I know lots of you guys enjoyed my interview for Bound by Prophecy. Let me know if you guys want anymore interviews. And if you're an author or blogger, email me and we'll talk.
Anyway. I have a super awesome review for you guys that I am more than excited to deliver. Are you ready?
Otherborn by Anna Silver
YA Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
Released April 4, 2013
Sapphire Star Publishing
My Rating: 8.5/10
London and her teenage friends live in a reprocessed world. Confined within Capital City’s concrete walls, London has done the impossible and the illegal. She’s created something New- a song. But her mentor, club owner Pauly, is not impressed. Since the historic Energy Crisis forced everyone behind walls generations ago, the Tycoons have ensured there is truly nothing new allowed under the sun. Pauly warns London to keep her song to herself, if she knows what’s good for her. What he doesn’t know is that London is keeping an even bigger secret: she dreams. And she’s not alone. London’s band-mates and friends have begun dreaming as well, seeing themselves in “night pictures” as beings from another world. As Otherborn, they must piece together the story of their astral avatars, the Others, in order to save their world from a dreamless, hopeless future. When Pauly is murdered and an Otherborn goes missing, London realizes someone is hunting them down. Escaping along the Outroads, they brave the deserted Houselands with only their dreams to guide them. Can they find their friend before the assassin finds them? Will being Otherborn save their lives, or destroy them? |
The heat is suffocating me right now. But I promised that I'd stop with the bullet point reviews so I'll try to do this in an intelligent way.
Otherborn and I started out on a good note. I was immediately drawn into the opening scene and captivated by the world that became etched in my mind quicker than the world I've been living in for years. (Insanity, cough cough) I also had a soft side for London who was a feisty main character. Always a pleasure to see the world through her eyes.
Than I learned that London was trying to gain approval for her band and I was like, "Oh gosh. Not another one of those band stories concealed by a cleverly constructed setting."
Thankfully, that was not the case.
I'm not sure that this was with the author was trying to achieve with this book but I loved the "elements" that were drawn up in this novel. I began thinking about karma a lot, the prospect of fate, alternate realities, and even reincarnation. I'm probably way off book from what Anna wanted the reader to think, but the deeper, intellectual feeling you get from this pages is something I cannot replace. I want to dwell on this forever.
One thing that knocked down my rating from a 9 to an 8.5 is that this book wasn't easy to understand. There were too many characters and names in these alternate realities that I could not remember. I'll give you an example: "...ambling west down the Ten." For the life of me, I do not know what the hell the Ten is. I'm all for authors not dumbing down books for their readers, but come on. This has exceeded my brain capacity.
If you wanted to get transported to a place, a place were fantasies become real and you can dream of finding your other, Otherborn is the book for you. I mean, the book had sentences like "the trees of the ridges rushed down to be a part of this beautiful place." How can you not loss yourself in the plot with word play like that?
!!!!!DREAMCAST!!!!!
I have scoured the web for my perception of three characters. Appreciate this.
Avery (Amanda Seyfriend)
I decided that Amanda Seyfriend was the best portrayal for Avery. She's beautiful and easy to like, but can possess something a little conniving beyond our interception.
Tora (Saorise Ronan)
This an amazing actress. Not only that, but I think she almost perfectly fits the description of Tora. There's something beyond her eyes that you can't catch the gist off, something mysterious...
Rye (Tyler Posey)
I was almost not going to do Rye because I didn't know if I could find someone who looked like him. But isn't this guy just as cute as a freaking button? Plus, he matches the description well. I could so see him and London canoodling.
I decided not to do London. Some things you just can't capture.
Love the cast and the post! Thanks so much!
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