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XVI #1
XVI
Every girl gets one.
An XVI tattoo on the wrist--sixteen.
Some girls can't wait to be sixteen, to be legal. Nina is not one of them. Even though she has no choice in the matter, she knows that so long as her life continues as normal, everything will be okay.
Then, with one brutal strike, Nina's normal is shattered; and she discovers that nothing that she believed about her life is true. But there's one boy who can help--and he just may hold the key to her past.
But with the line between attraction and danger as thin as a whisper, one thing is for sure...
For Nina, turning sixteen promises to be anything but sweet
An XVI tattoo on the wrist--sixteen.
Some girls can't wait to be sixteen, to be legal. Nina is not one of them. Even though she has no choice in the matter, she knows that so long as her life continues as normal, everything will be okay.
Then, with one brutal strike, Nina's normal is shattered; and she discovers that nothing that she believed about her life is true. But there's one boy who can help--and he just may hold the key to her past.
But with the line between attraction and danger as thin as a whisper, one thing is for sure...
For Nina, turning sixteen promises to be anything but sweet
325 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2011
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17712 people want to read
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June 5, 2011
Oh boy. Where do I even begin with this?
This book was honestly a chore to get through. The writing was nothing special and at times even clunky. At first the world was explained by having characters explain certain parts of their world to each other, otherwise known as the “As you know...” method. It was never introduced naturally; it was all the characters talking about it as if they had just arrived in a new country, instead of having lived in this environment their entire lives. I probably could have put up with this as it does stop after the first thirty or so pages, but there was a whole lotta other stuff in the book that quite frankly pissed me off.
If you’re going to do a novel about sexuality and specifically the media’s influence on female sexuality, you should maybe try to avoid slut shaming while you do so. The main character, Nina, has a best friend, Sandy. Sandy is constantly derided and looked down on by Nina, because she’s a “walking sex-teen advert” because she dresses in “revealing clothing,” and seems to think about nothing but sex and flirting and guys. At one point Nina’s grandmother even says with the way she dresses, Sandy doesn’t even look like a virgin. When Sandy rightfully objects to this bullshit, Nina’s grandmother says, “It’s just that dressing that way makes the boys think you don’t want to be [a virgin.]”
Excuse me while I scream with rage.
It wouldn’t be bad if it were just Nina’s grandmother who thinks this, but Nina herself does, too. Sandy is at times vilified and pitied because she’s become “brainwashed” by the media to act a certain way. Which would have been fine if at any point we were shown that Sandy doesn’t really like dressing in that particular way, or really flirting with boys, but she does it because she feels it’s expected of her in the society she lives in. But no, every scene Sandy is in, this is never addressed. For all intents and purposes, she’s happy with who she is at the moment and she’s ready to go make something else of her life.
Oh, and then she gets raped and murdered by Nina’s Mother’s boyfriend. Because what YA really needs is more reinforcement of the “in control of her sexuality and proud of it and then she dies” trope.
I probably should have realized how the rest of the novel would go once I saw how the text supported characters slut shaming Sandy and vilified her at the same time. But I stuck with it because I thought, well hey, maybe Karr is setting this up to deconstruct the hell out of it, or subverse the stereotypes and ideas surrounding female sexuality.
I should know better by now.
In contrast to Sandy, Nina is actively fearful of sex and turning sixteen, when it means she becomes fair game. The reasons for her fear of sex are because at some point her mother’s boyfriend forced her to watch some pornographic videos of sixteen year old girls, and though it’s never described, the acts done in the video are horrible enough to give her an intense fear of sex. This might have been more interesting if Nina were, say, asexual in a society that constantly tells her she should be overtly sexual (gee, just like the one we’re living in now!) but nope. And as soon as Sal, Nina’s love interest, arrives on the scene, she starts getting those tingly feelings all over. Then she decides that, yes, she would like sex some day, but not just now!
So remember ladies, if you’re uninterested in sex, just wait for that Magical Cock to show up and you’ll change your mind. I’m sure it was meant to be an empowering, defining moment for Nina--accepting that one day she’ll have sex, and it’s okay, but she’s not ready just yet--but instead I just threw the book across the room. Nina is virginal and pure, she gets to live. Sandy was a whore and got raped and killed.
These are just some of the offensive stereotypes and harmful ideas that XVI reinforces and supports. There was also a casual throwaway line that supported the idea that rapes only happen in dark alleys at night with strangers, but that was never really expanded on. For which I’m grateful, to be frank.
Oh, and Sal, the love interest, was a stalker. In the beginning he just kept turning up coincidentally in the exact same places Nina was, and then after not even knowing her for a day, gets her phone number from her friends and is shown where Nina lives. Because that’s totally a-okay and a good idea. Honestly I felt nothing when it came to Sal and Nina’s relationship; they had very little time together before they began snogging, and I wondered what they saw in each other. We weren’t really shown any reason why these two are attracted to each other, or how they’d be good for each other. If there really is going to be another book in this series, I wish Karr had taken longer to develop their relationship.
Nina herself was too stupid to live. Even though she knows Ed, her mother’s boyfriend, is following her and she gets kidnapped several times, she constantly turns down offers of protection from her friends and walks out on her own. At one point she even leaves Dee, her little sister, who Ed is after, alone in the house while she goes out to spend some quality time with Sal. Because leaving your little sister alone in the house that’s been easily broken into before while her father is actively looking to kidnap her is such a good idea. And then when Nina thinks Dee’s been kidnapped because she’s no longer in the house, she blames herself--or, more specifically, her sexuality. She thinks “if only I hadn’t been a typical sex-teen and gone out with Sal, this never would have happened!” Because we totally need more reinforcement of the idea that a young woman being sexual leads to bad things, don’t we? Dee wasn’t actually kidnapped but Nina continues to blame her sexuality, and we’re given no indication that we should think otherwise.
The world building was shoddy at times, and this may be a little thing to get upset over, but calling cars “trannies/trans”? Really? Does anyone really think it’s a good idea to use modern day slurs against a marginalized group of people as slang for vehicles in the future? I never felt like it was a dystopia--everything regarding sexuality, especially rape, are the views that are being held up in today’s time. In Nina’s world, if a girl gets raped, no one in the Government cares, and they actively say it’s her own fault. Yeah, this is something called “rape culture”, and we’re living in it right now. Because of this it felt more contemporary than it did future dystopia.
I didn’t really care about any of the characters, though the one I liked the most was probably Wei. I sort of wish she could have been the main character instead of Nina; she was far less of an asshole and actually a much more noble person than Nina. But if any of the characters had died I probably wouldn’t have bat an eye. The villain was laughable and one dimensional, and I never felt threatened by him, mostly because Nina herself never seemed to take his threats seriously either.
I was not a fan of XVI, as one can probably tell. For a novel that focuses so much on sexuality and, specifically, the media’s influence on female sexuality, it reinforced and upheld far too many offensive ideas for me to have enjoyed. I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone unless they’re looking to get infuriated for a day or two.
This book was honestly a chore to get through. The writing was nothing special and at times even clunky. At first the world was explained by having characters explain certain parts of their world to each other, otherwise known as the “As you know...” method. It was never introduced naturally; it was all the characters talking about it as if they had just arrived in a new country, instead of having lived in this environment their entire lives. I probably could have put up with this as it does stop after the first thirty or so pages, but there was a whole lotta other stuff in the book that quite frankly pissed me off.
If you’re going to do a novel about sexuality and specifically the media’s influence on female sexuality, you should maybe try to avoid slut shaming while you do so. The main character, Nina, has a best friend, Sandy. Sandy is constantly derided and looked down on by Nina, because she’s a “walking sex-teen advert” because she dresses in “revealing clothing,” and seems to think about nothing but sex and flirting and guys. At one point Nina’s grandmother even says with the way she dresses, Sandy doesn’t even look like a virgin. When Sandy rightfully objects to this bullshit, Nina’s grandmother says, “It’s just that dressing that way makes the boys think you don’t want to be [a virgin.]”
Excuse me while I scream with rage.
It wouldn’t be bad if it were just Nina’s grandmother who thinks this, but Nina herself does, too. Sandy is at times vilified and pitied because she’s become “brainwashed” by the media to act a certain way. Which would have been fine if at any point we were shown that Sandy doesn’t really like dressing in that particular way, or really flirting with boys, but she does it because she feels it’s expected of her in the society she lives in. But no, every scene Sandy is in, this is never addressed. For all intents and purposes, she’s happy with who she is at the moment and she’s ready to go make something else of her life.
Oh, and then she gets raped and murdered by Nina’s Mother’s boyfriend. Because what YA really needs is more reinforcement of the “in control of her sexuality and proud of it and then she dies” trope.
I probably should have realized how the rest of the novel would go once I saw how the text supported characters slut shaming Sandy and vilified her at the same time. But I stuck with it because I thought, well hey, maybe Karr is setting this up to deconstruct the hell out of it, or subverse the stereotypes and ideas surrounding female sexuality.
I should know better by now.
In contrast to Sandy, Nina is actively fearful of sex and turning sixteen, when it means she becomes fair game. The reasons for her fear of sex are because at some point her mother’s boyfriend forced her to watch some pornographic videos of sixteen year old girls, and though it’s never described, the acts done in the video are horrible enough to give her an intense fear of sex. This might have been more interesting if Nina were, say, asexual in a society that constantly tells her she should be overtly sexual (gee, just like the one we’re living in now!) but nope. And as soon as Sal, Nina’s love interest, arrives on the scene, she starts getting those tingly feelings all over. Then she decides that, yes, she would like sex some day, but not just now!
So remember ladies, if you’re uninterested in sex, just wait for that Magical Cock to show up and you’ll change your mind. I’m sure it was meant to be an empowering, defining moment for Nina--accepting that one day she’ll have sex, and it’s okay, but she’s not ready just yet--but instead I just threw the book across the room. Nina is virginal and pure, she gets to live. Sandy was a whore and got raped and killed.
These are just some of the offensive stereotypes and harmful ideas that XVI reinforces and supports. There was also a casual throwaway line that supported the idea that rapes only happen in dark alleys at night with strangers, but that was never really expanded on. For which I’m grateful, to be frank.
Oh, and Sal, the love interest, was a stalker. In the beginning he just kept turning up coincidentally in the exact same places Nina was, and then after not even knowing her for a day, gets her phone number from her friends and is shown where Nina lives. Because that’s totally a-okay and a good idea. Honestly I felt nothing when it came to Sal and Nina’s relationship; they had very little time together before they began snogging, and I wondered what they saw in each other. We weren’t really shown any reason why these two are attracted to each other, or how they’d be good for each other. If there really is going to be another book in this series, I wish Karr had taken longer to develop their relationship.
Nina herself was too stupid to live. Even though she knows Ed, her mother’s boyfriend, is following her and she gets kidnapped several times, she constantly turns down offers of protection from her friends and walks out on her own. At one point she even leaves Dee, her little sister, who Ed is after, alone in the house while she goes out to spend some quality time with Sal. Because leaving your little sister alone in the house that’s been easily broken into before while her father is actively looking to kidnap her is such a good idea. And then when Nina thinks Dee’s been kidnapped because she’s no longer in the house, she blames herself--or, more specifically, her sexuality. She thinks “if only I hadn’t been a typical sex-teen and gone out with Sal, this never would have happened!” Because we totally need more reinforcement of the idea that a young woman being sexual leads to bad things, don’t we? Dee wasn’t actually kidnapped but Nina continues to blame her sexuality, and we’re given no indication that we should think otherwise.
The world building was shoddy at times, and this may be a little thing to get upset over, but calling cars “trannies/trans”? Really? Does anyone really think it’s a good idea to use modern day slurs against a marginalized group of people as slang for vehicles in the future? I never felt like it was a dystopia--everything regarding sexuality, especially rape, are the views that are being held up in today’s time. In Nina’s world, if a girl gets raped, no one in the Government cares, and they actively say it’s her own fault. Yeah, this is something called “rape culture”, and we’re living in it right now. Because of this it felt more contemporary than it did future dystopia.
I didn’t really care about any of the characters, though the one I liked the most was probably Wei. I sort of wish she could have been the main character instead of Nina; she was far less of an asshole and actually a much more noble person than Nina. But if any of the characters had died I probably wouldn’t have bat an eye. The villain was laughable and one dimensional, and I never felt threatened by him, mostly because Nina herself never seemed to take his threats seriously either.
I was not a fan of XVI, as one can probably tell. For a novel that focuses so much on sexuality and, specifically, the media’s influence on female sexuality, it reinforced and upheld far too many offensive ideas for me to have enjoyed. I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to anyone unless they’re looking to get infuriated for a day or two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2011
I hate giving a book with such a great idea only one star, but honestly, aside from the idea, there wasn’t a single aspect of the book I liked – it was executed very badly, and the plot was overdramatic and clichéd.
For one thing, there just weren’t enough explanations for the reader to really understand the world Nina lived in – we never find out how it was possible for society to change so drastically. The reader got plenty of information and explanations about minor things like how they don’t eat meat anymore in the future, but nothing about how it’s possible that society moved backwards so much that people are classified in “tiers” and women have basically no rights.
I was also annoyed by the characters and their relationships. Nina was not a relatable character whatsoever – her emotions switched from sad about her mom’s death to happy to worried to in love with Sal to sad because of Sal way too quickly without any sort of explanation.
