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A Girl Called Ari
“It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a book that fits so well into the dystopian genre” – Witty & Sarcastic Book Club“You MUST MUST MUST read the book. Oh, and watch out for crocodiles!” – Taryn, Dragons Codex“The absolute strength of the book is the ongoing dynamic and developing relationship between the two which always feels natural and believable” – Bookends & BagendsIn a distant future… A world divided... A walled city in a devastated wasteland… a struggle for power becomes a struggle to survive… with friends like these, who needs enemies?How would you survive beyond the comfortable walls of your world?For Starla, a struggle for power becomes a struggle for survival when she finds herself on the wrong side of the wall. Fleeing her abductors and lost in the wasteland, she faces starvation, warring factions, bloodthirsty creatures, and the endless burning sun.And then there’s Ari… who is she really? And can she really trust this girl from the wasteland to lead her back to the city gates?One thing’s for sure, Starla’s once privileged life will never be the same…
- GenresDystopia
276 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2020
About the author
P.J. Sky
5 books26 followersP. J. Sky is a writer of short stories and novels, mostly in the post-apocalyptic and dystopian genre, for YA and adult readers. Born and raised in the UK, P. J. Sky wrote from a young age. A Girl Called Ari is their first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
April 22, 2020
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
‘A Girl Called Ari’ is the debut novel from British author, P J Sky. This is the futuristic tale of Starla Corinth, the daughter of the mayor of a walled city, known as Alice. The chapters are all fairly short and the story is told from the perspectives of Starla and the girl she meets in the dusty, arid desert, Ari.
We join the action just before Starla is kidnapped and taken from the safety of the city. She manages to escape and literally falls into Ari’s cave, when Ari is working in the salt mines. After an uneasy start to their relationship, the dynamic between two girls develops. Starla and Ari are of similar age but very different backgrounds, nonetheless, they have a common aim. So the scene is set for their journey from the town of Cooper through barren wasteland, with all its inherent dangers, to the city.
The author gives us detailed descriptions of the two main protagonists, along with a few of their foils. Although apart than Starla and Ari, the supporting characters are fairly peripheral. Most of them represent a threat of one form or another. They do find respite with some friendly folk who help at a perilous time but mainly, their survival depends on Ari’s physical and mental strength and skill.
The syntax is a hybrid, with British spelling and some American terminology. The structure is tight and the author doesn’t lose sight of the plot’s direction. There is little in the way of subplot but with fast moving action, this is no bad thing. I would have liked to have known more about their surroundings as the girls made their way through the wasteland. This would have painted a stronger, more vivid, picture of just how tough the conditions were.
Whilst the story develops mainly in the third person, the author reverts to the first person when sharing the character’s thoughts. Once I got used to this, I didn’t find it particularly distracting. We have a little foreshadowing in the beginning with its promise of menacing dark times ahead. There are a few flashbacks which don’t really add much to the story but a little ironic black humour helps balance the bleakness of the girls’ situation.
The story comes to a satisfying conclusion and I think the author can be pleased with a job well done. I’m sure this will appeal to its intended target audience and award four stars.
‘A Girl Called Ari’ is the debut novel from British author, P J Sky. This is the futuristic tale of Starla Corinth, the daughter of the mayor of a walled city, known as Alice. The chapters are all fairly short and the story is told from the perspectives of Starla and the girl she meets in the dusty, arid desert, Ari.
We join the action just before Starla is kidnapped and taken from the safety of the city. She manages to escape and literally falls into Ari’s cave, when Ari is working in the salt mines. After an uneasy start to their relationship, the dynamic between two girls develops. Starla and Ari are of similar age but very different backgrounds, nonetheless, they have a common aim. So the scene is set for their journey from the town of Cooper through barren wasteland, with all its inherent dangers, to the city.
The author gives us detailed descriptions of the two main protagonists, along with a few of their foils. Although apart than Starla and Ari, the supporting characters are fairly peripheral. Most of them represent a threat of one form or another. They do find respite with some friendly folk who help at a perilous time but mainly, their survival depends on Ari’s physical and mental strength and skill.
The syntax is a hybrid, with British spelling and some American terminology. The structure is tight and the author doesn’t lose sight of the plot’s direction. There is little in the way of subplot but with fast moving action, this is no bad thing. I would have liked to have known more about their surroundings as the girls made their way through the wasteland. This would have painted a stronger, more vivid, picture of just how tough the conditions were.
Whilst the story develops mainly in the third person, the author reverts to the first person when sharing the character’s thoughts. Once I got used to this, I didn’t find it particularly distracting. We have a little foreshadowing in the beginning with its promise of menacing dark times ahead. There are a few flashbacks which don’t really add much to the story but a little ironic black humour helps balance the bleakness of the girls’ situation.
The story comes to a satisfying conclusion and I think the author can be pleased with a job well done. I’m sure this will appeal to its intended target audience and award four stars.
September 13, 2020
This is a heartwarming post-apocalyptic novel focusing on the friendship between Starla and Ari. Starla is a privileged girl who lives in the last bastion of civilization, a city called Alice. Outside of Alice, there's a wasteland that contains small settlements that struggle to survive. On the night of her 18th birthday, Starla is abducted and brought outside of the city. She counters Ari, a girl who's been eking out a living by scavenging resources (much like Rei at the start of the new Star Wars series). Ari's family left the city long ago, and Ari wants to return to a place where she'll never be hungry again. Starla and Ari strike a bargain; Ari will help Starla get back to the city, and Starla will get Ari in. On their journey, the girls bond, which is why I label this dystopian novel as heartwarming.
I really liked the worldbuilding in this novel. The city vs. wasteland dynamic reminds me a bit of the Hunger Games, and Alice fashions/Roman names have overtones of that series, too. There are no fights to the death in this book, but it is definitely a story of how the powerful exploit the less fortunate by design. It takes the reader a while to discover what went wrong with this world. I won't spoil what caused the apocalyptic event, but I will say that I think this book is sent somewhere in Australia as there are references to crocodiles, kangaroos, and sheilas. Anyhow, I really hope there's a sequel because I can see some interesting ways the story could develop.
I really liked the worldbuilding in this novel. The city vs. wasteland dynamic reminds me a bit of the Hunger Games, and Alice fashions/Roman names have overtones of that series, too. There are no fights to the death in this book, but it is definitely a story of how the powerful exploit the less fortunate by design. It takes the reader a while to discover what went wrong with this world. I won't spoil what caused the apocalyptic event, but I will say that I think this book is sent somewhere in Australia as there are references to crocodiles, kangaroos, and sheilas. Anyhow, I really hope there's a sequel because I can see some interesting ways the story could develop.
July 17, 2020
A Girl Called Ari tells the story of a high born girl named Starla who is kidnapped, manages to escape her kidnappers, and ends up in the wastelands where she meets a rough girl named Ari. They strike a deal wherein Ari promises to return Starla to the city, but in return Ari herself will be allowed into the city as well, something that is not normally permitted.
I found this book to have a broad range of highs and lows. Ari and most of the story told from her perspective is excellent. The desert wasteland and her world is nicely captured and she has some truly memorable lines. I found Starla to be a bit bland and although the differentiation between the two personalities was well done I kind of felt like there needed to be more depth in Starla’s story.
The plot is quite good, but there were occasions that the execution fell a bit short, particularly with regard to action sequences which needed to be a bit more focused for my tastes.
I loved the dialogue between Ari and Starla and I also really enjoyed some of the naming conventions. The city being referred to as ‘Alice’ by the people in the desert is genius, particularly because no one knows why, but it makes the reader feel like the city is almost this unattainable person.
Over-all I was entertained with this read and I recommend it for people who enjoy dystopias.
I found this book to have a broad range of highs and lows. Ari and most of the story told from her perspective is excellent. The desert wasteland and her world is nicely captured and she has some truly memorable lines. I found Starla to be a bit bland and although the differentiation between the two personalities was well done I kind of felt like there needed to be more depth in Starla’s story.
The plot is quite good, but there were occasions that the execution fell a bit short, particularly with regard to action sequences which needed to be a bit more focused for my tastes.
I loved the dialogue between Ari and Starla and I also really enjoyed some of the naming conventions. The city being referred to as ‘Alice’ by the people in the desert is genius, particularly because no one knows why, but it makes the reader feel like the city is almost this unattainable person.
Over-all I was entertained with this read and I recommend it for people who enjoy dystopias.
October 2, 2020
One of the best reads in a while.
I throughly enjoyed P.J. Sky's story. It is hard to review this book without spoilers. I will say this, P.J. sucked me in and wouldn't let go. Starla and Ari are written with adroit skill as were all her characters. Tension was high from start to finish. I especially like when it seems all is lost. I can't think if a way out, then P.J. comes through in a way that isn't the least bit contrived. I had an, aha, moment with the twist in the plot that led me to a binary ending. I had no way of knowing how it was going to go until it did. I would have been satisfied either way. I like reading a dystopia tale every now and then to see how the author handles crumbling society. P.J.'s approach is well thought out and presented skillfully. I recommend this book for readers of all genres. It is a treatment in honor, courage, integrity, friendship and sacrifice. The story strikes dead center of our core as to what would we do if we suddenly found ourselves in those situations? It is in us all to come through on the right side. Read A Girl Call Ari and find out.
I throughly enjoyed P.J. Sky's story. It is hard to review this book without spoilers. I will say this, P.J. sucked me in and wouldn't let go. Starla and Ari are written with adroit skill as were all her characters. Tension was high from start to finish. I especially like when it seems all is lost. I can't think if a way out, then P.J. comes through in a way that isn't the least bit contrived. I had an, aha, moment with the twist in the plot that led me to a binary ending. I had no way of knowing how it was going to go until it did. I would have been satisfied either way. I like reading a dystopia tale every now and then to see how the author handles crumbling society. P.J.'s approach is well thought out and presented skillfully. I recommend this book for readers of all genres. It is a treatment in honor, courage, integrity, friendship and sacrifice. The story strikes dead center of our core as to what would we do if we suddenly found ourselves in those situations? It is in us all to come through on the right side. Read A Girl Call Ari and find out.
October 11, 2021
I have to admit here that I have never read a YA dystopia before, which on the one hand is weird considering the immense popularity of the genre, but at the same time not really surprising given my patchy reading history. My only experience of the broader genre is the movie adaptations of The Hunger Games, and A Girl Called Ari is clearly nothing like that in the slightest. So, I went right into this not really knowing what to expect.
