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Drained
A Booklife Reviews editor's pick.
Can you trust your family? Can you trust your friends? Because you may just have to choose.
New York City, 2048. Superstorms, and the politics of privilege, have left downtown Manhattan in tatters with electricity rationed, neighborhoods condemned, and hope destroyed. When high school senior Casey Parker and her best friend Jennifer are ripped from their comfortable, prep school lives, the pair find themselves in the dangerous world of the Resistance. With family on both sides of the conflict, there's no way out for Casey but a dangerous gamble: allowing herself to be captured by the enemy in order to learn their secrets. Failure could mean the lives of her family; success could mean the lives of her friends…
"A great escape for anyone who loves a dynamic young hero fighting a corrupt government. Great for fans of: Tehlor Kay Mejia’s We Set the Dark on Fire, Axie Oh’s Rebel Soul."
—Booklife Reviews (editor's pick)
“Indelible characters populate a diverting, near-future tale of combating oppression.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Marc Daniel Acriche is deftly cinematic in his storytelling. He doesn’t just build a vivid world, he inhabits the world with convincing, dynamic characters.”
—Laura Jean Hocking, filmmaker
Can you trust your family? Can you trust your friends? Because you may just have to choose.
New York City, 2048. Superstorms, and the politics of privilege, have left downtown Manhattan in tatters with electricity rationed, neighborhoods condemned, and hope destroyed. When high school senior Casey Parker and her best friend Jennifer are ripped from their comfortable, prep school lives, the pair find themselves in the dangerous world of the Resistance. With family on both sides of the conflict, there's no way out for Casey but a dangerous gamble: allowing herself to be captured by the enemy in order to learn their secrets. Failure could mean the lives of her family; success could mean the lives of her friends…
"A great escape for anyone who loves a dynamic young hero fighting a corrupt government. Great for fans of: Tehlor Kay Mejia’s We Set the Dark on Fire, Axie Oh’s Rebel Soul."
—Booklife Reviews (editor's pick)
“Indelible characters populate a diverting, near-future tale of combating oppression.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Marc Daniel Acriche is deftly cinematic in his storytelling. He doesn’t just build a vivid world, he inhabits the world with convincing, dynamic characters.”
—Laura Jean Hocking, filmmaker
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2021
2 people are currently reading
4259 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 19, 2021
Rating: 5/5 stars.
“Drained” is a young adult science fiction novel by author Marc Daniel Acriche. The author sets the bar really high for themselves with this incredible debut dystopic thriller. I was hooked right from the start and could not put the book down until I was finished. The plot is action-packed and very fast-paced. The main character is very likeable, and her day-to-day problems are relatable, especially for teenage girls.
The author masterfully creates a dystopic landscape based in a futuristic New York City. My only gripe was that there was not much back story as to what exactly had happened that lead to the world being the way it is in the novel, just some hints. I really hope that the author continues with a follow-up book, that further fleshes out the history of the ICP, the main villainous organization. I want to know more about their corruption, and see the characters continue to battle for what is right. There is some swearing and mature content, and actually was quite scary at times, so is definitely aimed at a middle to late young adult audience and up.
I loved this book and I highly recommend it to teenage and adult audiences, especially fans of fast-paced dystopic fiction. I cannot wait for more books from this author!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*
“Drained” is a young adult science fiction novel by author Marc Daniel Acriche. The author sets the bar really high for themselves with this incredible debut dystopic thriller. I was hooked right from the start and could not put the book down until I was finished. The plot is action-packed and very fast-paced. The main character is very likeable, and her day-to-day problems are relatable, especially for teenage girls.
The author masterfully creates a dystopic landscape based in a futuristic New York City. My only gripe was that there was not much back story as to what exactly had happened that lead to the world being the way it is in the novel, just some hints. I really hope that the author continues with a follow-up book, that further fleshes out the history of the ICP, the main villainous organization. I want to know more about their corruption, and see the characters continue to battle for what is right. There is some swearing and mature content, and actually was quite scary at times, so is definitely aimed at a middle to late young adult audience and up.
I loved this book and I highly recommend it to teenage and adult audiences, especially fans of fast-paced dystopic fiction. I cannot wait for more books from this author!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*
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July 1, 2021I don't feel comfortable leaving a star reivew for this book. It has so few reviews and I don't want to tank it.
That being said, I recieved a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchnge for an honest review.
And I'm not even going to leave a review. I didn't like the book. I felt it had a lot of potential but it never did anything. It used a few convenient moments to resolve issues.
What I do want to 'review' is the use of strong language. This book probably has the highst f-bomb count in any YA book I've ever read.
Here is a breakdown (to the best of my ability, I’m sure I might have missed something here or there):
F-word (122 - first appearance on page 1)
d*uche (1 - first appearance at 2%)
sh*t (58 - first appearance at 2%)
a$$ (14 - first appearance at 6%)
h*ll (12 - first appearance at 6%)
d*mn (7 - first appearance at 15%)
d*ck (2 - first appearance at 16%)
b*stard (1 - first appearance at 22%)
pr*ck (2 - first appearance at 29%)
b*tch (1 - first appearance at 87%)
p*ss (1 - first appearance at 98%)
Goodreads says the book is only 295 pages, so it's a lot happening from the start. If you're not a fan of the f-bomb, probably give this one a pass. The use of strong language is too much and it honestly takes away from the moments when it was used in a realistic way.
