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jessdone's review against another edition
2.0
I struggled with this book, but I think it may be a wonderful read for YA.
Problems I had right off the bat:
-Why is a teenager so integrated into a presidential campaign when she is not the daughter of the president? Yes we've seen single voices emerge during campaigns and help spread a presidential image, any yeah I can see this being a kid, but these people don't move to Washington with the president. They don't become part of the administration. This element of the book is never explained and as an adult, I needed a lot of explanation around why this is happening and not viewed as really odd. I think a teen might have gone along with this though.
-Why are all the kids so politically active? There should be a lot more kids who are really into fashion or the arts or tech or sports. Most of these kids acted like adults and that was really off putting for me, though it may again play well for teens.
-I hated the split perspective of the story. I would prefer if the story was all from Marguerite's perspective and we had her slowly uncovering information. As it stands, the split perspective forced us to hear the same information twice anyway in a lot of places.
-I hate Percy. This loops back to how the kids don't act like children. Percy is far and away the worst offender. Even with training, I don't buy his ability to be an ultra super agent. I don't like how he runs around his aunt and how he's ahead of everyone else in the book. This is supposed to be a book about Marguerite, but it's really a book about Percy, which is not what I signed up for.
-While I realize there are connections to "The Scarlet Pimpernel" I didn't care for how a lot of the political intrigue went down. I felt like there are heavy handed parallels between the current climate and the book that are too close to be coincidental and then go no where.
As always, Sarah Fine has really beautiful writing. The work is fluid and easy to read.
Sarah Fine also built an interesting world. I'd read more stories in this new technology torn world. There isn't a lot that's super new, but there is plenty fit together in a compelling way.
Unlike the "Reliquary" series, "Beneath the Shine" doesn't have any ideas that are offensive at face value. It has some sexism from my perspective because Fine again writes in a Superhero male character who is almost all knowing, is all powerful, and effectively able to control everyone and everything. His benevolence alone protects the world and ugh, that's gross, but not damaging. I wouldn't personally recommend this book, but there's not harm to younger audiences (or adult audiences I just don't think there's anything here for them) if they pick it up.
Problems I had right off the bat:
-Why is a teenager so integrated into a presidential campaign when she is not the daughter of the president? Yes we've seen single voices emerge during campaigns and help spread a presidential image, any yeah I can see this being a kid, but these people don't move to Washington with the president. They don't become part of the administration. This element of the book is never explained and as an adult, I needed a lot of explanation around why this is happening and not viewed as really odd. I think a teen might have gone along with this though.
-Why are all the kids so politically active? There should be a lot more kids who are really into fashion or the arts or tech or sports. Most of these kids acted like adults and that was really off putting for me, though it may again play well for teens.
-I hated the split perspective of the story. I would prefer if the story was all from Marguerite's perspective and we had her slowly uncovering information. As it stands, the split perspective forced us to hear the same information twice anyway in a lot of places.
-I hate Percy. This loops back to how the kids don't act like children. Percy is far and away the worst offender. Even with training, I don't buy his ability to be an ultra super agent. I don't like how he runs around his aunt and how he's ahead of everyone else in the book. This is supposed to be a book about Marguerite, but it's really a book about Percy, which is not what I signed up for.
-While I realize there are connections to "The Scarlet Pimpernel" I didn't care for how a lot of the political intrigue went down. I felt like there are heavy handed parallels between the current climate and the book that are too close to be coincidental and then go no where.
As always, Sarah Fine has really beautiful writing. The work is fluid and easy to read.
Sarah Fine also built an interesting world. I'd read more stories in this new technology torn world. There isn't a lot that's super new, but there is plenty fit together in a compelling way.
Unlike the "Reliquary" series, "Beneath the Shine" doesn't have any ideas that are offensive at face value. It has some sexism from my perspective because Fine again writes in a Superhero male character who is almost all knowing, is all powerful, and effectively able to control everyone and everything. His benevolence alone protects the world and ugh, that's gross, but not damaging. I wouldn't personally recommend this book, but there's not harm to younger audiences (or adult audiences I just don't think there's anything here for them) if they pick it up.
