Having given the audio version of this book an intial go a few years ago (big mistake as I have a serious aversion to that British accent) I wasn't exactly stoked to sit down for a re-do, save the suggestion of a 7th grade student who told me I should scope it out because "it's very, very weird!" (his words, not mine). So, it was with some suprise to discover that I rather enjoyed it--at least at the offset. With visions of Mrs. Pincent that alternated between Nurse Ratched from "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest," and an evil henpecking crow (complete with a pincher beak) dancing in my head, I was highly entertained. The journaling component was pretty cool too, and I think it is just one of "The Declaration" fodder for potential lesson plans. This book, in fact, is simply so rich with engaging educational opportunities that it's darn near impossible to not appreciate it's value.
That said, I do have a few complaints...
1. The first half of the book was far more interesting than the second as it lacked the incremental (and necessary) character development to keep me captivated; (2) and, for whatever reason (maybe a result of the recent onslaught of dystopian lit, I didn't find the science fiction component nearly as incredulous as the suprisingly sudden relationship growth between Anna and Peter, but then again, perhaps I'm just being picky...In any event, the second half of the book didn't captivate nearly so much as the first as it struck me as too much of a rush job to leave me fully satisfied. Thus, that coupled with Kelly's head's up that the second book in the series is pretty weak, doesn't leave me wanting to run out and snag the sequel. Nevertheless, I've certainly read far worse, so...up to you!
Anna, I completely agree with you about the second half of this book leaving something to be desired. I was really getting into it around the point when Surplus Anna and Peter were about to escape. From there, however, I felt as though the action slowed. There were some enjoyable scenes (one of my favorites when Anna and Peter hide out with Anna's old employer), but many times it dragged on. The mini-twist of Peter being Mrs. Pincent's son was great though. It became a bit predictable, but certainly not from the early stages of the book.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I do think the first half of this book is a little more effective than the second half. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I spoke with you about this a bit on Saturday, but I'll re-iterate our discussion here for general consumption. I, too, was underwhelmed by the last half of the book. I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but retrospect shows me that the first half had an impact that the latter part didn't. It's a lot like a bad Stephen King book (I confess, I've read every book he's written- don't be hatin'). He'll have a great set-up, likeable characters, an intriguing premise, and then at page 200 it all changes. It's almost as if he suddenly remembers that he really wants the movie rights to be sold so he decides to stick in some good old action sequences to entice Hollywood.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm still going to read the next book just to see if she gets back to the roots of the characters. If it's all chases and suspense I'll be disappointed, but she has shown that she can write with nuance and delicacy, so I'll give her another shot.
Teaching-wise, you're also right. This book is packed with promise. I've been trying to figure out a way to encourage journal writing for students, and this might be a great opportunity for that. Something about writing for yourself and only yourself cannot be reproduced in any other way. Kids love the idea of blogging, but you can't really be utterly honest with yourself when you perceive an audience. In 'The Declaration' Surplus Anna's journal is so necessarily secret that it becomes another character in the book- that of the true Anna rather than the brainwashed Anna who narrates the beginning of the story.