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The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse Series: The Forsaken #1
Published by Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: July 10th 2012
Pages: 375
Format: Hardcover | Source: Publisher
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
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As an obedient orphan of the U.N.A. (the super-country that was once Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), Alenna learned at an early age to blend in and be quiet—having your parents taken by the police will do that to a girl. But Alenna can’t help but stand out when she fails a test that all sixteen-year-olds have to take: The test says she has a high capacity for brutal violence, and so she is sent to The Wheel, an island where all would-be criminals end up.
The life expectancy of prisoners on The Wheel is just two years, but with dirty, violent, and chaotic conditions, the time seems a lot longer as Alenna is forced to deal with civil wars for land ownership and machines that snatch kids out of their makeshift homes. Desperate, she and the other prisoners concoct a potentially fatal plan to flee the island. Survival may seem impossible, but Alenna is determined to achieve it anyway.
Lisa M. Stasse has delivered a fresh and exciting dystopian with The Forsaken. I got savor this one slowly, over the course of a week, and each time I had to force myself to put it down.
The world in this novel is so very unique and intricate. It’s a cross between Lost and Lord of the Flies. This island of supposed criminals and outcasts wasn’t filled with outrageous, government created species, but it had many threats, and it was divided among its inhabitants.
Alenna is a main character who wasn’t the strongest, or smartest, or the bravest of the pack, but she definitely was the most considerate and loyal. She had great character, which made her someone to look up to. I’d for sure want her in my corner any day. I really enjoyed her ever blossoming and inevitable romance with Liam. He was kind and caring, strong and brave, and also off limits to her. Alenna’s fellow villagers were very well fleshed out secondary characters. I felt like I’d gotten to know them fairly well by the end of this book and even mourned for some of them.
There were some twists toward the end that I didn’t see coming, that’s for sure. Once you get to about halfway through this book, it becomes a real page-turner! I really didn’t know what to expect next each time I turned the page, and that felt incredible. When was the last time a book did that for me?! It was a completely unexpected, satisfying read. I am very much looking forward to the rest of this series, and will most certainly be shelving it among my favorite dystopians.
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About Jess @ Gone with the Words
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Jess is a 30 something female living in Texas. Most days you will find her on Twitter, giving her opinion on her latest reads, her latest tv obsessions, movies, and hot dudes. In her free time she loves to watch tv, movies, and of course, read tons of books with hot dudes in them. She also makes time to run this blog. :)
Steph
This book caught my attention because of the cover — it’s so different — but I’m glad to hear it delivered on the story part, too. I’m all for a twisty story and I still continue to devour these dystopian books so I definitely want to read this soon. Thanks for the giveaway!
Steph
As for the giveaway comment, it’s difficult to say which dystopian society I’d want to be thrown into since they can be pretty brutal. So…I’ll just say The Selection since competing for a prince’s heart is a piece a cake versus most other societies, haha.
Randi M
Oh wow….. All the dystopian worlds I’ve “visited” have horrified me! Hmm… I guess I’d have to go with the world in Delirium by Lauren Oliver just knowing that I would fight back. :)
Ashley @ Ashley Loves Books
That is a TOUGH question. I’m tempted to say the world from Under the Never Sky because I’d love to experience the Realms, but I don’t think I’d do well with Aether storms. Perhaps The Selection, because then I could hide out in the castle and compete for Prince Maxon’s heart instead.
I’ve been dying to read The Forsaken since I heard about it, that cover is fabulous and the book trailer is fantastic.
Amz
This book is on my wishlist, glad it lived up to expectations.
If I had to live in one dystopian world it would probably be Uglies, I loved that book, it was one of the first dystopians I read and got me hooked to the genre.
Amy @ bookgoonie
I want to be thrown in the one where I have the hottest, most clever & awesome man by my side. Under the Never Sky and Divergent are interesting.
Christina (A Reader of Fictions)
None of the dystopian worlds?
Ummmmm, the Across the Universe ship might not be so bad. Or a dome somewhere, like the one in Pure?
Jessica
Wow. What a tough question! Ummm…none of them. I guess Uglies isn’t too bad. Or Delirium. Definitely not The Maze Runner or The Hunger Games!
Jessica S.
I’ve only been in a handful of dystopian worlds (oh so many more I’m getting to soon ^_^), but I have to say the world from Veronica Roth’s Divergent. Thanks for the giveaway!
Kris (Imaginary Reads)
I love the cover to this book, and the premise is so different. I’m glad to hear that there were twists that surprised you. I especially like to see twists in dystopians. Thanks for the review!
Jessy
Ooooh, that’s a hard question. I would have to go with The Uglies series. I would rather be oblivious to the horrible world around me.
