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The Winnowing
Marivic Stone lives in a small world, and that’s fine with her. Home is with her beloved grandfather in a small town that just happens to be famous for a medical discovery that saved humankind — though not without significant repercussions. Marivic loves her best friend, Saren, and the two of them promise to stick together, through thick and thin, and especially through the uncertain winnowing procedure, a now inevitable — but dangerous — part of adolescence.
But when tragedy separates the two friends, Marivic is thrust into a world of conspiracy, rebellion and revolution. For the first time in her life, Marivic is forced to think and act big. If she is going to right a decade of wrongs, she will need to trust her own frightening new abilities, even when it means turning her back on everything, and everyone, she’s known and loved. A gripping exploration of growing up, love and loss, The Winnowing is a page-turning adventure that will have readers rooting for their new hero, Marivic Stone, as they unravel the horror and intrigue of a world at once familiar but with a chilling strangeness lurking beneath the everyday.
But when tragedy separates the two friends, Marivic is thrust into a world of conspiracy, rebellion and revolution. For the first time in her life, Marivic is forced to think and act big. If she is going to right a decade of wrongs, she will need to trust her own frightening new abilities, even when it means turning her back on everything, and everyone, she’s known and loved. A gripping exploration of growing up, love and loss, The Winnowing is a page-turning adventure that will have readers rooting for their new hero, Marivic Stone, as they unravel the horror and intrigue of a world at once familiar but with a chilling strangeness lurking beneath the everyday.
280 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2017
32 people are currently reading
520 people want to read
About the author
Vikki VanSickle
20 books239 followersReader, writer, Taurus. My work ranges from cozy mysteries featuring snarky detectives to contemporary middle grade fiction to magical, storytime-ready picture books. I am always exploring a new writing era.
Currently, I live and work in Toronto. Everything I do, I do for my cat.
Currently, I live and work in Toronto. Everything I do, I do for my cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
October 12, 2020
I was worried that I wouldn't like this as much the second time, since it had been so long, but I shouldn't have worried. It was a good time.
5/5
5/5
October 31, 2017
Probably my favourite so far is the Red Maple,nominated books. This is a good dystopian tale for fans of Hunger Games and Divergent but perhaps a little more age appropriate for the younger crowd. It is a bit less sophisticated but still enjoyable for an adult. This will be on my gift list for certain young readers this holiday.
February 3, 2018
Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet Vikki Vansickle at the Ontario Library Association (OLA) Super Conference in Toronto. She came to our booth for a book signing and quickly had a long line of fans. Some came for a free signed copy after already reading and enjoying The Winnowing, while others came because they've heard the increasing buzz surrounding this book which has been short-listed for a Forest of Reading Red Maple award.
While this book has a strong Sci-Fi vibe, readers (like myself) who aren't avid Sci-Fi readers, will also enjoy it. The Winnowing is a blend of Sci-Fi, suspense, a wee bit of history, a healthy dose of nail-biting adventure and focuses on topics such as friendship, loyalty and finding strengths within ourselves.
There are intense scenes and an eerie feel to the book, but it isn't filled with graphic violence and thankfully omits the popular romantic triangle. Instead, Vansickle focuses on a story filled with twists (some which surprised me and one that I saw coming), nail-biting scenes and a unique premise. The writing is atmospheric and descriptive with a plot that's fairly detailed and I appreciate that Vansickle doesn't talk down to her young readers.
As for the characters, they were a diverse bunch. The main character, Marivic (whose name, I admit, took me a bit to get used to) is a well-rounded, likable character who doesn't wait around for a boy to save the day. She has believable flaws and struggles with some of her relationships, but she was easy to get behind. The same can also be said for other characters (I'm looking at you Ren and Gumps) who intrigued me so much with their backstories that I'm hopeful that this standalone book will be made into a series.
The Winnowing is a good choice for kids who want the adventure and energy of The Hunger Games-type books but who may not be ready to jump into that level of violence. While I would have liked a bit more focus on the historical aspects, this book has enough suspense and depth to its story that it will keep teen and even 'more seasoned' readers intrigued as well.
The Winnowing is a blend of Sci-Fi, Dystopian and Suspense which will easily appeal to conspiracy loving fans of The X Files (Vansickle is a big fan herself) and Stranger Things but also to people who just want a good story to dive into.
While this book has a strong Sci-Fi vibe, readers (like myself) who aren't avid Sci-Fi readers, will also enjoy it. The Winnowing is a blend of Sci-Fi, suspense, a wee bit of history, a healthy dose of nail-biting adventure and focuses on topics such as friendship, loyalty and finding strengths within ourselves.
There are intense scenes and an eerie feel to the book, but it isn't filled with graphic violence and thankfully omits the popular romantic triangle. Instead, Vansickle focuses on a story filled with twists (some which surprised me and one that I saw coming), nail-biting scenes and a unique premise. The writing is atmospheric and descriptive with a plot that's fairly detailed and I appreciate that Vansickle doesn't talk down to her young readers.
As for the characters, they were a diverse bunch. The main character, Marivic (whose name, I admit, took me a bit to get used to) is a well-rounded, likable character who doesn't wait around for a boy to save the day. She has believable flaws and struggles with some of her relationships, but she was easy to get behind. The same can also be said for other characters (I'm looking at you Ren and Gumps) who intrigued me so much with their backstories that I'm hopeful that this standalone book will be made into a series.
The Winnowing is a good choice for kids who want the adventure and energy of The Hunger Games-type books but who may not be ready to jump into that level of violence. While I would have liked a bit more focus on the historical aspects, this book has enough suspense and depth to its story that it will keep teen and even 'more seasoned' readers intrigued as well.
The Winnowing is a blend of Sci-Fi, Dystopian and Suspense which will easily appeal to conspiracy loving fans of The X Files (Vansickle is a big fan herself) and Stranger Things but also to people who just want a good story to dive into.
April 13, 2024
It was pretty good but I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and it just didn't give ending? I feel like there should be a sequel but idk if there is one
August 7, 2024
I was told that this wasn’t creepy… it was creepy (but really good!)
September 16, 2018
One of VanSickle's greatest gifts is bringing real life and practicality to everything she writes. I have always thought she is the modern day Judy Blume (This is a huge honour in my mind) In this novel it works so brilliantly as its a paranormal story, but the characters are so real and honest, it makes the paranormal aspect seem even more believable. I wish I was more articulate to explain what I mean here, just know that you must read everything she writes, you will not be disappointed. This story has plenty of twists and turns, intriguing storyline and likable realistic characters. It reminded me at times of the Xfiles which again, is a huge compliment. Ok, I also got a kick out of a character being named Roddenberry, and if you don't get why, we cannot be friends.
Favourite Quotes
"When there is difference, there is predjudice. History has shown us this over and over again."
"I'm not sure if he was overcome with guilt or grief or the knowledge that the last 30 years of his life - all the sacrifices , the murders and the experiments-had been misguided."
