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As I Wake
Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.
Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.
Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.
269 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2011
66 people are currently reading
4822 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Scott
138 books3,451 followersHey there, I'm Elizabeth. I write young adult novels. I live just outside Washington DC with my husband and dog, and am unable to pass a bookstore without stopping and going inside.
All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.
Usually two. (Or more!)
My website and blog are at elizabethwrites.com, and I'm also on twitter, tumblr, and facebook
All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.
Usually two. (Or more!)
My website and blog are at elizabethwrites.com, and I'm also on twitter, tumblr, and facebook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 482 reviews
October 2, 2011
I look down at the ground and close my eyes.
After a moment, I open them. I see my bare toes on the road. I am here.
I am not dreaming. This is me. This is my life. But it doesn’t feel right.
It doesn’t feel like mine, it still feels like a dream I’m in, that I’ve been put in.
This is one of those books that will inspire a polarized reaction. Some of you will love it. Most of you will probably hate it. It’s odd in so many ways – not to everyone’s taste for sure – but here’s a small help: if you enjoyed Wake by Lisa McMann, you might enjoy As I Wake, too. I for one adore authors who are brave enough to write something completely different, especially in YA.
The most obvious thing that sets this book apart from others I’ve read recently is the writing style. It is very unusual, almost too bare at times. Parts of it read like poetry, and in those parts the author used not only words, but space as well. She often put each short sentence on a new line, thus giving her story a rhythm that is highly unusual in prose, but that makes it very easy to read.
The story is equally unusual: Ava suffers from complete memory loss, a condition the doctors attribute to a brain inflammation they somehow failed to notice. They decide she’s healthy enough to be sent home with a woman claiming to be her mother. Ava does her best to fit into her old life, but when her memories start coming back, they don’t make any sense at all. She remembers being a girl that looks like the Ava she is now, but not quite. She remembers living in a tightly controlled society, working for the State Antiterrorism Taskforce as a listener, spying on those who represent a potential threat to the government. The world she remembers is one where your every move is monitored, your every word is recorded, and you can get publicly executed for doing something as simple as falling in love, unless, of course, it’s government-approved. What’s more, she remembers the people around her, but as slightly different versions of themselves. She remembers seeing her friend Olivia clubbed to death for having an affair with another girl, but here Olivia is, alive and well and attending high school together with everyone else.
Then a boy shows up, and Ava starts remembering other parts of her previous life: a forbidden love, the constant danger and running from her past.
The Ava I’m supposed to be doesn’t know her.
But the Ava I am does.
I am here, in this world, in this life.
But I don’t think I’m from here.
I don’t think I belong here.
I close my eyes.
Books about memory loss seem to be very popular lately, but I do believe that Elizabeth Scott offered a story that is new and original. I’m not exactly sure what this novel is: dystopian, science fiction, a combination of both or something else entirely, but I know that I liked the end result a lot. It’s unlike any other book I’ve read this year. Besides, I finished it in no more than two hours, which I know some of you will appreciate.
Favorite quote:
He is nothing to look at, and yet I can’t stop looking at him. There is something beautiful in how his face is made, how all the tiny flaws blend together into something more perfect than perfection could ever be.
3.5 stars
After a moment, I open them. I see my bare toes on the road. I am here.
I am not dreaming. This is me. This is my life. But it doesn’t feel right.
It doesn’t feel like mine, it still feels like a dream I’m in, that I’ve been put in.
This is one of those books that will inspire a polarized reaction. Some of you will love it. Most of you will probably hate it. It’s odd in so many ways – not to everyone’s taste for sure – but here’s a small help: if you enjoyed Wake by Lisa McMann, you might enjoy As I Wake, too. I for one adore authors who are brave enough to write something completely different, especially in YA.
The most obvious thing that sets this book apart from others I’ve read recently is the writing style. It is very unusual, almost too bare at times. Parts of it read like poetry, and in those parts the author used not only words, but space as well. She often put each short sentence on a new line, thus giving her story a rhythm that is highly unusual in prose, but that makes it very easy to read.
The story is equally unusual: Ava suffers from complete memory loss, a condition the doctors attribute to a brain inflammation they somehow failed to notice. They decide she’s healthy enough to be sent home with a woman claiming to be her mother. Ava does her best to fit into her old life, but when her memories start coming back, they don’t make any sense at all. She remembers being a girl that looks like the Ava she is now, but not quite. She remembers living in a tightly controlled society, working for the State Antiterrorism Taskforce as a listener, spying on those who represent a potential threat to the government. The world she remembers is one where your every move is monitored, your every word is recorded, and you can get publicly executed for doing something as simple as falling in love, unless, of course, it’s government-approved. What’s more, she remembers the people around her, but as slightly different versions of themselves. She remembers seeing her friend Olivia clubbed to death for having an affair with another girl, but here Olivia is, alive and well and attending high school together with everyone else.
Then a boy shows up, and Ava starts remembering other parts of her previous life: a forbidden love, the constant danger and running from her past.
The Ava I’m supposed to be doesn’t know her.
But the Ava I am does.
I am here, in this world, in this life.
But I don’t think I’m from here.
I don’t think I belong here.
I close my eyes.
Books about memory loss seem to be very popular lately, but I do believe that Elizabeth Scott offered a story that is new and original. I’m not exactly sure what this novel is: dystopian, science fiction, a combination of both or something else entirely, but I know that I liked the end result a lot. It’s unlike any other book I’ve read this year. Besides, I finished it in no more than two hours, which I know some of you will appreciate.
Favorite quote:
He is nothing to look at, and yet I can’t stop looking at him. There is something beautiful in how his face is made, how all the tiny flaws blend together into something more perfect than perfection could ever be.
3.5 stars
March 30, 2012
I don't think this book quite deserves the low average rating it currently has (3.07 the last time I checked) but I can sort of see why it got it. To fully appreciate this novel you would have to be a very specific type of reader, one that it's going to be difficult to find. You would have to be a fan of dystopia that is more about the characters than the world building, you would also have to like a bit of starcrossed romancing but minus the happy endings, and you'd have to be okay with not knowing what the hell is going on for about 80% of the book.
That last thing I mentioned didn't bother me too much, in fact it was the 20% where I did understand what was happening where the story became tedious and highly repetitive. Whilst the mystery of Ava's sudden amnesia and the mysterious memories that don't quite fit with the life she's been introduced to is ongoing, I was glued to the pages in wonder. People repeatedly call the book confusing, well, I get where they're coming from but - trust me - if I can wrap my head around it then anyone can. I don't think the accurate term is "confusing", it's weird, unexpected and mysterious but there's nothing particularly difficult to understand. What people mean when they say "confusing" is that they didn't know why certain things were happening - but that's all part of the story's mystery!
The book's writing style didn't do it any favours, though. It was odd and disjointed, perhaps this is Elizabeth Scott's preferred style as she also uses it in the only other book I've read by her: Living Dead Girl. The difference was that the narrator in Living Dead Girl was very young when she was kidnapped which would allow for her short, simplistic sentences, whereas Ava should sound like someone in their late teens (but doesn't).
I also didn't care for the way Scott kept repeating the same things over and over, it was like an endless circle and it happened with different matters throughout the novel. How many times were we told that Jane was her mother, and yet not her mother, that she recognised her but at the same time not her, a different her, in a different time? Perhaps this sounds weirdly interesting to you, but after reading it for the twentieth time it's nothing but an annoyance. Also Morgan, she loves him but they could never be together, but she can't live without him, but if she really loves him then she'll have to let him go... and on... and on.
It feels somewhat like a waste of an idea that was very original. The story is a whole new take on dystopia, told from a new and interesting angle, but there were just too many things that kept me from loving it. Still, I did like it.
July 17, 2016
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OVERALL RATING: 1/5
The one star? Yeah, that was for the cover. Thank God this book was less than 300 pages. It was awful and the only reason I read it so fast was to force my way through it and make it to something more interesting. I'm actually quite proud of myself for making it through at all.
Starting out, your first thought is...WTF? Ava doesn't have a clue what's happening, and since the story is in first person POV, neither do you. She has random flashbacks of a dystopian alternate universe where you only get a vague glimpse of what once was (dream, memory... what?). The story is intriguing at first, but after the first page, the broken, sporadic writing starts to get annoying and hard to follow. And repetitive. Here's an example:
I turn away and start to run.
I run, and no one comes after me.
I run, and I am alone.
I am in a place where I never asked to be. I am an Ava I'm not.
I run, and there is nowhere for me to go. There are no exits.
There is no out.
I am here, and Morgan--
I run, and don't let myself finish the thought.
I can't.
I run, and everything I know is nothing again.
Alright we get it, you're running. See what I mean? Exhausting.
There is even more unnecessary repetition, such as 1) everyone she sees, she says that she sees "a different (name). A (name) that I know" or "I remember (name). But not this (name)." And I mean it's every freaking person she meets. 2) She doesn't belong and that's she's not supposed to be there. Don't worry, if you forget, she'll remind you. Every chapter. Sometimes twice a chapter.
There isn't a lot of character depth. You can't really get a feel for any of the people's looks or personality because she doesn't do a great job of describing them. Most of the characters were a blurry unidentifiable blob in my head because she didn't give me a handle on their identity. Ethan has dark curly hair. And? And nothing. I think later on she mentions blue eyes. Tall? Short? Skinny? Not? Who knows. Your guess is as good as mine. Greer - tall with straight hair. Oliva - curls and a heart shaped face. May as well make them up in your head, cuz that's all you're gonna get.
The only character she really goes into depth with is Sophy (this spelling makes my eye twitch). But again, it's not much. She's short and wears attention-drawing clothing. That could mean anything. Chains and studs? Or bright ass colors? Hmm. One thing you get about Sophy is she's on some kind of power trip. She's evil and wants power. Which is another thing you won't forget, because once again - she reminds you every time Sophy shows up. Power this, power that. Power, power, power. Oh, and did I mention Ava doesn't belong here?
There's one point where Ava is watching/listening to Morgan (this is her job in the alternate dystopian world) and she says something about his breathing and how she knows he's masturbating. So she then proceeds to touch herself. Like, W..T...F?! Random and unexpected raunchy scene in a YA fiction? Okaaaaay. It had nothing to do with anything and didn't contribute to the plot in any way whatsoever.
Another really irritating thing - like, really...my eye literally twitched a couple times - was the dialogue. Aside from putting two different people speaking in a paragraph (which, if you're skimming, gets really confusing) the characters would frequently stop mid-sentence and start to say something else without ever finishing the original train of thought. When I say frequently, I mean at least twice on every page. Seriously Scott, just because you know what your characters were gonna say, doesn't mean we can guess it. And that Sophy girl, she really wanted power. Okay, we get it!