Sasha @ The Bookshelf
I definitely have had this book on my radar for a while… the cover is gorgeous! I’m glad that you found it such a page-turner. Thank you for hosting such a great giveaway :)
Sasha @ The Bookshelf
Woops– forgot to answer the question! I am apprehensive about dystopian worlds, but if I had to choose which one to live in, it would probably be either the world from Matched or from Divergent :)
Justine
I’d choose the The Giver by Lois Lowry because it is relatively non-violent and has nicer creature comforts than other dystopian worlds. Besides, The Giver was my very first dystopian novel. I’m curious about the release of Son — the fourth book in Lois Lowry’s series — this fall.
Rachael L
I would choose the world in the Matched series. Thank you for the giveaway!
Christina K.
I’d choose Lauren Oliver’s world in Delirium – because fighting to love is worth it:)
Lauren Goff
I think I would have to say the world of The Selection since it is the least dangerous. lol.
Shane @ Itching for Books
That’s a hard question cause most of them seem so challenging to survive in, especially when freedom is lacking but i kinda like the world in The Forsaken, but then again i don’t know what lies in the secluded forest the character gets placed in.
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
Shane @ Itching for Books
By the way, great review!
Carl
Yikes, not many that’s for sure. At least I’d survive in Panem, I’m too old to be a tribute.
Natasha
Maybe the Matched world or Fever. Thanks for the chance to win!
TraceyQ
I don’t know if I would want to be thrown into it but I love the book Solitaire. The world is very well developed as are the characters.
Emily R.
I think I would pick Divergent or The Hunger Games.
TayteH
I’d love to be thrown into the world of Divergent. :D
sarabara081 @ Forever 17 Books
Ahh! I can’t imagine any dystopian world I would want to be in. I think I will just say Under the Never Sky. Thanks for the giveaway!
Sophia
I would love to be thrown into the dystopian world featured in Divergent by Veronica Roth! :)
leannessf
I think I would want to be in the Divergent world – I would love to be able to fight with Four and Tris!
Thanks,
Leanne
Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books
I’m kind of torn when it comes to answering this question. A part of me would love to live in Cinder’s world of New Beijing, if only because of the Asian influences and the amazing technology exists.
But I guess, my final answer would be the world in Incarnate – I’d want to be able to have years and years of various experiences in my brain.
Veronika
The book trailer for this book is phenomenal! I want to get my hands on this book so so bad!!!
alicia marie
If I had to be thrown into a dystopian world, I would want to be thrown into the world from the Uglies series. There’s lots of fun things to do in that world, like hoverboards and floating ice skating rinks : )
Jasmine Rose
Definitely the world from The Unwanteds. Not the world in the very start of the book, but the magical one that comes shortly after (I’ve forgotten its name, though.)
Angie
Probably Under the Never Sky’s dystopian world. It’s so dark and forbidding.
ashelynn hetland
hm… I think I would like to be in Under the Never Sky. If I lived inside, I think I would be fine. :)
thanks for the giveaway!
Magan @ Rather Be Reading
SO glad you enjoyed this, Jess! I really agree with everything you said. It was SUCH an interesting take on a dystopia. I also read it pretty slowly – I think because of the amount of punch Stasse delivered in each page. Very beautiful, intentional writing!
Daniela
ooh, this is a hard one… well, hmm… I’d go with Angelfall. I know I’d fight back :) Join the resistance and all.
Cordelia
Divergent.world!!
Nancy
Probably the world in The Selection.
Christy
I would have to say Divergent! Thanks for the giveaway!!
Linda
I would have to pick Legend!
Ruby
Actually, surprisingly, I think the one I’d like to live in would be the world of For Darkness Shows the Stars. It’s a Dystopian, but it’s on the edge of positive change.
Brittani
If I had to choose any world to be thrown in I think it would have to the world from the Uglies series or the world from Delirium.
Montana G.
I really like the world in The Selection by Kiera Cass :)
Rabiah
Thanks for the amazing giveaway! Um, difficult to say, because most dystopian books are pretty scary. Probably the world of Bumped by Megan McCafferty, cause I don’t think there’s anything scary in there!! *except for pregnancy…*
Liz @ Elizziebooks
Sounds like an INTENSE read. I’ve heard a lot of great things! Adding to my TBR :D
Preet @ A Written Rhapsody
I want to be a space pirate like on Slip Point. Even if I didn’t really enjoy the book, it seems like the safest world.
Christa @ Hooked on Books
I love the sound of this book and I’m happy to hear it’s a great read. If I had to choose a dystopian world I think I would have to choose Legend by Marie Lu. I just think it would be more fun to run the streets with Day, then some of the other options.
Lexi Edwards
The world of Divergent by Veronica Roth. I’d like to think I could join Dauntless, although i would probably die in initiation…so I’ll probably join Amity