An Intense Sequel - A Time to Speak by Nadine Brandes [Review]
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| (c.) 2015 by Enclave Publishing |
Author: Nadine Brandes
Published: 2015 by Enclave Publishing
About the Book:
"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 Artist Librarian's Review:
The Council uses 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 Hawke 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?"
So if I thought Nadine Brandes' debut, A Time to Die, was an intense dystopian/survivalist novel, this sequel doubles the stakes, the action, the romance, and the cliffhanger ending! After the devastating events at the end of Parvin's journey beyond the Walls, she returns to her "normal" life forever changed --and so are the people close to her. But too quickly, she finds herself responsible for the survival of the remnant of her townspeople. With her leadership, can they escape beyond the Council's reach? Can they survive beyond the Walls? Can they unravel the mystery of the Clocks?
Brandes' dystopian world is expanded upon from the North American continent to the Southern Pole and back. We get to see new locations such as Lost Angel on the west coast and the Antarctica base, each with their own flavors and perils. We also get a glimpse into Prime, a High City, and its unique culture and technologies.
The survival-against-nature aspect of this series is one that sets it apart from other dystopians I've read. While I did have a literary suspension-of-disbelief-moment again, I think most of that comes from the fact that I haven't lived through freezing, snow-inducing weather, so a lot of the Antarctica scenes made me think, "you can't survive that in real life." (I'm sure you probably can, but this warmth-loving girl just probably can't.) =P
Parvin continues her journey, growing both as a character and as a leader. If A Time to Die was about Parvin discovering that God has a plan for her life, A Time to Speak is about the details. Have you ever thought, "I know that God has a purpose for me, but what are those exact plans?" That's what Parvin's struggling with also:
"I don't think He wants us to keep asking and dwelling on His specific plan or will. He wants us to dwell on and seek Him. Then our decisions will be made from our love for and relationship with Him. We are free to take action in whatever means we want as long as we seek Him and allow Him to guide us" (330).I love Hawke's words --they reminded me of something my mom told me when I was around that age and I was facing big "future" questions and wondering "How do I know if this is God's will for my life?" She said we seek God and allow Him to guide us, but not to fret over decisions. If we aren't going in the right direction, God will let us know --He'll shut those paths (like how Paul was prevented from going to Bithynia in Acts 16:7).
Speaking of Hawke, he's one of several characters who are fleshed out in this novel and quickly became one of my favorites. While Parvin and Hawke kind of had more of an "online" or digital friendship in the first novel, their relationship changes when they find themselves working closely together to save an innocent girl. I really liked this progression. The fact that both Parvin and Hawke have faults and the differences in their personalities and how they handle stress or hurt are realistic. I also really appreciated the way they confront these differences and face them in a potentially romantic relationship. I think that's something important for readers to see. Their faults aren't glossed over just because they might be falling in love.
A Time to Speak is another action-filled page turner that left the romantic in me completely satisfied. But be warned: the ending is a huge cliffhanger which left me saying, "Did she just do what I think she did?!!!" However, if Nadine Brandes has shown me anything from this series, it's that she's a bold author. She's unafraid to take risks and do the unconventional. I'm absolutely dying to see how she opens the next novel in this series!
Brief reflection on content: Christian YA dystopian. Characters are injured, bloodied, killed, etc. (but not graphically described). A bit of romance as well (not to spoil, but I ship "BlackHawke"). =) I'd recommend to older teens and up, but of course, dependent on maturity, a younger teen may enjoy it as well.
About the Author:
"Nadine learned to write her alphabet with a fountain pen. In Kindergarten. Cool, huh? Maybe that's what started her love for writing. She started journaling at age nine and thus began her habit of communicating via pen and paper more than spoken words. She never decided to become a writer. Her brain simply classified it as a necessity to life. Nadine is a stay-at-home author and writes stories about authentic faith, bold living, and worlds soaked in imagination. She lives in Idaho with her husband and works as a freelance editor. When she's not writing, editing, or taste-testing a new chai, she is out pursuing adventures. A Time to Die is her first novel. Visit Nadine at www.nadinebrandes.com."Any thoughts? What is a book that absolutely left you hanging with the hugest cliffhanger? Let me know in the comments (no spoilers, please)!
[Disclosure: As a part of this book's launch team, I received a digital advanced reader's copy (ARC) from the author for review purposes]
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 2015 by Enclave Publishing Title: A Time to Speak ( Out of Time #2) Author: Nadine Brandes Published: 2015 by Enclave Publishi...){kind=link}
2 comments
I've been seeing this book around a lot! I'll have to look into its more. Always fun to find new reads. :)
ReplyDeleteIndeed! If you get to this series, be sure to read book 1, "A Time to Die" first --if you read it out of order, there are huge spoilers! =)
DeleteThank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! Comments are always welcomed and appreciated.