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Toate drepturile rezervate
Speth Jime traieste intr-un univers distopic. La implinirea varstei de 15 ani, marcand trecerea la viata de adult, fiecare om plateste pentru fiecare cuvant rostit si fiecare gest facut. "Imi pare rau" e taxat cu 10 dolari, tipetele costa 99 de centi pe secunda , ba chiar si semnele de afectiune sunt taxate din greu. Nu poti citi, asculta muzica sau vedea filme fara a plati pentru ele. Oamenii cu bani isi pot permite sa faca si sa spuna orice. Cat despre saraci - daca datoriile lor sunt prea mari, ei sunt trimisi pur si simplu in robie. Lumea lor e una in care exista un brevet pentru orice, iar avocatii prospera de pe urma proceselor intentate. Asa incat lui Speth nu-i ramane altceva de facut decat sa pastreze tacerea pentru totdeauna, starnind astfel, fara sa vrea, rebeliunea. Toate drepturile rezervate ne arata un viitor diform, dar cu atat mai plauzibil, in care omenirea plateste un pret mare pe idei, nu pe obiecte, iar dreptul la libera exprimare i-a fost suprimat. La sfarsitul aceste carti, cititorii se vor gandi de doua ori inainte sa rosteasca un cuvant, stiind ce stie si Speth: cuvintele conteaza. - Booklist Un viitor de cosmar. Secvente de actiune foarte rapide. O poveste distopica proaspata si detaliata. - Kirkus Reviews
399 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2017
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July 6, 2019This was fun, but I don't think I liked it enough to have the desire to pick up the sequel. The world building kind of irked me, I felt like it was just constantly adding new things to it every chapter. I'm also the MOST picky person when it comes to world building so I'm sure other people would just overlook that. While I did like that the characters had distinct voices, none of them really grabbed out at me. I never reached a level of care for the characters which made it hard for me to want to keep reading.
November 23, 2019
“Words matter. Words make ideas. They preserve truths and history. They express freedom and they shape it. Words mold our thoughts. That gives them value and power.”
✘ plot
In the future, lawyers have realized they can put copyrights on things as basic as words, and now, on each individual's fifteenth birthday, they are given a device that tracks every word they speak or gesture they make - and charges them exorbitantly for it.
On Speth's fifteenth birthday, she realizes she doesn't want to be sucked into this life, so she decides to do the unthinkable: she adopts silence as her protest. Lawyers everywhere are enraged, and Speth suddenly finds her entire world turned upside down as the world around her attempts to punish her for her nonconformity.
✘ the good
- The plot of this book is so unique, and unlike anything I've ever read before. A world in which people are charged for every word they speak, every nod or sigh, every kiss or hug - it's honestly a little bit terrifying to even think of, especially as the story goes on to explain that people who go too far into debt are basically forced into indentured slavery to the government.
- I loved the sci-fi aspects of the story, such as the ocular lenses everyone was forced to wear that could shock them for transgressions, or the Ads that were custom-tailored to the potential customers walking by at any given time. So many features in the story just felt so innovative!
- The Product Placers. I assumed from the very beginning that they would be important, given how much Speth was fascinated by them, so I was pretty pleased when they recruited her onto their team. Kel, Henri, and Margot are all such fun and sweet characters, plus I was especially fond of the scenes in which Speth was getting her feet under her and learning the ropes. The missions the team were sent on just sounded so intense and fun, and I am a sucker for the whole "lonely/misunderstood MC finds a group of misfit friends to become their family" trope.
✘ the bad
- Speth. This poor, sad child... sigh. I mean, the very first decision she makes in the entire book is so astonishingly poorly thought out that I just thought, certainly, she would have to progress in an upward fashion as the story continued... right? Nope.
She makes one poor decision after another, and by the end of the book, I honestly was just wishing someone would scream at her until she finally grasped the severity of the stupid, reckless, and terrible choices she made.
- Despite being a first-person narration style, I had a very hard time connecting to Speth emotionally. The story as a whole drew me in, and I found myself feeling attached to other characters at times, but I think the complete lack of dialogue from Speth makes her really hard to relate to. She constantly caused emotional duress to others through her silence, when they needed her to speak, and that made it really hard to view her as anything beyond this calloused and aloof child.
- Without trying to spoil too much, there's a serious story arc of exploiting someone's feelings to use them (and it's such a sweet character who gets hurt, at that!), and then it's just... never really called out? There are no actual repercussions, and very little remorse, seemingly.
- Again, no spoilers, but there is a heartbreaking turn of events towards the end of the book that made me want to throw my kindle and never, ever finish this story. I literally made a Goodreads status that basically said there are books that can break your heart and make you love them more, and then there are books that go for the Big Traumas and just piss you the hell off. This incident was the latter scenario.
- The ending leaves a lot of things unexplained, and the story is wrapped up in an incredibly unrealistic and rushed manner. I know it's the first book in a series, but the story would have been better to leave off on a cliffhanger than to rush through the last few chapters the way it did.
✘ conclusion
This was actually an incredibly anticipated read for me, and I thought I would love it and totally fly through it; sadly, though, it just didn't cut it for me. If you're particularly into dystopian titles like I am, I would say pick it up, give it a chance, and it may be much more enjoyable for you than it was for me! As far as I'm concerned, though, I'll pass on continuing the series.
Thank you to Harlequin Teen and Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own!
You can find this review and more on my blog!
✘ plot
In the future, lawyers have realized they can put copyrights on things as basic as words, and now, on each individual's fifteenth birthday, they are given a device that tracks every word they speak or gesture they make - and charges them exorbitantly for it.
On Speth's fifteenth birthday, she realizes she doesn't want to be sucked into this life, so she decides to do the unthinkable: she adopts silence as her protest. Lawyers everywhere are enraged, and Speth suddenly finds her entire world turned upside down as the world around her attempts to punish her for her nonconformity.
✘ the good
- The plot of this book is so unique, and unlike anything I've ever read before. A world in which people are charged for every word they speak, every nod or sigh, every kiss or hug - it's honestly a little bit terrifying to even think of, especially as the story goes on to explain that people who go too far into debt are basically forced into indentured slavery to the government.
- I loved the sci-fi aspects of the story, such as the ocular lenses everyone was forced to wear that could shock them for transgressions, or the Ads that were custom-tailored to the potential customers walking by at any given time. So many features in the story just felt so innovative!
- The Product Placers. I assumed from the very beginning that they would be important, given how much Speth was fascinated by them, so I was pretty pleased when they recruited her onto their team. Kel, Henri, and Margot are all such fun and sweet characters, plus I was especially fond of the scenes in which Speth was getting her feet under her and learning the ropes. The missions the team were sent on just sounded so intense and fun, and I am a sucker for the whole "lonely/misunderstood MC finds a group of misfit friends to become their family" trope.
✘ the bad
- Speth. This poor, sad child... sigh. I mean, the very first decision she makes in the entire book is so astonishingly poorly thought out that I just thought, certainly, she would have to progress in an upward fashion as the story continued... right? Nope.
She makes one poor decision after another, and by the end of the book, I honestly was just wishing someone would scream at her until she finally grasped the severity of the stupid, reckless, and terrible choices she made.
- Despite being a first-person narration style, I had a very hard time connecting to Speth emotionally. The story as a whole drew me in, and I found myself feeling attached to other characters at times, but I think the complete lack of dialogue from Speth makes her really hard to relate to. She constantly caused emotional duress to others through her silence, when they needed her to speak, and that made it really hard to view her as anything beyond this calloused and aloof child.
- Without trying to spoil too much, there's a serious story arc of exploiting someone's feelings to use them (and it's such a sweet character who gets hurt, at that!), and then it's just... never really called out? There are no actual repercussions, and very little remorse, seemingly.
- Again, no spoilers, but there is a heartbreaking turn of events towards the end of the book that made me want to throw my kindle and never, ever finish this story. I literally made a Goodreads status that basically said there are books that can break your heart and make you love them more, and then there are books that go for the Big Traumas and just piss you the hell off. This incident was the latter scenario.
- The ending leaves a lot of things unexplained, and the story is wrapped up in an incredibly unrealistic and rushed manner. I know it's the first book in a series, but the story would have been better to leave off on a cliffhanger than to rush through the last few chapters the way it did.
✘ conclusion
This was actually an incredibly anticipated read for me, and I thought I would love it and totally fly through it; sadly, though, it just didn't cut it for me. If you're particularly into dystopian titles like I am, I would say pick it up, give it a chance, and it may be much more enjoyable for you than it was for me! As far as I'm concerned, though, I'll pass on continuing the series.
