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booksandbosox's review
3.0
I feel like I've read a lot of books with main characters who have some type of memory loss recently. More likely, I just read a couple close together so it feels like a lot. Regardless, this is slightly different, as it takes place in a future version of America and it's clear that something has been done to Emma's memory, though we're not sure why at first. I got invested in the story early on, though I felt it meandered quite a bit (and seemed to luxuriate in spending quite a few scenes devoted to sexytimes). What I am most interested in and what I imagine the second book will tell me more about is the world that Emma finds herself in. How exactly did it get to be this way? What's being done to change it? Though I like Emma as a character, I don't find myself particularly interested in the love story, which is a bit disappointing. That being said, I'll likely be back for the second book, which is due this summer.
tdeshler's review
3.0
I spent most of the book wondering who the woman in Emma's head was. When I finally found out, I wasn't completely satisfied. In the end, however, the story held my interest pretty well. I'll probably check out the second book in the series.
whatsheread's review
5.0
Archetype is the rare debut novel that stuns readers with its remarkable text, outstanding characters, and riveting story line. From the minute Emma regains consciousness, one knows that her story is not going to be standard amnesiac fare. As her inner voice warns her against unknown and unseen dangers, the mysteries pile up but at no point in time do they feel trite or contrived. The story remains fresh and exciting and unlike anything previously written.
In many ways, Emma’s confusion mirrors a reader’s own. Everything about the story is seen through Emma’s eyes and filtered through her thought processes. The only advantage readers have over Emma is in figuring out contextual clues because readers understand the body language and other nuances that enrich human interaction. However, individual details about the world in which Emma awakens is different enough for readers to be able to empathize with Emma’s frantic search for comprehension and answers to her internalized doubts.
The answers Emma eventually discovers remove the shades of gray that previously existed within the story. The conflicts tearing Emma apart and forcing her into making choices without seeing the full picture suddenly fall away, revealing a tightly-written, fully-realized world of which the reader, and Emma, have only seen glimpses. This very narrow focus sets the stage for the finale in this two-part series. It also serves the purpose of allowing the story to focus on Emma and her recovering memories while keeping the need for world-building to a minimum.
One would never know Archetype is M.D. Waters’ debut novel. There is a maturity in the writing and depth to the characters not typically seen in long-time authors, let alone first-time ones. This thoroughly engrossing story is slightly dystopian, slightly romance, a lot of science fiction, and 100-percent edge-of-your-seat thriller. Emma’s explosive discoveries leave readers gaping with shock and more than a little anxious for the conclusion to this amazing novel.
In many ways, Emma’s confusion mirrors a reader’s own. Everything about the story is seen through Emma’s eyes and filtered through her thought processes. The only advantage readers have over Emma is in figuring out contextual clues because readers understand the body language and other nuances that enrich human interaction. However, individual details about the world in which Emma awakens is different enough for readers to be able to empathize with Emma’s frantic search for comprehension and answers to her internalized doubts.
The answers Emma eventually discovers remove the shades of gray that previously existed within the story. The conflicts tearing Emma apart and forcing her into making choices without seeing the full picture suddenly fall away, revealing a tightly-written, fully-realized world of which the reader, and Emma, have only seen glimpses. This very narrow focus sets the stage for the finale in this two-part series. It also serves the purpose of allowing the story to focus on Emma and her recovering memories while keeping the need for world-building to a minimum.
One would never know Archetype is M.D. Waters’ debut novel. There is a maturity in the writing and depth to the characters not typically seen in long-time authors, let alone first-time ones. This thoroughly engrossing story is slightly dystopian, slightly romance, a lot of science fiction, and 100-percent edge-of-your-seat thriller. Emma’s explosive discoveries leave readers gaping with shock and more than a little anxious for the conclusion to this amazing novel.
8little_paws's review
4.0
Like most dystopian fiction, if you think too much about the plot or the setting, unanswerable questions will present themselves to you. So! don't think too hard, just curl up in bed or by the fire and enjoy the ride. the story is fun and entertaining and I look forward to reading the sequel soon.
katlynduncan's review
5.0
Archetype started off a bit slow for me since Ms. Waters let the reader know just as much as Emma did. But the need to know more kept me going. At about 50% I could not put it down. One of the best books I've read in a while. Can't wait for book 2!
erikachung182's review
3.0
***REAL SCORE 3.5/5***
I received an advanced reader’s copy (ARC) of Archetype from Penguin Canada for consideration of an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions of the book.
