Slated

Slated #1

by Teri Terry

Kyla’s memory has been erased,
her personality wiped blank,
her memories lost for ever.

She’s been Slated.

The government claims she was a terrorist and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Fiction, Mystery

439 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2012

About the author

Teri has lived in France, Canada, Australia and England at more addresses than she can count, acquiring three degrees, a selection of passports and a silly name along the way. Past careers have included scientist, lawyer, optometrist, and, in England, various jobs in schools, libraries and an audiobook charity. The footpaths and canal ways of the Buckinghamshire Chilterns where she now lives inspired much of the setting of Slated. She hates broccoli, likes cats, and has finally worked out what she wants to do when she grows up.

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/TeriTerryAuthor
Notes from the Slushpile: group blog on writing for children http://notesfromtheslushpile.blogspot...

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Reviews

[Teri Terry]

sorry....I couldn't help myself. I wrote it, and I like it!
Hope that is OK :O)

[Emily May · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a certain weird formula in my head that I use when deciding on a book's rating, some of it's logical with checkboxes of things I like and don't like, but a lot of it is just on gut feeling. However it's done, goodreads is constantly worming its way into the back of my mind and, as I read, I have a general idea of the rating I want to give and it will creep up or down as the book progresses. Problems arise when I read a book that is a four star exciting read with great ideas, perfect pacing and some characters I like - except it is full of two star (or less) issues. That is Slated. If you're reading this review, I want you to take from it the knowledge that I really enjoyed this and, as YA dystopias go, it's pretty darn good. But you'll see why I lowered my rating and hopefully this will help you decide if the issues I had will be a hindrance to your enjoyment also.

I really like the ideas about control that Ms Terry presents, there's some element of this in most dystopian ficion but she actually brings in a few new ideas (to me, anyway). She brings in the idea of emotion control through use of a device called a 'Levo', these are sensors strapped to the slated person's wrist that force a black out if their mood levels get too low, the idea is to stop them being able to get into a state of anger or depression that would allow them to hurt themselves or others.

I also think this whole punishment vs rehabilitation debate is interesting - what if we could wipe the minds of serial killers, terrorists, child murderers and give them a second chance at life as an entirely new person? Because if you erase your memories and personality then you are no longer you, right? Most of all, I think it's good to get back to a dystopian world that has the potential to happen, a world that I could see forming over a political debate gone haywire. I wish we had been given more information about how the society formed, the details were introduced late and there's still much we don't know. [Please skip the rest of this paragraph if you want to be completely surprised as to how the dystopian society came about - but it won't affect your ability to enjoy the story.] However, I found the idea of a coalition government gone wrong quite fascinating, especially (this was probably the author's reason) seeing as Britain currently has such a government - made up of two very not compatible parties. The idea is that, with such opposing ideas, the two sides attempt to reconcile their differences but neither end up getting what they actually wanted.

Kyla has been slated. She is told this is because she was a criminal but the government showed mercy and gave her a second chance to be an asset to society. Now she must play by their rules because there are no more chances after this one, she must learn to fit in and not ask questions. But along the way she can't stop herself from questioning things, she isn't so accepting of the brusque answers she receives about those people who just disappear. She is plagued by strange dreams at night and desperately tries to piece together the puzzle of who she is before it's too late. This is dystopia as it was when I used to love it: plausible, frightening and rooted in moral dilemmas.

So, three stars, huh? Okay, here's why. Kyla is such a Mary Sue. She is that girl, we've all read about her, oh, let's say a million times. She's relatively plain (or thinks she is) but nice and intelligent. There's a strikingly beautiful girl called Tori who likes the same guy she does, but Tori is a bitch to Kyla (naturally) and is described as "bitter and twisted" and "not Ben's type". These hot but nasty girls can't compete with our Bella Swan wannabes. Tori is basically there to make our heroine look better, I'm certain of it, otherwise she's just a throwaway character. Kyla is also constantly doubting Ben's feelings for her and believes him to like Tori even after he expresses interest in her and she's already been told there's nothing going on between the two of them. To be fair, the romance doesn't swamp this story and it is merely a subplot - but it's still an annoying one.

Just a note on this subject of female characters: other than this, they get better as it goes along. At first I feared that Kyla was going to be the only likeable female in the book, but this isn't true and my favourite characters ended up being the women.

Another negative, though, is the sensing. This got on my nerves in The Scorch Trials, it's just one of those things that really annoys me above most other annoying issues. Kyla is always "sensing" things and "getting a feeling". Many times the plot is led in a certain direction because the MC just feels that it's right - this seems like a lazy way to tell a story to me. At one point, she gets a really bad feeling about certain things and decides talking about them is dangerous - then she talks about them with a guy she's just met because there's "just something about him" that tells her he's trustworthy. WHAT?? Would you really put yourself at risk - and she knows at this point what happens to those who don't play by the rules - just because you have a gut feeling about someone? Would you take that chance when there's actually no reason for you to tell them? I know I wouldn't.

Conclusion? This is a good dystopia with a not great heroine who does a few things that don't make sense to me. If you're interested in the political aspect of dystopian fiction and can overlook other matters, then I would highly recommend Slated to you.

[Lindsay Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up SLATED, other than the fact that the cover and synopsis sucked me right in. But I can say this, to those who just skim through reviews, or to those who just want proof that this is one of my favorite books I've read in a long while: I don't want to remember what reading was like before I read SLATED. It is everything I have been looking for in a book: suspense, mind-bending mystery, romance, and just the right amount of science fiction to appeal to those who aren't typical fans of the genre.

Characters:
SLATED is about Kyla, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been given a second chance at life once she has had her memory wiped by the government. Slateds must wear a device called a Levo, which helps monitor their moods. It keeps them from being able to feel things that every human has the right to feel, and that is a wonderful creepy twist.
I loved Kyla. The best kind of character is one that a person can relate to, and the author painted the perfect picture in my mind of who this girl was and grew to be. Kyla is thrown into the world as a child would be. She is unsure of her surroundings, completely new to everything around her. Without her memories, she has to discover everything again for the first time. She becomes strong in the silent, gradual sense. She is scared of standing out in a world where everything has to be "just so," yet somehow, she does it every day. It was so cool to see her slowly figuring out how things worked, in the same sense that a toddler would. But she is smarter. Stronger, and has strange breakthroughs that leave the reader begging for more pages. I was up late at night just to see how Kyla would take the things that happened to her.
The other characters, like her Mum and Dad and sister Amy (who was also Slated), were always changing sides on me, and for some reason, I loved that. I couldn't figure out who to trust. Who to believe. They kept me on my toes while reading, and I found myself flipping through the pages as fast as I could to get to the next chapter.
Which brings me to Ben. Oh, Ben, with your steamy eyes and your sexy runner's physique. What I would give to be with you. LOL. His character is the most wonderful compliment to Kyla's. Together, they are up against the world, and that makes the romance so much more desirable for the reader.
Plot:
SLATED is one of those books that takes you for a wild ride, then spits you out at the end and leaves you breathless, and few other books can compare.
There is so much mystery to this one. So much suspense and while readers may look at this book as purely Dystopian, it is so much more than that. It will appeal to readers of every genre, even those who like steamy romance.
SLATED is very big-brothery in the sense that the Slateds don't have the freedom to do as they please. It seems there are always eyes watching them.
There were so many moments where I found myself feeling like I was Kyla, desperate to understand the hold that the government had on the world. People are disappearing. People are scared of the authorities, and best of all, I think people in this book are scared of their own power to make a difference. It was scary, because it felt so real. And it very well could become real. That's the best kind of fiction.

