Book Review: Capture

Capture

By: Nicole Sobon

Published By: Nicole Sobon

Publication Date: August 2012

Page Count: 340

Buy it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Source: Kindly Provided by Author

Audience: Young Adult - Dystopian, Science Fiction

Hmmm, this book was nothing like I expected. I went into this one knowing it didn't have a ton of reviews and that witches played a dominant role. I love witch novels so I was excited when this popped up on my reading schedule. However, a word of caution, while a witch novel this one reads much more like science fiction fantasy than paranormal. This is not a bad thing, but I was probably not the best reader for a novel like this. I liked it, but I didn't love it. It should be noted that out of all the Larks, I am the one who is not a huge fan of dystopian novels and science fiction is rarely my cup of tea. Please keep that in mind as you read this review. I'm sure fans of the previously mentioned genres would enjoy this one more than I did.

First, I was impressed by the amount of creativity that Sobon puts into this novel. She creates such a fascinating dystopian society where supernatural powers reign supreme. I applaud her attempt at putting witches into a futuristic society. It was an interesting direction and a new genre mesh for me. Sobon's attempt to do something different and creative was appreciated. One complaint I do have is that the reader is thrust into this society with very little world building. It took some time for me to orientate myself; I found this to be frustrating. I did learn more about this society as the plot progressed, but I would have preferred to have more in the beginning.

Furthermore, I really enjoyed getting to know the main character, Autumn. She goes from being an average unknown citizen to the "chosen one" in a matter of hours. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to find out everything you thought was true about your life is a lie. The moment Autumn realizes that nothing will ever be the same was exceptionally well written and poignant  She comments, "Autumn Stone, the eighteen-year-old girl I'd known all my life was now gone, and had been replaced by the image of one city's hope for survival" (Kindloe Location 791). On top of the unveiling of some earth shattering secrets, Autumn also discovers that a mad man hellbent on destroying her city has also killed her mother and best friend. Talk about a rough day, huh? I couldn't help feeling empathy for Autumn's plight. I wanted her to train, practice her skills, and swoop in to save the day. She needed a little happiness after all the bad things that had happened to her.

Another element I really enjoyed was Autumn's prophetic dreams. It was interesting to see her at her most vulnerable point in sleep when the visions could intrude. This was perhaps my favorite aspect of the novel.

There is also a bit of romance that helped to keep the plot moving forward. Autumn certainly deserved an ally - especially one who was cute and attentive - in the swirl of all the danger and chaos. 

So, what kept me from loving this novel in spite of strong potential? Again, I think a lot of it stems from this not being my preferred genre. I accepted the review request thinking it was going to be a more traditional approach to witches - which is the sort of read that I typically adore. Also, I found that the beginning and parts of the middle were tedious for me. My mind would start to wander and I would have to frequently reign myself in to focus on the plot. In addition, the writing, while not bad, is a bit simplistic. I wanted more descriptions and world building. There were also moments were the dialogue seemed a bit unrealistic; it didn't always match the characters' ages or mimic real speech patterns. 

I would encourage fans of dystopian novels and science fiction to give this one a try. I think it has a lot of merit; I hope to see the right reader find its way to Capture. I waffled between giving this book a 2.5 rating and 3 rating. In the end, I went with a 3 because of the creativity and potential I saw present itself as I read this one.

One Last Gripe: I felt the word choice was a bit repetitive at times. It irked me that the same word would keep cropping up - sometimes within the same sentence.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: The amount of creativity that Sobon used to create the world and plot

First Sentence: The town center buzzed with life.

Favorite Character: Autumn

Least Favorite Character: Lucas

Summary:

When her home is threatened by a stranger, Autumn Stone, an 18-year-old witch, must find the strength within herself to save those that she loves.