Summary:
Set in a futuristic America, where there is a pandemic of infertility and the country has split into two because of a civil war, Archetype is the story of twenty-six year old Emma. Emma wakes in hospital without recollection of what has happened to her and no memory of her past. Her doctor, Doctor Travista, and her husband Declan inform her, that she had suffered a horrible accident, in which she almost died. Having no past memories to call upon, Emma believes what her husband tells her. Ultimately, she finds herself to be in love with Declan, and when he brings up the subject of having children, Emma sees no reason for not having a family. However, as time goes on Emma beings to have flashback and dreams of what she feels like was another life. These flashbacks and dreams contradict what her husband has been telling her, and thus she beings to question the motives of her husband. Emma begins to draw her own conclusions of what her “accident” may have been when the people she sees in her dreams and flashback being to appear in her reality. Most particular is the man Noah, whom in her dreams and flashbacks feels an attraction to.
My Thoughts – Great parts:
I absolutely loved M.D.Water’s writing! I found her writing style to be poetic and beautiful, especially in her descriptions about being conscious and unconscious. Another aspect of Archetype that I really enjoyed was the plot twists! I like to predict what is going to happen next when I read, or watch a movie, and I certainly did not see what was coming n the later part of the book! I did not see the twists coming, because the first half of the book was a bit slow and typical in the plot progression. However, when I got to the halfway mark of the book, that was when it started to really pick up. As each secret is pulled back, the tension builds and we witness how Emma begins to come into her own individual. And finally, oddly enough I really enjoyed the dynamic the love triangle in Archetype. I usually dislike love triangles, but in Emma’s situation it added an interesting dynamic to the interactions between the characters. I found the love triangle to be balanced and justified in this plot. Definitely, the plot twists and the fast pace progression in the second half of the book is what makes Archetype such an additive and fun read.
Disappointing parts:
The use of flashbacks and dream sequences is an aspect of Archetype that initially threw me off. In the past, I have never found the use of flashbacks and dream sequences in narratives to be a bother for me, but at the start of Archetype I found the use of them to be jolting. Jolting in that, a sense of time (recent past or far past) is not definitively established between dream sequences or flashbacks. However, as the story goes on the flashbacks and dream sequences become more consistent in establishing a sense of time. A second disappointment is the lack of world building. While the basics of Emma’s world are established and laid out, I found that I still wanted to know more of the dystopian world she was living in. I wanted to know of the politics and how that tied into the great plot situation. And lastly, character development was also lacking. I had no issue with Emma’s character development, however other characters in Archetype were not as developed, and therefore fell flat. More precisely, it was the lack of dynamic of personality of the supporting characters that caused me to not care as much for them. How supporting characters are introduced is mainly how the remain for the majority of the book.
Final thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed Archetype because of the creativity in how the story was planned and execute. The plot twists were amazing. Despite of the issues I found with the book, I think it is meant to set up the framework for the sequel, Prototype. The cliffhanger and suspense that is left behind has made me invested into finding out what happens in the next. This is M.D.Water’s debut novel and I think it a great debut! While Archetype may start off like in a typical love story fashion, it quickly becomes edgy and suspenseful.
I received an advanced reader’s copy (ARC) of Archetype from Penguin Canada for consideration of an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions of the book.
Summary:
Set in a futuristic America, where there is a pandemic of infertility and the country has split into two because of a civil war, Archetype is the story of twenty-six year old Emma. Emma wakes in hospital without recollection of what has happened to her and no memory of her past. Her doctor, Doctor Travista, and her husband Declan inform her, that she had suffered a horrible accident, in which she almost died. Having no past memories to call upon, Emma believes what her husband tells her. Ultimately, she finds herself to be in love with Declan, and when he brings up the subject of having children, Emma sees no reason for not having a family. However, as time goes on Emma beings to have flashback and dreams of what she feels like was another life. These flashbacks and dreams contradict what her husband has been telling her, and thus she beings to question the motives of her husband. Emma begins to draw her own conclusions of what her “accident” may have been when the people she sees in her dreams and flashback being to appear in her reality. Most particular is the man Noah, whom in her dreams and flashbacks feels an attraction to.
My Thoughts – Great parts:
I absolutely loved M.D.Water’s writing! I found her writing style to be poetic and beautiful, especially in her descriptions about being conscious and unconscious. Another aspect of Archetype that I really enjoyed was the plot twists! I like to predict what is going to happen next when I read, or watch a movie, and I certainly did not see what was coming n the later part of the book! I did not see the twists coming, because the first half of the book was a bit slow and typical in the plot progression. However, when I got to the halfway mark of the book, that was when it started to really pick up. As each secret is pulled back, the tension builds and we witness how Emma begins to come into her own individual. And finally, oddly enough I really enjoyed the dynamic the love triangle in Archetype. I usually dislike love triangles, but in Emma’s situation it added an interesting dynamic to the interactions between the characters. I found the love triangle to be balanced and justified in this plot. Definitely, the plot twists and the fast pace progression in the second half of the book is what makes Archetype such an additive and fun read.
