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Title: The Roar (The Roar, #1)
Author: Emma Clayton
Published By: Chicken House (2009)
Synopsis: Mika and Ellie live in a future behind a wall: Solid concrete topped with high-voltage razor wire and guarded by a battalion of Ghengis Borgs, it was built to keep out the animals, because animals carry the plague. At least that’s what Ellie, who was kidnapped as a child, has always been taught.
But when she comes to suspect the truth behind her captivity, she’s ready to risk exposure to the elements and answer the call of the wild. Listen. Can you hear it? She’s strapping on her headset, jumpstarting her Pod Fighter, and–with her capuchin monkey at her back–she’s breaking out! (Taken from Goodreads.)
Review:
This adventure-dystopia-sci-fi creation of a book captured my attention from the beginning, and it definitely lived up to my expectations. If you’re looking for a good, clean dystopia, look no further, this one is for you!
In The Roar, Mika is a twelve-year-old boy who lives behind the Wall in a stinky, sewery, disgusting world resulting from an animal plague. His twin sister, Ellie, supposedly died years ago—but Mika doesn’t believe she’s actually dead. Then there’s an announcement of an arcade game competition. Mika joins the competition, convinced it will lead him to Ellie.
Meanwhile, Ellie, who’s not dead at all, is in captivity, searching desperately for an escape. More than that, though, she knows The Secret. Between her and Mika, can they save the world from a certain doom with the special talent they both seem to possess?
As I mentioned earlier, this book was such a mix of genres it really could be considered anything. Dystopian? Yep, it’s definitely a different government. Sci-fi? There’s the sciency elements, like the orbiting spaceship-thing Ellie’s trapped in, and all the adventures inside the game. Adventure? Yep, this is action-packed and never a calm moment. Mystery? There’s so much to wonder about my brain was whirring. Fantasy? Well, not sure yet, but we still have yet to discover that magical talent of Mika’s….
This book truly was a really good read, if a little long. Most of the book takes place in this game competition, and I was surprised to learn that, as the summary doesn’t really hint at that at all. I enjoyed the switches between Mika and Ellie, though I do wish there had been more scenes on Ellie. I had really come to like Ellie by the end of the book. The ending could have been written a little better—their reactions, to me, seemed a little flat—but then again, the story technically isn’t over yet: there’s a whole another book waiting.
Characters? Well done. A little two-dimensional; they didn’t really pop off the page to me or seem like they could exist in today’s world, but then again, this is a totally different world they’re in.
Overall:
This was a great, fun, action-packed read, written well and exciting. I’m looking forward to the sequel!
Negative Content:
None.
Rating: 4.5
Recommended to: Anyone looking for a good, clean dystopian!