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Prism
A time-shattering supernatural thriller Aida Hutchenson, Zeke Anderson, and Joy three teens with nothing in common, thrown together by an explosive accident that turns their class trip into a desert nightmare. And the next morning . . . a return to their ordinary lives with everything just as it was before. Or is it? Increasingly unnerved by the distorted world around her, Kaida must band together with Zeke and Joy in hopes of making it back to the reality she remembers . . . and surviving the one she's fallen into. New York Times bestselling author Faye Kellerman teams up for the first time with her teen daughter, Aliza Kellerman, to deliver this breathlessly suspenseful paranormal thriller.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2009
94 people are currently reading
894 people want to read
About the author
Faye Kellerman
179 books2,022 followersFaye Kellerman was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in Sherman Oaks, California. She earned a BA in mathematics and a doctorate in dentistry at UCLA., and conducted research in oral biology. Kellerman's groundbreaking first novel, THE RITUAL BATH, was published in 1986 to wide critical and commercial acclaim. The winner of the Macavity Award for the Best First Novel from the Mystery Readers of American, THE RITUAL BATH introduced readers to Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, termed by People Magazine "Hands down, the most refreshing mystery couple around." The New York Times enthused, "This couple's domestic affairs have the haimish warmth of reality, unlike the formulaic lives of so many other genre detectives."
There are well over twenty million copies of Faye Kellerman's novels in print internationally. The Decker/Lazarus thrillers include SACRED AND PROFANE; MILK AND HONEY; DAY OF ATONEMENT; FALSE PROPHET; GRIEVOUS SIN; SANCTUARY; as well as her New York Times Bestsellers, JUSTICE, PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD - listed by the LA Times as one of the best crime novel of 2001; SERPENT'S TOOTH; JUPITER'S BONES, THE FORGOTTEN, STONE KISS, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS, THE BURNT HOUSE, THE MERCEDES COFFIN and BLINDMAN'S BLUFF. . The novels, STALKER and STREET DREAMS, introduced Kellerman's newest protagonist, Police Officer Cindy Decker. In addition to her crime series, Kellerman is also the author of New York Time's bestseller MOON MUSIC, a suspense horror novel set in Las Vegas featuring Detective Romulus Poe, as well as an historical novel of intrigue set in Elizabethan England, THE QUALITY OF MERCY. She has also co-authored the New York Times Bestseller DOUBLE HOMICIDE, with her husband and partner in crime, Jonathan Kellerman. She has also written a young adult novel, PRISM, with her daughter, Aliza Kellerman
Faye Kellerman's highly praised short stories and reviews have been anthologized in numerous collections including two volumes of the notable SISTERS IN CRIME SERIES, Sara Paretsky's, A WOMAN'S EYE; THE FIRST ANNUAL YEAR'S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES; THE THIRD ANNUAL BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR; WOMEN OF MYSTERY AND DEADLY ALLIES 11. Her personally annotated collection of her award winning stories, THE GARDEN OF EDEN and OTHER CRIMINAL DELIGHTS, was published in August of 2006. H
Her other hobbies include gardening, sewing and jogging if her back doesn't give out. She is the proud mother of four children, and her eldest son, Jesse, has just published his fourth novel, THE EXECUTOR, from Putnam. She lives in Los Angeles and Santa Fe with her husband, Jonathan, their youngest child, and their French Bulldog, Hugo.
There are well over twenty million copies of Faye Kellerman's novels in print internationally. The Decker/Lazarus thrillers include SACRED AND PROFANE; MILK AND HONEY; DAY OF ATONEMENT; FALSE PROPHET; GRIEVOUS SIN; SANCTUARY; as well as her New York Times Bestsellers, JUSTICE, PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD - listed by the LA Times as one of the best crime novel of 2001; SERPENT'S TOOTH; JUPITER'S BONES, THE FORGOTTEN, STONE KISS, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS, THE BURNT HOUSE, THE MERCEDES COFFIN and BLINDMAN'S BLUFF. . The novels, STALKER and STREET DREAMS, introduced Kellerman's newest protagonist, Police Officer Cindy Decker. In addition to her crime series, Kellerman is also the author of New York Time's bestseller MOON MUSIC, a suspense horror novel set in Las Vegas featuring Detective Romulus Poe, as well as an historical novel of intrigue set in Elizabethan England, THE QUALITY OF MERCY. She has also co-authored the New York Times Bestseller DOUBLE HOMICIDE, with her husband and partner in crime, Jonathan Kellerman. She has also written a young adult novel, PRISM, with her daughter, Aliza Kellerman
Faye Kellerman's highly praised short stories and reviews have been anthologized in numerous collections including two volumes of the notable SISTERS IN CRIME SERIES, Sara Paretsky's, A WOMAN'S EYE; THE FIRST ANNUAL YEAR'S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES; THE THIRD ANNUAL BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR; WOMEN OF MYSTERY AND DEADLY ALLIES 11. Her personally annotated collection of her award winning stories, THE GARDEN OF EDEN and OTHER CRIMINAL DELIGHTS, was published in August of 2006. H
Her other hobbies include gardening, sewing and jogging if her back doesn't give out. She is the proud mother of four children, and her eldest son, Jesse, has just published his fourth novel, THE EXECUTOR, from Putnam. She lives in Los Angeles and Santa Fe with her husband, Jonathan, their youngest child, and their French Bulldog, Hugo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
July 30, 2012
Prism, written by Faye. and Aliza Kellerman, is a YA novel with a science fiction theme. Kaida and her two friends are in an accident on a school trip. They seek shelter in a cave and fall into a pit. They wake up at home thinking it was all just a bad dream. But, things are worse than they ever imagined.
I bought this book without reading the whole story about Aliza only being in Junior High. If I had known that, I would have passed on this one. I have read a few YA novels at the insistence of my daughter, but I'm way too old for this one. To me it read like a tween book, not young adult. Sort of like the "Goosebumps " books my kids read. That's my fault, I guess. For such a young girl, the writing was pretty good. She could have a future in writing once she matures.
I bought this book without reading the whole story about Aliza only being in Junior High. If I had known that, I would have passed on this one. I have read a few YA novels at the insistence of my daughter, but I'm way too old for this one. To me it read like a tween book, not young adult. Sort of like the "Goosebumps " books my kids read. That's my fault, I guess. For such a young girl, the writing was pretty good. She could have a future in writing once she matures.
May 21, 2010
Oh good lord.