Thank you to Harlequin Teen and Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own!
You can find this review and more on my blog!
May 17, 2017
*Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the pleasure of reading this e-arc*
This was a brilliant read. I love a good Dystopian novel and this comes with such a creatively detailed social commentary. . . I had a hard time putting it down. The future laid out in this book made me pause to take a look at what our 21st century looks like, and being able to imagine our society reaching a place where it costs to communicate added a goosebump inducing tension to the whole story. Speth was such a relatable main character, and I felt so deeply for the pain she felt when she wanted to communicate but couldn't. Katsoulis does an amazing job with world building, I pretty much felt like pop up ads were glowing against the pages of the book, and every time I let out a sound or reacted outloud to the story I half expected to hear a beep from my very own cuff. The details were so well thought out, the plot grew and unraveled in a way that kept me engaged but didn't feel rushed or forced. This is definitely a book you'll read and spend weeks after talking about with your friends, about our relationship with technology and advertisements and whether or not we consider what it means that we get to speak without charge. I can't wait for this to come out so I can recommend it to everyone!
This was a brilliant read. I love a good Dystopian novel and this comes with such a creatively detailed social commentary. . . I had a hard time putting it down. The future laid out in this book made me pause to take a look at what our 21st century looks like, and being able to imagine our society reaching a place where it costs to communicate added a goosebump inducing tension to the whole story. Speth was such a relatable main character, and I felt so deeply for the pain she felt when she wanted to communicate but couldn't. Katsoulis does an amazing job with world building, I pretty much felt like pop up ads were glowing against the pages of the book, and every time I let out a sound or reacted outloud to the story I half expected to hear a beep from my very own cuff. The details were so well thought out, the plot grew and unraveled in a way that kept me engaged but didn't feel rushed or forced. This is definitely a book you'll read and spend weeks after talking about with your friends, about our relationship with technology and advertisements and whether or not we consider what it means that we get to speak without charge. I can't wait for this to come out so I can recommend it to everyone!
March 4, 2017
This is great science fiction. The world building is vivid and intriguing, it has a unique plot, and it makes you think. Speth's world is uncomfortable to read about. Every word and gesture is copyrighted and a payment has to be made to the rights hold. Any slight provokes a lawsuit that eventually sends people into so much debt that they are sold as indentured servants. Speth, in shock and grief over the suicide of her friend, chooses not to speak, which makes her a pariah and even dangerous.
This is an engaging read with very clever details—like the secret product placers who sneak into houses in the middle of the night to leave samples from advertisers. I really enjoyed this book. Great for teens and adults!
This is an engaging read with very clever details—like the secret product placers who sneak into houses in the middle of the night to leave samples from advertisers. I really enjoyed this book. Great for teens and adults!
March 24, 2017
This book must be read by everyone, now!
We are coming to that time when litigation stifles our lives. Monsanto have copyrighted whole genetic sequences while cuckoo nesting farms with barren seed crops. Taylor Swift has successfully registered whole sentences which cannot be used by anyone - she didn't think of them, but she wrote them down and now feels validated to claim ownership of them. The estate of Marvin Gaye successfully sued Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke for the sound of a cow bell in their song. A COW BELL! Take a page from Sir Berners-Lee's book and learn to share!
When you stifle creativity, you stifle progress and we will find ourselves in the situation Mr Katsoulus has so eruditely captured in this wonderful book.
It was depressing - how could it be otherwise - yet there was a spark of hope. Our heroine, a bland, so-so girl, broke the system and became an unwitting Joan of Arc
This book has taken the oppressive idea of intellectual property rights and given us a flash of hope.
Loved the book. Read it and pass it on. Spread the message.
https://www.theguardian.com/environme...
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/new...
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/new...
We are coming to that time when litigation stifles our lives. Monsanto have copyrighted whole genetic sequences while cuckoo nesting farms with barren seed crops. Taylor Swift has successfully registered whole sentences which cannot be used by anyone - she didn't think of them, but she wrote them down and now feels validated to claim ownership of them. The estate of Marvin Gaye successfully sued Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke for the sound of a cow bell in their song. A COW BELL! Take a page from Sir Berners-Lee's book and learn to share!
When you stifle creativity, you stifle progress and we will find ourselves in the situation Mr Katsoulus has so eruditely captured in this wonderful book.
It was depressing - how could it be otherwise - yet there was a spark of hope. Our heroine, a bland, so-so girl, broke the system and became an unwitting Joan of Arc
This book has taken the oppressive idea of intellectual property rights and given us a flash of hope.
Loved the book. Read it and pass it on. Spread the message.
https://www.theguardian.com/environme...
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/new...
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/new...
May 29, 2017
The entire time I read this book I kept thinking to myself "Could this BE anymore timely?!" All Rights Reserved is a smart, detailed commentary on what might happen if the reigns are held too tightly on copyright and freedom of expression. There are so many wonderful and subtle nods to the big copyright holders in the present. I can hands-down say this is the sharpest Dystopian YA I've ever read. I can't wait to read more about Speth and Co. in book 2!
May 25, 2017
Smart, interesting, and often heartbreaking, All Rights Reserved may be dystopian, but it often hits too close to home. I was racing through the last section to see how this one would end. Looking forward to the sequel.
*I received an advance copy*
*I received an advance copy*
February 27, 2017
Hey, it's a dystopian YA novel that's really about something! This is actual, proper social and political criticism, folks. In a YA novel published by Harlequin. I'm pleased, but not surprised: Teen Vogue is providing some of the best political commentary of our era, so it makes sense that Harlequin would also choose this moment to step it up.
All Rights Reserved takes place in a future where every word you say after age 15 is copyrighted and incurs a fee. The protagonist, Speth, doesn't set out to be a revolutionary, but when events on the day of her birthday cause her to choose not to speak, she's thrust down the path of reluctant heroism. Katsoulis does an excellent job illustrating her journey to becoming a leader of this silent rebellion.
The world of All Rights Reserved is, by nature of the dystopian genre, extreme, but Katsoulis' exploration of poverty and the crushing, inescapable weight of debt felt very, very real. I also really liked that this is (mostly) a much less action-packed revolution than, say, Katniss'. This book is (mostly) about silent, peaceful protest, and I found the sections of the novel where Speth's understated -- ha! -- heroism inspires others to action incredibly moving.
The book is not perfect -- I felt like the whole thing could be tightened and trimmed to a more effective length, and the bad guy seemed too weak and fallible to be at the center of such a vast system. (He'd at least need better henchmen, if this were the case? Or maybe this is part of a twist being set up for book two...) Nevertheless, this is an excellent addition to the dystopian genre, one that harkens back to the old-school, 1984-type: more oppression, fewer love triangles.
All Rights Reserved takes place in a future where every word you say after age 15 is copyrighted and incurs a fee. The protagonist, Speth, doesn't set out to be a revolutionary, but when events on the day of her birthday cause her to choose not to speak, she's thrust down the path of reluctant heroism. Katsoulis does an excellent job illustrating her journey to becoming a leader of this silent rebellion.
The world of All Rights Reserved is, by nature of the dystopian genre, extreme, but Katsoulis' exploration of poverty and the crushing, inescapable weight of debt felt very, very real. I also really liked that this is (mostly) a much less action-packed revolution than, say, Katniss'. This book is (mostly) about silent, peaceful protest, and I found the sections of the novel where Speth's understated -- ha! -- heroism inspires others to action incredibly moving.
The book is not perfect -- I felt like the whole thing could be tightened and trimmed to a more effective length, and the bad guy seemed too weak and fallible to be at the center of such a vast system. (He'd at least need better henchmen, if this were the case? Or maybe this is part of a twist being set up for book two...) Nevertheless, this is an excellent addition to the dystopian genre, one that harkens back to the old-school, 1984-type: more oppression, fewer love triangles.
April 30, 2017
Received digital copy from NetGalley
This book just grabbed me from the very first page.
Essentially a commentary on society, and how we view words and our freedoms of speech and expression. Gregory Scott Katsoulis provides a harrowing perspective of a society gone completely wrong, where the policing and ownership of every single word, phrase and gesture is rigidly monitored. This is told from the perspective of 15 year old Speth, as she is about to become a legal adult and begin 'paying back' the almighty rights holders with each word and gesture she makes. Her chosen silence is something that begins somewhat of a revolution, in a society built upon expression and endorsement.
I loved Speth, despite not actually having her speak, her communication with the others around her is just amazing. It's something very different from what I have previously read, and you get quite more of an insight into her development and thinking than a typical verbal main protagonist. I enjoyed seeing the dynamics within her broken family, and the regrets and plans she makes along the way. She didn't become a predictable YA dystopian protagonist, instead forged something different and quite inspiring.
