Valentina - Kevin McDermott

Began reading: 22.3.2016
Completed reading: 25.3.2016
Overall rating: 3 stars

Much of the world is burning or flooded. The temperate zones are still habitable - and one small island is teeming with climate refugees. Life in the Badlands is dangerous, disease-ridden, violent and controlled by gangsters and terrorists.

But Valentina lives high in the privileged Citadel, at the heart of the heavily protected Green Zone. She is the president's daughter, sheltered, spoilt and arrogant. When she makes a secret trip to the Badlands, however, with her friends Pippa and Damian, she is forced to face up to the realities of life on the island and to the responsibilities her position brings with it.

Valentina by Kevin McDermott is a young adult fiction novel that incorporates dystopian themes with adventure and humour. I have been eyeing this book on Book Depository for so long, and I recently gave in and purchased it. I was drawn in by the description, as I love dystopian novels. Unfortunately, the novel didn’t live up to my expectations, and I’ll explain why shortly.

I’m not sure why, but I was hoping that this book would be almost flawlessly written. A big issue was that there were a LOT of spelling and grammatical errors. What was worse was that these errors were mistakes that a primary school student would be guilty of! There were words that weren’t separated by spaces, and missing quotation marks during characters’ dialogue. On the other hand, there were some really good quotes that I had to add here, including:

I’m happier in the dream world. Weird, isn’t it — dreaming? It’s you in your dreams and you know it’s you, but then everything else is not quite right, like living in a house that’s tilted on it’s side so when you walk you feel giddy and light-headed. And the world is so bright, so vivid. In dreams, there’s more of everything: more fear, more happiness, more monkeys, more dead people, more rainbows, more lakes, more fish — just more. And I’m more me in my dreams, more myself, more true to myself, more who I want to be (p. 6).

‘Dogs see who you really are,’ Pippa said. ‘And once they attach to you, they stay loyal even if you are cruel or ignore them or want to send them away, because they know you are always more than the sum of your worst actions’ (pp. 21-22).

When we were safe in our room, I said to Pippa, ‘What was all that about?’

‘You are loved, Val.’

‘That’s ridiculous.’

‘People respect your father but they fear him. They need to believe in someone whom they can love and admire — and you’re the one.’

‘But they don’t know me or anything about me.’

‘They don’t have to. They’re in love with the idea of you. Your father is the stern king and you’re the gentle princess. You’re their fairytale, Val’ (p. 129).

Lying beside him was the most natural thing in the world, as normal as breathing, and our breathing fell into a shared rhythm (p. 144).

Humour made an appearance numerous times in the book, in the forms of sarcasm, sass, and typical teenage thoughts. I loved how sassy Valentina’s character was, and how she projected this sass outward to other characters. It kept me entertained, which I appreciated. I think that McDermott got the teenage attitude and humour spot-on, which deserves praise.

That is where the positives end. There were plot twists scattered throughout the plot, which kept me interested. Some were helpful and added depth to situations; however some were just so confusing. *WARNING: SPOILER* For example, Valentina’s dad and a few other characters knew her plan to visit the Badlands. Doesn’t that make the entire plot redundant? She planned to sneak away, but they knew anyway.

                                                       

It was stated in the book that Valentina’s character was 14; however, I found that her ‘voice’ seemed more mature than her age. I believe that her dialogue better suited a character who was roughly 20. This made her character less relatable and unrealistic. From personal experience, I know that most 14-year-olds do not speak the way that Valentina does. Therefore, I found Valentina’s character to be lacking in accuracy.

The book was fast-paced, which could be seen as either a positive or negative thing. In this case, I found it to be a negative, as I was left confused more than once. While I reading, I would be thinking, ‘Ok, so this is happening… I wonder if this or this were to happen’, only to find that another complication would overlap the one that I was currently reading (does that make sense?). This constant stopping-and-starting of complications affected the novel’s structure. I had no idea when the resolution would occur, as all of these problems were beginning to ‘snowball’. If I may be a little dramatic here, I sometimes felt like I was drowning in problem after problem.