The only thing I even remotely liked about this story was the idea that love transcends time and space. Even after having her memory taken away in a new world, Ava eventually remembers Morgan and what he meant to her.
In the beginning, every time Ava tries to remember something she gets a headache. By the end of the book, I was definitely sympathizing with her. This book gave me a headache. Maybe if I sit and stare at the pretty cover it will go away.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT:
Plot: 4/5
I love the idea of other selves in alternate universes. It just wasn't carried out very well.
Writing Style: 0/5
I hated it. It was monotonous and irritating.
Characters: 1/5
Like I said, no character depth and little to no description.
Pace: 1/5
This book moved extremely slow. I was bored 99% of the time.
Cover: 5/5
The cover is extremely appealing to me. Too bad the book was terrible.
OVERALL RATING: 1/5
The one star? Yeah, that was for the cover. Thank God this book was less than 300 pages. It was awful and the only reason I read it so fast was to force my way through it and make it to something more interesting. I'm actually quite proud of myself for making it through at all.
Starting out, your first thought is...WTF? Ava doesn't have a clue what's happening, and since the story is in first person POV, neither do you. She has random flashbacks of a dystopian alternate universe where you only get a vague glimpse of what once was (dream, memory... what?). The story is intriguing at first, but after the first page, the broken, sporadic writing starts to get annoying and hard to follow. And repetitive. Here's an example:
I turn away and start to run.
I run, and no one comes after me.
I run, and I am alone.
I am in a place where I never asked to be. I am an Ava I'm not.
I run, and there is nowhere for me to go. There are no exits.
There is no out.
I am here, and Morgan--
I run, and don't let myself finish the thought.
I can't.
I run, and everything I know is nothing again.
Alright we get it, you're running. See what I mean? Exhausting.
There is even more unnecessary repetition, such as 1) everyone she sees, she says that she sees "a different (name). A (name) that I know" or "I remember (name). But not this (name)." And I mean it's every freaking person she meets. 2) She doesn't belong and that's she's not supposed to be there. Don't worry, if you forget, she'll remind you. Every chapter. Sometimes twice a chapter.
There isn't a lot of character depth. You can't really get a feel for any of the people's looks or personality because she doesn't do a great job of describing them. Most of the characters were a blurry unidentifiable blob in my head because she didn't give me a handle on their identity. Ethan has dark curly hair. And? And nothing. I think later on she mentions blue eyes. Tall? Short? Skinny? Not? Who knows. Your guess is as good as mine. Greer - tall with straight hair. Oliva - curls and a heart shaped face. May as well make them up in your head, cuz that's all you're gonna get.
The only character she really goes into depth with is Sophy (this spelling makes my eye twitch). But again, it's not much. She's short and wears attention-drawing clothing. That could mean anything. Chains and studs? Or bright ass colors? Hmm. One thing you get about Sophy is she's on some kind of power trip. She's evil and wants power. Which is another thing you won't forget, because once again - she reminds you every time Sophy shows up. Power this, power that. Power, power, power. Oh, and did I mention Ava doesn't belong here?
There's one point where Ava is watching/listening to Morgan (this is her job in the alternate dystopian world) and she says something about his breathing and how she knows he's masturbating. So she then proceeds to touch herself. Like, W..T...F?! Random and unexpected raunchy scene in a YA fiction? Okaaaaay. It had nothing to do with anything and didn't contribute to the plot in any way whatsoever.
Another really irritating thing - like, really...my eye literally twitched a couple times - was the dialogue. Aside from putting two different people speaking in a paragraph (which, if you're skimming, gets really confusing) the characters would frequently stop mid-sentence and start to say something else without ever finishing the original train of thought. When I say frequently, I mean at least twice on every page. Seriously Scott, just because you know what your characters were gonna say, doesn't mean we can guess it. And that Sophy girl, she really wanted power. Okay, we get it!
The only thing I even remotely liked about this story was the idea that love transcends time and space. Even after having her memory taken away in a new world, Ava eventually remembers Morgan and what he meant to her.
In the beginning, every time Ava tries to remember something she gets a headache. By the end of the book, I was definitely sympathizing with her. This book gave me a headache. Maybe if I sit and stare at the pretty cover it will go away.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT:
Plot: 4/5
I love the idea of other selves in alternate universes. It just wasn't carried out very well.
Writing Style: 0/5
I hated it. It was monotonous and irritating.
Characters: 1/5
Like I said, no character depth and little to no description.
Pace: 1/5
This book moved extremely slow. I was bored 99% of the time.
Cover: 5/5
The cover is extremely appealing to me. Too bad the book was terrible.
September 22, 2011
As I Wake is rather unlike any book I have ever read. The cover matches the contents brilliantly, it’s smokey and mysterious, gorgeous and a little bit eerie and, like the girl on the front, I felt head-achey trying to get my mind around it.
I really do love Elizabeth Scott. Every book she writes, she surprises me: she does have a signature writing style but sometimes it is funny, cute or quirky, other times heartfelt and other times barren yet full of depth. As I Wake is written in a sparse style of prose, so the reader is instantly dropped into the plot with no preamble or reasoning.
It opens with a girl in a world she does not remember, having headaches and memories of another world, another life. Nothing makes sense to Ava, and Scott puts her readers firmly in Ava’s shoes: I felt like the plot was swirling around me and it was hard to grasp all the pieces ~ just like Ava was struggling to make sense of it. Plot-wise, you have to discover for yourself but it is a little bit The Adoration of Jenna Fox, parallel universe-y, dystopia, soft sci-fi elements, a dash of contemporary high school and there’s a love story in there too :)
The whole thing has an incredibly eerie undertone. At times I felt uneasy, hopeless. Yet there were brief moments of beauty and compassion among the sadness and confusion.
Like the writing, the world building is sparse. It is very much about one girl in this one crossroads moment of her life. The world(s) are not explained, details are sketchy ~ what it strong is the mystery, the emotions, the sensations of it all. It was hard for me to picture everything, but I still felt pulled into the story.
This book may frustrate many readers. But I am firmly an Elizabeth Scott fangirl. I just love her stuff. Anyone else may not have been able to pull this off in so few words, with only splashes of detail and barely-there explanations for plot twists and turns. But I thought it was gorgeous and compelling and I honestly felt swirly while reading it, and it has a strange lingering effect now. It is odd, that’s for sure, but it worked for me :)
Conclusion: this is rather like a book you read while having a dream, all swirly and out of reach. It was a dream-like reading experience. Regarding the love story, it is more surreal and fairytale-vibe than true, but I easily slipped into it, I think it matched the whole thing superbly (and I always fall for Scott's boys. She has a swoony gift).
I don’t know if this is the book for you *shrugs* but maybe my review has evoked a little of how this book felt for me. I am going with 3.5 stars and rounding up to 4 b/c it's Elizabeth Scott (and I can be biased like that)
I really do love Elizabeth Scott. Every book she writes, she surprises me: she does have a signature writing style but sometimes it is funny, cute or quirky, other times heartfelt and other times barren yet full of depth. As I Wake is written in a sparse style of prose, so the reader is instantly dropped into the plot with no preamble or reasoning.
It opens with a girl in a world she does not remember, having headaches and memories of another world, another life. Nothing makes sense to Ava, and Scott puts her readers firmly in Ava’s shoes: I felt like the plot was swirling around me and it was hard to grasp all the pieces ~ just like Ava was struggling to make sense of it. Plot-wise, you have to discover for yourself but it is a little bit The Adoration of Jenna Fox, parallel universe-y, dystopia, soft sci-fi elements, a dash of contemporary high school and there’s a love story in there too :)
The whole thing has an incredibly eerie undertone. At times I felt uneasy, hopeless. Yet there were brief moments of beauty and compassion among the sadness and confusion.
Like the writing, the world building is sparse. It is very much about one girl in this one crossroads moment of her life. The world(s) are not explained, details are sketchy ~ what it strong is the mystery, the emotions, the sensations of it all. It was hard for me to picture everything, but I still felt pulled into the story.
This book may frustrate many readers. But I am firmly an Elizabeth Scott fangirl. I just love her stuff. Anyone else may not have been able to pull this off in so few words, with only splashes of detail and barely-there explanations for plot twists and turns. But I thought it was gorgeous and compelling and I honestly felt swirly while reading it, and it has a strange lingering effect now. It is odd, that’s for sure, but it worked for me :)
Conclusion: this is rather like a book you read while having a dream, all swirly and out of reach. It was a dream-like reading experience. Regarding the love story, it is more surreal and fairytale-vibe than true, but I easily slipped into it, I think it matched the whole thing superbly (and I always fall for Scott's boys. She has a swoony gift).
I don’t know if this is the book for you *shrugs* but maybe my review has evoked a little of how this book felt for me. I am going with 3.5 stars and rounding up to 4 b/c it's Elizabeth Scott (and I can be biased like that)
January 15, 2012
As I Wake could have been so good. In fact, throughout the beginning I was captivated. We are introduced to teenage Ava, as she wakes and realizes she doesn't know where she is, or who she is. We experience her life as she does. The first person narrative, "I wake... I see... I feel..." initially presents an intimate and intense pace for this book. Unfortunately, once I started to figure out what was going on, the story fell apart.
What I loved about this story is that author Elizabeth Scott has a pretty cool idea about Ava and her life In the beginning, Ava meets people she is told are her mother, her friends... at first she has no recollection. But as time goes by, she does remember them, but not the way she should. Her memories are different from the life she is living. I loved the dreaminess and vagueness of the book and Ava's memories. What I did not love, was vagueness of everything else.
Ava goes to school, does not take notes or study. Does she struggle? Do her teachers sense her unease? Her inattention? Does she have family besides her mother? What is her mother's job? How does she spend her free time? Reading? Watching tv? Painting her nails? We just don't know. The reader experiences life as Ava does, "I remember... I see...I am..." but Ava does not experience deep thoughts or express an interest in the world around her. She is caught up in her memories, in what is real now and what she thinks may have been real before. There is a bit of a sci-fi asppect to this novel, and when Ava becomes aware of it she simply accepts it without question.
