Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
Release Date: May 23, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: Advanced Reader Copy
Source: Publisher
Interest: Debut
Challenge: 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Buy the Book: Amazon
Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.
Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.
In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.
Unique and captivating, Awaken is sure to seize your attention and send your mind reeling!
I wasn't sure what to expect after reading the summary, Awakened sounded interesting enough, but it wasn't something I was dying to read. Until I started reading it... and then I was dying to know what was going to happen. This book was not at all what I was anticipating.
I really connected with the idea of the novel... the whole "digital life" I could totally see that happening. Some of the reasons that it does happen in the novel, are eerily realistic and incredible sad. I also really empathized with the characters, with Maddie and Justin especially. I admired them both so much. I truly hope that I get to read more of their story.
And there was a little bit of a love story between Maddie and Justin and it was the frustrating kind of love, where you just want to yell at the characters... so much tension... I mean I did yell at Justin... would you kiss the girl already! But I loved that. I watched these two characters from this different world, work through these obstacles and in the process come to care very deeply for each other. That's my kind of love story.
Katie does a great job keeping your attention throughout the entire novel, I can't wait to read more of her stories.
Read this one people! You won't regret it!