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nicolemhewitt's review
4.0
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Awhile back, I posted a book blast and giveaway for this book, which included a guest post of sorts - an interview with two of the main characters from the book, Dodger and Twist. The interview itself was so engaging that I decided I needed to read the book for the upcoming review tour!
The book is a dystopian that takes place after a strange virus wipes out a good portion of the population and leaves everyone else basically allergic to the sun. The rich now spend their lives in highrise buildings, using drugs to numb their pain, while the poor live in underground cities. Twist and Dodger (who are named after a book that the man who took them in once read) are Gutter Punks - they steal medical supplies from the rich and give them to the poor. But when they accidentally help steal something important, they are forced to get it back - or Dodger will die from a virus that he's been injected with. It's a race against time when the two try to get the mysterious object back before Dodger succumbs to the virus.
What I loved:
Gia.
While Dodger and Twist are running from Manhattan's guards, they end up saving a girl named Gia from a rape attempt. She isn't much of a victim, though - in fact she's extremely tough - and Twist soon finds himself enamored with him. She ends up joining up with with Twist and Dodger and helps them on their journey. Gia was definitely my favorite character in the book, and her story was the most interesting to me (though I did predict one twist that involved her story).
Twist.
I really liked Twist, even though he was a bit wimpy and self-deprecating at times. Still, I found him to be likable. He started out as Dodger's sidekick, but throughout the book he set out to prove that he could stand on his own two feet. At first his efforts weren't terribly successful, but his character definitely grew as the book went on and by the end I was really rooting for him.
The ending.
I don't want to give anything away, but some things happened at the end of the book that really surprised me and opened up a whole new host of possibilities for the next book. It definitely left me eager to continue the series!
The negatives:
Pacing.
The first half of this book moved a little bit slowly for some reason. It wasn't that there wasn't a lot happening - I guess I just wasn't always interested in the storyline in the first half, though Stanton did tie everything together in the end and everything that happened in the beginning was necessary. The pace really picked up for me in the second half, though - and the story got MUCH more interesting.
Dodger.
I never really connected much to Dodger. He was a wise-cracking womanizer and he sometimes became just a little bit irritating. Since it was his life they were racing to save, I needed to connect to him a little bit more in order for the stakes to feel higher, but it just never quite happened for me.
Overall The Artful was an enjoyable dystopian read, and the series has great potential. I give this one 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
Awhile back, I posted a book blast and giveaway for this book, which included a guest post of sorts - an interview with two of the main characters from the book, Dodger and Twist. The interview itself was so engaging that I decided I needed to read the book for the upcoming review tour!
The book is a dystopian that takes place after a strange virus wipes out a good portion of the population and leaves everyone else basically allergic to the sun. The rich now spend their lives in highrise buildings, using drugs to numb their pain, while the poor live in underground cities. Twist and Dodger (who are named after a book that the man who took them in once read) are Gutter Punks - they steal medical supplies from the rich and give them to the poor. But when they accidentally help steal something important, they are forced to get it back - or Dodger will die from a virus that he's been injected with. It's a race against time when the two try to get the mysterious object back before Dodger succumbs to the virus.
What I loved:
Gia.
While Dodger and Twist are running from Manhattan's guards, they end up saving a girl named Gia from a rape attempt. She isn't much of a victim, though - in fact she's extremely tough - and Twist soon finds himself enamored with him. She ends up joining up with with Twist and Dodger and helps them on their journey. Gia was definitely my favorite character in the book, and her story was the most interesting to me (though I did predict one twist that involved her story).
Twist.
I really liked Twist, even though he was a bit wimpy and self-deprecating at times. Still, I found him to be likable. He started out as Dodger's sidekick, but throughout the book he set out to prove that he could stand on his own two feet. At first his efforts weren't terribly successful, but his character definitely grew as the book went on and by the end I was really rooting for him.
The ending.
I don't want to give anything away, but some things happened at the end of the book that really surprised me and opened up a whole new host of possibilities for the next book. It definitely left me eager to continue the series!
The negatives:
Pacing.
The first half of this book moved a little bit slowly for some reason. It wasn't that there wasn't a lot happening - I guess I just wasn't always interested in the storyline in the first half, though Stanton did tie everything together in the end and everything that happened in the beginning was necessary. The pace really picked up for me in the second half, though - and the story got MUCH more interesting.
Dodger.
