besides that, the book was a great read!
August 8, 2016
This review was also posted on Next Page Please!
I got an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. None of my opinions are altered by that.
I was pretty intrigued by the synopsis about Transferral. The world definitely seemed super interesting because sickness is definitely a very common thing among us and getting through a sickness is not always the prettiest thing. Seeing a world with technology that helps people get rid of sickness so easily, intrigued me. I wanted to learn more about what happens with Talia and more about being able to transfer sickness. Transferral was a pretty good read but it did have it's flaws and I will get more into them later. But, if you like short dystopian reads with an interesting world, give Transferral a read!
Talia: Talia is a pretty good main character. She is not my favorite of all the ones I have read but I definitely enjoyed reading from her. She is a really brave character and I really do love how she stands up for what she believes in, even if that thing is against everything she has grown up believing. The one small thing that bugged me about Talia was how not smart she was about certain situations and a lot of bad things could have been avoided if she had been smarter about her actions.
Plot: I enjoyed the plot for this book. It wasn't bad and I had no problem reading it but I did think that the pacing was a bit rushed for me. It just didn't seem realistic with the pace this whole book was in and I think Transferral would have went a little smoother if the pacing slowed down a bit. I also felt the romance in this book was a little rushed as well. It was one of those situations where you raised your eyebrow at how people got together when they had just met about 2 weeks ago.
Writing: The writing style was pretty okay but I really was not a huge fan of how choppy it was at some points. It didn't affect my enjoyment but I do wish it could have been smoother and less choppy.
I gave this book 3 stars because I enjoyed the characters and plot but the writing was choppy, pacing was off, and I had an issue with the main character.
I got an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. None of my opinions are altered by that.
I was pretty intrigued by the synopsis about Transferral. The world definitely seemed super interesting because sickness is definitely a very common thing among us and getting through a sickness is not always the prettiest thing. Seeing a world with technology that helps people get rid of sickness so easily, intrigued me. I wanted to learn more about what happens with Talia and more about being able to transfer sickness. Transferral was a pretty good read but it did have it's flaws and I will get more into them later. But, if you like short dystopian reads with an interesting world, give Transferral a read!
Talia: Talia is a pretty good main character. She is not my favorite of all the ones I have read but I definitely enjoyed reading from her. She is a really brave character and I really do love how she stands up for what she believes in, even if that thing is against everything she has grown up believing. The one small thing that bugged me about Talia was how not smart she was about certain situations and a lot of bad things could have been avoided if she had been smarter about her actions.
Plot: I enjoyed the plot for this book. It wasn't bad and I had no problem reading it but I did think that the pacing was a bit rushed for me. It just didn't seem realistic with the pace this whole book was in and I think Transferral would have went a little smoother if the pacing slowed down a bit. I also felt the romance in this book was a little rushed as well. It was one of those situations where you raised your eyebrow at how people got together when they had just met about 2 weeks ago.
Writing: The writing style was pretty okay but I really was not a huge fan of how choppy it was at some points. It didn't affect my enjoyment but I do wish it could have been smoother and less choppy.
I gave this book 3 stars because I enjoyed the characters and plot but the writing was choppy, pacing was off, and I had an issue with the main character.
September 28, 2015
I attended the Word on the Street books festival in Toronto and the author happened to be in attendance. Since I could get the book 20% off as well as the author's signature, I bought the book. I also really liked the summary, enjoyed reading the first page, and thought it'd be good to support a first time novelist.
I am currently on page 35, and let me just say, this book had exceeded my expectations so far. It is well written with a likeable protagonist. Great pacing. So much better than a lot of popular YA books I've read recently.
I will update the review once I completely finish it, but I think I won't be disappointed.
Good job Kate! Hope it will sell well!
I am currently on page 35, and let me just say, this book had exceeded my expectations so far. It is well written with a likeable protagonist. Great pacing. So much better than a lot of popular YA books I've read recently.
I will update the review once I completely finish it, but I think I won't be disappointed.
