Scan barcode
amanda_shortman's review
5.0
Untouched is the kind of book I'd have never picked up if I didn't know the author, as I'm a bit of a scaredy cat and think I won't enjoy it. I am *so* glad I do know the author and decided to read this book, because it is incredible!
Set in the Amazon Rainforest, two graduate students get separated from their professor and trapped in the forest that keeps changing around them. They stumble across Ben, who has been in the forest for some time, and try to make their way back to base camp. Will they ever get home?
The thing I loved most about this book was how relatable the characters were. David suffers from anxiety, and it was great to see that rep in the book. He and Marisol create a strong platonic bond which gets them through, which is again something I loved to see. And then there is the bisexual rep, as David and Ben's relationship unfolds. Even the rainforest itself feels more like a character than a setting in many ways, which brought the whole thing to life in such a marvellous way.
This is a must read for anyone who enjoys an adventure story.
Set in the Amazon Rainforest, two graduate students get separated from their professor and trapped in the forest that keeps changing around them. They stumble across Ben, who has been in the forest for some time, and try to make their way back to base camp. Will they ever get home?
The thing I loved most about this book was how relatable the characters were. David suffers from anxiety, and it was great to see that rep in the book. He and Marisol create a strong platonic bond which gets them through, which is again something I loved to see. And then there is the bisexual rep, as David and Ben's relationship unfolds. Even the rainforest itself feels more like a character than a setting in many ways, which brought the whole thing to life in such a marvellous way.
This is a must read for anyone who enjoys an adventure story.
colinbrooksbooks's review
5.0
Jayme’s writing has a way of sucking you right into the rainforest with the researchers, and will keep you reading far later into the night than you’ve planned. Not only did Jayme effectively heighten my anxiety with her expertly crafted and horrifyingly suspenseful jungle scenes, as well as play with my heartstrings as I grew to love this trio of plant-loving nerds, but she taught me in ways that didn’t feel like a lesson. There were no stones left unturned, no questions left unanswered, and it almost made me, a complete homebody who doesn’t enjoy the outdoors, want to book a trip to the Amazon myself… almost. I will absolutely read this again soon and cannot recommend it enough!
brittneyhm's review against another edition
3.0
It dragged significantly.. took me well over a month to finish because absolutely nothing really happened. I don’t understand all the 5 star reviews. Just wasn’t a hit for me.
yoonka's review against another edition
5.0
Just cam back here to say this book is incredible, I read it months ago and I’m shocked at how criminally underrated it is .
snappydog's review
5.0
Whew. This was an adventure.
That's appropriate, by the way, because I'm pretty sure it is in fact an adventure book. Whaddya know. I'm not sure I've ever read an adventure book before; it's certainly been a long time since I deliberately picked one up, put it that way. Untouched makes me think I've been missing out, although somehow I imagine there probably aren't many as good as this.
Untouched does not, at least explicitly, contain any supernatural elements, but it's maybe a little bit speculative - perhaps it's, like, almost entirely in the realm of reailsm but taking the smallest possible step towards sci-fi. Parts of its world are strange, but strange in a way that feels very plausible, and that's really possible because of who wrote it. If anyone other than someone with Jayme Bean's exact background and areas of knowledge had written this book, it would've been a lot worse. You get the feeling she gets a real sense of wonder and magic from those things about the real world that are just on the edge of being something else, something transcendent, something just barely explicable. There's a lot of wonder to be found in reality if you look in the right places, and Jayme Bean knows where to look.
Its world, then, is... well, it's the world, realised as its own mysterious and beautiful entity. As for the characters, there are... two consistent main characters, I think. A third starts the journey with them but is absent for the rest of the book after an early turning point, and after a brief period of the twosome alone there's a new member to round out the trio. I wish we'd got more time with the one who disappears early on - I suspect there's a whole other story that could be told with them! They're all great, though: nuanced in ways that fit well together.