Finally, the main reason this story disappointed me is because at the crux of the story the main character motivation end up being lurve. True teenage lurve. You all know what I’m talking about, “I love you… but it will literally kill me to be with you… but I can’t… but I must!!!” While I am a fan of the passion and the hormones and the life or death aspect to YA love, I am not a fan of love without merit. Love without a believable friendship or trust or relationship. I know it happens. I know that is what makes the teen years what they are. But that doesn’t mean it makes for enjoyable reading. The reader knows about Ava’s love because Scott writes how love makes Ava feel so free and hopeful. We do not know if Ava has an actual friendship with her love. We just know she remembers the callouses on his hand, the freckles on his nose, the way she felt at his apartment… spare me.
As I Wake could have been fantastic. It started out brilliant and enthralling. But as the mystery started to unravel, the first person narrative felt more and more tedious. I wanted to get out of Ava’s head. I wanted Ava to get out of her own head and become more invested in the world around her. As many people have suggested, this would be a fantastic book for those who don’t mind sparse world building or a book featuring romance. Well, not romance but love. Well, not love but the idea of love. At any rate, what started out as an enjoyable read ended up “meh” Although this book isn’t listed as a part of a series, it could easily have a sequel as there is so very much left unexplained. However, even with the questions I am left with (which is a shit ton, very little is actually explained) I will not be reading on should this story be continued.
What I loved about this story is that author Elizabeth Scott has a pretty cool idea about Ava and her life In the beginning, Ava meets people she is told are her mother, her friends... at first she has no recollection. But as time goes by, she does remember them, but not the way she should. Her memories are different from the life she is living. I loved the dreaminess and vagueness of the book and Ava's memories. What I did not love, was vagueness of everything else.
Ava goes to school, does not take notes or study. Does she struggle? Do her teachers sense her unease? Her inattention? Does she have family besides her mother? What is her mother's job? How does she spend her free time? Reading? Watching tv? Painting her nails? We just don't know. The reader experiences life as Ava does, "I remember... I see...I am..." but Ava does not experience deep thoughts or express an interest in the world around her. She is caught up in her memories, in what is real now and what she thinks may have been real before. There is a bit of a sci-fi asppect to this novel, and when Ava becomes aware of it she simply accepts it without question.
Finally, the main reason this story disappointed me is because at the crux of the story the main character motivation end up being lurve. True teenage lurve. You all know what I’m talking about, “I love you… but it will literally kill me to be with you… but I can’t… but I must!!!” While I am a fan of the passion and the hormones and the life or death aspect to YA love, I am not a fan of love without merit. Love without a believable friendship or trust or relationship. I know it happens. I know that is what makes the teen years what they are. But that doesn’t mean it makes for enjoyable reading. The reader knows about Ava’s love because Scott writes how love makes Ava feel so free and hopeful. We do not know if Ava has an actual friendship with her love. We just know she remembers the callouses on his hand, the freckles on his nose, the way she felt at his apartment… spare me.
As I Wake could have been fantastic. It started out brilliant and enthralling. But as the mystery started to unravel, the first person narrative felt more and more tedious. I wanted to get out of Ava’s head. I wanted Ava to get out of her own head and become more invested in the world around her. As many people have suggested, this would be a fantastic book for those who don’t mind sparse world building or a book featuring romance. Well, not romance but love. Well, not love but the idea of love. At any rate, what started out as an enjoyable read ended up “meh” Although this book isn’t listed as a part of a series, it could easily have a sequel as there is so very much left unexplained. However, even with the questions I am left with (which is a shit ton, very little is actually explained) I will not be reading on should this story be continued.
January 8, 2015
This book has a great hook: Ava wakes up and doesn't know where she is, how she got there, why she's there, or even who she or anyone else around her is. It only gets more interesting when she starts remembering things, but these memories are from an entirely different life. Instead of an average suburban life, she's remembering a life in a totalitarian state, where her job is to listen to somebody else, to make sure he never does anything wrong.
When Ava is piecing together both lives, this book can be fascinating. Her average suburban life isn't actually that average, and the details of her dystopian life are given out slowly, in pieces. Which ends up meaning that there are a lot of things that are intentionally left undefined. We're kind of given a shorthand that will give us an idea of what that life was like, because the actual details aren't really that important. Still, it was the continuous discovery that kept me reading.
Yes, there is a romance, because I think it's actually illegal to write a YA that doesn't have a romance. It could have been worse. Yes, this book is driven by the romance, but it isn't taken over by it. But this romance, like so many others in YA, never felt real to me. I never really understood the attraction, or felt how much these two characters must have loved each other. I could see it on the page, but I couldn't internalize it.
This is probably because Ava feels really distant. I can understand why she would be. It makes sense, considering her background, that she'd be very careful about her emotions and her expressions, even in her own private thoughts. And she does eventually loosen up a little, both in her narration and in how she interacts with others. But that does mean that for much of the book, she keeps everyone and everything, including her own thoughts and feelings, at arm's length. Which makes her a tough protagonist to get to know, or to connect with.
I'm also not a fan of the last chapter. I can see that this was all intentional, but it still wasn't exactly satisfying.
As a whole this is a book with both concept and heart, that's held back by the protagonist's totally understandable emotional distance more than anything else. Worth reading, certainly, but not something I could fall in love with.
When Ava is piecing together both lives, this book can be fascinating. Her average suburban life isn't actually that average, and the details of her dystopian life are given out slowly, in pieces. Which ends up meaning that there are a lot of things that are intentionally left undefined. We're kind of given a shorthand that will give us an idea of what that life was like, because the actual details aren't really that important. Still, it was the continuous discovery that kept me reading.
Yes, there is a romance, because I think it's actually illegal to write a YA that doesn't have a romance. It could have been worse. Yes, this book is driven by the romance, but it isn't taken over by it. But this romance, like so many others in YA, never felt real to me. I never really understood the attraction, or felt how much these two characters must have loved each other. I could see it on the page, but I couldn't internalize it.
This is probably because Ava feels really distant. I can understand why she would be. It makes sense, considering her background, that she'd be very careful about her emotions and her expressions, even in her own private thoughts. And she does eventually loosen up a little, both in her narration and in how she interacts with others. But that does mean that for much of the book, she keeps everyone and everything, including her own thoughts and feelings, at arm's length. Which makes her a tough protagonist to get to know, or to connect with.
I'm also not a fan of the last chapter. I can see that this was all intentional, but it still wasn't exactly satisfying.
As a whole this is a book with both concept and heart, that's held back by the protagonist's totally understandable emotional distance more than anything else. Worth reading, certainly, but not something I could fall in love with.
March 22, 2016
While it was unique writing, it was a disjointed plot and she sorta just hopped all over. She wasn't able to make the ending tie offs or connect the two little past and present stories connect.
September 30, 2011
I would consider this story sci-fi (very different in my mind from paranormal), which is a genre that I typically avoid. It also relies heavily on alternate universes, which I detest as a rule. Neither of these aspects endeared me to the book, in fact the whole story really disturbed me. I also felt like I never got all the information I needed – it drops you right in the middle of something and you have to figure out what happened, but you only ever get pieces of the puzzle. Even at the end, I felt like I was looking at the story through a fog. I have no idea if this is part of a series – it certainly didn’t leave me with a settled feeling for the characters - but if there are more books, I will definitely not be reading them. The message seemed to be: the world is a scary place no matter when/where you live, so fight for love as hard as you can. Not a bad message, but the way the author got there was a complete mess.
This was my first Elizabeth Scott novel and it completely threw me off of wanting to read any more of her work. I know this isn’t her usual genre – she does a lot of Contemporary YA – but it made me not want to even try those.
This was my first Elizabeth Scott novel and it completely threw me off of wanting to read any more of her work. I know this isn’t her usual genre – she does a lot of Contemporary YA – but it made me not want to even try those.
Read
July 18, 2011Let me start this review by saying, what you think you know about this book is probably wrong. I read the blurb, saw the cool cover and was all happy because it’s the second new Elizabeth Scott book this year and I like Elizabeth Scott. Her books are usually contemporary and cute and involve guys I wish were real. So when I started reading this book, I thought it would be similar to her others. But then the more I read, the more I realized this was completely different from her other stuff. And it was absolutely brilliant.
Unfortunately for you, dear reader, I cannot completely reveal why this book is brilliant. I will say that the thing I’ve been wanting more in YA is in this book. It was a surprise (a very welcome surprise) that you have to work out with the narrator and when I figured it out, I frakkin’ celebrated. I want more books like this. (Please, please, authors, write more books like this.)
Okay, let me tell you what I can. Ava is the narrator. She wakes up and knows absolutely nothing. She doesn’t know who she is, where she is, or what is happening around her. It reminded me, in a way, of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, which is also a brilliant book with a mystery behind the narrator’s amnesia. The more Ava interacts with the people and places around her, the more she remembers… a different place, which is where the mystery really kicks in. What’s caused Ava’s amnesia? What’s real? Who are these people Ava sees in her visions/memories/episodes and why do they look so familiar?
From the beginning I was spinning theories of what I thought was going on. Most of them came from TV or books I’ve read, but nothing I thought of completely fit the situation, which is great. I love not being able to figure out what’s happening until the end, or near the end as the case may be.
The part I couldn’t get to fit until the end was the boy Ava sees the most in her visions. He was an anomaly who played a large role. I loved everything about him. At first you have no idea who he is or how he connects to Ava, but after a while, it doesn’t matter.His relationship to Ava is the central point to this book and what pushed it over the edge from brilliant to I-will-tell-everyone-about-this-book brilliant.
I will warn you, though, that Elizabeth does not give you all the answers. I still have questions about the ending and what really happened and how it happened and what happens next and OMG SHE NEEDS TO WRITE A SEQUEL. *takes a deep breathe* I’m better now. But seriously, Elizabeth Scott, you need to write a sequel, or a short continuation. Something, anything. Please.
Yes, it’s that good. And yes, I recommend it to everyone. I don’t care if you’ve read her books before and they ‘weren’t for you’. I don’t care if you don’t like mysteries or books where the main character can’t remember anything. Whatever excuse you have, I don’t care. You’re reading this book. The day it’s released. Add it to your to-be-read lists, mark September 15th down on your calendar, and set a reminder alarm to visit your local bookstore because this is a great book and you should read it. And once you’ve read it, you can join me in stalking Elizabeth Scott and constantly asking her to please, please, if you love us at all please, write a sequel.
As I Wake will be released on September 15th from Dutton Juvenile, an imprint of Penguin.
Reviewed at WhatchYAreading on July 12, 2011.