One of the things I really like about Joe Hill, besides him being a really good writer, is that he's Stephen King's son and he's not making a big deal out of it. Totally downplaying it. With "A New Novel by the Son of Stephen King" on his covers he would sell a billion jillion books no matter how good they were, but he didn't do that; he's become a popular author on his own merits. Aliza Kellerman has indeed done that. She "co-wrote" this book with her mother, Faye Kellerman, whose books end up on the New York Times bestseller lists and on the scrawled lists of little old ladies who keep their holds maxed out at the library.
I've never read a Faye Kellerman book but I'm going to hazard a guess that this book was mostly Aliza and only a smidgen of Faye. Aliza is a junior in high school and this book honestly reads like a fiction version of the essays I and all my classmates wrote at 16 and 17. Especially the creative classmates. The writing is awkward. The dialogue is stunted and slow. The book is extremely repetitive, as characters explain certain events to other characters over and over. It was like one of those kid's shows, only a bit more fleshed out. Not a direct quote, but it was like reading "We fell down in a cave. We fell down in a cave and got hurt. Oh, no. There is no medicine, after we fell down in a cave." over and over.
Not to mention the giant gaping plot holes that come from having two universes that are exactly the same save that one does not have medical science. There is quite simply no way that the world would be the same. I might hazard a guess that if humanity managed to evolve out of the medieval era without medicine, by 2010 they would all be dead or certainly never have expanded. There's a lot of silly wordplay like "spills" for "pills" (why?), absolutely flat characters, and "romance" that consists of shoving the two main female characters with the two main male characters.
Ok. I'm done with this.
One of the things I really like about Joe Hill, besides him being a really good writer, is that he's Stephen King's son and he's not making a big deal out of it. Totally downplaying it. With "A New Novel by the Son of Stephen King" on his covers he would sell a billion jillion books no matter how good they were, but he didn't do that; he's become a popular author on his own merits. Aliza Kellerman has indeed done that. She "co-wrote" this book with her mother, Faye Kellerman, whose books end up on the New York Times bestseller lists and on the scrawled lists of little old ladies who keep their holds maxed out at the library.
I've never read a Faye Kellerman book but I'm going to hazard a guess that this book was mostly Aliza and only a smidgen of Faye. Aliza is a junior in high school and this book honestly reads like a fiction version of the essays I and all my classmates wrote at 16 and 17. Especially the creative classmates. The writing is awkward. The dialogue is stunted and slow. The book is extremely repetitive, as characters explain certain events to other characters over and over. It was like one of those kid's shows, only a bit more fleshed out. Not a direct quote, but it was like reading "We fell down in a cave. We fell down in a cave and got hurt. Oh, no. There is no medicine, after we fell down in a cave." over and over.
Not to mention the giant gaping plot holes that come from having two universes that are exactly the same save that one does not have medical science. There is quite simply no way that the world would be the same. I might hazard a guess that if humanity managed to evolve out of the medieval era without medicine, by 2010 they would all be dead or certainly never have expanded. There's a lot of silly wordplay like "spills" for "pills" (why?), absolutely flat characters, and "romance" that consists of shoving the two main female characters with the two main male characters.
Ok. I'm done with this.
July 16, 2010
I have mixed feelings about PRISM. I definitely enjoyed the story, but it could have had so much more to it. It had some great action, and interesting characters, but I found it a little lacking.
First, this plot has absolutely amazing potential, but just didn’t deliver for me. Things felt rushed and half realized. There was so much more I wanted to know, and things – though difficult for the characters – seemed almost too easy to us readers. There were some crazy circumstances and coincidences that all came together so that Kaida always made out ok in the end (very deus ex machina, but not as bad). And this includes Zeke’s and Joy’s reactions!
In the beginning, neither of them want to believe Kaida that they are in an alternate world, and even when they do believe her, they don’t want to try and get home. Kaida and Ozzy get them to listen to reason and they change their minds very, very quickly. Zeke and Ozzy also don’t seem to do much in the story. I could have easily removed them, given Kaida a larger part and not changed the storyline at all. Even Kaida’s personality isn’t explored much. As the main character we definitely get more insight into her, but not enough to really connect.
I liked the book, though. The writing kept me interested in the story, and like I said, there is huge potential in the plot. It’s a great concept, I just would have liked it, and the characters, to be a little more fleshed out. Kaida and Ozzy are both really intriguing characters, and so much more could have been done with Joy and Zeke. The novel is a good action-adventure and an entertaining read.
First, this plot has absolutely amazing potential, but just didn’t deliver for me. Things felt rushed and half realized. There was so much more I wanted to know, and things – though difficult for the characters – seemed almost too easy to us readers. There were some crazy circumstances and coincidences that all came together so that Kaida always made out ok in the end (very deus ex machina, but not as bad). And this includes Zeke’s and Joy’s reactions!
In the beginning, neither of them want to believe Kaida that they are in an alternate world, and even when they do believe her, they don’t want to try and get home. Kaida and Ozzy get them to listen to reason and they change their minds very, very quickly. Zeke and Ozzy also don’t seem to do much in the story. I could have easily removed them, given Kaida a larger part and not changed the storyline at all. Even Kaida’s personality isn’t explored much. As the main character we definitely get more insight into her, but not enough to really connect.
I liked the book, though. The writing kept me interested in the story, and like I said, there is huge potential in the plot. It’s a great concept, I just would have liked it, and the characters, to be a little more fleshed out. Kaida and Ozzy are both really intriguing characters, and so much more could have been done with Joy and Zeke. The novel is a good action-adventure and an entertaining read.
June 14, 2012
Brilliant book about three teens who manage to stumble into a parallel universe where the theory of evolution and natural selection is taken a little too seriously. In others words, those who get sick will get better through natural means, medicine is banned, and if they don't survive than that means it was meant to be and the strong will live on. Can the trio managed to get back home and help save this messed up world? Or will they be forced to choose?
February 2, 2012
I'd put this one at a thoroughly resounding "meh." It was entertaining for the most part, though I did find myself skimming at some times, and I wouldn't consider the time I spent reading it (only a couple hours, I'd wager, spread over a few train rides and dull waits in lines) a waste. I wasn't too invested in the idea behind the book, so I wasn't terrifically surprised when it ended up going mostly nowhere. (TL;DR at the bottom for the lazy.)
A mistake I notice with a lot of dystopian or dystopian-inspired YA authors right now is that a lot of them don't consider how the "quirk" they're going to put in their fictional world actually affects everything else. A universe which doesn't care for its sick...okay, how would that affect the world? Yes, more people will die, but how would that concept have shaped people's minds? People are more afraid of simple things like colds, but do they also have less of an emotional investment in death? How would society and classes develop? Hell, what major events in history might be altered? Ozzy talks about Darwinism and survival of the fittest being how people look at each other. Where else does Darwinism affect their thinking? Thing is, I refuse to believe a universe could be exactly the same as our own except for the little detail of abandoning the ill to their deaths. It has to affect something! Even a little bit of thought in the details of the universe would have made the book a lot more engaging and the world feel more real. As it was, I spent the entire time completely aware that this fictional universe was just that--fictional.