Katsoulis writes amazingly, with absolutely no predictability as to where the story is going. It kept me guessing right to the end.
This is a book I'd definitely would want every teenager and adult to read, as it made me think quite deeply on the actual power of our words. And, with a price on each, what and how would you communicate your deepest needs and thoughts. It's one I'd definitely put up with Lois Lowry's The Giver, as a definite game changer of the YA genre. Can't wait to see if there is going to be follow ups, and where they may lead. Katsoulis has created such an amazing and profoundly deep world, with lots to contemplate.
This book just grabbed me from the very first page.
Essentially a commentary on society, and how we view words and our freedoms of speech and expression. Gregory Scott Katsoulis provides a harrowing perspective of a society gone completely wrong, where the policing and ownership of every single word, phrase and gesture is rigidly monitored. This is told from the perspective of 15 year old Speth, as she is about to become a legal adult and begin 'paying back' the almighty rights holders with each word and gesture she makes. Her chosen silence is something that begins somewhat of a revolution, in a society built upon expression and endorsement.
I loved Speth, despite not actually having her speak, her communication with the others around her is just amazing. It's something very different from what I have previously read, and you get quite more of an insight into her development and thinking than a typical verbal main protagonist. I enjoyed seeing the dynamics within her broken family, and the regrets and plans she makes along the way. She didn't become a predictable YA dystopian protagonist, instead forged something different and quite inspiring.
Katsoulis writes amazingly, with absolutely no predictability as to where the story is going. It kept me guessing right to the end.
This is a book I'd definitely would want every teenager and adult to read, as it made me think quite deeply on the actual power of our words. And, with a price on each, what and how would you communicate your deepest needs and thoughts. It's one I'd definitely put up with Lois Lowry's The Giver, as a definite game changer of the YA genre. Can't wait to see if there is going to be follow ups, and where they may lead. Katsoulis has created such an amazing and profoundly deep world, with lots to contemplate.
May 15, 2018
This happens to be one of those books where the only thing I wanted out of it was the satisfaction of seeing a super BOLD idea slapped across the page. The BIG IDEA is admittedly fantastic.
I was even more interested in seeing if ANYONE could pull it off. It comes with a ton of issues, but if properly handled, even as a YA dystopia, it might have been brilliant.
I have no problems with a huge suspension of disbelief, but sometimes a big idea doesn't (and can't) ever jibe with reality. Sure, if the author put tech inside everyone's head that forced them to comply quite aside from the monetization of words, I may not have had too much of a problem... BUT. And here's the big but:
The world is ruled by lawyers, and beyond that, it's predicated on perpetual copyright taken to the full extreme. Very cool. Every word is monetized. You pay to use anything. Therefore, the only way to rebel is to stay silent. But even gestures are copyrighted and the totally observed police state is quite diligent and any neighbor can easily get a big paycheck by a helpful suite of lawsuits when it comes to pain and suffering. Good stuff. I love this kind of worldbuilding. I don't even have an issue with perpetual copyright laws handed down 6 generations of punishment for a stolen song.
It's good, perhaps great, satire.
However.
When it comes to the next step, when and if a populace decides to rebel, I had to ask a simple question. Why not make up our own words? When every word in existence is monetized and you need to start using them beginning on your 15th birthday, wouldn't YOU begin looking for a way around that? Keep the old language for making money with product placement. But make up your own words or language, or BETTER YET, any number of OTHER LANGUAGES?
Humans a wily that way. Just the idea of unintentional drift drives makers of dictionaries crazy. Some people can make tons of money keeping ideas stratified, but others would EASILY start making up whatever they want to get around the whole stuffy thing, too! That's just human nature! How many curse words do YOU know?
Exactly.
Well, I would have explored that issue instead of wringing my hands and crying and sticking by my weird silent guns on the hope that others would care. Or watch loved ones die. Or rely on the off switch.
Where are the pirates of the mind?
Other than this, it's a pretty decent YA SF dystopia. In one aspect, all the monetization and ads is pretty great worldbuilding. It's just the next step, the next dig down, that I have an issue with.
I usually don't go this hard on a book for ideas, especially since the rest was a pretty decent read as long as you suspend disbelief. Unfortunately, the disbelief became just a tad too heavy. ; ;
I was even more interested in seeing if ANYONE could pull it off. It comes with a ton of issues, but if properly handled, even as a YA dystopia, it might have been brilliant.
I have no problems with a huge suspension of disbelief, but sometimes a big idea doesn't (and can't) ever jibe with reality. Sure, if the author put tech inside everyone's head that forced them to comply quite aside from the monetization of words, I may not have had too much of a problem... BUT. And here's the big but:
The world is ruled by lawyers, and beyond that, it's predicated on perpetual copyright taken to the full extreme. Very cool. Every word is monetized. You pay to use anything. Therefore, the only way to rebel is to stay silent. But even gestures are copyrighted and the totally observed police state is quite diligent and any neighbor can easily get a big paycheck by a helpful suite of lawsuits when it comes to pain and suffering. Good stuff. I love this kind of worldbuilding. I don't even have an issue with perpetual copyright laws handed down 6 generations of punishment for a stolen song.
It's good, perhaps great, satire.
However.
When it comes to the next step, when and if a populace decides to rebel, I had to ask a simple question. Why not make up our own words? When every word in existence is monetized and you need to start using them beginning on your 15th birthday, wouldn't YOU begin looking for a way around that? Keep the old language for making money with product placement. But make up your own words or language, or BETTER YET, any number of OTHER LANGUAGES?
Humans a wily that way. Just the idea of unintentional drift drives makers of dictionaries crazy. Some people can make tons of money keeping ideas stratified, but others would EASILY start making up whatever they want to get around the whole stuffy thing, too! That's just human nature! How many curse words do YOU know?
Exactly.
Well, I would have explored that issue instead of wringing my hands and crying and sticking by my weird silent guns on the hope that others would care. Or watch loved ones die. Or rely on the off switch.
Where are the pirates of the mind?
Other than this, it's a pretty decent YA SF dystopia. In one aspect, all the monetization and ads is pretty great worldbuilding. It's just the next step, the next dig down, that I have an issue with.
I usually don't go this hard on a book for ideas, especially since the rest was a pretty decent read as long as you suspend disbelief. Unfortunately, the disbelief became just a tad too heavy. ; ;
February 11, 2022
اتمام بعد از ۱۳ روز🥲
۲۳/بهمن/۰۰
01:28
چیزی ندارم بگم جز اینکه حتی نمیتونم تصورشو بکنم یه روز تو همچین دنیایی (دنیای این کتاب) زندگی کنم😶😂
لعنتی!
تصور کنین جایی هستین که برای هر کلمه ای که از دهنتون خارج میشه و هر حرکتی که میکنین باید پول بپردازین..🚶🏻♀️
سعی و تلاش و اراده اسپت رو تا اخر کتاب دوست داشتم! امیدی که داشت و به بقیه منتقل کرد.. اما بعضی جاها میخواستم این اراده شو فرو کنم تو آستینش :/
بگردم برات سَم :) …
.
.
راستش خیلی جاها (خیلی جاها؟ نه کل کتاب) نمیتونستم توصیفات درباره داستان و فضا و دور و برشون رو بفهمم نه بخاطر ترجمه (ترجمه که عالی و روون بود) بخاطر خود موضوع داستان بود.
فضای داستان رو نمیتونستم تصور کنم چون هیچ ذهنیتی نداشتم از چیزایی که تو کتاب گفته شده🥲 و این یکم ناامیدم کرد چون نشد کامل لذت ببرم از داستان!
پ.ن: انگار این کتاب جلد دوم هم داره اما فکر نمیکنم بخونمش :)
۲۳/بهمن/۰۰
01:28
چیزی ندارم بگم جز اینکه حتی نمیتونم تصورشو بکنم یه روز تو همچین دنیایی (دنیای این کتاب) زندگی کنم😶😂
لعنتی!
تصور کنین جایی هستین که برای هر کلمه ای که از دهنتون خارج میشه و هر حرکتی که میکنین باید پول بپردازین..🚶🏻♀️
سعی و تلاش و اراده اسپت رو تا اخر کتاب دوست داشتم! امیدی که داشت و به بقیه منتقل کرد.. اما بعضی جاها میخواستم این اراده شو فرو کنم تو آستینش :/
بگردم برات سَم :) …
.
.