Basically, I don't know how I'll last until book 2 comes out. I almost wish I could be Slated, just so I could read this book again and re-experience it all for the first time. That's how awesome it was. The mystery...the relationship between Kyla and Ben, the gorgeously descriptive writing, and the awesome ending. Oh, Lord, the ending...don't even get me started on that. This is quite a big book, and don't think that you'll discover what's really going to happen by the time the last few pages roll around. Because you won't. The ending has a heart-wrenching, amazingly shocking twist, and that's another reason I love it. I think SLATED is going to help pave the way for a new brand of YA Science Fiction, and I'm proud to be a fan of it from the start. You want to read this book. I'll say it again. YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK.

[Tomoe Hotaru · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for covers, and I applaud this one for fooling me so successfully . The book blurb made it sound even more promising. I like mysteries; I like a book that is able to make me wonder and guess at hidden secrets. Being a YA novel, I was not expecting Slated to be mindblowingly intricate, but I did expect it to have some sort of puzzle to solve.

The depth of the puzzle was, unfortunately, very disappointing.

As the book description states; Kyla's memory has been erased - slated, is the term used in this dystopian England. It's a process the government uses on people below the age of sixteen, who are guilty of heinous crimes, most commonly terrorism.

So we can assume that Kyla is a terrorist, although Slateds are never told what their actual crime was.

The book surprised me early on in the first chapter, by taking a complete different dive than what I had anticipated. See, Kyla - as all other Slateds - are put up for adoption. So the story officially begins with her moving in with her new family, Mr and Mrs Davis, and their other Slated daughter, Amy.
I don't know what I was expecting - perhaps a girl waking up in the middle of the forest, with no memory of who she was, is a bit too cliché; but to be completely honest, it would've made a much more intriguing tale than a story of a girl being put up for adoption.

The "puzzle" that Kyla must solve throughout the course of this book was a little bit of a let down for me .

It starts off with nightmares. Kyla has vivid dreams that affects her Levo - a wristwatch-like device, except instead of being strapped around your wrist, it is embed into a Slated's arm, and instead of showing the time, it shows the person's "level". This, I gathered throughout the novel, is some sort of reflection of the individual's psychological/emotional state; negative moods would lower the levels of your Levo, and if reaching below a certain 'level', the Levo will promptly cause the individual to pass out. The idea behind this is to prevent them from, say, becoming too angry and killing someone as an indirect result of their rage.

Painfully obvious, these dreams haunting Kyla seem to be some remnants of her memory. But how could that be? A Slated never has any scraps of memory left. Enter first puzzle.

Our second mystery is revealed once we notice - which, for me, happened long before Kyla herself realized it - that the Levo was not affecting Kyla as it should. Namely, that whenever she becomes angry or particularly violent, it doesn't knock her out.

Now, although the dreams and Kyla's past identity are revealed by the end of the novel, the real questions were not. What were her crimes? What was she? Why wasn't the Levo affecting her the way it should?

There were brief speculations of why scraps of her memory were left intact, but this was neither confirmed nor denied. Perhaps this will be investigated further in the next books, but I myself am not interested in following them.

The lack of an engaging mystery was the first disappointment, but that alone would've made it worth about three stars for me. What prompted me to further lower my rating was the execution of an already, in my opinion, poor plot .

Kyla is not what I would call an interesting character. Her voice is so monotone. Memory loss does not cause robotic-like behaviour. It may cause things such as depression - which would perhaps explain a monotone character, but Kyla was not depressed.
So, my conclusion? Kyla is simply a boring character with or without being Slated. Hearing - reading - everything from her POV grew tiring after a few pages.

I won't dwell much on things such as credibility of the entire memory-wiping, or even emotion-controlling-Levo thing. I mean, I assume the Levo works by somehow calculating the amount of specific brain activity and hormones associated to certain emotions. But even this is faulty; the lateral region of the orbitofrontal cortex, along with increased secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine, for instance, are heavily associated with anger. However, the same also applies during an individual's inhibition of physical pain. The ability of a machine to distinguish which instance is which, is highly suspect.
I could go on, but I'm willing to suspend my disbelief in this particular issue.

What I was not so lax on, was the entire concept of Slating. It was meant as a way to give criminals a second chance - to help them move on from their crimes and start from zero. How very noble.
However, the idea that it is only available for people below the age of sixteen is astounding. After all, how many ten-year-olds do you know goes around blowing up buildings? Actively engages in acts of terrorism?

If there are ten year-olds committing heinous crimes such as drug-dealing, bombing, you can bet your panties that it is something organized and planned, and these children - much akin to prostitution and child labour - are victims themselves.

Also, mobile phones are forbidden for people below the age of 21, to prevent them from organizing get-togethers (and, in extension, to stop them from organizing crimes). But really, how many people under twenty-one are busy plotting to overthrow the government? At sixteen, most people are too busy swooning over the hot cheerleader or checking out that dude's abs.

I guess it can be argued that this is exactly why it's a dystopian world. I mean, Slating under false pretenses is a common suspicion found throughout the novel.

But if it is the way the government controls the people, then why only children under sixteen? You figure, keep them oppressed young enough, they'll forget all their anti-government suspicions by the time they reach 21, and grow up into model, government-fearing citizens.

You see, if you sit down and think about it, it begins to make sense. But while reading the novel, the experience was so juvenile and tripe that it didn't make sense. I was frustrated by the simplicity of the narration, the simplicity of all the characters; they did not give me any insights on this dystopian world they lived in.

What was given to us, in terms of worldbuilding, was very detached from emotion - as was the rest of the novel. Terrorist groups vs the government. That is basically it. We are yet to find out what they're warring over (I suspect this will be explained in the next books).

There was too much tell and too little (if any) show . Dry, monotone conversations happen entirely throughout the book. I sensed no emotion from anything. Perhaps Amy was the one character who exhibited emotions, albeit in a typical, "bubbly" kind of way, which grated on my nerves.