As for the writing, it was pretty bleh. It didn't pretend to be fancy or pretty, which I guess was better than nothing--it was there merely to communicate events and not much else. Kind of disappointing, but again, not entirely unexpected. And the characters...yikes. Every single one of them had the exact same voice. Their bickering and bantering was more inane than clever (and I absolutely, grade-A refuse to write that off as "well, they're just modern teenagers so I guess it's not a big deal, lol!" That is a horrible excuse. Real teenagers have personalities. They also at least pretend to like their friends.) In a slightly similar vein, there was supposed to be two different couples in the main cast, but I didn't feel any chemistry between them. They were shoved together because it was convenient. No one grew or changed or seemed to really learn anything.
And let's not even talk about the plot holes or the plot threads that were introduced and went literally nowhere. Seriously, I'm not going to list them, because there were a lot and it'd take forever and I have precalc homework to do.
TL;DR: At one point, Kaida refers to the world she and everyone else has tumbled into as a "facsimile" of the world they left. In a lot of ways, I think that could apply to this book as well. It's a facsimile of a story--a first draft, and a somewhat sloppy one at that. I honestly think with more time and thought, this book could have been pretty good. A deeper world, as well as a richer plotline with subplots and character development and all those plot holes filled in, would have done Prism a world of good. As it stands now, it's readable, but forgettable, a thing you check out from the library, read in a couple boring afternoons, and never think about again. Read it if you want to, but don't act like I recommended it, because I didn't.
A mistake I notice with a lot of dystopian or dystopian-inspired YA authors right now is that a lot of them don't consider how the "quirk" they're going to put in their fictional world actually affects everything else. A universe which doesn't care for its sick...okay, how would that affect the world? Yes, more people will die, but how would that concept have shaped people's minds? People are more afraid of simple things like colds, but do they also have less of an emotional investment in death? How would society and classes develop? Hell, what major events in history might be altered? Ozzy talks about Darwinism and survival of the fittest being how people look at each other. Where else does Darwinism affect their thinking? Thing is, I refuse to believe a universe could be exactly the same as our own except for the little detail of abandoning the ill to their deaths. It has to affect something! Even a little bit of thought in the details of the universe would have made the book a lot more engaging and the world feel more real. As it was, I spent the entire time completely aware that this fictional universe was just that--fictional.
As for the writing, it was pretty bleh. It didn't pretend to be fancy or pretty, which I guess was better than nothing--it was there merely to communicate events and not much else. Kind of disappointing, but again, not entirely unexpected. And the characters...yikes. Every single one of them had the exact same voice. Their bickering and bantering was more inane than clever (and I absolutely, grade-A refuse to write that off as "well, they're just modern teenagers so I guess it's not a big deal, lol!" That is a horrible excuse. Real teenagers have personalities. They also at least pretend to like their friends.) In a slightly similar vein, there was supposed to be two different couples in the main cast, but I didn't feel any chemistry between them. They were shoved together because it was convenient. No one grew or changed or seemed to really learn anything.
And let's not even talk about the plot holes or the plot threads that were introduced and went literally nowhere. Seriously, I'm not going to list them, because there were a lot and it'd take forever and I have precalc homework to do.
TL;DR: At one point, Kaida refers to the world she and everyone else has tumbled into as a "facsimile" of the world they left. In a lot of ways, I think that could apply to this book as well. It's a facsimile of a story--a first draft, and a somewhat sloppy one at that. I honestly think with more time and thought, this book could have been pretty good. A deeper world, as well as a richer plotline with subplots and character development and all those plot holes filled in, would have done Prism a world of good. As it stands now, it's readable, but forgettable, a thing you check out from the library, read in a couple boring afternoons, and never think about again. Read it if you want to, but don't act like I recommended it, because I didn't.
August 26, 2009
I've never read anything by any of the Kellermans, but with a weakness for science-fiction-lite and alternate-reality scenarios, really, how could I pass this one up? I liked, in view of current events especially, the scenario of a world without health care. Immediacy, I guess.
Never a huge fan of first-person narratives because they usually suffer from a narrator who is either a) bland or b) more annoying than eff-all, Kaida is a welcome relief. Just weird enough. Anyone who has read Midnighters by Westerfeld with see shades of Desdemona in her, and therefore should enjoy the book. Like I did. In fact, Prism has a lot in common with that series in terms of character dynamic and some style choices. IMHO there.
Overall, I think it's well worth a quick read.
But it will leave you with the lingering question: how is moldy cheese unnatural?? ;)
Never a huge fan of first-person narratives because they usually suffer from a narrator who is either a) bland or b) more annoying than eff-all, Kaida is a welcome relief. Just weird enough. Anyone who has read Midnighters by Westerfeld with see shades of Desdemona in her, and therefore should enjoy the book. Like I did. In fact, Prism has a lot in common with that series in terms of character dynamic and some style choices. IMHO there.
Overall, I think it's well worth a quick read.
But it will leave you with the lingering question: how is moldy cheese unnatural?? ;)
January 31, 2011
I really loved this book. When your reading it really makes you think about the world you live in and if you're really living in the world that you are right now. I believe that everything has a reverse. Maybe were living in a reverse world. Who knows? Will anybody ever know what we live in, if were living, and why were living right now. My grandma suggested this book for me. I usually don't like the books she suggests for me to read, but this one, this book is a very exciting book. It has some twists and turns, and isn't that what we love to have in a book? I would suggest this book to anybody.
July 29, 2010
Originality: 4/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 1/5
Arrangement: 2/5
Logicality: 0/5
Resolution: 0/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 1/5
Arrangement: 2/5
Logicality: 0/5
Resolution: 0/5
July 26, 2011
Ok, so here we go...