I never really connected much to Dodger. He was a wise-cracking womanizer and he sometimes became just a little bit irritating. Since it was his life they were racing to save, I needed to connect to him a little bit more in order for the stakes to feel higher, but it just never quite happened for me.
Overall The Artful was an enjoyable dystopian read, and the series has great potential. I give this one 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
wannabekingpin's review
5.0
More of books at [Night Mode Reading]
Future New York is more or less a Quarantine Zone. A virus lashed across the land and people know not just how far and wide it went. What they do know tho, that those who pulled through - are still fighting for survival. Sun burns their skin, forcing most to cover until dark, or put on layers upon layers of clothing and suffer through the heat and apparent radiation. Food provisions got scarce. But worst of all - medication became a luxury only the rich could afford. And those all lived up in Empire towers of Manhattan, not caring for the dying outside, huddled in their gangs and tribes for safety and provisions. No, the rich, or the Tower Babies, their only care in the world is to push through another boring day, find a more exciting party, and maybe a better drug than the last time. And since of those they have no shortage, our heroes, Twist and Dodger, famous and infamous Gutter Punks, take it up themselves to sift some away.
The story is full of twists, and bumps, and turns. So, naturally it didn't go right! The guards were agitated from the start. And then lads met up with their old friend, who held on to his bag as if his life depended on it...
The book was truly a something. I have never met such fun young adults or teenagers in any story before. Immature jokes were just right, adventures were in perfect measure, other characters they met had plenty of their own personalities to not seem mere "support characters" either. And don't get me wrong, this is not a laugh ride! There's running for the life situations, brutal beatings, cannibals even! Truly, as a reader I am happy, and I very much hope to get the sequels too. I give the book 5 out of 5, it earned it in every sense, from the slick and fitting cover, to the whole vibe about it.
Future New York is more or less a Quarantine Zone. A virus lashed across the land and people know not just how far and wide it went. What they do know tho, that those who pulled through - are still fighting for survival. Sun burns their skin, forcing most to cover until dark, or put on layers upon layers of clothing and suffer through the heat and apparent radiation. Food provisions got scarce. But worst of all - medication became a luxury only the rich could afford. And those all lived up in Empire towers of Manhattan, not caring for the dying outside, huddled in their gangs and tribes for safety and provisions. No, the rich, or the Tower Babies, their only care in the world is to push through another boring day, find a more exciting party, and maybe a better drug than the last time. And since of those they have no shortage, our heroes, Twist and Dodger, famous and infamous Gutter Punks, take it up themselves to sift some away.
The story is full of twists, and bumps, and turns. So, naturally it didn't go right! The guards were agitated from the start. And then lads met up with their old friend, who held on to his bag as if his life depended on it...
The book was truly a something. I have never met such fun young adults or teenagers in any story before. Immature jokes were just right, adventures were in perfect measure, other characters they met had plenty of their own personalities to not seem mere "support characters" either. And don't get me wrong, this is not a laugh ride! There's running for the life situations, brutal beatings, cannibals even! Truly, as a reader I am happy, and I very much hope to get the sequels too. I give the book 5 out of 5, it earned it in every sense, from the slick and fitting cover, to the whole vibe about it.
canadianbookaddict's review
4.0
This book really sounded interesting and I was in the mood for a dystopian so I couldn't wait to read this book.
This one takes place in 2025 in New York City. It started off slow but I kept on reading and I found myself enjoy it very much. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I recommissioned if you are in dystopian young adult novels
This one takes place in 2025 in New York City. It started off slow but I kept on reading and I found myself enjoy it very much. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I recommissioned if you are in dystopian young adult novels
sadiecass's review
3.0
I was up and down on my rating of this one. The beginning was so slow I almost didn't keep going on. I have 2 ereaders and bookshelves full of books that need read. Still, I pushed on and the action picked up, which made the reading go a lot faster.
...Read the rest of this review here...
...Read the rest of this review here...
sjj169's review
4.0
This damn book.
It started off and I did not think I would be able to finish it. I mean I broke out Honey BooBoo's mama it was so slow.
I kept reading. WTF?
This book is set in the year 2025 in what is to become of Manhatten and Brooklyn. A virus has came about and changed the world. If you survived it you are unable to tolerate sunlight. The world has changed. Most people scavenge to eat and our two main characters Twist and Dodger steal meds. They aren't the dosers of the world who only want to forget what is going on with the world around them. They are a couple of smart asses who give the meds out to people that need them.