"First of all, why were you up?"
I shrug. "I couldn't sleep."
He stirs his tea, seems about to ask something else, then shakes his head slightly.
"I see. Second question: why did you come downstairs?"
"I was looking for Sebastian."
He seems to consider this answer, then nods.
"Third: why were you so scared when I turned on the light." He says it like a statement, not a question; one that he is trying to figure out.
"I don't know. You startled me," I answer, truthfully. Though maybe it had something to do with my dream: when I'm dazzled by the light, and can't see who it is, and ...
"Speak what you just thought," he says, and I jump. (...)

Conversations such as these - when one character somehow knows that the MC is hiding something - makes no sense to me. She went downstairs. Why the fuck is that a problem? Maybe she wanted a fucking drink.

As you can tell, my mouth gets dirty when I'm frustrated.

Character consistency was also a problem for me. Kyla's Slater love-interest wanted to do something particularly dangerous. She was vehemently against this, even coming to his place to stop him. But when she gets there, instead of stepping her foot down and making him stop, she tells him instead why his methods won't work, and how to do it the right way.

One last thing, which I've read in almost all YA books of late that I've almost completely took it for granted - is your typical girl-on-girl hate .

"Want to meet up with us on Sunday?" Ben looks at me, his arm still across Tori's shoulders. "We're going to the county show."
Tori looks both surprised and annoyed.


"Your concern is touching," I say.
Surprise crosses his face, and he laughs. "Ha! You're all right. Let's see what you can do, eh?"
A few of the girls look less than pleased.


"Kyla? Wait. I want a word, please."
Hatten smiles, and holds open the classroom door for the last girls who were dragging their feet to leave his presence. They flash me a look of pure dislike and flounce out of the room.

To which I must roll my eyes and heave out a heavy sigh.

Kyla was not a special cookie, but she was treated like she was. In conclusion, I was not impressed by Slated - it had your typical average-but-not-so-average main character; the narration was dry and emotionless; we had no feel of the actual world - nevermind the dystopia, I had no feel of London. The plot was substandard and far from thrilling. I'd go on, but I think you get my point.

[Reynje · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Yeah, so now it’s time for me to be irritatingly contrary.

Because I know full well that I have a lot of gripes about the current dystopian/dystomance/post-apoc/futuristic trend in YA right now. And I know that while I generally enjoy these genres, sadly few books actually deliver for me, in terms of solid worldbuilding, logical plot, interesting premise etc.

And now here comes a book that actually has most of those things and... I don’t really... like it.

I could raise my rating on the basis on the last 50 or so pages, but that feels disingenuous. Because honestly, I felt almost completely unengaged and dare I say it – bored – during the preceding 400. And it’s frustrating and disappointing to say that, because I feel that Terry’s ideas are good and the basis for her novel is a sound one. It’s just that this book, the first in a series, essentially felt like a lot of stretching and foot-stomping – a warm up for the actual story that only really begins to hit its stride in the final couple of chapters.

In Slated, terrorists and criminals under a certain age are rehabilitated by having their minds wiped clean of memories of their former lives. Placed with families, they are installed with a Levo to monitor levels of emotional stress (with a safety net of blowing their heads off should they fall too low, because you have to keep your former criminals in line, natch) and reintegrated into society.

Essentially, the bulk of Slated is concerned with the internal ruminations of Kyla as she begins to realise that something is amiss with her slating, and that her past may not be entirely lost to her.

As I mentioned before, I think this is a concept with great potential, especially to explore issues of choice, human rights, nature vs nuture and control. And this series may yet deliver a more articulate commentary on these themes. I just feel that Slated itself lacked the substance I was expecting. The focus was on Kyla’s development as she began to uncover the truth about herself, yet I didn’t find this as compelling as it needed to be to really carry the story. Similarly, despite the vaguely threatening presence of the Lorders (enforcers of law and order), a few unexplained occurrences and shifty types, I felt that the plot lacked a sense of urgency. The repetitive nature of the story (school, running, Group, home, and repeat etc), while serving to show Kyla’s increasing awareness, didn’t really lend itself to gripping reading.

Or maybe it’s just me. The fact that the first few chapters didn’t really grab me is probably a sign that it wasn’t my thing. (Also, once I noticed the lack of contractions, that’s all I could really focus on. Amazing how my brain is hijacked by such trivial things..)

I don’t think Slated is a bad book by any means, it just didn’t speak to me in a way that makes me keen to pick up the sequel. That said, anyone looking for a thoughtful, more introspective take on dystopia may find this a solid, enjoyable read.

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Late in the 21st century, the government, no longer the United Kingdom but Central Coalition, found a new way to deal with criminals. Instead of prisons or even capital punishment, they get a clean slate, or more precisely, they get slated – their memory gets wiped clean and, if they’re underage, they get assigned to a new Mum and Dad, a whole new family they’re supposed to treat as their own. Kyla has been slated nine months ago, and the time has come for her to leave the New London Hospital and go live with her new parents and sister.
The tightly controlled society is run by the Lorders (Law and Order Officers) and it’s normal for people to disappear, be taken away any time, with little or no warning. All slated wear a Levo around their wrists - it is a device that measures their moods and keeps things from getting out of hand. If they feel anything too strongly, their Levo shuts them down and they black out in pain.

As entranced as I was by this story, I did manage to notice some discrepancies. The problem with putting your character in such a challenging situation, or rather state of mind, is that it’s very hard to remain consistent. Kyla doesn’t know very much about the outside world when she leaves the New London Hospital, she even has no idea how to use the car door handle, and yet no one is surprised when she recognizes the sound of gunfire just a few days later. We could probably explain it away easily, with something simple like a movie, but the skeptic in me always assumes the worst.

Also, I love to know a bit more about the background with my dystopias. It’s not enough to just describe the society, I need to know how it came to be. (This pretty much sums up my problems with Divergent). In Slated, some of it was explained towards the end of the book, but it was too little, too late. I hope the sequel will take care of that.

The romance didn’t quite reach me. I liked Kyla and I liked Ben, but I never understood how their relationship happened. Or why. At the beginning, Ben is described as a gorgeous boy every girl in school wants to be with, but he remains uninterested until Kyla shows up. Then, suddenly, he’s all over her, friendly, protective, always there to help. She is, of course, insecure and convinced that he’s dating another girl, even when he starts spending all his free time with her. What makes it bearable is that Slated is not really focused on the romance, it’s focused on Kyla’s recovery, past and new family, all of which was handled perfectly.

