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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Teen Reviewer Amanda reviewing Open Minds

The first guest Review is from Amanda, a seventh grader, going into eight grade in the fall. 


Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

In a dystopian society Kira is a zero, an outcast, a loser. But not because of her looks or personality. No, Kira is an outcast because she’s the one in one thousand that cannot read minds.. At least that’s how it starts. As the story moves on, we learn why Kira hasn’t developed her mind reading skills. It’s because she has a much more powerful skill, mind control. She’s soon plummeted into a world of secret clans and mind jacking.

    After just reading the first chapter of Open Minds, I knew I would love it. In a world where everyone can read minds everything works differently. From the way the kids learn, to the way technology works, Quinn really didn’t leave anything out. Although I would have liked it if she had elaborated a bit more on how the futuristic gadgets worked, it still gave a realistic view on what would happen if humans developed the power to read each others minds.

The characters in this book were incredibly consistent, and by the end of the book I was able to predict how they would act. This was both a good and bad quality in the book.]=]]=

This book was very fast paced and exciting. The characters were very relatable, especially Kira. I think everyone has felt like a “zero” at some point and it’s easy to connect with how she feels about the hierarchy in her high school. I also enjoyed the language used in the descriptions. It was simple, yet it elucidated enough so I knew what was going on. Perhaps the best part of this book was the plot. Just the first chapter hinted at an exciting dystopian society that kept me wanting more.

This book was an interesting look at the future and all it could hold. This brings up questions like: Can technology go too far? and, What secrets could the future hold? This book really has everything, a love triangle, FBI agents, and mind reading! It was a truly enjoyable read.

Sincerely,
Amanda

10 comments:

B. A. Binns said...

Amanda, congratulations on being the first member of the summer reading group to post a review. And now I feel like I have to run out and read this book.

Thanks for taking the time to read and for sharing your thoughts.

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

Thanks so much for the lovely review, Amanda! I love the great questions you're asking. :)

Unknown said...

Thank you Amanda! It is so important to us as authors to get our readers' opinion. Very insightful, and based on your review, a book I'm going to add to my own reading list.

Connie Gillam said...

Great review, Amanda. You put a lot of thought into it.

Sheila said...

Wow! Great review! I, too, want to read this book after reading your comments, Amanda.

And, Susan, I really like the cover, and the title with its double meaning.

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

Thanks Sheila! My cover designer, D. Robert Pease of walkingstickbooks.com, is a design genius. I like his cover for Closed Hearts (the sequel) even more. :)

PJ Sharon said...

Such a well thought out review! You gave me enough information to make me want to read the book, but you didn't give away the whole plot, which some reviews do and it drives us authors crazy! Great job.

Renee Pace said...

What a great review and so teen-like. I love that teens are reviewing YA books and hats off to the person who got this organized. Way to go! This review made me want to read the book. I love it's honesty.

Anonymous said...

Loved your review!! Soooooooooo want to run out and read this book now:) ~chEErs

Suzanne Lilly said...

Your review makes me want to read the book! I've often wondered about how noisy it might get in our heads if we could read each other's thoughts. Yes, I'm weird like that.