Disappointing parts:
The use of flashbacks and dream sequences is an aspect of Archetype that initially threw me off. In the past, I have never found the use of flashbacks and dream sequences in narratives to be a bother for me, but at the start of Archetype I found the use of them to be jolting. Jolting in that, a sense of time (recent past or far past) is not definitively established between dream sequences or flashbacks. However, as the story goes on the flashbacks and dream sequences become more consistent in establishing a sense of time. A second disappointment is the lack of world building. While the basics of Emma’s world are established and laid out, I found that I still wanted to know more of the dystopian world she was living in. I wanted to know of the politics and how that tied into the great plot situation. And lastly, character development was also lacking. I had no issue with Emma’s character development, however other characters in Archetype were not as developed, and therefore fell flat. More precisely, it was the lack of dynamic of personality of the supporting characters that caused me to not care as much for them. How supporting characters are introduced is mainly how the remain for the majority of the book.
Final thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed Archetype because of the creativity in how the story was planned and execute. The plot twists were amazing. Despite of the issues I found with the book, I think it is meant to set up the framework for the sequel, Prototype. The cliffhanger and suspense that is left behind has made me invested into finding out what happens in the next. This is M.D.Water’s debut novel and I think it a great debut! While Archetype may start off like in a typical love story fashion, it quickly becomes edgy and suspenseful.
audiblybooked's review
4.0
Archetype is a mix of several genres- sci-fi, dystopian, mystery, and most of all suspense. Nail biting, fist clenching, teeth grinding suspense. This author certainly draws it out too. Hints and clues and secrets, all of the answers so tantalizingly close but didn't quite get there until I was ready to chuck my Nook out a window. I'm so glad I didn't because the answers were well worth waiting for! Wow, what a twisty, turny, mind bending story!
Emma, the main character, wakes up one day in a hospital with absolutely no memories of who she or anyone else is. Declan is the man who says he is her husband, and he certainly behaves like he is, always treating her with care and kindness. While her days are spent getting reacquainted with her husband, her nights are often interrupted by nightmares of war and other disturbing images. She wonders if these are memories, and if so, they certainly don't fit what she's been told by her husband and doctor. Emma doesn't know who to trust, she's not even sure she can trust her own mind or the flashes of memories that she gets from time to time, or the voice in her head that warns her not to tell anyone anything.
From the beginning, I was very quickly hooked. Emma's voice is compelling, drawing the reader in so that I was as frustrated and confused as she was trying to figure out what was going on and why. Not to mention wondering how this dystopic society came to be. It was interesting learning things alongside Emma because since she remembered barely anything, not a lot of explanation was given for what brought the world to this point. That was one of the only negatives for me. I am left with so many unanswered questions!
It's easy to sympathize with Emma's character while at the same time become so frustrated with some of the decisions she makes. As far as romance, I'm not sure I would call it insta-love considering the situation, it was a bit uncomfortable since the whole time she (and I) had misgivings about whether or not Declan was genuine. Also, he was quite creepy, controlling, and stalkerish. And there is a bit of a love triangle, but it's quite twisted as well, so it's not the average love triangle that annoys me so much. The plot reminded me of a cross between Before I Go to Sleep and The Program but with much more suspense!
The secondary characters were very much in the background and it was more about Emma's thoughts about them and interaction with them than finding out enough about them to get a good grasp of who they are. But even though I would have liked more details with the characters and the world, I can't say that I'm at all disappointed with the book.
The audio narration by Khristine Hvam was well done. I admit, I was so immersed in the story, that I didn't pay close attention to how the narrator sounded, but I guess the fact that I was able to lose myself so completely says that the narration was solid.
I cannot wait until the next book in the series, Prototype, is available! This is a series I will DEFINITELY be continuing. The ending of Archetype wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, but I am still left wanting much more. I would highly recommend this to fans of sci-fi, suspense, and futuristic reads.
Emma, the main character, wakes up one day in a hospital with absolutely no memories of who she or anyone else is. Declan is the man who says he is her husband, and he certainly behaves like he is, always treating her with care and kindness. While her days are spent getting reacquainted with her husband, her nights are often interrupted by nightmares of war and other disturbing images. She wonders if these are memories, and if so, they certainly don't fit what she's been told by her husband and doctor. Emma doesn't know who to trust, she's not even sure she can trust her own mind or the flashes of memories that she gets from time to time, or the voice in her head that warns her not to tell anyone anything.