Sandy seemed too superficial and selfish – when Nina’s mom died and Nina had to move in with her grandparents, she only thought about herself and how she won’t have a friend living close by anymore. I didn’t understand why Nina would be friends with her, they were just too different. The only explanation about their friendship is that they became friends because they both like animals, which, honestly, is ridiculous.
Nina’s relationship with her mom seemed to perfect – she told her mom everything, which I don’t think is realistic. I didn’t like Dee or her relationship with Nina, either – she was 11 but usually acted like she was 5. The relationship between Nina's grandparents was supposed to be funny, but it was trying to hard and just got annoying.
The dialogue seemed fake; they switched topics way too often, which made it all kind of random, and all the characters, in my opinion, were too open and always said whatever they were thinking. That would be fine if it were used as characterization for one or two characters, but each of her friends spoke like that.
The different storylines were all over the place. Nina’s obsession with Ed and Dee was overdone (I thought that if I had to hear “Cinderella girl” one more time, I’d have to scream), while the plot of finding her father, which I thought would have been much more interesting, wasn’t elaborated on until the very end.
I don’t know whether there will be a sequel for this book, and if there will, I can’t criticize this, but I had the feeling the plot didn’t really pick up until the end. I thought the book would be more about Nina turning sixteen and having to deal with what that entailed in her society, but she didn’t turn sixteen until the last chapter. The ending didn't offer any solutions, but (again), if there will be a sequel, I can't really criticize that.
This novel had great potential but was executed very badly. I did not like the writing and never cared about the characters, and most aspects of the story were lacking. I would not recommend this book, but since it has gotten mainly good reviews, maybe it just didn’t connect with me personally.
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
For one thing, there just weren’t enough explanations for the reader to really understand the world Nina lived in – we never find out how it was possible for society to change so drastically. The reader got plenty of information and explanations about minor things like how they don’t eat meat anymore in the future, but nothing about how it’s possible that society moved backwards so much that people are classified in “tiers” and women have basically no rights.
I was also annoyed by the characters and their relationships. Nina was not a relatable character whatsoever – her emotions switched from sad about her mom’s death to happy to worried to in love with Sal to sad because of Sal way too quickly without any sort of explanation.
Sandy seemed too superficial and selfish – when Nina’s mom died and Nina had to move in with her grandparents, she only thought about herself and how she won’t have a friend living close by anymore. I didn’t understand why Nina would be friends with her, they were just too different. The only explanation about their friendship is that they became friends because they both like animals, which, honestly, is ridiculous.
Nina’s relationship with her mom seemed to perfect – she told her mom everything, which I don’t think is realistic. I didn’t like Dee or her relationship with Nina, either – she was 11 but usually acted like she was 5. The relationship between Nina's grandparents was supposed to be funny, but it was trying to hard and just got annoying.
The dialogue seemed fake; they switched topics way too often, which made it all kind of random, and all the characters, in my opinion, were too open and always said whatever they were thinking. That would be fine if it were used as characterization for one or two characters, but each of her friends spoke like that.
The different storylines were all over the place. Nina’s obsession with Ed and Dee was overdone (I thought that if I had to hear “Cinderella girl” one more time, I’d have to scream), while the plot of finding her father, which I thought would have been much more interesting, wasn’t elaborated on until the very end.
I don’t know whether there will be a sequel for this book, and if there will, I can’t criticize this, but I had the feeling the plot didn’t really pick up until the end. I thought the book would be more about Nina turning sixteen and having to deal with what that entailed in her society, but she didn’t turn sixteen until the last chapter. The ending didn't offer any solutions, but (again), if there will be a sequel, I can't really criticize that.
This novel had great potential but was executed very badly. I did not like the writing and never cared about the characters, and most aspects of the story were lacking. I would not recommend this book, but since it has gotten mainly good reviews, maybe it just didn’t connect with me personally.
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
July 9, 2012
I was hoping for an explicitly feminist young adult dystopia here, maybe an updated The Handmaid's Tale for the younger crowd. Something empowering, that assured teen girls that yes, sexuality is sometimes complicated, and exploring it is okay if you want to, and waiting is just fine too. Instead, what I got was some wishy-washy future-lite with a trite love story thrown in. Ugh.
Can I just say? I am so fucking sick of love triangles. Or complex polygons, as might be more appropriate here. Maybe I'm getting too old for silly high school drama. I did appreciate the absence of a "love at first sight" storyline. It does, however, feature the "love interest is a creepy stalker (but his dedication is endearing!)" trope.
So anyway, in Julia Karr's dystopian vision, all girls are tattooed with the Roman numerals "XVI" on their wrists upon reaching the age of sixteen. This lets any leering men nearby know they're fair game for sex and violence and whatever other recreational perviness they can imagine. The government and media advertise this as a rite-of-passage all girls should aspire to, and lots of girls embrace being "sex-teens". But not our protagonist, Nina, because she is an innocent, virginal girl we should all emulate! Excuse me while I gag on all the self-righteousness.
Of course, since this is a dystopia, the government and media are responsible for lots of other vaguely sinister things, but I honestly feel like "dystopia" should be in scare quotes because the world-building is so lazy. Cliches abound. Surveillance everywhere? Check. Hovercars? Check. Future-slang and unnecessary acronyms? Check, check. High-tech communication gadgets that sound exactly like cell phones? Check. (Seriously, this was written last year -- you can't even extrapolate from modern technology?) Other than a few such futuristic acoutrements, we're given no information on how society has changed in the intervening decades between the present day and the 2170s, when this novel is supposed to be set. One could almost guess this was a contemporary novel. The rape culture represented here is certainly very similar to what women today live with.
Which brings me to my biggest issue with this book. For what is apparently supposed to be a feminist novel, there is a ridiculous amount of slut-shaming here. Every interaction Nina has with her best friend, Sandy, is a classic example of the virgin-whore dichotomy at work. What's more, the author seems completely oblivious to this. I'll spoiler-alert this, but it should come as no surprise to people who are familiar with how sexual female characters are portrayed in mainstream entertainment:
I wish these awful stereotypes and terrible messages to send to teenage girls could have been at least partially offset by good writing, but that is sadly not the case. The first third of the book largely consists of clunky infodumps in the form of "As you know..." dialogue, the foreshadowing is over-the-top obvious, and all the twists can be seen coming from a mile away. The characters are all pretty one-dimensional and I'm shocked the villain didn't have a mustache to twirl, because he was a walking cliche in every other way. The whole thing was just extremely heavy-handed stylistically.
You know what? This started off as a two-star review, because I really liked the concept and it was a quick, easy read, but now I'm pissed. One star. Goddamnit.
Can I just say? I am so fucking sick of love triangles. Or complex polygons, as might be more appropriate here. Maybe I'm getting too old for silly high school drama. I did appreciate the absence of a "love at first sight" storyline. It does, however, feature the "love interest is a creepy stalker (but his dedication is endearing!)" trope.
So anyway, in Julia Karr's dystopian vision, all girls are tattooed with the Roman numerals "XVI" on their wrists upon reaching the age of sixteen. This lets any leering men nearby know they're fair game for sex and violence and whatever other recreational perviness they can imagine. The government and media advertise this as a rite-of-passage all girls should aspire to, and lots of girls embrace being "sex-teens". But not our protagonist, Nina, because she is an innocent, virginal girl we should all emulate! Excuse me while I gag on all the self-righteousness.
Of course, since this is a dystopia, the government and media are responsible for lots of other vaguely sinister things, but I honestly feel like "dystopia" should be in scare quotes because the world-building is so lazy. Cliches abound. Surveillance everywhere? Check. Hovercars? Check. Future-slang and unnecessary acronyms? Check, check. High-tech communication gadgets that sound exactly like cell phones? Check. (Seriously, this was written last year -- you can't even extrapolate from modern technology?) Other than a few such futuristic acoutrements, we're given no information on how society has changed in the intervening decades between the present day and the 2170s, when this novel is supposed to be set. One could almost guess this was a contemporary novel. The rape culture represented here is certainly very similar to what women today live with.
Which brings me to my biggest issue with this book. For what is apparently supposed to be a feminist novel, there is a ridiculous amount of slut-shaming here. Every interaction Nina has with her best friend, Sandy, is a classic example of the virgin-whore dichotomy at work. What's more, the author seems completely oblivious to this. I'll spoiler-alert this, but it should come as no surprise to people who are familiar with how sexual female characters are portrayed in mainstream entertainment:
I wish these awful stereotypes and terrible messages to send to teenage girls could have been at least partially offset by good writing, but that is sadly not the case. The first third of the book largely consists of clunky infodumps in the form of "As you know..." dialogue, the foreshadowing is over-the-top obvious, and all the twists can be seen coming from a mile away. The characters are all pretty one-dimensional and I'm shocked the villain didn't have a mustache to twirl, because he was a walking cliche in every other way. The whole thing was just extremely heavy-handed stylistically.
You know what? This started off as a two-star review, because I really liked the concept and it was a quick, easy read, but now I'm pissed. One star. Goddamnit.
December 5, 2011
Weak. This could be something I can write up and man, I cannot write.
The obsession with dystopian novels at the moment is causing "authors" to come up with works that they will regret.
Some of my favourite dystopias are The GONE series by Michael Grant and The Chaos Walking Series by Patrick Ness.
The obsession with dystopian novels at the moment is causing "authors" to come up with works that they will regret.
Some of my favourite dystopias are The GONE series by Michael Grant and The Chaos Walking Series by Patrick Ness.
December 24, 2011
I was born in the 80s, I grew up in the 90s, when the media market image of girls became the most sexualized it’s ever been. Flashbacks of CNN debates about the oversexing of the “desired” female image in the west came to mind when I started reading this book – not that that’s a a bad thing. This book paints a picture of what our future may be if we keep going the way we’re going.
I have to say – for a debut, I was floored by the sheer balls that Karr has for even bringing up this issue, much less couching it in a future that seems all too plausible as clothing sizes get smaller, more and more skin is bared on primetime television, and kids start having sex at younger and younger ages (not to mention starting puberty at record early ages as well).
I like to think of myself as a sex-positive girl. I believe that as long as everyone has informed consent with their sex, I have no right to intervene or complain. The keywords here are “informed consent” – not just consent, which can be taken advantage of by sex predators in terms of ignorance on the part of the victim, but informed consent – knowing your risks, knowing where you’re safe and where you’re not. This book really hit home with me as I’ve never really felt comfortable about expressing my sexuality (well, that and I have severe intimacy issues, but we won’t get into that now) and the idea of being fair game as soon as you turn sixteen, whether you like it or not, scared the hell out of me.
Which, I think, was one of the points of the book – rethink the current policies and images as projected to us by modern culture in order to keep ourselves safe.
I believe that this book should probably be made mandatory reading by parents to their daughters before they get taken advantage of. Knowledge is power, and we as girls need all the power we can get in order to protect ourselves.
Thank you, Ms. Karr, for writing this book, for urging us not to be complacent and to remind us of the dangers out there that if we leave unchecked, could very well be our future.
I have to say – for a debut, I was floored by the sheer balls that Karr has for even bringing up this issue, much less couching it in a future that seems all too plausible as clothing sizes get smaller, more and more skin is bared on primetime television, and kids start having sex at younger and younger ages (not to mention starting puberty at record early ages as well).
I like to think of myself as a sex-positive girl. I believe that as long as everyone has informed consent with their sex, I have no right to intervene or complain. The keywords here are “informed consent” – not just consent, which can be taken advantage of by sex predators in terms of ignorance on the part of the victim, but informed consent – knowing your risks, knowing where you’re safe and where you’re not. This book really hit home with me as I’ve never really felt comfortable about expressing my sexuality (well, that and I have severe intimacy issues, but we won’t get into that now) and the idea of being fair game as soon as you turn sixteen, whether you like it or not, scared the hell out of me.
Which, I think, was one of the points of the book – rethink the current policies and images as projected to us by modern culture in order to keep ourselves safe.
I believe that this book should probably be made mandatory reading by parents to their daughters before they get taken advantage of. Knowledge is power, and we as girls need all the power we can get in order to protect ourselves.
Thank you, Ms. Karr, for writing this book, for urging us not to be complacent and to remind us of the dangers out there that if we leave unchecked, could very well be our future.
January 15, 2011
The premise was interesting and characters and plot had potential, but the potential was never reached because the writing was just BAD. About fifty pages in, something awful happened in Nina's life and I should have felt her pain, but I didn't. A lot of it had to do with the way the author worded things. Sometimes I would think, "If only she had worded this sentence this way, then it would have been so much more impactful." Also, she did something that I've been tirelessly teaching myself not to do: She used had or a contraction thereof WAY too much. She seemed especially fond of the contraction: she'd, I'd, Ginnie'd, it was getting extremely annoying.
Also, Nina seemed to over-react to a lot of things. I didn't understand why she and Sal had that fight. It seemed like it was her just being paranoid and unreasonable. I didn't see any sign that he wanted to be with her only so he could learn more about her father. And I never understood why Nina decided to tell half the world a secret her mother had been keeping for years. It was obvious she only wanted Nina to know.
Ah well, I did finish it. The last fifty or so pages were better than the first two hundred, which is why I gave this book two starts instead of one, but that hardly made up for the clumsy prose and the main character that I couldn't understand half the time. At least, the plot was somewhat unique. I didn't know how it would end so curiosity drove me to keep reading.
For more reviews, check out my blog: irissel.blogspot.com
Also, Nina seemed to over-react to a lot of things. I didn't understand why she and Sal had that fight. It seemed like it was her just being paranoid and unreasonable. I didn't see any sign that he wanted to be with her only so he could learn more about her father. And I never understood why Nina decided to tell half the world a secret her mother had been keeping for years. It was obvious she only wanted Nina to know.
Ah well, I did finish it. The last fifty or so pages were better than the first two hundred, which is why I gave this book two starts instead of one, but that hardly made up for the clumsy prose and the main character that I couldn't understand half the time. At least, the plot was somewhat unique. I didn't know how it would end so curiosity drove me to keep reading.
For more reviews, check out my blog: irissel.blogspot.com
January 26, 2011
It's a little bit strange, but I feel as though I've grown particularly choosy when it comes to the dystopian novels I pick up lately. I'm not sure if this is a result of the seemingly increased number of YA ones, in particular, being released. Or if it's merely that my taste is evolving somewhat over time. I did read several for the SciFi/Fantasy panel I served on for the Cybils this year. Some were good, some not so good, as is to be expected. But so often the substance fails to live up to the premise for me. And those are sad days, where I wonder what went wrong and if it was the book, the execution, or me. In any event, I was looking forward to the release of Julia Karr's debut novel--XVI--with a fair amount of anticipation and curiosity, hoping it would stand out among its fellows and earn a permanent spot on my shelves. I read it in the space of a single evening and have been examining my thoughts on it for a little while now.
Nina Oberon is about to turn sixteen. And in her world, this monumental occasion is about more than just a driver's license and more freedom on the dating field. So much more. At the ripe old age of sixteen, or "sexteen" as her world calls it, girls are essentially fair game for any and every boy/man/pervert that comes strolling by. Girls turn sixteen and get the infamous XVI tattoo on their wrist proclaiming their newly available status and Nina, for one, is scared. Most girls, like her hyper best friend Sandy, can't wait to achieve their new status in the world. Drunk on the wealth of male attention that will come their way and the promise of a whole new host of opportunities that will come their way, they anxiously look forward to the day they get their tattoo. Not so for Nina. Raised by her pragmatic, if romantically hapless single mother Ginnie, along with her younger sister Dee, Nina has grown up dreading what will happen when she reaches her sixteenth birthday. Her mother has trained her not to believe the rosy, inane images the media blithely shoves down young girls' throats and Nina is cautious to the point that when her longtime friend Derek begins to see her in a different light it triggers outright panic in Nina. Then her mother is brutally murdered in a back alley and, on her death bed, she reveals to Nina that her father isn't actually dead and that she must find him and keep her sister Dee safe.
Okay. Lots of potential, right? I liked the setup and I definitely liked Nina. She was strong from the start and it was a relief to read about a main character who doesn't spend the entire novel in the dark, floating around believing the garbage her society has set up as reality. However. Those were the only strong points in the book. The rest of the cast of characters felt disturbingly two-dimensional. They were good cut-outs (particularly Wei and Derek) and they could easily have developed into fully-fledged characters who I really admired and followed. But they stayed in the background, flat and chirpy, never fully inhabiting a spot on my radar. Even Nina's growing relationship with a mysterious, possibly homeless, boy named Sal never got its feet off the ground. I didn't buy Nina's too-sudden weak knees, given how adamant and self-possessed she was to begin with. And I really didn't buy Sal's too convenient interest in her, given what we learn about their interlocked past and his involvement with many things underground. There were no real reasons behind their association and I found myself fairly ambivalent toward them both. The treatment of underlying themes soon began to bother me as well. What could have been a compelling exploration of adolescent life in a terrifyingly misogynistic society quickly devolved into an oddly simplistic tale with very little to recommend it. Things moved too slowly and not far enough to provide a satisfying conclusion in which I could feel as though progress was made and character arcs developed. Rather the conclusion was anticlimactic and verging on the trite--so not in keeping with its edgy, loaded premise.
Nina Oberon is about to turn sixteen. And in her world, this monumental occasion is about more than just a driver's license and more freedom on the dating field. So much more. At the ripe old age of sixteen, or "sexteen" as her world calls it, girls are essentially fair game for any and every boy/man/pervert that comes strolling by. Girls turn sixteen and get the infamous XVI tattoo on their wrist proclaiming their newly available status and Nina, for one, is scared. Most girls, like her hyper best friend Sandy, can't wait to achieve their new status in the world. Drunk on the wealth of male attention that will come their way and the promise of a whole new host of opportunities that will come their way, they anxiously look forward to the day they get their tattoo. Not so for Nina. Raised by her pragmatic, if romantically hapless single mother Ginnie, along with her younger sister Dee, Nina has grown up dreading what will happen when she reaches her sixteenth birthday. Her mother has trained her not to believe the rosy, inane images the media blithely shoves down young girls' throats and Nina is cautious to the point that when her longtime friend Derek begins to see her in a different light it triggers outright panic in Nina. Then her mother is brutally murdered in a back alley and, on her death bed, she reveals to Nina that her father isn't actually dead and that she must find him and keep her sister Dee safe.
Okay. Lots of potential, right? I liked the setup and I definitely liked Nina. She was strong from the start and it was a relief to read about a main character who doesn't spend the entire novel in the dark, floating around believing the garbage her society has set up as reality. However. Those were the only strong points in the book. The rest of the cast of characters felt disturbingly two-dimensional. They were good cut-outs (particularly Wei and Derek) and they could easily have developed into fully-fledged characters who I really admired and followed. But they stayed in the background, flat and chirpy, never fully inhabiting a spot on my radar. Even Nina's growing relationship with a mysterious, possibly homeless, boy named Sal never got its feet off the ground. I didn't buy Nina's too-sudden weak knees, given how adamant and self-possessed she was to begin with. And I really didn't buy Sal's too convenient interest in her, given what we learn about their interlocked past and his involvement with many things underground. There were no real reasons behind their association and I found myself fairly ambivalent toward them both. The treatment of underlying themes soon began to bother me as well. What could have been a compelling exploration of adolescent life in a terrifyingly misogynistic society quickly devolved into an oddly simplistic tale with very little to recommend it. Things moved too slowly and not far enough to provide a satisfying conclusion in which I could feel as though progress was made and character arcs developed. Rather the conclusion was anticlimactic and verging on the trite--so not in keeping with its edgy, loaded premise.
July 16, 2017
RATING: 2.5 stars.
I really, really didn't want to write this review, because I feel like I have been posting a lot of reviews highlighting negative points; I'm not sure if the books are all that bad or if it's just me that can't read a book, like it and write an 100% gushing, glowing review. Maybe I am just one of those grumpy people who likes to find flaws in everything, but I haven't read a book that was 100% perfect... yet.
That said, I liked "XVI". Overall it wasn't "that bad". But I did find a lot of flaws, from the glaring grammatical errors to world and character building.
I had high expectations for "XVI". I read all the praise I saw it mentioned on numerous blogs and it seemed like everyone was talking about it. So I decided to buy a copy; I mean, if so many people like it, it must be good... right?
The problem with high expectations is that most of the time you end up disappointed. I was. I had a hard time reading this book and maybe a small part of it was because I wasn't in the mood for dystopian fiction; but most of the disappointment came from the book itself because, as I said before I found a lot of rough edges that I thought needed polishing.
"XVI" is one of those books that has a good concept but a flawed execution. I liked the idea of a futuristic totalitarian society (sort of like "The Hunger Games", but global) where the Media controls every aspect of your life (how to dress, what to eat, how to think) and is closely linked to the "Governing Council". I was astonished at the way women were viewed and treated (completely objectified and viewed as inferior). I was impressed at how the author used "consumerism" and the Media as means of control. In some ways, it was very like our current society, but taken to the extreme... commercials all the time, extreme attention to trends and fashion and a culture that encourages women to think of themselves as sex objects. Some are very rich (high-tiers) while most are poor (lower tiers), and people are shunned or admired by the volume of their wealth. This society is so stratified there is almost no chance for a poor person to get a good job and 'get out' of their "tier".
Then I wanted to know why the society evolved that way (or went backwards). And I simply couldn't find an answer. There is no explanation as to why this 22nd century society is how it is; a war of great proportions is mentioned but that's all. Also, the author plunged right into the story, introducing new concepts without explaining or even describing them properly. "Trannies" and "PAVs" were mentioned but the reader can never get a clear picture of what those are or how they work. Basically the world building needed some work.
The characters also bothered me a bit (I didn't like the names, but that's a matter of personal taste). Nina most of all. She was supposed to be a strong, stoic character (I think) but came off as expressionless. Her trusting attitude also seemed a bit unbelievable because, well, she does live in a non-democratic society.Another thing I found odd was the lack of physical descriptions. If there were any, they weren't very detailed. I'm not saying I like to read pages and pages of hair and eye color, body types and the color and pattern of their shirts but I do like to be able to imagine the characters in my head and with this book... I couldn't since there were only generic descriptions.
The story was all over the place. The romantic part was rushed and unrealistic, the pacing was off and some elements of the plot were pretty unbelievable (Sal and Nina's encounter; Joan's appearance and many others).
Overall, this book had a good concept for a distopian novel, but unfortunately the author didn't develop it in a way that made it interesting. Also the story was very uneven and not enthralling enough to keep me reading. I managed a few chapters a day and this book has little more than 300 pages. Karr could have done so much more with this book and it's characters (who lacked charisma, most of all). Maybe the sequel will be better.
Reviewed for: http://pinkgum.blogspot.com/
I really, really didn't want to write this review, because I feel like I have been posting a lot of reviews highlighting negative points; I'm not sure if the books are all that bad or if it's just me that can't read a book, like it and write an 100% gushing, glowing review. Maybe I am just one of those grumpy people who likes to find flaws in everything, but I haven't read a book that was 100% perfect... yet.
That said, I liked "XVI". Overall it wasn't "that bad". But I did find a lot of flaws, from the glaring grammatical errors to world and character building.
I had high expectations for "XVI". I read all the praise I saw it mentioned on numerous blogs and it seemed like everyone was talking about it. So I decided to buy a copy; I mean, if so many people like it, it must be good... right?
The problem with high expectations is that most of the time you end up disappointed. I was. I had a hard time reading this book and maybe a small part of it was because I wasn't in the mood for dystopian fiction; but most of the disappointment came from the book itself because, as I said before I found a lot of rough edges that I thought needed polishing.
"XVI" is one of those books that has a good concept but a flawed execution. I liked the idea of a futuristic totalitarian society (sort of like "The Hunger Games", but global) where the Media controls every aspect of your life (how to dress, what to eat, how to think) and is closely linked to the "Governing Council". I was astonished at the way women were viewed and treated (completely objectified and viewed as inferior). I was impressed at how the author used "consumerism" and the Media as means of control. In some ways, it was very like our current society, but taken to the extreme... commercials all the time, extreme attention to trends and fashion and a culture that encourages women to think of themselves as sex objects. Some are very rich (high-tiers) while most are poor (lower tiers), and people are shunned or admired by the volume of their wealth. This society is so stratified there is almost no chance for a poor person to get a good job and 'get out' of their "tier".
Then I wanted to know why the society evolved that way (or went backwards). And I simply couldn't find an answer. There is no explanation as to why this 22nd century society is how it is; a war of great proportions is mentioned but that's all. Also, the author plunged right into the story, introducing new concepts without explaining or even describing them properly. "Trannies" and "PAVs" were mentioned but the reader can never get a clear picture of what those are or how they work. Basically the world building needed some work.
The characters also bothered me a bit (I didn't like the names, but that's a matter of personal taste). Nina most of all. She was supposed to be a strong, stoic character (I think) but came off as expressionless. Her trusting attitude also seemed a bit unbelievable because, well, she does live in a non-democratic society.Another thing I found odd was the lack of physical descriptions. If there were any, they weren't very detailed. I'm not saying I like to read pages and pages of hair and eye color, body types and the color and pattern of their shirts but I do like to be able to imagine the characters in my head and with this book... I couldn't since there were only generic descriptions.
The story was all over the place. The romantic part was rushed and unrealistic, the pacing was off and some elements of the plot were pretty unbelievable (Sal and Nina's encounter; Joan's appearance and many others).
Overall, this book had a good concept for a distopian novel, but unfortunately the author didn't develop it in a way that made it interesting. Also the story was very uneven and not enthralling enough to keep me reading. I managed a few chapters a day and this book has little more than 300 pages. Karr could have done so much more with this book and it's characters (who lacked charisma, most of all). Maybe the sequel will be better.
Reviewed for: http://pinkgum.blogspot.com/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2013
XVI has been billed as a feminist book, a deconstruction of rape culture. Sadly, Karr doesn't deconstruct, critique, or even give a hard look at rape culture. She simply observes it.
Let's back up to the basic premise here. On their sixteenth birthdays, all girls (and only girls) are given a XVI tattoo on their wrist, to advertise their sexual availability. Paired with the sexualization of media aimed at teens, this has (somehow) lead to a world where female consent is a given. Girls and women who are raped are asking for it, based on the way they act and dress- the same way the mass media tells them to act and dress, of course.
Sound familiar? It should. This is only a slightly exaggerated version of the culture we live in right now. (Sadly, not nearly as exaggerated as I would like.) I don't think I need to put in examples, because it's plainly, painfully evident. This is part of what I mean when I say that Karr is just observing rape culture. She stretches reality just slightly and blandly reports the results.
That's the best case scenario, I'm afraid. I found myself getting increasingly uncomfortable with the dichotomy the author set up between those who buy the propaganda (like the main character's best friend, Sandy) and those who reject it (like Nina). It's the old virgin/whore thing, all over again. Girls like Nina, the main character, are pure, completely reject the idea of sex, and try to minimize male attention. These are the good girls, the ones who get to live and, maybe, get some respect from the men and boys in their lives, maybe. But girls like the main character's best friend, Sandy (and, apparently, the majority of teenage girls in this society) buy into the prevailing culture, are interested in sex, and like to make themselves attractive to the boys around them. And they get raped, mutilated, enslaved, even murdered. The message is repeated so many times, so intently, that there's only one thing to take away from it: they're asking for it. And it's never, ever contradicted.
I'm thinking of an incident very early in the book, when Nina takes Sandy to her grandparents' house. And her grandmother tells Sandy, flatly and without contradiction, on any level, from anyone, at any point, that the way she's dressing is an invitation, that anybody looking at her would think that she wasn't a virgin, or didn't want to be. The implicit threat isn't elaborated on, and doesn't have to be. And at no time in this book does anyone seem to feel like that's wrong. That it's wrong to treat women and girls as if they're universally sexually available, that their consent is unnecessary, and that you can make a complete value judgement of a woman by how she's dressed. No, the book seems to, at every level, endorse all of this.
This is all aside from a cardboard villain, a thin plot that needs long, long discussion breaks between incidents to fill in a book, and a dystopia that just isn't adequately explained. (How did all this come about? Why is it so widely accepted? I don't know, and I don't think Karr does either.) I might be more willing to cut a new author some slack, especially since this is the first book in the series. But I just can't get by the casual acceptance of rape culture and the rampant slut shaming to go any further.
Let's back up to the basic premise here. On their sixteenth birthdays, all girls (and only girls) are given a XVI tattoo on their wrist, to advertise their sexual availability. Paired with the sexualization of media aimed at teens, this has (somehow) lead to a world where female consent is a given. Girls and women who are raped are asking for it, based on the way they act and dress- the same way the mass media tells them to act and dress, of course.
Sound familiar? It should. This is only a slightly exaggerated version of the culture we live in right now. (Sadly, not nearly as exaggerated as I would like.) I don't think I need to put in examples, because it's plainly, painfully evident. This is part of what I mean when I say that Karr is just observing rape culture. She stretches reality just slightly and blandly reports the results.
That's the best case scenario, I'm afraid. I found myself getting increasingly uncomfortable with the dichotomy the author set up between those who buy the propaganda (like the main character's best friend, Sandy) and those who reject it (like Nina). It's the old virgin/whore thing, all over again. Girls like Nina, the main character, are pure, completely reject the idea of sex, and try to minimize male attention. These are the good girls, the ones who get to live and, maybe, get some respect from the men and boys in their lives, maybe. But girls like the main character's best friend, Sandy (and, apparently, the majority of teenage girls in this society) buy into the prevailing culture, are interested in sex, and like to make themselves attractive to the boys around them. And they get raped, mutilated, enslaved, even murdered. The message is repeated so many times, so intently, that there's only one thing to take away from it: they're asking for it. And it's never, ever contradicted.
I'm thinking of an incident very early in the book, when Nina takes Sandy to her grandparents' house. And her grandmother tells Sandy, flatly and without contradiction, on any level, from anyone, at any point, that the way she's dressing is an invitation, that anybody looking at her would think that she wasn't a virgin, or didn't want to be. The implicit threat isn't elaborated on, and doesn't have to be. And at no time in this book does anyone seem to feel like that's wrong. That it's wrong to treat women and girls as if they're universally sexually available, that their consent is unnecessary, and that you can make a complete value judgement of a woman by how she's dressed. No, the book seems to, at every level, endorse all of this.
This is all aside from a cardboard villain, a thin plot that needs long, long discussion breaks between incidents to fill in a book, and a dystopia that just isn't adequately explained. (How did all this come about? Why is it so widely accepted? I don't know, and I don't think Karr does either.) I might be more willing to cut a new author some slack, especially since this is the first book in the series. But I just can't get by the casual acceptance of rape culture and the rampant slut shaming to go any further.
June 6, 2011
The book is described as "Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world - even the most predatory of men that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past - one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer."
This dystopian book really caught my attention. Shocking, gritty, and oh-so-close to what could be a real future - I was hanging by a thread. I was initially drawn in by the cover. So different than what we see in YA today.
The language in this book really captured my attention - artfully done. While the author doesn't claim to be a feminist - there are themes that promote girl power that will ring true to any reader. I'm a believer of strong female characters - you will have full doses in this book.
The release date in Jan 6, 2011 in paperback from the publisher, Speak.
Word on the street is that PW gave it a good review also!
This dystopian book really caught my attention. Shocking, gritty, and oh-so-close to what could be a real future - I was hanging by a thread. I was initially drawn in by the cover. So different than what we see in YA today.
The language in this book really captured my attention - artfully done. While the author doesn't claim to be a feminist - there are themes that promote girl power that will ring true to any reader. I'm a believer of strong female characters - you will have full doses in this book.
The release date in Jan 6, 2011 in paperback from the publisher, Speak.
Word on the street is that PW gave it a good review also!
July 30, 2017
This book gave me goosebumps at times, because it is just so frighteningly plausible. It's our same culture, just more extreme, with the media more powerful, a 1984-esque world masquerading as fake fun, fashion, flirtation.
There were some cool science fiction features, such as the Infinity Machine. And some very powerful writing:
I sat at the window and drew the shapes of the buildings outside. Rectangles and squares stacked side by side and up to the sky. Neat, orderly, controllable. The complete opposite of my life.
These next two quotes kind of summarize the overall "feel" of this book for me, which addresses some tough teenage issues, pertaining to sex and self-identity/self-worth, and handling the hard stuff that life throws at you.
"Gran says that there's only one way to the happy memories. You have to cry out the sad ones."
"I never tried to change myself to impress anyone again." I couldn't imagine Gran being any way except how she'd always been. She'd confirmed what I'd suspected all along. When two people liked each other, it wasn't about clothes or makeup or hairdos.
Curious to find out more about Sal, Rita, Wei and her parents. Loved the scene where Wei shows Nina her mother's varnished box.
There were some cool science fiction features, such as the Infinity Machine. And some very powerful writing:
I sat at the window and drew the shapes of the buildings outside. Rectangles and squares stacked side by side and up to the sky. Neat, orderly, controllable. The complete opposite of my life.
These next two quotes kind of summarize the overall "feel" of this book for me, which addresses some tough teenage issues, pertaining to sex and self-identity/self-worth, and handling the hard stuff that life throws at you.
"Gran says that there's only one way to the happy memories. You have to cry out the sad ones."
"I never tried to change myself to impress anyone again." I couldn't imagine Gran being any way except how she'd always been. She'd confirmed what I'd suspected all along. When two people liked each other, it wasn't about clothes or makeup or hairdos.
Curious to find out more about Sal, Rita, Wei and her parents. Loved the scene where Wei shows Nina her mother's varnished box.
April 28, 2020
Turning 16 is not something Nina is looking forward to.
At 16 they turn “legal” and receives a tattoo that shows this new status for everyone to see.
After 16 you are no longer innocent.
I was expected something completely different.
Not really too keen on the plot or the characters.
It was a bit too “meh” for my taste😊
Read: 12/12/2011
1st rating: 2 stars
Genre/sub-genres:YA/dystopian
Cover: 2 stars
POV’s: Single - 1st person (Nina)
Will I recommend: Nope
At 16 they turn “legal” and receives a tattoo that shows this new status for everyone to see.
After 16 you are no longer innocent.
I was expected something completely different.
Not really too keen on the plot or the characters.
It was a bit too “meh” for my taste😊
Read: 12/12/2011
1st rating: 2 stars
Genre/sub-genres:YA/dystopian
Cover: 2 stars
POV’s: Single - 1st person (Nina)
Will I recommend: Nope
December 7, 2022
Read this for the X in my alphabet challenge, but I unfortunately didn't really enjoy it. This felt like a very moralistic take on teenagers and teen sex, set in a dystopian society
December 15, 2011
To put this plain and simple, Julia Karr's XVI did not meet up to my expectations.
There were many issues in this book, from the boring thoughts coming from Nina Oberon's head to the hidden lecture we get from Julia Karr herself. I'm not an avid reader, but it doesn't take one to recognize that there was something wrong with this novel.
First off, the story starts for about half the book, just listening to Nina's messed up life from her own perspective. Her father, her mother, Ginny, a mysterious character named Ed, and her sister, Dee are introduced indirectly but we hardly get to meet them. How do we know how bad Ed beats Ginny if we never see it happen? How are we supposed to be connected to any other character other than Nina without being able to interact with them in the book? I was very tired of Nina droning on and on about 50 pages into the novel.
At about halfway through, the tone takes a completely different flip and now these unrealistic action scenes are being thrown at us every which way we turn. Ed, the evil Choser bent on finding information about Nina's father, was practically everywhere. There were about six scenes where either Ed miraculously showed up or there was a false alarm. There has to be a better choice of storyline than having everyone freak out every ten pages about whether Ed was listening or if Ed was here to kidnap Nina.
One of the things that may not be mutual but it didn't really make sense to me was the idea of XVI. The title is Sixteen, the descriptions point to sixteen, the book even talks about sixteen, but what does anything have to do with sixteen? We know from reading the novel that when you turn sixteen, you are completely vulnerable to sex and rape. The entire book I was waiting for a turn of events to happen about Nina turning sixteen and figuring out what will happen. I predicted that she was going to be put in a position of rape, since she strongly opposes sex, and would have to deal with it after and maybe get revenge. But no, there is nothing that has anything to do with sex and anyone having it. If you are a teen, and you pick up a book thinking it's going to be about sex, wouldn't you be disappointed when the plot line is about finding your long-lost father and the sex idea is only there as a warning?
This leads me to my next problem. Why did Julia Karr include the idea of sex-teens when the story has nothing to do with it? It's because she has a clear and specific opinion just like everyone else. Julia Karr does not believe in teen sex. Period. Julia Karr is Nina Oberon. She uses her character to let people know about her beliefs and views on this type of issue. Nina is a calm, quiet girl who does not want to have sex in any way or sort. Sandy, her best friend, however, is a wild, party girl who flirts with guys, dresses like a slut, and can't wait until she's sixteen so she can legally have sex. How do we know that Julia Karr doesn't like this? Sandy dies. In her mind, girls should never have sex before they're ready because it leads to bad things. I can't say I completely disagree with her, but don't write an entire novel trashing this behavior and then killing off the slutty girl just to prove a point on how girls should present themselves.
I did not like this novel. I had some major issues with the plot and theme of XVI. If I had this idea and wrote a book about it, the entire idea of Nina's father would be trashed, the horrible thoughts inside Nina's mind would turn to dialogue and actually meeting characters like Ginny, and most importantly, the book would be about women rising up and becoming more than just sex tools. As most reviews will tell you, the idea had potential to take off but it never made it off the ground.
There were many issues in this book, from the boring thoughts coming from Nina Oberon's head to the hidden lecture we get from Julia Karr herself. I'm not an avid reader, but it doesn't take one to recognize that there was something wrong with this novel.
First off, the story starts for about half the book, just listening to Nina's messed up life from her own perspective. Her father, her mother, Ginny, a mysterious character named Ed, and her sister, Dee are introduced indirectly but we hardly get to meet them. How do we know how bad Ed beats Ginny if we never see it happen? How are we supposed to be connected to any other character other than Nina without being able to interact with them in the book? I was very tired of Nina droning on and on about 50 pages into the novel.
At about halfway through, the tone takes a completely different flip and now these unrealistic action scenes are being thrown at us every which way we turn. Ed, the evil Choser bent on finding information about Nina's father, was practically everywhere. There were about six scenes where either Ed miraculously showed up or there was a false alarm. There has to be a better choice of storyline than having everyone freak out every ten pages about whether Ed was listening or if Ed was here to kidnap Nina.
One of the things that may not be mutual but it didn't really make sense to me was the idea of XVI. The title is Sixteen, the descriptions point to sixteen, the book even talks about sixteen, but what does anything have to do with sixteen? We know from reading the novel that when you turn sixteen, you are completely vulnerable to sex and rape. The entire book I was waiting for a turn of events to happen about Nina turning sixteen and figuring out what will happen. I predicted that she was going to be put in a position of rape, since she strongly opposes sex, and would have to deal with it after and maybe get revenge. But no, there is nothing that has anything to do with sex and anyone having it. If you are a teen, and you pick up a book thinking it's going to be about sex, wouldn't you be disappointed when the plot line is about finding your long-lost father and the sex idea is only there as a warning?
This leads me to my next problem. Why did Julia Karr include the idea of sex-teens when the story has nothing to do with it? It's because she has a clear and specific opinion just like everyone else. Julia Karr does not believe in teen sex. Period. Julia Karr is Nina Oberon. She uses her character to let people know about her beliefs and views on this type of issue. Nina is a calm, quiet girl who does not want to have sex in any way or sort. Sandy, her best friend, however, is a wild, party girl who flirts with guys, dresses like a slut, and can't wait until she's sixteen so she can legally have sex. How do we know that Julia Karr doesn't like this? Sandy dies. In her mind, girls should never have sex before they're ready because it leads to bad things. I can't say I completely disagree with her, but don't write an entire novel trashing this behavior and then killing off the slutty girl just to prove a point on how girls should present themselves.
I did not like this novel. I had some major issues with the plot and theme of XVI. If I had this idea and wrote a book about it, the entire idea of Nina's father would be trashed, the horrible thoughts inside Nina's mind would turn to dialogue and actually meeting characters like Ginny, and most importantly, the book would be about women rising up and becoming more than just sex tools. As most reviews will tell you, the idea had potential to take off but it never made it off the ground.
October 2, 2018
I really don't know how to feel about this book. I think that the premise is excellent, but there was far too little in terms of explaination, and way too much foreshadowing.
Nina is on the verge of turning sixteen, which means she will be tattooed with an XVI to show that she is legal and available for sex with any male who wants her. Nina is understandably apprehensive, but she tries to hide it because all girls in the future are supposed to LOVE being sluts - the constant media advertising being blared everywhere tells them so. How society got to believing that women are sex-bots and silence is illegal - Never explained.
Nina is also apparently "Low Tier" - aka "poor" - and one of the few ways out of a low teir is to be Chosen for the FeLS program. Nina's best friend Sandy is desperate to be chosen. What, exactly FeLS is, is not explained until nearly halfway through the book. By that time, we are certain that FeLS is not a good thing to join, but somehow Nina never actually gets around to telling her "best friend" this. Nor does she ever mention that her mother's government boyfriend is an abusive jerk, which is odd because her best friend BEGS Nina to put in a good word with him every time they see each other. Also, Nina's mother buys out her FeLS contract, but Nina is still worried about "someone stealing it." FORESHADOWING, anyone? Actually, since they mention SEVERAL TIMES that FeLS girls have to be VIRGINS, Nina could have just lost her V-card to her boyfriend and been done with it, but that would have been too easy, right?
Another small FeLS note that irritates me - There was ONE LINE that mentions that instead of fossil fuels, people now use some stuff mined from Mars as fuel. That's all. But apparently, FeLS girls are sent to Mars to be used by the miners there (after the government officials deflower them, of course) and many of them end up getting a virus that the miners have that keeps them from being able to return to earth. WTF? Where did the miners and the virus come from?!? What happens when you get the virus? NO EXPLAINATION.
Three-quarters of the way through the book, I was still confused by all the acronyms, the verts, trannies, and everything else that SHOULD have been explained, but wasn't.
The rest of the book is basically Nina running from a green car and acting like an idiot at every possible opportunity. (Oh, Wei's parents offer you a place to keep the super-important item safe? Nahhhh....)
If this turns into a series, I would really like to suggest a prequel. I found the stories about Nina's parents to be MUCH more interesting than anything Nina did.
Overall, the premise was interesting but the book was a difficult read. If you can look past the confusion of the acronyms (and the fact that NOTHING is explained) XVI is definitely a solid addition to the ever-growing teen dystopian genre.
Nina is on the verge of turning sixteen, which means she will be tattooed with an XVI to show that she is legal and available for sex with any male who wants her. Nina is understandably apprehensive, but she tries to hide it because all girls in the future are supposed to LOVE being sluts - the constant media advertising being blared everywhere tells them so. How society got to believing that women are sex-bots and silence is illegal - Never explained.
Nina is also apparently "Low Tier" - aka "poor" - and one of the few ways out of a low teir is to be Chosen for the FeLS program. Nina's best friend Sandy is desperate to be chosen. What, exactly FeLS is, is not explained until nearly halfway through the book. By that time, we are certain that FeLS is not a good thing to join, but somehow Nina never actually gets around to telling her "best friend" this. Nor does she ever mention that her mother's government boyfriend is an abusive jerk, which is odd because her best friend BEGS Nina to put in a good word with him every time they see each other. Also, Nina's mother buys out her FeLS contract, but Nina is still worried about "someone stealing it." FORESHADOWING, anyone? Actually, since they mention SEVERAL TIMES that FeLS girls have to be VIRGINS, Nina could have just lost her V-card to her boyfriend and been done with it, but that would have been too easy, right?
Another small FeLS note that irritates me - There was ONE LINE that mentions that instead of fossil fuels, people now use some stuff mined from Mars as fuel. That's all. But apparently, FeLS girls are sent to Mars to be used by the miners there (after the government officials deflower them, of course) and many of them end up getting a virus that the miners have that keeps them from being able to return to earth. WTF? Where did the miners and the virus come from?!? What happens when you get the virus? NO EXPLAINATION.
Three-quarters of the way through the book, I was still confused by all the acronyms, the verts, trannies, and everything else that SHOULD have been explained, but wasn't.
The rest of the book is basically Nina running from a green car and acting like an idiot at every possible opportunity. (Oh, Wei's parents offer you a place to keep the super-important item safe? Nahhhh....)
If this turns into a series, I would really like to suggest a prequel. I found the stories about Nina's parents to be MUCH more interesting than anything Nina did.
Overall, the premise was interesting but the book was a difficult read. If you can look past the confusion of the acronyms (and the fact that NOTHING is explained) XVI is definitely a solid addition to the ever-growing teen dystopian genre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2013
I am going to start off by saying I couldn't even finish this book. I just couldn't. I normally try to finish every book I start, but I've gotten to the point where if I am not enjoying a book, I shouldn't force myself through it. I am just making myself miserable and ruining my reading experience. This book was the last straw. It pushed me over the edge and I just had to stop.
There is not a single thing I liked about this book. The writing is mediocre. I never once felt like I was being pulled in to this world through the writing. It felt very bland. Also, this is supposed to be a finished copy and there were so many typoes! I counted more than five! If it was just one or two, I could let that slide. But more than five? Come on now! Also, this world is just so unbelievable. There is no way people, in a society that's constantly under surveillance, can have sex under a bush. Also, SEX UNDER A BUSH WOULD BE THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE THING EVER! How can you have sex with branches prodding your butt? No. Just no.
The characters were just... boring. Nothing about any of them made me love them. They were so flat with only sex on the brain. I am not a prude. I don't mind sex in my books. But I want a little more to my characters than just sex. The parts where Nina, the main character, should have been worried about her family because of her father being wrapped up in something against the government, she was more worried about her love interest, Sal, not wanting to be with her or kiss her. No one in their right mind would do that. People will put everything aside to help their family. Not think about getting it on with some guy they only knew for a few days! I got more than half-way through the book and there were no signs of character development whatsoever. Nothing was happening except her wanting Sal and, for me, that's not a story about a dystopian world.
If this sounds like something you want to read, then go ahead. I believe every book deserves to be read. I could not get into this book. I do not like this book. But that is just my opinion. You may love this book. If you do, then great! If not, then stop reading it and find something you do love. Me? I am going to find something else because this book just... wasn't for me.
There is not a single thing I liked about this book. The writing is mediocre. I never once felt like I was being pulled in to this world through the writing. It felt very bland. Also, this is supposed to be a finished copy and there were so many typoes! I counted more than five! If it was just one or two, I could let that slide. But more than five? Come on now! Also, this world is just so unbelievable. There is no way people, in a society that's constantly under surveillance, can have sex under a bush. Also, SEX UNDER A BUSH WOULD BE THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE THING EVER! How can you have sex with branches prodding your butt? No. Just no.
The characters were just... boring. Nothing about any of them made me love them. They were so flat with only sex on the brain. I am not a prude. I don't mind sex in my books. But I want a little more to my characters than just sex. The parts where Nina, the main character, should have been worried about her family because of her father being wrapped up in something against the government, she was more worried about her love interest, Sal, not wanting to be with her or kiss her. No one in their right mind would do that. People will put everything aside to help their family. Not think about getting it on with some guy they only knew for a few days! I got more than half-way through the book and there were no signs of character development whatsoever. Nothing was happening except her wanting Sal and, for me, that's not a story about a dystopian world.
If this sounds like something you want to read, then go ahead. I believe every book deserves to be read. I could not get into this book. I do not like this book. But that is just my opinion. You may love this book. If you do, then great! If not, then stop reading it and find something you do love. Me? I am going to find something else because this book just... wasn't for me.
December 22, 2010
My Thoughts: I have been reading more and more dystopian books lately huh? We are introduced to Nina who is 15 years old and fast approaching her 16 or sex-teen birthday. What does this mean? It means that basically any guy who wants to, can take advantage of her without any real rules or punishment and she can do what she basically wants sexwise. There is no law that says she can't. Most girls are looking forward to turning 16, including her best friend, because it signifies being grown up. They can go into a program to better themself or just have more rights sexually. Well, Nina wants none of that. She knows what that "program" really is and she does not have any interest in being with a guy either. She's happy to stay 15 forever.
Her mother is brutally murdered and Nina doesn't understand why. Nina and her sister have to move in with her grandparents and she spends most of the book trying to keep her sister safe from her sisters father (her mothers exboyfriend). Keep in mind that they don't have the same father. Nina thinks her father is dead but her moms last words were to find her father and give him a book so Nina is more confused than ever.
Nina also meets a mysterious guy named Sal. They become quick friends and he introduces her to a friend of his and she realizes that they all have more in common than they think.
XVI was a good book. Some parts made me mad because I wanted good things for Nina and I hated the way things were ran around town. I was happy with the outcome and the ending but I felt it was a little rushed and I wanted to see things tied up a bit more slower. I wanted to know more about Sal and I wanted to experience more romance between them. Yes, there was romance but I just wanted more! Haha!
I also liked all the characters. I liked Nina's friends, even the guys! And her best friend was a bit annoying but I wanted her to snap out of wanting to be a sex-teen before it was too late. I kept saying open your eyes, open your eyes!!!
If you want to find out what happens with Nina, read the book! Does she ever find her father? Is her sister safe? What happens when she turns 16? What happens with Sal? Her friends?
Overall: I really enjoyed this one! I didn't love it quite as much as other dystopian's I've read lately but it was still overall an enjoyable read with a new take on becoming 16 or being old enough to have sex.
Cover: I like the cover. It has a dark angle to it. And we can't really see her eyes since its dark and it makes it more mysterious.
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
Her mother is brutally murdered and Nina doesn't understand why. Nina and her sister have to move in with her grandparents and she spends most of the book trying to keep her sister safe from her sisters father (her mothers exboyfriend). Keep in mind that they don't have the same father. Nina thinks her father is dead but her moms last words were to find her father and give him a book so Nina is more confused than ever.
Nina also meets a mysterious guy named Sal. They become quick friends and he introduces her to a friend of his and she realizes that they all have more in common than they think.
XVI was a good book. Some parts made me mad because I wanted good things for Nina and I hated the way things were ran around town. I was happy with the outcome and the ending but I felt it was a little rushed and I wanted to see things tied up a bit more slower. I wanted to know more about Sal and I wanted to experience more romance between them. Yes, there was romance but I just wanted more! Haha!
I also liked all the characters. I liked Nina's friends, even the guys! And her best friend was a bit annoying but I wanted her to snap out of wanting to be a sex-teen before it was too late. I kept saying open your eyes, open your eyes!!!
If you want to find out what happens with Nina, read the book! Does she ever find her father? Is her sister safe? What happens when she turns 16? What happens with Sal? Her friends?
Overall: I really enjoyed this one! I didn't love it quite as much as other dystopian's I've read lately but it was still overall an enjoyable read with a new take on becoming 16 or being old enough to have sex.
Cover: I like the cover. It has a dark angle to it. And we can't really see her eyes since its dark and it makes it more mysterious.
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
June 20, 2012
I get that this is 140 years in the future, but why did this feel so dumb? For one thing, we never found out what happened to create this very superficial, tiered society. And I still find it hard to accept. It was basically government/media fear-mongering.
Where did the 16/sex-teen thing come from? Do you honestly expect us to believe that you were able to unite most of the world into large, controlled chunks? If space travel is a common thing now, how does shooting coffins into the sky *not* contribute to damaging space junk?
If Nina's grandparents (who MUST have been born no earlier that 2050, and that's really stretching it--2080 is more likely) grew up after *now* when I am used to computers and technology, why do they act like stereotypical inept grandparents from now? (EDIT: According to the second book [my review] her grandparents are 87 and 85, meaning they were born in 2063 and 2065. If a toddler in 2012 can use an iphone...) How the heck did you convince millions of people to abandon all religion?
Why don't women have rights anymore? WTF is "reassimilation" and how does it work when you are not a robot? Why did the author think that "trannies" and "trans" were good things to call taxis? DOES SHE NOT KNOW WHAT THAT IS TO A MODERN AUDIENCE? Why the heck haven't people gotten suspicious of a giant government-sponsored sex slave trade every year?
IT MAKES NO SENSE.
I am not even going to touch on the dominant XVI/six=sex thing. It's dumb, and there are probably other reviewers who rant on it if you are feeling similarly.
But can I just point out that Nina is FIFTEEN and SIXTEEN and TEENAGERS IT IS NOT LOVE. STOP IT. YOU ARE YOUNG AND DUMB.
Where did the 16/sex-teen thing come from? Do you honestly expect us to believe that you were able to unite most of the world into large, controlled chunks? If space travel is a common thing now, how does shooting coffins into the sky *not* contribute to damaging space junk?
If Nina's grandparents (who MUST have been born no earlier that 2050, and that's really stretching it--2080 is more likely) grew up after *now* when I am used to computers and technology, why do they act like stereotypical inept grandparents from now? (EDIT: According to the second book [my review] her grandparents are 87 and 85, meaning they were born in 2063 and 2065. If a toddler in 2012 can use an iphone...) How the heck did you convince millions of people to abandon all religion?
Why don't women have rights anymore? WTF is "reassimilation" and how does it work when you are not a robot? Why did the author think that "trannies" and "trans" were good things to call taxis? DOES SHE NOT KNOW WHAT THAT IS TO A MODERN AUDIENCE? Why the heck haven't people gotten suspicious of a giant government-sponsored sex slave trade every year?
IT MAKES NO SENSE.
I am not even going to touch on the dominant XVI/six=sex thing. It's dumb, and there are probably other reviewers who rant on it if you are feeling similarly.
But can I just point out that Nina is FIFTEEN and SIXTEEN and TEENAGERS IT IS NOT LOVE. STOP IT. YOU ARE YOUNG AND DUMB.
November 28, 2010
XVI is a gritty look at a not-so-distant future where girls are registered (aka tattooed), supposedly for their protection, at the age of 16. Julia deftly handles how the sexualization of girls might play out in this dystopia. I quite liked the main character, Nina, who reminded me of at that age. She's a jeans and t-shirt girl whose best friend sees "sex-teen" as her way out. I won't spoil it, but there are some heartbreaking moments. A great read. I highly recommend XVI!
July 14, 2011
This book made me forget to eat, therefore it is evil! I can probably write that first sentence in Latin but that’s not the point! I went an entire day eating nothing and reading this and I didn’t know until late at night when I was so tired that I accidentally deep-fried some eggs. This book must have some magic in its spine, embedded under its inked words. Maybe the cover can perform hypnosis! Okay now that would be cool but onto me review! If I sound crazy, it’s because I am and me like it.
Though this is one of my favorite dystopians of 2011, I wasn’t blind to the flaws. Because I wasn’t as dazzled by Delirium and Divergent as everyone else was, I was going to pick at everything single thing in this one. No matter how hard I tried to pick, I couldn't find something to hate.
Nina lives in a world where girls can legally have sex when they turn sixteen and are branded with an XVI tattoo on their wrist. Women have no rights it seems even after than gained them in the 20th century. What happened? There’s no explanation as to why the world ended up catering to a man’s penis. History repeated itself? No, this is much worse, even a little terrifying for me considering I turned sixteen in January.
I suspect that the origin of this futuristic world wasn’t explained is that Nina probably didn’t know for herself. I also suspect that men and women became so equal that it pissed off the men because they couldn’t get enough (or any) unless they were having children which led to a bunch of wars and BAM Nina's world was born. And even then, it seems that less people are having kids nowadays and that’s because of the recession. I wonder how they overcame the recession. (Hooray for babbling! Don’t like it? Eat me.) The GC (Governing Council) made sure the people knew as little as possible so all they had to trust were the lies spewed out from the verts every time they stepped out of their homes. Nina could have mentioned the lie as to how her Chicago came to be though; it would make her sound like an unreliable narrator that doesn’t know she was unreliable. That didn’t stop me from enjoying her adventure with both old and new friends.
Her friends… I didn’t like them the first time I read this. I had to read it again because I put it down for two months and forgot anything. So I chose an uber hot day to reread this. Even though I feel like trolls were boiling soup under my seat, I plowed through this baby. Now back on topic… Mike and Derek were more than I expected after the first read. Mike was fun and food-loving (like me before I touched this book!). Derek was tall, blonde and protective (doesn’t sound as interesting as Mike, huh?). And he played zydeco! They weren’t the most fascinating people but they were always there for Nina. It’s not every day I read about friends that support and protect each other, not friends that are around you so they can steal your brother’s heart (see The Dark Divine. I kept comparing that to XVI when Nina started puking because Grace from The Dark Divine did the same thing. Either there’s something going on or they’re too weak to handle zee pressurez of life.)
Nina’s best friend Sandy deserves an entire paragraph all for her. I didn’t understand her until I read a couple of reviews. At first I thought she was just asking to get raped because of the way she dressed and the rape culture she lived in. Turns out she was naïve and too trusting. Sounds like someone? Nina! Nina thought it would be alright to leave her sister Dee at home because she felt safe for two weeks. Doesn’t she know that the enemy can wait for years to strike when you least expect it? Sandy was just being a typical sex-teen like the other girls. There was no one who understood her, not her too-lazy-to-work-but-I-want-to-be-rich mother and certainly not supposed-best-friend-forever Nina. I thought some pretty harsh things about Sandy but she didn’t deserve Nina’s judgment just because Sandy didn’t know who to be than what the Media was shaping her to be. How could Nina not try to understand her friend instead of wondering, oh would she kill me if I tell her about Sal?
Which brings me to Sal, the designated love interest. This guy took up like half of Nina’s thoughts but they barely knew each other before they started smooching. Was it lust or was it love, I can’t tell. I was more focused on the setting and all the rules. One review I read said he was a stalker and I can see that but Nina also had cardboard-cutout-bad-guy Ed tailing her for information about her father. Having Sal to save her once in a while (she did some major butt kicking eventually) was so this book wouldn’t end before the 200-page mark and I like my books way past the 300-page mark. Another thing about Sal and Nina is that they live in a penis-driven world and they don’t want to have sex! Well, Sal doesn’t. Hmmm sounds like a special breed of boy right there. Can I get a slice of that? Nina wants to have sex but she won't because she thinks she'll be a sex-teen like everyone else. She's just lying to herself and once she even blamed her sexual urges for her being naïve. Having sex could save Nina from life on Mars but nooooo she can’t because she has morals and this has to stretch into a trilogy or something that takes up lots of space at the library (see whatever neverending series you lovehate).
Wei was another new friend, who was so kick-ass that she made Nina look like a marshmallow with pretzels for arms and legs. She was the one who drove the plot and helped Nina with the mystery surrounding her father. I can’t picture this book without her, my half-Japanese heroine. She made having an XVI stamped on not the worst thing in the world .
Bad guy Ed was pretty bad but I don’t know his motives. He beat Ginnie, Nina’s mother, but all he says to that is he loved her and that she turned him on. I bet he got together with Ginnie to get closer to Alan, Nina’s NonCon father. Ed didn’t feel threatening all the time but enough for me to fear for Nina and Dee’s lives.
I was very interested in Alan, probably because he shares his name with my dad, and because he didn’t let anyone sway him from his beliefs. He stood for anti-Media and wanted what was best for everyone, not just horny men. Though he wasn’t there in person and I only got to know him through what others said about him, Alan became my second favorite character after Wei. Says a lot about the other characters that were actually there.
The futurespeak, my goodness. Ultra, skiv, something I forgot… They were abused to the extreme and lost their meaning quickly. It did help immerse me a little further into Nina’s pit of a world.
There’s one loose thread that’s been bothering me. There had been a guy attacking other guys about ¾ through the book but they never say who. Is it Ed?
The worldbuilding was the most intriguing I’ve read since Birthmarked (even though that one’s mommy is The The Handmaid's Tale.) I was scared out of my air-conditioned room to live in Chicago 2150, to be used as an XVIII’s sex toy. For scaring me and making forget food, XVI is both my friend and enemy. Will I be reading the sequel? As long as I have a meal plan laid out.
Though this is one of my favorite dystopians of 2011, I wasn’t blind to the flaws. Because I wasn’t as dazzled by Delirium and Divergent as everyone else was, I was going to pick at everything single thing in this one. No matter how hard I tried to pick, I couldn't find something to hate.
Nina lives in a world where girls can legally have sex when they turn sixteen and are branded with an XVI tattoo on their wrist. Women have no rights it seems even after than gained them in the 20th century. What happened? There’s no explanation as to why the world ended up catering to a man’s penis. History repeated itself? No, this is much worse, even a little terrifying for me considering I turned sixteen in January.
I suspect that the origin of this futuristic world wasn’t explained is that Nina probably didn’t know for herself. I also suspect that men and women became so equal that it pissed off the men because they couldn’t get enough (or any) unless they were having children which led to a bunch of wars and BAM Nina's world was born. And even then, it seems that less people are having kids nowadays and that’s because of the recession. I wonder how they overcame the recession. (Hooray for babbling! Don’t like it? Eat me.) The GC (Governing Council) made sure the people knew as little as possible so all they had to trust were the lies spewed out from the verts every time they stepped out of their homes. Nina could have mentioned the lie as to how her Chicago came to be though; it would make her sound like an unreliable narrator that doesn’t know she was unreliable. That didn’t stop me from enjoying her adventure with both old and new friends.
Her friends… I didn’t like them the first time I read this. I had to read it again because I put it down for two months and forgot anything. So I chose an uber hot day to reread this. Even though I feel like trolls were boiling soup under my seat, I plowed through this baby. Now back on topic… Mike and Derek were more than I expected after the first read. Mike was fun and food-loving (like me before I touched this book!). Derek was tall, blonde and protective (doesn’t sound as interesting as Mike, huh?). And he played zydeco! They weren’t the most fascinating people but they were always there for Nina. It’s not every day I read about friends that support and protect each other, not friends that are around you so they can steal your brother’s heart (see The Dark Divine. I kept comparing that to XVI when Nina started puking because Grace from The Dark Divine did the same thing. Either there’s something going on or they’re too weak to handle zee pressurez of life.)
Nina’s best friend Sandy deserves an entire paragraph all for her. I didn’t understand her until I read a couple of reviews. At first I thought she was just asking to get raped because of the way she dressed and the rape culture she lived in. Turns out she was naïve and too trusting. Sounds like someone? Nina! Nina thought it would be alright to leave her sister Dee at home because she felt safe for two weeks. Doesn’t she know that the enemy can wait for years to strike when you least expect it? Sandy was just being a typical sex-teen like the other girls. There was no one who understood her, not her too-lazy-to-work-but-I-want-to-be-rich mother and certainly not supposed-best-friend-forever Nina. I thought some pretty harsh things about Sandy but she didn’t deserve Nina’s judgment just because Sandy didn’t know who to be than what the Media was shaping her to be. How could Nina not try to understand her friend instead of wondering, oh would she kill me if I tell her about Sal?
Which brings me to Sal, the designated love interest. This guy took up like half of Nina’s thoughts but they barely knew each other before they started smooching. Was it lust or was it love, I can’t tell. I was more focused on the setting and all the rules. One review I read said he was a stalker and I can see that but Nina also had cardboard-cutout-bad-guy Ed tailing her for information about her father. Having Sal to save her once in a while (she did some major butt kicking eventually) was so this book wouldn’t end before the 200-page mark and I like my books way past the 300-page mark. Another thing about Sal and Nina is that they live in a penis-driven world and they don’t want to have sex! Well, Sal doesn’t. Hmmm sounds like a special breed of boy right there. Can I get a slice of that? Nina wants to have sex but she won't because she thinks she'll be a sex-teen like everyone else. She's just lying to herself and once she even blamed her sexual urges for her being naïve. Having sex could save Nina from life on Mars but nooooo she can’t because she has morals and this has to stretch into a trilogy or something that takes up lots of space at the library (see whatever neverending series you lovehate).
Wei was another new friend, who was so kick-ass that she made Nina look like a marshmallow with pretzels for arms and legs. She was the one who drove the plot and helped Nina with the mystery surrounding her father. I can’t picture this book without her, my half-Japanese heroine. She made having an XVI stamped on not the worst thing in the world .
Bad guy Ed was pretty bad but I don’t know his motives. He beat Ginnie, Nina’s mother, but all he says to that is he loved her and that she turned him on. I bet he got together with Ginnie to get closer to Alan, Nina’s NonCon father. Ed didn’t feel threatening all the time but enough for me to fear for Nina and Dee’s lives.
I was very interested in Alan, probably because he shares his name with my dad, and because he didn’t let anyone sway him from his beliefs. He stood for anti-Media and wanted what was best for everyone, not just horny men. Though he wasn’t there in person and I only got to know him through what others said about him, Alan became my second favorite character after Wei. Says a lot about the other characters that were actually there.
The futurespeak, my goodness. Ultra, skiv, something I forgot… They were abused to the extreme and lost their meaning quickly. It did help immerse me a little further into Nina’s pit of a world.
There’s one loose thread that’s been bothering me. There had been a guy attacking other guys about ¾ through the book but they never say who. Is it Ed?
The worldbuilding was the most intriguing I’ve read since Birthmarked (even though that one’s mommy is The The Handmaid's Tale.) I was scared out of my air-conditioned room to live in Chicago 2150, to be used as an XVIII’s sex toy. For scaring me and making forget food, XVI is both my friend and enemy. Will I be reading the sequel? As long as I have a meal plan laid out.
April 19, 2011
So, these are the tough reviews for me. When I love a book, I can't help but go on and on about it. When I hate a book....well, pretty much the same. But when a book is just ok, that's where I have trouble. I really liked the idea of this book. I've actually been waiting for it to come out for a long time. I bought it pretty quickly after it came out, read about 1/3 of it, then got side-tracked by other books, and never felt too compelled to go back. However, we were requested to read it by a parent, so I decided to pick it back up and finish it.
Things I liked about XVI:
* The cover. I just love it! It looks really tragic, almost, and I think it fits the book SO well, with the tattoo and the desperation that Nina feels. Kudos, cover people!
* The concept. First of all, I love a good dystopian. I love thinking about how the world will be, or what our actions today may lead to tomorrow. With all the sexualization of teens today, and just women in general, I was anxious to see what Julia's world would look like in the future. The idea that girls would actually be branded was really fascinating.
* The mystery. I didn't know going into this that there would be a mystery. I love a good mystery, so I was happy to see that included.
* The family relationships. I loved that Nina's grandparents were so fleshed out. They were awesome grandparents. I also liked how much Nina cared for her sister. It was obvious that she would do anything for her. And it wasn't just Nina's family that was explored. We also got glimpses into Wei's family and Sal's family.
* Speaking of Wei. She had to be my favorite character. I loved her strength and confidence, her love and concern for her friends, her willingness to put her life on the line for those she cared about. She was a fantastic character.
* Nina's friends. It was really great to see a group of friends that loved and looked out for each other as much as these friends did. All of them seemed genuinely concerned for each other, going out of their way to keep each other safe, or showing an interest in their passions.
Things I wasn't crazy about:
* The writing. It's not that the writing was bad, it just wasn't my style. I felt like the slang was a little corny, and the sentences were a little choppy. I tend to like books (and I'm just finding this out about myself) where the writing is a little more poetic and beautiful.
* Nina. I just couldn't connect with her.
o There are two very tragic incidents in Nina's life during the story, and I just didn't really feel bad for either of them. And I didn't feel like Nina really felt all that bad either.
o I felt like Nina was whiny and wishy-washy. Her thoughts and feelings were just all over the place.
o We were "told" that she was strong, but I didn't really see strength. And she kind-of came off a little slow. I mean how many times can you say to yourself, "I know there's a madman out there ready to snatch me or my sister away, but I'm going to go hang out outside.....by myself......at night....again......I'm sure it will be fine." It just drove me a little nuts.
* The Background. Why? Because there was none. Why did this society get to this point? Why would they push girls into having sex? What was the point? Why sixteen? Maybe the answers were in there and I just didn't see them, but to me, the society didn't make sense. In two books I've recently read, BUMPED and WITHER, there were similar dystopian societies that focused on the sexualization of young girls. But, in both of those worlds, there was a reason things had advance to that point. In BUMPED, there was a virus that caused all women over a certain age to be sterile. In WITHER, because of gene-manipulation, girls died at age 20. But, in XVI, there didn't seem to be a cause for this ridiculous society. And that just made it seem unbelievable.
Overall, like I said before, I think this book was ok. I have a hard time finishing books that are just ok, because there are SO MANY books I want to read and can't seem to get to (especially when I have Supernaturally, Divergent, and City of Fallen Angels sitting on my shelf). But, I wouldn't say this one was a waste of time. If you're in love with dystopian, and are looking for another book in that genre, you may want to pick this one up.
~Andye
http://ReadingTeen.net/
Things I liked about XVI:
* The cover. I just love it! It looks really tragic, almost, and I think it fits the book SO well, with the tattoo and the desperation that Nina feels. Kudos, cover people!
* The concept. First of all, I love a good dystopian. I love thinking about how the world will be, or what our actions today may lead to tomorrow. With all the sexualization of teens today, and just women in general, I was anxious to see what Julia's world would look like in the future. The idea that girls would actually be branded was really fascinating.
* The mystery. I didn't know going into this that there would be a mystery. I love a good mystery, so I was happy to see that included.
* The family relationships. I loved that Nina's grandparents were so fleshed out. They were awesome grandparents. I also liked how much Nina cared for her sister. It was obvious that she would do anything for her. And it wasn't just Nina's family that was explored. We also got glimpses into Wei's family and Sal's family.
* Speaking of Wei. She had to be my favorite character. I loved her strength and confidence, her love and concern for her friends, her willingness to put her life on the line for those she cared about. She was a fantastic character.
* Nina's friends. It was really great to see a group of friends that loved and looked out for each other as much as these friends did. All of them seemed genuinely concerned for each other, going out of their way to keep each other safe, or showing an interest in their passions.
Things I wasn't crazy about:
* The writing. It's not that the writing was bad, it just wasn't my style. I felt like the slang was a little corny, and the sentences were a little choppy. I tend to like books (and I'm just finding this out about myself) where the writing is a little more poetic and beautiful.
* Nina. I just couldn't connect with her.
o There are two very tragic incidents in Nina's life during the story, and I just didn't really feel bad for either of them. And I didn't feel like Nina really felt all that bad either.
o I felt like Nina was whiny and wishy-washy. Her thoughts and feelings were just all over the place.
o We were "told" that she was strong, but I didn't really see strength. And she kind-of came off a little slow. I mean how many times can you say to yourself, "I know there's a madman out there ready to snatch me or my sister away, but I'm going to go hang out outside.....by myself......at night....again......I'm sure it will be fine." It just drove me a little nuts.
* The Background. Why? Because there was none. Why did this society get to this point? Why would they push girls into having sex? What was the point? Why sixteen? Maybe the answers were in there and I just didn't see them, but to me, the society didn't make sense. In two books I've recently read, BUMPED and WITHER, there were similar dystopian societies that focused on the sexualization of young girls. But, in both of those worlds, there was a reason things had advance to that point. In BUMPED, there was a virus that caused all women over a certain age to be sterile. In WITHER, because of gene-manipulation, girls died at age 20. But, in XVI, there didn't seem to be a cause for this ridiculous society. And that just made it seem unbelievable.
Overall, like I said before, I think this book was ok. I have a hard time finishing books that are just ok, because there are SO MANY books I want to read and can't seem to get to (especially when I have Supernaturally, Divergent, and City of Fallen Angels sitting on my shelf). But, I wouldn't say this one was a waste of time. If you're in love with dystopian, and are looking for another book in that genre, you may want to pick this one up.
~Andye
http://ReadingTeen.net/
March 7, 2011
In Nina's world, which is frighteningly similar in some ways to our own, kids--not just girls, this is a two-way street, folks--are raised viewing sex as, well, the closest word to it that I think of, and I know it falls short of what Karr was trying to say, is a goal or rite of passage or recreation. This was best displayed in the attitude of Nina's best friend, Sandy, who blindly followed all of the Media's hype about turning sixteen by her dress, which was skimpy at best, her behavior, which degraded her value as a human being immeasurably, and her language, which was so sex-driven1 I felt bad for Nina having to feign interest. But despite all this, Sandy was a nice girl. Under all the layers of makeup and the too-few layers of sexteen2 clothing, she was a sweet girl who loved visiting the cows at the zoo, hanging out with her friends, and dreaming about the future. You never would've known any of this, however, by mere observation. The face that she put forth to the world was one of over-sexualized abandon ready and willing for anything with anyone. And that's exactly how the Governing Council wanted her, and all teenage girls, to be. By insidiously enforcing this mold on the youth of their society through clever propaganda and extreme marketing, they ensured that women were seen as second class at best, though more often than not they were completely objectionalized, abused, and disregarded. In this way, the Governing Council ensured that no one had the sense to look beyond what was right in front of their face, that being the latest trend or the hottest whoever, to see that there was indeed something wrong with the way their society functioned and that they desperately needed to change it.
Now about that two-way street I mentioned earlier: Women were completely objectionalized by the society at large and this was brought to the story in the person of the scariest, most despicable, revolting, and realistic villain ever, along with a cast of brutal yet equally realistic secondary characters who were present mainly to drive the plot or illustrate some aspect of the belief system that Nina's harsh world (mal)functioned under. There were some truly frightening men in this story, but Karr didn't completely write off the whole gender, which would have been a shame. She included a cast of admirable and even chivalrous male characters, such as Nina grandfather and best friends. And this story, when looked at from another perspective, is not just about the negative effect that sexual degradation has on the over all treatment of women, it's also about the backlash that men experience in the same situation. They weren't as obviously opressed as women, but the men of this society--which, allow me to reiterate, was a lot like our own in many ways--were encouraged to act on their most base instincts. They were encouraged to act like animals and were raised viewing women as something to be conquered3 and owned. It was one of the saddest things, I think, that the men had lost their spine, their desire to treat women with respect, and thus to treat themselves with respect.
Okay. I'm going to cut myself off before I continue to ramble, and say that XVI gets 5 stars.
And how could I give it less when it held such an important underlying message, that being the importance of chastity in the battle to protect and uphold human dignity. When we sell ourselves short by allowing ourselves to become sexual object's, or by treating others in that manner, we damage our dignity. And I'm not talking about pride, as in "I have my dignity!", I'm talking about our God-given dignity. The thing that sets us apart from animals.
Now about that two-way street I mentioned earlier: Women were completely objectionalized by the society at large and this was brought to the story in the person of the scariest, most despicable, revolting, and realistic villain ever, along with a cast of brutal yet equally realistic secondary characters who were present mainly to drive the plot or illustrate some aspect of the belief system that Nina's harsh world (mal)functioned under. There were some truly frightening men in this story, but Karr didn't completely write off the whole gender, which would have been a shame. She included a cast of admirable and even chivalrous male characters, such as Nina grandfather and best friends. And this story, when looked at from another perspective, is not just about the negative effect that sexual degradation has on the over all treatment of women, it's also about the backlash that men experience in the same situation. They weren't as obviously opressed as women, but the men of this society--which, allow me to reiterate, was a lot like our own in many ways--were encouraged to act on their most base instincts. They were encouraged to act like animals and were raised viewing women as something to be conquered3 and owned. It was one of the saddest things, I think, that the men had lost their spine, their desire to treat women with respect, and thus to treat themselves with respect.
Okay. I'm going to cut myself off before I continue to ramble, and say that XVI gets 5 stars.
And how could I give it less when it held such an important underlying message, that being the importance of chastity in the battle to protect and uphold human dignity. When we sell ourselves short by allowing ourselves to become sexual object's, or by treating others in that manner, we damage our dignity. And I'm not talking about pride, as in "I have my dignity!", I'm talking about our God-given dignity. The thing that sets us apart from animals.
March 13, 2011
Nina is different than most girls her age. Instead of looking forward to being 16 and being branded as ready for sex to all the men, she is terrified. She never bought the media's habit of shoving sexual readiness down young girl's throats. Her mother has always been right by her side doing everything she can, and sacrificing all to ensure that Nina doesn't end up like many sixteen years, dead in a gutter with no one caring one bit. However, that all changes when her mother is attacked and just before she dies, she tells Nina something that will change her life forever. Nina knows she must find answers and find away to keep her and her little sister safe as her sixteenth birthday is right around the corner, and then she will be fair game.
This book is a very dark dystopian that will make your skin crawl. The men ogle the young girls and sometimes only the lack of the sixteen brand on their arms saves them. Sixteen is now sex-teen, and once girls reach this age they are fair game. In fact the men can pretty much do whatever they want, and get away with it because the media and controlling government has made it known that all girls are "dying" for sexual attention. There is no concept of rape to the authorities, the girls always want it, and if she is injured or even killed in the process, it's just shrugged off and accepted as another sex-crazed teen gone bad. There were so many times I was literally sick to my stomach while reading this book, it was that horrific. The girls are taught to objectify themselves and the media ensures these girls will always be "primed and ready" by the time they turn 16.
This book issue's affected me more so than any other dystopian book I have read. Yes, in many other dystopians there is plenty of oppression and even terrible deaths for those that rebel. However, being, a female and a mother, who also remembers what it was like to be sixteen and the concept of this book is just utterly horrific. Sixteen is such a vulnerable age. To be basically whored out from that point on, well I just can't imagine how the women are able to function as they grow up. I guess that is the point, screw them up while they are young and they won't have the ability to rebel later. It is never really said, but I have a feeling the majority of the top officials must be men, or at least heartless women, as no one in their right mind would ever bring such a system about.
Putting aside how drastically this book effected me, it did drag a little. I also had a hard time relating to the characters, as they just did not suck me into their lives, nor did they make me feel any real emotions. Yes, I felt bad for them and their situations, but when things happened to them, I just didn't feel invested enough for it to really hit me that hard. I do think the series has a lot of potential, and I did start to have more of an attachment to the characters as the book went on. I just wish that connection would have been established sooner as I would have been a little more impacted by the events in the book. All in all it was a good read, definitely something you do not want to miss if you are a fan of dystopian novels.
This book is a very dark dystopian that will make your skin crawl. The men ogle the young girls and sometimes only the lack of the sixteen brand on their arms saves them. Sixteen is now sex-teen, and once girls reach this age they are fair game. In fact the men can pretty much do whatever they want, and get away with it because the media and controlling government has made it known that all girls are "dying" for sexual attention. There is no concept of rape to the authorities, the girls always want it, and if she is injured or even killed in the process, it's just shrugged off and accepted as another sex-crazed teen gone bad. There were so many times I was literally sick to my stomach while reading this book, it was that horrific. The girls are taught to objectify themselves and the media ensures these girls will always be "primed and ready" by the time they turn 16.
This book issue's affected me more so than any other dystopian book I have read. Yes, in many other dystopians there is plenty of oppression and even terrible deaths for those that rebel. However, being, a female and a mother, who also remembers what it was like to be sixteen and the concept of this book is just utterly horrific. Sixteen is such a vulnerable age. To be basically whored out from that point on, well I just can't imagine how the women are able to function as they grow up. I guess that is the point, screw them up while they are young and they won't have the ability to rebel later. It is never really said, but I have a feeling the majority of the top officials must be men, or at least heartless women, as no one in their right mind would ever bring such a system about.
