Mind Your Knuckles

Well, it’s that time again.  The time in which I cast all of my good sense into the gutter and gush, (quite un-eloquently) about a book.

I know what you are thinking.  “We already KNOW you like this book Misty, because you gave copies of it away!” But that’s not exactly true.  While I had faith in the book, (formed of course by my sneak peek at the first chapter) I hadn’t actually read it. Why would I do such a thing? Simple.  I loved that Kristen readily admitted her love for Jazzersize. (Who does that?) But now, after days and days, and hours upon hours of reading, (aka I stayed up all night reading this damn book) I can, with a clear conscience, tell you that this book is a winner. *throws confetti*

The dystopian train in no longer a new one, and (if I have my say) it’s going to be around for a while, but as with any emerging (and flat out awesome) genre, there comes a point when what you read is what you’ve read before.  In short… there are no new stories, only new ways of telling old ones. (P.S. I totally ripped that off from a group of ladies I had dinner with 2 weeks ago… shhh… don’t tell anyone.) And when it comes to the lovely Ms. Simmons, she is an excellent storyteller.

“New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don’t come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard for her to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It’s hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.”

I wish I could tell you what happens in this story, that I could lay it all out for you on a silver platter, but… let’s be realistic, that would pretty much blow the suspense for you, so instead I’ll settle with a few incoherent paragraphs and try (in vain) to coax you into reading this book.

First, let’s talk about Ember, the lead in this little ditty.  I loved her, I hated her, I wanted to smack her in the head for being so stubborn.  All very good indications that I connected with her.  For some, (and by some I’m thinking 1 or 2 of you) you might read “Article 5” and form the opinion that she is weak.  She mourns her mother, she mourns Chase, but more importantly she mourns life.  But she is not weak, she is determined in the most non-nonsensical of ways. She does ridiculous things, (like running into a corn-field) she mouths off at the most inopportune of times, and she throws herself at the mercy of danger, but she does this out of love, as a sacrifice.  To me, this is not weak…it’s commendable. As for Chase? Well, he’s better left to the imagination… I’ll let you figure him out, but I will say one thing.  He will make your heart hurt.

Becoming attached to these 2 characters was easy, (as in “Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200” easy) which only goes to show you the level of talent Ms. Simmons possesses in those tiny little fingers of hers.

There were of course, (because lord forbid I let a good thing thrive) a few things that were never really addressed, (like why the war happened in the first place) but when all is said and done… you aren’t really gonna give two rats arses anyways, it’s how they are living now that really matters.

As for the plot as a whole? Stunning! There were a few “Jane Eyre-esq” moments, (in regards to the reform school) and I was genuinely surprised by the amount of action, (hello evil baton) but again… WOW! (Like really, really wow.) <— insert superficial girly scream

So do I think you should run right out and snag yourself a copy? Duh.  It’s probably one of the best dystopians I have read in a while, and believe me when I say I have read a lot of them.

Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Just because someone appears insensitive, it doesn’t mean they are.

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