Katy's Reviews > Open Minds

Hmmm… I'm not sure what to make of this book. It's not that the writing was bad because it wasn't, but it's so psychologically and mentally disturbing that I'm just stunned, I guess. So I'm not sure I can fairly judge whether I like the book or not. So the following review is merely one or the merits and weakness of the book and not whether or not I actually enjoyed the story.

Overall, I think it was a very creatively written story, and I'm impressed that Quinn has created such a world. However, since the concept is so different, there is a LOT that Quinn has to explain, and I ended up having SO many questions.

PRAISE

The whole concept is truly unique. Who would have thought to make the freaks the normals and the normals the freaks? I was impressed not only by Quinn's creation of the "normal" world but also the secret world with the Clan, the FBI and the concentration camps. And Quinn's genetic explanation (in chapter 32) was well-thought out and well planned. I just wish it was explained sooner.

I'm not sure if I'm alone in this, but I actual like Simon.Yes, he was a little suspicious at first, especially since he was so pushy that you just KNEW he had some sort of hidden agenda. But I honestly think he cares about Kira. I don't think that I got enough of Raf to like him other than he's been her friend since forever and he cares about her whether she's different or not.

CRITICISM

I thought it took a long time for Quinn to explain a lot of things - if she explained it at all. Like it took forever for me to find out what Kira's dad involvement in the whole thing was, as well as the explanation for the jacker gene. So the double dose is what makes her so powerful and different?

I still don't understand a lot about the word Quinn has created. I'm still not sure how Simon found out Kira was a jacker. I think the book had said something about him reaching into her mind and hitting a wall? Or was it because she had glared at him and forced the thought daring him to try and pick on her that day? How did he realize that was mindjacking and not her being a changeling and sending him a message? I thought when people mindjack, their victims don't really detect it? Or is it because mindjackers recognize the different feeling and the readers are unsuspecting because they just don't know it's possible?

So in conclusion, there's no such thing as a zero? They are either before a changeling, a reader or a mind jacker? And a zero is just a mind jacker who hasn't discovered their power? Or are there still actual true zeroes walking around?

OVERALL

Like I said earlier, I think the book's strength and its weakness is its originality because if you don't take the time to thoroughly explain your world, and it's so unique that readers don't fill in the holes with general stereotypes and assumptions of those types of books, you're going to leave a lot of questions hanging.