Book Review Tuesday: Partials by Dan Wells

This week's book is Partials by Dan Wells. Read on to learn whether or not you should check this dystopian novel out.

Partials by Dan Wells

            The market is saturated with dystopian novels right now. Actually, some would say it is super-saturated. Yet I can’t seem to stop picking them up in the bookstores. Well, that’s not entirely true. I don’t just happen to pick them up and become interested. I actively seek them out. I research ahead of time the best dystopian novels out right now. I think it’s safe to say I have a problem. I recently found out about Partials by Dan Wells, and I am very glad that I did.

            Partials is the story of a teenage girl determined to find out what the government has to hide. It is set in 2076 after almost the entire population has been wiped out by “Partials,” which are essentially human being knock-offs. They look like humans, think like humans, feel emotions like humans, but were manufactured by the government to fight as our soldiers in war. But the Partials brought war upon human beings, and released a virus that reduced the population to only several thousand immune people and caused any baby to die immediately after birth. Kira decides to make it her mission to cure RM and prevent the human population from ending completely; however, she learns that things are not quite what they seem when it comes to the Partials.

            In my opinion, one of the best aspects of this novel is how well it convinces the reader that this fictional reality could actually happen. Everything is very scientific, which really forces the reader to focus on what is happening in the story. I love a story that makes me think about things that I have not thought about before, and Dan Wells really made me question whether our society’s reliance on artificial intelligence could be our downfall. On the flip side, despite the novel’s depth, it does not become tedious to read. I could still follow along with the plotline and the science of it was not so complicated that it became overwhelming to understand what the characters were talking about.

            The character of Kira was another reason I thoroughly enjoyed Partials. She is essentially the character we all hope we would be in this situation. She is caring, intelligent, and not over-confident about her abilities. She fights the system, but still does not always know what choice is the right choice. One of the ways that other novels become too cheesy is that they become too bogged down in the romance side of the story. Kira has a romantic interest, but it never becomes the focal point of the story. I appreciate that, especially in a dystopian novel. This novel also has quite a few twists and turns that really leave the reader wanting more. The sign of a great book is one that you just literally can’t stop reading, even if it is 3am. And Partials definitely delivers that.

            Overall, read Partials. Between the action, science, and foreboding sense of potential reality, you will be salivating for the sequel, Fragments.

What did you think of the review? Have you read Partials? If so, what did you think? If not, are you thinking about reading it now? Any other dystopian novels that you would recommend? I would love to hear your feedback in the comments below!

Click here to check this book out on Amazon.

Book Review Tuesday: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Okay, so I totally slacked and this post is actually happening on Wednesday...my bad! Regardless, here it is!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Warning—Some Slight Spoilers!!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs centers around a teenage boy trying to find out the truth behind his Grandpa’s ‘fairy tale’ past. Jacob Portman quickly discovers that what once seemed like fairy tales are stories quite darker than he ever imagined. His journey halfway across the world introduces him to new people, new worlds, and new terrors.                

            Ransom Riggs did something unique when writing this novel--he included visual aids. The photographs allow the reader to really see what the author had in mind when writing the story of Jacob Portman. Although the photographs can be a bit disturbing, I appreciate the fact that I know exactly what to picture when the author says, “…a pair of freakish twins who were dressed in the weirdest costumes I’d ever seen” (p. 45).

  

           As far as the actual story, I followed the plotline fairly easily. The flow of the story was a bit jumpy, but I did not think I was missing parts. Riggs is very descriptive with his characters, locations, and emotions. This is essential to really feeling like you are a part of the story and not just an outsider looking in. The fact that World War II played a significant part of the novel just added to the positives for this novel for me—I like studying history, especially WWII. Some parts of the novel were a little expected such as the romance between Jacob and Emma, but having said that, I did not mind that what I expected came to fruition. That’s saying something! One thing I did not expect was that this would turn in to a series, which will obviously happen considering the cliffhanger ending. The idea of the story on the whole is pretty unique though. Riggs made himself stand apart by not writing a novel about love stories with vampires like so many other books out there—but don’t get me wrong I love those stories just as much as the next Twi-hard! It was refreshing! And I expect that Riggs’ writing will just get better.

 

 I look forward to reading the next novel to see what happens to Jacob and his peculiar friends!

-Lyndsey Mosley

Book Review Tuesday:

I've been doing a ton of reading lately, but haven't posted any book reviews yet. Therefore, I decided to start a new weekly post for the blog, "Book Review Tuesday", and it begins today! This first review is actually one I did a while back, but I still wanted to post it.

Let me know what you think! And share your thoughts on the book if you have read it! Enjoy!

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

 I read Redeeming Love based on the recommendation of a friend. I have to say that it is not the type of book that I normally would pick up, but since I am broadening my horizons I gave it a try. I made a good decision.

 It centers around a young woman named Angel brought up in a horrible life of prostitution from a very young age. A man named Micahel Hosea rescues her. Well, he thinks he is rescuing her but she wants nothing to do with him. The story follows the trials and tribulations that face a girl with a dark, shameful past and a God-fearing, Christian man.

The story is a Christian novel, which again is not something I have familiarity with reading, but the Christian themes are played in so well that it does not feel like you are sitting through a sermon. It simply made you realize the affect your faith can have on your life. The idea that everything can be dealt with if you trust in God is central throughout the story. Granted, there are some things in the story that are hard to believe. Such as a man's willingness to forgive as quickly as Michael does. But it is portrayed to be testimony of his faith in God.

Francine Rivers did a wonderful job of making you fall in love with her characters even though you knew of all of their misgivings. Most people cannot relate to a prostitute but people can relate to wishing you had not done something in your past. Everyone has something they regret and there are times that that regret makes you feel unworthy of something or someone. That is Angel in a nutshell.

 

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

 

-Lyndsey Mosley


Click here to purchase a copy from Amazon.