Minor issues aside, Terry did a great job with the subject of memory loss. The beginning of Slated reminded me a bit of the beginning of Thyla. But the most interesting part Terry explored is muscle memory. Sometimes, Kyla would just stop thinking about things and start moving instinctively – she discovered a lot if things about her old self that way, her ability to drive just one of them.

Me pointing out a few flaws doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy Slated. As far as dystopias go, it was better than most. If you’re a fan of the genre, you won’t want to miss it. If you’re a fan of all things British like I am, you’ll enjoy the British setting and the distinctly British language.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Hachette Children's Books UK, for review purposes.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library

[Dear Faye · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm so sorry for giving it a one-star, but this book really deceived me. I have DNF-ed a lot of books, but I try not to give a rating, but usually those books are the ones that I think may work for some of my friends, so I try to leave it rating-less. But this one? I don't recommend it. At all. This novel deceived me. It tricked me, lied to me, and made me so angry that I wanted to throw my kindle (okay that's overused now) buy a kilo of sugar and eat it all in utter depression. Yeah. I was that disappointed.

I'm usually a nice person when it comes to reviews, even to books that I don't like. I've never had that innate talent to be snarky when writing (maybe in my own language...), even though I know most people enjoy reading those kind of reviews the best. However, I can't help but be a little bit reprimanding for just this one time.

This book is boring.

Surprised? Yeah, it is. I couldn't even get past 20% before telling myself, "Stop it, Faye. You didn't do anything wrong, so why punish yourself?" I feel deceived because the synopsis made it sound like it's a really good mystery thriller or something. But no. Not only does it have an awful, monotonous heroine, but the writing and narrative are also terrible to boot!. Screw these two up, you may as well have placed Edward Cullen here and ruined the book altogether.

Boring heroine who keeps on "jumping" every time something happens

Hah, don't believe me? Take a look at these:

The car pulls on to the road and I twist round. The hospital complex I know, but only from the inside. It stretches side to side and up and up. Endless rows of little barred windows. High fences and towers with guards at regular intervals. And…
‘Kyla, I asked you a question!’
I jump.

She freaking jumped. I can't even imagine that. How did she jump, I wonder? Half a meter in the air? With both feet up? Who knows? But she keeps on doing it anyway.

I have seen pictures of cats before, of course. But this is different. He is so much more than a flat image: living and breathing fishy breath, silky fur rippling as he stretches, big yellow-green eyes staring back into mine.
‘Meow,’ he says and I jump.

And she jumps again. Because a cat meowed. Poor kitty.

‘Lucky that was me.’
I jump.
Amy shuts the door and puts a tray with soup on the table next to me.

Girl keeps on jumping, and I don't know why. For some reason, every time she says this she jumped, I keep on imagining her doing that crazy jump shot and I can't help but giggle.

And everyone begins to move their chairs around into twos and threes, without discussion: they all know where they belong. I hesitate, unsure what to do, then jump as a warm hand rests on my shoulder: Ben. He leans over.

Every time something happens to her she jumps (how or in what manner, I do not know, and I don't care at this point. I just think it's ridiculous).

Okay, I won't keep on boring you guys so I'll do the math now. The heroine jumped a total of 27 times throughout the book (most of them in one, boring sentence "I jump."), and that does not include the other characters jumping, too. Some of you might think this is such a petty complaint, and you may be right, but I still think it's ridiculous that she's so jumpy at the simplest of things, and I find these two-word-sentences highly annoying. I feel like pulling my hair out from my scalp every time I see her "jump" at every little thing. AND IT DOES NOT HELP THAT WHENEVER SHE DOES JUMP I IMAGINE HER BOUNCING HIGH IN THE AIR.

She's also highly boring, and despite having a first person POV, she doesn't tell much. In the few pages I've read, I felt completely unattached and disengaged. She doesn't really show much of her feelings, but I think this can be attributed to the writing. Some people like it, but I don't, and I doubt a lot of my friends will love it, either.

Boring heroine, boring narrative.

‘Interesting choice for breakfast,’ Amy says, then sits up and yawns. ‘Are you an early bird?’
I look at her blankly.
‘Do you always wake up early?’
I consider. ‘I think so,’ I say, finally. ‘Though that could be because at the hospital you have no choice.’
‘Oh, I remember that. Horrible morning buzzer. Breakfast by six.’ She shudders.
‘Want one?’ I hold out the box.
‘Oooh, tempting. Maybe later, when I’m more awake. What is that?’ She points at the folder in my other hand.
‘My drawings.’
‘Can I see?’
I hesitate. I rarely show them to anyone, though Dr Lysander insisted on checking through them now and then.
‘You don’t have to show me if you don’t want to.’
I sit next to her and open the folder, pull out the sheets of paper. Amy exclaims at the one on top. A self-portrait. Me, but different: half as I am in the mirror, the other half skin missing, eyeball hanging from an empty socket.
‘May I?’ she holds out a hand, and I pass the drawing to her.
But that wasn’t on top before. I start flipping through the sheets.
‘You’re so good, this is amazing.’

‘Wash what?’
She rolls her eyes.
‘The dishes.’
I stand and look at them on the table.
She sighs. ‘Pick up the dirty dishes from the table and put them there.’ She points at the worktop next to the sink.
I carry one plate across and go back for another.
‘No! That will take forever. Stack them up. Like this.’
She stacks plates, pulling out knives and forks and clattering them on the top one, then plonks the lot on the worktop.
‘Fill the sink. Add soap, just a little.’ She squeezes a bottle into the sink.
Bubbles!
‘Wash them with this brush.’ She scrubs a brush across the plate. ‘Rinse it under the tap, put it in the rack, like so. Repeat. Got it?’
‘I think so.’
I plunge my hands in the hot water.
So this is washing up

I think you guys will be pretty proud of me that I didn't eat that kilo of sugar even though I was really tempted to. I don't like this narrative, not even one bit. It's all telling, no showing. Most of the book are pages upon pages of short sentences and dialogues that don't have any substance. I was not only annoyed, I was bored to tears . And that's a feat, by the way, but a bad one, at that.

All in all, I think the quotes I provided speak for themselves. This book could have been good, but these two really, really ruined it for me .There are other complaints, of course, but while they were off-putting, they are overshadowed by these two factors that may have as well made me combust with rage. Grrr.

[Henk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and gripping, I really went through it fast andwanted to know what happens next. However I found Kyla too perfect as protagonist.

The world of Slated is a kind of dystopian post-Brexit, a closed off UK, where riots and dissent are suppressed through the deletion of memories (Slating) of criminals and terrorists. The procedure makes the subjects meek, susceptible to imprinting. Also just to be thorough, the Slated are carefully monitored by a smartwatch (the Levo) of the government. The Levo gives the Slated a seizure when they get too aggressive or emotional.

