I was fortunate to receive this book from a friend who picked it up for me at ALA. I actually begged for it, and she was good enough to indulge me.

As I was reading this book, I kept thinking, "How the heck am I going to review this without spoiling it?" I don't know if I've figured that out yet, so we'll see how this goes. I may have to mark this as a great big spoiler.

I really liked the premise of this book. It's dystopian, as are so many books these days, but it has an angle I've not seen before: the government controls the citizens with music that's been encoded to make them addicts, and forbids anyone to make music of their own. Anthem finds a group to play music with (or they find him), and he realizes that they need to stop the government before they lose any more of their free will. The thought of using music, which is such a joy to so many, as a weapon is chilling, and Trevayne did a great job building a world in which that could happen.

I loved how much Anthem cared for and about his brother and sister, and how he cared for his father, even though there was a tinge of frustration at caring for the dying addict. Anthem knows it's not his father's fault that he's addicted: the government ensures that they have a population of addicts. Anthem also know that he's not going to be around long to care for his siblings if things keep going the way they are. Very good motivation for trying to make a change.

I think I've reached my limit on what I can say without gushing and giving everything away. I will close with saying that I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian stories, music, funky body art, or teenagers trying to change the world. ( )

Well, I made it a good few chapters in before deciding to check out Goodreads to see if I was the only who felt meh about it, and wow. Definitely not.

I found it really slow and difficult to get into. They really don't help you with all the futuristic jargon, and a lot of times, you're playing a guessing game just trying to understand what Anthem's even talking about. I did notice a few questionable jumps, and from what I've heard, things start to pick up 2/3rds of the way through, worsen in pacing, and make even less sense.

I do agree that Anthem's sexuality is handled in a really nice "not unrealistically in your face, but still undeniably there" way, and the diversity of sexualities in the book was quite nice.

I'll also have to echo that meh feeling about the characters a few people expressed. I only made it like 26% but even then, it shouldn't take an entire book for you to feel any way about the characters! What's that they say? Good characters can carry a bad plot, but a good plot can't carry bad characters? The idea was interesting once I finally got an idea of it, but the delivery dragged, the characters didn't pull me in, and from what I hear, it doesn't get better.

DNF vnv ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A pretty amazing story with a unique world, wonderful lyrical prose, and characters that will blow you away.

Opening Sentence: I’m drawn toward the door.

The Review:

Many of my friends have been talking about Emma Trevayne’s Coda. Most loved the story, falling in love with the characters and their journey. I was excited when Coda released, because this meant that I could potentially fall in love also. The story behind Trevayne’s Coda is one like many aspiring authors, but in this case the dream came true. Not only is Coda an amazing read, but it has turned into one of my favorites for the year. Let me gush a little more so you can understand why I feel that way.

Coda exists in a futuristic world where music is not only heard but connected to your life energy. Eighteen year-old Anthem lives the fine line of devotion and addiction. The Corp has ensured that their encoded music is enslaving, denoting the relationship between the government and the people were sound. By day, Anthem hooks into the Grid, one of the many draining his own energy to power the city. By night, he finds solace in raw music, music not encoded and tainted by the Corp. But no matter what Anthem does, whether that be performing with his underground band, or tracking another tune to get the next hit, he cannot escape the music. But when his best friend dies suspiciously, he realizes that it’s time for things to change; a revolution.

Anthem was someone that felt like I’ve known him all my life. I felt so connected to him, definitely sharing his passion for music. Trevayne wrote him in a way that made you take notice, outlining his imperfections and his attributes, but in a way that made you adore him. Anthem demanded attention, show you that he’s not just about the music, it’s what he is. I loved how he had compassion and tenacity, having this perfect harmony between the two. I loved him from the first beat, and he was a great character to get to know.

Trevayne proved that everyone in Coda had a story and there was something to be learned from every character’s experience. They each knew their foundation, but it was never revealed to the reader until the right moments. The supporting characters were perfect, and I respected how she connected everything. Her characters were unconventional and Trevayne wasn’t afraid. She embraced it, risking something for what she loved, and it reflected beautifully.

I loved how Trevayne describes the love of music, like an addictive drug. It was realistic, and I felt it was accurate. She writes about following the norm, being one of the many, but unlike many dystopian societies that tell the same tale, she does it in a way that is unique and eye opening.

Coda had a great plot progression. I never felt like it was slowing down or going too fast. I was able to absorb the words and feel the emotions intended on each page. The world was fantastic! I wanted to live in it, to be a part of it. Who cares if the music was encoded. I wanted to be plug in and just track away into bliss.

I want more. I want to know what happens next. I have this new addiction and its name is Coda by Emma Trevayne.

Notable Scene:

With drumbeat shackles and guitar-string ropes, I’m a willing prisoner. It’s miraculous here: light and sound and color and shape coalesce around me before exploding into fireworks of bliss. Rainbow sparks tumble down to sizzle on my clothes.

I try to catch the pink ones.

Songs change. Sweat flows. Energy gathers and releases and gathers again. This one’s my favorite. It sweeps me away, floating, until waves of a thousand keyboards break all at once, crashing into my frantic body, tossing me higher, higher, higher.

FTC Advisory: I purchased this copy of Coda. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )

I got this book directly from Trevayne at ALA. The premise is beautiful, and I love the concept. Trevayne writes wonderful dialogue, and I believe in her music so much. I love that this is appears to be a stand-alone novel. Where it fell down for me was the world-building. I needed more explanation, more back-story, more why.

I am familiar with the 'bad Corp' trope, and the 'citizens in thrall' trope- but there wasn't enough structure here beyond the sketched-out idea for me to understand what had happened here in this book, how civilization had made the transition, and what, exactly the whole point of the tracks/tracking/addiction/control was. There was glancing mention of the War, but it was more frustrating than enlightening. I didn't understand the reasons that made Anthem's parents waste away and die.

I loved the characters. They were finely drawn, real, and interesting. I look forward to Trevayne's second novel with hope and anticipation. ( )