I was so frustrated about many things in this book, including Valentina’s insistence on dubbing Damien ‘the devil child’ or ‘you know who’. Seriously? What’s worse is that she never called Damien these names — she only associated him with these nicknames in her head. Why? If she was afraid that thinking his name might let her feelings for him show, then it was ridiculous. [Sarcasm] Yeah, because mentally calling a guy by his name will alert him of your true feelings.

                   

Speaking of true feelings, the romance aspect of this book was horrible! In the beginning, Pippa had the ‘hots’ for Damien, yet nothing came from that. Valentina (almost too quickly) developed feelings for him too, which went nowhere and I’m not sure why. It seemed pretty obvious that these two would get together, and it never occurred. It just irritated me that it was suggested then led nowhere. I guess you could say that I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who likes or is hoping for a bit of forbidden romance.

*WARNING: SPOILER* The plot was incredibly anti-climactic. I mean, the whole point of the story was that Valentina would be reunited with Mattie in the Badlands (which didn’t happen), or that she would become the heroine (which, also, didn’t happen). I expected a happy ending, where there would be some kind of progress to improve the lives of those in the Badlands and Amber Zone, but no.

My favourite character was Valentina. The blurb portrayed her as this snobby, arrogant, spoilt girl; however, she wasn’t really anything like this. Yes, she flaunted her authority here and there, but she was compassionate and mature (most of the time). She had her flaws, as she was selfish and childish (crying almost ALL THE TIME).

                

But I suppose it added depth to her character.

I was hoping that Damian, Pippa and the other secondary characters would make a bigger appearance. Unfortunately, Damian disappeared half-way through, while Valentina’s parents and brothers were hardly included in the plot. Pippa was with Valentina through the whole story; however, she didn’t make much of an appearance, either. Because of this, I concluded that the secondary characters were pretty much pointless. The blurb hinted that Valentina, Pippa and Damian would go on this adventure to the forbidden Badlands, yet Damian disappeared before they got there. The secondary characters were just pointless and unnecessary, which was a let-down for me.

I had a couple of favourite parts in the book, including Valentina’s time at school, state dinners and Sandybrook House, as well as the final chapter. I enjoyed reading about the school and state dinners, as they provided an insight into the life of a president’s daughter. Also, we were able to see these events through Valentina’s eyes, which was interesting. I liked Sandybrook House and the residents within, as it was fascinating to see how the women lived — they were mad, and were sometimes confused about what era they were in. I liked the final chapter because it acted like an epilogue — it provided closure, as Valentina explained what happened when she and Pippa returned from the Badlands.

Recommendation time! If you like the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard, Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr, and Alice in Love and War by Ann Turnbull, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Elysium, The Hunger Games, 2012, The Purge, Never Let Me Go, Left Behind and The Colony.

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Atlantia - Ally Condie

Began reading: 10.3.2016
Completed reading: 16.3.2016
Overall rating: 3.8 stars

Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamt of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all her plans for the future are thwarted when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected decision, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long hidden—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the complex system constructed to govern the divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.

Atlantia by Ally Condie is a fictional young adult novel that combines fantasy, romance and mythology. I was really looking forward to reading this book, but now that I have read it, I must say I was disappointed. There were a few positives, yet this book didn’t live up to my expectations.

The book was well-written, as everything was described in great detail. There were some good quotes in the novel that I will share, including:

Bay asked me if I heard the city breathing.

I hear my own breathing now, in and out and in and out. I live here. I will die here.

I am never going to leave (p. 9).

‘…everyone wants to hurt someone else at some time in his or her life. It is part of being human’ (p. 28).

No bond is the same as that between sisters (p. 30).

After losing my mother and my sister, I didn’t think I had anything left to lose, but I do. You always have something left to lose. Until, of course, you die (p. 46).