Good job Kate! Hope it will sell well!
December 18, 2015
A brilliant debut novel -- Blair's pacing and storyline make this one you simply can't put down. Will be watching for more from this author!
August 1, 2017
The initial premise is intriguing: in an alternate reality, illness of apparently any kind, from a cold through to things like polio, can be transferred medically form one person to another, curing the first by visiting the illness on the second. This has been adopted into the criminal system as a method of punishment: the severity of the illness one gets depends on the severity of one's (supposed) crime. The catch, of course--which the book really does not investigate as fully as it ought--is that transferring a disease to or from someone depends on there being someone from or to whom it can be transferred. While the novel is very much about the abusiveness of this system, it never really delves into the logistical implications, focusing instead (which is fair enough, I suppose) on the micro level of impact. The narrative is one of those irritating first-person present-tense ones that have become so popular in YA fiction, the speaker in this case being the daughter of a British politician poised to become Prime Minister. Said politician is an advocate of the disease transfer protocol and plans to make it more extensive. His daughter, of course, has her eyes opened as the novel proceeds, through a series of unlikely (indeed, increasingly unlikely) events, becoming an activist against the transferral. The climax involves a pretty contrived confrontation between father and daughter (sporting a bullet wound in the arm, received from the fascist thug army) on live television, which turns the tide of the election. This book is short and moves quickly, perhaps too quickly really to develop its ideas, and suffers from a protagonist prone to doing dumb things (which she usually bemoans doing almost immediately) which lead in implausible directions, or directions I found implausible anyway. In short, an unexceptional instance of the current dystopian YA fad.
August 16, 2022
Une amie m'a prêté ce livre, et l'histoire m'a tout de suite intéressée et captivée !
Ce livre raconte l'histoire d'une jeune fille qui se retrouve face à la réalité de son monde encombrées d'inégalités qu'elles n'a jamais perçues avant!
Ce livre raconte l'histoire d'une jeune fille qui se retrouve face à la réalité de son monde encombrées d'inégalités qu'elles n'a jamais perçues avant!
November 29, 2015
* I received an advanced ebook from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion or my review *
The premise of Transferral had me from the getgo. A society that transfers illness from law-abiding citizens to those convicted of various crimes? I'M THERE. I knew immediately that the social commentary to come would be incredible. Just after receiving the book, I had the pleasure of getting to hear Kate speak at the Toronto Word on the Street festival about the book and I was even more hooked.
Talia is a character that means well. She recognizes that there are injustices in the world and wants desperately to right them and be a 'force of good'. Unfortunately, she's also a little bit hasty and often misguided. Her heart is in such a good place that she doesn't always think her plans to better the world all the way through and sometimes ends up making things worse for those she intends to help. She is very used to simple solutions and doesn't realize that, more often than not, things don't work out that easily. What I love about Talia is her willingness to accept when she's been wrong and to learn the other side(s) of the story.
As I mentioned, I was also very excited about the moral issues that were dealt with in Transferral. On the surface, transferring illnesses (from the common cold to something much more severe) to criminals in accordance with their convictions seems like a great idea. As the story progresses, we see where things can become a little murky and how, both in the political landscape of the book and our actual world, sometimes things aren't what they seem. Talia learns that not all convicted criminals are as bad and dangerous as she's been told her whole life and that things desperately need to change because, in their current state, they are hindering the advancement of people who have done nothing wrong.
The story was also constructed incredibly well. It flowed very smoothly and I never felt myself getting bored. I also loved the descriptions given throughout. I was able to build what I think was a very strong mental image of the city and how the different classes lived. To be totally honest, based on what I was imagining while reading, I want this made into a movie. Kate built such a captivating world because she made it so similar to the one in which we live but it's vastly different at the same time.
This was a great read. The synopsis promised an interesting concept and the delivery was spot on. It beautifully captured the messiness of politics and social justice without being preachy or dry. I was kept on my toes and entertained the whole time while reading and it definitely got me thinking which I love. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and I cannot wait to see what other stories Kate has to tell.