My first impressions were that it gave me huge Mad Max vibes. Set in a post-apocalyptic future in what is evidently the Australian outback, the book really does lean heavily into that aesthetic, which is great. Except here you’ve got a massive, futuristic, high-tech walled city in the middle of the harsh wasteland wilderness. Those inside the city have easy lives with tight security at the expense of their freedom, and those outside have it hard, toiling away in the hot sun with little food or water and always at risk of death at the hands of bandits, mercenaries, dingoes and disease in their small lawless settlements. The people on the outside aren’t allowed into the city, whereas inside, dissent regularly results in exile. It’s a great concept, but I did feel that the world wasn’t quite as well realised as I’m used to. I understand that this is an ongoing series (there is already a sequel, Ari Goes to War), and I imagine the worldbuilding will be spread out across the books, but I would have liked to have seen more of the city in particular at the start. There was also a slight niggle to do with an assumption one of the characters made about the outsiders that didn't really get explored in as much depth as I would have liked and it didn’t really come up again later in the story.
We’re quickly introduced to the two main characters: Starla, daughter of the city’s mayor who is kidnapped and taken outside the city walls; and Ari, an outsider who works in the salt mines. Inevitably, Ari and Starla meet and their arduous journey back to the city begins. Ari and Starla are really great characters, very well realised and fleshed out, with Ari being perhaps the more complex of the two. The journey of growth they share as they come to depend on one another for survival is satisfying and believable, and I think it’s this aspect of the book that I enjoyed the most.
There’s also a discussion here to have about writing accents in dialogue. It’s something I’ve seen come up in writing discussions - not about this book particularly - just in general but this book embraces it wholeheartedly. Whether that’s desirable or not is entirely up to personal taste, and it’s certainly still readable. I’ve done it myself a little in From the Grave of the Gods, but after seeing it fully in action here, I may avoid doing it in the future, as I can see how it can cause confusion.
The pacing and action is fast and enjoyable, and this is helped by the short, punchy chapters. Although I did find some scenes a little disorienting. The prose was generally good, and flowed well, though repetitive in places, but I wasn’t too bothered by that.
Back to worldbuilding, towards the end we’re treated to a little more explanation of how the world came to be the way that it is and it was frustrating - in a good way - a real tease of more layers and hinting at that kind of wider story and deeper lore that I am all about. I wish there had been more space in this book to go a little further with it, but I understand why it remained relatively understated.
Overall it was a very enjoyable story and I’m glad I finally got around to reading it.
My first impressions were that it gave me huge Mad Max vibes. Set in a post-apocalyptic future in what is evidently the Australian outback, the book really does lean heavily into that aesthetic, which is great. Except here you’ve got a massive, futuristic, high-tech walled city in the middle of the harsh wasteland wilderness. Those inside the city have easy lives with tight security at the expense of their freedom, and those outside have it hard, toiling away in the hot sun with little food or water and always at risk of death at the hands of bandits, mercenaries, dingoes and disease in their small lawless settlements. The people on the outside aren’t allowed into the city, whereas inside, dissent regularly results in exile. It’s a great concept, but I did feel that the world wasn’t quite as well realised as I’m used to. I understand that this is an ongoing series (there is already a sequel, Ari Goes to War), and I imagine the worldbuilding will be spread out across the books, but I would have liked to have seen more of the city in particular at the start. There was also a slight niggle to do with an assumption one of the characters made about the outsiders that didn't really get explored in as much depth as I would have liked and it didn’t really come up again later in the story.
We’re quickly introduced to the two main characters: Starla, daughter of the city’s mayor who is kidnapped and taken outside the city walls; and Ari, an outsider who works in the salt mines. Inevitably, Ari and Starla meet and their arduous journey back to the city begins. Ari and Starla are really great characters, very well realised and fleshed out, with Ari being perhaps the more complex of the two. The journey of growth they share as they come to depend on one another for survival is satisfying and believable, and I think it’s this aspect of the book that I enjoyed the most.
There’s also a discussion here to have about writing accents in dialogue. It’s something I’ve seen come up in writing discussions - not about this book particularly - just in general but this book embraces it wholeheartedly. Whether that’s desirable or not is entirely up to personal taste, and it’s certainly still readable. I’ve done it myself a little in From the Grave of the Gods, but after seeing it fully in action here, I may avoid doing it in the future, as I can see how it can cause confusion.
The pacing and action is fast and enjoyable, and this is helped by the short, punchy chapters. Although I did find some scenes a little disorienting. The prose was generally good, and flowed well, though repetitive in places, but I wasn’t too bothered by that.
Back to worldbuilding, towards the end we’re treated to a little more explanation of how the world came to be the way that it is and it was frustrating - in a good way - a real tease of more layers and hinting at that kind of wider story and deeper lore that I am all about. I wish there had been more space in this book to go a little further with it, but I understand why it remained relatively understated.
Overall it was a very enjoyable story and I’m glad I finally got around to reading it.
November 20, 2020
"A Girl Called Ari" is A Book You Must Read.
Okay, first, what made me want to read this particular book? Well, everything! The cover, title, description, and blurb all set me up to be really excited to dive in. But to be honest, as I was powering up my Kindle, I started to get nervous that it couldn't possibly live up to my expectations...
Well, I needn't have wasted any energy on those concerns. This book is excellent.
The story takes some exciting twists and turns in order to bring the titular character together with her counterpart in the book, Starla, and the author, P.J. Sky, kept me riveted to the edge of my seat throughout this post-apocalyptic, future-time, sci-fi adventure. But when I hit the big twist/reveal towards the end of the book, I was practically standing and speed-reading through to the end! I don't want to reveal on any potential spoilers, so I won't say any more about the plot. Instead, allow me to call out a few remarkable snippets of P.J.'s writing...
Upon stumbling across a skeleton in the desert:
The poetic magnitude of this line struck me deeply:
And this? I mean, WOW:
One thing I want to be sure to comment on is P.J.'s extraordinary way with realistic human psychology. It's easy to write one-dimensional characters, especially when it comes to speculative fiction; to gloss over the way that people can react illogically or emotionally or even counter-intuitively when under duress, but Starla and Ari exhibit the most believable behaviors that I've read in quite a while.
My one criticism is that while the story and the writer's voice are wonderful, this book would benefit from an experienced editor's review. I ran across a number of spelling and grammatical mistakes that may take away from some readers' experience of "A Girl Called Ari." But I would highly recommend that you overlook those blemishes and enjoy an amazing science fiction novel!
Okay, first, what made me want to read this particular book? Well, everything! The cover, title, description, and blurb all set me up to be really excited to dive in. But to be honest, as I was powering up my Kindle, I started to get nervous that it couldn't possibly live up to my expectations...
Well, I needn't have wasted any energy on those concerns. This book is excellent.
The story takes some exciting twists and turns in order to bring the titular character together with her counterpart in the book, Starla, and the author, P.J. Sky, kept me riveted to the edge of my seat throughout this post-apocalyptic, future-time, sci-fi adventure. But when I hit the big twist/reveal towards the end of the book, I was practically standing and speed-reading through to the end! I don't want to reveal on any potential spoilers, so I won't say any more about the plot. Instead, allow me to call out a few remarkable snippets of P.J.'s writing...
Upon stumbling across a skeleton in the desert:
The collapsed ribcage looked like it might have once housed an ornamental bird that had long escaped through the broken bars.
The poetic magnitude of this line struck me deeply:
The difference between full and empty is the weight of existence.
And this? I mean, WOW:
She stared into the infinite emptiness found at the end of all things.
One thing I want to be sure to comment on is P.J.'s extraordinary way with realistic human psychology. It's easy to write one-dimensional characters, especially when it comes to speculative fiction; to gloss over the way that people can react illogically or emotionally or even counter-intuitively when under duress, but Starla and Ari exhibit the most believable behaviors that I've read in quite a while.
My one criticism is that while the story and the writer's voice are wonderful, this book would benefit from an experienced editor's review. I ran across a number of spelling and grammatical mistakes that may take away from some readers' experience of "A Girl Called Ari." But I would highly recommend that you overlook those blemishes and enjoy an amazing science fiction novel!
March 18, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own!
Book: A Girl Called Ari
Author: P.J. Sky
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: March 20, 2020
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, kidnapping)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 274
Amazon Link
Synopsis: In a distant future… A world divided… A walled city in a devastated wasteland…
For Starla, a struggle for power becomes a struggle to survive when she finds herself on the wrong side of the wall. Lost in the wasteland, she faces warring factions, bloodthirsty creatures, and the endless burning sun. And then there’s Ari… who is she really? And can she trust this girl from the wasteland to lead her back to the city gates?
One thing’s for sure, Starla’s once privileged life will never be the same.
Review: I felt like this was a pretty good book! It was intriguing from start to finish and the setting was well developed. The writing was also well done and the book was overall really good.
However, I did feel like this book had two very different characters and, while very developed, were very opposites of each other. Reading it almost gave me whiplash lol. It was good, but it got irritating.
Verdict: It was good! Definitely recommend!
Book: A Girl Called Ari
Author: P.J. Sky
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: March 20, 2020
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, kidnapping)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 274
Amazon Link
Synopsis: In a distant future… A world divided… A walled city in a devastated wasteland…
For Starla, a struggle for power becomes a struggle to survive when she finds herself on the wrong side of the wall. Lost in the wasteland, she faces warring factions, bloodthirsty creatures, and the endless burning sun. And then there’s Ari… who is she really? And can she trust this girl from the wasteland to lead her back to the city gates?
One thing’s for sure, Starla’s once privileged life will never be the same.
Review: I felt like this was a pretty good book! It was intriguing from start to finish and the setting was well developed. The writing was also well done and the book was overall really good.
However, I did feel like this book had two very different characters and, while very developed, were very opposites of each other. Reading it almost gave me whiplash lol. It was good, but it got irritating.
Verdict: It was good! Definitely recommend!
February 28, 2021
This is an engrossing tale, that begins a little slow as the world building develops, but boy is it worth the read. A well written Dystopian fantasy with well drawn characters that you can relate to and root for. Things are never what they seem and P.J gradually builds the tension and the action so you want to know what happens next and you can't put the book down. Roll on Book two Ari Goes to War which releases on April 20th, 2021.
June 28, 2021
One girl saves another.
When a girl is kidnapped from the city, Are saves here and brings her back. P. J. Sky has created a post apocalyptic world that many would not survive. Yet this one girl, Ari, not only does she thrives. I found myself cheering this girl on in her battle to return her friend to the city.