Unfortunately for you, dear reader, I cannot completely reveal why this book is brilliant. I will say that the thing I’ve been wanting more in YA is in this book. It was a surprise (a very welcome surprise) that you have to work out with the narrator and when I figured it out, I frakkin’ celebrated. I want more books like this. (Please, please, authors, write more books like this.)
Okay, let me tell you what I can. Ava is the narrator. She wakes up and knows absolutely nothing. She doesn’t know who she is, where she is, or what is happening around her. It reminded me, in a way, of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, which is also a brilliant book with a mystery behind the narrator’s amnesia. The more Ava interacts with the people and places around her, the more she remembers… a different place, which is where the mystery really kicks in. What’s caused Ava’s amnesia? What’s real? Who are these people Ava sees in her visions/memories/episodes and why do they look so familiar?
From the beginning I was spinning theories of what I thought was going on. Most of them came from TV or books I’ve read, but nothing I thought of completely fit the situation, which is great. I love not being able to figure out what’s happening until the end, or near the end as the case may be.
The part I couldn’t get to fit until the end was the boy Ava sees the most in her visions. He was an anomaly who played a large role. I loved everything about him. At first you have no idea who he is or how he connects to Ava, but after a while, it doesn’t matter.His relationship to Ava is the central point to this book and what pushed it over the edge from brilliant to I-will-tell-everyone-about-this-book brilliant.
I will warn you, though, that Elizabeth does not give you all the answers. I still have questions about the ending and what really happened and how it happened and what happens next and OMG SHE NEEDS TO WRITE A SEQUEL. *takes a deep breathe* I’m better now. But seriously, Elizabeth Scott, you need to write a sequel, or a short continuation. Something, anything. Please.
Yes, it’s that good. And yes, I recommend it to everyone. I don’t care if you’ve read her books before and they ‘weren’t for you’. I don’t care if you don’t like mysteries or books where the main character can’t remember anything. Whatever excuse you have, I don’t care. You’re reading this book. The day it’s released. Add it to your to-be-read lists, mark September 15th down on your calendar, and set a reminder alarm to visit your local bookstore because this is a great book and you should read it. And once you’ve read it, you can join me in stalking Elizabeth Scott and constantly asking her to please, please, if you love us at all please, write a sequel.
As I Wake will be released on September 15th from Dutton Juvenile, an imprint of Penguin.
Reviewed at WhatchYAreading on July 12, 2011.
June 2, 2012
Also Found On: A Book and A Record
As I Wake is one of those novels that you either love or you hate. Unfortunately although I am a huge Elizabeth Scott fan I had an incredibly hard time with this one.
Scott relies so much on the idea of parallel universes without really explaining hers. In every novel I feel that if the author is going to introduce a new, or at least new to the novel concept they should at lease try to explain it. However, reading As I Wake is like walking into the mid season finale of a show that you’ve never seen and trying to catch yourself up on the past three seasons. I kept waiting for a big reveal scene that never came.
As I Wake is definitely more of a science fiction novel than anything else. And it left me wondering why Scott had left behind her Sarah Dessen-like characters for something like this. It was hard to understand and when a book comes in a not even three hundred pages it makes you wonder, if Scott had time to explain things why didn’t she? Why didn’t an editor tell her to?
Honestly, I picked this book up because I liked Scott’s past work, and because the cover was really gorgeous, but after reading it I felt confused. I would definitely pass.
As I Wake is one of those novels that you either love or you hate. Unfortunately although I am a huge Elizabeth Scott fan I had an incredibly hard time with this one.
Scott relies so much on the idea of parallel universes without really explaining hers. In every novel I feel that if the author is going to introduce a new, or at least new to the novel concept they should at lease try to explain it. However, reading As I Wake is like walking into the mid season finale of a show that you’ve never seen and trying to catch yourself up on the past three seasons. I kept waiting for a big reveal scene that never came.
As I Wake is definitely more of a science fiction novel than anything else. And it left me wondering why Scott had left behind her Sarah Dessen-like characters for something like this. It was hard to understand and when a book comes in a not even three hundred pages it makes you wonder, if Scott had time to explain things why didn’t she? Why didn’t an editor tell her to?
Honestly, I picked this book up because I liked Scott’s past work, and because the cover was really gorgeous, but after reading it I felt confused. I would definitely pass.
September 29, 2011
I honestly don't know what i think of this book.
It went up, down, around, backwards, and forwards.
The writing is completely unstable, the characters are poorly developed, i cannot even explain how unnecessarily confusing the plot is, giving the reader no explanation what is going on or happening! And the ending is ridiculous. I mean, I read the synopsis, which explained that Ava was having memories as a spy, but did the book give any explaination for what happened to her or why? Nope! I was also very angry to find that the other characters in this book didn't even have to be there. Sure, Ava remembered them
from
this "other life,"
But...
NOTHING.HAPPENS.IN.THIS.BOOK!!!!!!!!!
The ending
went nowhere! Characters didn't make sense! This book is just a hot mess!
Elemental Breakdown:
Story:6/10
Plot:4/10
Characters:5/10
Writing:5/10
Ending:3/10
Score:23/50
Grade:D+
Rating:2.5 Stars
It went up, down, around, backwards, and forwards.
The writing is completely unstable, the characters are poorly developed, i cannot even explain how unnecessarily confusing the plot is, giving the reader no explanation what is going on or happening! And the ending is ridiculous. I mean, I read the synopsis, which explained that Ava was having memories as a spy, but did the book give any explaination for what happened to her or why? Nope! I was also very angry to find that the other characters in this book didn't even have to be there. Sure, Ava remembered them
from
this "other life,"
But...
NOTHING.HAPPENS.IN.THIS.BOOK!!!!!!!!!
The ending
went nowhere! Characters didn't make sense! This book is just a hot mess!
Elemental Breakdown:
Story:6/10
Plot:4/10
Characters:5/10
Writing:5/10
Ending:3/10
Score:23/50
Grade:D+
Rating:2.5 Stars
November 29, 2011
This book was just odd. Nothing is really explained or developed. At first I thought it was the style, but even after there are some minor explanations of what is going on, I was not any less confused. Because I was constantly trying to figure out what was going on, I never connected to Ava. That is actually not surprising as Ava is as confused about her identity as I was. The story jumps back and forth between fragments of Ava's memory and the life she is living now, just adding to the confusion. I was actually more intrigued by the bits and pieces of the obviously dystopian society that Ava came from, than by what was happening in the main part of the story. There is not really any character development. Ava's hazy memories of her friends as they were in the world she came from serve as the only depth for the characters on this side. For the grand finale we get another piece of confusion. I honestly could not tell you what the ending was trying to imply. The final result is a weird, unsatisfying read.
November 13, 2011
This book is strange O.o
October 9, 2011
This book was AWESOME!!!
I have NEVER EVER EVER read anything like it and I loved it!!
In the beginning I kind of thought this book was going to be written in verse (with the way things are worded) but once you get to the middle it totally makes sense and made me love the book even more.
I totally recommend this book!! Super loves!
The Plot:
Ava wakes up in a room that isn't her own. She is surrounded by people she has met but not in this world. She's not the Ava everyone thinks she is. They all think she has lost her memory but Ava starts to remember... it's not her memories... it's her world.
The characters:
Ava: Main character who the story is told by. She can't remember who she is but knows that the woman who says she is her Mom is not her real Mom. She keeps having flashbacks of a harder time in an attic watching a boy and taking notes.
Jane: Ava's Mom... or is she? Wants Ava to remember who she is... as long as the person she remember is HER Ava.
Clementine: One of Jane's neighbors who works at the hospital where Ava is getting tests done to figure out where her memory has gone to. Keeps saying little cryptic things to Ava. Is she trying to remind her of something?
Ethan: Ava loves him. This Ava has met him before. Why doesn't she feel the same way she used to. Is he the same boy? Or is she not the same girl?
Morgan: The boy from the attic. The boy from Ava's memories. Or is it dreams? He wants her to come home. Ava thought she was home.
Olivia, Greer, and Sophy: Ava's best friends from school who this Ava can remember but differently.
What did this book remind me of?
It kind of reminded me of Quantum Leap, Fringe, X-Files, and a bit of Eerie Indiana. If you like Sci-fi and a good mystery then this book is for you!
Boy or Girl?
Well, I personally think that a girl would like this book more but that's only because boy's don't tend to read too many books with girl heroines. But I really think that if this book was to land in the right boy's hands then he would love it. He just has to give it a try.
Lyrical?
Zomg!! This book is soo lyrical!! If you like lyrical books or verse books or books full of metaphors then this book is for you!! It's brilliant!
Would you like a sequel?
Yes please!! Or a pre-quel!! Either one I would be fine with. I'm sure this book is meant to stand alone but there are so many things that could be added. WANTS MORE!!
What was the most interesting part of the book?
Mainly the flashbacks. I loved learning what Ava was remembering from her time as herself and not the girl everyone thinks she is.
Would you buy this book?
Tough question. I got this book from the library and it took me about 5 or 6 hours to read. It's a real easy book which I love but i don't know if I could spend $20 on it. I could see spending say $6 on it. Maybe rent it from the library first and then see what you think. I personally wouldn't spend that kind of cash on it. But don't take my word for it... I'm cheap.
The Cover:
The cover, while very pretty and extremely cool, kind of confuses me. If you look at it, it is clearly AVA, but what is she doing? Is her head exploding? Is she catching things on fire? Is she vaporizing? None of that happens. So, what is it? I figure it's her having her memories from when she sleeps. Not shifting, literally, but more metaphysical... maybe? Or perhaps it's her shadow (you'll understand that later). For those of you who have read the book... what did you think?
Parents Guide:
No descriptive hanky panky in this book but there are 2 scenes or really sentences that talk about masturbation. It's not descriptive at all. Beavis and Butt-head would do worse ;P. I think an 8th grader would be fine with this book.
What I took from this book:
No matter what... you are always going to be the same person. You might have different mannerisms but they can't take the YOU out of yourself.
Overall:
This book is great! I enjoyed it! Not a dull minute!
I have NEVER EVER EVER read anything like it and I loved it!!
In the beginning I kind of thought this book was going to be written in verse (with the way things are worded) but once you get to the middle it totally makes sense and made me love the book even more.
I totally recommend this book!! Super loves!
The Plot:
Ava wakes up in a room that isn't her own. She is surrounded by people she has met but not in this world. She's not the Ava everyone thinks she is. They all think she has lost her memory but Ava starts to remember... it's not her memories... it's her world.
The characters:
Ava: Main character who the story is told by. She can't remember who she is but knows that the woman who says she is her Mom is not her real Mom. She keeps having flashbacks of a harder time in an attic watching a boy and taking notes.
