Slated
Author: Teri Terry
Series: Slated #1
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller, Dystopian
Release Date: January 24, 2013
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Summary:
Kyla has been Slated – her memory erased, her personality wiped blank. This is the government’s way of dealing with teen terrorists: give them a fresh start as a new person. They teach Kyla how to walk and talk again, give her a new identity and a new family, and tell her to be grateful for this second chance.
It’s also her last chance, and to ensure that she plays by their rules, Kyla is fitted with a Levo, a bracelet that monitors her mood and will stun – or even kill – her if her levels of anger or violence rise too high.
As she adjusts to her new life, Kyla can see she is different from other Slateds. She asks too many questions and is plagued by nightmares that feel like memories – even though she shouldn’t have memories. Who is she, really? Has her Slating gone wrong? And if only criminals are Slated, why are innocent people disappearing? Torn between the need to understand more and her instinct for self-preservation, Kyla knows a dangerous game is being played with her life, and she’s determined not to let anyone see her make the wrong move…
Debut author Teri Terry has written a brilliantly original, thought-provoking novel about an uncomfortably plausible future.
First Sentence: I run.
My Review:
Okay, I’ll admit it, before I actually started reading Slated, I was a bit leery of this book. Okay, not a bit, but very leery of this book. You really can’t blame me. I’ve heard a lot of great things about Slated, but just from reading the summary alone, I thought I automatically knew what the entire book was about. In fact, I called it. This book would be about a secretly evil government blah blah blah and it’s the rebels who are Slated was my exact predication. In the end, I was right in a way, but I also wasn’t completely right, if you catch my meaning. I feel like Slated is part dystopian (because of the whole evil government thing and the terrorist resisters), but apparently goodreads doesn’t agree with me.
Slated started off pretty fantastic. In fact, I thought it was a book that will definitely get a four star rating or higher from me. I was awed by what I read of the world-building so far – it was just so unique and surprising. I’m not going to go in depth with the world-building because I don’t want to spoil elements that have surprised me. I would say this though: Although some parts of the world-building managed to amaze me, I do want more of an explanation on it. So far, I only got little snippets and pieces of the world and how it came to be. (Those added political events toward the end didn’t help; I just can’t get a grasp on political stuff unless I study it non-stop for an hour.) I simply just wanted more of the world-building.
All right, I haven’t got much experience on which to base this judgment. I may be sixteen and I’m not slow or backward and haven’t been locked in a closet since birth – as far as I know – but SLating does that to you. Makes you lacking in experience. (3)
However, as I read on, the fantastic beginning feeling I got from reading the beginning of Slated didn’t last very long. While I read on, I got a little bored, wishing something major would happen that will actually surprise or shock me in some way. I did get what I wanted – several times in fact – but there is still a not quite small problem: every time I was surprised at something that had happened in Slated, the effect wore off quickly until I reached another point in the book that also surprised and shocked me. The cycle will repeat itself a lot, but there were still moments where I was bored reading the book.
Slated is predictable every now and then. Kyla is slow to catch up on things (I still can’t believe she didn’t figure out something so obvious even at the end of the book), but unlike other characters from other books, Kyla has a legit reason to be slow: she was Slated. Kyla has no clue how life works and lacks parts of the thinking process because she has learned it yet. In fact, I feel that even though Kyla has been Slated and therefore is slower than any other normal person, she is still somewhat smarter than some other heroines from other books. (I’m not going to name any names because that’ll be just too mean, but yeah, I’m sure you guys can think of a few yourself.)
But somehow a sick certainty sits like a crushing weight on my chest, making it hard to breathe. Every instinct of self-preservation screams inside and won’t be ignored.
No one must know. (45)
Slated does have romance in it, which is what I usually like having in my books. However, I didn’t enjoy reading the romance between Kyla and her love interest, Ben. I felt like they were lacking the chemistry, the appeal that makes you cheer for them, root for them, and swoon for them. To me, it seems like Kyla is risking everything just for a guy she barely knows, a guy who barely is in touch with his own emotions and feelings since he was Slated. The relationship between Kyla and Ben just didn’t work for me. Since their relationship didn’t work for me, I don’t think I’ll be continuing on with this series because from what I got from the end of Slated, the main focus of the next book would be Ben.
Slated does stand out from under dystopian books (I’m not really sure if it’s a dystopian since goodreads says it isn’t, but according to me, it is since it has the evil government, rebels, etc. plot) I’ve read so far. It’s the idea of being “Slated” that really makes Slated stand out – other dystopian books I’ve read was just people finding out that oh no, their government is evil but we have to do something about it! In Slated, the government’s motive is not clear, but you do know something is wrong with the way innocent people are being Slated left and right.
“Wonder what she did to get Slated.”
“Bet it was bad.”
“Couldn’t have been much; she’s a scrawny little wuss.”
