(clicking on the cover will take you to Goodreads!) | Title: The Body Electric Author: Beth Revis Published on: October 6th 2014 Publisher: Scripturient Books Genre: Sci-fi (YA) Author's website I Author's blog Part of a series?: No Get a copy: Amazon I was approved for a review copy of The Body Electric at NetGalley -thank you!- in exchange for an honest review. My review is written in my own opinion and is uninfluenced by anyone. The future world is at peace. Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories. But not all is at it seems. Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and |
influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…Someone’s altered her memory.
Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.
So who can she trust?
Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.
So who can she trust?
That was one of the most confusing things I've ever read. I need a minute to get my thoughts into order. Clearly, I'm not cut out for science-fiction.
The plot was okay. Not absolutely brilliant, but not entirely solid either. For the most part, my brain was running around in circles trying to get a sense of what the heck was going on, instead of happily imagining how the story was playing out in my mind. Honestly, if I were to visualize anything right now, it's the image of my brain frantically running all over the place. And that's certainly not a good thing.
Because the plotline of The Body Electric felt like it was all over the place! I could understand where the plot was going, but the facts and information were simply blasted at my slow reader mind at different intervals. It could be a good story if not for the confusion, because the premise was interesting and seemed to be something I could truly enjoy reading.
I liked that the story was set in a dystopian world, with androids serving as workers and maids. There wasn't a lot of detailed planning and elaboration on the android/cyborg/technology part though, which ultimately led to a bunch of plot holes and a very bewildered and disgruntled Kat. I knew that in the story, lives had become more restricted and there was a limit to the things one could do after the war. People relied heavily on technology, and Ella's mother and father were one of - if not the most - powerful people because of the new technology they discovered.
However, the characters' actions didn't correspond well with facts from the story which led to the inevitable plot holes that I was talking about. I didn't understand why the rebels were still using androids in their safe houses when they were perceived as dangerous objects that could explode unexpectedly. Plus, all the science that was going around in the story wasn't properly explained. There were a lot of times when I had to stop, go back and re-read a page again because it was all too confusing. The transition from reverie to real life became such a mess at the end. If it weren't for the info-dumps and the too-quick pace of the story (plus plot holes!!) , The Body Electric would've been a thoroughly enjoyable read. I still have yet to read Across the Universe, but here's hoping that it will be a better constructed story and with more lively characters than The Body Electric.
Fans of Beth Revis' previous works and also sci-fi lovers. Obviously, The Body Electric still appeals to a ton of people. The facts in the story and plot was a little too confusing for me to fully appreciate it, but it has that potential to grab other readers.
my rating for The Body Electric:
The story was not tedious, it was just a bit lacking in the structure.