Article 5: Review

Title: Article 5

Author: Kristen Simmons

Release Date: January 2012

Published By: Tor Teen

Pages: 364

Goodreads Rating: 3.85

Review: Seventeen-year-old Ember is just old enough to remember a time when there was a Bill of Rights instead of Moral Statutes, when there were police instead of soldiers, and when being arrested didn't mean never coming back. But she has perfected keeping a low profile, something of a necessity with a rebellious mother like hers. Except her mother is arrested for violation of Article 5 of the Moral Statutes, and one of the arresting officers is Chase, the boy she used to love.

ARTICLE 5 introduces the readers to a frightening dystopian world that was well-written and fleshed out. I found the concept of Moral Statutes with harsh punishments for violations to be intriguing, and while this kind of world isn't exactly one hundred percent unique, it wasn't painfully derivative or cliché. The only part of this that bothered me, however, was that it was never really explained why the world became like this to start with, when it would have been nice to have some sort of explanation to make it more believable.

Still, while the background wasn't the best it could have been, I absolutely adored the romance. It's rare for me to love a YA romance this much, but I truly enjoyed reading about the budding relationship between Ember and Chase. They both felt like real, honest characters and the love that grew between them was both natural and passionate. The relationship developed very nicely over the course of the story and will, I'm sure, continue well into the sequel.

What worked especially well were the flashbacks sprinkled out throughout the pages. They worked nicely with the pacing of the novel and didn't detract from the story at all, and they provided great insight into who Chase used to be. It was with these that we are able to see the large contrast between the Chase of Ember's memories and the Chase she meets in present time, and it makes the romance all the more sweeter.

Overall, ARTICLE 5 hit just the spot for my dystopian craving. From a fairly creative and scary world to a multi-dimensional cast of characters, this novel is well-written and well-executed. If you're not such a big fan of dystopian, this book probably isn't for you, but anyone who enjoys a good mix of romance and dystopia should eat this book up!

All Things Asian Interview and Giveaway: Kristen Simmons

Stopping by today is Kristen Simmons, author of the fantastic Article 5, for a great interview and an exciting giveaway!

What made you choose to write the genre you do?

I’ve always loved survivor stories – end-of -the -world stuff especially. Everything from zombie-apocalypse/Walking Dead stuff to Man vs. Wild to all of the great dystopian literature out there. I wanted to write the kind of book I liked to read - something with danger, excitement, and romance.

Young adult fiction often features protagonists' awkward moments. What are some of the most awkward moments of your teenage years?

Oh my. Some of these I’m not sure I can relive. Is it enough to say that there was a period of time where I had braces and glasses, was in the band and in Girl Scouts (yay to both btw!), had decorating issue, in that I always needed multiple scrunchies in my hair, and for some strange reason wore only spandex pants? These are troubling memories.

What are some of your favorite books with Asian characters?
Shout out time: I recently had the opportunity to read an early copy of STORMDANCER by Jay Kristoff (St. Martin’s Press, 2012), and holy cow. His female protagonist, Yuki, is tough as nails. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her adventures in Jay’s feudal Japanese Steampunk setting. Don’t miss this book when it comes out!

Do you think Asian characters and/or authors are prominent enough in young adult fiction?

I don’t. In fact, I don’t think I can recall the amount of young adult books I’ve read with an Asian lead on more than one hand…that’s concerning.

Do you think there needs to be more diversity in young adult fiction?
Absolutely. I would love to see more books with protagonists from all different backgrounds, mixed heritage included (like me, and like Chase, my male lead in ARTICLE 5!). I’d also like to see more couples of mixed ethnicity – like my husband and I!

Kristen Simmons is kind enough to be giving away a signed copy of Article 5 to one winner and bookmarks to four others! Enter through the Rafflecopter below!