The White Rose: A Book Review
The White Rose
Amy Ewing
Recently on the radio (yes, I totally listen to the local radio while I'm in the car) they asked the question, "What do you still do now that you are older, that is considered too young for you?" The examples they used included shopping at Forever 21, even though they are well into their 30s, or older..., one girl says she loves to play with Legos even though she doesn't have kids, the adult coloring fad came up (totally guilty)...And I was tempted to call and say that I really enjoy the Teen/YA Fiction genre.
What about you, what is something you still do, and enjoy, that is not meant for your age group?
Story Overview
Amy Ewing starts The White Rose almost exactly where The Jewel left off. Violet needs to escape and rescue Ash, but she is unsure how. Waiting for help, that comes unexpectedly from Garnet starts this sequel off with a bang. You probably need to read The Jewel first, but grab this one also because you will want to keep reading!
The plot moves quickly as we follow Violet as she learns to control her gift. The escape is not easy, as the chase is often suspenseful, but Violet, Ash, and Raven all, somehow, make it to a haven, called The Farm. While there, Violet quickly realizes that while she is an important aspect of the revolution, she needs to have a solid support system of people who are with her and willing to use their strengths for the cause.
Personal Likes
I really appreciated the expansion of Ash and Raven's characters. After reading The House of hteStone, I had to know what would happen to Raven. Thankfully Ewing did a superb job of giving time for Raven's healing and development in this story. Ash also took on a larger role in this book, making him a character worth caring more about - since he is the main love interest, he needed the extra dimension.
I was pleasantly surprised about the involvement of Garnet in this book. I was curious about him in the first book, but there just wasn't much of him in it. He seemed to be a more complex character then, and this sequel proves that is so. It is interesting because there are times in The Jewel when you just want to smack him, or roll your eyes at his behavior, then during The White Rose, the times when he is in the scene is full of action that drives you to keep reading.
Personal Dislikes
The subject matter surrounding Raven from The House of the Stone, was so delicate (pregnancy, surrogacy) that there were times in this book when I wasn't sure it would be alright - granted it was handled well, and fit perfectly into the story line. Yet, I could see how this whole concept would be too much for some readers.
I really wish I had liked Violet in this story more. As the female lead, I would have expected to enjoy every time she appeared, yet she came across as an annoying teenager more than one of the few fighting for change. Granted, this is the current fad in the teen dystopian genre, so I should be surprised. I'm just always expecting something different.
I really wish I had liked Violet in this story more. As the female lead, I would have expected to enjoy every time she appeared, yet she came across as an annoying teenager more than one of the few fighting for change. Granted, this is the current fad in the teen dystopian genre, so I should be surprised. I'm just always expecting something different.
Reading List Rating
I am going to give this book four hearts, bordering on five. It was a good enough follow up and certainly has me ready for the next installment. However, I'm not sure I am going to spend the time to read it again...
My Suggested Audience
This is clearly a Teen series - so I would say fourteen and up is fine. That being said, please be aware that the subject matter, in general, is mature: slaves (called pets, but still...) are bought to become surrogates; violence against slaves (very reminiscent of all slave cultures); violence that one would expect from escaping slaves; and the build up violence to a major revolution There are also some scenes with intimacy, granted I would put it at a PG-13 level, but it's still there. The issues surrounding a pregnancy, starvation, and miscarriage are also in this book, as was the lead up from The Jewel - so think the psychological ramifications which can be tough to read.
Wondering Questions to Consider
This book has to be considered dystopian in nature simply because of the horrid conditions these girls, and the mass workforce, are forced into. The ideas of how much power a government or ruling party should have certainly can come up. This book is unique in the fact that it plays with the ideas of science getting to the point where we can engineer children's genetics to be better and better... sounds a little familiar... While there are many paths one could take when reflection on this book, and series, here are just a few: What lengths should people go to in order to have biological children if the science is there? When is revolting the right thing to do? How do you prepare to fight a battle that requires you to wipe out a society and their regulations completely?
This is about a race of people enslaved and made extinct. #TheWhiteRose @Reading_List1
What is someone that is probably too young for you, but you do it anyhow, and you are not sorry? Have you read a piece of fiction and really thought about the critique it is making on our actual society, even if it claims to have nothing to do with our society? What is your favorite book right now?
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