Favourite Quotes
"When there is difference, there is predjudice. History has shown us this over and over again."
"I'm not sure if he was overcome with guilt or grief or the knowledge that the last 30 years of his life - all the sacrifices , the murders and the experiments-had been misguided."
December 18, 2019
The book The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle is unique and different, but I think that it wasn’t written as best as it could’ve been. The story follows a girl named Marivic, and she learns the truth about her community and herself. At first, this book was very interesting and exciting, but then it became slow and boring. I began reading it just because I had to, and not because I enjoyed it.
For example, most of the characters were overused tropes, and their development was very predictable. This story has the classic quiet and introverted protagonist and her brave, perfect best friend. Then there’s the rude and annoying popular girl, and the boy with the inflated ego and no respect. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen these characters in other texts, and I couldn’t help but feel that they were just “cookie cutter” characters.
I will admit, the start of the book did get me interested, and in my opinion, the beginning of a book is the most important part. The start was well written and the perfect introduction to this world. However, the next parts became slow, and nothing of importance happened for a while. Then, all of the sudden, a bunch of random and confusing things happened all at once. It was all so sudden and unexpected that I was completely caught off guard. The book acted a lot like a roller coaster.
In my opinion, this book could’ve been a lot better if it was written differently. This book might be a good book for people in grade 5 or 6, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone older than that.
For example, most of the characters were overused tropes, and their development was very predictable. This story has the classic quiet and introverted protagonist and her brave, perfect best friend. Then there’s the rude and annoying popular girl, and the boy with the inflated ego and no respect. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen these characters in other texts, and I couldn’t help but feel that they were just “cookie cutter” characters.
I will admit, the start of the book did get me interested, and in my opinion, the beginning of a book is the most important part. The start was well written and the perfect introduction to this world. However, the next parts became slow, and nothing of importance happened for a while. Then, all of the sudden, a bunch of random and confusing things happened all at once. It was all so sudden and unexpected that I was completely caught off guard. The book acted a lot like a roller coaster.
In my opinion, this book could’ve been a lot better if it was written differently. This book might be a good book for people in grade 5 or 6, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone older than that.
May 5, 2018
It wasn't that great. Nothing was delivered with the right amount of weight, the characters are either undeveloped, or complete stereotypes, and the writing style felt quite amateur. But, I was so absorbed in the story, I just had to keep going, and, man, was that ending was crazy awesome! I'm so conflicted.
July 6, 2019
Recipient of the 2019 MYRCA Northern Lights Honour Award, The Winnowing is a well-crafted dystopian tale. As Marivic and her friends approach adolescence, they must prepare for the winnowing, a procedure deemed necessary to preserve humankind. However, Marivic starts unveiling information, which makes them question everything they've grown up believing.
I recommend The Winnowing for grades 7-9.
I recommend The Winnowing for grades 7-9.
September 15, 2017
I received a copy via the publisher in exchange for an honest review
I also hosted Vikki VanSickle for her blog tour on my blog here
The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle is a Young Adult/Middle Grade novel that features a past where something called "The Winnowing" occurs--which is basically a stripping of night terrors and side-effects that affect a young person once they hit puberty. Though it admittedly took me a while to get into it, I enjoyed VanSickle's writing and loved the adventure aspect of the novel.
I met VanSickle at a blogger/bookseller event a couple of years back and had the pleasure of reading If I had A Gryphon, so I jumped at the opportunity to share her newest story with my friends and followers. Her novel is timely with the revival of several beloved Science Fiction series and television shows from the 80s and 90s. One of the shows most prominent in my mind when I think about this book is Stranger Things, which you should watch if you haven't yet.
Though not a perfect read, The Winnowing was a lot of fun. I think a lot of readers will enjoy Marivic's journey as she discovers who she is and what her role is in her society. The cast of characters is diverse and at times frustrating with how relatable they can be. The setting is darkly unsettling with a dash of naive optimism (this mainly coming from me hoping that some jerk characters learn to not do such mean things).
Marivic, the protagonist, is a young girl who lives with her grandfather and has a seemingly normal life until she wakes up from a nightmare with aching legs and feet. The really cool thing about what happens to the children as they change is how original and unique the whole situation is. I loved that VanSickle played with the fear of sleepwalking and added an extra paranormal twist. If anything, learning more about the abilities and the nightmares was my favourite aspect of this novel. I love books that feature kids with superpowers, especially where the kids are rebelling against a common enemy. I'm always up for reading an origin story.
I loved Marivic's character growth. When we first meet her, she seems like the type of teenage girl who has always been dependent on one person or another, but I loved seeing her learn that she can be independent. She learns that she, by herself, has the power to change her situation rather than just waiting for others to change her world for her. One of the things I liked about Marivic was her dedication to her friendship, even if said friendship was flawed. Despite the problematic nature of some of the relationships in her life, Marivic was always true to the people she loved.
What I wasn't a huge fan of is how Marivic herself is treated by those who care for her. I understand that there is complexity in human relationships because nothing is ever black and white, but I felt really uncomfortable with some of the interactions between certain characters, but especially the bullying. While bullying is a big thing in this age group, I guess the optimist in me hoped for a resolution to that particular issue. Sure, there was some admonishment, but for the most part, the bullies got away with the bullying. Again, I may be the victim of optimism on this topic, or just wishful thinking, but I found that that particular thread was left hanging as Marivic continued her journey.
Though not entirely unpredictable, I did enjoy the twist and turns that VanSickle had in her novel. I was always wondering what would happen next, since by the middle of the book, so many things had changed. I've read some reviews where people have said that this book was a bit spooky or creepy, but I honestly didn't think so. I thought this was just a fun and adventurous read with some dangerous moments that made my heart race just a tad.
Despite the entertaining twists and turns, I found the pacing to be a bit frustrating. Near the beginning, it was a little hard getting into The Winnowing, but when I got about four or five chapters in, I was hooked...until I hit the final four or so chapters. That's where I thought the story dragged a bit.
Honestly? I think The Winnowing would benefit from becoming a series. The resolution was a bit too clean and quick for me. There's definitely room for another book or two exploring this same world (or even a companion novel). I feel like there's still a lot more to be said about the situation and a lot more potential for character growth. If VanSickle does decide to write a sequel or a companion novel, I will be all over it.
If you're a fan of The X-Files and Stranger Things then you might enjoy VanSickle's novel! Also, if you enjoyed The Program by Suzanne Young and other books that feature characters surviving a hospital or institution during an epidemic, then you might also want to pick this one up!
Happy reading!
I also hosted Vikki VanSickle for her blog tour on my blog here
The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle is a Young Adult/Middle Grade novel that features a past where something called "The Winnowing" occurs--which is basically a stripping of night terrors and side-effects that affect a young person once they hit puberty. Though it admittedly took me a while to get into it, I enjoyed VanSickle's writing and loved the adventure aspect of the novel.
