Published by: Candlewick Press, April 8th 2014
Genre: YA, Fantasy, (minor) Dystopia
Pages: 384
Format: Ebook
Source: Candlewick Press, via Netgalley
A compelling debut novel asks what happens when children develop inexplicable abilities—and the government sees them as a threat.
They’re known as Firestarters. Boomers. Skychangers. The government calls them Illegals — children with inexplicable abilities — and detains them in menacing facilities so that society is kept out of harm’s way. Ashala Wolf and her Tribe of fellow Illegals have taken refuge in the Firstwood, a forest eerily conscious of its inhabitants, where they do their best to survive and where they are free to practice their abilities. But when Ashala is compelled to venture outside her territory, she is betrayed by a friend and captured by an enemy. Injured and vulnerable, with her own Sleepwalker ability blocked, Ashala is forced to succumb to a machine that will pull secrets from her mind. It’s only a matter of time before the machine ferrets out the location of the Tribe. Her betrayer, Justin Connor, is ever-present, saving her life when she wishes to die and watching her every move. Will the Tribe survive the interrogation of Ashala Wolf?
A compelling debut novel asks what happens when children develop inexplicable abilities—and the government sees them as a threat.
They’re known as Firestarters. Boomers. Skychangers. The government calls them Illegals — children with inexplicable abilities — and detains them in menacing facilities so that society is kept out of harm’s way. Ashala Wolf and her Tribe of fellow Illegals have taken refuge in the Firstwood, a forest eerily conscious of its inhabitants, where they do their best to survive and where they are free to practice their abilities. But when Ashala is compelled to venture outside her territory, she is betrayed by a friend and captured by an enemy. Injured and vulnerable, with her own Sleepwalker ability blocked, Ashala is forced to succumb to a machine that will pull secrets from her mind. It’s only a matter of time before the machine ferrets out the location of the Tribe. Her betrayer, Justin Connor, is ever-present, saving her life when she wishes to die and watching her every move. Will the Tribe survive the interrogation of Ashala Wolf?
Let me just start by saying I have absolutely no idea what happened in this book, what I was supposed to get from it, or what it was all about.
I started off thinking it was a dystopian society in which people with strange abilities, Illegals, were being hunted and detained in camps for the safety of the greater public. Which was awesome - I LOVED the first few chapters. But then ... things got weird. More and more fantasy elements were added, and while it wasn't how I expected it to go, I just rolled with it. After recently loving After The End, a book with dystopian and fantasy elements, I was open to see where The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf would go.
And where it went was ... not really anywhere. There was a lot of ambling along, being tested and subjected to a machine that failed to intimidate, and then we hit around halfway and there was this ENORMOUS dumping of backstory in the form of memories regained. And it was terrible and boring and I just wanted to switch off.
There was no emotional connection between me and any of the characters. The world building was at first subtle and clever and immediately confusing as heck after that. And the story itself was just all over the place.
This book was not what I was expecting in any way. I'm still very confused about what really went on in this book - all I know is there was a dystopic setting, a weird talking snake, and a kid turned into a dinosaur.
I started off thinking it was a dystopian society in which people with strange abilities, Illegals, were being hunted and detained in camps for the safety of the greater public. Which was awesome - I LOVED the first few chapters. But then ... things got weird. More and more fantasy elements were added, and while it wasn't how I expected it to go, I just rolled with it. After recently loving After The End, a book with dystopian and fantasy elements, I was open to see where The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf would go.
And where it went was ... not really anywhere. There was a lot of ambling along, being tested and subjected to a machine that failed to intimidate, and then we hit around halfway and there was this ENORMOUS dumping of backstory in the form of memories regained. And it was terrible and boring and I just wanted to switch off.
There was no emotional connection between me and any of the characters. The world building was at first subtle and clever and immediately confusing as heck after that. And the story itself was just all over the place.
This book was not what I was expecting in any way. I'm still very confused about what really went on in this book - all I know is there was a dystopic setting, a weird talking snake, and a kid turned into a dinosaur.
Characters ★★☆☆☆
Setting/world building ★★☆☆☆
Writing Style ★★☆☆☆
Is it bad I wouldn't read it for the cover? I know, I'm shallow, but hey, looks like it's a good choice with this one. Sounds like it started off great and then just decided to add a whole bunch of things that just made it more of a mess than making it better. Or even making it make sense. :/ BUT A WEIRD TALKNG SNAKE. HA.
ReplyDeleteA weird, talking, GIANT snake no less. Fricking Nessie come to life, with vocal chords and all.
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