When a girl is kidnapped from the city, Are saves here and brings her back. P. J. Sky has created a post apocalyptic world that many would not survive. Yet this one girl, Ari, not only does she thrives. I found myself cheering this girl on in her battle to return her friend to the city.
February 25, 2020
Thank you to the author for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. It will be available on March 20th.
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a book that fits so well into the dystopian genre. The book starts behind the walls of a city. Starla, the mayor’s daughter, is warned that she is in danger. She ignores the warning and finds herself kidnapped and left on the other side of the wall, where there is nothing but wasteland and hardship. There, she meets Ari. Ari is a girl living outside the wall who reluctantly agrees to help Starla get safely back to the city.
It took me a while to get into this book. Starla annoyed the snot out of me. She felt very naive and spoiled. It made sense for her character arc, but it was difficult to read at first. Ari, on the other hand, was a fascinating character. She was tough and self-sufficient, but she also had deep compassion for others, a trait she tried to hide. She brought the story to life.
The journey back to the city covers the majority of the book, although Starla also needs to find out who kidnapped her and why. While there is action, this book focused more on themes of trust, friendship, and having the emotional strength to survive the things life throws at you.
If you enjoy dystopian fiction that focuses more on story development than on non-stop action, you’ll enjoy this book. It was an interesting and unique take on the genre, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for further books written by this author.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a book that fits so well into the dystopian genre. The book starts behind the walls of a city. Starla, the mayor’s daughter, is warned that she is in danger. She ignores the warning and finds herself kidnapped and left on the other side of the wall, where there is nothing but wasteland and hardship. There, she meets Ari. Ari is a girl living outside the wall who reluctantly agrees to help Starla get safely back to the city.
It took me a while to get into this book. Starla annoyed the snot out of me. She felt very naive and spoiled. It made sense for her character arc, but it was difficult to read at first. Ari, on the other hand, was a fascinating character. She was tough and self-sufficient, but she also had deep compassion for others, a trait she tried to hide. She brought the story to life.
The journey back to the city covers the majority of the book, although Starla also needs to find out who kidnapped her and why. While there is action, this book focused more on themes of trust, friendship, and having the emotional strength to survive the things life throws at you.
If you enjoy dystopian fiction that focuses more on story development than on non-stop action, you’ll enjoy this book. It was an interesting and unique take on the genre, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for further books written by this author.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
September 17, 2020
A Girl Called Ari is kind of a fun read, except that it's also frequently not very fun. I don't mean that in a bad way, though; it moves between comic, wholesome development of a relationship and gritty action or threat with ease.
I enjoyed seeing pampered city girl Starla gradually defrosting, warming up to the slightly rough-around-the-edges Ari, and I really enjoyed how the non-city-dwellers' dialogue is written. (I don't know whether the word 'Australia' is ever actually used, but I knew just from the way Sky rendered their speech that they had broad Australian accents, and I liked that! You don't often see regional dialects done in that way other than occasional Cockney or Scottish or something, so I was impressed by that.)
I'm not sure I ever felt as invested as the story would have liked me to in either Starla or Ari, especially as I thought it was fairly obvious from the beginning how things were going to play out (), and I would love to see what Sky could produce with the help of a good editor to polish up some of the good ideas and make them shine just a bit more.
It was an enjoyable and easy read, and just the right length to explore what it wanted to without overstaying its welcome.
I enjoyed seeing pampered city girl Starla gradually defrosting, warming up to the slightly rough-around-the-edges Ari, and I really enjoyed how the non-city-dwellers' dialogue is written. (I don't know whether the word 'Australia' is ever actually used, but I knew just from the way Sky rendered their speech that they had broad Australian accents, and I liked that! You don't often see regional dialects done in that way other than occasional Cockney or Scottish or something, so I was impressed by that.)
I'm not sure I ever felt as invested as the story would have liked me to in either Starla or Ari, especially as I thought it was fairly obvious from the beginning how things were going to play out (), and I would love to see what Sky could produce with the help of a good editor to polish up some of the good ideas and make them shine just a bit more.
It was an enjoyable and easy read, and just the right length to explore what it wanted to without overstaying its welcome.
April 7, 2021
A Girl Called Ari Book Review Video
TRANSCRIPT
PLOT
In Australia, one of the last few civilizations is divided from the rest of the country by a wall. Once someone leaves the city, they are never allowed back in and instead are forced to survive in the harsh climate. This definitely complicates the situation for Starla, the mayor’s daughter who was kidnapped and now finds herself on the other side of the wall.
In order to get back home, Starla must team up with Ari, a girl who has been surviving outside the city for almost her entire life. Unfortunately, the people who first kidnapped Starla are looking to get her back.
Most of the main plot was rather straight-forward and easy to enjoy. Ari and Starla struggle to get along while walking through the desert all while avoiding dangers both in the form of both animals and people. Like most road trips, this ends up being a bonding experience for them which was fun to watch. The ending does get a bit messy, but I’ll save that for the spoilers section.
WRITING
For a debut, the writing was decent enough. The first chapter opened with a party that Starla was reluctant to attend along with meeting her friend, Max and Starla’s awful father. After Starla gets kidnapped, the reader gets to meet Ari who has a distinct voice and is clearly meant to be a foil for Starla.
Not to mention that the concept of the book taking place in Australia was great! For those of you who don’t know, but can probably tell, I’m American and I’ve also unfortunately never been outside of the country besides going to Canada and Mexico. So getting to explore a country on the opposite side of the world was extremely exciting!
That said, I did have a few issues with the writing, namely the descriptions. Or rather the lack of them. Although the reader is introduced to all the fun, new places, they don’t really get to see said places because there is little in terms of sight, touch, taste or smell. Even in the first chapter I struggled with visualizing the city. Once again, this leads to me not getting as invested in the characters or the world as I would have liked to have been.
WORLD-BUILDING
A majority of this book takes place in the desert which makes sense given that it’s in Australia. Dingos are a major threat in the book, and packs of them follow Ari and Starla each night. Along with dingos, more wildlife include bats and camins. Although they weren’t bad, a part of me wanted to see more dangerous, but less seen creatures, like snakes and spiders. But that’s just wish-fulfillment.
As for the city, I wanted to stay in it longer. Starla only remained within the walls for the first chapters so I never got to see what city life was like beyond the party and a handful of memories. That said, it does make for a good contrast with the outside world so it did serve its purpose well enough.
For the place where Ari lived, it was definitely a place that I wouldn’t blame her for not wanting to stay in. Mining salt with few tools seems miserable, along with getting awful pay for an entire day’s work.
However, the marketplace and Ari’s stash of money confused me a bit. First off, where did all those people get those items to build a stall and have enough of them to sell? Also, even though Ari can barely afford to buy enough food with a day’s wages, she can purchase enough supplies and clothing for two based on what she saved. From what I read, her savings wouldn’t have been enough for a full outfit for one person, let alone two.
CHARACTERS
ARI
Out of the two, Ari was my favorite character. She was tough, stubborn, but cared about Starla even if she didn’t like to show it. Ari also deeply resented people who were in the city, especially her now-dead parents, but given Ari’s living conditions it’s understandable why she would be angry at those who live a life of privilege.
However, despite all her street smarts, Ari tends to make what she considers dumb actions, such as wandering near the water where caimans are. After that, Ari lampshades it and constantly goes how about how stupid that was. It makes her seem more incompetent.
STARLA
Starla, on the other hand, annoyed me. Although it was understandable that she was worried about getting home, she wasn’t the smartest when it came to surviving. For instance, she spends precious food on feeding the skinny dog Ari got to help keep away the dingos. Many animals can survive for at least a month without food so throwing it to the dogs so to speak felt wasteful as Starla and Ari barely had enough for themselves.
OTHER CHARACTERS
The other characters were okay but mostly one dimensional. I didn’t have an issue with many of them except for how the tribe bushmen were portrayed. Them coming to the rescue was good, but having them revealed as crazy in the end felt wrong. I’m not sure if it falls into a Native stereotype, but it seems close to one which makes it very uncomfortable. As for Max, Starla’s friend, he was just okay. I kind of wish the reader got to see a few more of these characters but that’s a minor complaint.
MAJOR SPOILER SECTION
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I give this book 3.5 stars. The plot and the characters were great but the world building and writing left a bit to be desired. I still had fun reading the book though and would recommend it! I hope P.J. Sky will keep improving their craft and wish them the best of luck on their writing journey!
April 29, 2021
A Most Entertaining Read
I love dystopian tales, so I was eager to read A Girl Called Ari. I wasn’t disappointed. Max Max fans will find some familiar settings in this adrenaline-fueled journey through a post-apocalyptic Australian Outback.
The Opening
I feel that the author made some serious mistakes with the opening. The very first sentence gives away the book ending! Also, the opening paragraphs feel told rather than shown. Thankfully, this is not an issue after the first few paragraphs and the rest of the story is shown in an elegant and engaging manner.
The remainder of the opening chapter is excellent. It introduces a strong notion of conflict and ends with a fabulous hook.
The Characters
The age of the three main characters slots this story into the YA category. The two main characters are strong female protagonists, which is very much in vogue right now.
Starla begins as a relatively shallow yet sympathetic character. She is sympathetic because of her feelings about her situation and yet shallow because she doesn’t comprehend the suffering of the wider world. As the story develops, she goes through a great development arc. At times she is shown to be selfish, but actions speak louder than words.
Despite her wealth and rich surroundings, the author didn’t take the time to show us Starla’s life beyond the plot. We don’t know about her hobbies, what her favorite school subject was, or her religious views…anything. She becomes deeper as the story progresses, but her interests and backstory are only ever relevant to the plot development of the time.
Ari is a more three-dimensional character right from the beginning despite her abject poverty. Her beads and ceramic shards show that she has interests beyond the story, and her backstory is developed much better than Starla’s.
The publisher’s blurb asks the question: who is she really? By the end of the novel, I had a pretty good idea. In fact, if she’s not who I think she is, I’ll eat my copy of A Girl Called Ari covered in chocolate sauce. There’s plenty of foreshadowing leading to a revelation of her identity.
The author chose not to reveal her true identity in this book, so I presume it will be revealed in the sequel, Ari Goes To War. In some ways, that’s cheating the reader. The blurb kinda promises that this book will tell us who Ari really is. However, I personally think it’s a clever hook to get us to read the next book. It’s working for me.
Starla’s love interest, Max, is an intriguing character. I enjoyed his backstory and how he was used within this novel.
The Big Man is a fabulous character. There’s a big reveal about him at the end of the book.
The Plot
The main conflict is clear from the opening. It’s actually spelled out in the opening sentence that Starla leaves the city and must make her way back assisted by a girl called Ari.
As I said above, I felt it was a shame that the author felt the need to tell us that Starla will make it back home in the opening sentence. We know how the story will end from the very beginning. However, it’s often the journey rather than the ending that it interesting in a book, and that is the case here.
This story is action packed throughout. There are fight scenes, hazards in the bush, hazards in the swamp, and hazards in society. In a way, the setting is the main antagonist. The humans’ attempts to halt Starla’s journey are pathetic when compared to what Mother Nature throws at her.
I only had one small issue with the plot, and it’s no biggie. Toward the end, a structure is damaged. I can’t say more without spoilers. However, I felt that this damage should have had a more profound and immediate effect. In the ending, I would have liked to have seen Starla’s reflections on the effect and its impact on society.
The Setting
Absolutely awesome. One of the reasons I enjoy dystopian and post-apocalyptic tales is the descriptions we get of everyday things in a decayed state and interpreted through the eyes of someone who never saw them before. There are plenty of examples of that in this book, such as a gas filling station the girls pass.
The political setting is the real star of the show. I especially liked the “message” and wonder how it will influence Starla’s actions in the next book.
The Prose
Wonderful. Except for the opening paragraphs, this story is very immersive and well shown.
My Opinion
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will definitely be reading the sequel at some point soon. I’m going to rate it as 9 out of 10, which will equate to 5 out of 5 on Goodreads and Amazon. It would have given it 10 if the author didn’t give away the ending in the first sentence and showed more of the impact of the damaged structure in the final chapter.
I love dystopian tales, so I was eager to read A Girl Called Ari. I wasn’t disappointed. Max Max fans will find some familiar settings in this adrenaline-fueled journey through a post-apocalyptic Australian Outback.
The Opening
I feel that the author made some serious mistakes with the opening. The very first sentence gives away the book ending! Also, the opening paragraphs feel told rather than shown. Thankfully, this is not an issue after the first few paragraphs and the rest of the story is shown in an elegant and engaging manner.
The remainder of the opening chapter is excellent. It introduces a strong notion of conflict and ends with a fabulous hook.
The Characters
The age of the three main characters slots this story into the YA category. The two main characters are strong female protagonists, which is very much in vogue right now.
Starla begins as a relatively shallow yet sympathetic character. She is sympathetic because of her feelings about her situation and yet shallow because she doesn’t comprehend the suffering of the wider world. As the story develops, she goes through a great development arc. At times she is shown to be selfish, but actions speak louder than words.
Despite her wealth and rich surroundings, the author didn’t take the time to show us Starla’s life beyond the plot. We don’t know about her hobbies, what her favorite school subject was, or her religious views…anything. She becomes deeper as the story progresses, but her interests and backstory are only ever relevant to the plot development of the time.
Ari is a more three-dimensional character right from the beginning despite her abject poverty. Her beads and ceramic shards show that she has interests beyond the story, and her backstory is developed much better than Starla’s.
The publisher’s blurb asks the question: who is she really? By the end of the novel, I had a pretty good idea. In fact, if she’s not who I think she is, I’ll eat my copy of A Girl Called Ari covered in chocolate sauce. There’s plenty of foreshadowing leading to a revelation of her identity.
The author chose not to reveal her true identity in this book, so I presume it will be revealed in the sequel, Ari Goes To War. In some ways, that’s cheating the reader. The blurb kinda promises that this book will tell us who Ari really is. However, I personally think it’s a clever hook to get us to read the next book. It’s working for me.
Starla’s love interest, Max, is an intriguing character. I enjoyed his backstory and how he was used within this novel.
The Big Man is a fabulous character. There’s a big reveal about him at the end of the book.
The Plot
The main conflict is clear from the opening. It’s actually spelled out in the opening sentence that Starla leaves the city and must make her way back assisted by a girl called Ari.
As I said above, I felt it was a shame that the author felt the need to tell us that Starla will make it back home in the opening sentence. We know how the story will end from the very beginning. However, it’s often the journey rather than the ending that it interesting in a book, and that is the case here.
This story is action packed throughout. There are fight scenes, hazards in the bush, hazards in the swamp, and hazards in society. In a way, the setting is the main antagonist. The humans’ attempts to halt Starla’s journey are pathetic when compared to what Mother Nature throws at her.
I only had one small issue with the plot, and it’s no biggie. Toward the end, a structure is damaged. I can’t say more without spoilers. However, I felt that this damage should have had a more profound and immediate effect. In the ending, I would have liked to have seen Starla’s reflections on the effect and its impact on society.
The Setting
Absolutely awesome. One of the reasons I enjoy dystopian and post-apocalyptic tales is the descriptions we get of everyday things in a decayed state and interpreted through the eyes of someone who never saw them before. There are plenty of examples of that in this book, such as a gas filling station the girls pass.
The political setting is the real star of the show. I especially liked the “message” and wonder how it will influence Starla’s actions in the next book.
The Prose
Wonderful. Except for the opening paragraphs, this story is very immersive and well shown.
My Opinion
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will definitely be reading the sequel at some point soon. I’m going to rate it as 9 out of 10, which will equate to 5 out of 5 on Goodreads and Amazon. It would have given it 10 if the author didn’t give away the ending in the first sentence and showed more of the impact of the damaged structure in the final chapter.
September 23, 2021
As a self-published author myself, I try to read books by other “indie” writers from time to time. Sadly, it is sometimes a disappointing experience. However, every now and then you come across a little gem. Happily, this was the case with A Girl Called Ari.
I first noticed this book on Twitter where the author noticeably works harder than most (not always an indicator of quality) to promote her work. Then when a friend, who also came across it on social media, recommended it as something I might enjoy, I decided to give it ago. I am after all, a sucker for a good dystopian tale!
The book tells the story of Starla, the daughter of the mayor of Alice, a fortress, futuristic city in the midst of a barren and dangerous post-apocalyptic wasteland. Starla is kidnapped (I’m still not entirely sure why and by whom) but escapes and is trying to make her way home. She comes across Ari, a girl of similar age but very different circumstance. Ari lives in a cave and, in contrast to the life of luxury and excess that Starla has enjoyed, has barely any possessions other than the clothes she is standing in. Ari is gritty and strong and knows better than most how to survive in the wastelands. However, we learn that this was not always the case as she too lived in the city at one point in her past.
And so, Ari gives up her cave, her horrible but sustaining job in the salt mines and her meagre possessions to help Starla get home, in the (vain?) hope that she will somehow enable Ari to re-enter the city.
What I liked:
I loved the imaginative but believable world-building and the contrast between the glittering riches of the city and the bleak barren wastelands which is mirrored by the starkly contrasting lives of the two girls. I assumed the book is set in Australia, due to the references to Alice and a location that sounds like Uluru (Ayers Rock). The rough dialect of the people of the wastelands could, to me, have been broad Australian and some of the characters the girls came across felt aboriginal to me. However, I could be wrong as the author is British. It might just have been my imagination that carried me down that route as the location is never made explicit.
I liked the main characters. Starla is irritating at first but, as the spoiled daughter of the mayor she knows no better and she does soften and become more likeable towards the end. Ari is great! I loved her and I can imagine her being an icon for young adult readers along the lines of Katniss from The Hunger Games or Beatrice from Divergent. I’d love to read more about her adventures and will make time to read the sequel, Ari Goes to War.
The development of the relationships between the two main characters is captivating. Its begins as one based purely on mutual need and both girls are participating in the arrangements because they have something to gain from it. However, it develops into a stronger relationship that verges on friendship throughout the various twists and turns of their journey.
Some of the descriptions of the environment are vivid and beautiful and at times I was totally immersed in Ari’s world.
Even better if:
The plot was predictable. It does have some surprises but, on the whole, I kind of expected everything that happened. (Starla getting bitten by a crocodile was a bit of a shocker though!) However, the book is aimed at a young adult audience and as such is arguably necessarily formulaic and slightly cliched at times.
Some of the big moments of the story and some of the action sequences were muted. They lacked that element of drama and impact that they could have brought to the reading experience. For example, “Then a huge gaped mouth, lined with a serration of jagged white teeth, emerged from the water and clamped down on Starla’s leg.” and “What is happening, thought Starla? It feels like an earthquake.”
There were sections of the book that dragged on and didn’t add value to the story either in terms of plot, word-building or character development. Some sections left me downright bemused and confused. For example, the message from the “dish”. This hinted at providing some background and some answers but fell just a little short of the mark for me in this respect.
I wanted some satisfying answers or explanations to various threads that were contained within the text. I accept that some of these may be addressed in later books in the series, but I was left with a lot of unanswered questions. For example, why was Starla kidnapped in the first place and was it an inside job? Could Ari be Starla’s half-sister? What was the significance of the broken piece of pottery with the blue bird on it? What sort of event caused the apocalypse – there is mention of both disease and a meteor and the strange star, Vella Stella?
All things considered, a fast-paced, easy and enjoyable read and a super first book from a talented (young?) writer. I look forward to seeing the development of her writing and so I’ll definitely be giving Ari Goes to War a go!
I first noticed this book on Twitter where the author noticeably works harder than most (not always an indicator of quality) to promote her work. Then when a friend, who also came across it on social media, recommended it as something I might enjoy, I decided to give it ago. I am after all, a sucker for a good dystopian tale!
The book tells the story of Starla, the daughter of the mayor of Alice, a fortress, futuristic city in the midst of a barren and dangerous post-apocalyptic wasteland. Starla is kidnapped (I’m still not entirely sure why and by whom) but escapes and is trying to make her way home. She comes across Ari, a girl of similar age but very different circumstance. Ari lives in a cave and, in contrast to the life of luxury and excess that Starla has enjoyed, has barely any possessions other than the clothes she is standing in. Ari is gritty and strong and knows better than most how to survive in the wastelands. However, we learn that this was not always the case as she too lived in the city at one point in her past.
And so, Ari gives up her cave, her horrible but sustaining job in the salt mines and her meagre possessions to help Starla get home, in the (vain?) hope that she will somehow enable Ari to re-enter the city.
