Ultraviolet
Author: R.J. Anderson
Series: Ultraviolet #1
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy
Publisher: Orchard
My Rating:
Summary:
This is not her story.
Unless you count the part where I killed her.
Sixteen-year-old Alison wakes up in a mental institute. As she pieces her memory back together, she realizes she’s confessed to murdering Tori Beaugrand, the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery. Tori’s body has been not been found, and Alison can’t explain what happened. One minute she was fighting with Tori. The next moment Tori disintegrated – into nothing.
But that’s impossible. No one is capable of making someone vanish. Right? Alison must be losing her mind – like her mother always feared she would.
For years Alison has tried to keep her weird sensory abilities a secret. No one ever understood – until a mysterious visiting scientist takes an interest in Alison’s case. Suddenly, Alison discovers that the world is wrong about her – and that she’s capable of far more than anyone else would believe.
First Sentence: Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.
My Review:
After finishing reading Ultraviolet, I had absolutely no clue what to think of it. Some parts in Ultraviolet didn’t interest me at all, but other parts engaged me so much that I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the page. The pacing of the book was okay and I have nothing to complain about it. Overall, my rating of Ultraviolet came down to one thing – the wide range of emotions Ultraviolet made me feel. Ultraviolet managed to make me so absolutely furious one minute that I had absolutely no clue where I was and cry tearfully the next in frustration. Yeah, that basically sums up my feelings for Ultraviolet well.
I had absolutely no clue that I was reading a book that deals with synesthesia when I first started Ultraviolet. However, as I read on, I grew more interested, especially when I learned what synesthesia was and how it made Alison see things normal people didn’t see. In fact, when she first mentioned a symptom of synesthesia (please keep in mind that we both had no clue she had synesthesia or what synesthesia even is at that time), I thought that she was seeing things that you’ll normally see in cartoon shows. (One symptom was first mentioned when Alison’s mother clanged some spoons together and Alison saw stars. That sounded like something that would happen in a cartoon show to me.)
I’m conflicted about my feelings for Alison’s mother. I understand why she did the things she did after she explained her side of the story, but still. I hurt for Alison, especially after the way her mother treated her in the mental institution. To picture your own mother being genuinely afraid of you is the worse situation ever.
Several things caught me by surprise in Ultraviolet ranging from the Kirk situation (I was so not expecting that) to the Dr. Faraday situation. I was like what? I never pictured that happening!
The one and only tiny issue I had with Ultraviolet is that the science-fiction part of the book came a little too late, near the third part of the book (there were only three parts in Ultraviolet). While I was reading the first and second parts of Ultraviolet, I was constantly wondering, where are the science-fiction elements? However, when the science-fiction elements did come to play into Ultraviolet, I could understand why many people labelled Ultraviolet as a science-fiction novel.
I don’t know whether I want to yell at R.J. Anderson for giving Alison a not so-complete happy ending or applaud her for doing what other authors are afraid of doing: giving readers a not completely happy ending. The “I’m sure I’ll see him again” part killed me. When?! How?! Why?! When will I get some answers?!
I will definitely read the sequel, Quicksilver, which comes out next year in May to find out what happens to Tori. Such a long wait.
I completely agree with you. The science fiction aspect felt a bit rushed at the end, and I would’ve preferred having more hints and development of that plot throughout the book, but otherwise I really liked the book. I’m so excited for Quicksilver, because I really enjoyed Tori’s storyline and wanted to learn more about her–I just hope Alison and Faraday will have a large role as well, because I’ll admit I’m a total HEA girl ;)
I liked the book too! :D
Quicksilver came out a LONGG time ago, but I still sadly haven’t had the time to read it yet. I hope you enjoyed it Christine! (:
Kelly recently posted…Judge A Book By Its Signature: Just One Day – Gayle Forman
great review!! Sounds like i would enjoy this book!!!
Thanks Sarah! (:
I think you will enjoy this one. ;D
Kelly recently posted…Judge A Book By Its Signature: Just One Day – Gayle Forman
This book sounds really interesting yet confusing. The cover is pretty too.