The premise of Transferral had me from the getgo. A society that transfers illness from law-abiding citizens to those convicted of various crimes? I'M THERE. I knew immediately that the social commentary to come would be incredible. Just after receiving the book, I had the pleasure of getting to hear Kate speak at the Toronto Word on the Street festival about the book and I was even more hooked.
Talia is a character that means well. She recognizes that there are injustices in the world and wants desperately to right them and be a 'force of good'. Unfortunately, she's also a little bit hasty and often misguided. Her heart is in such a good place that she doesn't always think her plans to better the world all the way through and sometimes ends up making things worse for those she intends to help. She is very used to simple solutions and doesn't realize that, more often than not, things don't work out that easily. What I love about Talia is her willingness to accept when she's been wrong and to learn the other side(s) of the story.
As I mentioned, I was also very excited about the moral issues that were dealt with in Transferral. On the surface, transferring illnesses (from the common cold to something much more severe) to criminals in accordance with their convictions seems like a great idea. As the story progresses, we see where things can become a little murky and how, both in the political landscape of the book and our actual world, sometimes things aren't what they seem. Talia learns that not all convicted criminals are as bad and dangerous as she's been told her whole life and that things desperately need to change because, in their current state, they are hindering the advancement of people who have done nothing wrong.
The story was also constructed incredibly well. It flowed very smoothly and I never felt myself getting bored. I also loved the descriptions given throughout. I was able to build what I think was a very strong mental image of the city and how the different classes lived. To be totally honest, based on what I was imagining while reading, I want this made into a movie. Kate built such a captivating world because she made it so similar to the one in which we live but it's vastly different at the same time.
This was a great read. The synopsis promised an interesting concept and the delivery was spot on. It beautifully captured the messiness of politics and social justice without being preachy or dry. I was kept on my toes and entertained the whole time while reading and it definitely got me thinking which I love. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and I cannot wait to see what other stories Kate has to tell.
January 26, 2016
I had a friend hand me this book and tell me to read it. A new author (and after having seen her in person, utterly delightful), with an interesting perspective.
Although I'd have liked a bit more clarity on how the world worked, I could get behind the premise enough to find the story believable and an enjoyable read. Talia's world is definitely an interesting take on what our criminal justice system could be like leading to many ethical questions.
My only complaint is that this book left me wanting more. It was too short for such an interesting storyline, I'd have loved to dig deeper into this world. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Although I'd have liked a bit more clarity on how the world worked, I could get behind the premise enough to find the story believable and an enjoyable read. Talia's world is definitely an interesting take on what our criminal justice system could be like leading to many ethical questions.
My only complaint is that this book left me wanting more. It was too short for such an interesting storyline, I'd have loved to dig deeper into this world. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
May 11, 2016
Talia lives in a bubble of wealth and privilege, her father is running in the election to become Prime Minister of Britain on a promise to get tough on crime. Although in this alternate reality, London's criminals are given illnesses as opposed to jail time. Talia's journey brings her into the heart of the criminal underground and she begins to realize her father's policies aren't effective and are in fact killing young and innocent children. Transferral's political message accurately reflects today's society and leaves readers to reflect on what is right and what is wrong.
Recommended for teens who love realistic and apocalyptic fiction and as a discussion starter for political science.
Recommended for teens who love realistic and apocalyptic fiction and as a discussion starter for political science.
January 3, 2016
Great concept, very well executed. I love the idea that diseases can be transferred from one person to another, and the moral implications of a society based on such a reality are really interesting and well explored here. This book reminded me of how much I love well written YA fiction. It was a fun, exciting page turner!
August 14, 2016
Brilliant contemporary sci-fi, set in an alternate-history London. It's a great social commentary on society's haves and have-nots.
When her actions reveal a world she's never seen before, the female protagonist struggles with an ethical dilemma. Eerie social justice parallels in our own world. A must-read for teens.
When her actions reveal a world she's never seen before, the female protagonist struggles with an ethical dilemma. Eerie social justice parallels in our own world. A must-read for teens.
