Analyzing Books

Tag: a time to die

  • A Time to Rise

    A Time to Rise

    What more can you sacrifice than your life? – A Time to Rise

     Parvin Blackwater is dead.

    At least…that’s what the Council—and the world—thinks. But her sacrifice tore down part of the Wall long enough to stir up hope and rebellion in the people. Now she will rise again. Strong, free, and fearless.

    Parvin and Solomon must uncover the mysterious clues that Jude left behind in order to destroy the projected Wall once and for all. Meanwhile, the Council schemes to new levels of technology in its attempts to keep the people contained. Can a one-handed Radical and a scarred ex-Enforcer really bring shalom to the world?” -summary from Goodreads

    I can’t believe it’s over, friends. This is it. The last book in the Out of Time trilogy. And to be honest, it was rather a lackluster finale. This is going to be a tough review to write, since I LOVED the first two books so much, and this one leaves me only with a sort of half-hearted like.

    A few of my favorite highlights of the book were

    1. Parvin not being dead. (Obviously.)
    2. Russia. I love Russia, and it was really cool to see Parvin & Co. visit this land.
    3. Solomon. Need I say more?

    However, I feel like the cons outweigh the pros in this one. The pacing was very rushed (you can tell she had a deadline coming up fast!). The plot itself wasn’t very strong it seemed to rely heavily on plot devices, and at times glossed over significant events. I noticed a few continuity errors as well.

    I think the worst part of A Time to Rise was Parvin herself. She wasn’t the same Parvin from the first two books. Every now and again something would ring true and I could see the original Parvin in her, but overall it wasn’t the same. Parvin’s voice seemed slightly off, and she seems even more impulsive than she was in the first book. At times, she even comes off as immature.

    Though most of the loose ends were wrapped up, and we got answers to several important questions, I still felt like it didn’t end satisfactorily. A Time to Rise just doesn’t quite fit with its predecessors, giving me the impression of hammering a square peg into a round hole. Not sure what happened whether Brandes has lost her touch, or it needed a couple more rounds of editing, but one thing is for sure: library read, not a buy-it read.

    Content guide (parenthesis may contain minor spoilers):

    Violence/Graphic: 10/10(attacks by wild animals, serious injuries, rioting, etc.)

    Sexual: 2/10(brief kisses, thoughts about kissing, mention of pregnancy, etc.)

    Language: 0/10

    Views: 4

  • A Time to Speak

    A Time to Speak

    “What happens when you live longer than you wanted to?

    Parvin Blackwater wanted to die, but now she’s being called to be a leader. The only problem is, no one wants to follow.

    The Council is using Jude’s Clock-matching invention to force “new-and-improved” Clocks on the public. Those who can’t afford one are packed into boxcars like cattle and used for the Council’s purposes. Parvin and Solomon team up to rescue the people. Instead, they find themselves on a cargo ship of Radicals headed out to sea. What will the Council do to them? And why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out?”-summary from Goodreads

    *Note: This review contains spoilers from A Time to Die, the previous book.*

    Normally, sequels fall pretty flat. They can drag along without a focused plot, just trying to shuffle along the reader from point A to point B, so the author can get to the exciting conclusion.

    However, A Time to Speak is a rare exception. A stellar exception, even.

    Surprisingly enough, I liked A Time to Speak better than its predecessor, A Time to Die. The characters were marvelous, and I couldn’t help but to love them. And what fun seeing all the new places they ventured to! My one big beef with the book was the ending-I might suggest not reading this book until the third and last book is released in October. (I would hate for any readers to die of an apoplectic fit.)

    Now, on to the fun stuff.

    Parvin grows so much in this book as she pursues her calling to be a shalom-maker. Now that she knows God has a purpose for her life, she steps out in faith to take action. She’s still the Parvin we met in A Time to Die, but she’s changed in a good way. Even with this transformation, however, she still stumbles in her faith at times.

    Thankfully, there’s Solomon Hawke to save the day.