This book was..not very good. The characters were shallow and predictable, but that could be excused by the fact that they are modern public school teenagers. I mean, I thought Kaida was terrified of the dark...so how come, in the numerous scenes with her in the pitch black, she didn't ever panic? It's just one of those little things that bothers me. Also, what happened to the girl whose ID they were using? Not worth mentioning I suppose. And, what ever happened to James and them? You kinda randomly meet them and then they disappeared, never to be mentioned again. Then there's that mysterious professor bothered me as well. I mean, they make her out to be hardcore dangerous, a total mad doctor working for the evil government to give them the medicine that they arrest normal people for using. But you never meet her, or this evil government, in any way. You never learn more about them either. They are just kinda left hanging as "that evil government and that heartless doctor." (Also, what is the story with the Kaida who had been in this alternate dimension before she showed up? Was she just, you know, erased or something? And how come there was never any explanation given as to how they ended up in that alternate world anyway? I mean, even just a "oh yeah, sometimes we get holes that temporarily connect out worlds and people fall through them sometimes" would have been ok- though, in that case, how come nobody knows about people from the alternate reality ending up on earth? Riddle me that, why don't you?)
And of course this all made the plot kinda fall apart. I mean, ok, so three kids from different crowds get stuck together on a school trip when they get in a terrible car accident. Well, that's a good setting, there are alot of different places you can go from there. They take shelter from a big storm in a nearby cave and end up falling into a bizarre other dimension. Everything seems the same, but they discover that the world they are in doesn't know about medicine. All good thus far, but obviously you need more. Thus far there is no antagonist except the substantial-as-the-shadow-in-your-closet evil government- of whom only one member is actually known, and even then it is just her name. So in comes Ozzy. His mum is sick and dying. He is an illegal medicine dealer- those kinda are like the drug dealers in reality. He wants Kaida and her friends to help send back proper medicine if and when they get home. He promises to go with them, but just as they are about to leave he pulls out and one of Kaida's friends give her a letter from Ozzy once they are securely on their way. He loves her, she loves him, one day they are sure to meet again- just add water and "poof" instant tragic romance. It was pretty shallow really. But again, they are teenagers aren't they? So Kaida meets her alternate brother before setting out to get home. He tells her that there must have been a great reason that all this happened to her. Yippee, they all end up getting home ok, and Kaida wakes up later in the hospital. The book ends without this supposed "reason" for their trip ever even being alluded to. Oh, and we can't forget that Kaida is planning on bridging the gap between their two worlds. Oh wait, yes, apparently we can! That's$ right, the book ends without that whole scheme ever being mentioned again. Perfect end to the story right? Lots of unanswered questions...except...there wasn't any sore of hint that there would be a book two, so it was just a little bit disappointing.
All in all I found that this book was shallow and disappointing. The characters were undeveloped and the plot was all over the place. There were a plethora of lose ends and not even the slightest indication to a follow up work. I didn't really care for this book at all, and the second star was only given because it wasn't so bad that I didn't finish it.
This book was..not very good. The characters were shallow and predictable, but that could be excused by the fact that they are modern public school teenagers. I mean, I thought Kaida was terrified of the dark...so how come, in the numerous scenes with her in the pitch black, she didn't ever panic? It's just one of those little things that bothers me. Also, what happened to the girl whose ID they were using? Not worth mentioning I suppose. And, what ever happened to James and them? You kinda randomly meet them and then they disappeared, never to be mentioned again. Then there's that mysterious professor bothered me as well. I mean, they make her out to be hardcore dangerous, a total mad doctor working for the evil government to give them the medicine that they arrest normal people for using. But you never meet her, or this evil government, in any way. You never learn more about them either. They are just kinda left hanging as "that evil government and that heartless doctor." (Also, what is the story with the Kaida who had been in this alternate dimension before she showed up? Was she just, you know, erased or something? And how come there was never any explanation given as to how they ended up in that alternate world anyway? I mean, even just a "oh yeah, sometimes we get holes that temporarily connect out worlds and people fall through them sometimes" would have been ok- though, in that case, how come nobody knows about people from the alternate reality ending up on earth? Riddle me that, why don't you?)
And of course this all made the plot kinda fall apart. I mean, ok, so three kids from different crowds get stuck together on a school trip when they get in a terrible car accident. Well, that's a good setting, there are alot of different places you can go from there. They take shelter from a big storm in a nearby cave and end up falling into a bizarre other dimension. Everything seems the same, but they discover that the world they are in doesn't know about medicine. All good thus far, but obviously you need more. Thus far there is no antagonist except the substantial-as-the-shadow-in-your-closet evil government- of whom only one member is actually known, and even then it is just her name. So in comes Ozzy. His mum is sick and dying. He is an illegal medicine dealer- those kinda are like the drug dealers in reality. He wants Kaida and her friends to help send back proper medicine if and when they get home. He promises to go with them, but just as they are about to leave he pulls out and one of Kaida's friends give her a letter from Ozzy once they are securely on their way. He loves her, she loves him, one day they are sure to meet again- just add water and "poof" instant tragic romance. It was pretty shallow really. But again, they are teenagers aren't they? So Kaida meets her alternate brother before setting out to get home. He tells her that there must have been a great reason that all this happened to her. Yippee, they all end up getting home ok, and Kaida wakes up later in the hospital. The book ends without this supposed "reason" for their trip ever even being alluded to. Oh, and we can't forget that Kaida is planning on bridging the gap between their two worlds. Oh wait, yes, apparently we can! That's$ right, the book ends without that whole scheme ever being mentioned again. Perfect end to the story right? Lots of unanswered questions...except...there wasn't any sore of hint that there would be a book two, so it was just a little bit disappointing.
All in all I found that this book was shallow and disappointing. The characters were undeveloped and the plot was all over the place. There were a plethora of lose ends and not even the slightest indication to a follow up work. I didn't really care for this book at all, and the second star was only given because it wasn't so bad that I didn't finish it.
November 13, 2024
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Unique premise. Easy to follow.
Cons: Serious lack of world-building. Unengaging characters. Some issues are addressed but never explained.
Will appeal to: Those who like alternate realities, but don't care for intricacies in a plot.
Back when I bought this book, I hadn't developed the useful habit of pre-reading tons of reviews yet. Prism was pretty much an impulsive purchase, based on the blurb only (in my haste, I even bought the friggin' hardcover!). Since I'm a freak for alternate realities/universes, the book hugely appealed to me. But in this case, I learned my lesson the hard way...not every alternate realities/universes story necessarily delivers.
The novel follows Kaida - the MC - Joy and Zeke, three teens who don't particularly like each other, but end up traveling together in a small van with a teacher during a school trip, since the rest of their schoolmates have been assigned to a bigger van. This is the first inconsistency in the book, because IRL best friends would have teamed together, not supinely waited for an assignation. Anyway. During the trip, a terrible accident causes Kaida, Joy and Zeke to seek refuge in a cave, fall into a hole and wake up in an alternate reality, where the only peculiar anomaly is...there is apparently no concept of medical care. The three teens struggle with this situation, especially since Joy injured her arm in the fall. Trying to help her, Kaida embarks on a dangerous journey where she is also to find the convenient love interest, while Joy ends up seeking comfort in Zeke's (unscathed) arms.