What I liked:
I loved the imaginative but believable world-building and the contrast between the glittering riches of the city and the bleak barren wastelands which is mirrored by the starkly contrasting lives of the two girls. I assumed the book is set in Australia, due to the references to Alice and a location that sounds like Uluru (Ayers Rock). The rough dialect of the people of the wastelands could, to me, have been broad Australian and some of the characters the girls came across felt aboriginal to me. However, I could be wrong as the author is British. It might just have been my imagination that carried me down that route as the location is never made explicit.
I liked the main characters. Starla is irritating at first but, as the spoiled daughter of the mayor she knows no better and she does soften and become more likeable towards the end. Ari is great! I loved her and I can imagine her being an icon for young adult readers along the lines of Katniss from The Hunger Games or Beatrice from Divergent. I’d love to read more about her adventures and will make time to read the sequel, Ari Goes to War.
The development of the relationships between the two main characters is captivating. Its begins as one based purely on mutual need and both girls are participating in the arrangements because they have something to gain from it. However, it develops into a stronger relationship that verges on friendship throughout the various twists and turns of their journey.
Some of the descriptions of the environment are vivid and beautiful and at times I was totally immersed in Ari’s world.
Even better if:
The plot was predictable. It does have some surprises but, on the whole, I kind of expected everything that happened. (Starla getting bitten by a crocodile was a bit of a shocker though!) However, the book is aimed at a young adult audience and as such is arguably necessarily formulaic and slightly cliched at times.
Some of the big moments of the story and some of the action sequences were muted. They lacked that element of drama and impact that they could have brought to the reading experience. For example, “Then a huge gaped mouth, lined with a serration of jagged white teeth, emerged from the water and clamped down on Starla’s leg.” and “What is happening, thought Starla? It feels like an earthquake.”
There were sections of the book that dragged on and didn’t add value to the story either in terms of plot, word-building or character development. Some sections left me downright bemused and confused. For example, the message from the “dish”. This hinted at providing some background and some answers but fell just a little short of the mark for me in this respect.
I wanted some satisfying answers or explanations to various threads that were contained within the text. I accept that some of these may be addressed in later books in the series, but I was left with a lot of unanswered questions. For example, why was Starla kidnapped in the first place and was it an inside job? Could Ari be Starla’s half-sister? What was the significance of the broken piece of pottery with the blue bird on it? What sort of event caused the apocalypse – there is mention of both disease and a meteor and the strange star, Vella Stella?
All things considered, a fast-paced, easy and enjoyable read and a super first book from a talented (young?) writer. I look forward to seeing the development of her writing and so I’ll definitely be giving Ari Goes to War a go!
May 28, 2023
This book is fine. It has points it wants to address, and it addresses them in an intriguing and engaging manner. It is at times sloppy, and I personally would’ve liked for the lens of this narrative to shift slightly behind the curtain, but, if you’re looking for a thrilling chase and adventure story in a post-apocalyptic setting, especially one which is vaguely Australian, you will love your time with this book.
And now to go in-depth with my review: The plot of this book follows Starla Corinth, the daughter of the mayor of the only large settlement/major city known to exist in a post-apocalyptic world. Through no fault of her own, she finds herself outside of the city for the first time in her life, struggling to stay alive, and having to find her way back to the city. Aiding her on her quest is the mysterious Ari, a girl with a vague connection to the city, which the narrative spends some time exploring. I won’t personally go into it, because spoilers. With the introduction out of the way, what makes this cross between The Hunger Games and Mad Max interesting?
I think the most noteworthy aspect of the book is how the perspective shifts while the narrative progresses, and what these shifts reveal about the inner workings of this world. Initially it seems as though the city is the only settlement of any kind to still exist, but once the narrative moves past its walls that impression disappears, as not only are the settlements outside of the city revealed, and their inner workings explored, but the connections between the city and its exterior, the outer settlements, are explored. The exploration isn’t particularly in-depth, perhaps because it itself isn’t that deep, or, more likely, because it is not directly necessary for the adventure story the two leads embark upon.
And it is within that story that Sky’s narrative prowess comes to shine, mainly in how they allow the characters to interact, and in presenting the challenges individual new environments present to these characters. Starla is noteworthily out of her depth in most of these environments, but she does have other strengths that come through, strengths which the narrative does a good job at developing. However, Ari is the stand-out character of the book. The way she thinks of her lot in life, how she solves problems, what she looks for when she wants to get stuff done, all of that is presented in an immersive and exciting way, and helps paint a great picture of who she is. The immersive writing actually helps highlight those aspects with a lot of characters, and, while Ari does get the lion’s share of attention in that regard, Starla and her best friend/closest acquaintance within the city also benefit quite substantially from this presentation. That is what I think Sky did best within this book, presenting the inner workings of the characters within.
The environment itself is handled somewhat more sloppily. It is presented with some detail if needed, but otherwise stays somewhat vague. Even with broader descriptions, it is still very easy to get lost because of insufficient, or inconsistent, information provided. In more dynamic, rapid chase or action sequences, it becomes very hard to follow what’s going on, especially if the action takes place over larger areas. Also, I personally would’ve wanted a deeper insight into the politics of the city and other settlements, how they are administered and connected, I think that would’ve strengthened the tension flow within the story. At the very least, it would’ve allowed Sky to showcase their character work more.
Overall, while the contents of the book are presented quite competently, the underlying structure of the plot does little to engage my attention.
And now to go in-depth with my review: The plot of this book follows Starla Corinth, the daughter of the mayor of the only large settlement/major city known to exist in a post-apocalyptic world. Through no fault of her own, she finds herself outside of the city for the first time in her life, struggling to stay alive, and having to find her way back to the city. Aiding her on her quest is the mysterious Ari, a girl with a vague connection to the city, which the narrative spends some time exploring. I won’t personally go into it, because spoilers. With the introduction out of the way, what makes this cross between The Hunger Games and Mad Max interesting?
I think the most noteworthy aspect of the book is how the perspective shifts while the narrative progresses, and what these shifts reveal about the inner workings of this world. Initially it seems as though the city is the only settlement of any kind to still exist, but once the narrative moves past its walls that impression disappears, as not only are the settlements outside of the city revealed, and their inner workings explored, but the connections between the city and its exterior, the outer settlements, are explored. The exploration isn’t particularly in-depth, perhaps because it itself isn’t that deep, or, more likely, because it is not directly necessary for the adventure story the two leads embark upon.
And it is within that story that Sky’s narrative prowess comes to shine, mainly in how they allow the characters to interact, and in presenting the challenges individual new environments present to these characters. Starla is noteworthily out of her depth in most of these environments, but she does have other strengths that come through, strengths which the narrative does a good job at developing. However, Ari is the stand-out character of the book. The way she thinks of her lot in life, how she solves problems, what she looks for when she wants to get stuff done, all of that is presented in an immersive and exciting way, and helps paint a great picture of who she is. The immersive writing actually helps highlight those aspects with a lot of characters, and, while Ari does get the lion’s share of attention in that regard, Starla and her best friend/closest acquaintance within the city also benefit quite substantially from this presentation. That is what I think Sky did best within this book, presenting the inner workings of the characters within.
The environment itself is handled somewhat more sloppily. It is presented with some detail if needed, but otherwise stays somewhat vague. Even with broader descriptions, it is still very easy to get lost because of insufficient, or inconsistent, information provided. In more dynamic, rapid chase or action sequences, it becomes very hard to follow what’s going on, especially if the action takes place over larger areas. Also, I personally would’ve wanted a deeper insight into the politics of the city and other settlements, how they are administered and connected, I think that would’ve strengthened the tension flow within the story. At the very least, it would’ve allowed Sky to showcase their character work more.
Overall, while the contents of the book are presented quite competently, the underlying structure of the plot does little to engage my attention.
August 6, 2021
Characters
There are two primary characters in the story. Starla is the mayor's daughter who lives in a walled city where she has everything she needs but feels trapped in the intrigues and power struggles. Ari is the girl with no family or friends who struggles to survive in the barren wasteland outside of the city. I found the characters fairly well-developed and distinct. P.J. Sky did a great job giving them both unique voices and showing the differences between their views and experiences.
The side characters were there rather to move the plot along, so the reader doesn't get to know them beyond some of their motivations related to the protagonists. I think it worked well for the story, though I wanted to understand the antagonist better. That might be left for the next book.
World-building
I believe that a lot was left out, probably to be discovered in the next book, but the world felt solid and believable, and I loved how some of the scenes were set. I also found it curious that the events seem to be happening in the future Australia, judging by the animals. What we know about the world is that it had been devastated by the humans of the past, though we don't know what exactly happened.
We also know about the sharp class divide: the people who live in the city in comfort and safety, with enough food and removed from the dangers and hard work of obtaining the materials used by their city, like ore or salt. They believe the outside is toxic and the people living there are dangerous and contagious. They don't have any contact with those people and don't venture outside unless they are banished from their city forever.
The people of the outside live a harsh life of hard menial labor, starvation and homelessness. There are criminals and wild animals they have to be wary of, and there is no one to protect them from numerous dangers, including being forced into the ore mines, from which no one has returned. Ari is aware that they work for the city getting next to nothing for it, but it's not clear whether anyone else sees it.
Plot
The plot is straightforward and relatively simple, the pace is quite fast and the story is engaging. The two girls try to get to the city with various obstacles on their way.
Impressions
I enjoyed the book, even though I feel that it wasn't exactly my kind of story. Not because of any objective issues, there is nothing bad I can say about it and nothing I disliked, it was fun to read and I felt engaged and interested. I also enjoyed the writing. I might read the second book in the series in the future because I'm curious what will happen next, but I don't feel the urge to know.
It was an easy read even though it raised some serious issues, like class stratification, political intrigues, manipulation, exploitation and inequality. It also showed the devastating consequences of the past generations' actions, which is definitely a food for thought.
I loved the vivid picture of the sharp contrast between the life in the city and outside its walls that P.J. Sky painted.
You might enjoy the book if you like YA dystopian / post-apocalyptic adventures with young girls as protagonists.
This review was first published on my website about sci-fi by women and non-binary authors where you can find more reviews, interviews, short stories and lists.
There are two primary characters in the story. Starla is the mayor's daughter who lives in a walled city where she has everything she needs but feels trapped in the intrigues and power struggles. Ari is the girl with no family or friends who struggles to survive in the barren wasteland outside of the city. I found the characters fairly well-developed and distinct. P.J. Sky did a great job giving them both unique voices and showing the differences between their views and experiences.
The side characters were there rather to move the plot along, so the reader doesn't get to know them beyond some of their motivations related to the protagonists. I think it worked well for the story, though I wanted to understand the antagonist better. That might be left for the next book.
