The Best Reader + TIME

Outside In — Maria V. Snyder

From Amazon.com...

"Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion — between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again — while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In."
Read my review of "Inside Out. "
I won't lie; I am not a fan of "Inside Out." I couldn't visualize the setting and I wasn't able to connect to the characters or the plot. Because of this I opened "Outside In" with a sense of hesitation — I want to like these stories, I want to drown in the setting, I want to think of these characters as real people. Despite my hesitation, I was able to do this with "Outside In." I had time to get used to the surprise setting of the novel and I had time to think about the characters and their relationships. I had time to settle into this novel and its concept. This time was vital for me to "warm up" to "Outside In."
"Outside In," my first eBook read, was fast-paced and intricately woven. Like the protagonist, Trella, I didn't know who she should trust, what she should do, and what position she should take in the newly reformed society. I sympathized with Trella's role in this new society — it would be a heavy weight on the shoulders to be responsible for an entire society (in this way, Trella is very comparable to Katniss). I think I would do what she did and walk away, let those who are more experienced and more intelligent govern the people. I was able to see Inside from her perspective, something I wasn't able to do while reading "Inside Out." I finally understood the society and how it worked.
I was able to enjoy reading this novel because I had the necessary prior knowledge to understand all of the outside components, but this didn't stop my surprise when the events turned. I don't want to give anything away — but let me just say: WOW. WOW!
I can hardly form words (obviously) to convey exactly how I feel about this change in the story's direction. While I didn't see it coming and it did surprise me — it was completely understandable and almost obvious when I think back on it. I thought the ending was a little bit rushed, but really... what else could be said?
I'm not sure if there is a third novel, but if there is you can count on me reading it. Despite starting out on the wrong foot, the "Inside Out" and "Outside In" series is a great dystopia for any fan of the genre. I plan to reread "Inside Out" now that I have a more firm grasp on the setting and characters. If, like me, you felt lost and disconnected with "Inside Out" be sure to read "Outside In" with an open mind.
Originality: 9/10
Ending: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Plot: 9/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 8/10
Theme: 10/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 5/5
Tone: 5/5
Cover: 10/10
Overall: 91/100 A

To the FTC, with love: Received for Review — NetGalley

To find out more about this series and author, visit the following links: -Visit Maria around the web here: Website | Blog -BUY THE BOOK on February 15th at Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Outside In — Maria V. Snyder + TIME