The idea of a parallel universe where medical care is non-existent could have produced interesting results, if well handled. But Prism fails to actually explain the gist of it. There's vague talk of a Naturalist doctrine, that only allows herbs to be used in order to cure diseases, but not a solid reason why medicine should be banned. Also, smoking is allowed everywhere and even among teens instead. This seems to me a mere plot device, used with the intent of painting an upside-down world (at least when it comes to health issues), because it doesn't make sense. The funny thing is, medicines do actually exist in this parallel universe, but they're illegal - just like drugs in the normal world. And we eventually learn that some rich and powerful individuals are secretly using meds, while normal citizens seem okay with staying away from them - even adamant about it. One could think that the medicine ban would stir a rebellion (we don't know how long it has been going on, but still. And incidentally, this is another cause of annoyance for me, when it comes to the world-building). But we have a bunch of strictly observant people instead, and even the act of saving someone from choking seems to infuriate them - which is past ridiculous, because it doesn't involve the use of meds. [...]
Whole review here.
Pros: Unique premise. Easy to follow.
Cons: Serious lack of world-building. Unengaging characters. Some issues are addressed but never explained.
Will appeal to: Those who like alternate realities, but don't care for intricacies in a plot.
Back when I bought this book, I hadn't developed the useful habit of pre-reading tons of reviews yet. Prism was pretty much an impulsive purchase, based on the blurb only (in my haste, I even bought the friggin' hardcover!). Since I'm a freak for alternate realities/universes, the book hugely appealed to me. But in this case, I learned my lesson the hard way...not every alternate realities/universes story necessarily delivers.
The novel follows Kaida - the MC - Joy and Zeke, three teens who don't particularly like each other, but end up traveling together in a small van with a teacher during a school trip, since the rest of their schoolmates have been assigned to a bigger van. This is the first inconsistency in the book, because IRL best friends would have teamed together, not supinely waited for an assignation. Anyway. During the trip, a terrible accident causes Kaida, Joy and Zeke to seek refuge in a cave, fall into a hole and wake up in an alternate reality, where the only peculiar anomaly is...there is apparently no concept of medical care. The three teens struggle with this situation, especially since Joy injured her arm in the fall. Trying to help her, Kaida embarks on a dangerous journey where she is also to find the convenient love interest, while Joy ends up seeking comfort in Zeke's (unscathed) arms.
The idea of a parallel universe where medical care is non-existent could have produced interesting results, if well handled. But Prism fails to actually explain the gist of it. There's vague talk of a Naturalist doctrine, that only allows herbs to be used in order to cure diseases, but not a solid reason why medicine should be banned. Also, smoking is allowed everywhere and even among teens instead. This seems to me a mere plot device, used with the intent of painting an upside-down world (at least when it comes to health issues), because it doesn't make sense. The funny thing is, medicines do actually exist in this parallel universe, but they're illegal - just like drugs in the normal world. And we eventually learn that some rich and powerful individuals are secretly using meds, while normal citizens seem okay with staying away from them - even adamant about it. One could think that the medicine ban would stir a rebellion (we don't know how long it has been going on, but still. And incidentally, this is another cause of annoyance for me, when it comes to the world-building). But we have a bunch of strictly observant people instead, and even the act of saving someone from choking seems to infuriate them - which is past ridiculous, because it doesn't involve the use of meds. [...]
Whole review here.
April 10, 2011
Where do I begin? I am a bit speechless. Prism was simply amazing! Prism was so wickedly delicious I had to pinch myself to make sure I didn't have the most awesome of dreams.
I mean, was this a Jerry Bruckheimer production? Was I on the Warner sound stage? This book definitely has what it takes to make it to the silver screen.
Psst! I have a feeling Prism won't take too long to make it to the big screen.
Now, I'm not sure how much I want to divulge since this is a stunning book w/ so much going on.
Faye & Aliza Kellerman definitely have a best seller in Prism. While Faye is no stranger to the list, Aliza will definitely make her best seller debut this summer w/ her break out Young Adult novel, Prism.
Prism has an eclectic array of action, adventure, suspense, chills & thrills. Prism is like riding the cyclone unbelted during a black out. Really!
Aliza & Faye definitely know how to formulate characters. Kaida is my fave. I found myself not just relating to her but understanding her. The characters in Prism are exceptionally written.
The players are lavishly coated, extremely authentic & incandescent. The cast is sweeping w/ real adolescent expectations, imperfections & misgivings. The teens are not written by some adult "remembering" their teen trials & tribulations, but by a bona fide teen. Bravo!
Faye & Aliza have entered the YA arena w/ this gripping debut. While Faye's name is on the cover, it is Aliza's striking aura that takes center stage. Prism has a distinctive voice that is so different from Faye's usual compelling drama you know you've stepped into Aliza's literary orb.
Aliza is a luminous star on the rise. Prism is just a morsel of what Aliza has in store for reader's looking for ingenious stories that make your brain do imaginative calisthenics.
At times, Prism left me holding my breath. Prism has a soulful inflection that speaks volumes for an artistic sixteen year old making her literary inauguration!
Throughout most of Prism, the characters are superbly three-dimensional ~ from time to time even four-dimensional! ~ and move along smoothly through the narrative.
Faye & Aliza left me shaking my head because this mother-daughter duo set the benchmark for how we should look @ parental author collaborations.
Prism is an outstanding read! A definite must for all ages. The plot is absolutely striking & it poses the question, "What if ?" " What if ? " "What if"... Utterly chilling!
Trust me there was a "Do Not Disturb" vibe while I was curled up w/ this baby!
Faye & Aliza are exquisite storytellers, seizing your attention from the first page. Aliza & Faye used a kaleidoscope of color to saturate this vibrantly rich tome w/ spine-tingling paranormal suspense.
I mean, was this a Jerry Bruckheimer production? Was I on the Warner sound stage? This book definitely has what it takes to make it to the silver screen.
Psst! I have a feeling Prism won't take too long to make it to the big screen.
Now, I'm not sure how much I want to divulge since this is a stunning book w/ so much going on.
Faye & Aliza Kellerman definitely have a best seller in Prism. While Faye is no stranger to the list, Aliza will definitely make her best seller debut this summer w/ her break out Young Adult novel, Prism.
Prism has an eclectic array of action, adventure, suspense, chills & thrills. Prism is like riding the cyclone unbelted during a black out. Really!
Aliza & Faye definitely know how to formulate characters. Kaida is my fave. I found myself not just relating to her but understanding her. The characters in Prism are exceptionally written.