Jane: Ava's Mom... or is she? Wants Ava to remember who she is... as long as the person she remember is HER Ava.
Clementine: One of Jane's neighbors who works at the hospital where Ava is getting tests done to figure out where her memory has gone to. Keeps saying little cryptic things to Ava. Is she trying to remind her of something?
Ethan: Ava loves him. This Ava has met him before. Why doesn't she feel the same way she used to. Is he the same boy? Or is she not the same girl?
Morgan: The boy from the attic. The boy from Ava's memories. Or is it dreams? He wants her to come home. Ava thought she was home.
Olivia, Greer, and Sophy: Ava's best friends from school who this Ava can remember but differently.
What did this book remind me of?
It kind of reminded me of Quantum Leap, Fringe, X-Files, and a bit of Eerie Indiana. If you like Sci-fi and a good mystery then this book is for you!
Boy or Girl?
Well, I personally think that a girl would like this book more but that's only because boy's don't tend to read too many books with girl heroines. But I really think that if this book was to land in the right boy's hands then he would love it. He just has to give it a try.
Lyrical?
Zomg!! This book is soo lyrical!! If you like lyrical books or verse books or books full of metaphors then this book is for you!! It's brilliant!
Would you like a sequel?
Yes please!! Or a pre-quel!! Either one I would be fine with. I'm sure this book is meant to stand alone but there are so many things that could be added. WANTS MORE!!
What was the most interesting part of the book?
Mainly the flashbacks. I loved learning what Ava was remembering from her time as herself and not the girl everyone thinks she is.
Would you buy this book?
Tough question. I got this book from the library and it took me about 5 or 6 hours to read. It's a real easy book which I love but i don't know if I could spend $20 on it. I could see spending say $6 on it. Maybe rent it from the library first and then see what you think. I personally wouldn't spend that kind of cash on it. But don't take my word for it... I'm cheap.
The Cover:
The cover, while very pretty and extremely cool, kind of confuses me. If you look at it, it is clearly AVA, but what is she doing? Is her head exploding? Is she catching things on fire? Is she vaporizing? None of that happens. So, what is it? I figure it's her having her memories from when she sleeps. Not shifting, literally, but more metaphysical... maybe? Or perhaps it's her shadow (you'll understand that later). For those of you who have read the book... what did you think?
Parents Guide:
No descriptive hanky panky in this book but there are 2 scenes or really sentences that talk about masturbation. It's not descriptive at all. Beavis and Butt-head would do worse ;P. I think an 8th grader would be fine with this book.
What I took from this book:
No matter what... you are always going to be the same person. You might have different mannerisms but they can't take the YOU out of yourself.
Overall:
This book is great! I enjoyed it! Not a dull minute!
January 1, 2012
I couldn’t wait to finish this book! I knew things were gonna be bad when the first few chapters were nothing more than the main character, Ava saying Who Am I? Where Am I? over and over, and over, AND over. The one thing this book had going for it was the mystery, the only reason I kept on reading. I forced myself through it in hopes of gaining some answers, answers that unfortunately, never came.
Ava wakes up in a bed, in a house, she doesn’t remember. The doctors say she has amnesia but Ava doesn’t believe them. That’s because she remembers her life, just not this one. She remembers the people around her, they just aren’t the same versions of them that she remembers. This book was way more Sci Fi than I was expecting considering it wasn’t labeled Sci Fi at all. It has to do with alternate universes and people traveling from one to another. This aspect is never really explained and just leaves you confused and wondering.
Even though Ava remembers some things from her other life, she doesn’t remember much else. This leaves for a very simple and boring thought cycle/dialogue that makes it impossible to get to know Ava on a deeper level and actually connect with her at all. All the characters were this way: simple, boring. Her three friends, Sophie, Greer, and Olivia were so bizarre, I couldn’t really understand why any of them were even friends. All their conversations were stupid and pointless, I couldn’t stand the parts they were in and constantly wondered why Ava even stayed friends with them since she didn’t like them much herself.
The relationship between Ava and Morgan is one we learn about mostly through memories. The whole thing is awkward and vague. For a love that is so strong it transcends universes and memory loss I just wasn’t seeing it, or feeling it.
All I can think of is all the other books I could have read instead of this one. I wish I had.
Ava wakes up in a bed, in a house, she doesn’t remember. The doctors say she has amnesia but Ava doesn’t believe them. That’s because she remembers her life, just not this one. She remembers the people around her, they just aren’t the same versions of them that she remembers. This book was way more Sci Fi than I was expecting considering it wasn’t labeled Sci Fi at all. It has to do with alternate universes and people traveling from one to another. This aspect is never really explained and just leaves you confused and wondering.
Even though Ava remembers some things from her other life, she doesn’t remember much else. This leaves for a very simple and boring thought cycle/dialogue that makes it impossible to get to know Ava on a deeper level and actually connect with her at all. All the characters were this way: simple, boring. Her three friends, Sophie, Greer, and Olivia were so bizarre, I couldn’t really understand why any of them were even friends. All their conversations were stupid and pointless, I couldn’t stand the parts they were in and constantly wondered why Ava even stayed friends with them since she didn’t like them much herself.
The relationship between Ava and Morgan is one we learn about mostly through memories. The whole thing is awkward and vague. For a love that is so strong it transcends universes and memory loss I just wasn’t seeing it, or feeling it.
All I can think of is all the other books I could have read instead of this one. I wish I had.
October 5, 2011
I like Elizabeth Scott's contemporary stories - one of her novels, "Something, Maybe" is an absolute feel-giddy-good favorite. And while I appreciate that she's branching out and trying her hand in a different genre, "As I Wake" just didn't work, IMO.
The story is told from different (alternating?) points in time... and that particular bit of "spoiler" wasn't all that hard to figure out. It's just the way the story was presented felt too disjointed. The whole thing was just plopped down in front of readers. And this would've been fine except that the author built a setting so complicated, not providing some sort of background felt like a cop-out. I was ambivalent towards the characters as I never got the chance to relate to them, they were just there. This is true of Morgan and Clementine, especially. I did like finding about Ava's past as she was remembering it and the insight about her friends was interesting but that didn't come to any satisfying conclusion.
In the end, "As I Wake" was a novel that had a very interesting premise but the delivery fell short of my expectations.
The story is told from different (alternating?) points in time... and that particular bit of "spoiler" wasn't all that hard to figure out. It's just the way the story was presented felt too disjointed. The whole thing was just plopped down in front of readers. And this would've been fine except that the author built a setting so complicated, not providing some sort of background felt like a cop-out. I was ambivalent towards the characters as I never got the chance to relate to them, they were just there. This is true of Morgan and Clementine, especially. I did like finding about Ava's past as she was remembering it and the insight about her friends was interesting but that didn't come to any satisfying conclusion.
In the end, "As I Wake" was a novel that had a very interesting premise but the delivery fell short of my expectations.
January 3, 2013
3.5 out of 5
Elizabeth Scott is definitely a unique writer, and it really shows here. I really liked this novel, but the few mis-steps and omissions from the narrative make it impossible for me to rate it higher. There is a lot going for As I Wake: creative ideas, intriguing and complex characters, lots of tension and suspense. The deficiencies lie in world building, a clear view of what the hell is going on for 85% of the book, and the romance.
It is fun to try and piece together what happened/is happening to Ava, but it's also frustrating when no kind of explanation about ANYTHING comes until you're nigh on finishing it altogether. All in all, this is an odd book, a weird reading experience, but still one that left me curious and eager to pick up more novels from this author.
Elizabeth Scott is definitely a unique writer, and it really shows here. I really liked this novel, but the few mis-steps and omissions from the narrative make it impossible for me to rate it higher. There is a lot going for As I Wake: creative ideas, intriguing and complex characters, lots of tension and suspense. The deficiencies lie in world building, a clear view of what the hell is going on for 85% of the book, and the romance.
It is fun to try and piece together what happened/is happening to Ava, but it's also frustrating when no kind of explanation about ANYTHING comes until you're nigh on finishing it altogether. All in all, this is an odd book, a weird reading experience, but still one that left me curious and eager to pick up more novels from this author.
March 20, 2023
So many questions were left unanswered. I wanted to like this book, but it was confusing.
January 16, 2024
If you’re okay not knowing ANYTHING the ENTIRE time, and still being confused at the end, this books great.
November 27, 2011
As I Wake Review on K-Books
This is probably the hardest review I have ever had to write. I really liked this book but at the same time I kinda disliked it as well. It is a very strange book and the reader is confused while reading it but that didn't really bother me.
Ava wakes up with a serious case of amnesia. She doesn't know who she is, where she is, or any of these people around her. But then she starts having memories. Not of this world but of a different one. As she uncovers more strange memories she also uncovers the truth of two very different worlds that have been woven together by other's actions.
While reading this book I didn't really understand why it had received such a low rating from people. It is a confusing book but that really didn't bother me. The narrator has amnesia, so doesn't really know what's going on and since you see the story through her eyes the reader is confused and unsure of what is going on. I found the book really interesting and the writing technique was amazing. Even though I was confused and unsure of what was going on the way it was wrote kept me completely hooked throughout the book and I had a difficult time putting it down. The more I read and the more unusual memories were uncovered the more I couldn't put it down as I couldn't wait to find out what had happened to Ava.
I think one of the reasons I liked this book was Ava is very much stuck between two worlds. One normal-day world and one dystopia-type world where everything was different. I am a huge fan of dystopian books so I really liked this different take on a dystopian novel where there was a dystopia world and a normal-day world living at the same time with the main character having lived in one and suddenly finding herself in the other.
I was extremely torn between what rating I should give this book. I would love to give it 4 stars because I thought it was a great original storyline and I really enjoyed reading it. However the ending really let me down and to me the ending is very important to a story. As much as the whole book was kinda confusing the ending was just bizarre. I didn't really get it and when I got to the end I was like really? That's it? The ending definitely wasn't explained very well and I was left wondering what happened to all the other characters. You don't even really understand what happens to Ava. I made my own personal assumption about what the ending meant but you really don't know and you don't know what happened to any of the other characters in either of the worlds and I really didn't like it.
I think As I Wake was a great book. It's original and unique and I loved that about the book but to me the ending is important and I really didn't like the ending. Really the rating for this book is somewhere in between 3 and 4 stars and it's a good book and I would love to read it again. However the ending was a let down and that lowered the star rating.