Our main character is one of these individuals who had her memory wiped. All though we first discover the world of Slated together with Kyla, as she settles in into her new family, quite soon we discover that Kyla is capital letters SPECIAL, reinforced by the inclusion of the sentence "Kyla is special" in the book; four or five times Terry actually includes this literally in the text.

Our protagonist is really too perfect to be realistic for my taste. Not only is she able to control her emotions but the memory wiping apparently was not 100% successful on her, since she has nightmares reminding her of her former life. And she is the best runner of her school, a skillful artist with the pencil, she is equally proficient with both hands, she is called too smart and nosy for her own good by multiple characters, she gets it on with her love interest, the hot new teacher is only interested in her, people just confide secrets to her...

Kyla is special and the book does not let us forget this for a minute, which made me care less on the outcome of any confrontations as, hey, Kyla probably gets out of it relatively easily. Not to say that she is unsympathetic or unrealistic in her handling of things. Often it more or less feels like the other teenage characters, including love interest Ben, are just dumbed down or really apathetic, so that Kyla can shine. Especially Ben felt a bit stupid, something even the author noticed: Terry explains away his susceptibility as being a side effect of Slating.

The world of Slated makes up a bit for the protagonist. Especially the mood monitoring and the network of grownups around the Slated, adults who keep an eye on any step they take (and can send Slated back for either another Slating or Termination) felt claustrophobic at times. Also the forced selfcare the Slated are condemned to, like running or eating chocolate, to keep their mood stable was a perspective I liked and found original. Finally the uncertainty of what led to the Slating and what kind of person they were before the procedure, was well worked out by Terry.
Overall 2,5 stars rounded up.

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment I saw this creeptastic cover I knew I had to read it! Slated also deals with memory loss which has always been a fascinating subject to me in addition to ensuring that the story will be both creepy and mysterious. This novel brings it on both fronts. The mystery vibe is kept immensely high with the regular visions/dreams of her apparent past, leaving me to absolutely devour every page of it!

Unlike any dystopian I have read, Slated introduces a world not very unlike our present, but where teenage criminals are being Slated---wiped of their memories to start over. To punish them further, their mood is monitored and they have to deal with grave consequences if they lash out or become angry/moody. This way of life is fantastically creepy as the reader is aware of just how much control the government can have with this arrangement. You are never any more vulnerable than with a swiped memory! I was kept on my toes with the mystery of it all, becoming almost giddy every time we warped into a vision or dream that might possibly give us another glimpse into her past.

This leads me to the one disappointment of the book: the answers were not nearly enough for me. Or rather, we get no answers. We get quick visions of her pre-slated life that bring up more and more questions, and even though it works to bring the (fantastic) mysteries of the book to extreme altitudes, it simply isn't enough. As a consequence, large parts of the world building is kept just as secret. In the end, I was left feeling that the book was simply dissolved. It fizzles into a "To be continued" rather than an ending; there is no pinnacle of events that unravel to give us, at the very least, a slight crack into the mystery. So although I was kept thoroughly glued to this story, the book failed to give the final whomp that it deserved.

Kept at a minimum, the romance is not worth going into details in this review. It's there, but it's a very minimal part of the story. I can't say I developed a high interest in this sub-plot, but it wasn't an aspect that I would deem negative, either. Though this may change if Terry decides to make the romance a bigger aspect of the sequel.

At least for now, Kyla is the star of the show, and she is kept center stage. Being newly slated, she is a very unique narrator as we don't know anything about her--and neither does she. She also doesn't know a lot about the world, like how to open car doors for instance. It's always a favorite of mine to see reactions of characters who know nothing of our world. I did notice a few discrepancies in her behavior/knowledge, but overall it was highly entertaining.

Recommended for fans of mysteries and thrillers; Slated does require patience in getting some answers, but I guarantee it's not going to change how engaging this plot is!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Words: Crime, discrimination, second chances, love.

Absolutely amazing.

This book has had some very mixed reviews, but I am so glad I gave it a chance. Because it was amazing.

I loved the idea behind the story, and how as a reader you were always slightly in the dark - you only knew what Kyla knew, and that was often very confused.

Slated is not straightforward. There are a lot of different things going on and my perceptions of the characters changed a lot.

This book left a lot of questions unanswered, but it is the first in a trilogy and rather than being frustrated I'm just itching for the next one. I can't wait to read on. Because just enough was answered to keep you reading on and not just throw the book down.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was just as intrigued and invested in this as I was the first time I read it. How the past slowly creeps up on Kyla in the present is so disquieting and it's just overall a really great first book in a dystopian series. If you like that genre, and want a thriller-y vibe, jump on this!

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich habe gerade nochmal "Gelöscht" von Teri Terry gelesen. Das erste mal las ich es Juli 2013. Was mir jetzt auffiel und ich damals natürlich noch nicht wissen konnte ist der Umstand mit dem Brexit. Der Austrittsprozess durch das EU-Mitgliedschaftsreferendum wurde am 23. Juni 2016 (meist Brexit-Referendum genannt) angestoßen! Doch im Buch ist er bereits ein Fakt. Da war Großbritannien bereits vor vielen Jahren aus der EU ausgetreten. Doch auch andere Dinge, wie der Umstand, dass Kyla in einem Überwachungsstaat lebt, sind jetzt viel realistischer und nachvollziehbarer geworden.

Eine sehr gruselige Dystopie

[Sarah (saz101) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Is there something in the water in England? Or is it simply the obvious—that English is their language? Well, another Brit’s at it and, ladies and gentlemen, Teri Terry is a terrific writer. Tense, oppressive and—frankly—brilliant, Slated is a shining jewel of an addition to its genre.

The Story:
Kyla Davis is no-one. She has been Slated. Her memories, her past, her life erased; her synapses rewired, and her mind wiped blank.

Sent to live with a new mum and dad—not that she would know the ‘old’ ones from a bar of soap—Kyla tries to fit in, to make sure the monitor on her wrist shows her emotions stay level, to be balanced, and a functional, integrated member of society. But Kyla is not like other Slated teens... Kyla asks questions she should not, thinks things Slateds should not be able to… but worst of all, Kyla seems to have ghosts of memories, terrifying nightmares that couldn’t actually be real, could they?

Slating is meant to be a second chance—a clean slate for criminal teens. But when you don't even know yourself, who can you trust? As terrifying truths about her world, and about slating become clear, Kyla begins to question everything she’s known in her short second life...

My Thoughts:
Fluidly moving from Kyla’s easy, flowing narrative to fast-paced, frantic stream-of consciousness, Terry delivers a protagonist with a truly unique voice. Kyla is fascinating, clever, she questions everything, and she’s a keen observer. While in many ways she’s adult and intelligent, in others, she is almost childlike, seeing the world for the first time, allowing the reader to learn it along with her. Slateds must re-learn to walk, to talk. They are completely unaware of the dangers in their world, that knives are sharp, fire burns. Having been slated, Kyla is a blank slate. She has no memories of her past, of who she is—or should have no memories—but she does have a distinct personality.

