Book Review: Resist
Resist
By: Sarah Crossan
Published by: Greenwillow Books
Release date: October 8, 2013
Genre: YA dystopian
400 pages
Buy it at Amazon, IndieBound or Barnes & Noble
Source: ARC kindly provided by publisher
Read my review of book 1, Breathe, here.
Book 1, Breathe, left readers worrying about what would become of these characters. It turns out that the worry was for good reason. Book 2, Resist, Finds most of them in dire straights at some point or another. I suppose that's to be expected when you live in a world where the natural atmosphere doesn't contain enough oxygen to keep most people alive.
In this second installment, we again get the story from multiple viewpoints, affording the reader a peek at the action in several locations at once. It makes for efficient storytelling; major events can happen in different locations with different characters, and the author avoids having to include large chunks of exposition to make it happen.
I found myself really liking several of these characters. I think this is largely because of the smart dialogue; there are several spots that are genuinely bookmark-worthy. I love it when a character, despite an action-packed scene, gives a glimpse into his or her soul with a quick quip.
I remember that reading book 1 was a little more intense; I felt more of the desperation and terror that comes with not being able to breathe. I don't think that this feeling is necessarily missing from Resist, but it's just not as palpable as it was in the first volume. Here in book 2, the real fear comes from confronting organized groups of people who have lost touch with their humanity.
The violence in this book far outweighs what we saw in book 1. Some of our heroes learn that it's truly frightening to find that you've run from a situation, only to get yourself into something far worse- a place where fear of suffocation may be the least of your worries.
I generally don't like it when a book characterizes all adults as selfish and narrow-minded while the teens are the ones who are the logical problem-solvers. With a few exceptions, this happens in this series, but Crossan makes it work. The adults feel powerless to change their situation while the teens take brave (and sometimes reckless) steps to create change. I hope this serves to empower teen readers. We need for the world to produce more Ronans, Quinns, Alinas, and Beas.
I have read that this book concludes the series. Though the end does give a sense of closure, I am not ready to leave these characters. Their journey toward healing has only begun.
Book 1, Breathe, left readers worrying about what would become of these characters. It turns out that the worry was for good reason. Book 2, Resist, Finds most of them in dire straights at some point or another. I suppose that's to be expected when you live in a world where the natural atmosphere doesn't contain enough oxygen to keep most people alive.
In this second installment, we again get the story from multiple viewpoints, affording the reader a peek at the action in several locations at once. It makes for efficient storytelling; major events can happen in different locations with different characters, and the author avoids having to include large chunks of exposition to make it happen.
I found myself really liking several of these characters. I think this is largely because of the smart dialogue; there are several spots that are genuinely bookmark-worthy. I love it when a character, despite an action-packed scene, gives a glimpse into his or her soul with a quick quip.
I remember that reading book 1 was a little more intense; I felt more of the desperation and terror that comes with not being able to breathe. I don't think that this feeling is necessarily missing from Resist, but it's just not as palpable as it was in the first volume. Here in book 2, the real fear comes from confronting organized groups of people who have lost touch with their humanity.
The violence in this book far outweighs what we saw in book 1. Some of our heroes learn that it's truly frightening to find that you've run from a situation, only to get yourself into something far worse- a place where fear of suffocation may be the least of your worries.
I generally don't like it when a book characterizes all adults as selfish and narrow-minded while the teens are the ones who are the logical problem-solvers. With a few exceptions, this happens in this series, but Crossan makes it work. The adults feel powerless to change their situation while the teens take brave (and sometimes reckless) steps to create change. I hope this serves to empower teen readers. We need for the world to produce more Ronans, Quinns, Alinas, and Beas.
I have read that this book concludes the series. Though the end does give a sense of closure, I am not ready to leave these characters. Their journey toward healing has only begun.
Summary:
The sequel—and conclusion—to Sarah Crossan's Breathe. Three teen outlaws must survive on their own in a world without air, exiled outside the glass dome that protects what's left of human civilization. Gripping action, provocative ideas, and shocking revelations in a dystopian novel that fans of Patrick Ness and Veronica Roth will devour.
Bea, Alina, and Quinn are on the run. They started a rebellion and were thrown out of the pod, the only place where there's enough oxygen to breathe. Bea has lost her family. Alina has lost her home. And Quinn has lost his privileged life. Can they survive in the perilous Outlands? Can they finish the revolution they began? Especially when a young operative from the pod's Special Forces is sent after them. Their only chance is to stand together, even when terrible circumstances force them apart. When the future of human society is in danger, these four teens must decide where their allegiances lie. Sarah Crossan has created a dangerous, and shattered society in this wrenching, thought-provoking, and unforgettable post-apocalyptic novel.
The sequel—and conclusion—to Sarah Crossan's Breathe. Three teen outlaws must survive on their own in a world without air, exiled outside the glass dome that protects what's left of human civilization. Gripping action, provocative ideas, and shocking revelations in a dystopian novel that fans of Patrick Ness and Veronica Roth will devour.
Bea, Alina, and Quinn are on the run. They started a rebellion and were thrown out of the pod, the only place where there's enough oxygen to breathe. Bea has lost her family. Alina has lost her home. And Quinn has lost his privileged life. Can they survive in the perilous Outlands? Can they finish the revolution they began? Especially when a young operative from the pod's Special Forces is sent after them. Their only chance is to stand together, even when terrible circumstances force them apart. When the future of human society is in danger, these four teens must decide where their allegiances lie. Sarah Crossan has created a dangerous, and shattered society in this wrenching, thought-provoking, and unforgettable post-apocalyptic novel.
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I have Resist there in my TBR queue, hopefully I'll get to it next week! I thought it'd be a trilogy? So it's only a duology? Interesting!
ReplyDeleteLooks like this is the end of the series, yes. There is a conclusion, but it's soft enough that she could pick it up and continue if she chose to at some point.
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