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Chris Babu

Autor(a) de The Initiation

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Obras por Chris Babu

The Initiation (2018) 59 exemplares

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This was the story readers were waiting for...

Here, we catch up with Dray, Charlie, Catrice, and Sidney, just after everything has gone down that went down in book two...and no, I won't spoil it for those that haven't read it. So much has transpired, but so much is still in store for this motley crew that it's not even funny. Okay, well some of it is, but more in the oh-my-gosh-we're-so-stressed-out-that-we're-more-than-a-tad-punchy sorta funny, than the HA HA HA kind. I was beside myself through most of the story as I saw the girls trying SO HARD to score that money for the boat ride to save their families, Charles struggling to operate at full capacity after that hella bad accident, and Drayden hoping against hope that he could find his mother once again. The bonds they forged thus far are seriously put to the test, but they're about to discover (with a little outside guidance along the way) that there is nothing they can't achieve when they put their hearts and minds to the task, and no danger is insurmountable when they have each other's backs.

In the end, it's filled with the unharnessed emotions of teenage-dom, responsibility beyond their years, dangers that would make the strongest Guardians quake in their camos, and an ending that you won't soon forget. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading this trilogy as of yet, I highly suggest you start at the beginning and binge your way through.


**copy received for review; opinions are my own
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
GRgenius | Jul 31, 2022 |


So this is one I've been meaning to get around to for quite a while: the entire concept here: a dystopian oppressed walled-in world supposedly based on equality divided into separate zones really appealed to my sense of imagination and while this was well written and ingenious it still didn't quite manage to capture my fancy: actually falling quite far from that mark.
So briefly as I said above this is New America: carved out of the former Manhatten, this is now home to Draven and his family.
Draven lives in the Dorms the lowest zone placement in New America: there are three other zones, The precinct: where the guardians reside: they are the police force of this new dystopian future: The labs where anyone intellectual resides: so the teachers, scientists and doctors and lastly the Palace where the bureau are: these are the leaders and government of New America.
You are locked to your zone placement and supposedly everyone has equal status and privilege no matter your zone or job.
The only way to supposedly raise your status for yourself and your immediate family is to enter the initiation upon graduating school: this is apparently a test of intelligence and bravery played out in the abandoned underground subways beneath the city.
It's like a very deadly game of crystal maze where failure means exile or even death and its quite apparent that the ruling class definitely has a hidden agenda here.
So, after his mother is exiled without due cause Draven with some slight outside persuasion decides to compete: alongside him are several of his former classmates.
Told entirely from Dravens POV these teenagers (sixteen-year-olds) are at loggerheads from the start and with conflicts arising constantly I did want to bang their heads together slightly and scream behave, children at there immature antics.



I mostly put aside their immaturity on account of there young age, but I was still a trifle bemused at the constant concern over there love lives and who they all liked: it just didn't seem authentic to the storyline or even important when they were in an actual fight for there very existence: personally I would think it would be the last thing on their minds at this time.
They also seemed to brush aside and recover from some very hard-hitting events with such apparent ease when I think they would have been much more affected overall.
So there were times when The Initiation really shone for me, but it was then let down by its slightly repetitive nature and it did actually get quite monotonous at times.
It also really took me a while to get into the story here with me stopping and starting this quite a few times before sticking around for the long haul.
In itself 'The Initiation' is a clean YA dystopian read that also manages to deal with some quite harsh situations throughout: and though on paper this did seem a great fit for me in actuality I just didn't fully connect here and wasn't ultimately invested in the eventual outcome.
That's not to say it won't be your bag: this is still an extremely imaginative endeavour just not really for me.
I voluntary reviewed an Arc of The Initiation.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
carpathian1974 | 4 outras críticas | Nov 7, 2019 |