This is probably the hardest review I have ever had to write. I really liked this book but at the same time I kinda disliked it as well. It is a very strange book and the reader is confused while reading it but that didn't really bother me.
Ava wakes up with a serious case of amnesia. She doesn't know who she is, where she is, or any of these people around her. But then she starts having memories. Not of this world but of a different one. As she uncovers more strange memories she also uncovers the truth of two very different worlds that have been woven together by other's actions.
While reading this book I didn't really understand why it had received such a low rating from people. It is a confusing book but that really didn't bother me. The narrator has amnesia, so doesn't really know what's going on and since you see the story through her eyes the reader is confused and unsure of what is going on. I found the book really interesting and the writing technique was amazing. Even though I was confused and unsure of what was going on the way it was wrote kept me completely hooked throughout the book and I had a difficult time putting it down. The more I read and the more unusual memories were uncovered the more I couldn't put it down as I couldn't wait to find out what had happened to Ava.
I think one of the reasons I liked this book was Ava is very much stuck between two worlds. One normal-day world and one dystopia-type world where everything was different. I am a huge fan of dystopian books so I really liked this different take on a dystopian novel where there was a dystopia world and a normal-day world living at the same time with the main character having lived in one and suddenly finding herself in the other.
I was extremely torn between what rating I should give this book. I would love to give it 4 stars because I thought it was a great original storyline and I really enjoyed reading it. However the ending really let me down and to me the ending is very important to a story. As much as the whole book was kinda confusing the ending was just bizarre. I didn't really get it and when I got to the end I was like really? That's it? The ending definitely wasn't explained very well and I was left wondering what happened to all the other characters. You don't even really understand what happens to Ava. I made my own personal assumption about what the ending meant but you really don't know and you don't know what happened to any of the other characters in either of the worlds and I really didn't like it.
I think As I Wake was a great book. It's original and unique and I loved that about the book but to me the ending is important and I really didn't like the ending. Really the rating for this book is somewhere in between 3 and 4 stars and it's a good book and I would love to read it again. However the ending was a let down and that lowered the star rating.
April 2, 2013
I honestly have no idea what to say about this. This is an amazing book.
I'll be honest, I was kind of ify about this because it didn't really catch my attention when I saw this in the store. But my mom bought it for me, so I gave it a chance. I'm so glad I did.
16 year old Ava has no idea where she is where or who she is when she wakes up in an unfamiliar house. When she's released from the hospital she's surrounded by loving friends, a devoted mother, and a longtime crush. But none of it seems real. She can't remember any of them. She doesn't believe she is who they say she is. And then memories of an entirely different life surface. That's when she meets Morgan, the guy from her memories. Proof that she isn't who everyone claims her to be.
I honestly got so mad at this book because I was so confused. I mean usually there are clues so you can figure out what the hell is going on, but this had nothing. I was cussing and yelling at this damn book. I couldn't decide if I wanted to put it down or keep reading. I guess you can say the reading won out.
Now let's talk about Ava. She was okay. A little too passive aggressive but she was alright. I think what got me the most was when She saw Morgan the second time, she just kind of let...Jane take her away. She could've said "hey, I know this guy, he isn't dangerous" but no she just gets taken away without a word said.
Morgan. I liked him. He's not really the bad boy type, but he's a good guy.
Greer, one of Ava's best friends was really annoying. She's the attention whore. She kind of pissed me off. "oh I'm going to talk to this guy, but he's boring me now so I'm going to find someone else." That's all it was with her and I just wanted to punch her.
Olive was the quiet one. She went along with whatever Greer had to say and that just annoyed me.
Sophy was...silent. The silent ones need to be watched at all times. They're the ones plotting an untimely death. I could see the gears turning.
Ethan. I felt bad for this poor guy. I really did. His stepdad is a total dickhead. He's abused and I just felt so bad for the guy.
Evan though this book didn't get any "holy cheese its!" or "holy fucking hell!" out of me, this was still a good book. If you haven't read this you should. This book is amazing.
Enjoy! :)
I'll be honest, I was kind of ify about this because it didn't really catch my attention when I saw this in the store. But my mom bought it for me, so I gave it a chance. I'm so glad I did.
16 year old Ava has no idea where she is where or who she is when she wakes up in an unfamiliar house. When she's released from the hospital she's surrounded by loving friends, a devoted mother, and a longtime crush. But none of it seems real. She can't remember any of them. She doesn't believe she is who they say she is. And then memories of an entirely different life surface. That's when she meets Morgan, the guy from her memories. Proof that she isn't who everyone claims her to be.
I honestly got so mad at this book because I was so confused. I mean usually there are clues so you can figure out what the hell is going on, but this had nothing. I was cussing and yelling at this damn book. I couldn't decide if I wanted to put it down or keep reading. I guess you can say the reading won out.
Now let's talk about Ava. She was okay. A little too passive aggressive but she was alright. I think what got me the most was when She saw Morgan the second time, she just kind of let...Jane take her away. She could've said "hey, I know this guy, he isn't dangerous" but no she just gets taken away without a word said.
Morgan. I liked him. He's not really the bad boy type, but he's a good guy.
Greer, one of Ava's best friends was really annoying. She's the attention whore. She kind of pissed me off. "oh I'm going to talk to this guy, but he's boring me now so I'm going to find someone else." That's all it was with her and I just wanted to punch her.
Olive was the quiet one. She went along with whatever Greer had to say and that just annoyed me.
Sophy was...silent. The silent ones need to be watched at all times. They're the ones plotting an untimely death. I could see the gears turning.
Ethan. I felt bad for this poor guy. I really did. His stepdad is a total dickhead. He's abused and I just felt so bad for the guy.
Evan though this book didn't get any "holy cheese its!" or "holy fucking hell!" out of me, this was still a good book. If you haven't read this you should. This book is amazing.
Enjoy! :)
November 21, 2011
As I Wake is a very strange sort of book. Like the main character Ava I really struggled in the beginning to to work out what was going on so in that sense Elizabeth Scott did an amazing job of making Ava's confusion completely realistic. Despite being ultra confused I was gripped enough by the potential of the story to want to continue reading and figure it all out. If I'm honest, I'm not exactly sure if I did really get it though!
Ava wakes up in hospital confused with what seems like complete memory loss, she only vaguely recognises the woman who claims to be her mother and very slowly little pieces of information come back to her which suggest her life was completely different, as in parallel universe different, where she lived in a very dystopian state. Ava also has a vague memory of her school friends but from the parallel world where their characters were completely different. Ava starts to realise in this other world she lived frugally as a listener, and that she was responsible for listening and recording the every movement of a young man called Morgan who may or may not have posed a threat to the state.
As Ava starts to piece her memories including her connection to Morgan together she realises she is in real danger and that the nice parallel universe she has found herself in might actually be taken away from her but can she live without Morgan who doesn't belong to this universe?
Overall despite my confusion (which lasted right to the end!) there was something about As I Wake that made me want to finish it. Very strange and yet strangely readable.
Ava wakes up in hospital confused with what seems like complete memory loss, she only vaguely recognises the woman who claims to be her mother and very slowly little pieces of information come back to her which suggest her life was completely different, as in parallel universe different, where she lived in a very dystopian state. Ava also has a vague memory of her school friends but from the parallel world where their characters were completely different. Ava starts to realise in this other world she lived frugally as a listener, and that she was responsible for listening and recording the every movement of a young man called Morgan who may or may not have posed a threat to the state.
As Ava starts to piece her memories including her connection to Morgan together she realises she is in real danger and that the nice parallel universe she has found herself in might actually be taken away from her but can she live without Morgan who doesn't belong to this universe?
Overall despite my confusion (which lasted right to the end!) there was something about As I Wake that made me want to finish it. Very strange and yet strangely readable.
September 23, 2011
Like a schizophrenic on crack I always start out reading 3-5 books at the same time until one of them wins out and becomes my sole focus. A couple of nights ago I sat down with 3 freshly checked out library books and picked up As I Wake first. And then I kept reading it until I was finished. As I Wake starts out strong. Short chapters, intriguing premise, precise writing.
It is the story of Ava, a girl who wakes up in a room that she is unfamiliar with, in a town she can't remember to a woman she doesn't know calling herself Ava's mother. There is a trip to the hospital to figure out her memory loss and then she starts to settle into this new life, sortof. She starts having black out dreams that seem more like memories of another life, where she is also named Ava, but the REAL Ava in her REAL world. At school she meets new Ava's friends who have the same names as people from the world she remembers who are kindof the same, but not. Are there mutiple worlds in which versions of ourselves exist?
Again, As I Wake starts out strong. It is compelling throughout and nicely written, but I felt like it was missing something. I don't always need everything spelled out for me, but I just wanted more. Overall, I did enjoy it, but I didn't love it like I thought I was going to after breathlessly reading the first several pages.
It is the story of Ava, a girl who wakes up in a room that she is unfamiliar with, in a town she can't remember to a woman she doesn't know calling herself Ava's mother. There is a trip to the hospital to figure out her memory loss and then she starts to settle into this new life, sortof. She starts having black out dreams that seem more like memories of another life, where she is also named Ava, but the REAL Ava in her REAL world. At school she meets new Ava's friends who have the same names as people from the world she remembers who are kindof the same, but not. Are there mutiple worlds in which versions of ourselves exist?
Again, As I Wake starts out strong. It is compelling throughout and nicely written, but I felt like it was missing something. I don't always need everything spelled out for me, but I just wanted more. Overall, I did enjoy it, but I didn't love it like I thought I was going to after breathlessly reading the first several pages.
September 22, 2011
This book is totally whacked, but (if you can believe it) I mean that in a complimentary way. I'm kind of an Elizabeth Scott fangirl and I'm convinced she can write absolutely anything well, so I might be a bit biased in that regard. I can't say I loved this book, though I did enjoy it, even as I was (metaphorically) smacking my head against the wall going "What is going on?!" So yes, this book is out there, and it will probably cause confusion and frustration, but it will also almost indubitably cause swooning, because even in an incredibly sparsely plotted book Elizabeth Scott will get you to fall for the main character's love interest.
It's hard to write a proper review for 'As I Wake' because so much of the book is just the experience of reading it and trying to figure out what is going on, alongside Ava, the main character, since she doesn't have a clue either.
I will readily admit I'm not quite sure I understand the ending to this book, but I'm okay with that somehow. It was definitely satisfying, and that's all I care about. This book is just quirky and interesting, and it was a cool experience that was very different from the usual books I read.
It's hard to write a proper review for 'As I Wake' because so much of the book is just the experience of reading it and trying to figure out what is going on, alongside Ava, the main character, since she doesn't have a clue either.