It is agony to cry when you can’t make a sound, when you have to stuff your pillow into your mouth, almost choking yourself so that no one will hear the timbre of your real voice. No one knows how much that hurts, not even the loved ones who want to keep you safe (p. 60).

‘Why me?’ he asked.

‘I’ve been listening a long time,’ I said. ‘No one sounds as right as you’ (p. 296).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I found the idea of Atlantia very interesting and unique. I enjoyed reading about how the temple Below had land animals as gods, while those Above had sea creatures as gods. It was also interesting to see how the Above and Below interacted — wishing pools, trade and sending volunteers to the Above.

Similarly, I thought there would be mermaids, especially since the book is about an underwater city. I was a little disappointed, but I still found it interesting that the Above and Below decided on the Divide. The idea of communicating through shells was also a great idea.

The book was well-structured, with a clearly defined complication and resolution, as well as a great conclusion. I thought that the epilogue was impressive, as it clarified the majority of my questions. It explained what happened to the characters, which I find very important.

Everything was described in great detail, especially Rio’s surroundings. I liked how Condie described the temple, the trees and the bats. I would love to be there, seeing everything with my own eyes. I think that the temple was meant to be very ethereal, and Condie described it perfectly.

There were minor plot twists throughout the book, especially towards the end. I thought some of these were interesting, while others felt unnecessary and left me confused. For example, we discover how Rio’s mother died, and yet it was as though she forgot about her. I found the death of innocent lives, such as Ciro, to be unnecessary. What was the point of killing these characters off? Many things were left unresolved. Another unresolved issue: what happened to Nevio? I don’t like when issues are left unresolved. I believe that it ruins the story, especially if the book is a stand-alone. I was disappointed.

                                       

I found Rio to be very repetitive, going on and on about how she couldn’t use her voice, and if she could really trust Maire. I know it was a big deal in the plot, but it was still annoying to continually read about it. Furthermore, Rio spent SO MUCH time saying how she needed to go Above. This repetition made the whole book frustrating, and I guess that is one of the reasons why it has so many ‘did not finish’ reviews on Goodreads. ‘All my life, I’ve wanted to go Above. I HAVE TO GET ABOVE’! Ok, I heard you the first 500 times!

                     

*WARNING: SPOILER ALERT* The book was very slow-paced, and ended up being anti-climactic. After so much work in the lanes and plans to go through the floodgates, Rio finds another, easier way to get Above. WHAT. THE. HELL. What was the point of reading about how well she swam?! Also, once she’s Above, she says that she can’t stay. She must return Below. Am I missing something? What was the point of the whole book? The whole thing was just so pointless!

I would have to say that Maire was my favourite character. It was very unlikely that she would become someone I admired, but Rio was such a disappointment. Maire was protective and loyal, and she had her flaws. She was selfish, and she wasn’t afraid to admit it.

True Beck was my second favourite character, as he was so talented and sweet. He was perfect boyfriend material. He needed a bigger role in the novel and gain more recognition. I didn’t think he deserved Rio.

                 

Rio was the character I was hoping I would like the most. Unfortunately, her and Bay were bland and distant. Condie attempted to make the sisters close, especially describing how close they were during childhood; however; they barely spoke when they were together, so it goes against everything that Condie tried to build up.

My favourite parts of the novel were when Rio swam in the lanes, and the deepmarket breach. Although it was pretty much pointless, I liked reading about Rio swimming in the lanes, as it was very creative. I thought it was innovative to have True create fish and eels as obstacles. I was hoping the performances would get bigger and better, but sadly, this wasn’t the case.

*WARNING: SPOILER ALERT* I loved the part about the deepmarket breach, as it was so intense and stressful. The fact that Rio didn’t have her air mask scared me. I was hyperventilating. Why weren’t there any spares?! Why did no one seem to give a damn about her? When Rio went to find True, I was worried. I didn’t want him to be killed. But it was sad to know that there were so many innocent people killed.  

