Tuesday, June 3, 2014

The Unwanteds (The Unwanteds Book #1)

This book is a clear example of pure fantasy and it is also very interesting in its own little ways. Even though the story was very unbelievable, the plot happened nicely and the characters made you just want to laugh (because they were funny) and scream (because of the very sad life they were living). I must say that this book is a work that shows a really unique take on dystopian fantasy that I have never seen before.

This book possibly has a long story behind it too. When I just moved to this lovely town I'm living in two years ago, my family stayed at home for the first few weeks or so just to get used to the new house. Me and my younger brother were getting awfully bored at home so we decided to find the new library for this area. When we found the new library, we made ourselves library cards and decided to get some books. I was scouting around in the older children's area (I now know that there is a difference between the older children's area and young adult's area) when I found this book.

Even though this book isn't exactly YA, I would recommend it for ages 10-12 just because it is action and there is a war at the end, but it isn't all that bloody.

Here's the cover.




In a faraway land where all forms of creativity are banned,  two identical twins named Alex and Aaron Stowe are taken to a secret meeting called The Purge where their fate will be decided. At age thirteen in their world, children are separated into three groups. The Wanteds, the Necessaries and the Unwanteds. The Wanteds and the Necessaries are sent to college where they will become true citizens under the rule of High Priest Justine.  The Unwanteds are sent to a giant cauldron of boiling oil where they will die a painful death. Or so it was thought.

Aaron is sure he'll become a Wanted, but Alex isn't so sure. Alex was blamed for drawing in mud with a stick after a rainstorm. He's sure he'll be an Unwanted.

At the Purge, Alex and Aaron are finally separated and Alex is led off with the other Unwanteds to the pot of oil where they will die. But the man who is leading them seems to have other ideas. He introduces himself as Mr.Tomorrow, the creator of the land of Artime. Luckily for the Unwanteds, they aren't going to die today. They all jump through a portal in the pot to Artime where creativity is not just requested, it is expected and all their wildest dreams can come true.

After getting started in his studies and acing all of his classes, Alex wants to share this wonderful world with Aaron who is still back in their home. But Aaron has drastically changed. He missed Alex and was beaten every time he even tried to speak of his brother. Now Aaron has accepted that he and Alex are leading separate paths and won't let anyone change that.

A recent leak in security has led the people of the bland world to find out about Artime and a war is brewing between the forces of High Priest Justine and Mr. Tomorrow. Could Alex and Aaron possibly play the largest role in the course of history in both worlds?

My Thoughts-

I would be devastated if our world had banned creativity. That would just be too sad. Honestly as I think about it now, I keep on linking this book to The Lego Movie, which actually I didn't like all that much. (I didn't like the movie, not the book). But both have similar elements. A character who actually has more talent than he realizes. A world filled with order and perfection. A world where anything is possible. A villain who is afraid of losing control over the citizens of his (or her) world (the world of order and perfection).

I'm so sorry for linking a work of young adult fiction to a children's movie, but you'll get the idea if you've seen it.

There are also two more books in this series. They are Island of Dreams and Island of Fire



No comments:

Post a Comment