راستش خیلی جاها (خیلی جاها؟ نه کل کتاب) نمیتونستم توصیفات درباره داستان و فضا و دور و برشون رو بفهمم نه بخاطر ترجمه (ترجمه که عالی و روون بود) بخاطر خود موضوع داستان بود.
فضای داستان رو نمیتونستم تصور کنم چون هیچ ذهنیتی نداشتم از چیزایی که تو کتاب گفته شده🥲 و این یکم ناامیدم کرد چون نشد کامل لذت ببرم از داستان!
پ.ن: انگار این کتاب جلد دوم هم داره اما فکر نمیکنم بخونمش :)
May 29, 2017
This book was absolutely amazing! I simply could not put it down. I read fifty pages one day, and when I picked it up the next day I couldn't put it down until I finished it.
All Rights Reserved is a dystopian novel that takes place in a futuristic America. The laws have been distorted so much by copywrite laws that citizens have lost the freedom of speech, and must begin paying for every word and gesture the day they turn fifteen. Speth, the main character, is so utterly relatable. The book opens on her 15th birthday as she is walking to give her speech. After witnessing a tragedy brought on by someone else's debts, Speth decides not to speak. This leads to a roller coaster of events as the society struggles to comprehend what she has done by remaining silent.
The scariest part of this book is that it is plausible. It wouldn't take to many alterations to bring our own society to this dystopian future.
The world building is absolutely fantastic. I can practically see the horrific adds stalking people across the city, appearing to match people's moods or needs. Speth's struggle is so realistic, I could feel myself choking with her inability to express herself to those trying to help her.
All in all, this book is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone!!!
All Rights Reserved is a dystopian novel that takes place in a futuristic America. The laws have been distorted so much by copywrite laws that citizens have lost the freedom of speech, and must begin paying for every word and gesture the day they turn fifteen. Speth, the main character, is so utterly relatable. The book opens on her 15th birthday as she is walking to give her speech. After witnessing a tragedy brought on by someone else's debts, Speth decides not to speak. This leads to a roller coaster of events as the society struggles to comprehend what she has done by remaining silent.
The scariest part of this book is that it is plausible. It wouldn't take to many alterations to bring our own society to this dystopian future.
The world building is absolutely fantastic. I can practically see the horrific adds stalking people across the city, appearing to match people's moods or needs. Speth's struggle is so realistic, I could feel myself choking with her inability to express herself to those trying to help her.
All in all, this book is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it to everyone!!!
May 9, 2018
Even before the start of this story, readers are shown a glimpse of the world they’re about to enter, in the form of a copyright page as it might look in the State of Vermaine, the place where Speth lives some time in our future, where freedom of speech is no longer a thing and special permits need to be bought just to maintain ownership of a physical book.
For the most part it is evident that a lot of thought has gone into the building of this world, and fans of Black Mirror are bound to feel a little familiar with some of the technology holding people to ransom.
The rest of this review can be found HERE!
-----------
Pre-Review
-----------
An interesting idea, though it did require quite a lot of suspension or disbelief and at times the rules seemed to change on a whim to help the story, not hugely, but enough that it was hard to get a proper handle on all the ins and outs.
The other side of this coin is the fact that there was a lot to take in about the way their world was built, so maybe I just missed something in the huge scope of the story.
A bit of a Black Mirror feel, with technology holding people to ransom, including overlays on their eyes which enable people to watch the "stream" of information through the subject's eyes, shock the subject when they speak without a cuff or without the credit to do so, and allow the option of "Blocking" things in the real world from the view of the poor or unsavory.
The Owner assumes any and all Legal obligation for this physical copy of the book and indemnifies the author and publisher against liability, including but not limited to the following:And to be sure, there is a lot to take in with regards to the dystopian world Katsoulis offers up, so this is a nice primer for readers who won’t dismiss this offhand as uninteresting copyright information.
i) Paper cuts
ii) Eyestrain or eye fatigue
iii) Cases where the physical existence of paper, printing or binding might present physical, emotional, or intellectual harm or distress.
iv) Cases where the textual content might present physical, emotional, or intellectual harm or distress.
v) Confusion, disorientation or irritation
vi) Intestinal distress
vii) Death
For the most part it is evident that a lot of thought has gone into the building of this world, and fans of Black Mirror are bound to feel a little familiar with some of the technology holding people to ransom.
We were all familiar with Blocking. It was becoming increasingly common for companies to Block certain imagery in-eye using the overlays on your corneal membranes. An expensive perfume bottle, for example, might appear as a blocky mess of color if you fell too far out of the company’s target demographic. People who were too poor, or fell too far in debt, could end up with a full-blown case of The Blocks.
Anything that wasn’t explicitly in the public domain was blurred to little more than colored squares. Shalk and Yundoro became two masses of moving blocks in the approximate shape and location of the human behind them. As far as the authorities were concerned, I had basically lost my right to see. In all likelihood, I would be like this for the rest of my life. My hands were the only thing I could see.
The rest of this review can be found HERE!
-----------
Pre-Review
-----------
An interesting idea, though it did require quite a lot of suspension or disbelief and at times the rules seemed to change on a whim to help the story, not hugely, but enough that it was hard to get a proper handle on all the ins and outs.
The other side of this coin is the fact that there was a lot to take in about the way their world was built, so maybe I just missed something in the huge scope of the story.
A bit of a Black Mirror feel, with technology holding people to ransom, including overlays on their eyes which enable people to watch the "stream" of information through the subject's eyes, shock the subject when they speak without a cuff or without the credit to do so, and allow the option of "Blocking" things in the real world from the view of the poor or unsavory.
June 7, 2017
Well that was terrifying! In the current world that we live in with "fake news", sue happy people, and companies trying to copyright just about everything this book really caused me to pause and think. Throughout the whole novel I constantly gave thought to the idea of not being able to say what was on my mind because it would cost too much or what it would be like to not be able to hug a loved one when they needed it because it would send my family into collections. In Speth's world these are realities.
The novel does an excellent job of building the world that Speth lives in while also explaining how it got that way. I think this is one of the strengths of the novel. Very rarely are you dropped into a dystopic novel and begin to understand what lead to the undoing of society. Katsoulis clearly paints the picture of the gradual erosion of some of the rights that we hold so dear. Actions that may seem small or meaningless at the moment begin to snowball into something much bigger, something that eventually becomes unstoppable. It makes you pause and think, at what point do you stand up and protest before a situation becomes so insurmountable that you feel you can't make a change?
I also felt Speth's method of protest was brilliant. She was able to go against the grain and create meaningful change although that was not her initial intent. Her struggle throughout the novel to determine if she would break down or hold to her principles was so real that you felt the pain as a reader.
Overall, this book stands out for me because it really makes you think about the rights that we all take for granted. Any novel that can make you take a genuine look at what you have as a society and appreciate it deserves to stand above the rest.
The novel does an excellent job of building the world that Speth lives in while also explaining how it got that way. I think this is one of the strengths of the novel. Very rarely are you dropped into a dystopic novel and begin to understand what lead to the undoing of society. Katsoulis clearly paints the picture of the gradual erosion of some of the rights that we hold so dear. Actions that may seem small or meaningless at the moment begin to snowball into something much bigger, something that eventually becomes unstoppable. It makes you pause and think, at what point do you stand up and protest before a situation becomes so insurmountable that you feel you can't make a change?
I also felt Speth's method of protest was brilliant. She was able to go against the grain and create meaningful change although that was not her initial intent. Her struggle throughout the novel to determine if she would break down or hold to her principles was so real that you felt the pain as a reader.
Overall, this book stands out for me because it really makes you think about the rights that we all take for granted. Any novel that can make you take a genuine look at what you have as a society and appreciate it deserves to stand above the rest.
May 17, 2018
Let's get real for just one second: this ridiculous fic is a financial adviser's literary wet dream! As for me, though? No. All Rights Reserved has its heart in the right place at times—and has a handful of good ideas to boot—but it sucks. Being boring and heavy-handed always equals a hard pass from yours truly. The wacky world the author paints wouldn't happen. Ever. Too many money headaches, for God's sake! Therefore, I can't relate. I'd get a bit more intricate with why I despise this fic, but I kind of already feel indifferent about it. So I'll stop typing and keep reading...something else, of course.