    I was pretty upset with Mrs. Brandes after she killed Jude-who happened to be one of my favorite characters in A Time to Die. But I was soon reconciled to his death, largely due to Solomon. He was such a fun character to read, and together he and Parvin had some moments which left me giggling and sighing all at once. I think the best part was how Parvin grew closer to both God and Solomon every time they talked. He was such an encouragement to her and helped strengthen her in the faith by leaps and bounds. I love their relationship and would be very happy to see more of them in A Time to Speak.

    Parvin & Co. traveled to so many new and wonderful places. Prime, Lost Angel, and more fun locations were described vividly, and I felt like I was right there, exploring along with them. I won’t say much more about their adventure so I don’t spoil the story, but rest assured it’s a fantastic journey.

    A lot of twists and surprises kept me on my toes throughout the whole story and left me with more questions than answers at the end. I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. Until then tally ho!

    Content guide (parenthesis may contain minor spoilers):

    Violence/Graphic: 7/10(graphic deaths, injuries, attacks, etc)

    Sexual: 2/10(brief kiss, thoughts about kissing, hugs, etc)

    Language: 0/10

    Views: 10

  • A Time to Die

    A Time to Die

    “How would you live if you knew the day you’d die?

    Parvin Blackwater has wasted her life. At only seventeen, she has one year left according to the Clock by her bedside.

    In a last-ditch effort to make a difference, she tries to rescue Radicals from the crooked justice system. But when the authorities find out about her illegal activity, they cast her through the Wall — her people’s death sentence.

    What she finds on the other side about the world, about eternity, and about herself changes Parvin forever and might just save her people. But her Clock is running out.”-summary of A Time to Die from Goodreads

    A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes is one of the few books I consider to have rocked my world. The first time I read it, I was in a book coma for the rest of the day. Powerful, moving, and heartbreaking beyond words.

    Parvin Brielle Blackwater is an inspiration. She is an amazing character who endured so much for what she felt was worth fighting for. Nadine Brandes does a stellar job of telling the story through Parvin’s eyes giving the reader the ability to truly live out the story in Parvin’s place. First person narration is very popular in the YA market nowadays, and I can say that I have yet to see an author who can carry it off as well as Brandes. Well done, Nadine.

    One of the best aspects of the book is the amazing world it is set in. The author crafts the scenery expertly, leaving the reader immersed in a brave and terrible new world. Terrible, because of the brokenness and lack of hope that resides in the USE, but brave and beautiful as well, shown by the forward-thinking mindset and ingenuity of Ivanhoe. No, it’s not a utopia by any means, but enough light shines through to give the reader hope for the future.

    The plot is very interesting in itself as well. It’s hard to get a reader to connect with an already-doomed character. After all, why bother to care about her if she’s just going to die anyway? However, as we get to know Parvin and experience life through her eyes, we begin to start pulling for her to make that last year worthwhile. We want her to win, and as her clock steadily counts down, we already begin to grieve that she won’t have more time with which to make a difference.

    There’s a lot of beauty in this book, but with that comes a lot of pain. Even the second time through, when I was bracing myself for the several heart-wrenching scenes, they still hurt. I won’t go into detail so I don’t spoil it for you, but it might be wise to keep the tissue box handy.

    Overall, I rate A Time to Die with five glowing stars. It’s inspiring and touching, balancing pain with whimsy. I highly recommend this book to readers 15 and up (due to a few disturbing moments and scenes of peril). I leave you all with a few reminders from Philippians that fit the tone of A Time to Die perfectly:

    Philippians 3:12

    “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”

    Philippians 1:23-24

    “But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.”

    Content guide (parenthesis may contain minor spoilers):

    Violence/Graphic: 10/10 (attacks by wild animals, stitches, amputations, injuries, much mention of death and dying).

    Sexual: 2/10(brief kiss on the cheek, thoughts about kissing, admiring a man’s muscles, shirtless scenes-all kept in an innocent light).

    Language: 0/10.

    Views: 3