Dan Krokos
Series: False Memory, #1
Publication date: August 14th 2012
by Hyperion
Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.
Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can’t remember loving.
Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter... when there may not be a future.
*A copy was provided by Disney Hyperion for review purposes*
From the very first page this book grips you with the unknown. At first it's who is Miranda? Without her memory, she has no idea who, or what, she is. Then we move on to who is this unconventional family of hers, then who is this creator who wants to use them, and all throughout--what are we going to find out next?
As far as unreliable narrators go, Miranda is pretty darn great. She doesn't even know who she is! I, myself, have always loved unreliable narrators. They keep you on the lookout, always deciphering and theorizing; the more you find out about Miranda's life, the more fascinating it all becomes. Then of course, there are twists that throw what you've learned a little off track. I really enjoyed this twisty road. I also found the sci-fi aspect very well thought out. It's explained satisfactorily without info-dumping or throwing it under the rug. Plus, using genetics and brain manipulation to create a human weapon is always pretty darn cool if you ask me!
Roses are what these ones are called. Yep. Roses! "Have no fear, the Roses are here" Yeah... I had the same reaction. (Not an actual quote, though there are some similar in tone). These people need better names! Come on! How torturous for them! Moving on.
The characters are all fun and memorable. While I wouldn't say we get extraordinary character development, they're likeable and overall charismatic. Miranda herself has an easy way about her; making it effortless for us to get her and see how she reasons things out. Her and her flower sidekicks make for a great group dynamic with some complicated relationships due to the memory loss. On the romantic side, I found this to be quite a refreshing change from the usual love triangle. I wouldn't even consider it a triangle at this point--having lost her memory, the love that she "was told" she shared with one isn't there anymore. Unfortunately for the other party, this fact is one sided. So really, it's a pretty big mess and I liked it! It's sad and confusing at all once. How can you rekindle something you don't remember? Would you even be the same you you used to be without the experiences and feelings that created who you were in the first place?
The best part is by far the exciting, mind boggling plot. You're never truly sure if what you know is the truth, nor do you know who to trust: On top of the amnesia, we have clones, an evil "creator", and a rogue who's been killing… *snickers*… Roses. Overall, there's more than enough to fill this book with page turning antics that I'm sure fans of sci-fi thrillers will be satisfied with!
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| 4 Hot Espressos |