So this is one I've been meaning to get around to for quite a while: the entire concept here: a dystopian oppressed walled-in world supposedly based on equality divided into separate zones really appealed to my sense of imagination and while this was well written and ingenious it still didn't quite manage to capture my fancy: actually falling quite far from that mark.
So briefly as I said above this is New America: carved out of the former Manhatten, this is now home to Draven and his family.
Draven lives in the Dorms the lowest zone placement in New America: there are three other zones, The precinct: where the guardians reside: they are the police force of this new dystopian future: The labs where anyone intellectual resides: so the teachers, scientists and doctors and lastly the Palace where the bureau are: these are the leaders and government of New America.
You are locked to your zone placement and supposedly everyone has equal status and privilege no matter your zone or job.
The only way to supposedly raise your status for yourself and your immediate family is to enter the initiation upon graduating school: this is apparently a test of intelligence and bravery played out in the abandoned underground subways beneath the city.
It's like a very deadly game of crystal maze where failure means exile or even death and its quite apparent that the ruling class definitely has a hidden agenda here.
So, after his mother is exiled without due cause Draven with some slight outside persuasion decides to compete: alongside him are several of his former classmates.
Told entirely from Dravens POV these teenagers (sixteen-year-olds) are at loggerheads from the start and with conflicts arising constantly I did want to bang their heads together slightly and scream behave, children at there immature antics.



I mostly put aside their immaturity on account of there young age, but I was still a trifle bemused at the constant concern over there love lives and who they all liked: it just didn't seem authentic to the storyline or even important when they were in an actual fight for there very existence: personally I would think it would be the last thing on their minds at this time.
They also seemed to brush aside and recover from some very hard-hitting events with such apparent ease when I think they would have been much more affected overall.
So there were times when The Initiation really shone for me, but it was then let down by its slightly repetitive nature and it did actually get quite monotonous at times.
It also really took me a while to get into the story here with me stopping and starting this quite a few times before sticking around for the long haul.
In itself 'The Initiation' is a clean YA dystopian read that also manages to deal with some quite harsh situations throughout: and though on paper this did seem a great fit for me in actuality I just didn't fully connect here and wasn't ultimately invested in the eventual outcome.
That's not to say it won't be your bag: this is still an extremely imaginative endeavour just not really for me.
I voluntary reviewed an Arc of The Initiation.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
carpathian1974 | 4 outras críticas | Nov 7, 2019 |
We pick up just after the first book ends (and what an ending it was!), and ready for a life in the lap of...wait, luxury? I thought everyone was equal? What gives? Yeah, well surprise surprise, some DO get to have their cake and eat it too.

Drayden wants to uncover the truth behind his mother's exile (but can he handle the truth?), Sidney is ready to welcome her sister with open arms, Charlie wants to join the Guardians asap, and Catrice is sorting through her feelings at having reached her goal while making some friends along the way. Oh, and that love triangle of sorts from book one, totally carries over to book two, just with a new player in the mix. Anywho, they should be living the dream now...only this Initiation wasn't just to get them into the Bureau. The powers that be used it as a means to find the newest members of their special team set to solve New America's energy and food problems with an outreach program into the outside world. A noble cause to save them all...and if you believe that, I've got some swampland to sell you too.

Needless to say, after the trials and tribulations (and losses!) they faced in book one, this is going to be anything but a walk in the park. In fact, it's gonna be a walk through a landmine filled he** with secret agendas, dangerous forces, and revelations you won't see coming. The bonds they forged will be put to the test, while you're kept guessing as who exactly is safe to put your trust in. Then. just when you think everything is settling down, one of their own may be delivered a death sentence....but I shan't say whom, or why, or how; that's for readers to know, and you to discover!

Book two leaves you with much more knowledge than you had initially, and an uncertain future on the horizon...which of course means book three will have a spot on the old wish list whenever it reaches publication because really, WHAT WILL HAPPEN? My only low point for the second title lays with Drayden and his wishy-washy infatuation for the two love interests in his life. Otherwise, you're pretty golden.

**copy received for review
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
GRgenius | 2 outras críticas | Sep 15, 2019 |

Estatísticas

Obras
4
Membros
86
Popularidade
#213,013
Avaliação
½ 3.6
Críticas
9
ISBN
9

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