February 26, 2016
Excellent pacing - it kept the story flowing without missing important details or getting bogged down in unimportant ones. The chapters were the perfect length to be able to easily put the book down and come back to it later in the day. Also the perfect length to tell yourself that you'll just read one more and before you realize, several hours have passed.
February 24, 2016
brilliant page-turner!!! i was fully immersed in the story and didn't come up for air till the extremely satisfying ending.
January 21, 2018
Ce livre m'intriguait depuis que j'en avais entendu parler. Les maladies des riches transmises aux criminels ? Voilà une idée de départ assez peu ordinaire.
Je ne savais pas du tout à quoi m'attendre en débutant ma lecture, et je n'avais pas voulu lire trop de choses dessus pour me faire ma propre idée. Et au final, j'ai trouvé ça pas mal du tout !
L'histoire change un peu de celles des romans young adult que l'on trouve beaucoup actuellement. Alors oui, c'est une sorte de dystopie, mais je trouve que l'on entre dans un univers qui semble plus "réaliste" et proche de nous. du coup on s'intéresse plus facilement à l'histoire, parce qu'on se demande comment les choses ont évolué de cette façon. Avec ce postulat de départ, on a vraiment l'impression qu'il ne serait pas si difficile, dans le futur, de créer une société qui ferait cela (genre, les US), et c'est un peu flippant....
Les personnages sont plutôt intéressants, surtout le personnage principal, Talia, qui est la personne que l'on suit tout au long du livre. Elle a beau être riche et avoir un père dans les hautes sphères de la société, elle n'est pas pour autant fermée au monde et aux autres, et c'est d'ailleurs ce qui la fera entrer dans toute cette histoire. Il aurait été facile d'en faire un personnage entêté qui ne veut rien voir et rien entendre (il en existe beaucoup), mais ici, petit à petit, elle va pas mal se remettre en question, et évoluer. On n'est pas dans le "papa a raison" point final.
Galien et sa famille sont également intéressant à découvrir. Je suis en revanche un peu moins emballée par le père de Talia et ses "suiveurs", mais le roman fait sans doute exprès de nous les présenter sous un angle moins attachants.
Alors, les deux petits bémols, parce qu'il y en a tout de même:
Comme je le disais, l'histoire est intéressante, mais c'est vrai qu'au bout d'un moment l'aspect politique / inégalités sociales passe un peu au second plan, et du coup on a l'impression que cela ne va pas au bout des choses. C'est dommage.
Je pense que cela est peut être un peu lié à mon deuxième bémol, la fin. Alors attention, la fin est loin d'être mauvaise, mais elle est un peu trop "happy end" pour ce type d'histoire je trouve. Et puis elle m'a semblé un peu courte pour finir ce roman. On discute autour d'un lit d'hôpital et "pouf" les solutions apparaissent. Je trouve qu'une fin un peu plus longue et développée, ou là il aurait pu être fait un vrai bilan sur les inégalités et la situation n'aurait pas été mal. Voilà pourquoi je ne mets pas 5 étoiles.
Mais c'est tout de même un livre que je vous invite à découvrir. Il se lit vite, et nous amène à réfléchir sur cette société où la maladie est devenue une punition et où les bons soins ne sont accessibles qu'à des privilégiés.
Je ne savais pas du tout à quoi m'attendre en débutant ma lecture, et je n'avais pas voulu lire trop de choses dessus pour me faire ma propre idée. Et au final, j'ai trouvé ça pas mal du tout !
L'histoire change un peu de celles des romans young adult que l'on trouve beaucoup actuellement. Alors oui, c'est une sorte de dystopie, mais je trouve que l'on entre dans un univers qui semble plus "réaliste" et proche de nous. du coup on s'intéresse plus facilement à l'histoire, parce qu'on se demande comment les choses ont évolué de cette façon. Avec ce postulat de départ, on a vraiment l'impression qu'il ne serait pas si difficile, dans le futur, de créer une société qui ferait cela (genre, les US), et c'est un peu flippant....