Anyway. I think a few critical beta readers and a few scenes added in would have really benefitted the overall story.
That being said, I recieved a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchnge for an honest review.
And I'm not even going to leave a review. I didn't like the book. I felt it had a lot of potential but it never did anything. It used a few convenient moments to resolve issues.
What I do want to 'review' is the use of strong language. This book probably has the highst f-bomb count in any YA book I've ever read.
Here is a breakdown (to the best of my ability, I’m sure I might have missed something here or there):
F-word (122 - first appearance on page 1)
d*uche (1 - first appearance at 2%)
sh*t (58 - first appearance at 2%)
a$$ (14 - first appearance at 6%)
h*ll (12 - first appearance at 6%)
d*mn (7 - first appearance at 15%)
d*ck (2 - first appearance at 16%)
b*stard (1 - first appearance at 22%)
pr*ck (2 - first appearance at 29%)
b*tch (1 - first appearance at 87%)
p*ss (1 - first appearance at 98%)
Goodreads says the book is only 295 pages, so it's a lot happening from the start. If you're not a fan of the f-bomb, probably give this one a pass. The use of strong language is too much and it honestly takes away from the moments when it was used in a realistic way.
Anyway. I think a few critical beta readers and a few scenes added in would have really benefitted the overall story.
January 23, 2022
I really wanted to like this. Really. But I just didn't.
The premise, superficially, sounds amazing. If you like end-of-world, dystopian novels set in "present day," this sounds amazing, even if YA-ish. And because it's YA, I know I need to set aside my 40-year old perspective to try to get into these stories. Done and done.
And yet...here I am, utterly disappointed at this novel. Two stars because I managed to finish it without dragging it out for a month, but two still feels rather generous.
*****Spoilers Below******
The premise, superficially, sounds amazing. If you like end-of-world, dystopian novels set in "present day," this sounds amazing, even if YA-ish. And because it's YA, I know I need to set aside my 40-year old perspective to try to get into these stories. Done and done.
And yet...here I am, utterly disappointed at this novel. Two stars because I managed to finish it without dragging it out for a month, but two still feels rather generous.
*****Spoilers Below******
November 23, 2021
I read Drained as part of a judging team for the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition. And it has a pretty nice setup, with some solid characterization and a shadowy government organization that is possibly kidnapping teenagers. The prose tend to be to-the-point, with short sentences to move the plot quickly, and I would’ve liked a little more variation, but it was smooth and professional.
Sadly, the farther I went, the less I liked it. And I want to be clear, this is on me as a reader as much as it is the book itself. I don’t like thrillers, and I often find action scenes boring. And Drained unfolds into a pretty straightforward dystopian YA thriller.
If you like that sort of thing, you have smooth writing and a fast-paced plot that will let you whip through the nearly 300 pages like it was nothing. But if that isn’t your thing, Drained doesn’t bring that extra something to sell you. The plot is predictable, with the success or failure of each scheme easily determined in advance. And the spaces between action scenes, where we meet side characters and spend a little time getting to know them, just don’t have adequate space to breathe. We get to know the main character pretty well and have a general sense of a couple peripheral characters, but there are so many that run together that it’s hard to really get the emotional investment that would make the big finish click. And there’s one secondary point that did actually have me curious and never got resolved amidst all the chaos at the finish.
If this book had been in a subgenre that I like more, or if I’d had a chance to better attach to the secondary characters, I think I would’ve responded differently. But as it is, it didn’t really work for me.
First impression: 10/20. Full review and SPSFC official score to come at www.tarvolon.com
Sadly, the farther I went, the less I liked it. And I want to be clear, this is on me as a reader as much as it is the book itself. I don’t like thrillers, and I often find action scenes boring. And Drained unfolds into a pretty straightforward dystopian YA thriller.
If you like that sort of thing, you have smooth writing and a fast-paced plot that will let you whip through the nearly 300 pages like it was nothing. But if that isn’t your thing, Drained doesn’t bring that extra something to sell you. The plot is predictable, with the success or failure of each scheme easily determined in advance. And the spaces between action scenes, where we meet side characters and spend a little time getting to know them, just don’t have adequate space to breathe. We get to know the main character pretty well and have a general sense of a couple peripheral characters, but there are so many that run together that it’s hard to really get the emotional investment that would make the big finish click. And there’s one secondary point that did actually have me curious and never got resolved amidst all the chaos at the finish.
If this book had been in a subgenre that I like more, or if I’d had a chance to better attach to the secondary characters, I think I would’ve responded differently. But as it is, it didn’t really work for me.
First impression: 10/20. Full review and SPSFC official score to come at www.tarvolon.com
June 24, 2021
If I had read this book about 20 years ago, I probably would have given it 5 stars. It's a solid book with likable characters and a plot that is easy to understand. It was entertaining.
The issues I have with the book are this...