World-building
I believe that a lot was left out, probably to be discovered in the next book, but the world felt solid and believable, and I loved how some of the scenes were set. I also found it curious that the events seem to be happening in the future Australia, judging by the animals. What we know about the world is that it had been devastated by the humans of the past, though we don't know what exactly happened.
We also know about the sharp class divide: the people who live in the city in comfort and safety, with enough food and removed from the dangers and hard work of obtaining the materials used by their city, like ore or salt. They believe the outside is toxic and the people living there are dangerous and contagious. They don't have any contact with those people and don't venture outside unless they are banished from their city forever.
The people of the outside live a harsh life of hard menial labor, starvation and homelessness. There are criminals and wild animals they have to be wary of, and there is no one to protect them from numerous dangers, including being forced into the ore mines, from which no one has returned. Ari is aware that they work for the city getting next to nothing for it, but it's not clear whether anyone else sees it.
Plot
The plot is straightforward and relatively simple, the pace is quite fast and the story is engaging. The two girls try to get to the city with various obstacles on their way.
Impressions
I enjoyed the book, even though I feel that it wasn't exactly my kind of story. Not because of any objective issues, there is nothing bad I can say about it and nothing I disliked, it was fun to read and I felt engaged and interested. I also enjoyed the writing. I might read the second book in the series in the future because I'm curious what will happen next, but I don't feel the urge to know.
It was an easy read even though it raised some serious issues, like class stratification, political intrigues, manipulation, exploitation and inequality. It also showed the devastating consequences of the past generations' actions, which is definitely a food for thought.
I loved the vivid picture of the sharp contrast between the life in the city and outside its walls that P.J. Sky painted.
You might enjoy the book if you like YA dystopian / post-apocalyptic adventures with young girls as protagonists.
This review was first published on my website about sci-fi by women and non-binary authors where you can find more reviews, interviews, short stories and lists.
October 18, 2021
“A Girl Called Ari” by P.J. Sky is a sci-fi/dystopian hybrid that focuses on the physical and emotional journeys of two characters. Starla Corinth, the illustrious “first daughter” of a protected, futuristic city surrounded by impenetrable walls, and Ari, a scrappy young woman who was exiled from the city with her presently-deceased mother and left to fight for survival in the desert city of Cooper.
Starla and Ari meet when Starla is abducted as part of a politically-driven scheme, and, after a series of difficulties, quite literally falls into Ari’s small cave near the salt mines where Ari works for a pittance. The girls come from vastly different backgrounds, and the author does a great job of highlighting their differences, and later, their commonalities, using rich metaphors and descriptive language.
P.J. Sky is a writer to the core, and we found ourselves drawn into the world the author created. We could almost tangibly feel the lush and ever-varied environments witnessed by Starla and Ari during their journey back to the city. We can’t say enough about Sky’s ability to make barren desert lands and creature-filled forests equally beautiful and terrifying. Every chapter of this book felt incredibly alive and touchable. Creating an environment is challenging, but Sky writes exhilarating scenery like a seasoned pro.
Equally strong, is Sky’s ability to explain Starla and Ari, and their motives. Sky stays laser-focused on the main characters, their relationship, and their inner dialogues. The plot is not distracted by sub-plots or characters, but we found ourselves more tuned-in to the characters because of it, and felt it added to the story, rather than making it feel thin or underdeveloped. Sky can also write interesting and believable accents and vocal patterns, which gave the characters, especially Ari, stronger and more distinct voices.
Sky jumps a bit from third person to first person, and from character to character, but the transition was smooth, if unusual. The tone of the story was bold and unexpected, focusing on building friendships between people of diverse and different backgrounds, and the message and moral in the story was clear and powerful. We won’t spoil it, but the ending leaves the reader with a lot to think about later, even if it wasn’t exactly satisfying.
An excellent debut. We can’t wait to read more from P.J. Sky in the future. This is an author on the rise.
Starla and Ari meet when Starla is abducted as part of a politically-driven scheme, and, after a series of difficulties, quite literally falls into Ari’s small cave near the salt mines where Ari works for a pittance. The girls come from vastly different backgrounds, and the author does a great job of highlighting their differences, and later, their commonalities, using rich metaphors and descriptive language.
P.J. Sky is a writer to the core, and we found ourselves drawn into the world the author created. We could almost tangibly feel the lush and ever-varied environments witnessed by Starla and Ari during their journey back to the city. We can’t say enough about Sky’s ability to make barren desert lands and creature-filled forests equally beautiful and terrifying. Every chapter of this book felt incredibly alive and touchable. Creating an environment is challenging, but Sky writes exhilarating scenery like a seasoned pro.
Equally strong, is Sky’s ability to explain Starla and Ari, and their motives. Sky stays laser-focused on the main characters, their relationship, and their inner dialogues. The plot is not distracted by sub-plots or characters, but we found ourselves more tuned-in to the characters because of it, and felt it added to the story, rather than making it feel thin or underdeveloped. Sky can also write interesting and believable accents and vocal patterns, which gave the characters, especially Ari, stronger and more distinct voices.
Sky jumps a bit from third person to first person, and from character to character, but the transition was smooth, if unusual. The tone of the story was bold and unexpected, focusing on building friendships between people of diverse and different backgrounds, and the message and moral in the story was clear and powerful. We won’t spoil it, but the ending leaves the reader with a lot to think about later, even if it wasn’t exactly satisfying.
An excellent debut. We can’t wait to read more from P.J. Sky in the future. This is an author on the rise.
October 25, 2021
A committed reader and collector of dystopian and post-apocalyptic sci-fi, I was interested to read P. J. Sky’s self-published debut novel. I enjoyed this page-turner. The author has a good sense of pacing and storytelling. If Sky continues in this vein, I expect to see forthcoming work traditionally published, if that’s an author goal.
The author has the potential for a lucrative writing career and loyal fanbase due to their ability to turn a pretty phrase and weave a wordy magic that invites the reader into the setting. For example, “…beyond the luminous structures, the world fell abruptly into darkness,” or “…the fingers were long, with knuckles like knots in an old rope,” or
The author is also astute at conveying meaning through the inner dialogue of the characters. “You could hate a place for so long,” one ponders, “and yet when the day comes to leave it, you miss it before you’ve even gone.”
Unfortunately, the author trips and falls into a hole many self-published authors dig for themselves, that of inconsistent quality-control and editing.
Notable problems that either stalled or hurried me along with impatience:
• Plot transitions are inconsistent. Some falter or are entirely lacking, though many are well done
• Language: The author employs colloquialisms as part of the narrative vs. those identified with specific characters, which can be confusing to the reader.
• Lack of quality control. Characters find themselves “starring down the barrel of a gun,” and punctuation is sometimes missing. Commas, in particular, are scarce and would aid the reader in understanding meaning by inviting brief pauses during a fast-paced story.
In spite of such minor inconveniences, I found the book enjoyable. Throughout the novel, I had the sense that I was reading work with every possibility--even probability--of soon being ready for a DeMille-worthy close-up. Future work will be enriched through use of conscientious beta readers and a professional editor.
The devil is in the details.
The author has the potential for a lucrative writing career and loyal fanbase due to their ability to turn a pretty phrase and weave a wordy magic that invites the reader into the setting. For example, “…beyond the luminous structures, the world fell abruptly into darkness,” or “…the fingers were long, with knuckles like knots in an old rope,” or
Twisted and bowed, the metal tracks had warped under the blistering sun. Beneath the rolling dust, sections of the line disappeared entirely, only to reappear further along the trail.
Face down in the dust, the endoskeleton formed a permanent reminder for those that walked the trail. Beside these forgotten tracks lay the everlasting price of failure.
The author is also astute at conveying meaning through the inner dialogue of the characters. “You could hate a place for so long,” one ponders, “and yet when the day comes to leave it, you miss it before you’ve even gone.”
Unfortunately, the author trips and falls into a hole many self-published authors dig for themselves, that of inconsistent quality-control and editing.
Notable problems that either stalled or hurried me along with impatience:
• Plot transitions are inconsistent. Some falter or are entirely lacking, though many are well done
• Language: The author employs colloquialisms as part of the narrative vs. those identified with specific characters, which can be confusing to the reader.
• Lack of quality control. Characters find themselves “starring down the barrel of a gun,” and punctuation is sometimes missing. Commas, in particular, are scarce and would aid the reader in understanding meaning by inviting brief pauses during a fast-paced story.
In spite of such minor inconveniences, I found the book enjoyable. Throughout the novel, I had the sense that I was reading work with every possibility--even probability--of soon being ready for a DeMille-worthy close-up. Future work will be enriched through use of conscientious beta readers and a professional editor.
The devil is in the details.
May 4, 2021
★★★☆☆ (3.5 / 5 stars)
Starla has always lived in the city. Ari lives outside it. But, when their lives cross in a twist of fate that sends Starla to the outside, soon the two girls discover that they might have more in common than they imagined. They both want to go to the city, a place that seems to drip with safety and prosperity. But, as they venture across outback towards the city (or Alice, as Ari calls it), both Starla and Ari have to decide why they want to return to the city in the first place.
In a story reminiscent of Mad Max, A Girl Called Ari takes us to a post apocalyptic world where individuals – young and old – just want to survive. Starla and Ari serve as foils to each other: the posh and proper girl from the city with the rough and rogue girl from the outside. Yet, it is clear they both have the same goals: safety, peace, and a full belly. It is their friendship that makes the story overall shine.
A dystopian story can always be fun, especially when it has elements of Mad Max! Filled with action, wild dingos, and flawed characters, there isn’t much to NOT love about A Girl Called Ari. The writing as a whole was cinematic, and I could picture the two girls venturing back towards Alice without difficult.
My hang-ups lie in pace of the story. The story starts with a bang, as many cinematic post-apocalyptical movies do, and it took a few chapters to really understand the full situation Starla found herself in. The hierarchy of the city, as well as the situation of the apocalypse, are up in the air. As Ari mentions though, it never really mattered how the world changed. It’s just how it has always been. Personally though, I would have liked to have a bit more set up around this dystopian future, just so I had a better sense regarding the stakes at hand.
Overall though, A Girl Called Ari is wonderfully cinematic, and I have full intentions of reading the sequel in the near future to find out what Ari and Starla intend to do next.
So, if you love Mad Max, fast-paced stories filled with action, and dystopian tales, then this will definitely be the book for you!