July 3, 2017
Wow.. what a unique concept!!! Imagine a world where EVERYTHING you said was subject to Copyright? Where even your name is subject to a price and for those who can't afford to pay to name their child are obligated to settle for a "half name"... A world where generations later are penalised for an illegal download their great grandparents committed.. I found this book really interesting because this story is told from the perspective of "Speth" who was due to give a speech on her Last Day prior to entering "puberty" yet she decided to take a stand and zip her lips - a vow of silence for the rest of her life, a vow that costs the copyrighters as her silence isn't paying for words that could be said.. This act of silent defiance is the spark of a revolution.. The concept was quite unique but it was also interesting to see how the protagonist Speth interacts with those around her without an ounce of communication. How can one tell a story without words? How does one face questions without being able ot answer? The flow of the story was easy to follow, and I found I was able get into the head of the character.. Special thanks to Harlequin Teen Publishers for sending me an Advanced Review Copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is due for release in August 2017.
July 8, 2018
I was on the promotional blog tour for this book!
T/W- Suicide
I’m so happy that All Rights Reserved is coming to the UK and with a July release date, the wait to purchase a copy is almost over! The main character Speth is turning fifteen and has to make a speech, before being charged for every word or gesture that she makes. She refuses to say her speech however, due to the fears of debt and her best friend commiting suicide due to debt. She plans to remain silent, no matter what the media or those closet to her try to do. It was an interesting storyline, full of digital and hi-tech equipment and terminology, making for a good read. Speth’s perspective over not speaking a single word was fun to read, hearing her thoughts tied into actual events that take place opened up her development as a character. Overall, a chilling but eye-opening adventure that I would highly recommend to readers!
T/W- Suicide
I’m so happy that All Rights Reserved is coming to the UK and with a July release date, the wait to purchase a copy is almost over! The main character Speth is turning fifteen and has to make a speech, before being charged for every word or gesture that she makes. She refuses to say her speech however, due to the fears of debt and her best friend commiting suicide due to debt. She plans to remain silent, no matter what the media or those closet to her try to do. It was an interesting storyline, full of digital and hi-tech equipment and terminology, making for a good read. Speth’s perspective over not speaking a single word was fun to read, hearing her thoughts tied into actual events that take place opened up her development as a character. Overall, a chilling but eye-opening adventure that I would highly recommend to readers!
April 29, 2018
My silence meant something. It was a protest. I owned it.
* * * *
4 / 5
It's been several years since dystopia was the go to genre for the upcoming YA author and, upon seeing All Rights Reserved, I thought that enough time had passed for me to brave this book. And damn, it was good! I've read a lot of dystopias in my time but never anything quite like this. Yeah, maybe it had a few kinks in the plot that could have been smoothed out, a few hallmarks of a new author, but these are easily forgiven.
Speth Jimes, she of the unfortunately cheap name, is moments away from her fifteenth birthday party where she is contractually obliged to speak the words of her Last Day speech and enter adulthood where every word and gesture is trademarked and charged, when she sees her childhood friend commit suicide. In shock, Speth vows never to speak, never to communicate with a trademarked gesture or word, again to prevent her family - her older sister and younger brother - from sliding further and further into debt.
I knew sorry was always $10 - and a legal admission of guilt
This is a fascinating narrative choice because the lack of speech means that you are very much inside Speth's head all of the time. It's really immersive and her pain at being unable to communicate with her siblings, to let them know what she is doing and why, is hard hitting. I was totally engrossed in this incredibly weird but oddly believable universe, so much so that when I put the book down I found it weird to speak, to realise that virtually ever action I did would, in Speth's world, put me further in a massive sinkhole of debt. The book also incorporates a lot of cool futuristic sci-fi elements, such as eye lenses and fully personalised adverts and curiously hidden people known as Product Placers.
I knew what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to pretend that I hadn't seen them. But I was slowly realising that I wasn't very good at doing what was expected of me
The book does have a couple of problem issues - the arc involving Speth's older sister is totally bizarre, but I did enjoy it, the one involving her younger brother was, I think, tragically unnecessary and a waste of shock value, and there's this weird love relationship going on. Sometimes Speth is difficult to relate to and her choices seem odd and the writing a touch clunky, but generally I loved Speth's perspective: she's young, afraid, cynical, and genuinely has no idea what to do in this massively messed up universe. She's a lovely character drowning in tragedy who I couldn't help but empathise with.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
* * * *
4 / 5
It's been several years since dystopia was the go to genre for the upcoming YA author and, upon seeing All Rights Reserved, I thought that enough time had passed for me to brave this book. And damn, it was good! I've read a lot of dystopias in my time but never anything quite like this. Yeah, maybe it had a few kinks in the plot that could have been smoothed out, a few hallmarks of a new author, but these are easily forgiven.
Speth Jimes, she of the unfortunately cheap name, is moments away from her fifteenth birthday party where she is contractually obliged to speak the words of her Last Day speech and enter adulthood where every word and gesture is trademarked and charged, when she sees her childhood friend commit suicide. In shock, Speth vows never to speak, never to communicate with a trademarked gesture or word, again to prevent her family - her older sister and younger brother - from sliding further and further into debt.
I knew sorry was always $10 - and a legal admission of guilt
This is a fascinating narrative choice because the lack of speech means that you are very much inside Speth's head all of the time. It's really immersive and her pain at being unable to communicate with her siblings, to let them know what she is doing and why, is hard hitting. I was totally engrossed in this incredibly weird but oddly believable universe, so much so that when I put the book down I found it weird to speak, to realise that virtually ever action I did would, in Speth's world, put me further in a massive sinkhole of debt. The book also incorporates a lot of cool futuristic sci-fi elements, such as eye lenses and fully personalised adverts and curiously hidden people known as Product Placers.
I knew what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to pretend that I hadn't seen them. But I was slowly realising that I wasn't very good at doing what was expected of me
The book does have a couple of problem issues - the arc involving Speth's older sister is totally bizarre, but I did enjoy it, the one involving her younger brother was, I think, tragically unnecessary and a waste of shock value, and there's this weird love relationship going on. Sometimes Speth is difficult to relate to and her choices seem odd and the writing a touch clunky, but generally I loved Speth's perspective: she's young, afraid, cynical, and genuinely has no idea what to do in this massively messed up universe. She's a lovely character drowning in tragedy who I couldn't help but empathise with.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
May 9, 2017
This dystopian YA novel is an imaginative critique of intellectual property law's role in perpetuating social inequality. I enjoyed the oppressive world-building, which goes beyond the corneal implants and targeted advertising of 'Minority Report', or a William Gibson or Gary Shteyngart-esque satire on a hyper-branded world. In particular I liked the ninja-like Placers: a witty idea of personifying the consumer culture trope of product placement.
This is the sort of book that gets you thinking about how we have already normalised the commodification of everyday life: from punitive litigious approaches to film and music copyright to attempts to patent seeds; from babies starving because their mothers can't afford formula to people forced to crowdfund their medical expenses. I was reminded how I'd recently read an article about the use of algorithms and data in online shopping to vary prices depending on demand and consumer habits. A spokeswoman for a 'truth in advertising' group said, when asked how she navigated this deceptive system, "I do not shop."
Hence the impromptu silent protest by this book's protagonist, Speth Jime. In her domed, 3D-printed plastic city, families are mired in intergenerational debt because of their ancestors' copyright infringements, and the poor are kept cowed and compliant by charging them for communicating with each other, even using gestures of love and solidarity. Refusing to participate in the system is the only source of power.
I enjoyed the challenge Katsoulis has set: to sustain a novel whose protagonist can't make sounds or communicate with gestures. Speth's first-person perspective, her thoughts and observations, carry the narrative. As this is a YA novel we also get rites of passage, friendships and sibling relationships, mentorships and a hint of romantic intrigue. I also liked the casual racial diversity of the characters, and the emphasis on passive resistance rather than deadly armed combat.
Getting teenage readers to deconstruct the ways in which the legal, political and economic systems collude to oppress people via their own 'unfree speech' is some real Teen Vogue-level stuff, and it's impressive to get it from Harlequin. This is clearly the first in a series because a lot of questions remain open and the Big Bad and his henchmen seem a little too easily subdued.
This is the sort of book that gets you thinking about how we have already normalised the commodification of everyday life: from punitive litigious approaches to film and music copyright to attempts to patent seeds; from babies starving because their mothers can't afford formula to people forced to crowdfund their medical expenses. I was reminded how I'd recently read an article about the use of algorithms and data in online shopping to vary prices depending on demand and consumer habits. A spokeswoman for a 'truth in advertising' group said, when asked how she navigated this deceptive system, "I do not shop."
Hence the impromptu silent protest by this book's protagonist, Speth Jime. In her domed, 3D-printed plastic city, families are mired in intergenerational debt because of their ancestors' copyright infringements, and the poor are kept cowed and compliant by charging them for communicating with each other, even using gestures of love and solidarity. Refusing to participate in the system is the only source of power.