1) There's no science or rationale supplied for how people could be brainwashed by a chip implanted in their brains. There is a brief mention of the hippocampus, but no hard science or even speculation about how it all really works. It's really hard to write sci-fi these days without a valid basis in real science. If you are someone who is not overly caring about hard science, and perhaps you are young, you will probably like this story. Or even love it.
2) There is supposedly a war that these recruits are being trained for, but you never see it or are told much about it. The world feels very small because of this. It also means the stakes for the characters don't feel very high.
3) Although the characters were likable and the plot okay, I didn't really FEEL anything for the characters. There were no bits of writing that made me actually feel sympathy for the characters or worried that they might fail. I felt safe throughout the entire reading. I knew that no matter what, everything would work out and I certainly wouldn't be crying about anything.
The issues I have with the book are this...
1) There's no science or rationale supplied for how people could be brainwashed by a chip implanted in their brains. There is a brief mention of the hippocampus, but no hard science or even speculation about how it all really works. It's really hard to write sci-fi these days without a valid basis in real science. If you are someone who is not overly caring about hard science, and perhaps you are young, you will probably like this story. Or even love it.
2) There is supposedly a war that these recruits are being trained for, but you never see it or are told much about it. The world feels very small because of this. It also means the stakes for the characters don't feel very high.
3) Although the characters were likable and the plot okay, I didn't really FEEL anything for the characters. There were no bits of writing that made me actually feel sympathy for the characters or worried that they might fail. I felt safe throughout the entire reading. I knew that no matter what, everything would work out and I certainly wouldn't be crying about anything.
July 4, 2021
As a fan of dystopian novels I really wanted to like this book. I liked the idea of kids going missing and being brainwashed by an evil corporation. I liked the idea of being drafted in to fight a war. I liked the idea of the haves verse the have-nots and I liked the idea of spies and infiltrators.
But the book was very middle of the road.
Although the main protagonist was going through all of these struggles I never felt that there was a bigger picture going on. There was never any real threat other than the loss of personality which, for some of the characters, didn't seem too bad.
Even when we get to know about Casey's father and his role in things there was never any real emotion to it. I just couldn't connect to her.
I felt more drawn to her friend Jennifer because she had real stakes against her governmental father.
It was an okay story but, to be honest, it was almost immediately forgettable in the confines of the genre.
But the book was very middle of the road.
Although the main protagonist was going through all of these struggles I never felt that there was a bigger picture going on. There was never any real threat other than the loss of personality which, for some of the characters, didn't seem too bad.
Even when we get to know about Casey's father and his role in things there was never any real emotion to it. I just couldn't connect to her.
I felt more drawn to her friend Jennifer because she had real stakes against her governmental father.
It was an okay story but, to be honest, it was almost immediately forgettable in the confines of the genre.
August 30, 2023
I wanted to like this book because I think the plot had a chance; however, I struggled to read it and to get through it. I feel like a bunch of characters were introduced all at once, and even by the end I still felt like I didn’t really know who was who. The writing was hard to read as well, it felt almost too juvenile or basic. It also felt quite rushed and the story was a little blurry, I never really knew quite what was going on. All in all I think the book was alright, but a few things could have improved.
August 28, 2021
DRAINED is set in a near-future dystopian NYC, where climate changed has wrecked the economy along with parts of the city. Casey, the central character, sets out to help a friend whose boyfriend has disappeared, and stumbles on a Resistance that’s trying to fight off neglect and abuses of power. What I liked most about this book is that the plot took several turns that I didn’t expect. NYC is also vividly drawn.
September 12, 2021
I won this book on Goodreads and I can honestly say I’m so happy I did. I don’t think I would have read it otherwise.
It’s a frightening story of what the future may bring us. Brainwashing doesn’t seem too improbable in our future with the way things are happening these days.
I recommend this book. It’s a quick read.
It’s a frightening story of what the future may bring us. Brainwashing doesn’t seem too improbable in our future with the way things are happening these days.
I recommend this book. It’s a quick read.
October 3, 2021
I was intrigued by this book. It kept moving but never felt rushed. I was confused for the first few chapters with the lack of background but not so much that I was discouraged from continuing. I think the love story piece was a little extra, but otherwise liked the book. I won a copy in through a Goodreads giveaway.
July 24, 2021
Great story! Very well-written. The characters are well-developed and believable. A frightening story, set in the future, of officials controlling the population, and citizens who resist.
January 5, 2022
Received this book from a giveaway. This book was well-written in terms of plot and action scenes, but it really wasn’t for me. I thought the storyline was pretty predictable.
January 17, 2022
Lesbian focused
Did not like bad language and explicit lesbian theme that started half way through with no warning. Started out interesting but deteriorated
Did not like bad language and explicit lesbian theme that started half way through with no warning. Started out interesting but deteriorated
February 21, 2023
Really good read inside the mind of a person who has many obstacles to deal with while helping others
July 31, 2021
This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Very captivating with amazing character development. A post apocalyptic world where a woman doesn’t know who she can believe, who she can trust. She is thrust into unthinkable situations to save the future. Think a mix of hunger games and maze runner. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews