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Wasted
When danger, passion and chance collide...Jack worships luck and decides his actions by the flip of a coin. No risk is too great if the coin demands it. Luck brings him Jess, a beautiful singer who will change his life. But Jack's luck is running out, and soon the stakes are high. As chance and choice unravel, the risks of Jack's Game become terrifyingly clear. An evening of heady recklessness, and suddenly a life hangs in the balance, decided by the toss of a coin. In the end, it is the reader who must choose whether to spin that coin and life or death.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 30, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book - it was unusual, both in the concept and in the writing style, and was a very interesting change to what I normally read.
I agree, at time the constant present tense style made the book a bit tedious, but on a whole I think it gave the book the dynamic it needed - shrouded by the unknown, and it fitted very well with the characters.
I liked the original concept as well, of the entire book based around the decisions of a coin, though I think at times parts of the book hadn’t been entirely thought through and linked back to this idea, and I think at times (for example, the ending) it was left slightly too vague on the implications of this coin. Of course, I only know one half of the ending, so maybe my view isn’t entirely correct.
On a whole, I really enjoyed this book - it wasn’t necessarily the best written, but the individual characters had been developed very well, the idea was engaging, and it kept my brain turning all the wat through.
I agree, at time the constant present tense style made the book a bit tedious, but on a whole I think it gave the book the dynamic it needed - shrouded by the unknown, and it fitted very well with the characters.
I liked the original concept as well, of the entire book based around the decisions of a coin, though I think at times parts of the book hadn’t been entirely thought through and linked back to this idea, and I think at times (for example, the ending) it was left slightly too vague on the implications of this coin. Of course, I only know one half of the ending, so maybe my view isn’t entirely correct.
On a whole, I really enjoyed this book - it wasn’t necessarily the best written, but the individual characters had been developed very well, the idea was engaging, and it kept my brain turning all the wat through.
October 3, 2010
Wasted is one of those books you love to hate or hate to love. I loved some aspects of the story, and at other times, I just wanted to creep behind that narrator and hit him/her/it with a frying pan. So bad that I even considered not finishing the book. But I did continue and even though I didn't exactly like the book, I am glad I did read it in the end.
The story centres on the relationship between Jess and Jack. They are both musicians and they meet by chance at school and start becoming friends when Jack asks Jess to be the singer for his band for Prom. There is some serious chemistry between those two, and they soon develop feelings for each other that are more than just friendship.
But the book has a second level where chance and luck are questioned through the presence of that annoying narrator and what is called "Jack's game". Ever since he was a little boy, Jack was led to believe that chance doesn't exist and that people simply get lucky or unlucky*. That is why he flips a coin for it to decide what he should do, so that he isn't responsible for the decision or choice. That is Jack's game, whenever there is a decision to be made, he flips a coin to go in one direction or another.
The relation between Jess and Jack builds up because of their passion for music and their respective personalities. I loved how they interacted. The two characters are really well described and have very interesting lives. There is a lot of depth in all the characters, even though there aren't many overanalytic descriptions either. They also felt like real teenagers with many flaws and doing several bad things for some.
I was also very touched by Jess's family situation. I am sure that there are a lot of children taking care of themselves on their own and even having to take care of their parents as well. Jess's dad left them to go live in America and Jess's mom is an alcoholic. She is a very strong character and I was really happy to continue reading the story and discover more aspects of her personality.
One of the most important characteristic of the book is, for me, the narrator, who seems to take at times more space than the actual characters of the book. The narrator knew too much and was talking way too much. I know what you must think "How can the narrator of a book 'speak too much'?", but it really feels that way. It felt to me as if the narrator was chance or luck (or whichever you want to call it) personified, playing with its character puppets. I hated that narrator with all my guts. It made me feel as if the character had no choice or influence over their own lives and just played in someone else's game. A someone way more powerful than a mere human. It felt a little obscene sometimes, especially when two different chapters would be written with two possibilities and the reader could flip a coin to decide which was the version that would happen to the characters.
The book made me question my own perception of life. I am very passionate about being independent, and this book shows how completely irrelevant independence is. I seriously disagree with that. With independence comes responsability of your actions, they are the two sides of the same coin, and I didn't like how this responsability was sometimes surrendered knowingly to chance or luck by the characters. I don't want to write a lot about it, but I really didn't like that part of the story.
I was also surprised by the style, the book is written in the present tense, it definitely serves the story, but it felt highly unusual to me at the beginning.
I wouldn't say I liked this book, but it spoke to me and even brought some very extreme reactions. It is an interesting read and I feel that the story would have been less powerful had the narrator been more subtle. It is also interesting to challenge your own beliefs and opinions. It is a very unique book, I would advise it to people who like challenging and original books.
* I found it funny because in French, "luck" translates as "chance". It is interesting to see the emphasis put on the difference between the two concepts.
The story centres on the relationship between Jess and Jack. They are both musicians and they meet by chance at school and start becoming friends when Jack asks Jess to be the singer for his band for Prom. There is some serious chemistry between those two, and they soon develop feelings for each other that are more than just friendship.
But the book has a second level where chance and luck are questioned through the presence of that annoying narrator and what is called "Jack's game". Ever since he was a little boy, Jack was led to believe that chance doesn't exist and that people simply get lucky or unlucky*. That is why he flips a coin for it to decide what he should do, so that he isn't responsible for the decision or choice. That is Jack's game, whenever there is a decision to be made, he flips a coin to go in one direction or another.
The relation between Jess and Jack builds up because of their passion for music and their respective personalities. I loved how they interacted. The two characters are really well described and have very interesting lives. There is a lot of depth in all the characters, even though there aren't many overanalytic descriptions either. They also felt like real teenagers with many flaws and doing several bad things for some.
I was also very touched by Jess's family situation. I am sure that there are a lot of children taking care of themselves on their own and even having to take care of their parents as well. Jess's dad left them to go live in America and Jess's mom is an alcoholic. She is a very strong character and I was really happy to continue reading the story and discover more aspects of her personality.
One of the most important characteristic of the book is, for me, the narrator, who seems to take at times more space than the actual characters of the book. The narrator knew too much and was talking way too much. I know what you must think "How can the narrator of a book 'speak too much'?", but it really feels that way. It felt to me as if the narrator was chance or luck (or whichever you want to call it) personified, playing with its character puppets. I hated that narrator with all my guts. It made me feel as if the character had no choice or influence over their own lives and just played in someone else's game. A someone way more powerful than a mere human. It felt a little obscene sometimes, especially when two different chapters would be written with two possibilities and the reader could flip a coin to decide which was the version that would happen to the characters.
The book made me question my own perception of life. I am very passionate about being independent, and this book shows how completely irrelevant independence is. I seriously disagree with that. With independence comes responsability of your actions, they are the two sides of the same coin, and I didn't like how this responsability was sometimes surrendered knowingly to chance or luck by the characters. I don't want to write a lot about it, but I really didn't like that part of the story.
I was also surprised by the style, the book is written in the present tense, it definitely serves the story, but it felt highly unusual to me at the beginning.
I wouldn't say I liked this book, but it spoke to me and even brought some very extreme reactions. It is an interesting read and I feel that the story would have been less powerful had the narrator been more subtle. It is also interesting to challenge your own beliefs and opinions. It is a very unique book, I would advise it to people who like challenging and original books.
* I found it funny because in French, "luck" translates as "chance". It is interesting to see the emphasis put on the difference between the two concepts.
August 6, 2016
Quite how this got published is the first mystery and the second is all the five star reviews. It's as if I read a completely different book to the 5 star reviewers. The point of the story is the way that small details can change everything, and it makes this point quite early. Then you get stuck having to slog through pages and pages where nothing happens. It was so bad that I even considered not finishing the book. But I did. What a complete waste of time!
December 19, 2024
Good book, but so tediously written. I felt like I was going to slam my head against a wall if I had to read one more time that Jack was dangerous or that they did not know the danger that awaited them, or more full on paragraphs stating possibilities followed by 'but it wasn't that way...' It was just such interfering narration that built everything up so much, I was expecting something much more dramatic in the end than actually happened.
BUT...I really liked the idea, three what if concept. The idea that we live in a state of infinite possibilities until our actions determine which outcomes will become reality. And I liked the flip a coin and choose your ending thing, because I wound up with the sad ending and then went and read the happy one after, and felt like I'd just cheated, and it made me reflect on all those 'if only' moments when you don't have the luxury of just moving on to the happy ending.
I'm glad she made that the focus of the book because that was what made it original, whereas Jack's game itself is a rip-off of 'The Dice Man', which I would add is a much better book.
BUT...I really liked the idea, three what if concept. The idea that we live in a state of infinite possibilities until our actions determine which outcomes will become reality. And I liked the flip a coin and choose your ending thing, because I wound up with the sad ending and then went and read the happy one after, and felt like I'd just cheated, and it made me reflect on all those 'if only' moments when you don't have the luxury of just moving on to the happy ending.
I'm glad she made that the focus of the book because that was what made it original, whereas Jack's game itself is a rip-off of 'The Dice Man', which I would add is a much better book.
May 3, 2023
'Wasted: when danger, passion and chance collide' by Nichola Morgan is an independent book. The book is based on the belief in luck or chance.
The book features two main characters; Jack and Jess. Jack is said to be really lucky when it comes to making decisions. This 'making decision' process of Jack, unlike others, is done by the toss of a coin. He lets the outcome- heads or tails, decide what risk he'll be taking. Sounds foolish right? Sounded foolish to Jess as well.
The story goes on well until the luck is not be by his side anymore. The final decision, life or death is to be taken by the reader by tossing a coin.
Honestly, the title of the book and the context sounded interesting, the book didn't really stand up to the mark according to me. The book definitely kept me engaged and the last decision making part was something new but, I had expected maybe a bit more from it.
Overall a good book. Can be read for a change.
The book features two main characters; Jack and Jess. Jack is said to be really lucky when it comes to making decisions. This 'making decision' process of Jack, unlike others, is done by the toss of a coin. He lets the outcome- heads or tails, decide what risk he'll be taking. Sounds foolish right? Sounded foolish to Jess as well.
The story goes on well until the luck is not be by his side anymore. The final decision, life or death is to be taken by the reader by tossing a coin.
Honestly, the title of the book and the context sounded interesting, the book didn't really stand up to the mark according to me. The book definitely kept me engaged and the last decision making part was something new but, I had expected maybe a bit more from it.
Overall a good book. Can be read for a change.
March 31, 2021
Pick a book on your TBR with the ugliest cover
7th book towards my 2021 reading challenge, I DNF'ed this at page 19. I'm pretty good at knowing quickly whether or not I will a) like a book at all or b) continue with it if I'm not sure to start with. This book was not for me and I'm not sure who would actually like such a contrived writing style. I'll take a new book please.
7th book towards my 2021 reading challenge, I DNF'ed this at page 19. I'm pretty good at knowing quickly whether or not I will a) like a book at all or b) continue with it if I'm not sure to start with. This book was not for me and I'm not sure who would actually like such a contrived writing style. I'll take a new book please.
June 18, 2017
I'm not sure if I actually enjoy it or not. The story is kind of too... static. Some aspects are interesting and I do enjoy them but the writing is a bit tedious, I think? I give it a three because I saved Jack's life (I did spin the coin and I got to save Jack's life, it's satisfying)
October 22, 2020
Cleverly written. Left me feeling vaguely uneasy and unsettled, but I think this is what the author intended.
November 22, 2011
This review was originally posted on Fluttering Butterflies
Wasted by Nicola Morgan is a pretty unusual book. I bought it awhile back, after hearing a lot of buzz about it when it was first published, but I still felt a little bit unsure if it would be a book I'd enjoy. And when I finally did pick up Wasted, I was very pleasantly surprised.
The story is about two characters, Jack and Jess and their relationship, but what I find very different about this book is the third person narrator who gives little hints of foreboding as well as passing comments on the characters. At times, I felt like this narration style could easily become irritating, but it never quite reached that point for me. Because it's a style of writing I've not come across veru often, I found it pretty novel all the way through.
And aside from that, I also really felt for both Jack and Jess. They're both going through some difficult issues and how they are portrayed made me instantly care about these characters and all they are dealing with. Jack is a musician in a band, quite confident and good-looking, but he's also holding on to some pretty serious guilt after the deaths of his mother and his step-mother at a very early age. And Jess is a talented singer who has mostly given up on her dreams of going to music college in order to stay at home to look after her alcoholic mother. They meet by chance and Jack invites Jess to sing in his band. Fueled by the idea of singing in a band and spending more time with this hot guy she's attracted to, Jess says 'yes' but our narrator continually reminds the reader that Jack is in fact dangerous.
And dangerous things do end up happening. Jack introduces Jess to this game of luck that he plays. In order to organise the chaos in his life and to maintain some small level of control on the world who would take away both of his mothers, Jack allows decisions to be made on the flip of a coin. He has an entire reasoning behind it and believes in it in this desperate, gradually obsessive way. And as I watched Jack getting involved deeper into this game of luck, it was almost impossible for me to turn away. I cared about Jack, I cared about his new relationship with Jess and I really wanted everything to turn out OK. And as a reader, there were opportunities to take part in this story, to flip a coin and experience different outcomes. It was strange but fascinating.
I really found the ideas of luck and chance to be very compelling to read about, I love how emotionally involved I felt in Jack and Jess's lives and the way in which philosophy and really abstract ideas played a part in the novel. Wasted is a very different and enjoyable read, and I'm very happy that I gave this book a chance!
Wasted by Nicola Morgan is a pretty unusual book. I bought it awhile back, after hearing a lot of buzz about it when it was first published, but I still felt a little bit unsure if it would be a book I'd enjoy. And when I finally did pick up Wasted, I was very pleasantly surprised.
The story is about two characters, Jack and Jess and their relationship, but what I find very different about this book is the third person narrator who gives little hints of foreboding as well as passing comments on the characters. At times, I felt like this narration style could easily become irritating, but it never quite reached that point for me. Because it's a style of writing I've not come across veru often, I found it pretty novel all the way through.
And aside from that, I also really felt for both Jack and Jess. They're both going through some difficult issues and how they are portrayed made me instantly care about these characters and all they are dealing with. Jack is a musician in a band, quite confident and good-looking, but he's also holding on to some pretty serious guilt after the deaths of his mother and his step-mother at a very early age. And Jess is a talented singer who has mostly given up on her dreams of going to music college in order to stay at home to look after her alcoholic mother. They meet by chance and Jack invites Jess to sing in his band. Fueled by the idea of singing in a band and spending more time with this hot guy she's attracted to, Jess says 'yes' but our narrator continually reminds the reader that Jack is in fact dangerous.
And dangerous things do end up happening. Jack introduces Jess to this game of luck that he plays. In order to organise the chaos in his life and to maintain some small level of control on the world who would take away both of his mothers, Jack allows decisions to be made on the flip of a coin. He has an entire reasoning behind it and believes in it in this desperate, gradually obsessive way. And as I watched Jack getting involved deeper into this game of luck, it was almost impossible for me to turn away. I cared about Jack, I cared about his new relationship with Jess and I really wanted everything to turn out OK. And as a reader, there were opportunities to take part in this story, to flip a coin and experience different outcomes. It was strange but fascinating.
I really found the ideas of luck and chance to be very compelling to read about, I love how emotionally involved I felt in Jack and Jess's lives and the way in which philosophy and really abstract ideas played a part in the novel. Wasted is a very different and enjoyable read, and I'm very happy that I gave this book a chance!
June 8, 2011
Nicola Morgan’s Wasted can best be described as a philosophical approach of your run of the mill love story. It’s the philosophical angle, of course, that makes this young adult novel stand out from the crowd. (Btw, butt-ugly cover!)
In this unconventional love story, told by an omniscient narrator (one of the key factors in this book) we meet Jack and Jess – two teenagers on the brink of adulthood about to make life-determining choices. In ‘normal’ life, when a boy meets a girl there are of course plenty mundane ‘what ifs’. What if he doesn’t like me the same way I like him? What if I wear this T-shirt instead of that? What if he meets his ex again and discovers he still likes her… Nicola Morgan takes the ‘what if’ situation of every relationship and almost turns it into a philosophical treatise on chance, luck and other such deep-thought notions.
Jack is literally obsessed with luck. The concept of Schrödinger’s Cat literally runs through his life like a lifeline. Chance (or coincidence) is not an option for him. He’s designed his entire life around the tossing of a coin. Major decisions he makes are left up to luck. This is also what Nicola Morgan tries to do throughout the novel: she lets us see the heads and tails side of the same story. What if? Now as a reader, you’re undeniably predisposed to turn toward a particular outcome of the story, but Morgan challenges us to toss the coin and to go with what the coin decides: lucky or unlucky?
Wasted is thought-provoking and at times it’ll make your head spin. It’s often a bit too much, though, to ‘enjoy’ the writing on the most basic level. But, definitely props to Morgan for challenging her readership in this way.
In this unconventional love story, told by an omniscient narrator (one of the key factors in this book) we meet Jack and Jess – two teenagers on the brink of adulthood about to make life-determining choices. In ‘normal’ life, when a boy meets a girl there are of course plenty mundane ‘what ifs’. What if he doesn’t like me the same way I like him? What if I wear this T-shirt instead of that? What if he meets his ex again and discovers he still likes her… Nicola Morgan takes the ‘what if’ situation of every relationship and almost turns it into a philosophical treatise on chance, luck and other such deep-thought notions.
Jack is literally obsessed with luck. The concept of Schrödinger’s Cat literally runs through his life like a lifeline. Chance (or coincidence) is not an option for him. He’s designed his entire life around the tossing of a coin. Major decisions he makes are left up to luck. This is also what Nicola Morgan tries to do throughout the novel: she lets us see the heads and tails side of the same story. What if? Now as a reader, you’re undeniably predisposed to turn toward a particular outcome of the story, but Morgan challenges us to toss the coin and to go with what the coin decides: lucky or unlucky?
Wasted is thought-provoking and at times it’ll make your head spin. It’s often a bit too much, though, to ‘enjoy’ the writing on the most basic level. But, definitely props to Morgan for challenging her readership in this way.
May 9, 2010
A story about luck and the part it plays in our lives. Would you risk your life on the spin of a coin? Jack does.
Truly an amazing book that really makes you wonder about the little chances that life turns on. A story about love, fate and the danger of leaving things to chance. The writing style allows/encourages the reader to sit back and see Jess and Jack's story from a distance, to see the options open and close around them, but also, I felt, to think about other good or bad luck stories one has heard or experienced.
Although targeted at a Young Adult readership, I feel this book would appeal to a much wider range - I absolutely enjoyed it (sadly, no where near Young Adult age) and my 12 year old daughter, having read the first chapter, is anxiously waiting to read the rest.
This is an incredibly compelling read, one I thoroughly enjoyed and one which above all made me stop and think.
Truly an amazing book that really makes you wonder about the little chances that life turns on. A story about love, fate and the danger of leaving things to chance. The writing style allows/encourages the reader to sit back and see Jess and Jack's story from a distance, to see the options open and close around them, but also, I felt, to think about other good or bad luck stories one has heard or experienced.
Although targeted at a Young Adult readership, I feel this book would appeal to a much wider range - I absolutely enjoyed it (sadly, no where near Young Adult age) and my 12 year old daughter, having read the first chapter, is anxiously waiting to read the rest.
This is an incredibly compelling read, one I thoroughly enjoyed and one which above all made me stop and think.
May 30, 2010
When I read Wasted by Nicola Morgan, I actually felt compelled to write about it. There's something so unique about the voice that it's almost hypnotic. It's been awhile since I've read something that drew me in quite like this.
The book moves between Jack and Jess, following them as their lives intersect and twist and turn depending on the flip of Jack's coin. It's a fascinating concept, but what really made this book interesting for me is the omniscient narrator who is so present it's almost like another character, watching and reporting on Jack and Jess' every move and thought. It's creepy and spellbinding at the same time. As the reader, you feel just as much under the control of this narrator as Jack and Jess.
I made the mistake one day of delving into this book before an afternoon nap that I really wanted to take. I never got the nap, but I did finish the book!
The book moves between Jack and Jess, following them as their lives intersect and twist and turn depending on the flip of Jack's coin. It's a fascinating concept, but what really made this book interesting for me is the omniscient narrator who is so present it's almost like another character, watching and reporting on Jack and Jess' every move and thought. It's creepy and spellbinding at the same time. As the reader, you feel just as much under the control of this narrator as Jack and Jess.
I made the mistake one day of delving into this book before an afternoon nap that I really wanted to take. I never got the nap, but I did finish the book!
May 20, 2011
Hm. Ok, this book starts off so brilliantly that I had huge hopes for it. I love the voice of the author, who manages to use a minamalist writing technique and yet create such rich imagery with just a few words.
Frankly, I got weary of it, though. The book keeps its tone steady throughout and at some point I grew tired of it. The point of the story is the way that small details can change everything, and it makes its point quite early. But then you get stuck having to slog through pages and pages where nothing happens beyond this slow steady build up. The reader is at the mercy of the author and it gets tedious after awhile.
I could see teens adoring this book as it deals with the types of thinking that is pretty common at that age. It's not a bad book, but if you're easily bored, avoid it.
Frankly, I got weary of it, though. The book keeps its tone steady throughout and at some point I grew tired of it. The point of the story is the way that small details can change everything, and it makes its point quite early. But then you get stuck having to slog through pages and pages where nothing happens beyond this slow steady build up. The reader is at the mercy of the author and it gets tedious after awhile.
I could see teens adoring this book as it deals with the types of thinking that is pretty common at that age. It's not a bad book, but if you're easily bored, avoid it.
June 8, 2014
I decided to read this book because I liked the title and it gave me endless possibilities as to what the book could be about.
I found the main character Jack really interesting because he went through a lot of traumatic events in his childhood and expressed him emotions in a very odd way. I like him the most in this novel because hes intelligent, charming and had an magnetic personality.
"You have to take control, even when it appears you have none" this quote stood out in the book for me because it brought on a chain of thoughts and it is a good piece of advice.
I read this book with a strong opinion about something and reading this changed my opinion.
I recommend reading this book to anyone that is looking for a good book about something other than overrated high school crushes and vampire books because its a novel like no other.
I found the main character Jack really interesting because he went through a lot of traumatic events in his childhood and expressed him emotions in a very odd way. I like him the most in this novel because hes intelligent, charming and had an magnetic personality.
"You have to take control, even when it appears you have none" this quote stood out in the book for me because it brought on a chain of thoughts and it is a good piece of advice.
I read this book with a strong opinion about something and reading this changed my opinion.
I recommend reading this book to anyone that is looking for a good book about something other than overrated high school crushes and vampire books because its a novel like no other.
March 25, 2011
WASTED is so different from everything you've ever read, that you'll either love it or hate it. It's the story of a boy who lives his life according to the toss of a coin and the girl he meets through it.
Jack does not believe in chance. He believes in cause and effect. His coin tosses are a sacrifice to the powers that be. By putting his life at the mercy of the coin toss, he guarantees good luck. That is, until Jess comes into his life, and he realises, that he can't control it all.
WASTED is a fantastic psychological foray into the world of 'what if?' How many times have we wondered how things would have turned out if we had taken an earlier bus, turnerd right instead of left, made that phone call?
Jack does not believe in chance. He believes in cause and effect. His coin tosses are a sacrifice to the powers that be. By putting his life at the mercy of the coin toss, he guarantees good luck. That is, until Jess comes into his life, and he realises, that he can't control it all.
WASTED is a fantastic psychological foray into the world of 'what if?' How many times have we wondered how things would have turned out if we had taken an earlier bus, turnerd right instead of left, made that phone call?
April 3, 2012
Weird but brilliant! I don't normally like things written in the present tense but for some reason, this really appealed to me.
I actually have no words to describe the book itself. It was so weird yet captivating. Jack runs his life according to a flip of a coin; makes decisions on whether the result is heads or tails. It's full of 'what if's and the narrator explores these before telling you what actually happens, then at the end it's up to you. You flip a coin. You play Jack's Game. You could read a totally different ending to what someone else did and it's that which makes the book truly brilliant.
I'm even starting to consider tossing a coin to make decisions now, although, I won't take it as far as Jack does.