I enjoyed the challenge Katsoulis has set: to sustain a novel whose protagonist can't make sounds or communicate with gestures. Speth's first-person perspective, her thoughts and observations, carry the narrative. As this is a YA novel we also get rites of passage, friendships and sibling relationships, mentorships and a hint of romantic intrigue. I also liked the casual racial diversity of the characters, and the emphasis on passive resistance rather than deadly armed combat.
Getting teenage readers to deconstruct the ways in which the legal, political and economic systems collude to oppress people via their own 'unfree speech' is some real Teen Vogue-level stuff, and it's impressive to get it from Harlequin. This is clearly the first in a series because a lot of questions remain open and the Big Bad and his henchmen seem a little too easily subdued.
July 5, 2017
REVIEW
I downloaded this book from Edelweiss, as soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb I knew I absolutely had to read it. I found both the cover and the blurb fascinating and to be truthful you could imagine this actually happening in the distant future.
The cover is a very powerful image. It's a bright yellow colour background so that should ensure it jumps out at you on a book store shelf. There are also lots of different words around a silhouette of who I would say is the main character Speth. I think the byline at the top of the cover of "When every word has a price. Her silence could spark a revolution", it really describes Speth and her actions in this book.
The genres listed on Goodreads for this book are Sci-Fi, and Dystopian which I totally agree with, though I would add "Futuristic" to that list too. The book is aimed at the Teen and YA age group and I certainly don't fall into that age group but I totally loved it. The blurb of the book had me asking lots of questions before I even arrived at the first page to begin reading. I mean how can you exist in a world where every word and most gestures have to be paid for? What happens when you have no money left to pay for you to speak? What would life be like? How could you do day to day things?
So to tell you a little about the book. The society like every great dystopian society has the "well off, haves" and the "poor, have nots". Every word and the majority of gestures have a monetary value. For children up to the age of fifteen words and gestures are free, but only until they are fifteen. At the age of fifteen you have a party and are given a speech that is paid for by those that wish to be your sponsors. Sadly the best sponsors prefer the wealthier and more aesthetically pleasing people in society. Even your name has a price! Naturally the more you speak of gesture the more you are charged. Everything is trademarked, or copyrighted. Only the very affluent can manage to live debt free. There are also those that make a living finding breaches of copyright/trademarks and suing those that made the breaches or the family descendants of the individual. When you are in a certain amount of debt, or have broken any rules in any way you are either indentured, which means you are literally sold as a servant to the highest bidder or sent to work monotonously manually collecting the pollen from flowers as there are no longer bees to do this work.
I guess like myself you will be wondering how the speech and gestures are monitored. At the age of fifteen everyone is fitted with a cuff that keeps track of your words and gestures and adds up the cost of everything and it is added to your families ever increasing bill. People also have corneal implants, these used to be optional but even that choice has been taken away.
My favourite character had to be Speth Jime, but I was also fond of the characters that make up the placers gang. Placers take out items and sneak into premises to place new or promotional items which can be anything from a new soap, to a new gadget. They then place spotlights to shine on it so its looks the best it can when the person/people its meant to be for finds it. I suppose you could compare it to people today that test products and then blog about them. I suppose its like book blogging, where you are given a book and then you review it and naturally tell friends and family about it. Its a "word of mouth" way of promotion. The Placers gang that we get to know in this book are leader Kel, and Henri and Margot. Though they may not agree with the ethics of their job and how the items are distributed to the wealthy they continue as if they did not do it, another placer gang would. Placers are not meant to be seen. Their jobs rang from simple placements in someones living room whilst they are in bed to a persons bedroom whilst they are laid asleep in it.
I really loved Speth, though she hates her name, its cheap, but its what her parents could afford at the time. Speth has courage and is strong willed with a great sense of the rights and wrongs about the society she is living in, On her fifteenth birthday someone who she cares for commits suicide and I think its the final straw that pushes her into the controversial act of making the motion of zipping her lips ad not speaking. I don't think Speth could have ever imagined what the fall out or others reactions to her gesture would be. Let alone that her choice would provoke others to do the same.
Speth hates her name, it is a cheap name at just 9c. Saying Sorry can be very expensive as not only are you charged for the word but it is treat as an admission of guilt/fault and opens you up to be being served with a law suit. Smiling is still free as are any emotions that you can control, such as laughing and crying. However screaming is charged at $1.99 per 2 seconds. Kissing is 17c a second.
I loved this society and felt really drawn into the plot of the book. I felt sorry for Speth's family. Having being sued for an ancestors misdemeanor her mother and father are taken away to do the job that bees once did. As a family their only hope of ever having their parents back is to pay off the debt. Unfortunately to function in society you need to communicate so as they pay off some of the money they owe, they are also continually adding to their bill. Those families whose parents have been sent away to work are assigned a guardian/social worker to check in on them regularly.
This book really was a brilliant read! It did an excellent job of showing how words were used to trap the society, and how ultimately the lack of them can possibly lead to making life better. Though the way this book ended I suppose it could be a standalone but I love the fact this is one book in a series. I am seriously looking forward to reading much more about this society, both about the characters I loved and the ones I loved to hate, as well as meeting new characters. This book really did keep me glued to it from beginning to end.
I downloaded this book from Edelweiss, as soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb I knew I absolutely had to read it. I found both the cover and the blurb fascinating and to be truthful you could imagine this actually happening in the distant future.
The cover is a very powerful image. It's a bright yellow colour background so that should ensure it jumps out at you on a book store shelf. There are also lots of different words around a silhouette of who I would say is the main character Speth. I think the byline at the top of the cover of "When every word has a price. Her silence could spark a revolution", it really describes Speth and her actions in this book.
The genres listed on Goodreads for this book are Sci-Fi, and Dystopian which I totally agree with, though I would add "Futuristic" to that list too. The book is aimed at the Teen and YA age group and I certainly don't fall into that age group but I totally loved it. The blurb of the book had me asking lots of questions before I even arrived at the first page to begin reading. I mean how can you exist in a world where every word and most gestures have to be paid for? What happens when you have no money left to pay for you to speak? What would life be like? How could you do day to day things?
So to tell you a little about the book. The society like every great dystopian society has the "well off, haves" and the "poor, have nots". Every word and the majority of gestures have a monetary value. For children up to the age of fifteen words and gestures are free, but only until they are fifteen. At the age of fifteen you have a party and are given a speech that is paid for by those that wish to be your sponsors. Sadly the best sponsors prefer the wealthier and more aesthetically pleasing people in society. Even your name has a price! Naturally the more you speak of gesture the more you are charged. Everything is trademarked, or copyrighted. Only the very affluent can manage to live debt free. There are also those that make a living finding breaches of copyright/trademarks and suing those that made the breaches or the family descendants of the individual. When you are in a certain amount of debt, or have broken any rules in any way you are either indentured, which means you are literally sold as a servant to the highest bidder or sent to work monotonously manually collecting the pollen from flowers as there are no longer bees to do this work.
I guess like myself you will be wondering how the speech and gestures are monitored. At the age of fifteen everyone is fitted with a cuff that keeps track of your words and gestures and adds up the cost of everything and it is added to your families ever increasing bill. People also have corneal implants, these used to be optional but even that choice has been taken away.
My favourite character had to be Speth Jime, but I was also fond of the characters that make up the placers gang. Placers take out items and sneak into premises to place new or promotional items which can be anything from a new soap, to a new gadget. They then place spotlights to shine on it so its looks the best it can when the person/people its meant to be for finds it. I suppose you could compare it to people today that test products and then blog about them. I suppose its like book blogging, where you are given a book and then you review it and naturally tell friends and family about it. Its a "word of mouth" way of promotion. The Placers gang that we get to know in this book are leader Kel, and Henri and Margot. Though they may not agree with the ethics of their job and how the items are distributed to the wealthy they continue as if they did not do it, another placer gang would. Placers are not meant to be seen. Their jobs rang from simple placements in someones living room whilst they are in bed to a persons bedroom whilst they are laid asleep in it.
I really loved Speth, though she hates her name, its cheap, but its what her parents could afford at the time. Speth has courage and is strong willed with a great sense of the rights and wrongs about the society she is living in, On her fifteenth birthday someone who she cares for commits suicide and I think its the final straw that pushes her into the controversial act of making the motion of zipping her lips ad not speaking. I don't think Speth could have ever imagined what the fall out or others reactions to her gesture would be. Let alone that her choice would provoke others to do the same.
Speth hates her name, it is a cheap name at just 9c. Saying Sorry can be very expensive as not only are you charged for the word but it is treat as an admission of guilt/fault and opens you up to be being served with a law suit. Smiling is still free as are any emotions that you can control, such as laughing and crying. However screaming is charged at $1.99 per 2 seconds. Kissing is 17c a second.