A palpable sense of foreboding permeates Slated’s pages, a feeling of menace very much like Orwell’s totalitarian England—and Big Brother is watching. As Kyla navigates her new world, she takes the reader with her, uncertainty painting everything grey and shadowy, and it is never clear who to trust. A teacher? A friend? Perhaps a parent? A wrong word to the right person, or a sign of dissent, and people disappear. Missing adults, friends, children. Slating is meant for criminals, for terrorists… but can a government with this kind of power be trusted? Herein lays the brilliance of Terry’s construct: the cold, terrifying reality is that Slating is a draconian government’s ultimate weapon. Opposition can’t very well speak up when their voices and memories are stolen. Even an imprisoned terrorist has a voice. Slating is something far more sinister.

Slated is not an action-oriented thriller in the ilk of The Hunger Games. It’s not a tale of explosions, or edge-of-seat live-or-die exploits. This is a more underhanded, sly, pervasive threat and menace. Dystopian fiction is at its most effective and frightening when presenting a reality that is conceivable, and believable. This type of novel hinges not only on its audience's ability to believe such a thing could come to pass, but—just as Orwell did in 1984—plays on the innate fear that it is already happening, already here, that this is a future we could very well face if we do not take a good, hard look at ourselves. Terry presents a world terrifyingly close to our own, one that is halfway here, and it seems she is challenging her readers to not only think as they read Slated, to discover it, and Kyla’s, secrets, but to question what they know, contemplate the value of their basic civil liberties, and what ‘self’ truly means.

Political statements and brilliance aside, some of Slated’s most compelling facets are its human ones. From tender to terrifying, sweet to infuriatingly unfair, Kyla’s interactions with the world and people around her are what give it heart. Kyla’s relationship with her ‘Mum’ is touching, and fascinating to watch grow, and those with her Doctor and teachers are worrisome and murky. But it is Kyla’s developing attachment to fellow slated boy, Ben, which has the biggest impact on her, and indeed sets many of Slated’s events in place. Slated is certainly not a romance—though its moments of tenderness are heart-warming—and if anything, Kyla’s most important relationship is the hugely complicated one she has with herself.

The Verdict:
Slated combines the feeling of Orwellian oppression and corruption with something new: the teenage experience. That sense of powerlessness; a sense, not of invincibility, but of hope, not yet tempered or tainted by defeat. There are moments in its pages that are crushingly bleak, and others brimming with hope; but the most ubiquitous feeling of all is that of overwhelming injustice and corruption. Chilling, confronting, and un-put-downably good, Slated will leave you thinking long after its final pages are turned... and howling for more.

[thebookbitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slated is one of those books that completely take you by surprise and instantly becomes one of your favourites. Slated isn't your normal Dystopian. The writing style is a little...different, but I fell in love with it from page one. Slated is filled with twists and turns that I couldn't predict and I just wanted more and more and more of. It had me on the edge of my seat. Literally.

The thing about Slated that left me so mind blown was the fact that it's not just set in a futuristic UK, but it's a realistic futuristic UK that could become us. And that's fucking scary!

[Lisbeth Avery {Domus Libri} · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF Review

Slated is one of those books that sound great in theory but in actuality, it didn't end up that great. Reading the blurb made me extremely excited but the book however is the exact opposite. While there were many flaws to the novel, the major one was the fact that the book was written in the first person.

To understand why this was a monumental fail on the author's part, you need to know something about the main character. Thankfully, this won't be a very long interruption because there isn't much to say about her.

Kyla is the main character who's traumatic backstory includes brain wash and stuff. Yeah, poor baby, .ect. Someone however forgot to tell Kyla that brainwash does not mean you become akin to say a robot or a door.

Actually no, there are robots and doors with more energy and vigour than her. She's worse.

Kyla is seriously the most colorless, commonplace, dead, drab, drudging, dull, flat, ho hum, humdrum, insipid, interminable, irksome, lifeless, monotonous, moth-eaten, mundane, nothing, nowhere, platitudinous, plebeian, prosaic, repetitious, routine, spiritless, stale, stereotyped, stodgy, stuffy, stupid, tame, tedious, threadbare, tiresome, tiring, trite, unexciting, uninteresting, unvaried, vapid, wearisome (no I did not just copy the thesaurus entry for boring... heh) character out there.

Consequently, the writing is the driest monotone out there and there is pretty much absolutely nothing to keep you going. Like, how am I supposed to stay awake interested when much of the book sounds like this:

‘Interesting choice for breakfast,’ Amy says, then sits up and yawns. ‘Are you an early bird?’
I look at her blankly.
‘Do you always wake up early?’
I consider. ‘I think so,’ I say, finally. ‘Though that could be because at the hospital you have no choice.’
‘Oh, I remember that. Horrible morning buzzer. Breakfast by six.’ She shudders.
‘Want one?’ I hold out the box.
‘Oooh, tempting. Maybe later, when I’m more awake. What is that?’ She points at the folder in my other hand.
‘My drawings.’
‘Can I see?’
I hesitate. I rarely show them to anyone, though Dr Lysander insisted on checking through them now and then.
‘You don’t have to show me if you don’t want to.’
I sit next to her and open the folder, pull out the sheets of paper. Amy exclaims at the one on top. A self-portrait. Me, but different: half as I am in the mirror, the other half skin missing, eyeball hanging from an empty socket.
‘May I?’ she holds out a hand, and I pass the drawing to her.
But that wasn’t on top before. I start flipping through the sheets.
‘You’re so good, this is amazing.’

This is an actual conversation from the book, by the way. This is actually how she sounds throughout the book.

Not even the plot could keep me going because honestly, it's extremely flat and boring. There isn't enough to really keep the story moving because all and any plot twists were easily guessed.

The author gives away all the clues in such a way that it becomes incredibly obvious. While sometimes hiding things in plain sight is great, it doesn't always work. Especially when you have little to no skill. World building is what readers look for and they remember it. If you put a crucial bit of information right in front of their eyes, they'll see it.

The whole cast of characters were bland, to put it lightly. They had little to no personality or distinguishing characteristics. Everyone talked in the same monotone as Kyla, except for one of the characters who had the bubbly manic pixie personality which is less of a personality and more of a stereotype, if you get what I mean.

So, the boring plot/characters and terrible writing joined forces to create one of the most dull stories I have ever read. I would not recommend this book to anyone and would advise you all to stay approximately 50 feet away at all times.

