Book Review: Elusion

Elusion

By: Claudia Gabel, Cheryl Klam

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books 

Release date: March 18, 2014

Genre: YA dystopian

 400 pages

Buy it at Amazon, IndieBound, Book Depository, or Barnes & Noble

Source: galley kindly provided by publisher 

I was really excited to get to this book, because the summary made it seem like a perfect fit for me: teens uncovering the truth behind dangerous adult-invented tech. Once it finally got to the part where this was the focus, I really enjoyed this book. The first 1/3, however, was harder to get through.


Regan is a sad girl at the beginning of the book: her father has recently died, her mother is emotionally unavailable as a result, and her best friend, Patrick, is busy running the project that her dad left behind. She is a mess, and finds reasons to mistrust everyone she is close to. She is difficult to connect to at this point in her life, and without a strong relationship to draw upon for some good dialog, the beginning of the book dragged for me. It started picking up around the time that Regan decides to visit Elusion for the first time since her father's death.

Regan questions her relationship with Patrick throughout the majority of the book, creating a spot for a potential love interest. Though this isn't a true love triangle, the dynamic is more than suggested. It's even more dramatic because Patrick and Josh know and hate each other. Regan struggles with her feelings for these boys, and which of them to believe.  

There are plenty of spots where the authors throw you off the trail of what's actually going on. While reading, I had several moments when I thought I had the plot figured out, only to find out I was wrong. I was excited that it wasn't as easy to figure out as it could have been, and appreciated that my experience as a reader was mirroring the experience of the main character as she chased the truth of her father's project.

The very best thing about this book is the sci-fi aspects. The Elusion technology, how it works, and the realistic dangers it presents are by far the feature element. Elusion is presented as a way for citizens of a polluted, dismally abused future Earth to get back to the beauty and serenity of nature as it no longer exists. I love the idea of being able to escape into one's own imagination- and the warning that doing so can be detrimental.

Summary:

Soon, Elusion® will change the world and life as we know it.

A new technology called Elusion is sweeping the country. An app, visor and wristband will virtually transport you to an exotic destination where adventure can be pursued without the complications—or consequences—of real life.

Regan is an Elusion insider. Or at least she used to be. Her father invented the program, and her best friend, Patrick, heir to the tech giant Orexis, is about to release it nationwide. But ever since her father’s unexpected death, Regan can’t bear to Escape, especially since waking up from the dream means crashing back to her grim reality.

Still, when there are rumors of trouble in Elusion—accusations that it’s addictive and dangerous— Regan is determined to defend it. But the critics of Elusion come from surprising sources, including Josh, the handsome skeptic with his own personal stakes. As Regan investigates the claims, she discovers a disturbing web of secrets. She will soon have to choose between love and loyalty…a decision that will affect the lives of millions.

Suspense, thrills, and romance fuel this near-future story about the seductive nature of a perfect virtual world, and how far one girl will go to uncover the truth behind the illusions.