I met VanSickle at a blogger/bookseller event a couple of years back and had the pleasure of reading If I had A Gryphon, so I jumped at the opportunity to share her newest story with my friends and followers. Her novel is timely with the revival of several beloved Science Fiction series and television shows from the 80s and 90s. One of the shows most prominent in my mind when I think about this book is Stranger Things, which you should watch if you haven't yet.
Though not a perfect read, The Winnowing was a lot of fun. I think a lot of readers will enjoy Marivic's journey as she discovers who she is and what her role is in her society. The cast of characters is diverse and at times frustrating with how relatable they can be. The setting is darkly unsettling with a dash of naive optimism (this mainly coming from me hoping that some jerk characters learn to not do such mean things).
Marivic, the protagonist, is a young girl who lives with her grandfather and has a seemingly normal life until she wakes up from a nightmare with aching legs and feet. The really cool thing about what happens to the children as they change is how original and unique the whole situation is. I loved that VanSickle played with the fear of sleepwalking and added an extra paranormal twist. If anything, learning more about the abilities and the nightmares was my favourite aspect of this novel. I love books that feature kids with superpowers, especially where the kids are rebelling against a common enemy. I'm always up for reading an origin story.
I loved Marivic's character growth. When we first meet her, she seems like the type of teenage girl who has always been dependent on one person or another, but I loved seeing her learn that she can be independent. She learns that she, by herself, has the power to change her situation rather than just waiting for others to change her world for her. One of the things I liked about Marivic was her dedication to her friendship, even if said friendship was flawed. Despite the problematic nature of some of the relationships in her life, Marivic was always true to the people she loved.
What I wasn't a huge fan of is how Marivic herself is treated by those who care for her. I understand that there is complexity in human relationships because nothing is ever black and white, but I felt really uncomfortable with some of the interactions between certain characters, but especially the bullying. While bullying is a big thing in this age group, I guess the optimist in me hoped for a resolution to that particular issue. Sure, there was some admonishment, but for the most part, the bullies got away with the bullying. Again, I may be the victim of optimism on this topic, or just wishful thinking, but I found that that particular thread was left hanging as Marivic continued her journey.
Though not entirely unpredictable, I did enjoy the twist and turns that VanSickle had in her novel. I was always wondering what would happen next, since by the middle of the book, so many things had changed. I've read some reviews where people have said that this book was a bit spooky or creepy, but I honestly didn't think so. I thought this was just a fun and adventurous read with some dangerous moments that made my heart race just a tad.
Despite the entertaining twists and turns, I found the pacing to be a bit frustrating. Near the beginning, it was a little hard getting into The Winnowing, but when I got about four or five chapters in, I was hooked...until I hit the final four or so chapters. That's where I thought the story dragged a bit.
Honestly? I think The Winnowing would benefit from becoming a series. The resolution was a bit too clean and quick for me. There's definitely room for another book or two exploring this same world (or even a companion novel). I feel like there's still a lot more to be said about the situation and a lot more potential for character growth. If VanSickle does decide to write a sequel or a companion novel, I will be all over it.
If you're a fan of The X-Files and Stranger Things then you might enjoy VanSickle's novel! Also, if you enjoyed The Program by Suzanne Young and other books that feature characters surviving a hospital or institution during an epidemic, then you might also want to pick this one up!
Happy reading!
January 3, 2019
The Winnowing is a surprisingly fantastic read for me. I can graduate the author for the world-building, the history, the twists, and basically averting a few tropes. One such example was when Kamal was introduced, I rolled my eyes and said, “Now he’ll be the unnecessary love interest and he and Marivic would do this blah blah”. Imagine my surprise and relief when at the end, Kamal DID NOT end up with Marivic!
Of course, I do have a few cons of this book. The greatest one is how I kept forgetting Marivic’s name (cause every protagonist needs a very special name) and I ended rooting for Ren, one of the side characters. The rest involves the characters’s actions and Kamal’s general behaviour.
But The Winnowing is worth a read. Oh, btw, once you near the book’s climax and end, I want you to listen to “The Alien” from the Annihilation OST. It’s worth it and perfectly fixes the tone, trust me.
Of course, I do have a few cons of this book. The greatest one is how I kept forgetting Marivic’s name (cause every protagonist needs a very special name) and I ended rooting for Ren, one of the side characters. The rest involves the characters’s actions and Kamal’s general behaviour.
But The Winnowing is worth a read. Oh, btw, once you near the book’s climax and end, I want you to listen to “The Alien” from the Annihilation OST. It’s worth it and perfectly fixes the tone, trust me.
November 20, 2017
Great book for teenagers. Thanks to a friend, I recommended this to my daughter, and then I read it too. Loved it!
February 19, 2018
This book had get mystery a creepy vibe and was one of my favorite red maple books so far this year 4.25<5
May 20, 2018
Reading this book for Red Maple, I was shocked that it won the award. Similar to other dystopian, but almost half-assed. The premise is interesting and VanSickle could have done far more with it, but she gave us Marivic and the blasted manual. Every chapter, Mari cannot help but think of the Winnowing manual. She is an unlikeable character and her type of protagonist have been overwritten. I quite like dystopian and sci-fi as a genre, but found myself dozing whilst reading. The characters were dull and I only liked a couple. I could predict what was going to happen throughout some parts due to how many other books have done the same. My least favorite was how she was clearly related to a Mary Sue. Traits such as bravery, loyalty, and intelligence all point to a Mary Sue. She may have flaws, such as not being the most attractive and being hopelessly annoying, but her self-righteousness and stubborn nature set me off. She manages to figure out the whole thing and be miraculously gifted but she's irritating all the same. It barely showed how she worked out the entire 'mystery', she only stated the answer and that was all we got. We got a little bit of grief from her after her friend Saren 'passed' and that was good. Usually, characters such as Percy Jackson or Tris Prior crying over such a big thing wouldn't make me annoyed, but Mari's attitude did. The story jumped all over and I wonder how younger readers would put up with it. Overall, I was highly disappointed that many others like it and cannot read between the poorly written, ill-planned lines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2018
I would not have picked up this book had it not been selected as a RedMaple nominee; the title was just too weird and the cover did nothing to entice me to read the book. Once past these obstacles however, I did find myself enjoying the adventure that Marivic carved out for herself. I would have given the book a higher rating if the history of the Kesla invasion hadn’t been set just after WWII. It would have been much more believable if the book was just set in the future instead of the past. As it was, a part of me just kept thinking, this didn’t happen, and that ruined it for me. Silly but true.
I did enjoy several refreshing things about this book; I REALLY appreciate that Kamal and Marivic didn’t develop a romance, I really appreciate that the book isn’t book 1 of a series but instead finished with loose ends tied up and I really liked that Saren wasn’t completely saved by her best friend and that she has problems with her memory instead of the book ending all “happily ever after”.
