This was an enjoyable look at the world of "cool". The focus of the story is a take on the idea of consumerism, advertising and why fashion (in all things) happens the way it does. It includes a bit of a mystery with some action adventure and reads quickly while leaving you with something to think about. Would be a great read for all teens to get them thinking about why they want the things they do and why they let others design their lives.
This was a great book! I liked the story line and the author has a good view on the world of consumernism.
I've read and enjoyed other books by Scott Westerfeld, so I was a bit surprised that I didn't care for this one. I read the book aloud to my 12 and 14 yr olds as an evening ritual and was glad I did so I could sensor the foul language from their ears. Why the author felt the need to add so much foul language is beyond me especially since the book is geared toward young people. The story was a bit difficult to follow for my kids, and the ending left them disappointed, but they did enjoy the factoids and historical trivia that was scattered throughout the book. It is an interesting concept, but fell flat in the delivery.
I enjoyed this book. It was not the best Scott Westerfeld I have read but the story was interesting and kept my attention. I enjoyed his take on the how cool trends are discovered and how it affects everyone.
It's an okay read, but not as strong as the Uglies series or Peeps.
It's a reflection on society as a whole - who starts a trend, where it goes next and how it gets there. This is an interesting plot - I like being philosophical, but some of the reasoning and thought processes in this book gave me a headache (like the paka-paka experienced in the story by the protagonists - red and blue lights designed to disorient).
The story itself had similar characteristics to the Uglies series (cool kids and their own cultures), but it wasn't very in-depth. There were also some facts shared (reminded me some of Peeps parasite descriptions, but nothing gross), so it seemed familiar. Maybe this is why it felt flat to me. I didn't feel a whole lot for the characters. We get glimpses, but they're shallow and I didn't "care" much for them. The ending came quickly and instead of feeling satisfied, I wondered if there was another book after this one to bring more closure.
Still, I like Westerfeld's work, so I'd read others.
It's a reflection on society as a whole - who starts a trend, where it goes next and how it gets there. This is an interesting plot - I like being philosophical, but some of the reasoning and thought processes in this book gave me a headache (like the paka-paka experienced in the story by the protagonists - red and blue lights designed to disorient).
The story itself had similar characteristics to the Uglies series (cool kids and their own cultures), but it wasn't very in-depth. There were also some facts shared (reminded me some of Peeps parasite descriptions, but nothing gross), so it seemed familiar. Maybe this is why it felt flat to me. I didn't feel a whole lot for the characters. We get glimpses, but they're shallow and I didn't "care" much for them. The ending came quickly and instead of feeling satisfied, I wondered if there was another book after this one to bring more closure.
Still, I like Westerfeld's work, so I'd read others.