Putting aside how drastically this book effected me, it did drag a little. I also had a hard time relating to the characters, as they just did not suck me into their lives, nor did they make me feel any real emotions. Yes, I felt bad for them and their situations, but when things happened to them, I just didn't feel invested enough for it to really hit me that hard. I do think the series has a lot of potential, and I did start to have more of an attachment to the characters as the book went on. I just wish that connection would have been established sooner as I would have been a little more impacted by the events in the book. All in all it was a good read, definitely something you do not want to miss if you are a fan of dystopian novels.
January 26, 2011
Review posted at Confessions of a Bookaholic http://totalbookaholic.blogspot.com
XVI is an amazing story that takes place in a dystopian world in 2150. In this society, filled with strict government control and electronic devices keeping up with each individual, Nina is just one of many teens dealing with day to day life. She's almost to the critical age of 16, or "sex-teen", where teen girls are tattooed with an XVI as a way to show their supposed readiness for sex. Girls have very little say in what happens after that point. The Media says that at this age girls should be happy for the attention and most girls go along with this portrayal.
Nina is not like most girls. She doesn't want to turn 16 or be known as a "sex-teen" like her friend Sandy. Soon Nina is faced with even more problems after her mother dies and she learns the truth about both of her parents. Now she must find a way to protect her sister Dee and protect herself as she gets closer to 16.
The first part of this book was a little slow for me and a bit confusing. It took me a while to learn the language, or terms, used for different things in the society. We learn immediately that Nina is different than most girls. She was strong, determined and true to her own values. She didn't go along with the thoughts of her friend Sandy. Sometimes I felt the need to feel more emotion from Nina but overall she was a great character.
Julia took the time to exceptionally explain this unique world in XVI. It may take a while to understand the gadgets they used or how they refer to their people, but once we get the full picture I felt I really could grasp how the society ran. I felt this book had a much more realistic world than some past dystopian books I have read. The main idea of this future is that it is run by the Media. They are everywhere and they control what everyone sees each day. They can choose the "truth" that is displayed. Although this book is centered around a critical issue for Nina (sex) it's easy to see the other issues going on due to the government. Individuals have GPS from birth and can only take it out after they are 16, no one can debate controversial issues, and girls can be chosen to go into a FeLS program at 16 and no one really knows what goes on while they are there.
Part of what keeps Nina strong is the support from her friends. Some she has known for years and others, like Sal and Wei, are new to her life. By keeping them close she is able to learn more about the secrets of her society and how she may be able to discover what her mother had been doing for all those years.
XVI is a wonderful story that shows what society could come to. I saw quite a few similarities to our own world and Julia did a great job presented the hard facts of a world where the people have little control.
XVI is an amazing story that takes place in a dystopian world in 2150. In this society, filled with strict government control and electronic devices keeping up with each individual, Nina is just one of many teens dealing with day to day life. She's almost to the critical age of 16, or "sex-teen", where teen girls are tattooed with an XVI as a way to show their supposed readiness for sex. Girls have very little say in what happens after that point. The Media says that at this age girls should be happy for the attention and most girls go along with this portrayal.
Nina is not like most girls. She doesn't want to turn 16 or be known as a "sex-teen" like her friend Sandy. Soon Nina is faced with even more problems after her mother dies and she learns the truth about both of her parents. Now she must find a way to protect her sister Dee and protect herself as she gets closer to 16.
The first part of this book was a little slow for me and a bit confusing. It took me a while to learn the language, or terms, used for different things in the society. We learn immediately that Nina is different than most girls. She was strong, determined and true to her own values. She didn't go along with the thoughts of her friend Sandy. Sometimes I felt the need to feel more emotion from Nina but overall she was a great character.
Julia took the time to exceptionally explain this unique world in XVI. It may take a while to understand the gadgets they used or how they refer to their people, but once we get the full picture I felt I really could grasp how the society ran. I felt this book had a much more realistic world than some past dystopian books I have read. The main idea of this future is that it is run by the Media. They are everywhere and they control what everyone sees each day. They can choose the "truth" that is displayed. Although this book is centered around a critical issue for Nina (sex) it's easy to see the other issues going on due to the government. Individuals have GPS from birth and can only take it out after they are 16, no one can debate controversial issues, and girls can be chosen to go into a FeLS program at 16 and no one really knows what goes on while they are there.
Part of what keeps Nina strong is the support from her friends. Some she has known for years and others, like Sal and Wei, are new to her life. By keeping them close she is able to learn more about the secrets of her society and how she may be able to discover what her mother had been doing for all those years.
XVI is a wonderful story that shows what society could come to. I saw quite a few similarities to our own world and Julia did a great job presented the hard facts of a world where the people have little control.
July 23, 2013
Oh dear...
I don't seem to be making very good choices in choosing my books lately...
Yup, it's this again I'm afraid! This book was literally a hairs inch from being totally pointless. I felt like this story just went on and on and fucking on! The plot felt flat and hardly anything happened and Nina .
The characters just didn't feel real and all that really happened was . Another thing I didn't understand was I mean seriously one would be a LITTLE shocked to find a terrorist/government resister in their midst who's working to take down the society you've been taught to love. Not to mention the fact that nothing was really explained, like how does making a society full of "sex-teens" make the world a better place?? And how come boys don't get marked with the XVI?
I regret to admit, I had to force my way through this crappy version of a "debut" novel. I've also gotta say I'm quite fucking furious this book turned out the way it did as I had so many high expectations for it!
I wonder if there will be more to come in the next book... What? I like to give things a chance. Plus this book wasn't ALL awful... There was quite a bit of suspense when Ed threatened Nina and when he chased Sal and Nina in a high speed chase. I also liked the revelation about the FeLS project. So I do think I'll give book two a go to see how things pan out. But if that is as boring as this was then this series is officially worse than the Matched trilogy! I just seriously hate books that go nowhere!
I don't seem to be making very good choices in choosing my books lately...
Yup, it's this again I'm afraid! This book was literally a hairs inch from being totally pointless. I felt like this story just went on and on and fucking on! The plot felt flat and hardly anything happened and Nina .
The characters just didn't feel real and all that really happened was . Another thing I didn't understand was I mean seriously one would be a LITTLE shocked to find a terrorist/government resister in their midst who's working to take down the society you've been taught to love. Not to mention the fact that nothing was really explained, like how does making a society full of "sex-teens" make the world a better place?? And how come boys don't get marked with the XVI?
I regret to admit, I had to force my way through this crappy version of a "debut" novel. I've also gotta say I'm quite fucking furious this book turned out the way it did as I had so many high expectations for it!
I wonder if there will be more to come in the next book... What? I like to give things a chance. Plus this book wasn't ALL awful... There was quite a bit of suspense when Ed threatened Nina and when he chased Sal and Nina in a high speed chase. I also liked the revelation about the FeLS project. So I do think I'll give book two a go to see how things pan out. But if that is as boring as this was then this series is officially worse than the Matched trilogy! I just seriously hate books that go nowhere!
March 29, 2016
Basic Info
Format: Paperback
Pages/Length: 325pgs
Genre: Young Adult; Dystopia
At A Glance
Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: No.
Cliff Hanger: No.
Triggers: n/a
Rating: 3 stars.
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 8
Characters: 8
World Building: 7
Flow: 7
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 7
Ending: 4
Total: 6
In Dept
Best Part: The MC wasn't totally clueless.
Worst Part: Love story took over.
Thoughts Had: oh really.; hmmm; yuck.
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: yes
Recommending: yes
Short Review: I didn't know this was part of a series! I have a little less angry towards that crap ending now. I am over the happily ever after endings right now. I WANT MESSYYYYYY GIVE ME MESSYYYYY. The love story took over wayyy too much, make me sad. The ending felt rushed and i was expecting something epic at the end, but guess not. The fight with Ed wasn't enough for me either. A bit disappointed but otherwise an alright read.
Misc.
Book Boyfriend: None.
Best Friend Material: The MC wasn't too bad.
Review in GIF Form:
May 22, 2012
Wow. This book is really, really complex. The plot is so good. Zarr did such a good job writing this book to make it look like Nina had no way to make all the problems right, but I was really impressed with how she did it.
When I started reading it I thought, Wow, I'm not going to like this book very much, because Zarr came up with all these new abbreviations for everything, like PAVs and feLS, I had no idea what they were. But as the story progressed and grew I finally figured them out and started to really enjoy it. The plot is simply amazing. There were so many elements and things going on, I don't know how Zarr kept track of it all.
When Zarr first introduced Sal I didn't really like him at all, but towards the end he started to show his sensative, caring side and he grew on me.
I love that Nina's mom was a strong, defiant woman that saw through the facade the goverment had put up.
I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Ed. That guy is a slime-ball.
I felt so bad for Sandy at the end (not telling what happens). Although she was completely swept up in being a sex-teen, I kind of liked her and really hoped Nina would make her come to her senses.
All in all, a really good dystopian novel, and I can't wait to read the second one.
~Emily @ Emily's Crammed Bookshelf
When I started reading it I thought, Wow, I'm not going to like this book very much, because Zarr came up with all these new abbreviations for everything, like PAVs and feLS, I had no idea what they were. But as the story progressed and grew I finally figured them out and started to really enjoy it. The plot is simply amazing. There were so many elements and things going on, I don't know how Zarr kept track of it all.
When Zarr first introduced Sal I didn't really like him at all, but towards the end he started to show his sensative, caring side and he grew on me.
I love that Nina's mom was a strong, defiant woman that saw through the facade the goverment had put up.
I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate Ed. That guy is a slime-ball.
I felt so bad for Sandy at the end (not telling what happens). Although she was completely swept up in being a sex-teen, I kind of liked her and really hoped Nina would make her come to her senses.
All in all, a really good dystopian novel, and I can't wait to read the second one.
~Emily @ Emily's Crammed Bookshelf
December 22, 2016
Every girl gets one. An XVI tattoo on the wrist---sixteen. Media says they are for protection; but girls are treated like they are sex-teen, legally sexualized, in the future. Most girls can't wait, but Nina isn't one of those kinds of girls. Her normal world is shattered when her mom is murdered and everything she had once understood about her world is mistaken, including a father that she has always been told was dead. It turns out that he is not dead, but a Non-conformist and has had to hide from an intrusive government, and before she passed away, her mom has charged her to search for him.
She is being helped by her new boyfriend Sal, and new friend Wei; both of whom have parents who knew/know her dad and are helping her against Ed, her evil stepdad/government agent who is helping in creating the XVI female selection just a glorified sex trafficking ring. Her mother had to pretend for several years to be with him even though she still loved her dad. Nina ends up finding the hidden proof and bravely defeats Ed before he can do her and her sister and grandparents any more harm. She learns to think for herself, and be a great Non Con!
It was an alright story; not bad for a dystopic stand alone! A solid read.
She is being helped by her new boyfriend Sal, and new friend Wei; both of whom have parents who knew/know her dad and are helping her against Ed, her evil stepdad/government agent who is helping in creating the XVI female selection just a glorified sex trafficking ring. Her mother had to pretend for several years to be with him even though she still loved her dad. Nina ends up finding the hidden proof and bravely defeats Ed before he can do her and her sister and grandparents any more harm. She learns to think for herself, and be a great Non Con!
It was an alright story; not bad for a dystopic stand alone! A solid read.
August 31, 2012
I waffled between a 2 and 3 on this. It was an interesting premise, a world where teenage girls are super-sexualized and women have less power than they do overall in 2011. I would've liked the role of women explored more. And there really was much more thought than action. When something did happen, it was over in a flash. Then back to Nina worrying. Or people talking about what there was to worry about.
Nina is on the verge of turning 16, when girls are free to have sex. Or be asked to have sex. It's a high media/advertisement culture. But nothing is at it seems, just like all dystopians. The government is hiding a big secret.
I would've liked to see the relationship between Nina and her sister, Dee flushed out more too. The book wasn't so long. Lengthen the action/tension scenes and add a little more with the sister relationship. I also though the beginning was a slow start. Too much set up. Perhaps some could've been shaved off there. But by the last 50 pages, I wanted to know how it would all end.
But the story made me think about the messages women are given. It made me think of the direction we're headed a society, and where women will fit.
Nina is on the verge of turning 16, when girls are free to have sex. Or be asked to have sex. It's a high media/advertisement culture. But nothing is at it seems, just like all dystopians. The government is hiding a big secret.
I would've liked to see the relationship between Nina and her sister, Dee flushed out more too. The book wasn't so long. Lengthen the action/tension scenes and add a little more with the sister relationship. I also though the beginning was a slow start. Too much set up. Perhaps some could've been shaved off there. But by the last 50 pages, I wanted to know how it would all end.
But the story made me think about the messages women are given. It made me think of the direction we're headed a society, and where women will fit.
January 28, 2011
An interesting concept that gets bogged down by too many plot threads and not enough details. The author has created a future world filled with concepts that would be thought provoking (tattoos at 16, sex-teens, media controls and obsecure government agencies), but lack too much detail to be thought provoking- nothing is fully fleshed out, everything is hinted at in an oh-so-mysterious way. In addition, there were too many plots circling this book (an evil stepfather, a mysterious dead mother and a maybe-not-dead father, media on a rampage, a sister being stalked, a mysterious government agency recruiting only young poor girls, etc, etc), and some far to convinent plot points (the main character's parents long-lost best friends suddenly re-appear as the parents of the main character's new best frien). The true travesity here is that the author actually can write- the book can be compelling and exciting, but when the reader stops to think (as the book begs you to do), only fustration results.
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