“Maybe she tortured little children ‘cos they were the only ones smaller than her.” (128)
Overall, the important question I want to bring up is is Slated really a thriller? In a way, yes. But also, a small part of me insists that no, Slated isn’t really a thriller because of the many up and down moments I had while reading it. I don’t know, maybe you guys may like it a lot more than I did, but for me, Slated was just an okay book, a little bit above average, but overall still okay.
Will I recommend Slated? Sure. It’s a pretty good book, especially for people looking for an unique dystopian to read.
I think I’ll probably give this one a try since dystopians are my favourite reads, adding it to the TBR list.
Thanks for your review!
Pili recently posted…Friday Reads: ARC Review of Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike!
You’ll probably like this one Pili – it was nicely written and it’s an unique dystopian! ;D
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [62]
I really enjoyed Slated. I don’t read a TON of dystopian and found it to be better than most of what I had at the time I read it. I didn’t care for the romance either, but what really sold me was the emotion. For me I did feel that thrill. I couldn’t imagine going through what she did, not being able to react in normal ways for fear of being erased again, learning so many things over again, watching innocent people get taken and feeling helpless. I’ve heard this compared to The Program a few times but I still have to read that.
Nicole recently posted…REVIEW: Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
I’ve read a ton of dystopians and I’ll definitely say that Slated is one of the better ones out there.
I was sold on the emotion too, which is why I gave Slated a 3.5 star rating. Man, I’m lucky I don’t live in Kyla’s kind of society since I’ll pretty much be screaming at everyone and be taken by the Lorders asap. :P
I haven’t read The Program yet, but I’ve heard about it. Now that you’ve mentioned it, I agree, Slated is definitely similar to The Program since they both have a similar theme of controlling your emotions.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [62]
I was about to type on this review saying Nicole really enjoyed it but it looks like she beat me to it. She even bought this one for me for my Birthday. I have yet o read it though I have heard good things but I have also heard the Program is similar and I really enjoyed that one so I feel like reading this one I would find to many similarities. The fact that you mention the romance was meh and that it was an oky book does not have me racing to take it off my shelf
Ashley @The Quiet Concert recently posted…One Year Blogoversary + Giveaway
I’ve actually heard about Slated a while back, probably this year? I’m not sure. But I do remember that they changed the cover to match the second book. That’s probably what caught most of my interest. The cover. That’s also probably a reason for why I want to read this book in the first place. I probably still will but I’m going to be guarded the whole time I’m reading it because after reading what you said of romance levels and the non-chemistry kind of kills it for me. I like that feeling of cheering for a fictional character too. If I read the second book I’ll let you know if things got better or not :)
I’m personally glad they changed the cover of Slated; it looks A LOT better like this, not being just a face kind of cover.
I take it as you’re the kind of reader who loves well-done romance? ;D
Okay! I mean, I’m still interested in reading Fractured because the cover of it is just so gorgeous, even better than the cover of Slated in my opinion.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [62]
I was never interested in this book before. Everyone raved but I agree, I thought it was just going to be another dystopian to add to the never ending list. Glad to hear that it kept you intrigued even if it did have it’s faults. Thanks for the great review! Love that first sentence too!
Audris @ YA Bookmark recently posted…Discussion: A Million Series, No Time
I was never interested in Slated either, but since I’ve met the author and heard this book being raved about, I was like why not try it? Slated managed to impress me one way or another so that’s good.
Ha ha, I love two-worded first sentences. ;D
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [62]
Great review! I had almost forgotten about this title :\ I remember being pretty impressed by it, albeit it was one of the first YA “thrillers” I’d read so the novelty of it had me excited. Although once I started reading more widely, with the influx of fantasy these couple of years, it has definitely faded on my radar and I haven’t checked out the sequel. I have to agree, it’s not really a thriller, especially if you compare it to titles like Code Name Verity- I hate when books start off so promising and then taper off :(
Chantelle recently posted…Review: How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You by Tara Eglington
Thanks! :D
Apparently, Slated is one of the most loved books in the UK, which really surprises me because like you said, I’ve read a lot of other books, so I know better.
As of right now, I definitely won’t be checking out Fractured, the sequel. Slated just didn’t leave a strong impression on me despite the 3.5 star rating I gave it. :l
Kelly recently posted…Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop
I’m sad that this was just a ho-hum sort of book. It’s on my shelf so I will probably still read it but I’m not going to bump it up to the top of my TBR or anything.
Emily @ Falling for YA recently posted…Top 10 of 2013: Best Books I Read in 2013
Great review! This book wasn’t as thrilling as I thought it would be, but it wasn’t too bad. ;)
I feel like you and I had pretty similar opinions of this book, I liked it, but there were things about it that irritated me (the romance being the most major one) and it never really thrilled me on the way I thought it was going to, although I thought the concept was very different.
JJ recently posted…Swoonworthy Sundays #8
I would definitely recommend that you finish the series if you haven’t already. The other two book have Ben as a character, but he definitely isn’t the focus. As someone who also found the romance between Ben and Kyla annoying and lacking luster, I can assure you that the rest of the series is worth reading.