The Challenge Factory discussion

Steph & Kristin - Birthmarked

Synopsis: In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the walled Enclave and those, like sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, who live outside. Following in her mother's footsteps Gaia has become a midwife, delivering babies in the world outside the wall and handing a quota over to be "advanced" into the privileged society of the Enclave. Gaia has always believed this is her duty, until the night her mother and father are arrested by the very people they so loyally serve. Now Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught, but her choice is simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

Not sure what else you have going on in July but I'm fairly flexible if you want to let me know when you want to start reading Birthmarked :)

Thanks for posting the synopsis! I'm flexible too, I just have one other buddy read this month. So I'm ready to start reading whenever you are.

Great! I'm finishing one up today so I'll plan to start this book tomorrow.

I just started it.. only a couple chapters in so far. It certainly wasn't hard to get into the book... pretty much grabbed me in the first chapter.

That's good to hear - I'm in the mood for something that's really absorbing! I will start it later today.

Not sure how far you have gotten through it but I think I'm about half way... I don't want to give too much away so just suffice it to say that so far I'm mostly liking the main character (Gaia) - although wanted to smack her a few times. I seem to be in the mid-book lull... but feel something is about to happen.

Ah, you're a much faster reader than I am! haha.

I'm listening to it on audiobook, so I'm not sure how far I am, but Gaia just made it inside the enclave. I thought it would be really fancy and futuristic in there! So I'm curious to see if there will be more big differences between life inside the enclave and out of it.

Are you still enjoying the book?

Mmm.. I liked the beginning the best. Seems like that was where most of the action happened and enjoyed getting to know the characters. I got bogged down a bit in the middle with the genetics stuff and kept wanting to remind Gaia about needing to try to find her mom because it seemed like that wasn't even part of the landscape for awhile. I like Gaia OK but I'm not really "feeling her" or able to identify with her much. But am interested to see how the book wraps up.

I am about 3/4 of the way through the story.

How are you enjoying the book?

Yikes, I really need to catch up! I'm enjoying the actual story, but the audiobook narrator has a very child-like voice that's becoming more and more irritating.... so that has been keeping me from reading....

But later on it gets really science-heavy? I'm not surprised if that's the case, it seems like a book that would add a lot of scientific information. I'm still trying to piece things together, though!

How far are you?

I see you finished the book - what did you think? (without giving spoilers!)

Unfortunately, I'm only about halfway through. Gaia is trying to decide whether to tell the interrogators what she knows. I'm not enjoying it much at this point, but I'm not sure if that's just because the audiobook narrator is so bad!

But anyway, sorry for reading at such a glacial pace! haha.

Yep, I totally understand! The middle of the book seemed really slow for me too... which was a bummer because I felt like the book started off with a lot of promise!

I will say that it does seem to pick up and I'm not sure if I'm a glutton for punishment or what, but I did pick up book 2 of the trilogy.

It's amazing how much of an impact a narrator has on the quality of the story. Without giving too much away, it just felt like sometimes the story was building up to something big.. But then I'd think "Huh..really? Is that it?" I wasn't ever sure if it was flat writing or flat narrating - or a combination of both.

If I could have rated the book a 2.5 I would have. LOL!

No need to apologize for reading speed - We all read at different speeds and have more/less time to do so!

Ugh, Gaia is really getting on my nerves. She's SO SLOW to catch on to every little thing.... I'm not even a person who usually predicts what's going to happen in books, but in this story there are a lot of things that seem so obvious, but which Gaia seems to see as huge revelations.

I'm at the part where Leon has come to the bakery where Gaia is staying, and they're talking about genetics.

I have to ask you, though - what do you think of the (potential?) romance between Gaia and Leon? Because I don't understand it at all. Leon seems like such an adult and Gaia like a child (but that might be just me). Do we know how old they are?

Hmm... Good question... I was thinking she was like 16-17 maybe? I thought the same thing about their difference in maturity. For someone raised outside the wall, she seems so naive.

The "revelations" were not surprises to me either.. Always felt like something BIG was going to happen but then it never seemed to come through.

It sounds like you are getting close to the end!

You're right, naive is the best word to describe Gaia. It's not the worst trait in the world, but it does get tiresome!

Right now I'm reading the part in which Gaia and Leon are at the nursery. It's actually picked up quite a bit, I enjoyed the last few chapters more than the first half of the book. Hopefully I'll finish it tomorrow!

Oh yes...! I agree... The middle of the book was sooooo low and painful. It does sound like you are getting close!

Finally finished! Sorry again for taking forever!

It's frustrating because I really didn't enjoy the book as a whole, but I liked the ending, and the possibilities of what might happen next. The second book looks really interesting.... but it's probably not a good idea for me chance it!

What is it that makes you want to continue the series? The premise of the next book, or something else?

I'm a glutton for punishment? LOL! I think it's the combination of the ending leaving me somewhat hanging, plus the ratings on the second book were slightly higher -- and the audio for book 2 was available at a fairly cheap price. ;)

Although, honestly, I don't really have high hopes! Crazy, right???

Haha, no, that's really understandable. I would probably pick it up, too if I didn't have such a problem with the audiobook narration. So you'll have to let me know what you think of it!

Absolutely!