Lauren Oliver

I would have really enjoyed this book, if not for two significant flaws that took away from my pleasure and threw me out of the story to consider the author and her prejudices.

The first is the overdone and outdated trope of the evil ugly woman. When a character who I'm supposed to dislike is described as ugly and fat, it makes me more sympathetic to her, no matter how evil her actions are. And it makes me less sympathetic to the heroine of the story, who is our lens on this character whose show more "ugly" looks are supposed to be some kind of mirror on her personality. But really, I judge the author, whose own personal prejudice shines through in an ugly way in this kind of lazy and sexist characterization. This is particularly troubling in a book for children.

The second is a spoiler. I was so disappointed when at the end of the book, the author feels the need to let us know that Po was "really" a boy all along, and Bundle was "really" a dog. The gender and species ambiguity was one of the best things about the novel, and then she destroyed it. show less

This was a beautiful book. At the beginning, I wasn't too sure about the writing, but it won me over. It's beautiful prose with lovely images.

I think this novel's greatest strength is its very real and engaging voice. The plot is SO similar to other books in its genre (especially the Uglies series) but Lena's voice really struck a chord with me and made this stand out. She's so human, everything she says and every action she does is absolutely human and flawed and beautiful and something I show more could absolutely see someone doing in real life. She's easy to relate to and sympathize with (and become frustrated with because her flaws aren't something just listed and to be regarded as "cute" or "charming" like other authors try to portray). Lena's connection with her mother, also, was very real, as was her relationship with Grace and Hana. Those relationships are rich, realistic, and gorgeously written.

I look forward to reading the next installment! show less

4.5 Stars

“They were born for the first time in their bodies. They were born together. They came together into the world as everyone should - frightened, uncertain, amazed, grateful.
And for them the world was born, too, in all its complexity and strange glory. They had a place in it, at last, and so at least it became theirs to share.”

This book surprised me in the best way. I’ve been getting into scifi more recently and the sequel is coming out next month, so I figured it was the show more perfect time to read this. But I was not expecting to become so emotionally invested in the characters and their story. Replica is a beautiful story that tackles what it means to be human and the power of choice and agency.

Things I Liked
I LOVED the parallels between Lyra and Gemma’s journeys. Both girls feel trapped and isolated as the story starts, but they start challenging their situations, desiring freedom and escape and taking control of their lives for first time in their life. Both girls really struggle with what’s “real” and defining what it means to be human. We see their identities redefined in front of their eyes as they uncover more secrets. We really see how Lyra and Gemma’s stories reflect and challenge the nature vs nurture dichotomy about what the “human” experience is in a way that was poignant and gripping.

Replicas were really creepy! The language used was so desensitized and cold and made me really uncomfortable, but in a way that made me sympathize with the Replicas. It was so interesting seeing how the replicas spoke and interacted with others, because they have absolutely no socialization beyond other replicas and unsympathetic doctors and nurses. Seeing Lyra and 72, her fellow escapee, interact with a world they know nothing about, and their uncertainty was such a humanizing moment for two characters who are constantly referred to as “it.” I also really liked seeing the different experiences between Lyra and 72.

I really liked the format of the story. It’s basically an alternating POV format, where we see from Gemma and Lyra’s perspectives - but more interactive. You can read Lyra’s chapters first, Gemma’s first, or alternate between the two. I read in a sort of weird alternating style: I read Lyra ch1, Gemma ch 1-2, Lyra ch2-3, Gemma ch3-4, and so on. Like I said, kind of weird, but it worked for me. And I read on an ebook which made reading alternately super easy, because there were links to the respective girl’s chapter and the end of each chapter. Even though there were 2 stories with their own distinct feelings happening simultaneously, it felt cohesive.

I really liked most of the supporting characters we meet. Pete is so happy-go-lucky and optimistic; he really brought some levity to the heavier mystery scenes. 72 has such a resilience and strength that I really connected to. He’s so determined to be more than a pawn of the Haven Institute and you can feel his struggle.

Things I Didn’t Like
Chloe was your typical teen mean girl bully, and the worst part was she was barely even in the story! It was just unnecessary petty drama and didn’t add anything to the story, except an unnecessary eyeroll or two.

I did end up liking all the romances in the story, but there was some insta-infatuation between a few characters that I didn’t really love. It provided some good flirty banter, but was also a little heavy handed at times.

This book really made me think: about lived experiences, socialization, nature vs nurture, and what it means to be human. I loved seeing Lyra and Gemma fight for themselves and each other, even when they were unsure and scared. Replica is definitely a book that will stay with me, and I cannot wait for Ringer to be released next month!

Trigger warning for mentions of self harm show less

This was a surprisingly good YA Romance of sorts with a Groundhog Day twist. For the first fifty - eighty pages or so I was wondering why I was sticking with the book, but then soon enough I found myself unable to put it down. It's always a surprise when something I'm lukewarm about turns the corner; a happy surprise, but a surprise nonetheless. This is the classic YA book with despicable characters, the Queen Bees and Wannabees that Tina Fey wrote so well. Yet what began at first as show more standard fare slowly changed into something compassionate, and ultimately moving. The ending, while broadcast from a mile away, still managed to be painful to read. Isn't that the mark of a good book, after all?

This book essentially asks the same question Groundhog Day did. What do you do when you find yourself living the same day over and over? The added twist is that the day tends to end with your death, and that the way out of this loop is uncertain. What follows is a deconstruction of an array of characters, and of popularity itself. Can there be compassion for the 'mean girl' most popular girl in school? What makes some people get picked on, and some not? What is love, exactly, and how do you feel it? The book is the slow realization that it isn't all about you and that other people have their own lives and complexities. That that is as it should be and beautiful. It's a surprisingly deep and complex bit of YA beneath the shades of the shallow that used to, and still can, dominate the genre.

This book was a pleasant surprise, and one I'm glad I looked into after seeing Karen's review. So, thank you Karen! I enjoy stalking your GoodReads and following your suggestions, even when they're not [a: Jonathan Carroll|23704|Jonathan Carroll|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1222900262p2/23704.jpg]. show less