Les personnages sont plutôt intéressants, surtout le personnage principal, Talia, qui est la personne que l'on suit tout au long du livre. Elle a beau être riche et avoir un père dans les hautes sphères de la société, elle n'est pas pour autant fermée au monde et aux autres, et c'est d'ailleurs ce qui la fera entrer dans toute cette histoire. Il aurait été facile d'en faire un personnage entêté qui ne veut rien voir et rien entendre (il en existe beaucoup), mais ici, petit à petit, elle va pas mal se remettre en question, et évoluer. On n'est pas dans le "papa a raison" point final.
Galien et sa famille sont également intéressant à découvrir. Je suis en revanche un peu moins emballée par le père de Talia et ses "suiveurs", mais le roman fait sans doute exprès de nous les présenter sous un angle moins attachants.
Alors, les deux petits bémols, parce qu'il y en a tout de même:
Comme je le disais, l'histoire est intéressante, mais c'est vrai qu'au bout d'un moment l'aspect politique / inégalités sociales passe un peu au second plan, et du coup on a l'impression que cela ne va pas au bout des choses. C'est dommage.
Je pense que cela est peut être un peu lié à mon deuxième bémol, la fin. Alors attention, la fin est loin d'être mauvaise, mais elle est un peu trop "happy end" pour ce type d'histoire je trouve. Et puis elle m'a semblé un peu courte pour finir ce roman. On discute autour d'un lit d'hôpital et "pouf" les solutions apparaissent. Je trouve qu'une fin un peu plus longue et développée, ou là il aurait pu être fait un vrai bilan sur les inégalités et la situation n'aurait pas été mal. Voilà pourquoi je ne mets pas 5 étoiles.
Mais c'est tout de même un livre que je vous invite à découvrir. Il se lit vite, et nous amène à réfléchir sur cette société où la maladie est devenue une punition et où les bons soins ne sont accessibles qu'à des privilégiés.
August 31, 2017
Mon avis :
Une dystopie qui mérite d’être lue. J’ai néanmoins été un peu déçue, j’aurais aimé que l’auteur exploite un peu plus l’histoire des transferts, qu’il y ait plus d’emphase sur la chose et moins sur la relation de l’héroïne avec son père. La trame de fond tourne autour des maladies, afin d’éradiquer celle-ci, elles sont transférées au criminel. Tu as un rhume, tu vas à l’hôpital et tu en fais don à un criminel qui a reçu une sentence de rhume. Toi tu sors de là avec la grande forme, pendant que le criminel purge sa peine avec ton rhume. Étrange oui!
Le livre est court et rapidement lu, le début peut sembler un peu lent, on nous explique la relation surprotectrice de papa avec sa fille, la vie au cœur de la politique là où la vie du politicien ne tient qu’à son prochain débat… Talia est très raisonnable, peut-être même un peu trop. Son but ultime est de passer plus de temps avec son père, qui lui est constamment entouré d’une équipe...
La meilleure partie de l’histoire c’est quand Talia découvre l’envers du décor, quand elle comprend ce que les criminels (étiquette portée par tous ceux qui vivent dans les ghettos) vivent comme injustice. Un cercle vicieux : tu n’as pas d’argent, tu vis en marge de la société, tu vis en marge de la société et personne ne t’embauche…
Une dystopie qui mérite d’être lue. J’ai néanmoins été un peu déçue, j’aurais aimé que l’auteur exploite un peu plus l’histoire des transferts, qu’il y ait plus d’emphase sur la chose et moins sur la relation de l’héroïne avec son père. La trame de fond tourne autour des maladies, afin d’éradiquer celle-ci, elles sont transférées au criminel. Tu as un rhume, tu vas à l’hôpital et tu en fais don à un criminel qui a reçu une sentence de rhume. Toi tu sors de là avec la grande forme, pendant que le criminel purge sa peine avec ton rhume. Étrange oui!