I actually have no words to describe the book itself. It was so weird yet captivating. Jack runs his life according to a flip of a coin; makes decisions on whether the result is heads or tails. It's full of 'what if's and the narrator explores these before telling you what actually happens, then at the end it's up to you. You flip a coin. You play Jack's Game. You could read a totally different ending to what someone else did and it's that which makes the book truly brilliant.
I'm even starting to consider tossing a coin to make decisions now, although, I won't take it as far as Jack does.
July 26, 2016
The author creates a lot of tension through dramatic irony, in which the reader is given glimpses into the looming futures of the protagonists, which are determined by the flip of a coin. The theme the plot revolves around is that of chance, or ‘cause-and-effect’ as the coined [no pun intended] phrase in the book is. The plot is oftentimes heavily overtaken by an long droning commentary about possibility, to the point where everything gets confusing and the book sounds like one big philosophical essay than a story. But they are definitely intriguing, thought-provoking ideas. Even though the characters’ fates are basically common knowledge, the ending is still heart-wrenching.
February 27, 2011
This contained some interesting ideas... how much of our lives can we design for ourselves and how much is down to luck / chance? Although the story and the two main characters were interesting, I got bored of the way that different possibilities kept being offered about how things might happen in their lives... I just wanted to hear about what DID happen. It was a clever idea but I didn't find it particularly convincing and it distracted me from the actual story. I wasn't impressed with the way that it ended either, but I won't give that away!
October 17, 2011
Not sure if I enjoyed this story - I liked the idea behind it - that it is the small things that add up to bigger things in your life and that everything has a knock on effect, however, I found the "choose a chapter to read" a bit of an overkill and disrupted the plot line. It does however illustrate how different actions and events, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant can lead to different outcomes.
The actual story of the young people was quite good, with interesting twists.
The actual story of the young people was quite good, with interesting twists.
April 27, 2010
An absolutely storming book from start to finish, Wasted had me gripped all the way through. Nicola Morgan cleverly draws the reader in from the very first page and involves you in the story by means of flipping a coin to determine where the story goes next. My heart was thumping on several occasions and the end is nothing short of brilliant. Buy it - there's no chance you'll regret it.
January 14, 2011
Didn't convince - annoying narrator, nice protagonist, infuriating love interest. Interesting theme of chance with the coin tossing, but to what end? Felt like it needed a year more work on the writing, more editing and a whole lot of thought. Sadly I haven't been amazed by Morgan since Mondays are Red, and this will probably be my last book by her.
May 5, 2012
Didn't like this book at all. The writing wasn't amazing n although I thought the idea sounded good it just didn't work in the end.
I hated that half the time I was reading stuff I'd already read and even though your meant too pick I couldn't help but read both to see the alternative story.
Didnt even finish it.
February 3, 2016
A really original concept: alternating narrators, but also parallel endings, depending on the toss of a coin. I liked this a lot as an idea and really took to the girl narrator in particular who is burdened by her mother's alcoholism while carving out her own identity in the world. Bit fiddly at the end - it fragments, which is the cleverness of it but can hinder the flow for the final chapters.
April 25, 2011
This book was different. Strange and haunting. After a few chapters you become familiar with the British vocabulary and just fall into the story. It's interactive, have to see read it to understand and I cannot say how happy I was that the coin came up tails for me.
Awesome book.
Awesome book.
February 11, 2013
My first and last from Nicola Morgan. Lots of little by-plays which hinted more later and never did. Was Jack dangerous? Didn't see any situation where he was. Pointless part about her dad, which went nowhere. Tedious nonsense. Why did I bother finishing it?
July 20, 2013
Brilliant! The book uses a really unique voice – a very effective way to tell the story. I know it's a cleché, but I really found this difficult to put down and suspect I may have to read it again. It is also one of those books that will stay with me – haunt me even!
July 18, 2010
compelling in an odd dijointed way - very much like the way I think. Mix real life with quantum physics and anything can happen :D
August 1, 2011
This is my favourite book of the last year.
May 19, 2013
I regret giving this book away to a local charity shop when cleaning out my room but I can only hope someone else had the great experience of reading this book. Brilliant.
February 4, 2014
Confusing
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