[Mary Books and Cookies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing and easy to read - some issues with the writing at times, but overall a fun experience :D (hopefully I'll write a longer review soon)

[Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Yosbe Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Después de repasar este libro, puedo escribir una mejor review sobre el.

Slated es una historia, que no sé cómo ni en qué momento, se cuela por tus pensamientos y simplemente no puedes dejar de leerlo.

Llegas a creer que no está pasando nada, que se pone un poco lento, y ¡bum! el golpe.

Básicamente comienzas a leer, un poco de descripción, un poco de introducción por aquí por alla...



Luego la historia va avanzando, intriga, interrogantes, esto lo otro...



A la mitad del libro simplemente...
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Las últimas páginas...


Y el final...



Simplemente... Abril, ven ya.

[Bookish Pengu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schade. :(
Aber - aber! Ich mags trotzdem.. Nicht sehr - aber..ja..also man kanns lesen :)

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars - Gah! I don't know how to rate this one! On one hand, it FELT long, and I was SO bored for the first 2/3 of the book. And the last 1/3 was VERY exciting, but I'm left feeling like I didn't learn anything after finishing the book.

The first part of the book was really dull. I understand that Terry was trying to put us in the mindset that Kyla had to relearn everything, but honestly, it did NOTHING for story. What's the significance of her learning how to open the car door or doing the dishes and cutting her hand with a knife? And I'd understand if i was just a few examples before moving along with the story, but Terry spent about half the book telling us about Kyla's relearning experiences, and none of those contributed to the story development.

I would have been more interested if Terry had spent that time world-building. It took me a while to figure out that this was in the future, way past 2030 (the year Mum was in her teens?), and I get that there's a normal wold and the hospital, but that's about it. MUCH later, Mum tells us a little bit about the political campaign that kind of brought everything on, but it was very brief and didn't tell us much.

While I knew from the prologue and the nightmares that those things had something to do with why she was different, it doesn't give me much to go on. I guess that she built a wall to protect herself, but that's about it. Why did she like to draw? Why wouldn't anyone let her take art? Why all of a sudden they let her draw? Why were some of her artwork taken away? Why did she have to hide some of them? And why is it bad to be left handed? All of these questions. Nothing was answered.

And I still haven't decided whether I like Ben or not. He's an okay character, but not one that make you immediately like him. And I couldn't tell whether he was a good guy that became enlightened when he met her or if he was there to trick her all along. I guess it was the way the romance was written. It was shoddy, at best, which makes me not want to trust him. There's just something off about the whole thing, and I think a lot of it was the way Ben's character was written and how disconnected I felt to him.

The problem is, I still don't see a clear line of who all the parties are. I mean, I know there are the Lorders and the AGT, and of course you're going to wonder who really are the good guys and the bad guys. But I can't tell which side Mum and Dad are on - nor can I really tell if they're even on the same side. I think there is a lot more to Dr. Lysander, and even though I had Ms. Ali, I can't tell which side she is on. And what is the deal with Wayne Best? It can't be pure coincidence that he targets Kyla instead of Amy or another Slater, and I know he is Phoebe's uncle, but he's not just a random creepy guy.

So overall, I think the premise is great. I just think it took way too long to get into the story - without good reason - and I think once I was in the story, I had more questions than I got answers. By the end of the book, I'm left knowing what happened but bursting with more uncertainty. I know Terry is planning to leave some of that for book 2, but I just feel like the hours I just spent on a book that FELT long, I was just hoping I would have had more answers.

Having said that, I AM dying to know what happens next - mostly because I want answers, damnit! I'm sure Terry is saving all the good stuff for the next book, so they better be good answers because I have high expectations now. The sequel better blow me away.

[Melanchallina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Тери Терри "Стертая"

6 из 10

Жанр: YA, антиутопия
POV: от первого лица, женский
Геометрия чувств: прямая
Отлич��тельные черты: полный контроль государства, перепрограммирование малолетних преступников, инсталюбовь, герой ни рыба ни мяса

РЕЦЕНЗИЯ:
Неожиданно, но очень зах��атывающая и интересная антиутопия. Почему неожиданно? Потому что, признаться честно, последнее время все антиутопии на одну букву. Я не ожидала от «Стертой» чего-то особенного и необычного, но при этом получила огромное удовольствие от прочтения. В какой-то момент я заметила, что практически не могу оторваться от книги, настолько было интересно, что же будет дальше и как поведет себя героиня.

Мир, находящийся под полным контролем государства, тоже весьма и весьма реален, хочешь не хочешь, а в такое очень даже поверишь. Мне понравилось идея «перевоспитания» и «перепрограммирования» людей. Это звучит… довольно реально, так словно такое действительно может происходить, причем прямо здесь и сейчас. И да, в моих глазах это сразу же был плюс к характеру героини. Сразу было ясно, что нас ждет непростой персонаж.

И ожидания в плане героини полностью оправдались.

Кайла действительно непростой персонаж, Тери Терри удалось показать ее страх перед новым миром, страх не справиться и буду отосланной обратно. Но при этом, автор не забыл наделить героиню любопытством, желанием узнать, что происходит, а не тупо плыть по течению. Автор прекрасно передала сомнения Кайлы, хочет ли она знать, что такого мог натворить в прошлом ребенок, чтобы заслужить столь кардинальное лечение? Мне понравились вставки с ее снами/воспоминаниями, которые давали намеки на возможные варианты развития событий.

Отдельный плюс за стиль, читается очень легко, быстро, автор развешивает по мере повествования тут и там «ружья», поэтому интерес не пропадает до самого конца. Плавное повествование становится более интенсивным по мере развития и «пробуждения» Кайлы, на протяжении прочтения не покидает чувство опасности, словно кто-то наблюдает за тобой. Как я уже сказала, роман кажется очень реальным, а это огромный плюс для любой антиутопии. Момент с учителем по искусству… вот честно, аж сердечко тогда сжалось.

Но, должна признаться, что у книги были свои недостатки (хотя мне в любом случае было интересно ее читать).
- Мир и идея полного контроля показались мне недостаточно продуманными. Тут и там были дыры и возникали вопросы, на которые я не получила ответа. Например, почему детей и подростков контролируют строже? Типо вот тебе 21 год и все, шансов стать террористом у тебя сразу меньше? Нет, взрослых контролируют, но акцент делается на детях и подростках.
- Инсталюбовь. Да, она здесь есть. И какая-то жутко нелогичная.
- Мне не понравился главный мужской персонаж. Он… пресный. Скучный. Увы.

Не смотря на эти замечания, я все равно советую вам прочитать «Стертую», потому что она цепляет. Вот честно? Дико интересно что же там будет дальше.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*
Foi a primeira vez que me aventurei num livro de scy-fi e não estou nada arrependida. Adorei completamente a Kyla e a sua aventura por descobrir quem era realmente, mal posso esperar por ler o próximo!