Starla has always lived in the city. Ari lives outside it. But, when their lives cross in a twist of fate that sends Starla to the outside, soon the two girls discover that they might have more in common than they imagined. They both want to go to the city, a place that seems to drip with safety and prosperity. But, as they venture across outback towards the city (or Alice, as Ari calls it), both Starla and Ari have to decide why they want to return to the city in the first place.
In a story reminiscent of Mad Max, A Girl Called Ari takes us to a post apocalyptic world where individuals – young and old – just want to survive. Starla and Ari serve as foils to each other: the posh and proper girl from the city with the rough and rogue girl from the outside. Yet, it is clear they both have the same goals: safety, peace, and a full belly. It is their friendship that makes the story overall shine.
A dystopian story can always be fun, especially when it has elements of Mad Max! Filled with action, wild dingos, and flawed characters, there isn’t much to NOT love about A Girl Called Ari. The writing as a whole was cinematic, and I could picture the two girls venturing back towards Alice without difficult.
My hang-ups lie in pace of the story. The story starts with a bang, as many cinematic post-apocalyptical movies do, and it took a few chapters to really understand the full situation Starla found herself in. The hierarchy of the city, as well as the situation of the apocalypse, are up in the air. As Ari mentions though, it never really mattered how the world changed. It’s just how it has always been. Personally though, I would have liked to have a bit more set up around this dystopian future, just so I had a better sense regarding the stakes at hand.
Overall though, A Girl Called Ari is wonderfully cinematic, and I have full intentions of reading the sequel in the near future to find out what Ari and Starla intend to do next.
So, if you love Mad Max, fast-paced stories filled with action, and dystopian tales, then this will definitely be the book for you!
May 14, 2022
This is a compelling enough story of a dystopian time, that feels akin to Orwell's 1984 in its setting. We have a city that is walled off, with wastes surrounding it. Within the city, we aren't given much in the way of detail unfortunately, other than the rules seem to be "conform or face exile." Starla and Ari are the two protagonists of the tale, and the audience does get to know them fairly well, especially considering this to be a shorter novel (I read the whole thing in 3-4 hours, for reference.)
While on the surface, this is a damsel gets abducted and needs to be guided home story, this is also a story of identity. Starla struggled with her pompous and pampered life as the mayor's daughter within the city, but dreams of life outside. Outside, she finds the harshest of realities, but also a lot of beauty. Torn between these worlds, and society disallowing a compromise between them, she discovers what it means to for her to do her best.
On the other hand, Ari is a grisly outsider, living a life of hard menial labor, and never wants to make plans to achieve better. In her words, more or less, plans lead to hope, which in turn leads to despair. However, she learns to embrace hope on her journey with Starla, and realizes the importance of companionship.
Once we get into the meat of the book, the author does a great job of revealing the main characters and their environments with great descriptive language that really puts audience in the shoes of Starla and Ari. Both of the protagonists are going to be relatable in one way or another. However I wish more time was taken to evolve the secondary characters, particularly the Ergu tribesman toward the latter stages of the book. While the climax was satisfying, I wanted to be shown more rather than told what happened. A lot "and then this happened," type of writing particularly in those few scenes.
All of that aside, I did enjoy the book; I never found myself just counting down the pages until it was over, and you probably will as well.
While on the surface, this is a damsel gets abducted and needs to be guided home story, this is also a story of identity. Starla struggled with her pompous and pampered life as the mayor's daughter within the city, but dreams of life outside. Outside, she finds the harshest of realities, but also a lot of beauty. Torn between these worlds, and society disallowing a compromise between them, she discovers what it means to for her to do her best.
On the other hand, Ari is a grisly outsider, living a life of hard menial labor, and never wants to make plans to achieve better. In her words, more or less, plans lead to hope, which in turn leads to despair. However, she learns to embrace hope on her journey with Starla, and realizes the importance of companionship.
Once we get into the meat of the book, the author does a great job of revealing the main characters and their environments with great descriptive language that really puts audience in the shoes of Starla and Ari. Both of the protagonists are going to be relatable in one way or another. However I wish more time was taken to evolve the secondary characters, particularly the Ergu tribesman toward the latter stages of the book. While the climax was satisfying, I wanted to be shown more rather than told what happened. A lot "and then this happened," type of writing particularly in those few scenes.
All of that aside, I did enjoy the book; I never found myself just counting down the pages until it was over, and you probably will as well.
August 21, 2020
I'd seen this book being advertised on Twitter several times and finally decided to see what it was about.
It was an enjoyable, rather quick read, and I would recommend it to people who enjoy dystopian stories with strong female leads. The chapter lengths were great. They had substance and depth but didn't drag on in any one place.
I think I connected more with Ari throughout most of the book. Her tale resonated with me perhaps because her story felt more genuine than Starla's fall from power and comfort. Ari's hardships and losses elicited a strong emotional response in multiple places. Starla was still an interesting character, and I enjoyed her growth. The two characters, however different, were a good pair. Their conversations came off real.
Usually, I would like a lot of world-building and information in a dystopian setting, but I think the amount of information given throughout most of the book was just right. There was a lot we could have known or learned, but we didn't have to in order to enjoy the moment we were in.
There was a particular turn I thought the book was going take - how Ari and Starla might be connected - and I'm really glad it didn't go that way. It would have been way too easy of a coincidence.
It was an overall solid read, but I felt it started to unravel just a little bit toward the end. I think it's because the storyline seemed to be moving at a faster pace than it had been. It was as though it was trying a smidge too hard to get to the finish. There were opportunities to expand the story even further and draw it out some, and I would have liked to learn more of the Wasteland at this point.
There is the potential of a sequel, I feel, or at least another story in the same universe that could come out of this. I'd love to read it if it happens. There is still a lot to discover about Alice, Ari, Starla, the Wasteland, and even Liviana and the rest of the Panache clan.
It was an enjoyable, rather quick read, and I would recommend it to people who enjoy dystopian stories with strong female leads. The chapter lengths were great. They had substance and depth but didn't drag on in any one place.
I think I connected more with Ari throughout most of the book. Her tale resonated with me perhaps because her story felt more genuine than Starla's fall from power and comfort. Ari's hardships and losses elicited a strong emotional response in multiple places. Starla was still an interesting character, and I enjoyed her growth. The two characters, however different, were a good pair. Their conversations came off real.
Usually, I would like a lot of world-building and information in a dystopian setting, but I think the amount of information given throughout most of the book was just right. There was a lot we could have known or learned, but we didn't have to in order to enjoy the moment we were in.
There was a particular turn I thought the book was going take - how Ari and Starla might be connected - and I'm really glad it didn't go that way. It would have been way too easy of a coincidence.
It was an overall solid read, but I felt it started to unravel just a little bit toward the end. I think it's because the storyline seemed to be moving at a faster pace than it had been. It was as though it was trying a smidge too hard to get to the finish. There were opportunities to expand the story even further and draw it out some, and I would have liked to learn more of the Wasteland at this point.
There is the potential of a sequel, I feel, or at least another story in the same universe that could come out of this. I'd love to read it if it happens. There is still a lot to discover about Alice, Ari, Starla, the Wasteland, and even Liviana and the rest of the Panache clan.
September 30, 2020
A Girl called Ari
By P.J Sky
To begin with this book is not , and never intends to be the hi-tech sci-fi extravaganza that the dystopian post-apocolyptic tag might suggest. The ‘City’, the walled bastion of privilege and exclusivity, with its totalitarian rules, where the story begins, is mainly symbolic. In my reading, P.J. Sky`s novel is essentially a story of a journey of survival and of a bonding between two very different characters, the two young women Starla and Ari.
Starla, spoilt and privileged, is the victim of a botched abduction attempt [one with political significance as her father is the powerful mayor of The City]. She finds herself abandoned in the grim inhospitable landscape of the `outside` and here meets the girl called Ari, very much an outsider, tough and wise in the ways of surviving in this desolate and unforgiving world. They begin their journey together to try to get back to The City, a journey which takes them through desert, through rocky wastes, through swamps and rainforest.
One of the many impressive things in the novel is the way that P.J. Sky develops the relationship between them, through layers of mistrust and wariness towards mutual dependence and trust. The journey is tough and the book captures very vividly the physical sensations and thought process that go with it. The evocation of the impersonal landscape is beautiful, and sometimes, mixed up with fragments of dream, it is almost like finding yourself wandering through the world of a surrealist painting.
The journey is an existential struggle at both an emotional and physical level, and the people the two girls meet during the journey force them to question their assumptions and values, and maybe to discover truths that have eluded those who created and maintain the City`s supposedly utopian codes and life-style.
An unforgettable read.
By P.J Sky
To begin with this book is not , and never intends to be the hi-tech sci-fi extravaganza that the dystopian post-apocolyptic tag might suggest. The ‘City’, the walled bastion of privilege and exclusivity, with its totalitarian rules, where the story begins, is mainly symbolic. In my reading, P.J. Sky`s novel is essentially a story of a journey of survival and of a bonding between two very different characters, the two young women Starla and Ari.
Starla, spoilt and privileged, is the victim of a botched abduction attempt [one with political significance as her father is the powerful mayor of The City]. She finds herself abandoned in the grim inhospitable landscape of the `outside` and here meets the girl called Ari, very much an outsider, tough and wise in the ways of surviving in this desolate and unforgiving world. They begin their journey together to try to get back to The City, a journey which takes them through desert, through rocky wastes, through swamps and rainforest.
One of the many impressive things in the novel is the way that P.J. Sky develops the relationship between them, through layers of mistrust and wariness towards mutual dependence and trust. The journey is tough and the book captures very vividly the physical sensations and thought process that go with it. The evocation of the impersonal landscape is beautiful, and sometimes, mixed up with fragments of dream, it is almost like finding yourself wandering through the world of a surrealist painting.
The journey is an existential struggle at both an emotional and physical level, and the people the two girls meet during the journey force them to question their assumptions and values, and maybe to discover truths that have eluded those who created and maintain the City`s supposedly utopian codes and life-style.
An unforgettable read.
April 4, 2021
Post Apocalyptic Adventure set in Oz
This story was so easy to read and very enjoyable. It was refreshing that it took place in Australia with the Oz vernacular flavouring the telling, as a kiwi I very much enjoyed this.
The story is told from the perspective of our two main protagonists Starla, a big deal city girl and Ari, a nobody waif trying to grind out a living in the wastelands. When Starla’s world comes crashing down a chance encounter with Ari sets them on a path that will change them both forever.