I did enjoy several refreshing things about this book; I REALLY appreciate that Kamal and Marivic didn’t develop a romance, I really appreciate that the book isn’t book 1 of a series but instead finished with loose ends tied up and I really liked that Saren wasn’t completely saved by her best friend and that she has problems with her memory instead of the book ending all “happily ever after”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2018
I really liked this book, I thought that it was a great dystopian fiction, and I would definitely recommend it to a younger crowd, but... the ending was quite disappointing. The way the conflict was solved was so easy and it didn’t even totally make sense. The way the book ended was boring, nothing happened it was just a happy ending and it left my overall opinion of the book less than it would’ve been because of that. So even though I enjoyed the book, the ending could have been much better.
July 7, 2018
I did not see the thrive in this book. It won the read maple award this year, but to me it was really boring. The plot was scattered, and the characters were SO difficult to relate to. Did not enjoy it. This is the reason I steer away from Sci-Fi.
January 17, 2019
The explanation is a cop out and the ending is way too rushed.
November 10, 2017
I'd have given this just above 4 stars if I could!
I don’t think I’ll ever not like a book written by Vikki VanSickle, and The Winnowing is no exception. This is her first foray into sci-fi, and it definitely had me wanting more.
1. I bought The Winnowing without knowing what the book is about. That’s how much I trust VanSickle in her ability to tell a great story. I’ve read all of her other books, and the one thing that ties them all together is that they are written with so much authenticity … I almost believe that her characters are real. Marivic Stone is loyal, curious, and courageous. She’s your typical teen, but when the people in her life are threatened or hurt, she does what she can to make sure the good guys win. But she’s also flawed in that great way I love about pre-teens and adolescents. She, like other great MCs, wants so badly to help that she almost trips over herself in her desire to do something even without a fully formulated plan. Marivic (a great name with roots I’m very familiar with) feels so many emotions, and you just can’t help but cheer her on.
2. As an English teacher (with a specialist degree in linguistics), I LOVE VanSickle’s word play and allusions throughout the novel. She has created a story with homages to or hints of The Giver (Dr. Lowry and just generally the dystopian setting), Ender’s Game (the Kesla), and Brave New World (Somnease and the in/fertility issue). Add to that references to J.J. Abrams, Gene Roddenberry, Krypton, and the X-Files (I’m guessing, since the setting is New Mexico, but as I haven’t actually seen any X-Files episodes, I can’t be sure …), and you’ve got a treasure trove of bread crumbs left for conspiracy-loving readers. I’m sure there are some other sci-fi-specific references that flew by me.
3. I love the banter/arguments/fights between Kamal and Marivic. I’m sure Marivic hated them at first, but it’s just so much better to have scenes where the two principal players despise one another. To his credit, Kamal slowly becomes a team player, even displaying a bit of sympathy towards Marivic at some point.
4. This book reads like it’s meant to be a standalone, but I could definitely see there being a follow-up to explore the stories of Ren, Abbott, and even Gumps. VanSickle’s developed the other characters enough to keep her readers interested in their back stories.
5. In general, I wouldn’t put sci-fi stories very high on my list. But even though this book is very clearly steeped in the sci-fi genre, what shines more are the topics of friendship, growing up, and accepting who you are. Marivic and her friends (and non-friends) are tested in terms of their loyalty to one another, obsequiousness towards authority, and accepting their differences as strengths rather than weaknesses. Because of this, The Winnowing can absolutely be read by anyone … even those who aren’t fond of Mulder and Scully.
6. Teachers, Vikki VanSickle is a wonderful storyteller and read-aloud artist. If you get the chance to have her visit your class/school, do it! Your kids will love listening to her read from her novel (picture above taken during her reading at the Word on the Street festival), and they may even be encouraged to put pen to paper to write their own stories.
I don’t think I’ll ever not like a book written by Vikki VanSickle, and The Winnowing is no exception. This is her first foray into sci-fi, and it definitely had me wanting more.
1. I bought The Winnowing without knowing what the book is about. That’s how much I trust VanSickle in her ability to tell a great story. I’ve read all of her other books, and the one thing that ties them all together is that they are written with so much authenticity … I almost believe that her characters are real. Marivic Stone is loyal, curious, and courageous. She’s your typical teen, but when the people in her life are threatened or hurt, she does what she can to make sure the good guys win. But she’s also flawed in that great way I love about pre-teens and adolescents. She, like other great MCs, wants so badly to help that she almost trips over herself in her desire to do something even without a fully formulated plan. Marivic (a great name with roots I’m very familiar with) feels so many emotions, and you just can’t help but cheer her on.
2. As an English teacher (with a specialist degree in linguistics), I LOVE VanSickle’s word play and allusions throughout the novel. She has created a story with homages to or hints of The Giver (Dr. Lowry and just generally the dystopian setting), Ender’s Game (the Kesla), and Brave New World (Somnease and the in/fertility issue). Add to that references to J.J. Abrams, Gene Roddenberry, Krypton, and the X-Files (I’m guessing, since the setting is New Mexico, but as I haven’t actually seen any X-Files episodes, I can’t be sure …), and you’ve got a treasure trove of bread crumbs left for conspiracy-loving readers. I’m sure there are some other sci-fi-specific references that flew by me.
3. I love the banter/arguments/fights between Kamal and Marivic. I’m sure Marivic hated them at first, but it’s just so much better to have scenes where the two principal players despise one another. To his credit, Kamal slowly becomes a team player, even displaying a bit of sympathy towards Marivic at some point.
4. This book reads like it’s meant to be a standalone, but I could definitely see there being a follow-up to explore the stories of Ren, Abbott, and even Gumps. VanSickle’s developed the other characters enough to keep her readers interested in their back stories.
5. In general, I wouldn’t put sci-fi stories very high on my list. But even though this book is very clearly steeped in the sci-fi genre, what shines more are the topics of friendship, growing up, and accepting who you are. Marivic and her friends (and non-friends) are tested in terms of their loyalty to one another, obsequiousness towards authority, and accepting their differences as strengths rather than weaknesses. Because of this, The Winnowing can absolutely be read by anyone … even those who aren’t fond of Mulder and Scully.
6. Teachers, Vikki VanSickle is a wonderful storyteller and read-aloud artist. If you get the chance to have her visit your class/school, do it! Your kids will love listening to her read from her novel (picture above taken during her reading at the Word on the Street festival), and they may even be encouraged to put pen to paper to write their own stories.
August 15, 2017
Huge thank you to Scholastic Canada for this ARC!
I want to preface this review by saying a couple of truths: I am a wuss who is easily spooked. I love things that can't entirely be explained. The Winnowing is such a departure from VanSickle's previous, more contemporary novels. This is her foray into science fiction, and her love letter to the strange and whimsy.
I will not lie, I was hesitant to read this book even after talking with Vikki at a conference we were both attending. I love her contemporary middle grade novels, I read If I Had a Gyphon during my storytimes, but this book was different. Vastly different. Thankfully, I had prepared myself for this book by watching Stranger Things earlier this year and The Winnowing is an interesting middle grade novel to say the least.