[Ellie Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

M-I-N-D-B-L-O-W-I-N-G!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Five stars are simply not enough! Slated is one of those books that you are so happy you bought, it is worth every single euro! Slated is about a girl that her memories have been wiped but she feels something is wrong and different about her. Set in a village near London in 2055 (I think). It is brilliant, full of twists and suspense! It is very cinematographic. It is genius, everything in this novel can be explained in a logical manner that makes sense, nothing is just out there. Also it has a little bit of romance, it doesn't dominate the story which is a good thing. All in all a wonderful novel which you don't want to miss!

[Maryam · Rating 5 out of 5]

well damn.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it's an easy read but I enjoyed it!

[Book Madness (Elif Tazegül) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kitap 2054 yılında geçiyor. Suçluların hafızası silinerek topluma geri kazandırılıyor. Bunun adına Programlama diyorlar. Buna bağlı olarak da Programlanmışlara bir bilezik takıyorlar. Adı Levo. Hayati fonksiyonlarını gösteriyor. Eğer değer düşerse ölebiliyorlar. Başrol Kyla da Programlanmışlardan biri. Yeni katıldığı ailesine uyum sağlamaya çalışıyor. Buraya kadar her şey ilginç. Buradan sonrası spoiler’a giriyor. O yüzden anlatmıyorum.
Kitap kızın ağzından şimdiki zaman kipiyle yazılıyor. Bunu sevmedim. Gidiyorum, geliyorum tarzı yazım beni boğuyor. Konu ilginç olsa da bence mükemmel işlenmemiş. Nedense kitabı beğenmedim. Bir serinin ilk kitabı ama diğerlerini alıp okumam herhalde. O kadar sarmadı beni. Ortalamanın altında diyebilirim 🙊

[Sandes gii · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

este libro tiene un ritmo muy lento. Lo que la mayoria de los capitulos le juega en contra. AL mismo tiempo tiene ese algo que lo vuelve adictivo y no puedes dejar de leer.
Es un libro para pasar la tarde pero si me preguntan si es uno de mis favoritos, les diria que no. Le los recomiendo pero no es algo que me ha impresionado tanto.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why had I never heard of this book until about two weeks ago? I dont get how people arent raving about this because it is honestly so much better than most of the overhyped shitlit out there! Review to come.

[Anna (Enchanted by YA) · Rating 4 out of 5]

SERIES REVIEW TO COME...

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

With dystopian books being as popular as they are right now, it always makes me a little wary when I pick one up. I mean, I love them, don't get me wrong. But it's inevitable when you have a lot of something that they each get a little farther from the core of what makes that something good. Each dystopia seems to be a little...fluffier than the last, and a little more farfetched. To me, you can see the truth in a good dystopia. As bizarre as the society portrayed may be, some little part of you is made extremely uncomfortable while reading it because it feels like it could maybe happen. Dystopias hold up a mirror to some aspect of our society, and then project that aspect to its logical extreme.

While Slated may occasionally fall into some of the fluffy-dystopia traps (not every book needs a romance, dammit!), it generally wiggles itself right back out of those traps, and more importantly, touches on what makes dystopia dystopia - it feels like it could happen.

The idea of Slating, of a forced mind-wipe, is intriguing because it's something I could easily see being researched in a lab somewhere right now. I mean, it's reprogramming, essentially, and we already do that in one form or another. But what makes it so eerie, what makes it seem so plausible, is the idea of it being presented as something altruistic and just - the best, boldest, kindest solution to a problem. Why lock criminals away and let them rot? What good is that doing? What if instead we could simply remake them? What if we could reach into their brains, give their memory Etch-a-Sketch a little shake, and begin anew? And as a failsafe, we'll just have this little brain monitor that would zap the hell out of you if you tried to hurt someone - and maybe even if you get too sad...Wouldn't everyone be better off then? The criminals would get a chance to be productive and happy, and the criminalized would get to feel safe again. Problem solved.
See how easy it is to justify something like this? I guarantee there are people in our society now who would absolutely see the benefits in this and would even promote the science.

That is, if it weren't for one little thing: abuses. Because let's be honest, there's NO WAY this wouldn't be abused. And there you have it: the crux of dystopia. How far can you go before the potential good is outweighed by the potential bad? Terry walked this line really well and as the book went on, was clearly able to convey the snowball effect something like this would have, and the way this kind of legislature/propaganda would creep up on the general public until they find themselves having agreed to a totalitarian society with no real recourse to change things back.

But getting beyond the dystopian aspect, the book is just thoroughly readable. It's engaging right from the start, and Kyla is an intriguing main character. She's fascinating because she doesn't know who she is now or who she was before, but she lives in fear of her unknown past - what must she have done to be slated? The reader is right there with her, wondering if Kyla was part of a terrorist organization, wondering if she was an abused child who turned the tables - wondering what could possible have gotten this bright, artistic, seemingly sweet child slated. As a character with no past, she could have seemed substance-less, but she didn't at all. In fact, she is a sharp counterpoint to many of the other slateds around her, and she only becomes more complex and intriguing (and even more mysterious) as the story goes on.

Now, as I mentioned above, there is a romance, and frankly I could have done with out it. But that's because I'm heartless. I think it was actually pretty well handled (for the most part) and didn't seem forced on the story for the sake of having the Obligatory YA Romance. And there was one thing that happened in the end that redeemed the story-as-far-as-romance-goes for me, and it's spoilery so I'm not going to tell you what, but when you read it you're going to say, Man, she wasn't kidding about being heartless...


And that's all I'm going to say, other than this: When I started this, I stayed up very late into the night and read the first 100+ pages in one sitting. But this was just before Fairy Tale Fortnight, so I really had to put it down, because frankly I should never have picked it up yet. I didn't mean to read the first 100+ pages, I just wanted to get a feel for the story. Putting it down and not coming back to it for almost a month could have really backfired. Sometimes a story grips you in the beginning and you read it voraciously and LOVE IT at the time, and then once you've had some breathing room, you're like, What exactly did I like about that again? It's book crack, and though you love it initially, you regret it later. Putting this down could have revealed this as book crack, if it wasn't a good story. But when I came back to it, I was right back in it like I'd never left. It engulfed me again, and when I was finished, all I could think was how l o n g the wait was going to be until the next book.
So. Long.

So now I need you to read it so we can commiserate. ;D

[Marieke | Marieke's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit boek is goeeeeed! Lekker vlot geschreven, vol met spanning en actie. Daarnaast is het verhaal goed opgebouwd en wilde ik telkens doorlezen. Dt is een goede opstap naar deel 2 en daar ben ik nu heel benieuwd naar!