Le livre est court et rapidement lu, le début peut sembler un peu lent, on nous explique la relation surprotectrice de papa avec sa fille, la vie au cœur de la politique là où la vie du politicien ne tient qu’à son prochain débat… Talia est très raisonnable, peut-être même un peu trop. Son but ultime est de passer plus de temps avec son père, qui lui est constamment entouré d’une équipe...
La meilleure partie de l’histoire c’est quand Talia découvre l’envers du décor, quand elle comprend ce que les criminels (étiquette portée par tous ceux qui vivent dans les ghettos) vivent comme injustice. Un cercle vicieux : tu n’as pas d’argent, tu vis en marge de la société, tu vis en marge de la société et personne ne t’embauche…
October 24, 2025
I think the premise for this book is super interesting and has a lot of important commentaries to make. I liked the concept of transferring diseases as a judicial method, I thought it was quite unique and kept me intrigued.
I wish I had gotten to know the characters more and they all had a lot of potential to grow further than the 194 pages of this book. I will say that it felt too short for the type of story that it was and there was SO much room for further and more complex commentaries to be made. There is a lot of potential for expansion here, and it’s a shame it was so rushed.
Generally, I was very intrigued and I felt the characters were well-written but due to the length of the book, didn’t have room to get fully fleshed out. There are so many questions I have about the world building that didn’t get answered, and for such a cool concept I am a bit sad about that.
Overall, an interesting and easy read that definitely had room for a lot more plot, world building, and character growth.
I wish I had gotten to know the characters more and they all had a lot of potential to grow further than the 194 pages of this book. I will say that it felt too short for the type of story that it was and there was SO much room for further and more complex commentaries to be made. There is a lot of potential for expansion here, and it’s a shame it was so rushed.
Generally, I was very intrigued and I felt the characters were well-written but due to the length of the book, didn’t have room to get fully fleshed out. There are so many questions I have about the world building that didn’t get answered, and for such a cool concept I am a bit sad about that.
Overall, an interesting and easy read that definitely had room for a lot more plot, world building, and character growth.
November 2, 2017
Works well as an introduction to the idea of retributive justice vs. restorative justice, and the societal impact that both have.
Also has some honestly chilling moments when you see how this society has just not bothered to research treatment for things that just affect criminals. Or even to bother to make the process of transferral non-agonizing. Cause it just affects criminals, right?
People talk about being unable to conceptualize huge numbers and effects, it needs small stories for our brains to latch on to. You remember the story of the single person who went back into the burning building to make IT stop doing backups and get out (and then was trapped with them) in a way that you don't remember numbers of casualties. So I guess I have this book to thank for certain images that haven't left my mind since. None of them are GOOD really, but they're good to remember.
Also has some honestly chilling moments when you see how this society has just not bothered to research treatment for things that just affect criminals. Or even to bother to make the process of transferral non-agonizing. Cause it just affects criminals, right?
People talk about being unable to conceptualize huge numbers and effects, it needs small stories for our brains to latch on to. You remember the story of the single person who went back into the burning building to make IT stop doing backups and get out (and then was trapped with them) in a way that you don't remember numbers of casualties. So I guess I have this book to thank for certain images that haven't left my mind since. None of them are GOOD really, but they're good to remember.
December 17, 2019
Transférer les maladies aux criminels ? L'idée de base est originale et c'est cela qui m'a donné envie de lire ce roman. J'ai bien aimé cette histoire même si j'ai eu du mal à rentrer dedans au début mais après je voulais savoir ce qui allait se passer.
L'histoire est centrée sur les inégalités puisque Talia vient d'un milieu riche et découvre ce qu'est la vie de gens qui vivent dans un milieu pauvre, là où sont les "criminels". J'ai bien aimé cet aspect et c'est la partie la plus intéressante de l'histoire je trouve.
Par contre, j'ai été assez déçue de la fin que j'ai trouvée trop rapide, tout est trop rapidement résolu (la relation avec son père notamment qui pour moi n'est pas vraiment cohérente). J'ai aussi trouvé que la mini romance n'apporte pas grand chose au récit.
