ATLANTIA by
Ally Condie
October 28th, 2014 from Dutton Juvenile
Can you hear Atlantia breathing?
For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamed of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all Rio’s hopes for the future are shattered when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected choice, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long silenced—she has nothing left to lose.
Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the corrupted system constructed to govern the Divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.
7 REASONS TO READ ATLANTIA
1. FAMILY / SISTERHOOD
So many YA novels get caught up in romance, but this novel focuses on sisterhood and family. Rio spends her time trying to get Above, so she can reunite with her sister. But in the meantime, she slowly comes to know her siren aunt, Maire, and learning more about her mother's mysterious death.
2. CHARACTERS
Rio is a siren, and an excellent narrator - fierce, determined, but cautious. Her attempts to keep her voice bland and boring do make her seem a bit off-putting, the further along the story goes, the easier it is to adore her character and realize just how much she loves her sister. True, meanwhile, is a great support system for her, and watching the slow friendship between him and Rio develop is fun to see. But Bay, Nevio, and Justus are all intriguing characters, too.
3. WORLDBUILDING
 |
| My attempt to draw a metallic tree (without leaves) |
An underwater city, metallic trees and leaves, True's mechanical fish and eels. Even the deepmarket, where people sell jars of dirt and flavored air is a fascinating place. The decorative aspects, like the gargoyles and representations of the gods of Atlantia's religious figures, are also wonderfully written. I could go on and on, because this is a fully fleshed out world, where everything is so easy to visualize.
4. SECRETS
I'd say more, but then I'd ruin all the fun. But trust me when I say there are plenty of secrets in Atlantia, and they are all intriguing and surprising.
5. PLOT TWISTS
Again, I'll keep quiet, but there are a few surprises!
6. WRITING STYLE
Condie's writing flows with ease, and is magnificently descriptive. She has a talent for building worlds, characters, and creating memorable lines. Her writing style is slow, evocative, and captivating.
7. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SET IT ASIDE
This book? It needs to be on your TBR list. Once you get into ATLANTIA, it's incredibly difficult to stop reading.
Want a copy of your own? Enter my giveaway at the bottom of this post to win an ARC of ATLANTIA. Plus, the winner will also receive one ATLANTIA necklace!
OPEN INTERNATIONALLY
(please have your parent's permission if you're under 18)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
for more reviews, interviews, guest posts and giveaways!
Many thanks to Penguin Teen for the ARC and the necklace + the necklace images!