The tale is well written and flows so smoothly that the pages just turn themselves. The dialogue is really great and the relationship between Starla and Ari builds throughout from one of suspicion to reluctant trust and then friendship. The story is at times harsh but this growing relationship is heart-warming and carries the story as their adventures twist them this way and that, challenging their understanding of the world.
Refreshingly, this post-apocalyptic adventure has no ravenous zombies. The monsters in this tale are all human, with the odd (mutated?) Dingo thrown in the mix. I have no hesitation recommending this book to anyone that loves, wasteland/post-apocalyptic books. Book Two ‘Ari Goes To War’ is due out soon I believe.
This story was so easy to read and very enjoyable. It was refreshing that it took place in Australia with the Oz vernacular flavouring the telling, as a kiwi I very much enjoyed this.
The story is told from the perspective of our two main protagonists Starla, a big deal city girl and Ari, a nobody waif trying to grind out a living in the wastelands. When Starla’s world comes crashing down a chance encounter with Ari sets them on a path that will change them both forever.
The tale is well written and flows so smoothly that the pages just turn themselves. The dialogue is really great and the relationship between Starla and Ari builds throughout from one of suspicion to reluctant trust and then friendship. The story is at times harsh but this growing relationship is heart-warming and carries the story as their adventures twist them this way and that, challenging their understanding of the world.
Refreshingly, this post-apocalyptic adventure has no ravenous zombies. The monsters in this tale are all human, with the odd (mutated?) Dingo thrown in the mix. I have no hesitation recommending this book to anyone that loves, wasteland/post-apocalyptic books. Book Two ‘Ari Goes To War’ is due out soon I believe.
Read
May 10, 2021Summary
In a dystopian future world, there was a walled city called Alice. Everyone inside this city was very privileged, while the people outside in the Wastelands were struggling to survive each day. The mayor’s daughter, Starla, was one of the most privileged in the land. She was turning 18, but she was not satisfied about being locked behind the wall. She felt like a bird locked inside a cage, looking outwards. Starla wanted to be free.
Suddenly, she was kidnapped and landed into the Wastelands. She met Ari, a mysterious girl who used to live in Alice, but somehow ended up exiled in the Wastelands with her parents. Then, she was alone, toiling in the salt fields to survive. Seeing this as an opportunity to change her fate, Ari agreed to help Starla get back to the Walled City, if she could move back into it.
However, was Alice really the dream city that they want to go back to?
Conclusion
This story line was the background story that introduced the existence of Ari. Reading about Starla reminded me of how many of the privileged young people who didn’t understand the suffering of the poor in the world. They despised and looked down on others who had less than them, while craving for more.
In a dystopian future world, there was a walled city called Alice. Everyone inside this city was very privileged, while the people outside in the Wastelands were struggling to survive each day. The mayor’s daughter, Starla, was one of the most privileged in the land. She was turning 18, but she was not satisfied about being locked behind the wall. She felt like a bird locked inside a cage, looking outwards. Starla wanted to be free.
Suddenly, she was kidnapped and landed into the Wastelands. She met Ari, a mysterious girl who used to live in Alice, but somehow ended up exiled in the Wastelands with her parents. Then, she was alone, toiling in the salt fields to survive. Seeing this as an opportunity to change her fate, Ari agreed to help Starla get back to the Walled City, if she could move back into it.
However, was Alice really the dream city that they want to go back to?
Conclusion
This story line was the background story that introduced the existence of Ari. Reading about Starla reminded me of how many of the privileged young people who didn’t understand the suffering of the poor in the world. They despised and looked down on others who had less than them, while craving for more.
March 28, 2021
The story follows Starla. Daughter of the Mayor, she lives in comfort inside the city, with all her needs satisfied. When she receives a warning that she's in danger, she barely has a moment to gather her thoughts when she's kidnapped, and finds herself out in the wilderness and desolation on the other side of the wall. She knows nobody, has no shelter, no water, and no way of defending herself.
Luckily, she runs into Ari, a rough-around-the-edges young woman who has lived in the desert since she was evicted from the city as a child. As the pair face terrible dangers and difficult odds, they make their way back to the city, in the hope they'll be allowed to come home. But how did Starla wind up on the outside anyway? And can Ari cope with her complete lack of survival skills?
I enjoyed this story from PJ Sky. Although there was plenty of dystopian danger, I felt there was a good amount of time to get to know the characters and see what made them tick. But I couldn't help thinking that, if I was Ari, I'd have waited for Starla to fall asleep and just leave her.
Luckily, she runs into Ari, a rough-around-the-edges young woman who has lived in the desert since she was evicted from the city as a child. As the pair face terrible dangers and difficult odds, they make their way back to the city, in the hope they'll be allowed to come home. But how did Starla wind up on the outside anyway? And can Ari cope with her complete lack of survival skills?
I enjoyed this story from PJ Sky. Although there was plenty of dystopian danger, I felt there was a good amount of time to get to know the characters and see what made them tick. But I couldn't help thinking that, if I was Ari, I'd have waited for Starla to fall asleep and just leave her.
June 11, 2021
The city is a world within another world, secured by a wall going all the way around Nobody can get in from outside the city and if you leave you can never return.
What lies outside the city walls is anybody’s guess, scavengers, mutants? You’ll get the impression its not somewhere you’d want to be.
I’ll try to avoid too many spoilers but - just because you safely in the city doesn’t mean you’ve escaped danger!! Enemies may be closer than you think. Greed and desire for power will drive people to horrible lengths.
You don’t need cash in the city and it’s quite high tech. E.g. a phone implanted in your arm - none to worry about losing your phone or a low battery.
The ending was quite unexpected - I didn’t think Ari would make that decision, and aside from the main storyline, the book leaves you with a reminder of humanity in action, selflessly helping others that need it.
Spoiler: just a thought. Since Starla’s father said her mother was exiled out of the city with another man’s child - I did wonder whether Ari was/is her half sister??
What lies outside the city walls is anybody’s guess, scavengers, mutants? You’ll get the impression its not somewhere you’d want to be.
I’ll try to avoid too many spoilers but - just because you safely in the city doesn’t mean you’ve escaped danger!! Enemies may be closer than you think. Greed and desire for power will drive people to horrible lengths.
You don’t need cash in the city and it’s quite high tech. E.g. a phone implanted in your arm - none to worry about losing your phone or a low battery.
The ending was quite unexpected - I didn’t think Ari would make that decision, and aside from the main storyline, the book leaves you with a reminder of humanity in action, selflessly helping others that need it.
Spoiler: just a thought. Since Starla’s father said her mother was exiled out of the city with another man’s child - I did wonder whether Ari was/is her half sister??
February 15, 2022
The climate of the book, dialogs and different societies described in it were great, but the part that I loved the most about the novel was the way the two main characters (Starla and Ari) were written, how they developed in time and how they interacted with each other. They differed from each other and that made the narration style really great: seeing the story from two perspectives.
For the post-apocalyptic background and tough experiences that characters share, this is a very heart-warming story. While the action, twists and turns are found on nearly every page, there are many small things that gives readers additional emotional depth and makes characters more likable (things like Ari’s story from the childhood, working dog with no name, eyelashes or old man living under platform).
The ending was really good and just made both characters more real, showing beautifully what mattered to them most. I am looking to read part 2 (Ari Goes To War) soon!
For the post-apocalyptic background and tough experiences that characters share, this is a very heart-warming story. While the action, twists and turns are found on nearly every page, there are many small things that gives readers additional emotional depth and makes characters more likable (things like Ari’s story from the childhood, working dog with no name, eyelashes or old man living under platform).
The ending was really good and just made both characters more real, showing beautifully what mattered to them most. I am looking to read part 2 (Ari Goes To War) soon!
March 19, 2022
I liked this story — it kept me wanting to read. I know I'm not the target audience for this book, but I read a lot of teen and YA. I loved the pampered girl/gritty girl team of Starla and Ari, and their character arcs were great. I’d be interested in reading the next book to see what happens with Ari. I was surprised by the twist ending and not happy about it -- another reason I need to read the next book. Gotta find out what happens!
The reason I didn’t give this book more stars is something that bothers me but may not bother other readers: I kept coming across typos and comma splices and other mistakes, and sometimes the dialogue felt stilted and sentences were awkwardly worded. The POV as well as verb tense kept switching without any clear delineation, such as italicizing the character's inner thoughts. This head-hopping felt unnatural. I feel like this book could have used a really good editor.
The reason I didn’t give this book more stars is something that bothers me but may not bother other readers: I kept coming across typos and comma splices and other mistakes, and sometimes the dialogue felt stilted and sentences were awkwardly worded. The POV as well as verb tense kept switching without any clear delineation, such as italicizing the character's inner thoughts. This head-hopping felt unnatural. I feel like this book could have used a really good editor.
January 6, 2021
A Girl Called Ari by independent author P.J. Sky, is a post-apocalyptic tale of two women thrust together by fate.
The first is Starla, the daughter of the leader of the last bastion of civilization in the wastes. Lastly, we have Ari, left to fend for herself in the wastes as a child. Two women from radically different backgrounds embark on a journey that is marked by peril and death.
The story is mostly focused on the points of view of Ari and Starla, giving the reader a hint of their pasts along with thoughts that only the individual character knows. These alternating points of view work well, allowing the story to unfold at a good clip.
This book is a quick read filled with bite sized chapters to snack on. Readers will fall in love with Ari and encounter a satisfying ending that leaves plenty of opportunity to develop the world further.
The first is Starla, the daughter of the leader of the last bastion of civilization in the wastes. Lastly, we have Ari, left to fend for herself in the wastes as a child. Two women from radically different backgrounds embark on a journey that is marked by peril and death.
The story is mostly focused on the points of view of Ari and Starla, giving the reader a hint of their pasts along with thoughts that only the individual character knows. These alternating points of view work well, allowing the story to unfold at a good clip.
This book is a quick read filled with bite sized chapters to snack on. Readers will fall in love with Ari and encounter a satisfying ending that leaves plenty of opportunity to develop the world further.
May 11, 2020
A raw yet touching meeting of worlds.
Despite the title, the book is as much about Starla as it is about Ari. It was refreshing to read a story about two girls that doesn't revolve around a relationship with a boy. Together, the two of them face dangers both from within and without and struggle to come to understanding with each other. Ari is as cute as she is cool and I wonder if there's going to be a sequel? I'd like to know more about Ari's origins.
I'd like to thank the author for writing this story and choosing to share it with us.
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