This is a book about a world where children can be born with powers. If unwinnowed, these powers can manifest into something much more dangerous. To be winnowed is a rite of adolescent passage, it's an attempt at normalizing. The problem is that the world Marivic and Saren live in, is one that is anything but. Marivic in particular also holds the key to a larger mystery in the story in regards to her family, the town of Darby and the school her mother worked at which was obliterated. The blurb on the back of the book gives you just enough information, but it's definitely a book that is good going blind into.
What I loved about this book is how unexpected some of the twists and turns were. Some were a little obvious, but I found myself buying into so much of what was happening to these characters,
I was so invested in the atmosphere of the story -- it is creepy and uncomfortable. Marivic and her friends felt very believable, their flaws felt real, and I truly felt for them on this journey. My favourite character in the story was Gumps, Marivic's grandfather. He's everything I love in a curmudgeon-y old man. A grump who is secretly loving and a little overprotective.
With the circumstances that occur in this novel, you see incredible growth in these characters. Every single one of them. The children in this story are all forced to grow up very quickly given the situation regarding the world and the process of the winnowing. In a lot of ways, these kids are robbed of their childhood and that was so heartbreaking. Marivic in particular shoulders a lot of burden in this story and she's forced in a lot of ways to think and act more mature than someone normally her age. This is written very well because you can see she's wrestling with both her circumstances and her actual age and what kids her age should be doing.
There's a lot of weird and strange in The Winnowing. It's the kind of book for people who love the X-Files, Stranger Things, Are You Afraid of the Dark?. While two of the references I've mention date me, I think they are accurate to what one can expect when reading this book. It's weird, mysterious, atmospheric and wondrous. I love seeing authors jump out of their comfort zones with genre, because sometimes an experiment can blossom into something extraordinary.
I want to preface this review by saying a couple of truths: I am a wuss who is easily spooked. I love things that can't entirely be explained. The Winnowing is such a departure from VanSickle's previous, more contemporary novels. This is her foray into science fiction, and her love letter to the strange and whimsy.
I will not lie, I was hesitant to read this book even after talking with Vikki at a conference we were both attending. I love her contemporary middle grade novels, I read If I Had a Gyphon during my storytimes, but this book was different. Vastly different. Thankfully, I had prepared myself for this book by watching Stranger Things earlier this year and The Winnowing is an interesting middle grade novel to say the least.
This is a book about a world where children can be born with powers. If unwinnowed, these powers can manifest into something much more dangerous. To be winnowed is a rite of adolescent passage, it's an attempt at normalizing. The problem is that the world Marivic and Saren live in, is one that is anything but. Marivic in particular also holds the key to a larger mystery in the story in regards to her family, the town of Darby and the school her mother worked at which was obliterated. The blurb on the back of the book gives you just enough information, but it's definitely a book that is good going blind into.
What I loved about this book is how unexpected some of the twists and turns were. Some were a little obvious, but I found myself buying into so much of what was happening to these characters,
I was so invested in the atmosphere of the story -- it is creepy and uncomfortable. Marivic and her friends felt very believable, their flaws felt real, and I truly felt for them on this journey. My favourite character in the story was Gumps, Marivic's grandfather. He's everything I love in a curmudgeon-y old man. A grump who is secretly loving and a little overprotective.
With the circumstances that occur in this novel, you see incredible growth in these characters. Every single one of them. The children in this story are all forced to grow up very quickly given the situation regarding the world and the process of the winnowing. In a lot of ways, these kids are robbed of their childhood and that was so heartbreaking. Marivic in particular shoulders a lot of burden in this story and she's forced in a lot of ways to think and act more mature than someone normally her age. This is written very well because you can see she's wrestling with both her circumstances and her actual age and what kids her age should be doing.
There's a lot of weird and strange in The Winnowing. It's the kind of book for people who love the X-Files, Stranger Things, Are You Afraid of the Dark?. While two of the references I've mention date me, I think they are accurate to what one can expect when reading this book. It's weird, mysterious, atmospheric and wondrous. I love seeing authors jump out of their comfort zones with genre, because sometimes an experiment can blossom into something extraordinary.
Want to read
December 18, 2019The winnowing by Vikki VanSkicle is a very mysterious book.
The book is about Marivic stone; a teenage girl who lives in a small town named Darby. Marivic lost both her parents and was left to live with her grandfather. Everything seems fine until she started having uncanny but realistic nightmares every night… The book explains that the nightmares are called ¨ACES¨. But in Darby, this is normal for teenagers. And you will have an ability, therefore you have to go to this unsafe special hospital called "Barton", they will make you get through an experiment called “winnowing’’.
Every kid has a weird thing called SuperGen. Marivic stone is wondering about all these secrets like what is SuperGen? What is winnowing? Why do people need to be born with SuperGen? And Why would Barton fake people’s deaths? So she’s finding the truth…
Marivic stone is a powerful, brave and strong girl. She knows what she’s doing and when to help someone when they needed it. And she's very mature. Marivic believes that she will save the world, she will find out the truth. She has gone through a lot of ups and downs during the book, and she has been trying to make herself stronger. She believes that she can find the answer that she wanted.
However, after finishing the book, my feeling right now is different when I just started reading this book. When I first read this book, I felt really good about it. Everything was fine, all the characters were interesting, and how they believed what they can do, and how their lives are different from the others.
And in the middle of the book, it goes deeper and mystery, a lot of stuff happened at once, and I was freaked out and shocked! I was surprised that Marivic is not overreacting about it, her motion showed me that she’s pretty calm. And that’s the one thing that I can’t relate to Marivic.
Then the story went deeper and confusing, too many things at once. It’s a lot of information in the middle of the story, and it’s really weird. If I was Marivic, everything it’s really hard to take in so fastly, like the story of the past and her grandfather Gumps.
Well, I like the writer’s idea though, it’s a great and interesting idea for the readers, but the only thing that the writer can improve on is that slow down a little bit in the middle of the story, don’t give us too many ideas and information at the same time. I think the writer can get better. Because when I was reading it, my reaction is just “what?!”. First, they gave me a lot of unanswered questions in the beginning like they just threw out a bunch of questions, and all the characters didn’t even answer any of them, well, but it’s good, they made me very curious about the book. But suddenly they answered all of them at once?! It felt like I was on a big ride.
The book is about Marivic stone; a teenage girl who lives in a small town named Darby. Marivic lost both her parents and was left to live with her grandfather. Everything seems fine until she started having uncanny but realistic nightmares every night… The book explains that the nightmares are called ¨ACES¨. But in Darby, this is normal for teenagers. And you will have an ability, therefore you have to go to this unsafe special hospital called "Barton", they will make you get through an experiment called “winnowing’’.
Every kid has a weird thing called SuperGen. Marivic stone is wondering about all these secrets like what is SuperGen? What is winnowing? Why do people need to be born with SuperGen? And Why would Barton fake people’s deaths? So she’s finding the truth…
Marivic stone is a powerful, brave and strong girl. She knows what she’s doing and when to help someone when they needed it. And she's very mature. Marivic believes that she will save the world, she will find out the truth. She has gone through a lot of ups and downs during the book, and she has been trying to make herself stronger. She believes that she can find the answer that she wanted.