pantsreads's review against another edition
3.0
Quick, exciting—if not too deep—read. I would have liked it to focus more on Percy rather than Marguerite, and perhaps dive deeper into the issues explored in the book, but it was an entertaining read, nonetheless.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
jenbsbooks's review
4.0
I've enjoyed this author, and just recently read "Uncanny" and liked it. While this isn't listed as a sequel, or even in a series (both appear to be stand-alone books) they are absolutely in the same futuristic setting. Cannies (robots/AI, and Cerepin ... a tech brain implant, etc) are the norm. Whereas "Uncanny" (I appreciated it's clever title more than "Beneath the Shine" ... not sure of the meaning there?) was a bit of a murder mystery, this was a more involved plot, and a retelling of the Scarlet Pimpernel. I did see that little note as I skimmed some reviews, but it was SO obviously based on that (down to the names of the main characters, as well as some major plot points) that I'm sure I would have recognized it on my own, even though I'm not super familiar with the original story (I have seen the play). It was fun to see the story in this futuristic setting ... Percy still being the fop, known for his vids about makeup and clothing. Interesting ideas about politics and technology. Enjoyable read. Listened to the audio edition - male and female narrators for the alternating Percy/Marguerite chapters.
emersonernest's review against another edition
4.0
I expected a YA hunger games like novel. I got more than I expected. Sure, there were some themes in there that you find in YA dystopian fiction that are fun, but I found something else. A deep theme on the nature of technology and humanity that reminds me of Asimov's I, Robot and Herbert's Dune. Good and Evil are not easy labels to stick clearly on everything and everyone in reality or fiction.
Beneath the Shine deals with many issues we're facing today, many choices we all have to make, plus it was a fun read.
Just so you know if you're reading this I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. Which is awesome. They totally don't require reviews. I'm definitely going to promote this author because I love action packed thought provoking futuristic novels starring strong women. I think I need a goodreads shelf with that title..
Beneath the Shine deals with many issues we're facing today, many choices we all have to make, plus it was a fun read.
Just so you know if you're reading this I received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. Which is awesome. They totally don't require reviews. I'm definitely going to promote this author because I love action packed thought provoking futuristic novels starring strong women. I think I need a goodreads shelf with that title..
foreveryoungadult's review against another edition
Graded By: Mandy C.
Cover Story: Beneath … the Shine
BFF Charms: Eventually, With Benefits
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: Politechs
Bonus Factor: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Factor: Politics
Anti-Bonus Factor: Needs a Glossary
Relationship Status: Concerned Constituent
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Beneath … the Shine
BFF Charms: Eventually, With Benefits
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: Politechs
Bonus Factor: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Factor: Politics
Anti-Bonus Factor: Needs a Glossary
Relationship Status: Concerned Constituent
Read the full book report here.
hspaulds's review against another edition
3.0
Beneath The Shine
Overall this was a pretty interesting book with some great parallels to modern politics (though, I must admit, I thought it was going to go somewhere with this that it didn't and that was a bit disappointing). One detail I really liked was how the main male character was really into makeup and this was largely treated as not weird? It makes sense, since it's set in the future. Anyways, a good read that I'm glad I checked out
Overall this was a pretty interesting book with some great parallels to modern politics (though, I must admit, I thought it was going to go somewhere with this that it didn't and that was a bit disappointing). One detail I really liked was how the main male character was really into makeup and this was largely treated as not weird? It makes sense, since it's set in the future. Anyways, a good read that I'm glad I checked out
melbsreads's review against another edition
4.0
Trigger warnings: death of a parent, death of a friend, psychological manipulation, torture, suicide.
3.5 stars.
You guys probably know by now that I am 100% trash for The Scarlet Pimpernel. So when I found out that there was a YA dystopian retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel, I was instantly sold.
And as far as retellings go, this one was solid. Percy was captured pretty freaking accurately, and while Marguerite is a very different character from the original, I thoroughly enjoyed the changes to her side of things.
As far as a dystopian goes, it took me a while to wrap my head around the idea of technocrats and honestly, through until the end I wasn't quite sure why everyone was so freaking excited to have technology installed right into their brains. But the villains were pretty creepy (in a slightly one dimensional fashion), and the Percy-smuggling-people-out side of things worked well. I do wish it had come along a little sooner in the story though.
So ultimately, I don't think it will come close to touching the place that the original story has in my heart. But as a retelling, it was surprisingly decent!
3.5 stars.
You guys probably know by now that I am 100% trash for The Scarlet Pimpernel. So when I found out that there was a YA dystopian retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel, I was instantly sold.
And as far as retellings go, this one was solid. Percy was captured pretty freaking accurately, and while Marguerite is a very different character from the original, I thoroughly enjoyed the changes to her side of things.
As far as a dystopian goes, it took me a while to wrap my head around the idea of technocrats and honestly, through until the end I wasn't quite sure why everyone was so freaking excited to have technology installed right into their brains. But the villains were pretty creepy (in a slightly one dimensional fashion), and the Percy-smuggling-people-out side of things worked well. I do wish it had come along a little sooner in the story though.
So ultimately, I don't think it will come close to touching the place that the original story has in my heart. But as a retelling, it was surprisingly decent!
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