From the beginning, I was very quickly hooked. Emma's voice is compelling, drawing the reader in so that I was as frustrated and confused as she was trying to figure out what was going on and why. Not to mention wondering how this dystopic society came to be. It was interesting learning things alongside Emma because since she remembered barely anything, not a lot of explanation was given for what brought the world to this point. That was one of the only negatives for me. I am left with so many unanswered questions!
It's easy to sympathize with Emma's character while at the same time become so frustrated with some of the decisions she makes. As far as romance, I'm not sure I would call it insta-love considering the situation, it was a bit uncomfortable since the whole time she (and I) had misgivings about whether or not Declan was genuine. Also, he was quite creepy, controlling, and stalkerish. And there is a bit of a love triangle, but it's quite twisted as well, so it's not the average love triangle that annoys me so much. The plot reminded me of a cross between Before I Go to Sleep and The Program but with much more suspense!
The secondary characters were very much in the background and it was more about Emma's thoughts about them and interaction with them than finding out enough about them to get a good grasp of who they are. But even though I would have liked more details with the characters and the world, I can't say that I'm at all disappointed with the book.
The audio narration by Khristine Hvam was well done. I admit, I was so immersed in the story, that I didn't pay close attention to how the narrator sounded, but I guess the fact that I was able to lose myself so completely says that the narration was solid.
I cannot wait until the next book in the series, Prototype, is available! This is a series I will DEFINITELY be continuing. The ending of Archetype wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, but I am still left wanting much more. I would highly recommend this to fans of sci-fi, suspense, and futuristic reads.
abookishaffair's review
5.0
I was so excited about this book before I read it! I had heard really good things about this book. Now that I've read the book, I am just as excited but now I'm excited to tell you all about it. If you like sci-fi and dystopian books and you're looking for a really good story to get totally and utterly engrossed in, this is the book for you. Let me put it this way, I started it an afternoon after work and had to stay up late to finish it because I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. This is serious, guys.
Oh, there are so many twists and turns in this book and it definitely kept me on my toes. I love being surprised! I loved the world in the book. It's definitely not someplace that I would ever like to live. Ms. Waters really brought this world to life for me. The world Emma Burke is one where women are a hot commodity. There aren't enough women to go around so each woman is an incredibly precious resource and meant to be protected by their men. Infertility is a huge problem in this world. Only fertile women are allowed to be married. In this world, women go to camps as girls in order to learn to be good wives to their future husbands. It's a fascinating setting but also a little bit scary! Even though this is a fictional world, it is definitely a thought provoking one.
Emma knows she was in an accident. She isn't sure what happened but when she wakes up in a hospital, she's told that she will eventually be better but in the meantime, she has horrible nightmares about places that she isn't sure she's been before and people that she isn't sure whether or not she has met them before. The nightmares feel real and it isn't long before her waking life and her nightmares come crashing together in such an amazing way.
The writing in the book is good. The book is told from the point of view of Emma, which really brought me into the story. We get to see first hand what she is feeling and thinking and we're able to put together the pieces of what happened to her alongside her. She's a really good character and I am eagerly awaiting the companion book to this one, which will be out later in 2014, I believe.
I really need my own copy of this book as I know that it's one that I'm going to want to re-read, especially since I've been through all the twists and turns once. This book is truly a treat for sci-fi and dystopian fans and I fully recommend it.
Oh, there are so many twists and turns in this book and it definitely kept me on my toes. I love being surprised! I loved the world in the book. It's definitely not someplace that I would ever like to live. Ms. Waters really brought this world to life for me. The world Emma Burke is one where women are a hot commodity. There aren't enough women to go around so each woman is an incredibly precious resource and meant to be protected by their men. Infertility is a huge problem in this world. Only fertile women are allowed to be married. In this world, women go to camps as girls in order to learn to be good wives to their future husbands. It's a fascinating setting but also a little bit scary! Even though this is a fictional world, it is definitely a thought provoking one.
Emma knows she was in an accident. She isn't sure what happened but when she wakes up in a hospital, she's told that she will eventually be better but in the meantime, she has horrible nightmares about places that she isn't sure she's been before and people that she isn't sure whether or not she has met them before. The nightmares feel real and it isn't long before her waking life and her nightmares come crashing together in such an amazing way.
The writing in the book is good. The book is told from the point of view of Emma, which really brought me into the story. We get to see first hand what she is feeling and thinking and we're able to put together the pieces of what happened to her alongside her. She's a really good character and I am eagerly awaiting the companion book to this one, which will be out later in 2014, I believe.
I really need my own copy of this book as I know that it's one that I'm going to want to re-read, especially since I've been through all the twists and turns once. This book is truly a treat for sci-fi and dystopian fans and I fully recommend it.