Awaken - Quickie review

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Awaken book one

Available now 

What's it about?

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her. 

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking. 

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

My review

Awaken is set in a very plausible future where everyone basically lives their live through their computers, rarely leaving the house when they don't need to. I felt it to be really believable, something I always find to be an important factor in books like these, if I can imagine the future as somewhere society might find itself in the future, I find it much easier to get into the book and ingratiate myself in the story.

Awaken opens up and explores a lot of questions about how we act as a society and how important computers are becoming in our lives. I really enjoyed this side of the book and it did make me think, I liked the characters too, they were interesting and I enjoyed their relationships. The rest of the book, however, fell a little flat for me, aside from a couple of car chases there just wasn't much action beyond that, it was a lot of talking and planning and at places, it kind of bored me so I'm not rushing for book two, I'll likely wait for the paperback but I do plan to read it and see where the story goes from here.

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