The players are lavishly coated, extremely authentic & incandescent. The cast is sweeping w/ real adolescent expectations, imperfections & misgivings. The teens are not written by some adult "remembering" their teen trials & tribulations, but by a bona fide teen. Bravo!
Faye & Aliza have entered the YA arena w/ this gripping debut. While Faye's name is on the cover, it is Aliza's striking aura that takes center stage. Prism has a distinctive voice that is so different from Faye's usual compelling drama you know you've stepped into Aliza's literary orb.
Aliza is a luminous star on the rise. Prism is just a morsel of what Aliza has in store for reader's looking for ingenious stories that make your brain do imaginative calisthenics.
At times, Prism left me holding my breath. Prism has a soulful inflection that speaks volumes for an artistic sixteen year old making her literary inauguration!
Throughout most of Prism, the characters are superbly three-dimensional ~ from time to time even four-dimensional! ~ and move along smoothly through the narrative.
Faye & Aliza left me shaking my head because this mother-daughter duo set the benchmark for how we should look @ parental author collaborations.
Prism is an outstanding read! A definite must for all ages. The plot is absolutely striking & it poses the question, "What if ?" " What if ? " "What if"... Utterly chilling!
Trust me there was a "Do Not Disturb" vibe while I was curled up w/ this baby!
Faye & Aliza are exquisite storytellers, seizing your attention from the first page. Aliza & Faye used a kaleidoscope of color to saturate this vibrantly rich tome w/ spine-tingling paranormal suspense.
August 21, 2010
Prism is a collaboration between NYT Bestselling author, Faye Kellerman and her teen daughter, Aliza Kellerman. As a debut novel for the latter, I'd have to say that Prism is not half bad, but there are a few qualms I have with this book. First, I often found Zeke to be a rather superfluous character. As one of the three MCs, I would expect him to have a bit of a storyline of his own, but he didn't really do all that much, all things considered. I also feel like I never really got to know the characters and their driving force. Kaida could be an extremely interesting and riveting character, but I wanted to know why she reacted the way she did to certain situations.
There was also a pattern of things being a wee bit unbelievable at times. Prism is in an alternate world where medicine is illegal, so you'd expect for other things to be a bit different, as well. In fact, I'd expect society to be a bit more backward, but it really wasn't. I guess I was expecting a bit more of a thriller...perhaps something along the lines of The Butterfly Effect? It didn't really measure up to that though. It's a bit like mystery/thriller-light. That said, there are some things I liked about this book. It's a fairly original twist on a supernatural story, the writing is fluid, and it's not a difficult read. (Besides, who can resist that cover?! I couldn't.)
Either way, it's an easy read once you get past the unbelievability of it and just enjoy the writing. Prism definitely isn't bad, and it's a good first stab at a debut for Aliza Kellerman. I'd recommend this as a borrow-only, and I give it a 3 out of 5. It's G-rated enough to read to your kids, and it's a fast enough read for a night or two by yourself.
There was also a pattern of things being a wee bit unbelievable at times. Prism is in an alternate world where medicine is illegal, so you'd expect for other things to be a bit different, as well. In fact, I'd expect society to be a bit more backward, but it really wasn't. I guess I was expecting a bit more of a thriller...perhaps something along the lines of The Butterfly Effect? It didn't really measure up to that though. It's a bit like mystery/thriller-light. That said, there are some things I liked about this book. It's a fairly original twist on a supernatural story, the writing is fluid, and it's not a difficult read. (Besides, who can resist that cover?! I couldn't.)
Either way, it's an easy read once you get past the unbelievability of it and just enjoy the writing. Prism definitely isn't bad, and it's a good first stab at a debut for Aliza Kellerman. I'd recommend this as a borrow-only, and I give it a 3 out of 5. It's G-rated enough to read to your kids, and it's a fast enough read for a night or two by yourself.
September 9, 2012
Read more reviews here!
2.5 stars
Kaida, Zeke and Joy are on a field trip- the only three in a van with their teacher- when it crashes in the desert. They take shelter from the rain in a cave, where they fall into a pit and wander into an alternate universe. It's just like their own, except that there is no such thing as health care and medicine, or "spills", are illegal because it messes with natural selection.
Kaida meets Ozzy, who became a spills dealer to help his dying mother. He wants to know everything she knows about medicine and how she ended up there, hoping there is a way to create a link between the two worlds.
Honestly, I don't have a lot to say about this book. I just didn't like it much. I guess I just don't like alternate universes, because the last book I read about one I also didn't like much. The writing itself was not bad, though plain. The characters were weak and didn't have a lot of personality, but were not offensively bad. It was really just the story that I didn't like.
While there was a fair bit of action at points in the book, it just wasn't much of a story. The main idea was getting home, but all they really had to do for that was wait until they had to go on their school trip. What was the source of all the drama was the infection in Joy's arm that wasn't going to be healed. She hurt it when they fell in the cave, so I was under the impression that she sprained it or possibly even broke it and that doesn't bring to mind infection.
2.5 stars
Kaida, Zeke and Joy are on a field trip- the only three in a van with their teacher- when it crashes in the desert. They take shelter from the rain in a cave, where they fall into a pit and wander into an alternate universe. It's just like their own, except that there is no such thing as health care and medicine, or "spills", are illegal because it messes with natural selection.
Kaida meets Ozzy, who became a spills dealer to help his dying mother. He wants to know everything she knows about medicine and how she ended up there, hoping there is a way to create a link between the two worlds.
Honestly, I don't have a lot to say about this book. I just didn't like it much. I guess I just don't like alternate universes, because the last book I read about one I also didn't like much. The writing itself was not bad, though plain. The characters were weak and didn't have a lot of personality, but were not offensively bad. It was really just the story that I didn't like.
While there was a fair bit of action at points in the book, it just wasn't much of a story. The main idea was getting home, but all they really had to do for that was wait until they had to go on their school trip. What was the source of all the drama was the infection in Joy's arm that wasn't going to be healed. She hurt it when they fell in the cave, so I was under the impression that she sprained it or possibly even broke it and that doesn't bring to mind infection.
April 9, 2010
Absolutely fantastic!
Kaida, Zeke, and Joy, acquaintances at best, are assigned to the same car on the way to Carlsbad Cavern for a class field trip. They are jolted awake after the car runs off the road and catches on fire. Amazingly, all three make it out alive before the car turns into a fiery ball of flames. Before they can wrap their minds around what happened, a dangerous, desert storm strikes, forcing the teens into a cave – altering their lives forever.