However, after finishing the book, my feeling right now is different when I just started reading this book. When I first read this book, I felt really good about it. Everything was fine, all the characters were interesting, and how they believed what they can do, and how their lives are different from the others.
And in the middle of the book, it goes deeper and mystery, a lot of stuff happened at once, and I was freaked out and shocked! I was surprised that Marivic is not overreacting about it, her motion showed me that she’s pretty calm. And that’s the one thing that I can’t relate to Marivic.
Then the story went deeper and confusing, too many things at once. It’s a lot of information in the middle of the story, and it’s really weird. If I was Marivic, everything it’s really hard to take in so fastly, like the story of the past and her grandfather Gumps.
Well, I like the writer’s idea though, it’s a great and interesting idea for the readers, but the only thing that the writer can improve on is that slow down a little bit in the middle of the story, don’t give us too many ideas and information at the same time. I think the writer can get better. Because when I was reading it, my reaction is just “what?!”. First, they gave me a lot of unanswered questions in the beginning like they just threw out a bunch of questions, and all the characters didn’t even answer any of them, well, but it’s good, they made me very curious about the book. But suddenly they answered all of them at once?! It felt like I was on a big ride.
June 5, 2018
This book...This book did a lot of things for me. Not all of them great, but not all of them bad.
Things I liked: The world and characters were very flushed out. The story was intriguing and even though it followed the current trend of 'lead protagonist takes down large government entity' it added enough of a different spin to create something fresh and new.
Things that I'm on the fence with: The big twist in the middle of the novel. I'm not going to spoil things, but it switchs genres from a Utopian parallel thought experiment a-la all those other YA Utopian/Distopian novels (Hunger Games, Divergent, Matched, ext), to a completely different genre all together.
After this reveal, I felt like it was an uphill battle to reclaim my 'buy-in'. Luckily, I feel by the end of the novel and thinking about it, there was enough to get me back onboard. It may have been because there was no real build up to the reveal, or hints / forshadowing. There was, and upon thinking about it, I can see those foreshadowing, but when your mind is on YA Utopia...
I feel like by the end of the book the author worked really hard to make it not only believable, but you connect to the plight of the characters and the implications it has, I can accept it and enjoy it. But I'm still on the fence.
Things I didn't like about the book: There really isn't anything I don't like the about the book. But there are two things that I can draw attention to:
The first was once we left Barton and gone 'underground', the action stopped and there is a lot of exposition dumps. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the action that we felt from the beginning of the book does come to a screeching halt. We're forced into this one location which isn't all that interesting in and of itself. I'm not saying we need all the time action, but it would have been interesting to have a bit more conflict in this location.
The second was how the 'big bad guy' at the end suffered from the 1980's unredeemable 'bad guy' syndrome. There should have been some kind of 'I'm doing this for the right reasons' exploration of his character. It was touched upon, but I feel like the author should have put a bit more emphasis on that, instead of 'it just needs to be done!'
Overall, I can understand and add my own voice to the amount of praise this book is getting. If nothing else, it makes you think. Great read! Highly recommended.
Things I liked: The world and characters were very flushed out. The story was intriguing and even though it followed the current trend of 'lead protagonist takes down large government entity' it added enough of a different spin to create something fresh and new.
Things that I'm on the fence with: The big twist in the middle of the novel. I'm not going to spoil things, but it switchs genres from a Utopian parallel thought experiment a-la all those other YA Utopian/Distopian novels (Hunger Games, Divergent, Matched, ext), to a completely different genre all together.
After this reveal, I felt like it was an uphill battle to reclaim my 'buy-in'. Luckily, I feel by the end of the novel and thinking about it, there was enough to get me back onboard. It may have been because there was no real build up to the reveal, or hints / forshadowing. There was, and upon thinking about it, I can see those foreshadowing, but when your mind is on YA Utopia...
I feel like by the end of the book the author worked really hard to make it not only believable, but you connect to the plight of the characters and the implications it has, I can accept it and enjoy it. But I'm still on the fence.
Things I didn't like about the book: There really isn't anything I don't like the about the book. But there are two things that I can draw attention to:
The first was once we left Barton and gone 'underground', the action stopped and there is a lot of exposition dumps. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the action that we felt from the beginning of the book does come to a screeching halt. We're forced into this one location which isn't all that interesting in and of itself. I'm not saying we need all the time action, but it would have been interesting to have a bit more conflict in this location.
The second was how the 'big bad guy' at the end suffered from the 1980's unredeemable 'bad guy' syndrome. There should have been some kind of 'I'm doing this for the right reasons' exploration of his character. It was touched upon, but I feel like the author should have put a bit more emphasis on that, instead of 'it just needs to be done!'
Overall, I can understand and add my own voice to the amount of praise this book is getting. If nothing else, it makes you think. Great read! Highly recommended.
December 14, 2021
This tense sci fi novel will make your head spin as you flip through the creative and engaging novel written by Vikki Vanskickle. The Winnowing is a scifi novel filled with endless twists and turns. In the beginning of the book, it does not seem like a scfi type but as we go through it fills in more of the genre. Seriously, there are an incredible number of twists. This book was not my favorite because of how predictable and confusing each page grew and grew. This book was a whirlwind of emotions and made me rethink the book over and over again. The author wrote the book well and used a lot of interesting techniques to create a solid book. The title definitely hooked me in and gave off a horror genre.
The background of this book was well explained because of the detail and expression in the words of the author. The Winnowing by Vikki Vansickle is a creative and engaging novel about a young girl named Marivic who became involved in some serious things and along the way gained and lost family and friends. In the end everything worked out and they solved all of their dilemmas. The protagonist, Marivic was caught up in a life where their world was messed up and she had to figure out ways to make it through. She faced many road blocks including the antagonist who was the head of all her dilemmas. The antagonist was way too predictable and bumped the book down to a 3 star.
My personal opinion on this book is like a rollercoaster. You never know how you're going to feel on the next page. The characters were very predictable because of their personality types. The book was not too long and tied all of the loose ends. I did not like how the loose ends were tied right at the end. It made the book feel rushed. I also would have liked to hear more encounters with the other characters, so we can see what they are doing and not just Marivic.
This story was very detailed, and I learned some things about Scfi writing. I usually steer clear of the Sci Fi books but this one was pretty good. I learned that you have to keep trying and never lose hope. Marivic never gave up no matter how many people tried to make her fail. She used her abilities and resources to help her succeed on her long journeys. The target audience for this book would be for kids from grades 6-7. I would not go higher than that.
