My Thoughts: I’ve been a big fan of Beth Revis since I began the Across the Universe series. I love her imagination and the way she writes science-fiction with crazy governments and romance. I was so excited for The Body Electric to be published. I went into this book not having read the synopsis and I think that worked out really well for me. It was exactly what I love about this author’s work and basically my heart pounded from the beginning of the story until the end.
Both of Ella Shepard’s parents are incredibly smart scientists — or were, her father was killed not too long ago. Ella’s mother has created a technology that allows people to revisit their favorite dreams and now runs a spa where they can come and spend time in their reveries. Ella’s father worked for the government on android technology and cloning, things like that. The details of his death are incredibly shady and Ella and her mother are still grieving him. Ella’s mother is dying, so Ella helps her run the business. Ella is excited that she has taken her mother’s research a step further by figuring out how to link two the dreams of two people together so that one person can see into the mind of another.
Okay, okay. But before they can decide if they want to market that technology or even get excited about it, the government comes calling. Somehow they’ve learned what Ella discovered and want her help to use her new technology to prevent acts of terrorism. It sounds crazy for me to write in this blog post that they would use a teenage girl for this, but it totally works in the story. And here’s where things get tricky. Because OF COURSE, the government isn’t telling the people everything. And the more that Ella finds out, the more she realizes that she should question things.
There are some other really crazy things going on with Ella too: the boy that shows up that knows her, says he loved her once, but she has no recollection of him whatsoever — these communicative hallucinations she is having in which her father seems to be telling her something, what’s up with that? — how did she not realize that so many people that she loves aren’t human?
The Body Electric is really cool. Ella has been living this BIG, HUGE LIE lately, and watching her unravel the truth is really exciting and a felt kind of like a wild ride. The further into the story I read, the more shocked I was when I found out that certain characters weren’t trustworthy, etc. There are some big reveals and twists, and I loved that. I loved that Ella kept bouncing back, even when she felt knocked down and betrayed, and she felt this way more than once because SHE WAS.
There is a romance present in the story, but it is written in a way that is different than what we read so often. Ella begins to wonder if her memories have been tampered with because the boy that tells her that he has loved her — well, she has no recollection of this. And he is trying to help her out when she has to escape some crazy government things, so they do spend some time together on the run. Ella spends time trying to remember if they were together as a couple in the past, as Jack suggests, but it takes her a long time to figure out exactly how her past played out. And she does, and Jack is a perfect gentleman, and a great character. His character is subtle, but has a huge voice. I loved him.
And GOOD GRACIOUS, some of the reveals toward the end shocked the heck out of me! Completely. There is a happy ending, though, so everything is resolved and I feel like everyone is in a good place.
The Body Electric is even better than the synopsis sounds. I was totally glued to my Kindle. This story is completely unpredictable and absolutely an adventure. I would recommend The Body Electric by Beth Revis to readers that enjoy science-fiction with some dystopian or crazy-governments. It just made me so, so happy to be reading the words of Beth Revis again.
***********************************************************************
The Body Electric will appeal to fans of:
YA Science-Fiction
Crazy Governments
Romance: No triangle. Slowly-developing.
The Body Electric by Beth Revis
is currently available for purchase.
***********************************************************************
Beth Revis is the NY Times bestselling author of the Across the Universe series. The complete trilogy is now available in more than 20 languages. A native of North Carolina, Beth’s most recent book is The Body Electric, which tells the story of what was happening on Earth while the characters of Across the Universe were in space.
***********************************************************************
And now for the Giveaway!
Author Beth Revis is offering:
–a complete signed trilogy of the
Across the Universe series,
-a signed copy of The Body Electric,
-an Across the Universe branded
water bottle (see photo)
I want to read THE BODY ELECTRIC bcos I liked Across the Universe trilogy!
Thank you for the giveaway 🙂
I love Beth Revis's books and I can't wait to read this one. I'm in a reading slump right now, so your description of this as something that would leave me "glued to my Kindle" is perfect right now!
The blurb had me at 'the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother'. Even if I don't win I'll definitely be picking up a copy of this book.
This sounds like such a freaking fun and exciting read! And unique, too! I love the sounds of the twists, too, that's always fun when you don't see them coming and BANG!! Glad you liked it, Asheley! Great review!
I just loved across the universe and this one sounds so good. Playing with the mind is so creepy. Can't wait to read it.
I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to read this one, but your review definitely has me more interested! The concept sounds really unique and fun and cool, and I'm already liking the boy. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, lady!
I love long reviews. Gives me a lot of insight when thinking to read a book. However, I'VE ALREADY PUT THE BODY ELECTRIC ON THE TOP OF MY LIST!! Weee! I love Beth Revis, and I can't wait to read! 😀
This sounds so great! I loved the first Across the Universe book and have not yet had the chance to continue, but I already know that I love her writing! Thanks for the chance! 🙂