But this one took me entirely by surprise. The kickass
beginning, for example. It’s brilliant. The author plonked her reader right in
the middle of Wren 178’s daily grind, which is hunting humans. Immediately the
questions begin. If she’s not human, what is she? If she’s so powerful, why
does she submit so quietly to the guards? Is she a prisoner? If she’s a
prisoner, why does she willingly hunt other prisoners? The questions were
relentless for the first couple of chapters, and Tintera’s pacing of the
answers was excellent. Never too much at once, and never forced. I heard an
author once say that if you had to give too much back story, you’re starting in
the wrong place. The author started in just the right place.
I was drawn to the whole idea of Wren’s world. It was simple
but at the same time had depth. It was interesting.
But most of all, it was different. The usual teen storyline is here - girl
meets boy, they overcome their differences and develop feelings for each other,
there is a risk of separation, there is a conclusion. The usual dystopian
storyline is here - groups with control, groups without control, brain washing
and propaganda, and something to scare the living heck out of us because it’s
frighteningly possible (in this case it was disease and containment). But I
really felt that all these issues were hung on brand new shoulders, and I loved
the freshness. The world which Tintera has given us is one I’ve never
encountered before, giving her the chance to really mix things up a bit.
However, at the same time she provides all the elements which teenagers have
come to know, love and expect. I didn’t like the romance, but I appreciate its
role in the story and I appreciate the reason why it’s there. I understand that
it’s for a particular audience.
I loved the gender switching which Tintera played with. The
girl is small, slight, and a cold blooded killer. She’s the trainer. The boy is
big, friendly and a vegetarian pacifist. I love how they come together and how
it actually “works”. Not always believable and sometimes a little cring-y, but
definitely entertaining. He basically has to teach her how to care. I wondered
at one stage how far the author would go in their journey towards each other -
she definitely had to become more like him, more human, but how far would Tintera go in making him more like her -
the cold blooded killer? In the end I think she erred on the side of caution. I
wonder if she will play with this further in the second book.
The romance elements, although clichéd, had an importance
within this story which was refreshing. Usually I get the feeling that an
author has added a romantic component simply because they feel they need to
keep their readers happy. In Reboot, the romance is absolutely fundamental.
Wren ruminates over whether she can love at all; whether through her
conditioning or the amount of time she spent dead (178 minutes) she is
incapable of feeling at all. So the journey to her openness is fascinating.
Towards the last third of the book I began to flag, mainly
because the rest of the book I felt was not written for me. I didn’t need (or
want) the physical closeness which Wren and Callum begin to explore, but as I
mentioned before, I understand its place within the story.
When you use an emotionless killer as one of your main
characters and work out a way to make your readers sympathize with her, it’s
interesting. When you explore a way for her to fall in love it becomes
fascinating. And what about making her the narrator, whose point of view your
readers come to trust? Tintera does all of this is a way that seems effortless.
Her readers will not be able to stop themselves connecting with Wren 178,
because essentially she is still just a normal teenager coming to terms with a
whole load of emotions she has not experienced before. Team that with her
enjoyment of killing and the fascinating dystopia which Tintera has created,
and you get a rollicking good read which has something new to say in a very
popular genre.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science
fiction with a little romance, ultimate kickass female heroines, and anyone who
glazes over at the thought of yet another dystopia. It’s a bit different.
Oh any anyone who likes zombies - or vampires! The z and v-words are never
mentioned in this book… Ms Tintera you are very very clever.
Goodreads Link.Amy Tintera's Website (including her blog)
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