Kaida, Zeke, and Joy fall into a portal to another world, but it takes them a while to figure out what is going on. When they wake up in their own beds, it is difficult for them to believe the car crash was anything but a nightmare. But, when they realize all three of them had the exact same nightmare, it is impossible to deny something is very wrong.
They have arrived in a world with no health care. Medicine isn’t available, sickness isn’t discussed, and everyone is scared. Kaida, Zeke, and Joy learn more about the ins and outs of the illegal world of “spills” dealing than they ever thought was possible when they are forced to locate medicine for Joy. They risk jail time, their lives, and the lives of their families in order to find some semblance of normalcy in a completely un-normal world.
Will they ever find a way back home?
PRISM is amazing! If you are a fan of dystopian stories this is definitely one you’ll want to read.
Kaida, Zeke, and Joy, acquaintances at best, are assigned to the same car on the way to Carlsbad Cavern for a class field trip. They are jolted awake after the car runs off the road and catches on fire. Amazingly, all three make it out alive before the car turns into a fiery ball of flames. Before they can wrap their minds around what happened, a dangerous, desert storm strikes, forcing the teens into a cave – altering their lives forever.
Kaida, Zeke, and Joy fall into a portal to another world, but it takes them a while to figure out what is going on. When they wake up in their own beds, it is difficult for them to believe the car crash was anything but a nightmare. But, when they realize all three of them had the exact same nightmare, it is impossible to deny something is very wrong.
They have arrived in a world with no health care. Medicine isn’t available, sickness isn’t discussed, and everyone is scared. Kaida, Zeke, and Joy learn more about the ins and outs of the illegal world of “spills” dealing than they ever thought was possible when they are forced to locate medicine for Joy. They risk jail time, their lives, and the lives of their families in order to find some semblance of normalcy in a completely un-normal world.
Will they ever find a way back home?
PRISM is amazing! If you are a fan of dystopian stories this is definitely one you’ll want to read.
August 18, 2009
Kaida is on a class trip, in a van with a couple of aquaintances in her class (she knows them, but they're not really friends...), when the van crashes along a deserted stretch of highway, and the teacher doesn't get out before it goes up in flames... As night falls, Kaida, Zeke, and Joy find a cave to take shelter in, but they all manage to stumble into a deep pit in the dark. The last thing Kaida remembers seeing is a bright white light, as she blacks out...
And wakes up in her bed, a week before the trip is to take place. Everything seems to be normal at first, but Kaida slowly realizes that this isn't the world she's used to. Now she, Zeke, and Joy have to team up to try to find their way back to the world they know, before they get arrested...or killed...
I don't think the whole idea is fully fleshed out. If this parallel world had really criminalized medicine to the extent that they seemed to, it COULDN'T have appeared as similar to ours as it did in the book. A LOT more people would have been dead, for one thing, both now and in the past, so that the level of technology would inevitably been lower, I think.
It was a quick, action-packed read, but, even after I suspended my disbelief and stopped asking myself if they had really thought through how this would have affected society as we know it, the ending made me shake my head and wonder what the point of the book was...
Still, for a young, first-time author, it's pretty impressive...
And wakes up in her bed, a week before the trip is to take place. Everything seems to be normal at first, but Kaida slowly realizes that this isn't the world she's used to. Now she, Zeke, and Joy have to team up to try to find their way back to the world they know, before they get arrested...or killed...
I don't think the whole idea is fully fleshed out. If this parallel world had really criminalized medicine to the extent that they seemed to, it COULDN'T have appeared as similar to ours as it did in the book. A LOT more people would have been dead, for one thing, both now and in the past, so that the level of technology would inevitably been lower, I think.
It was a quick, action-packed read, but, even after I suspended my disbelief and stopped asking myself if they had really thought through how this would have affected society as we know it, the ending made me shake my head and wonder what the point of the book was...
Still, for a young, first-time author, it's pretty impressive...
December 17, 2009
Prism by Faye/Aliza Kellerman is about a girl named Kaida who ends up in a parallel universe. Her school goes to a school trip and she ends up rifing in a van with her teacher Mr.Addison and two other students named Joy and Zeke. They end up in a car crash and they all got out except for Mr. Addison.
I would do a text to self connection. In the book. Kaida thought the crash was a dream because she woke up in her bedroom. Even though it wasnt a dream, she described it as 'vivid' I have expierienced the same thing, ive had a vivid dream. It was so clear that i remembered it but of course, it didnt actually happen.
I would give this book five stars. While i was reading, i felt like it was boring but when i finished i actually seemed to like the book. I wanted a sequel to this. I also reccomend the blue is for nightmares series if you liked this book.
I would do a text to self connection. In the book. Kaida thought the crash was a dream because she woke up in her bedroom. Even though it wasnt a dream, she described it as 'vivid' I have expierienced the same thing, ive had a vivid dream. It was so clear that i remembered it but of course, it didnt actually happen.
I would give this book five stars. While i was reading, i felt like it was boring but when i finished i actually seemed to like the book. I wanted a sequel to this. I also reccomend the blue is for nightmares series if you liked this book.
January 16, 2024
I really liked prism, and kind of makes you wonder if there's actually another universe out there and at the same time it makes you feel like if you get in a car accident you're in your head and in some sort of dream. But I really liked prism. So that's why I gave it five stars
March 19, 2009
Bestselling adult author in her 1st YA attempt; reminding me of classic Christopher Pike from the mid-1990's.
January 29, 2015
Although this was a quick read, the plot was silly and predictable. Not much to the characters, and not a very enjoyable read.
December 30, 2015
A different take on dystopia/time-slip - would have liked a bit more
September 8, 2021
AUDIO VERSION. A good action/mystery with a portal to a parallel universe. Interesting alternate world premise of no medicine, and worse medicine being outlawed. Interesting characters too.
November 4, 2024
This story is a fictional book based on Kaida, Zeke and Joy that have nothing in common and have never hung out together. They all end up having to work together because of an explosive accident that turns a school trip into a bad dream for all of them. Once all of them wake up from the “dream” they think their life is back to normal, but it turns out that they are in a different world with different rules. Kaida must band together with Zeke and Joy to go back to the world that they are originally from. This book shows how your life can flip upside down in a second and you have to figure out how to make your life better. In general this book is a 8/10 if you're looking for a fictional and thriller that will make you feel like you're in the book.
April 22, 2025
This book was like eating some store-brand knockoff Cracker Jacks: The quality wasn't high and the anticipated prize at the end was missing, but it was easy to consume. The bad science bothered me and it seemed half the story was filler--but it was a bit of a guilty pleasure.
August 10, 2025
I read this book in under a day, I ate up the characters and the storyline.