The background of this book was well explained because of the detail and expression in the words of the author. The Winnowing by Vikki Vansickle is a creative and engaging novel about a young girl named Marivic who became involved in some serious things and along the way gained and lost family and friends. In the end everything worked out and they solved all of their dilemmas. The protagonist, Marivic was caught up in a life where their world was messed up and she had to figure out ways to make it through. She faced many road blocks including the antagonist who was the head of all her dilemmas. The antagonist was way too predictable and bumped the book down to a 3 star.
My personal opinion on this book is like a rollercoaster. You never know how you're going to feel on the next page. The characters were very predictable because of their personality types. The book was not too long and tied all of the loose ends. I did not like how the loose ends were tied right at the end. It made the book feel rushed. I also would have liked to hear more encounters with the other characters, so we can see what they are doing and not just Marivic.
This story was very detailed, and I learned some things about Scfi writing. I usually steer clear of the Sci Fi books but this one was pretty good. I learned that you have to keep trying and never lose hope. Marivic never gave up no matter how many people tried to make her fail. She used her abilities and resources to help her succeed on her long journeys. The target audience for this book would be for kids from grades 6-7. I would not go higher than that.
December 13, 2021
Can you imagine a book with aliens and secrets on every page? After you finish reading The Winnowing this will be all you are able to think about. The book The Winnowing by Vicki Vansickle is a science fiction book told in the perspective of Marivic, the main character in this fictional story. The book The Winnowing is about Marivic as she works her way through solving the mystery involving Barton. I had to read this book for a school report and found it slow paced and boring.
This book is about a tween girl named Marvivic who has to try and solve the mystery surrounding the mysterious Marivic, all well making sure her and her friends stay safe and alive. It takes place in Darby, Mexico, mainly focusing on Barton and The Starlight Dinner. There are multiple protagonists in this story, but the author mainly focuses on Marivic, Kamel and Abbot. The same is to be said about the antagonists, the main ones include Dr.Abbott and Baton in general. The main conflict is this evil hospital Barton trying to winnow kids. The overall plot had a not so great effect on me. It made me bored and even made me skip small parts off the book as I could tell that they weren’t important and were just a collection of words on a page.
I found that one of the main things that made this book not as enjoyable to read was the fact that in the beginning it was really fast paced with twists and turns everywhere but towards the end the twists and turns were harder and harder to find. Which overall made it slow pace and lost your attention and interest pretty fast. In the beginning I found the book quite interesting and entrancing with very descriptive writing that enabled me to visualize exactly what was happening. It was well written and fast paced with twists and turns at all the right places. But as you read farther and farther into the book you will find that the twist and turns become harder and harder to find. I found that the chapters later on in the book got quite boring and less interesting then the chapters previously on in the book.The overall effect that all this stuff had on me was not enjoyable. I was just quite boring and left you looking for exciting parts that never came.
One thing that I learned from this story is to never just give anyone your trust, they have to earn it.
This book is about a tween girl named Marvivic who has to try and solve the mystery surrounding the mysterious Marivic, all well making sure her and her friends stay safe and alive. It takes place in Darby, Mexico, mainly focusing on Barton and The Starlight Dinner. There are multiple protagonists in this story, but the author mainly focuses on Marivic, Kamel and Abbot. The same is to be said about the antagonists, the main ones include Dr.Abbott and Baton in general. The main conflict is this evil hospital Barton trying to winnow kids. The overall plot had a not so great effect on me. It made me bored and even made me skip small parts off the book as I could tell that they weren’t important and were just a collection of words on a page.
I found that one of the main things that made this book not as enjoyable to read was the fact that in the beginning it was really fast paced with twists and turns everywhere but towards the end the twists and turns were harder and harder to find. Which overall made it slow pace and lost your attention and interest pretty fast. In the beginning I found the book quite interesting and entrancing with very descriptive writing that enabled me to visualize exactly what was happening. It was well written and fast paced with twists and turns at all the right places. But as you read farther and farther into the book you will find that the twist and turns become harder and harder to find. I found that the chapters later on in the book got quite boring and less interesting then the chapters previously on in the book.The overall effect that all this stuff had on me was not enjoyable. I was just quite boring and left you looking for exciting parts that never came.
One thing that I learned from this story is to never just give anyone your trust, they have to earn it.
January 29, 2022
This was a fine YA book until they brought up the aliens.
At the beginning, it was suspenseful. I was intrigued. Once they left Barton, it was interesting! I liked where it was going, I liked the characters, and then... and then they brought up the aliens. I really tried to keep liking it after that but the aliens were so incredibly out of left field. Like, they kinda foreshadowed it? But that wasn't even the worst thing.
Maybe it's the fact that I was 12 when I first read this, but I don't remember shit about the climax. I think they were trying to rescue Saren and there was something about a maze that happened earlier in the book, but nothing else, except for the resolution.
Oh, the resolution. The one on, to the best of my memory, the SECOND TO LAST PAGE. Do you want to know what it is? It’s the villain discovering the aliens weren't here to invade Earth and having a crisis. This may sound interesting. I remind you, this is on the second to last page and it was at no fault of the protagonists. The last page is Marivick and Saren making a cake.
Would the book have been more exciting if the aliens had been introduced at the one quarter-ish point with more foreshadowing instead of the midpoint with one or two mentions of UFO? Maybe, the only thing I've ever written is niche erotica. At the very least, I can say that the book could of made the solution to defeating the villain something anyone did. In summary, they had me in the first half, not gonna lie. But really, if the book was going to go this off the rails, they might as well've turned up the wackiness a degree to accommodate. At least I wouldn't be disappointed enough to write a review
At the beginning, it was suspenseful. I was intrigued. Once they left Barton, it was interesting! I liked where it was going, I liked the characters, and then... and then they brought up the aliens. I really tried to keep liking it after that but the aliens were so incredibly out of left field. Like, they kinda foreshadowed it? But that wasn't even the worst thing.
Maybe it's the fact that I was 12 when I first read this, but I don't remember shit about the climax. I think they were trying to rescue Saren and there was something about a maze that happened earlier in the book, but nothing else, except for the resolution.
Oh, the resolution. The one on, to the best of my memory, the SECOND TO LAST PAGE. Do you want to know what it is? It’s the villain discovering the aliens weren't here to invade Earth and having a crisis. This may sound interesting. I remind you, this is on the second to last page and it was at no fault of the protagonists. The last page is Marivick and Saren making a cake.