I loved this society and felt really drawn into the plot of the book. I felt sorry for Speth's family. Having being sued for an ancestors misdemeanor her mother and father are taken away to do the job that bees once did. As a family their only hope of ever having their parents back is to pay off the debt. Unfortunately to function in society you need to communicate so as they pay off some of the money they owe, they are also continually adding to their bill. Those families whose parents have been sent away to work are assigned a guardian/social worker to check in on them regularly.
This book really was a brilliant read! It did an excellent job of showing how words were used to trap the society, and how ultimately the lack of them can possibly lead to making life better. Though the way this book ended I suppose it could be a standalone but I love the fact this is one book in a series. I am seriously looking forward to reading much more about this society, both about the characters I loved and the ones I loved to hate, as well as meeting new characters. This book really did keep me glued to it from beginning to end.
October 19, 2017
If you had to pay for what you said would you choose your more carefully? What if you actions of holding hands or a comforting pats could put you in debt, would you reconsider a hug? What if your face had the likeness of a famous person, would you shield it from the world in fear of being sued?
When you start this book it explains the world you are about to enter and what happens when you become 15, how you are then charged for words and actions. You get implants in your eyes and cuff on you that monitors everything. Big brother is watching you closely in this world. Then it happens Speth Jime who is our main character. our leading lady, the star of the show celebrates (the a very loose term) turning 15 where she has to give speech written about her sponsors. Sponsors are the people who give you items and ads that can in turn make you a profit as long as you adhere to the terms of service. Step one of your terms of service is this speech. You choosing their products to be the first one you are charged for. And BAM Speth doesn’t say a sound. Nothing not a peep. She zips her mouth closed and throws the key away (figuratively). This symbol apparently is free and has not cost. So here is where I though “Man, how is the Author going to tell a story from Speth POV and she not say a damn word?”, really how was that going to happen.
If you’re a person you need dialogue, like a lot of dialogue this book isn’t for you. There’s Dialogue but really it is nowhere compared to an average book. You get a lot of one-sided conversation. You have to *gasp* actually read the book instead of skim through it. That both benefited and worked against the book. While I enjoyed the majority of the book some chapters I found to be a bore and struggled to get through. Hence the 4 stars.
To read the full the review ---->https://shealwaysreads.com/2017/10/19...
When you start this book it explains the world you are about to enter and what happens when you become 15, how you are then charged for words and actions. You get implants in your eyes and cuff on you that monitors everything. Big brother is watching you closely in this world. Then it happens Speth Jime who is our main character. our leading lady, the star of the show celebrates (the a very loose term) turning 15 where she has to give speech written about her sponsors. Sponsors are the people who give you items and ads that can in turn make you a profit as long as you adhere to the terms of service. Step one of your terms of service is this speech. You choosing their products to be the first one you are charged for. And BAM Speth doesn’t say a sound. Nothing not a peep. She zips her mouth closed and throws the key away (figuratively). This symbol apparently is free and has not cost. So here is where I though “Man, how is the Author going to tell a story from Speth POV and she not say a damn word?”, really how was that going to happen.
If you’re a person you need dialogue, like a lot of dialogue this book isn’t for you. There’s Dialogue but really it is nowhere compared to an average book. You get a lot of one-sided conversation. You have to *gasp* actually read the book instead of skim through it. That both benefited and worked against the book. While I enjoyed the majority of the book some chapters I found to be a bore and struggled to get through. Hence the 4 stars.
To read the full the review ---->https://shealwaysreads.com/2017/10/19...
Read
August 30, 2017Imagine a future where you’ll pay for what you’ve said. Literally. That’s what happens in this inventive new book! Speth Jime is set to deliver her Last Day speech. After her speech, she must pay for every word she uses. It’s the same for everyone once they turn fifteen, and a way for the government to keep people down by forcing them to work constantly to afford being able to talk. But what would happen if someone refused to speak? That’s exactly what Speth decides to do, and her actions may very well spark a revolution. I eagerly await the second book!
Backlist bump: Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/listen/shows/allt...
Backlist bump: Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/listen/shows/allt...
September 24, 2017
In my personal opinion, this book is no doubt has one of the most captivating synopsis there is, because it is the reason why I picked it up and pushed back my supposed to be TBR pile this month.
What I like about this book:
1. Setting
This book brought me to a world that is so intriguing and unique where everything is copyrighted; words, gestures, access to books, songs, arts and everything.
2. Chapter names
Each chapter is named with words and their cost. These words are found in the chapter, however I noticed that these words don’t really define the chapters.
3. Quotes
There are some lines that I really like such as:
4. The lesson it portrays
Reading this made me realize how important our Rights are and if they are taken from us then our so called life is not life at all.
My concerns about this book:
1. Progress
The progress in the first half of the book was kind of slow. The scenes were repetitive so my excitement died down. The last few chapters however compensated as the story builds up.
2. Terminologies
As for myself whose first language is not English, I had struggled with some of the dialogues because of unfamiliar words and I hate checking my dictionary when I am reading.
3. The characters
I love the setting and the concept in this book but not the main character, Speth. She is so stubborn and annoying. Her choices were not reasonable at all that caused troubles to her family and friends. I don’t know why dystopian female main characters are so annoying and stubborn.
Regardless of these few concerns, I did enjoy reading it and I recommend it.
What I like about this book:
1. Setting
This book brought me to a world that is so intriguing and unique where everything is copyrighted; words, gestures, access to books, songs, arts and everything.
2. Chapter names
Each chapter is named with words and their cost. These words are found in the chapter, however I noticed that these words don’t really define the chapters.
3. Quotes
There are some lines that I really like such as:
“Words matter,” I said. “Words make ideas. They preserve truths and history. They express freedom, and they shape it.”
4. The lesson it portrays
Reading this made me realize how important our Rights are and if they are taken from us then our so called life is not life at all.
My concerns about this book:
1. Progress
The progress in the first half of the book was kind of slow. The scenes were repetitive so my excitement died down. The last few chapters however compensated as the story builds up.
2. Terminologies
As for myself whose first language is not English, I had struggled with some of the dialogues because of unfamiliar words and I hate checking my dictionary when I am reading.
3. The characters
I love the setting and the concept in this book but not the main character, Speth. She is so stubborn and annoying. Her choices were not reasonable at all that caused troubles to her family and friends. I don’t know why dystopian female main characters are so annoying and stubborn.
Regardless of these few concerns, I did enjoy reading it and I recommend it.
July 12, 2018
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2018 as the premise was just so unique and right up my street - I am pleased to say, it did not disappoint! There is another similar book called 'Vox' out on August 21st also from HQ, with a very similar premise and i'm glad I have a copy of each to compare and contrast. It was also on my most anticipated books of 2018 list.
This is an original and powerful book that is particularly significant in today's world. The opening was spectacular and I was invested in the story, the characters, and the outcome from very early on. The story is exciting and effortless but it was also terrifyingly plausible. It had authenticity which some YA novels lack and kept me engaged throughout the entire book. I found it so hard put down that I read it in a mere few hours. A winning combination of a deeply compelling story and amazing writing from Katsoulis had me eager to see what happened in the finale.
I cannot wait to read the sequel - 'All Rights Restricted' - which is out in August. I hope it carries the same important message that this one did and certainly would like it to be as enthralling.
Many thanks to HQ Young Adult for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This is an original and powerful book that is particularly significant in today's world. The opening was spectacular and I was invested in the story, the characters, and the outcome from very early on. The story is exciting and effortless but it was also terrifyingly plausible. It had authenticity which some YA novels lack and kept me engaged throughout the entire book. I found it so hard put down that I read it in a mere few hours. A winning combination of a deeply compelling story and amazing writing from Katsoulis had me eager to see what happened in the finale.
I cannot wait to read the sequel - 'All Rights Restricted' - which is out in August. I hope it carries the same important message that this one did and certainly would like it to be as enthralling.
Many thanks to HQ Young Adult for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
May 11, 2018
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thankyou to Netgalley and HQ for giving me the opportunity to read this book! My review is still honest.
Wow. What an intensely thought provoking and current novel! I'm so impressed by the thought that has gone into this book. It's a YA novel, but explores so much about capitalism and the nature of copyright and branding.