Kaida, Zeke and Joy are forced to travel together for a school excursion. On the way they are in a terrible accident.
The next morning, everything seems back to normal. It isn't though.
Kaida, Zeke and Joy are forced to travel together for a school excursion. On the way they are in a terrible accident.
The next morning, everything seems back to normal. It isn't though.
February 29, 2024
Not What I Expected
Not a book I thought was from Faye Kellerman. I expected a standard murder mystery. Not into aliens. Chose not to finish. Good but just not for me.
Not a book I thought was from Faye Kellerman. I expected a standard murder mystery. Not into aliens. Chose not to finish. Good but just not for me.
May 28, 2024
YA book. not my style, but good.
December 29, 2024
Juvenile fiction. Ok, but about a different universe. Mirror of ours.
Read
December 29, 2024This book was just absolutely weird. I couldn't keep up with what it was about, but I gave it a shot! To me, this book didn't make any sense.
July 20, 2023
I'm in love with it, I first read it in middle school and stole to book beacsue I loved it so much... It's always a go to read when I have nothing else to do
March 15, 2013
3.5
There was so much out of this book that I liked. Not loved. But very much liked. And also some that bothered me.
For the worst first, because that's my shorter list:
Detail, there was almost absolutely no detail when I paid attention to the words. They were plainly written, and that gave me a blurry emotional image.
The grammar, oh lord, the grammar needed help. There would be what I KNEW was dialogue and there be no "" around either one end or the other. Or there'd be a word without capitalization that needed to be corrected. Or even a word that wasn't pulled out by spell check that was wrong. It made me want to write on the pages.
Characters, I saw so little of any character than Ozzy and Kaida. I wish the others would've been a little more fleshed out.
The ending, oh my oa[oiansodgoiasfhsd. Don't even get me started when I say SHORT and QUICK end. Like a Band-Aid! I feel the sting still!
Alright now for the better parts:
Emotion, though there was little written other than dialogue and little bit of what the main character was thinking, there was so much emotion packed into it. When a person uses only necessary words and thoughts and can still show you the place, the way the characters move, or the way that something feels... that is something I appreciate. The less use of unnecessary words. Love detail. Hate long explanations.
Characters felt so real. I could almost see Zeke being all too gawky and know-it-all but also be one of the most talkitive people around. Loved for it in fact. Zoey was one of those that at first I didn't really like; I thought she was a bit of a cry baby. But as the story moved on, she had her own sort of development. It was nice to see that not only Kaida had changed from the beginging. Ozzy was a good boy. I like that he wasn't trying to be all that bad boy, with a bad messed up backstory, even if his mother was more than enough motive for the way that he acted. I don't care. He was loveable enough. Kaida was awesome! She was just always so honest to herself what she felt and just how funny or sarcastic she found a situation even through the terrible drama.
Action was everywhere. There was nothing that was left out when I got to go from being nice and calm to up and out of my seat freaked out; almost jumping as something more went wrong, and wincing myself when describing the injuries. There was so much that happened in just a few little pages that I had to pay attention or I'd miss something big. That was such a great holder.
And then the idea was just wild. I never even imagined what it would be like to just suddenly wake up in a world where everything is just as you left it, and yet totally different. I never before had the thought of what the world would be like if changed so dramatically like that... I don't think I want to spoil it for you but I do want to say that this was quite a good plot. One that I was on the edge of my seats trying to keep up.
The pacing was a great reliefe from that of other four hundred page books I've read before. Quick and easy- driving you right to what you should be paying attention to and what you should know. It gave reflective thoughts but also kept pace along with what was really happening. But I will say that the ending made me both happy and sad;
Happy because I was like: "Aw, that was perfect, I love how it didn't draw out too much or hold back what was really happening.
Sad becase I was like: "AW! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE!! IT CAN'T JUST END LIKE THIS!"
That is all I'll say, but all and all I really liked this book.
There was so much out of this book that I liked. Not loved. But very much liked. And also some that bothered me.
For the worst first, because that's my shorter list:
Detail, there was almost absolutely no detail when I paid attention to the words. They were plainly written, and that gave me a blurry emotional image.
The grammar, oh lord, the grammar needed help. There would be what I KNEW was dialogue and there be no "" around either one end or the other. Or there'd be a word without capitalization that needed to be corrected. Or even a word that wasn't pulled out by spell check that was wrong. It made me want to write on the pages.
Characters, I saw so little of any character than Ozzy and Kaida. I wish the others would've been a little more fleshed out.
The ending, oh my oa[oiansodgoiasfhsd. Don't even get me started when I say SHORT and QUICK end. Like a Band-Aid! I feel the sting still!
Alright now for the better parts:
Emotion, though there was little written other than dialogue and little bit of what the main character was thinking, there was so much emotion packed into it. When a person uses only necessary words and thoughts and can still show you the place, the way the characters move, or the way that something feels... that is something I appreciate. The less use of unnecessary words. Love detail. Hate long explanations.
Characters felt so real. I could almost see Zeke being all too gawky and know-it-all but also be one of the most talkitive people around. Loved for it in fact. Zoey was one of those that at first I didn't really like; I thought she was a bit of a cry baby. But as the story moved on, she had her own sort of development. It was nice to see that not only Kaida had changed from the beginging. Ozzy was a good boy. I like that he wasn't trying to be all that bad boy, with a bad messed up backstory, even if his mother was more than enough motive for the way that he acted. I don't care. He was loveable enough. Kaida was awesome! She was just always so honest to herself what she felt and just how funny or sarcastic she found a situation even through the terrible drama.
Action was everywhere. There was nothing that was left out when I got to go from being nice and calm to up and out of my seat freaked out; almost jumping as something more went wrong, and wincing myself when describing the injuries. There was so much that happened in just a few little pages that I had to pay attention or I'd miss something big. That was such a great holder.
And then the idea was just wild. I never even imagined what it would be like to just suddenly wake up in a world where everything is just as you left it, and yet totally different. I never before had the thought of what the world would be like if changed so dramatically like that... I don't think I want to spoil it for you but I do want to say that this was quite a good plot. One that I was on the edge of my seats trying to keep up.
The pacing was a great reliefe from that of other four hundred page books I've read before. Quick and easy- driving you right to what you should be paying attention to and what you should know. It gave reflective thoughts but also kept pace along with what was really happening. But I will say that the ending made me both happy and sad;
Happy because I was like: "Aw, that was perfect, I love how it didn't draw out too much or hold back what was really happening.
Sad becase I was like: "AW! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE!! IT CAN'T JUST END LIKE THIS!"
That is all I'll say, but all and all I really liked this book.
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