Would the book have been more exciting if the aliens had been introduced at the one quarter-ish point with more foreshadowing instead of the midpoint with one or two mentions of UFO? Maybe, the only thing I've ever written is niche erotica. At the very least, I can say that the book could of made the solution to defeating the villain something anyone did. In summary, they had me in the first half, not gonna lie. But really, if the book was going to go this off the rails, they might as well've turned up the wackiness a degree to accommodate. At least I wouldn't be disappointed enough to write a review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2020
I love that the action starts right off the bat in this book and keeps going. I love conspiracy theories and mystery stories, so I liked the first few conspiracy reveals about SuperGen and the winnowing and that kind of stuff, but then there was so much going on that I couldn't keep it all straight. It started becoming Sci-fi after a while and I didn't expect that (when they talked about the Kesla DNA and all of that). By the last chapter I was thinking "what is going on?" because they were entering a crashed alien ship and the alien species was wiped out and it got super weird and I didn't expect that stuff. The ending was super unsatisfactory. For some reason, they still winnowed Saren and wiped out all of her memories (they didn't erase the memories of the rest of the kids, so why Saren?). She forgot everything, which was really annoying since the whole middle of the book was based on Marivic grieving the "death" of her best friend Saren and the whole reason Marivic joined Winfree was to avenge Saren. Then Barton goes and winnows Saren and erases everything Marivic fought for in the mind of Saren. The Gumps plotline was confusing and fell flat. The 'one month later' ending didn't explain what happened to Abbot, Kamal, Ren, Daisy, or Roya, who were with Marivic for most of the book and helped her discover the truth about her Kesla DNA, plus they helped her hone her abilities. The whole 'lovebirds' plot with Abbot and Marivic was unresolved. All in all, this book started out really great then got worse by the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2018
The Winnowing is a great book, it starts explaining what is going on from the first few pages, which some books fail to do until somewhere in the middle. I find it really helpful that it explains what ACES is and the SuperGen. Or at least what Marivic thinks it is.
I really like Marivic's character, she is loyal, and a really good friend. In fact, I think she and Saren got a level 4 ATP because they are really close. She is brave and her loyalty to her friend makes her even braver.
The Winnowing talks about how the SuperGen was half a lie because in the Barton it says it is an existing gene. The book is really descriptive, and it starts getting interesting from chapter three or four. It hooks the reader by the third chapter because a lot of weird things happen at Barton, The Winnowing will keep you up all night because you would want to try to figure out what will happen next.
One thing I'd like to improve is some of the clarity of the characteristics of some stuff. For example, the "Net" is an ACE, but it gives you no clue about it what so ever.
Over all, I would rate the book a 4.3 out of five starts because it hooked me, related to me, and left me hanging with a lot of questions for he most part. I really enjoyed it and, it's an excellent book and I would really recommend it to anyone that wants to read about action, mysteries, and friendship!
I really like Marivic's character, she is loyal, and a really good friend. In fact, I think she and Saren got a level 4 ATP because they are really close. She is brave and her loyalty to her friend makes her even braver.
The Winnowing talks about how the SuperGen was half a lie because in the Barton it says it is an existing gene. The book is really descriptive, and it starts getting interesting from chapter three or four. It hooks the reader by the third chapter because a lot of weird things happen at Barton, The Winnowing will keep you up all night because you would want to try to figure out what will happen next.
One thing I'd like to improve is some of the clarity of the characteristics of some stuff. For example, the "Net" is an ACE, but it gives you no clue about it what so ever.
Over all, I would rate the book a 4.3 out of five starts because it hooked me, related to me, and left me hanging with a lot of questions for he most part. I really enjoyed it and, it's an excellent book and I would really recommend it to anyone that wants to read about action, mysteries, and friendship!
July 16, 2018
Well, I'm really glad this book wasn't in the same category as mine for the Forest of Reading Awards. I can see why it won The Red Maple Award.
Set in a dystopian, earth-like setting with a fertility crisis (think Handmaid's Tale but FAR less depressing... I mean, seriously, my wife makes me watch that show and I leave feeling like my soul has been sucked from my body for several days afterwards. But that's a side note. Another side note, anyone under 18 should not watch the Handmaid's Tale. EVER. It's highly inappropriate). But this book is appropriate for teens and most mature middle graders. I've recommended it to my 10 year old daughter and I'm sure she'll love it.
The book has some great twists and plenty of action to keep kids reading. Plus, superpowers - always a win in a book for kids. Is that a spoiler? Maybe I should make this part a "spoiler alert". I'm never really sure. I should focus on my review.
Back to the review...
I really liked this book. The characters were great, the setting was superb and the idea was unique. Congrats Vikki on winning The Red Maple Award. Sure it's not the Silver Birch Award, but you're a close second. Jk.
Looking forward to your next book!
Alex
Set in a dystopian, earth-like setting with a fertility crisis (think Handmaid's Tale but FAR less depressing... I mean, seriously, my wife makes me watch that show and I leave feeling like my soul has been sucked from my body for several days afterwards. But that's a side note. Another side note, anyone under 18 should not watch the Handmaid's Tale. EVER. It's highly inappropriate). But this book is appropriate for teens and most mature middle graders. I've recommended it to my 10 year old daughter and I'm sure she'll love it.
The book has some great twists and plenty of action to keep kids reading. Plus, superpowers - always a win in a book for kids. Is that a spoiler? Maybe I should make this part a "spoiler alert". I'm never really sure. I should focus on my review.
Back to the review...
I really liked this book. The characters were great, the setting was superb and the idea was unique. Congrats Vikki on winning The Red Maple Award. Sure it's not the Silver Birch Award, but you're a close second. Jk.
Looking forward to your next book!
Alex
December 14, 2018
Very interesting book. Obviously written for a younger audience but it still holds some entertainment value. I found the first few pages a little awkward, not so much because the topic was about pubescent teenagers going to some mysterious medical facility, but more because it felt like VanSickle latched very specifically and mechanically onto a rite of passage that the audience would connect with. It felt too forced, like you just pull a topic a random topic out of your 'topics for youth novels' bag. However, once I got past that I enjoyed the story.
Throughout the novel I was frequently wishing it took a slightly darker twist. I don't know what that says about me, but I could see lots of parts of the story as a story for adults with some tweaking. I read this as part of the Willow Awards we're supporting at our school. I am curious as to how teenagers will respond to the novel. Maybe, I'm wrong and they'll totally love the awkward puberty stuff. Either way, the story is entertaining and full of science fiction.
Throughout the novel I was frequently wishing it took a slightly darker twist. I don't know what that says about me, but I could see lots of parts of the story as a story for adults with some tweaking. I read this as part of the Willow Awards we're supporting at our school. I am curious as to how teenagers will respond to the novel. Maybe, I'm wrong and they'll totally love the awkward puberty stuff. Either way, the story is entertaining and full of science fiction.
September 11, 2017
The Winnowing by Vikki VanSickle is one of the best middle grade novels I have read this year! A departure from her earlier work but I see a huge future in the sci-fi/fantasy realm. I was hooked right in from the beginning! A dash of Divergent, a handful of The X Files, a pinch of history, and a whole cup of friendship, Ms VanSickle has created a recipe for a successful read. I so love how The Winnowing takes us back in time to the 80's (the decade of my childhood) and imagines a world that could have been. A world where infertility runs rampant and experiments on babies and teenagers are the cure for the entire human race. At its core, The Winnowing is a story that focuses on key themes for the middle grade age group, puberty, friendships, coming of age, it's just set in a speculative future. There are so many different ways that this novel could be used in the classroom, but it's also just a really fun and easy read that lets you escape from the everyday for a little while.
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