Saturday, April 02, 2011

Review: Possession by Elana Johnson

Goodreads Summary: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn ... and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself. But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them ... starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous - everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn. This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Set in a vivid and well-developed dystopian world, Elana Johnson’s Possession is a great debut with a huge dose of action along with romance and some paranormal elements, involving a satisfying cast of characters.

The protagonist is Violet (aka Vi), a smart and snarky character who you can’t help but fall in love with. She continually questions things and refuses to be told what to do. Vi’s love for breaking rules has led her to being convicted several times – seven, to be exact. When Vi is arrested for being out with Zenn, her match, and meets Jag, the bad boy with wicked hair, in prison, you just know there’s going to be a love triangle. It’s hard to pick a side for this love triangle though because Johnson has made both Jag and Zenn complex characters. They each have their secrets and just when you start rooting for one, you find out something that will change your mind and have you cheering for the other.

Despite liking the romance between Jag and Vi, I found that it developed a little too quickly; especially considering how much Vi cared for Zenn. However, Jag and Vi were sharing the same prison cell so I suppose living in close quarters is a reasonable explanation for the swift romance.

I also found that the plot was a little too fast-paced. In Possession, Jag and Vi always seemed to be on the run and in danger of being captured, leaving little time for the reader to process what was happening with them and to figure out which of the people they meet they should trust.

The ending though was incredible and made up for the frenetic pace of the novel. There’s no blatant cliffhanger but it does leave things open-ended, which means I’m crossing my fingers for a sequel.  

Possession will be released by Simon and Schuster on June 7, 2011.
                                       
Comments About the Cover: I love the pretty cover, and the blue butterfly really stands out against the white background. The butterfly trapped in ice also symbolizes the world that Johnson has created because people are unable to become free and exert their own will.

In exchange for an honest review, this ARC was received from the publisher (Simon and Schuster) for free via Galley Grab.

7 comments:

  1. Possession reminds me of Matched, but still, I want it.

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  2. Ooh, I can't wait till I read this. It's been at the top of my list since I heard about it. Fantastic review.

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  3. Great review! Now I really want to read this. I was unsure but your review makes it sound like my kind of read.

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  4. It seems like it's an important balance that the author needs to maintain between having a plot that is too slow paced and too fast paced. I think I still really want to read this one despite the flaws that you mention. Looking forward to it!

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  5. This sounds like a dystopian I can get behind. I like the way you describe the main character. She sounds so much better than the mopey and scared character that's in a lot of dystopians lately. I also like fast-paced books.

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  6. I am definitely crossing my fingers for a sequel as well. I cheated and read the end first and about cried and then ran to my computer to drum up any information I could on a potential sequel. I even wrote Elana and got a "maybe" which, for my own sanity, I'm interpreting as a yes whether or not that's actually the case:)

    I thought the book had a crazy frenetic pace as well and I think that's part of why I got confused sometimes, but I loved Vi and Jag:) Nice review Zahida!

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  7. Love the review! This book sounds a bit like Matched, though with match thingy. I'm trying to avoid love triangles as much as possible because they're too much to handle, for me that is. But anyway, this still has a rather interesting premise. :)

    Chel @ The Procrastinator's Corner

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