I will readily admit I'm not quite sure I understand the ending to this book, but I'm okay with that somehow. It was definitely satisfying, and that's all I care about. This book is just quirky and interesting, and it was a cool experience that was very different from the usual books I read.
February 2, 2025
distraction
The back and forth from times was abit of a ride and distracting for me. But enjoyed the concept. Felt something was missing not sure what though.
The back and forth from times was abit of a ride and distracting for me. But enjoyed the concept. Felt something was missing not sure what though.
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April 6, 2015
Find this and other reviews at [a cup of tea and an armful of books]
As I Wake began with an interesting enough premise. A girl, Ava, wakes up in a strange place she has no memory of. She then realizes that she has no idea who she is either. We are supposed to follow her as she realizes that everything in this place she doesn’t remember is not as it seems while also being plagued by memories that give her glimpses into the truth. Unfortunately, the summary of the book is written better than the actual book itself.
As I Wake is divided into three different problems: One, Ava doesn’t know who she is and who she is supposed to be, which very quickly grates on the nerves; Two, Ava recognizes her classmates as people who are familiar to her but she doesn’t know why; and three, Ava continually goes into these trances, faints, or generally stares off into space as she remembers memories of a different world. This is what the majority of the book focuses on. Because Ava has amnesia, the writing style is very fractured and characters often cut off sentences and never finish them. I understand that this was most likely a stylistic move on the part of the author in order to show how jumbled Ava’s head is, but it only came off as poor writing. I had flashbacks of my horrible non-fiction class and my professor being convinced that everything I wrote was fragmented. I should send him a copy of this book. Writing the book in this way also made it very repetitive and boring. I probably could have skipped entire pages and would not have noticed the difference.
In addition to the poor writing and because this book was written in the first person following Ava, character development was severely lacking. I have no idea what these characters look like (except perhaps their hair color) or what their desires are. We are supposed to understand why she has an emotional attachment to a boy, but a feeling of “knowing him” does not qualify. It only comes across as insta-love. We are supposed to find a character evil because the smile doesn’t reach her eyes or she smiles when no one is looking. Really? That’s not enough to make me think the character is evil. Instead of taking the time to flesh out her characters, the author decided to put her characters in little stereotype boxes: power hungry girl, girl who is secretly in love with her best friend, mysterious boy, sad boy, doting mother. And Ava is the one who has to figure it all out.
But that’s the worst part about As I Wake. Just as Ava is figuring it out, we reach the end of the book. I kept looking down at the bar that listed how much time was left in the book and thinking, “17 minutes left in book? How is this all going to be wrapped up by then?” Answer: It wasn’t. Not really. All of the interesting things are crammed into the last 1/4 (and I’m being generous with my estimation) part of the book.
Possible spoiler for some: . All the ideas (that could have been great if they had been truly introduced early on in the book) were clumsily wrapped up at the end and left for a very unsatisfying ending.
1 star is too generous for this book. 0.5 stars.
As I Wake began with an interesting enough premise. A girl, Ava, wakes up in a strange place she has no memory of. She then realizes that she has no idea who she is either. We are supposed to follow her as she realizes that everything in this place she doesn’t remember is not as it seems while also being plagued by memories that give her glimpses into the truth. Unfortunately, the summary of the book is written better than the actual book itself.
As I Wake is divided into three different problems: One, Ava doesn’t know who she is and who she is supposed to be, which very quickly grates on the nerves; Two, Ava recognizes her classmates as people who are familiar to her but she doesn’t know why; and three, Ava continually goes into these trances, faints, or generally stares off into space as she remembers memories of a different world. This is what the majority of the book focuses on. Because Ava has amnesia, the writing style is very fractured and characters often cut off sentences and never finish them. I understand that this was most likely a stylistic move on the part of the author in order to show how jumbled Ava’s head is, but it only came off as poor writing. I had flashbacks of my horrible non-fiction class and my professor being convinced that everything I wrote was fragmented. I should send him a copy of this book. Writing the book in this way also made it very repetitive and boring. I probably could have skipped entire pages and would not have noticed the difference.
In addition to the poor writing and because this book was written in the first person following Ava, character development was severely lacking. I have no idea what these characters look like (except perhaps their hair color) or what their desires are. We are supposed to understand why she has an emotional attachment to a boy, but a feeling of “knowing him” does not qualify. It only comes across as insta-love. We are supposed to find a character evil because the smile doesn’t reach her eyes or she smiles when no one is looking. Really? That’s not enough to make me think the character is evil. Instead of taking the time to flesh out her characters, the author decided to put her characters in little stereotype boxes: power hungry girl, girl who is secretly in love with her best friend, mysterious boy, sad boy, doting mother. And Ava is the one who has to figure it all out.
But that’s the worst part about As I Wake. Just as Ava is figuring it out, we reach the end of the book. I kept looking down at the bar that listed how much time was left in the book and thinking, “17 minutes left in book? How is this all going to be wrapped up by then?” Answer: It wasn’t. Not really. All of the interesting things are crammed into the last 1/4 (and I’m being generous with my estimation) part of the book.
Possible spoiler for some: . All the ideas (that could have been great if they had been truly introduced early on in the book) were clumsily wrapped up at the end and left for a very unsatisfying ending.
1 star is too generous for this book. 0.5 stars.
July 13, 2011
Wow. Just wow. Hands down, my favorite Elizabeth Scott book to date. It's like nothing you've read from her before.
Let me start this review by saying, what you think you know about this book is probably wrong. I read the blurb, saw the cool cover and was all happy because it’s the second new Elizabeth Scott book this year and I like Elizabeth Scott. Her books are usually contemporary and cute and involve guys I wish were real. So when I started reading this book, I thought it would be similar to her others. But then the more I read, the more I realized this was completely different from her other stuff. And it was absolutely brilliant.
Unfortunately for you, dear reader, I cannot completely reveal why this book is brilliant. I will say that the thing I’ve been wanting more in YA is in this book. It was a surprise (a very welcome surprise) that you have to work out with the narrator and when I figured it out, I frakkin’ celebrated. I want more books like this. (Please, please, authors, write more books like this.)
Okay, let me tell you what I can. Ava is the narrator. She wakes up and knows absolutely nothing. She doesn’t know who she is, where she is, or what is happening around her. It reminded me, in a way, of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, which is also a brilliant book with a mystery behind the narrator’s amnesia. The more Ava interacts with the people and places around her, the more she remembers… a different place, which is where the mystery really kicks in. What’s caused Ava’s amnesia? What’s real? Who are these people Ava sees in her visions/memories/episodes and why do they look so familiar?
From the beginning I was spinning theories of what I thought was going on. Most of them came from TV or books I’ve read, but nothing I thought of completely fit the situation, which is great. I love not being able to figure out what’s happening until the end, or near the end as the case may be.
The part I couldn’t get to fit until the end was the boy Ava sees the most in her visions. He was an anomaly who played a large role. I loved everything about him. At first you have no idea who he is or how he connects to Ava, but after a while, it doesn’t matter.His relationship to Ava is the central point to this book and what pushed it over the edge from brilliant to I-will-tell-everyone-about-this-book brilliant.
I will warn you, though, that Elizabeth does not give you all the answers. I still have questions about the ending and what really happened and how it happened and what happens next and OMG SHE NEEDS TO WRITE A SEQUEL. *takes a deep breathe* I’m better now. But seriously, Elizabeth Scott, you need to write a sequel, or a short continuation. Something, anything. Please.
Yes, it’s that good. And yes, I recommend it to everyone. I don’t care if you’ve read her books before and they ‘weren’t for you’. I don’t care if you don’t like mysteries or books where the main character can’t remember anything. Whatever excuse you have, I don’t care. You’re reading this book. The day it’s released. Add it to your to-be-read lists, mark September 15th down on your calendar, and set a reminder alarm to visit your local bookstore because this is a great book and you should read it. And once you’ve read it, you can join me in stalking Elizabeth Scott and constantly asking her to please, please, if you love us at all please, write a sequel.
Let me start this review by saying, what you think you know about this book is probably wrong. I read the blurb, saw the cool cover and was all happy because it’s the second new Elizabeth Scott book this year and I like Elizabeth Scott. Her books are usually contemporary and cute and involve guys I wish were real. So when I started reading this book, I thought it would be similar to her others. But then the more I read, the more I realized this was completely different from her other stuff. And it was absolutely brilliant.
Unfortunately for you, dear reader, I cannot completely reveal why this book is brilliant. I will say that the thing I’ve been wanting more in YA is in this book. It was a surprise (a very welcome surprise) that you have to work out with the narrator and when I figured it out, I frakkin’ celebrated. I want more books like this. (Please, please, authors, write more books like this.)
Okay, let me tell you what I can. Ava is the narrator. She wakes up and knows absolutely nothing. She doesn’t know who she is, where she is, or what is happening around her. It reminded me, in a way, of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson, which is also a brilliant book with a mystery behind the narrator’s amnesia. The more Ava interacts with the people and places around her, the more she remembers… a different place, which is where the mystery really kicks in. What’s caused Ava’s amnesia? What’s real? Who are these people Ava sees in her visions/memories/episodes and why do they look so familiar?
From the beginning I was spinning theories of what I thought was going on. Most of them came from TV or books I’ve read, but nothing I thought of completely fit the situation, which is great. I love not being able to figure out what’s happening until the end, or near the end as the case may be.
The part I couldn’t get to fit until the end was the boy Ava sees the most in her visions. He was an anomaly who played a large role. I loved everything about him. At first you have no idea who he is or how he connects to Ava, but after a while, it doesn’t matter.His relationship to Ava is the central point to this book and what pushed it over the edge from brilliant to I-will-tell-everyone-about-this-book brilliant.
I will warn you, though, that Elizabeth does not give you all the answers. I still have questions about the ending and what really happened and how it happened and what happens next and OMG SHE NEEDS TO WRITE A SEQUEL. *takes a deep breathe* I’m better now. But seriously, Elizabeth Scott, you need to write a sequel, or a short continuation. Something, anything. Please.
Yes, it’s that good. And yes, I recommend it to everyone. I don’t care if you’ve read her books before and they ‘weren’t for you’. I don’t care if you don’t like mysteries or books where the main character can’t remember anything. Whatever excuse you have, I don’t care. You’re reading this book. The day it’s released. Add it to your to-be-read lists, mark September 15th down on your calendar, and set a reminder alarm to visit your local bookstore because this is a great book and you should read it. And once you’ve read it, you can join me in stalking Elizabeth Scott and constantly asking her to please, please, if you love us at all please, write a sequel.