At first I HATED these characters.
Then something happened. The author of this book made these characters grow. They became my friends and I cheered for them.
I cried for them.
This book would have gotten five frigging stars except for that beginning. I can't wait to see where this story goes.
And in the immortal words of our beauty queen:
I recieved an ARC of this book from Curiosity Quills in exchange for an honest review. Now I'm gonna go see if I can bug the author to find out when the next book comes out.
It started off and I did not think I would be able to finish it. I mean I broke out Honey BooBoo's mama it was so slow.
I kept reading. WTF?
This book is set in the year 2025 in what is to become of Manhatten and Brooklyn. A virus has came about and changed the world. If you survived it you are unable to tolerate sunlight. The world has changed. Most people scavenge to eat and our two main characters Twist and Dodger steal meds. They aren't the dosers of the world who only want to forget what is going on with the world around them. They are a couple of smart asses who give the meds out to people that need them.
At first I HATED these characters.
Then something happened. The author of this book made these characters grow. They became my friends and I cheered for them.
I cried for them.
This book would have gotten five frigging stars except for that beginning. I can't wait to see where this story goes.
And in the immortal words of our beauty queen:
I recieved an ARC of this book from Curiosity Quills in exchange for an honest review. Now I'm gonna go see if I can bug the author to find out when the next book comes out.
readerxxx's review
4.0
I almost didnt read this because of the reviews but I am really glad that I did. I think parts of it were a bit slow but once the action picked up it didnt let off. I liked the characters and the world.
thepaperreels's review
DNF at page 72
....and I have my reasons! Full review to come!
....and I have my reasons! Full review to come!
jljaina's review
2.0
An odd, yet unique blending of Oliver Twist and Robin Hood meets the movie Doomsday (which, in itself is a clash of other stories). While I know the Oliver Twist and the Robin Hood parts are intentional (and even referred to in the book), the Doomsday feel is just what it personally reminded me heavily of while reading this. Combine all this to a post-apocalyptic New York (just a short 11 years from when this book is written) and you get The Artful.
The story is shared from the aspect of Twist. He and Dodger have been together for the past several years, since the were children. The banded a group to together that stole 'meds' and supplies from the privileged few and shared them with those less fortunate. Apparently the wealthy spent their time partying, doing drugs or having sex. Otherwise they sat around bored, locked away in towers, safe from the sun. While everyone else became scavengers and tried to survive by whatever means they could figure out. Some stole, some became cannibals, thugs or religious nuts. We meet them all in this book.
The first half of the book was quite slow but it does finally pick up but by that point there were already several parts that I did not like. The main thing is the behavior of our lead characters and the constant sexual references. I seriously could not go even a few pages without something coming up! I realize they are teenagers but I want a story, not a sex diary and at times that is how this seemed. If you have seen American Pie or Scary Movie this can go right alongside those in that sense (less the comedy). It even comes across as a bit degrading at times. While part of that does get straightened out later, it vexed me a lot at first.
The other thing that drove me nuts were the constant cliches. And those never ended. they just kept on comin'! I lost track of the eye rolls I gave this book. Really wish parts were more original.
Yet the premise kept me intrigued enough to keep going. I had to understand what was going on. Why were things still so bad with the sun when people are obviously wandering the streets and no longer dropping like flies yet the rich are still in hiding? What is happening outside the quarantine zone. And how will our boys get out of the mess they find themselves in. While some questions are answered, the big one about what was so horrible about the sunlight is never really explained very well. The characters, especially Dodger, do grow on you after awhile but you really have to bear with it for the first 45% of the book before you can start to appreciate them. At least, that is how it was for me.
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a fair, honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are strictly my own*
The story is shared from the aspect of Twist. He and Dodger have been together for the past several years, since the were children. The banded a group to together that stole 'meds' and supplies from the privileged few and shared them with those less fortunate. Apparently the wealthy spent their time partying, doing drugs or having sex. Otherwise they sat around bored, locked away in towers, safe from the sun. While everyone else became scavengers and tried to survive by whatever means they could figure out. Some stole, some became cannibals, thugs or religious nuts. We meet them all in this book.
