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mzrachelsuperlibarian's review
3.0
This is not a bad book. In fact, if I were an eight-year-old child reviewing this story, I’d probably give it 5 stars. Cleo Porter is charming, inventive, and easy to identify with. The lack of skin color descriptions will allow kids of any race to picture her looking more like them even though she was probably intended to be seen as white. The story is engaging. And if I were a child, the twist ending might have actually surprised me. As an adult, however, I knew exactly what was happening from the moment the medication was delivered. However, despite knowing where the book was headed, I still enjoyed the ride.
evamadera1's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It wasn't until after I finished the book that I realized that I have read another book by Jake Burt before, also for SCASL. I enjoyed that one as well.
In this book, Cleo lives in a society that has completely walled itself off after the spread of a mysterious influenza pandemic to prevent any possible spread of contamination. The author mentions in the note at the end that although he wrote this book prior to the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, he was getting ready to publish the book while locked down in his home. Although some parallels exist, unfortunately for Burt, I think society's actual reaction to a real pandemic makes his book stretch the suspension of disbelief a little too much.
I still enjoyed the story that we got; Cleo is quite an engaging character. I loved seeing how she would respond to each new challenge presented to her. I also appreciated that Cleo's discovery that what she's always known may not be the whole story did not turn this book into a "take down the man" plot line as well as the fact that Burt left some of the conclusions open to interpretation at the end of the book.
In this book, Cleo lives in a society that has completely walled itself off after the spread of a mysterious influenza pandemic to prevent any possible spread of contamination. The author mentions in the note at the end that although he wrote this book prior to the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, he was getting ready to publish the book while locked down in his home. Although some parallels exist, unfortunately for Burt, I think society's actual reaction to a real pandemic makes his book stretch the suspension of disbelief a little too much.
I still enjoyed the story that we got; Cleo is quite an engaging character. I loved seeing how she would respond to each new challenge presented to her. I also appreciated that Cleo's discovery that what she's always known may not be the whole story did not turn this book into a "take down the man" plot line as well as the fact that Burt left some of the conclusions open to interpretation at the end of the book.
karathagan's review
4.0
Lots of good elements to this one. Dystopian future, unfamiliar technology, a sacred mission and a lone protagonist, not to mention danger at every turn. Some of this was a little clunky/over-descriptive. Cool world building. Loved the moral and conclusion. Annoyed as Cleo was with the trickery, like the idea of training from childhood. I was worried that the AI teacher was going to narc or be mean - happy to be wrong. Good little story.
yzlae's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
fleurdefryc's review
5.0
I have held onto this book for a bit because I wasn’t sure I could read a book about an epidemic and families being sealed into their homes to keep out a virus. I am glad I read it now though! This was a fantastic middle grade sci-fi story about a brave and clever girl who risks everything for someone else in their building.
Cleo porter is a clever and compassionate 12 year old, studying to be a surgeon just like her mother. She uses the tools provided her to figure out a problem and she does so in such an entertaining and thought provoking way. I love this story so much and I hope that more people will give it a chance, especially because of the epidemic setting!
If I could give this story 10 stars, I would! ❤️
Cleo porter is a clever and compassionate 12 year old, studying to be a surgeon just like her mother. She uses the tools provided her to figure out a problem and she does so in such an entertaining and thought provoking way. I love this story so much and I hope that more people will give it a chance, especially because of the epidemic setting!
If I could give this story 10 stars, I would! ❤️
powellki's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
corpsewitch's review
3.0
This was a fun read! The last few chapters were very predictable, but still sweet.
neffcannon's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
gulshanbatra's review
5.0
An absolutely perfect story, that's surprisingly prescient and also immensely enjoyable.
I haven't read many YA / middle-grade books, but the jacket blurb on this one caught my attention. The plot is simple enough - if you knew you were in the Matrix, and you found out you had a task that only you could do, and you were given the choice of the Red or the Blue pill, which one would you choose?
Sounds familiar? Needless to say, I made countless comparisons to the fabled Matrix plotlines, and came away that much more impressed by this book. Cloe (sounds like Neo!) is an almost-teen who locates a wrinkle in the fabric of her reality, and realizes she is unable to convince anyone else even to the existence of the wrinkle, far less address it. She is old repeatedly - a wrinkle like the one she believes to have found is impossible, and therefore can't need to be addressed. Doesn't take much to convince her, but this is where the mind of a thirteen-year-old comes into play. Doesn't take much to impress upon a highly impressionable thirteen-year-old that the world needs saving, and that only she can save it (!).
Once we get past that initial stage of incredulity, the story becomes into a rollicking adventure that's bound to remind you the best of Bond, Bourne, and Neo - all rolled into one.
The writing is very fast, keeping with the pace such a story needs, and there are enough surprises to keep you hooked in, all the way to the equally impressive denouement.
There are very few actual characters in the story, which is as it should be in such a story. The range of actions and behaviors explored is what makes this a clever take on all those other adventurists... but what made this truly fantastic was the fact that we're living in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is eerily similar to whatever led to the world Cleo inhabits. It makes you shiver a little, even if inadvertently, and wonder what we're hurtling towards.
But then you realize as long is Cleo is OK, you'll be OK.
And she is. OK, that is.
For the most part.
I haven't read many YA / middle-grade books, but the jacket blurb on this one caught my attention. The plot is simple enough - if you knew you were in the Matrix, and you found out you had a task that only you could do, and you were given the choice of the Red or the Blue pill, which one would you choose?
Sounds familiar? Needless to say, I made countless comparisons to the fabled Matrix plotlines, and came away that much more impressed by this book. Cloe (sounds like Neo!) is an almost-teen who locates a wrinkle in the fabric of her reality, and realizes she is unable to convince anyone else even to the existence of the wrinkle, far less address it. She is old repeatedly - a wrinkle like the one she believes to have found is impossible, and therefore can't need to be addressed. Doesn't take much to convince her, but this is where the mind of a thirteen-year-old comes into play. Doesn't take much to impress upon a highly impressionable thirteen-year-old that the world needs saving, and that only she can save it (!).
Once we get past that initial stage of incredulity, the story becomes into a rollicking adventure that's bound to remind you the best of Bond, Bourne, and Neo - all rolled into one.
The writing is very fast, keeping with the pace such a story needs, and there are enough surprises to keep you hooked in, all the way to the equally impressive denouement.
There are very few actual characters in the story, which is as it should be in such a story. The range of actions and behaviors explored is what makes this a clever take on all those other adventurists... but what made this truly fantastic was the fact that we're living in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is eerily similar to whatever led to the world Cleo inhabits. It makes you shiver a little, even if inadvertently, and wonder what we're hurtling towards.
But then you realize as long is Cleo is OK, you'll be OK.
And she is. OK, that is.
For the most part.