The whole thing feels really original, even if some of the basic notes of, y'know, people getting lost and having to survive feels familiar. It'd be spoiling things to say too much, but I got vibes of VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy, Sue Burke's Semiosis duology, and Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time - suffice to say that I'm not a biologist, but this book makes slightly speculative biology the most gripping thing.
And it's just really well written, and honestly it's just really good and I didn't want to stop reading. So there. Read this book.
That's appropriate, by the way, because I'm pretty sure it is in fact an adventure book. Whaddya know. I'm not sure I've ever read an adventure book before; it's certainly been a long time since I deliberately picked one up, put it that way. Untouched makes me think I've been missing out, although somehow I imagine there probably aren't many as good as this.
Untouched does not, at least explicitly, contain any supernatural elements, but it's maybe a little bit speculative - perhaps it's, like, almost entirely in the realm of reailsm but taking the smallest possible step towards sci-fi. Parts of its world are strange, but strange in a way that feels very plausible, and that's really possible because of who wrote it. If anyone other than someone with Jayme Bean's exact background and areas of knowledge had written this book, it would've been a lot worse. You get the feeling she gets a real sense of wonder and magic from those things about the real world that are just on the edge of being something else, something transcendent, something just barely explicable. There's a lot of wonder to be found in reality if you look in the right places, and Jayme Bean knows where to look.
Its world, then, is... well, it's the world, realised as its own mysterious and beautiful entity. As for the characters, there are... two consistent main characters, I think. A third starts the journey with them but is absent for the rest of the book after an early turning point, and after a brief period of the twosome alone there's a new member to round out the trio. I wish we'd got more time with the one who disappears early on - I suspect there's a whole other story that could be told with them! They're all great, though: nuanced in ways that fit well together.
The whole thing feels really original, even if some of the basic notes of, y'know, people getting lost and having to survive feels familiar. It'd be spoiling things to say too much, but I got vibes of VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy, Sue Burke's Semiosis duology, and Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Time - suffice to say that I'm not a biologist, but this book makes slightly speculative biology the most gripping thing.
And it's just really well written, and honestly it's just really good and I didn't want to stop reading. So there. Read this book.
drerae11's review
5.0
such a gripping book! i normally read before bed but i had to read this one during the day because it was so thrilling! this kept me guessing the whole time, not predictable at all. the imagery was amazing, i felt like i was there with them.
theislandalien's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
ddanddauthor's review
5.0
I forgot to leave a review when I initially finished reading this months ago, because...of course, I did. So, here I am now.
I'm not normally into the kind of spooky sci-fi adventure unless it's super-duper dumbed down and is like a minor side plot of an adventure. Yet, I found myself engrossed in Untouched more than anything I had read in a while. See, I tend to read books that are 90% romance and 10% something else. Rarely ever something that has romance as more of a side plot. So, I was interested in Untouched, to support a fellow author, but I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it.
I loved it. I was pleasantly surprised by the queer romance that was perfectly intertwined with the rest of the plot, and the descriptions throughout the book of the setting. I understood most of what was being said by the characters, even while it wasn't dumbed down to the extreme, and didn't feel lost at any point.
I cannot wait for the next book by Jayme Bean, whatever it is, I'm sure I'll enjoy it.
I'm not normally into the kind of spooky sci-fi adventure unless it's super-duper dumbed down and is like a minor side plot of an adventure. Yet, I found myself engrossed in Untouched more than anything I had read in a while. See, I tend to read books that are 90% romance and 10% something else. Rarely ever something that has romance as more of a side plot. So, I was interested in Untouched, to support a fellow author, but I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it.
I loved it. I was pleasantly surprised by the queer romance that was perfectly intertwined with the rest of the plot, and the descriptions throughout the book of the setting. I understood most of what was being said by the characters, even while it wasn't dumbed down to the extreme, and didn't feel lost at any point.
I cannot wait for the next book by Jayme Bean, whatever it is, I'm sure I'll enjoy it.
astridkwrites's review
5.0
Absolutely stunning book! Queer rep, strong platonic bonds, attacking plants. What’s not to love?
celly's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Fun and engaging