The first half of the book was quite slow but it does finally pick up but by that point there were already several parts that I did not like. The main thing is the behavior of our lead characters and the constant sexual references. I seriously could not go even a few pages without something coming up! I realize they are teenagers but I want a story, not a sex diary and at times that is how this seemed. If you have seen American Pie or Scary Movie this can go right alongside those in that sense (less the comedy). It even comes across as a bit degrading at times. While part of that does get straightened out later, it vexed me a lot at first.
The other thing that drove me nuts were the constant cliches. And those never ended. they just kept on comin'! I lost track of the eye rolls I gave this book. Really wish parts were more original.
Yet the premise kept me intrigued enough to keep going. I had to understand what was going on. Why were things still so bad with the sun when people are obviously wandering the streets and no longer dropping like flies yet the rich are still in hiding? What is happening outside the quarantine zone. And how will our boys get out of the mess they find themselves in. While some questions are answered, the big one about what was so horrible about the sunlight is never really explained very well. The characters, especially Dodger, do grow on you after awhile but you really have to bear with it for the first 45% of the book before you can start to appreciate them. At least, that is how it was for me.
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a fair, honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are strictly my own*
urlphantomhive's review
1.0
READ IN ENGLISH
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
I really wanted to like this book, as it features a lot of things I like to read about, post-apocalyptic setting, New York, viruses. I had to admit I didn't know who Artful Dodger was, because I've never read or properly watched Oliver Twist (my bad, I know). Dodger is in this novel indeed the head-thief and little Twist is his partner in crime.
Together they form the Gutter Punks, Robin Hood-like stealing medicine from the rich for the rest of the world. The world as we knew it has gone to the dogs, that's for sure. New York is in terrible shape (and this in only ten years and without any real war). The boroughs are everything but friendly to each other, and Dodger and Twist are 'just trying to survive' in these harsh conditions.
Only, the true horror is the book. The world building doesn't make any sense. The world is supposedly destroyed by a virus that killed half the population, leaving the rest as carriers, having only one symptom: a minor form of light allergy. Which isn't nice, but enough to destroy civilization? There are medicines against this terrible disease (I kept thinking: is this medicine Vitamin D perhaps?) however they are so expensive only the rich (for some reason called Tower Babies) can afford them. The rich, with there medicine, have taken refuge in large building like the Empire State Building and never leave the place.
The New York inhabitants believe there is a quarantine to keep them save from the rest of the world. The rest of the world however supplies them the Towers (and thus the rich) with supplies in big Zeppelins. Which makes me wonder? Why do they believe there's nothing out there, if they have better supplies than the people in the city? It just doesn't make sense.
To keep you from these questions, there are a lot of different gangs in Manhattan, like the no-rules one, one that features children who've gone Lord Of The Flies-like berserk in the Jungle (that was once Central Park), the religious sect gang, and one that seems to consist mainly out of hippies. There are also cannibals and you sometimes wonder if you're in Imperial Rome or perhaps Meereen as fights to the death in arenas are considered a civilized form of entertainment.
And in this setting we find our characters. From the first person POV of Twist, a seventeen-year-old boy who's suffering from sidekick-syndrome and is ruled by his hormones. Seriously, there isn't a single female character over the age of ten, he doesn't want to have sex with. Now that I think about it, there are only three female characters in the book. They are all bitchy and manipulative, crazy, or we get to know so little about them we can't decide in which category to put her. None of them has any depth.
What also bothered me is the following, Twist was seven when the virus struck and the world turned into this state. He however knows The Walking Dead enough to reference to it (some bad parenting?). I'm also to believe that a seven-year-old boy is interested in Titanic? (But has no memories whatsoever to news about the virus when it struck). The same with the other characters, they should remember things, but they don't. It's only been ten years! Ten heavy years, I will not deny it, but they sometimes act as if this situations been going on for centuries, which is just not right...
I was already fairly disappointed with this book, my expectations were so high, but what really did it in the end for me: the confused the flu and the common cold, which in my biomedical eyes, really is an unforgivable crime... Would not recommend.
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
I really wanted to like this book, as it features a lot of things I like to read about, post-apocalyptic setting, New York, viruses. I had to admit I didn't know who Artful Dodger was, because I've never read or properly watched Oliver Twist (my bad, I know). Dodger is in this novel indeed the head-thief and little Twist is his partner in crime.
Together they form the Gutter Punks, Robin Hood-like stealing medicine from the rich for the rest of the world. The world as we knew it has gone to the dogs, that's for sure. New York is in terrible shape (and this in only ten years and without any real war). The boroughs are everything but friendly to each other, and Dodger and Twist are 'just trying to survive' in these harsh conditions.
Only, the true horror is the book. The world building doesn't make any sense. The world is supposedly destroyed by a virus that killed half the population, leaving the rest as carriers, having only one symptom: a minor form of light allergy. Which isn't nice, but enough to destroy civilization? There are medicines against this terrible disease (I kept thinking: is this medicine Vitamin D perhaps?) however they are so expensive only the rich (for some reason called Tower Babies) can afford them. The rich, with there medicine, have taken refuge in large building like the Empire State Building and never leave the place.
The New York inhabitants believe there is a quarantine to keep them save from the rest of the world. The rest of the world however supplies them the Towers (and thus the rich) with supplies in big Zeppelins. Which makes me wonder? Why do they believe there's nothing out there, if they have better supplies than the people in the city? It just doesn't make sense.
To keep you from these questions, there are a lot of different gangs in Manhattan, like the no-rules one, one that features children who've gone Lord Of The Flies-like berserk in the Jungle (that was once Central Park), the religious sect gang, and one that seems to consist mainly out of hippies. There are also cannibals and you sometimes wonder if you're in Imperial Rome or perhaps Meereen as fights to the death in arenas are considered a civilized form of entertainment.
And in this setting we find our characters. From the first person POV of Twist, a seventeen-year-old boy who's suffering from sidekick-syndrome and is ruled by his hormones. Seriously, there isn't a single female character over the age of ten, he doesn't want to have sex with. Now that I think about it, there are only three female characters in the book. They are all bitchy and manipulative, crazy, or we get to know so little about them we can't decide in which category to put her. None of them has any depth.
What also bothered me is the following, Twist was seven when the virus struck and the world turned into this state. He however knows The Walking Dead enough to reference to it (some bad parenting?). I'm also to believe that a seven-year-old boy is interested in Titanic? (But has no memories whatsoever to news about the virus when it struck). The same with the other characters, they should remember things, but they don't. It's only been ten years! Ten heavy years, I will not deny it, but they sometimes act as if this situations been going on for centuries, which is just not right...
I was already fairly disappointed with this book, my expectations were so high, but what really did it in the end for me: the confused the flu and the common cold, which in my biomedical eyes, really is an unforgivable crime... Would not recommend.
ctorretta's review
3.0
This started out so slow. And sort of Steam Punkish even though it’s set in 2025 after a horrible disease has ravaged the world. I’m not sure if it was just the world building and the characters or the fact that I really haven’t loved Steam Punk but whatever it was, it took me forever to get into this. It seemed like something that just was not my forte.
Fortunately there is enough to the story to make me curious. At least curious enough when I was on the fence about putting it down to keep reading instead. That does happen with books that are out of my genre. And I felt like the writing was exquisite! I felt like I should have really enjoyed this but for some reason it was only that bit of curiosity that kept me going.
The good behind this is that the characters really started growing. Characters that I thought I would never get into nor like, were starting to make an impression. The plot line got better and made me more anxious for the characters too!
Dodge was a weird one for me. I still cannot tell you if I truly wound up liking him fully or not. It’s one of those things where I’m sitting here going over the plot and wondering if the author could have changed anything. But there again, I honestly think this is a case of “It’s me, not you” hitting. The conclusion, however, was the complete opposite from the beginning and had me at the edge of my seat.
In short: The intensity and the plot line really picks up as you go along. If you find this a bit slow but normally enjoy apocalyptic, stick with it! You might be surprised.
Fortunately there is enough to the story to make me curious. At least curious enough when I was on the fence about putting it down to keep reading instead. That does happen with books that are out of my genre. And I felt like the writing was exquisite! I felt like I should have really enjoyed this but for some reason it was only that bit of curiosity that kept me going.
The good behind this is that the characters really started growing. Characters that I thought I would never get into nor like, were starting to make an impression. The plot line got better and made me more anxious for the characters too!
Dodge was a weird one for me. I still cannot tell you if I truly wound up liking him fully or not. It’s one of those things where I’m sitting here going over the plot and wondering if the author could have changed anything. But there again, I honestly think this is a case of “It’s me, not you” hitting. The conclusion, however, was the complete opposite from the beginning and had me at the edge of my seat.
In short: The intensity and the plot line really picks up as you go along. If you find this a bit slow but normally enjoy apocalyptic, stick with it! You might be surprised.