April 21, 2012
This review was originally published at Fluttering Butterflies
I was warned before I started reading As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott that it is a little strange. And it is. I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Scott's in general, and I think I will always read her books. I think part of the reason that I love her stories so much is that she doesn't follow a set path. I'm sure she's very successful with her contemporary love stories, like Perfect You and Bloom. But she also isn't afraid to write hard and difficult things like she did in Living Dead Girl or just generally change things up. So it always feels like a bit of a surprise picking up an Elizabeth Scott book, and I like that.
What I also love is her style of writing and her effortless way of connecting emotionally to her characters and to the story. She did that with As I Wake without me even realising it. As I Wake is a difficult story to describe... It's about a girl, Ava, who wakes up and has no memory of her surroundings, her personal history, even herself. She recalls no details of her mother, of her house, her friends, her school, or the boy she's had a crush on before.
What she does have, is this lingering feeling of not belonging. And as her memories start to resurface, they paint a picture and a life very different to the one Ava is leading. In her memories, Ava seems to live in a type of dystopian society in which jobs and food and luxuries are controlled by somebody else. How and why these two worlds connect are at the heart of As I Wake.
And while I just didn't get this whole alternate universe concept (it was far too strange and it felt too distant to be believeable), I did really love lots of the rest of the book. The first half of the book as Ava wakes up and has no sense of familiarity or awareness of where or who she is was written in such a believeable way. It reminded me a bit of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson and it kept me reading As I Wake to find out more, to answer these questions that I had.
And at the same time, I loved the observations and thoughts that Ava has regarding her mother and her friends. The relationship between Ava and her mother is rather sweet and really pulled at my heartstrings. I liked seeing how different and the same Ava's friends turn out to be in different but similar situations. But the relationship that seems to dominate this story is that of between Ava and Morgan. How and why does she remember him? Perhaps I'm just a big romantic, but I love the idea of Ava and Morgan, I really do.
It wasn't until the final third of the book that I realised how emotional I felt about these characters. I wanted the best for all of them, even though it seemed impossible. And despite the strangeness of the structure and premise of the novel, I still found myself shedding tears at the end. Because despite the world these characters live in, they still felt real and believeable to me.
I was warned before I started reading As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott that it is a little strange. And it is. I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Scott's in general, and I think I will always read her books. I think part of the reason that I love her stories so much is that she doesn't follow a set path. I'm sure she's very successful with her contemporary love stories, like Perfect You and Bloom. But she also isn't afraid to write hard and difficult things like she did in Living Dead Girl or just generally change things up. So it always feels like a bit of a surprise picking up an Elizabeth Scott book, and I like that.
What I also love is her style of writing and her effortless way of connecting emotionally to her characters and to the story. She did that with As I Wake without me even realising it. As I Wake is a difficult story to describe... It's about a girl, Ava, who wakes up and has no memory of her surroundings, her personal history, even herself. She recalls no details of her mother, of her house, her friends, her school, or the boy she's had a crush on before.
What she does have, is this lingering feeling of not belonging. And as her memories start to resurface, they paint a picture and a life very different to the one Ava is leading. In her memories, Ava seems to live in a type of dystopian society in which jobs and food and luxuries are controlled by somebody else. How and why these two worlds connect are at the heart of As I Wake.
And while I just didn't get this whole alternate universe concept (it was far too strange and it felt too distant to be believeable), I did really love lots of the rest of the book. The first half of the book as Ava wakes up and has no sense of familiarity or awareness of where or who she is was written in such a believeable way. It reminded me a bit of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson and it kept me reading As I Wake to find out more, to answer these questions that I had.
And at the same time, I loved the observations and thoughts that Ava has regarding her mother and her friends. The relationship between Ava and her mother is rather sweet and really pulled at my heartstrings. I liked seeing how different and the same Ava's friends turn out to be in different but similar situations. But the relationship that seems to dominate this story is that of between Ava and Morgan. How and why does she remember him? Perhaps I'm just a big romantic, but I love the idea of Ava and Morgan, I really do.
It wasn't until the final third of the book that I realised how emotional I felt about these characters. I wanted the best for all of them, even though it seemed impossible. And despite the strangeness of the structure and premise of the novel, I still found myself shedding tears at the end. Because despite the world these characters live in, they still felt real and believeable to me.
November 20, 2011
THE FAERYS VIEW
As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott is a true puzzle, while reading it my mind was spinning with a twenty different theories or possibilities. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be about; I was expecting more of a paranormal romance where this is more on the science fiction side. Don’t get me wrong-there’s undying love and plenty of weirdness but not the kind I was prepared for. This is a difficult book to review without giving away spoilers and once that happens it takes the oomph out of the book. I’ll do my best to give the reviewer’s an idea of what the book is about and you can be the judge if this is the book for you or not without the spoilers.
Ava wakes up in a hospital bed with no real feel for her identity or surroundings. There are times when something will feel familiar but not, kind of in that déjà vu way that we’ve all experienced. When she’s released from the hospital she tries to get on with her life but she starts to have visions and dreams; visions and dreams of her in another life doing other things. Some of the people in this life are present in her visions and dreams but the one that stands out the most is a boy named Morgan. In her visions and dreams they fall in love but it is a highly forbidden love. Ava is a spy that is trained to watch those that could be a threat to the government and her job is to watch Morgan but Morgan’s to smart and he knows she is watching. Their love is real and it is also scary if they are caught. Ava believes these to be dreams and visions until she sees Morgan in real life and he makes contact with her. This is as far as I’m going with this review! To say anymore would spoil the book for anyone who hasn’t read it!
I enjoyed As I Wake but I must admit there were times when I was a bit confused, this could be because the story is told in Ava’s POV and she’s often confused between reality(s). It took me awhile to figure out what was going on and when I did, I still was confused a bit. I understood the concept and the book was enjoyable in the sense that I was constantly trying to figure out what was going on. As I wake is a book that you should keep an open mind and it will increase your enjoyment factor.
THE FAERY SAYS: IT WASN'T TERRIBLE BUT MY WINGS DIDN'T FLUTTER EITHER
As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott is a true puzzle, while reading it my mind was spinning with a twenty different theories or possibilities. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be about; I was expecting more of a paranormal romance where this is more on the science fiction side. Don’t get me wrong-there’s undying love and plenty of weirdness but not the kind I was prepared for. This is a difficult book to review without giving away spoilers and once that happens it takes the oomph out of the book. I’ll do my best to give the reviewer’s an idea of what the book is about and you can be the judge if this is the book for you or not without the spoilers.
Ava wakes up in a hospital bed with no real feel for her identity or surroundings. There are times when something will feel familiar but not, kind of in that déjà vu way that we’ve all experienced. When she’s released from the hospital she tries to get on with her life but she starts to have visions and dreams; visions and dreams of her in another life doing other things. Some of the people in this life are present in her visions and dreams but the one that stands out the most is a boy named Morgan. In her visions and dreams they fall in love but it is a highly forbidden love. Ava is a spy that is trained to watch those that could be a threat to the government and her job is to watch Morgan but Morgan’s to smart and he knows she is watching. Their love is real and it is also scary if they are caught. Ava believes these to be dreams and visions until she sees Morgan in real life and he makes contact with her. This is as far as I’m going with this review! To say anymore would spoil the book for anyone who hasn’t read it!
I enjoyed As I Wake but I must admit there were times when I was a bit confused, this could be because the story is told in Ava’s POV and she’s often confused between reality(s). It took me awhile to figure out what was going on and when I did, I still was confused a bit. I understood the concept and the book was enjoyable in the sense that I was constantly trying to figure out what was going on. As I wake is a book that you should keep an open mind and it will increase your enjoyment factor.
THE FAERY SAYS: IT WASN'T TERRIBLE BUT MY WINGS DIDN'T FLUTTER EITHER
December 24, 2011
This was certainly an unusual book to read, to say the least. It centres on Ava, a 17 year old who remembers nothing about her life until now. Her memories slowly surface, but they're memories of another world; a world where every move is scrutinised and trust is thin on the ground. She sees some of the faces that are present in this life, but they have very different lives. And then there's Morgan. Ava's job in her previous world was to watch him closely, having been trained to watch for anything that might pose a threat to the government. A forbidden romance starts between them, which, if discovered, will cost both their lives. Then he unexpectedly appears in her new life, and she starts to get some answers about who she is and why she's suddenly in a whole new world living a brand new life.
I liked this book to an extent, but I have to say that it was very disappointing at the same time. The cover and synopsis looked and sounded really interesting, but when I started reading, my enjoyment at the novel was marred by the huge sense of confusion that I felt. I carried on reading, hoping that things would become clearer later on. They did, but only by a small amount. Mystery's all well and good, but when you don't even understand what's happening more than half the time, it kind of loses its purpose. I felt there were too many loose ends, and I was left to figure a lot of stuff out for myself. As well as that, Ava's memories and current life were mixed up, with no clear line between them. The two different times seemed to overlap, and mix, so it was a little overwhelming. Also, the language is somewhat broken up. It doesn't read like you'd expect it to, or like you'd expect a 17 year old girl to talk or think.
Overall, I both liked and disliked this book. It's an interesting mix of genre, and for me, there was just something about it that kept me going. But it wasn't as good as I'd hoped it would be. I would have liked more explanations and more clarity - and a better ending. It was a little anti-climatic. So, very much a mixed opinion on my part.
I liked this book to an extent, but I have to say that it was very disappointing at the same time. The cover and synopsis looked and sounded really interesting, but when I started reading, my enjoyment at the novel was marred by the huge sense of confusion that I felt. I carried on reading, hoping that things would become clearer later on. They did, but only by a small amount. Mystery's all well and good, but when you don't even understand what's happening more than half the time, it kind of loses its purpose. I felt there were too many loose ends, and I was left to figure a lot of stuff out for myself. As well as that, Ava's memories and current life were mixed up, with no clear line between them. The two different times seemed to overlap, and mix, so it was a little overwhelming. Also, the language is somewhat broken up. It doesn't read like you'd expect it to, or like you'd expect a 17 year old girl to talk or think.
Overall, I both liked and disliked this book. It's an interesting mix of genre, and for me, there was just something about it that kept me going. But it wasn't as good as I'd hoped it would be. I would have liked more explanations and more clarity - and a better ending. It was a little anti-climatic. So, very much a mixed opinion on my part.
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