Malgré cela, c'est une bonne dystopie qui se lit vite et j'ai bien aimé ma lecture.
L'histoire est centrée sur les inégalités puisque Talia vient d'un milieu riche et découvre ce qu'est la vie de gens qui vivent dans un milieu pauvre, là où sont les "criminels". J'ai bien aimé cet aspect et c'est la partie la plus intéressante de l'histoire je trouve.
Par contre, j'ai été assez déçue de la fin que j'ai trouvée trop rapide, tout est trop rapidement résolu (la relation avec son père notamment qui pour moi n'est pas vraiment cohérente). J'ai aussi trouvé que la mini romance n'apporte pas grand chose au récit.
Malgré cela, c'est une bonne dystopie qui se lit vite et j'ai bien aimé ma lecture.
May 8, 2017
A hard look at how a society deals with lawbreakers without confronting the reasons for people to break laws. It also advocates for citizens to "believe half of what you see and none of what you hear". Learn more before setting your worldview in stone. Good advice for all.
Except for some odd focus at times on makeup I thought the pacing worked well. There is a rapid romance, but that's how it goes in wartime! And in YA novels.
Except for some odd focus at times on makeup I thought the pacing worked well. There is a rapid romance, but that's how it goes in wartime! And in YA novels.
May 18, 2022
Someone gave me this book, so I'm trying it out. It's a contemporary not usually my style but I'm still giving it a chance.
For now, the reading has been easy and three chapters in and there is already some actions going on !
The writing style is very nice and easy to read and the subject of the book really important. Injustice, sickness, homelessness, racism and favoritism due to money.
It did like reading it, but overall it was not my style.
For now, the reading has been easy and three chapters in and there is already some actions going on !
The writing style is very nice and easy to read and the subject of the book really important. Injustice, sickness, homelessness, racism and favoritism due to money.
It did like reading it, but overall it was not my style.
December 31, 2023
Ce livre est léger, un peu cliché mais addictif et je l'ai lue et relue un nombre de fois incalculable. J'ai adoré l'évolution de la protagoniste, ainsi que la romance qui était vraiment super. Le concept est juste super original. La fin est un peu clichée et mignonne ce qui reflète bien tout le livre, même s'il pose des questions de sociétés d'actualités. Pour moi c'est donc un livre vraiment jeunesse qu'on peut lire quand on veut sans prise de tête.
May 7, 2017
Quand j’ai lu le synopsis, j’ai eu très envie de découvrir cette dystopie. Ce nouvel univers dans le genre était prometteur. J’étais ravie de pouvoir le recevoir et je remercie Camille et les éditions Michel Lafon. Malheureusement, je n’ai pas été entièrement convaincue par cette lecture.
Mon avis complet sur le blog :
http://emilivres.blogspot.fr/2017/05/...
Mon avis complet sur le blog :
http://emilivres.blogspot.fr/2017/05/...
May 29, 2025
I had finished this book in a few weeks as i was reading it for a novel study in school, but overall it was a interesting and intriguing book! I had liked the main plot of the book as i thought transferring your sicknesses to criminals who deserve it was a creative idea, i would give it 4 stars and i think you can blow through it quickly! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 23, 2018
This is a very interesting book. In this story there is a way to transfer diseases from person to person, so criminals' sentences are certain diseases. The main character is a girl named Talia and she explores the poorer side of town and reveals secrets.
March 12, 2020
3,5/5
J’ai passé un bon moment de lecture, l’histoire et son thème ont un bon potentiel qui aurait pu être encore plus exploité. La fin est, je trouve, trop accélérée, et j’aurais préféré que l’auteur prenne plus de temps pour le dénouement.
J’ai passé un bon moment de lecture, l’histoire et son thème ont un bon potentiel qui aurait pu être encore plus exploité. La fin est, je trouve, trop accélérée, et j’aurais préféré que l’auteur prenne plus de temps pour le dénouement.
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