Recommendation time! If you like the Submerged Sun series by Vanessa Garden or The Painted Maidens Trilogy by Terra Harmony, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Syrena Legacy series by Anna Banks, The Aquarathi series by Amalie Howard and the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie.

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Pretty Girl - J. C. Burke

Began reading: 28.2.2016
Completed reading: 5.3.2016
Overall rating: 3.6 stars

Paige, Sarah, Jess and Tallulah were best friends at school. Now, they've begun university and are living together at college, but it's not turning out like it's meant to. Tallulah's partying too hard, Jess is being secretive, Paige is embarrassing herself with an unrequited crush, and Sarah's struggling to keep up with her wealthier friends.

One night, Sarah saves Paige from drowning in the university swimming pool. Paige can't remember why she was there, and Sarah's too afraid to say what she thought she saw. Then Jess's body is found outside the college laundry.

It's not until Sarah meets the gorgeous and charming Johnny that she can tell someone her suspicions. But what really did happen that night at the pool? Does anything connect Paige's accident with Jess's death? As Paige starts to piece together her memories, the most terrifying question becomes clear: could it happen again?

Pretty Girl by J. C. Burke is a young adult novel that incorporates thriller, mystery and a hint of romance to create a hair-raising plot that makes teenager think twice about trusting strangers. I am familiar with Burke’s work, as I have studied The Story of Tom Brennan as part of my final high school English exam. I enjoyed the realistic plots that are central to Burke’s novels; however I did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped.

I found very few grammatical errors, but I was impressed by the great quotes spread throughout the novel. These include:

Everything always comes back to Jess these days, because everywhere you look there’s something to remind you of her (p. 60).

The grass is still fluoro green, meticulously mown, yet lush and thick like a carpet of the best quality. The garden beds are full of blooms, lines of them, coordinated in circles of matching colours. Paige wonders how outside can stay so neat when inside the lives at Nottingdale are messy and drowning in chaos (p. 109).

Plans have a beginning, middle and end. They have a destiny and that’s what drives them, otherwise there’s no point to them (p. 311).

Maybe you only hear what you want to hear or see what you want to see… (p. 311).

‘I loved your term “genetically privileged”. There were times I wondered if I had a connection with you. We know what it’s like to be the outsider. From an early age you and I knew we had to find ways to break into their world. Or we’d just always be… ordinary’ (p. 323).

One of the positives of this book was the character development. It was realistic, and well-paced. In the beginning, Sarah was sensible and obedient, yet after meeting Jonny, she began to change — becoming reckless and outright passionate. Paige appeared to be afraid and shy, yet developed into a brave and strong young lady. Tallulah was introduced as the ‘wild child’ of the group, always partying and taking drugs. Yet, as the story progresses, she becomes the loyal, compassionate friend. I believe that character development plays a significant role in novels, so I’m glad that Burke made it obvious from the beginning.

The plot was incredibly relatable, especially since it was set in Australia. There were the little things, such as pastoral care and not being able to have nicknames on year 12 jerseys, that I found to be relatable. However, the concept of ‘stranger danger’, resentment for the economically privileged, and the trauma that follows a series of accidents is to be expected from people who have experienced such ordeals. As I’ve mentioned previously, realistic plots are central to Burke’s novels. For example, The Story of Tom Brennan focused on issues including incarceration, drink driving and relationships. Relatable plots make the book more interesting, and allows readers to easily imagine the situation, which is another aspect of writing that I look for when reading.

Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end and where the negatives begin. I found the plot to be predictable. For example, the psychopath was easy to identify and I suspected them from the very beginning. It was just a matter of time before it was mentioned in the book. The return of Paige’s memory was also predictable — of course she would remember everything at the very moment her friends go missing. It was so predictable, it was almost laughable.

