Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Publication Date: May 23, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 352
Genre: Dystopia, Romance
Source: Netgalley

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

I really enjoyed reading this one! You may know that I really like stories set in the future, like this a dystopia.

I really like the cover of this book. Look at it, why do you think the flowers are inside a closed glass jar? Until  now I'm still thinking of what the cover's message. I know there is and it is really hard to explain.

I was immediately hooked in the book at the very first start. In the year 2060, life is totally different from what we experience now. Students enter schools by their home computers. It limited the face to face interaction with people making them addicted to the technology.

At first I thought that the story will focuses to brought down Digital School, but I was wrong. It focuses on the love attraction between Maddie and Justin, making the topic about the DS a sub-story line. Also, at the very first few chapters, there's thrill! You can feel the emotions having between the two characters. You can feel love. This is because of Kacvinsky wisely choosing her words to explain the scenario. It added to the ingredients for the emotion to be felt by readers.

You can really saw the development of the characters, not just Maddie but also Justin. You will be able to see how they transitioned into one person to another, which is better. And that is what we look to a characters. Their development.

I was not that satisfied with the ending. I think Kacvinsky can write another thrilling ending better than in the book. She had done it, she can do it again. Well, also the ending is a cliff hanger. You will be questioned about what will happen to Maddie and Justin love? You will be left thinking.

I would like also to praise the wordings of the author. I really like the way she writes and the way she added humor to make the story lively, because the book is mainly about sorrow.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harcourt!

Rating:

Plot: 5
Characters: 4.5
Ending: 4
Writing: 5

Overall: 4.6