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librarianryan 's review for:
Lifel1k3
by Jay Kristoff
Jay Kristoff has done it again. He has put together a world beyond my imagination and made me think about things better left in the dark. This futuristic tale takes place after WW4.0 which I take to mean world war four. We don’t have a specific year (that I remember) in which the story takes place, but it is far enough in the future that androids and intelligent machines exist and live among us like normal people and objects. Another clue to the future is that nuclear winter is over, and the atmosphere is fried due to the lack of an ozone layer.
Eve is a big machine fighter. She builds them, and then batters them in the name of winning to survive and pay for gramps meds. Meds are important in this world as cancer is rampant. See the ozone thing above. At her first big battle in the book things go wrong. So wrong that it puts her life, and all her friends life's in jeopardy. Friend number one, and most important is Lemon Fresh. The human girl who reminds me so much of Kenzie Solo from Lost Girl. She is a sidekick, but a kick ass, smart mouth, do anything for her friends sidekick. She is also the oft needed comic relief. The you have Cricket. The robot, or mechanical that isn’t an android but isn't’ alive either. He’s short and porcupine headed, almost like a robotic Sonic the Hedgehog. He is programed to obey the rules of robotics created by Isaac Asimov in 1940. He is not only Eve’s protector, but her friend. Her maniacal dog is amazing, and partially real. Gramps is a grump, but a loveable one. And then there is Ezekiel. He is a true android. He is almost impossible to distinguish from human. And he will either the be savior, or the destroyer of Eve. Only time will tell.
This is a story of life and death. Eve does something that she shouldn’t be able to do. When she screams, she can stop mechanicals. Almost like a private EMP. Humans are not supposed to be able to do this. She is a Deviant and the consequences could be death. Ezekiel has been searching for Eve. It has to do with Gramps. But she doesn't exactly know. How does Gramps know this very unique android. LifeLike 3s are super rare. Super Rare. Yet something is there. Eve and her posse will set out to recuse Gramps, run from the Brotherhood, and possibility find the clues to eternal life.
What sets this book apart from others is that Jay doesn’t just consider the future as a one dimensional setting, but in all dimensions, including what modern slang would sound like. It can be hard to read at the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, the book moves slowly. He thinks about the setting as more than just a place, but as an actual character. How does it move, how did it get where it’s at? What happened to make it the way it was now. Anyone can write great characters with lots of depth, but Jay does it with every aspect of the book. Yes, there are holes in the world he has built, but I have a feeling those holes will be patched in the sequels.
There are so many things in this book to think about. It would make great discussions for teen book clubs. You have the idea of life. What is life? Is it living organisms? Is it conscious thought? Is it just existing? Are the 3 laws or robotics still a good practice? Would they really work in our modern world? What scientific breakthroughs are just too much and shouldn’t be messed with? So much to contemplate and talk about.
So it wouldn’t be a Kristoff book without some heartbreak, tears, and hearts skipping beats. The major twist I did not see coming and was like YES!!!!! And OMG!!!, and ??????!!!!!!!! but it works. The twist at the very end I saw coming a mile away. It just made sense. Especially knowing that the sequel is out in 2.5 months.
If you like punk science fiction, dystopia, etc, pick up this book. Then pick up the sequel, because you are probably going to want it. It’s a wild ride. But an enjoyable one.
#MountTBR
#Booked2019 Political intrigue
#LittenLoveBingo
#NancyDrewChallenge Number in the title
#BNFantasyChallenge Robots and AI
#KillYourTBR Author I have met
#SFFTBRChallenge - written by a strait white male author
Eve is a big machine fighter. She builds them, and then batters them in the name of winning to survive and pay for gramps meds. Meds are important in this world as cancer is rampant. See the ozone thing above. At her first big battle in the book things go wrong. So wrong that it puts her life, and all her friends life's in jeopardy. Friend number one, and most important is Lemon Fresh. The human girl who reminds me so much of Kenzie Solo from Lost Girl. She is a sidekick, but a kick ass, smart mouth, do anything for her friends sidekick. She is also the oft needed comic relief. The you have Cricket. The robot, or mechanical that isn’t an android but isn't’ alive either. He’s short and porcupine headed, almost like a robotic Sonic the Hedgehog. He is programed to obey the rules of robotics created by Isaac Asimov in 1940. He is not only Eve’s protector, but her friend. Her maniacal dog is amazing, and partially real. Gramps is a grump, but a loveable one. And then there is Ezekiel. He is a true android. He is almost impossible to distinguish from human. And he will either the be savior, or the destroyer of Eve. Only time will tell.
This is a story of life and death. Eve does something that she shouldn’t be able to do. When she screams, she can stop mechanicals. Almost like a private EMP. Humans are not supposed to be able to do this. She is a Deviant and the consequences could be death. Ezekiel has been searching for Eve. It has to do with Gramps. But she doesn't exactly know. How does Gramps know this very unique android. LifeLike 3s are super rare. Super Rare. Yet something is there. Eve and her posse will set out to recuse Gramps, run from the Brotherhood, and possibility find the clues to eternal life.
What sets this book apart from others is that Jay doesn’t just consider the future as a one dimensional setting, but in all dimensions, including what modern slang would sound like. It can be hard to read at the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, the book moves slowly. He thinks about the setting as more than just a place, but as an actual character. How does it move, how did it get where it’s at? What happened to make it the way it was now. Anyone can write great characters with lots of depth, but Jay does it with every aspect of the book. Yes, there are holes in the world he has built, but I have a feeling those holes will be patched in the sequels.
There are so many things in this book to think about. It would make great discussions for teen book clubs. You have the idea of life. What is life? Is it living organisms? Is it conscious thought? Is it just existing? Are the 3 laws or robotics still a good practice? Would they really work in our modern world? What scientific breakthroughs are just too much and shouldn’t be messed with? So much to contemplate and talk about.
So it wouldn’t be a Kristoff book without some heartbreak, tears, and hearts skipping beats. The major twist I did not see coming and was like YES!!!!! And OMG!!!, and ??????!!!!!!!! but it works. The twist at the very end I saw coming a mile away. It just made sense. Especially knowing that the sequel is out in 2.5 months.
If you like punk science fiction, dystopia, etc, pick up this book. Then pick up the sequel, because you are probably going to want it. It’s a wild ride. But an enjoyable one.
#MountTBR
#Booked2019 Political intrigue
#LittenLoveBingo
#NancyDrewChallenge Number in the title
#BNFantasyChallenge Robots and AI
#KillYourTBR Author I have met
#SFFTBRChallenge - written by a strait white male author