Book Name: XVI
Author/s: Julia Karr
Source: Bought
Publisher, year: Puffin/Speak 2011
Page total: 325
Date Read: January 16 to 17, 2011
Genre/s:YA, Romance, Dystopia
First line of Book: Panic clutched at my throat; I glanced around, looking for anyone out of the ordinary, but everyone appeared normal- except for their confused looks.
Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world—even the most predatory of men—that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past—one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.
I've been trying to put my thoughts about this book into coherent sentences for the past week and I'm still not sure if I got to the point.
Nina was a likable character, though I wanted to hit her when she didn't think! I admired her for not believing in everything people and the media told her too. A different thing about this book is that Nina's mom had raised her (better yet, had willingly created all the right conditions for her to be a rebel). Yes, Nina herself had to rebel but I'm glad it was because of her mom that she was not like the other girls who only wanted to have sex when they were sixteen. Usually in dystopian novels, the heroine has to understand the world she lives in all by herself, this was not the case.
Sandy wasn't a very original character (the airhead bff, reminds you of something?) but I really liked her anyway, and I was especially happy when I found out she was a true friend, even if she was very silly.
I also liked the other characters though I'd like to know more about one of them (Mike).
The world portrayed in XVI is more believable than what one might think at first. Sex is already a business anyway and the media's influence in people's lives was kind of frightening because I can almost see it happen.
The ending was a cliffhanger so I'm pretty glad there is a sequel. I'm really curious about the nonCons and what will happen to Nina and her friends.
4/5
"I'd choked back so many tears, they'd become a lake of sadness in my belly."
Posts
I'm glad you liked it. After reading it, i think it's an important novel. It's really interesting how Karr puts the story of a girl in front of you with so many underlining meanings about media and givernment and the power of freedom. If you ask me we needed more feminist YAs anyway :P Can't wait to read the next book! Great review!
http://blackfingernailedreviews.blogspot.com/
This will be my first book to read when l get time! Looks so good, glad you enjoyed it!
I'm reading this one right now for the DAC. Its on my Kindle and it say 89% read. I'm loving the storyline, plot and characters. I just wish the author was slightly more descriptive, especially with the futuristic words. Like what the heck does PAV stand for? Anyways, I'm totally bummed about you saying it's going to end on a cliffhanger. Darn it! This will be the 3rd cliffhanger book I've read this year. I'm getting stressed out I won't remember the story once the new book is finally released. Some like Unearthly for example won't have the 2nd book out til 2012.
PAV- Personal Audio Video or Visual?. LOVE this book anyone know of anymore like this?