                                     

The lack of detail really bothered me. With the exception of Jack, the appearances of the characters were pretty much non-existent. For example, I had no idea of Jonny’s hair colour until the latter end of the story. There was no physical description of the other main characters, and this really irritated me. I found it difficult to imagine the girls at Sebbie’s bar or Wil and Sarah together, as I had nothing to base their appearances off. I was pleased that the character’s location was described in detail. For example, the garden at Nottingdale, and Jonny’s place on Eclectic Avenue were described in depth. Regardless, I was left a little disappointed at the lack of physical descriptions.

The plot’s structure was unclear to me. I felt that nothing really ‘jumped out’, and it just plodded along. The only part that I found to be identifiable was the complication. In what I believed was the resolution, there were more issues that were introduced, so it did not feel like the plot was being resolved and coming to a close. I found myself forcing myself to keep turning the page more than once, which wasn’t very good.

Judging from the blurb, I assumed that Jess’ tragedy and Paige’s accident would occur, then all the after-effects and issues would follow. However, the story began after the tragedies, where Sarah was attempting to move on. I admit, it did bother me, especially since I could only view the characters’ thoughts and reactions from memories. I would have enjoyed it more if I was experiencing it with the characters. It was confusing and annoying to have to wait for the characters to look back to reveal something.

The story contained two perspectives: Sarah’s and Paige’s. I thought it was puzzling that Tallulah’s perspective wasn’t included, but that can be overlooked. Sarah and Paige seemed to possess different personalities and interests, so I assumed that the two perspectives would be varied. To my dismay, the voices tended by sound similar, and the third-person retelling made it all the more confusing. I guess it’s safe to say that I shouldn’t make any more assumptions, lest I be disappointed.

My favourite character was Sarah, as she was relatable. She was sensible, responsible and obedient. I found this quote to be especially relatable:

Number one, jeans are expensive, and number two, shopping for them is as much fun as going to the dentist. No, actually, worse because at least the dentist doesn’t mess with your self-esteem (p. 51).

She did have her flaws, those of which bothered me. Like Paige and Tallulah, Sarah was gullible, and at times, cringe-worthy. She was so slow to piece together the puzzle! I could understand the reason behind Paige’s slowness, but Sarah could be described as a bit dopey. How could she not see that Jonny looked similar to Harry, or that he called her ‘pretty girl’ for a reason?

                                                           

Paige was my second favourite character, as she was also relatable. I found her to be so naïve, and I just wanted to make her see sense. It confused me when she just left Nottingdale. I mean, shouldn’t you have told Doctor Meg about your memories? She wouldn’t have had to put her life at risk to save Sarah. She was also too trusting and gullible, which made her slightly irritating.

In the beginning, I really disliked Tallulah. She was so rude to her friends, especially Paige, and I just wanted to slap her. She had experience with drugs, so why was she so mad at the way Paige reacted to them. I would have thought she would understand. Anyway, as the plot progressed, Tallulah began change. As I mentioned previously, she developed to become more compassionate and loyal, which was great.

*WARNING: SPOILER* I was hoping that Jonny would have been a good match for Sarah, so I was a little disappointed when he turned out to be something he wasn’t. On the other hand, I found his double-sided personality to be interesting, which is why mystery can be so intriguing. It bothered me that Paige and Sarah didn’t see his true nature sooner. Paige learnt what a psychopath was while she was at Nottingdale, yet she didn’t realise it sooner. When she finally came to the conclusion that he was dangerous, it was like, FINALLY!

Jimmy Jack, Jack Johnson, Jonathan Jackson, whoever he really was, had every attribute of the psychopath. Charming, manipulative, fearless, a great storyteller (pp. 310-311).

                                    

As for my favourite parts of the book, I’m sorry to say that there were none. This is a first for me, but there was nothing of real interest to me. I didn’t mind reading about Paige’s recovery at Nottingdale, but really, there wasn’t anything that stood out.

Recommendation time! If you like Unbecoming by Jenny Downer, The Story of Tom Brennan by J. C. Burke, or The Ivory Rose by Belinda Murell, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Riot Club, Wildchild, Heathers and Scream Queens.

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