Review: Awaken-Katie Kacvinsky

Book: Awaken

Author: Katie Kacvinsky

Publication Date: May 23, 2011

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Genre: Young Adult

Description: Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.
In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

My Review: In Awaken, Katie Kacvinsky really opened our eyes to what would happen if the world let technology, and our dependence on it, get too out of control. This book is full of love interests, coming of age stories, and has a main character you cant help but fall in love with.

Madeline, a.k.a Maddie is easy to understand. She felt similar to me in some ways. On one hand, she is okay with the life she lives. Excluding the brief digression into adolescent rebellion that caused her to be basically punished for the rest of her life (kind of), she accepts the cards dealt to her, knows her path and where exactly she will end up.Her views are shaped by the world she lives in, as all people's are, and she keeps her goals within the boundaries of that world.  

Enter the gorgeous guy with perfect everything. Justin is completely sexy and doesn't even know it apparently. Of course he opens her eyes to the world and the rest you will just have to read to know.

I liked the book a lot. It had me thinking about the dangers of  too much technology. I could actually see this world existing in 2060. I had tears at the end that i forced to stay put. All in all it was a great book although there were a few things that frustrated me. First, although i loved the relationship between Maddie and Justin, I also hated it at times.  It actually made me want to reach in the book and shake him and say please just shut up and relax for a second. I also didn't like the amount of questions I was left with at the end. Luckily there will be a sequel so my feelings weren't totally hurt. Other than those few issues, I really loved the book. I will definitely be looking out for the sequel!