Ginger Johnson

As every other review says, this book is similar to The Giver. I don't want to get into the plot much because spoilers will ruin this book for you.

Ishmael can see colors while others cannot, and he follows his calling to The Commons to be a Color Keeper. The plot gets plenty twisty from this point on so go ahead and slog through the beginning, and let the story unfold.

It was the creative plot twists that won me over. Every time I thought I knew where things were headed I was wrong. That's unusual in the MG category. This isn't just a fantasy book as it tackles complicated family relationships and all the hard parts of growing up and embracing your destiny which may be different than that of your family.

It's everything a book should be. It's funny, smart, thought-provoking and more than a little sad as growing up often is.

Please note that I received a free advance E ARC of this book from NetGalley without a review requirement or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that, I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

… (mehr)

As every other review says, this book is similar to The Giver. I don't want to get into the plot much because spoilers will ruin this book for you.

Ishmael can see colors while others cannot, and he follows his calling to The Commons to be a Color Keeper. The plot gets plenty twisty from this point on so go ahead and slog through the beginning, and let the story unfold.

It was the creative plot twists that won me over. Every time I thought I knew where things were headed I was wrong. That's unusual in the MG category. This isn't just a fantasy book as it tackles complicated family relationships and all the hard parts of growing up and embracing your destiny which may be different than that of your family.

It's everything a book should be. It's funny, smart, thought-provoking and more than a little sad as growing up often is.

Please note that I received a free advance E ARC of this book from NetGalley without a review requirement or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that, I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.… (mehr)

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Poor
Recommend: Not really
Level: Middle Grade

I recognize the intriguing and ambitious premise but overall it is not my kind of book. It was a very slow pace that contradicted itself as it tried to take a small intriguing concept and build an entire world out of it. I had trouble distinguishing between the many characters, which made it hard to really root for them. The main character annoyed me as he kept saying he had to help his mom on the farm yet he left her to find his brother and then didn’t go back either. I can see younger readers forgiving him for this and getting swept away in his new "magic school" vibe setting, but it bothered me. Another personal sticking point was that the characters didn’t share the beauty and possibility of what they created with anyone outside the school and it didn’t explain why. The book had a lot of potential but I felt like it never picked a path that gave it tension and intrigue. I think sequels of this book that focused on one aspect might be more appealing and easier to invest in than the narrative that jumped around and had pauses to explain other characterizations. However, I can see how young readers who enjoy The Giver and A Wrinkle in Time would like the magical realism aspects of this story if they are patient enough to read it.… (mehr)