All Rights Reserved creates a world in which people are fitted with a Cuff at the age of 15 that monitors the words they speak and the gestures they make, and charges them for it, as words and gestures are now copyrighted and owned. The poor majority have to restrict their words and affections towards loved ones, while the rich Rights Holders can own slaves and Indenture people if they go into debt (very easy with language itself being so expensive!). Speth, our main character, turns 15 and instead decides to stay silent-she will not give the Rights Holders anything, and starts a chain of events that are very, very satisfying.
This book was so action packed! The pacing was extremely well done, the tension was riveting and danger never seemed far away. I could never predict what would happen next, with each new ridiculous copyright shocking and infuriating me more than the last. Speth's parents are made slaves because their ancestors made an illegal download-how absolutely ridiculous! It's scary because it relates so much to now and what we live in. We're nowhere near this level, but things are progressing in that direction. Things that come to mind immediately are the frequent battles over whether songs are copying another because of similar melodies, band names having to be changed because someone else 'owns' those words, drug companies having a patent on specific formulas of medicine and YouTube videos being taken down for using snippets of songs. This book challenges the idea of intellectual ownership and the world we live in.
I do have to say that I wasn't overly impressed with the characters. I didn't have a huge amount of emotion for any character, Speth was hard to relate to because of her silence. I also disagreed with some of her actions over the course of the book and I don't think they were made out to be that bad, despite the hurt they caused. Speth's family and friends were far more interesting to me-Kel and Henri are great (I'm not a huge fan of Margot) and I think Saretha has a very interesting story to tell. I'd also like to see more of the other Silents. The characters were weaker than the plot for me, but I don't think the focus is meant to be on them anyway-this is more about the power of words and how they shape our identity.
I am very intrigued by the idea of the sequel-after such an explosive ending, this story could go in so many different directions and I can't wait to see where the author chooses to go. A 4 star book-brilliant and thoughtful, but with a few minor weaknesses that did not disrupt my enjoyment.
Wow. What an intensely thought provoking and current novel! I'm so impressed by the thought that has gone into this book. It's a YA novel, but explores so much about capitalism and the nature of copyright and branding.
All Rights Reserved creates a world in which people are fitted with a Cuff at the age of 15 that monitors the words they speak and the gestures they make, and charges them for it, as words and gestures are now copyrighted and owned. The poor majority have to restrict their words and affections towards loved ones, while the rich Rights Holders can own slaves and Indenture people if they go into debt (very easy with language itself being so expensive!). Speth, our main character, turns 15 and instead decides to stay silent-she will not give the Rights Holders anything, and starts a chain of events that are very, very satisfying.
This book was so action packed! The pacing was extremely well done, the tension was riveting and danger never seemed far away. I could never predict what would happen next, with each new ridiculous copyright shocking and infuriating me more than the last. Speth's parents are made slaves because their ancestors made an illegal download-how absolutely ridiculous! It's scary because it relates so much to now and what we live in. We're nowhere near this level, but things are progressing in that direction. Things that come to mind immediately are the frequent battles over whether songs are copying another because of similar melodies, band names having to be changed because someone else 'owns' those words, drug companies having a patent on specific formulas of medicine and YouTube videos being taken down for using snippets of songs. This book challenges the idea of intellectual ownership and the world we live in.
I do have to say that I wasn't overly impressed with the characters. I didn't have a huge amount of emotion for any character, Speth was hard to relate to because of her silence. I also disagreed with some of her actions over the course of the book and I don't think they were made out to be that bad, despite the hurt they caused. Speth's family and friends were far more interesting to me-Kel and Henri are great (I'm not a huge fan of Margot) and I think Saretha has a very interesting story to tell. I'd also like to see more of the other Silents. The characters were weaker than the plot for me, but I don't think the focus is meant to be on them anyway-this is more about the power of words and how they shape our identity.
I am very intrigued by the idea of the sequel-after such an explosive ending, this story could go in so many different directions and I can't wait to see where the author chooses to go. A 4 star book-brilliant and thoughtful, but with a few minor weaknesses that did not disrupt my enjoyment.
June 8, 2017
I received an ARC of this book at Book Con. I couldn't put it down! As someone who loves language, and gestures excessively, I would never survive in Speth's world. I loved the parallels to today's society that I saw in the book. I feel like that is the mark of a good dystopian, when you can almost see how the world could end up going in this horrifying direction. I didn't realize until later in the book, but I also love that there is no love triangle in this book! There isn't any sort of romantic storyline at all! Personally, I read a lot of romance stories. I can probably count on one hand the number of books I've read in my life that don't have any romantic entanglements. It says a lot about how engaging the storyline of this book was, that I didn't even notice I had nobody to "ship" until at least 3/4 of the way through. I'm not certain if this book is planned to be a series, or just a stand alone, but it could work as either for me. I was satisfied with the ending, but I wouldn't mind learning what possible directions their world can take.
January 24, 2025
Were there several inconsistencies and discontinuities in this book? Yes.
Did the prose slip into telling sometimes? Yes.
Was the villain a fairly late arrival, and was some of the worldbuilding a bit off? Yes.
But did I absolutely love this book, the characters, the world, and everything else? HECK YES.
This book stressed me to death, but I loved it.
Wow. 5 stars.
Did the prose slip into telling sometimes? Yes.
Was the villain a fairly late arrival, and was some of the worldbuilding a bit off? Yes.
But did I absolutely love this book, the characters, the world, and everything else? HECK YES.
This book stressed me to death, but I loved it.
Wow. 5 stars.
Want to read
August 28, 2017Man, how is there not that much hype around this?? It sounds epic!!
December 16, 2023
"Words were like magic."
Imagine a world where you had to pay a lucrative sum for every word you say and every gesture you make. If you control what people say and do, you take away their freedom, making it laughably easy for the "higher-ups" to control the world you live in. You are bound and gagged by the so-called laws that are supposed to be in place to protect people's rights. Of course the opposite is true; all these "laws" hinder people. If you so much as breathe more than what the law makers determine is legal, you are automatically indentured, losing any semblance of a life--they will work you till they bury you.
The idea of this book was horrifying to me--words are my life! I tend to ramble on and on and on...(well, you get the picture), so the idea of being so censored that even the words "I'm sorry" cost $10 and are considered a legal admission of guilt, was nothing short of terrifying to me.
I loved that the main character, Speth, stuck to her guns and refused to utter a single word, even when her family was threatened with dire consequences, because she realized that her silence was not about just her anymore; it was about everything the people had been deprived of, and all their rights that had been infringed upon by their "government".
This is dystopia at its finest; once you start restricting people's rights on the pretense that you are protecting someone else's "intellectual property" the world is pretty much over.
I need the second book NOW!!
Imagine a world where you had to pay a lucrative sum for every word you say and every gesture you make. If you control what people say and do, you take away their freedom, making it laughably easy for the "higher-ups" to control the world you live in. You are bound and gagged by the so-called laws that are supposed to be in place to protect people's rights. Of course the opposite is true; all these "laws" hinder people. If you so much as breathe more than what the law makers determine is legal, you are automatically indentured, losing any semblance of a life--they will work you till they bury you.
The idea of this book was horrifying to me--words are my life! I tend to ramble on and on and on...(well, you get the picture), so the idea of being so censored that even the words "I'm sorry" cost $10 and are considered a legal admission of guilt, was nothing short of terrifying to me.
I loved that the main character, Speth, stuck to her guns and refused to utter a single word, even when her family was threatened with dire consequences, because she realized that her silence was not about just her anymore; it was about everything the people had been deprived of, and all their rights that had been infringed upon by their "government".
This is dystopia at its finest; once you start restricting people's rights on the pretense that you are protecting someone else's "intellectual property" the world is pretty much over.
I need the second book NOW!!
June 16, 2017
This book was obtained through NetGalley.
What a great story! When I read this book, I couldn't help but be reminded of my Copyright class I took in college. I loved the originality in this book, how copyright restrictions and lawsuits become a way of life for society. Kudos to the author for dreaming up this storyline.
There's only one thing that kind of bothered me, and it might just be a personal preference. There were moments when the story moved fairly slow and other moments when the story moved so quickly. I would have liked to learn more about the other characters in this book. It seems that we know so little about Speth's family and friends.
Since this appears to be a series, I hope I get to learn more in the next book. ^_^
What a great story! When I read this book, I couldn't help but be reminded of my Copyright class I took in college. I loved the originality in this book, how copyright restrictions and lawsuits become a way of life for society. Kudos to the author for dreaming up this storyline.
There's only one thing that kind of bothered me, and it might just be a personal preference. There were moments when the story moved fairly slow and other moments when the story moved so quickly. I would have liked to learn more about the other characters in this book. It seems that we know so little about Speth's family and friends.
Since this appears to be a series, I hope I get to learn more in the next book. ^_^
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