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The Time Zero Trilogy #1
Time Zero
Women banned from education. Husbands chosen by parents. Does one New York teen have the courage to stand against oppression?
“A compelling, unexpected, thrilling read that elevates the young adult genre with smart and ground-breaking social commentary.” —Elizabeth Banks, “Effie Trinket” from The Hunger Games
Winner 2017 International Book Award for Young Adult Fiction.
Manhattan, 2119. Fifteen-year-old Mina Clark hides her heresy to protect her family’s honor. And in a world where women are second-class citizens and young brides are sold to the highest bidder, only Mina’s beloved grandmother secretly fuels her forbidden love of reading. But when Nana is rushed to the hospital, Mina races to grab hold of the illegal materials before authorities come knocking.
Confronted by her horrid, spoiled brat betrothed, Mina commits an act of disobedience that could threaten everything she holds dear. Fearing for her life, she teams up with her fiancé’s handsome bodyguard to follow the clues hidden in Nana’s Primer to the heart of the Manhattan underground.
Can Mina unravel the mystery and fight for her freedom?
Time Zero is the first book in an eye-opening dystopian YA trilogy. If you like determined heroines, suspenseful action, and a harrowing glimpse of the future, then you’ll love Carolyn Cohagan’s award-winning novel.
Buy Time Zero to join the uprising today!
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2016
402 people are currently reading
2847 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Cohagan
17 books117 followersCarolyn Cohagan began her writing career on the stage. She has performed stand-up and one-woman shows at festivals around the world from Adelaide to Edinburgh. Her first novel, The Lost Children (Simon & Schuster, 2010) is a middle grade fantasy which became part of the Scholastic Bookclub and was nominated for a Massachusetts Children’s Book Award. The first book in her YA trilogy, Time Zero (She Writes Press, 2016), won eight literary honors, including the 2017 Readers Favorite Award and the 2017 International Book Award. In 2020, she and her mother, painter Lynn Cohagan, collaborated on the Creative Writing Journal: Clever Prompts for Clever Children. Carolyn is the founder of Girls With Pens, a creative writing organization in Austin dedicated to fostering the individual voices and offbeat imaginations of kids ages 8-15.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
October 22, 2018
Review missing. Note to self.
March 10, 2016
Time Zero is the best dystopian YA novel written in years. Like most of its genre, it follows a strong-willed teenage girl, but uniquely, it isn’t completely fiction. Carolyn Cohagan addresses the real issues facing real women through the pages of this book.
One big thing that bothers me about a lot of YA fiction supposedly featuring a strong female lead is that the girl is rarely actually portrayed as independent. She is either constantly being rescued by men, or surviving by dumb luck. Mina isn’t like that. Sure, she’s saved a couple of times, but she also does a fair bit of the saving, showing that everyone needs help sometimes. And like Josephine from Cohagan’s first book, The Lost Children, she shows that the traditionally female traits of love and compassion are strengths, not weaknesses.
Another similarity between the two stories is the colorful descriptions of books, and the joys of reading. Adding weight to the theme, it subtly yet forcefully points out what a privilege it is to have access to an education.
A story full of action as well as morals, each chapter ending won’t let you put the book down. Some characters you want to throttle, others just need a hug. All of them are well-developed and realistic, which is another thing with which authors of YA sci-fi seem to struggle.
But the best thing was how well it draws attention to the real issue of women’s rights. Framing things within a narrative is a powerful way to make people care, and make them more likely to do something about it. Mina transforms her world, and through Time Zero, Carolyn Cohagan can change ours.
One big thing that bothers me about a lot of YA fiction supposedly featuring a strong female lead is that the girl is rarely actually portrayed as independent. She is either constantly being rescued by men, or surviving by dumb luck. Mina isn’t like that. Sure, she’s saved a couple of times, but she also does a fair bit of the saving, showing that everyone needs help sometimes. And like Josephine from Cohagan’s first book, The Lost Children, she shows that the traditionally female traits of love and compassion are strengths, not weaknesses.
Another similarity between the two stories is the colorful descriptions of books, and the joys of reading. Adding weight to the theme, it subtly yet forcefully points out what a privilege it is to have access to an education.
A story full of action as well as morals, each chapter ending won’t let you put the book down. Some characters you want to throttle, others just need a hug. All of them are well-developed and realistic, which is another thing with which authors of YA sci-fi seem to struggle.
But the best thing was how well it draws attention to the real issue of women’s rights. Framing things within a narrative is a powerful way to make people care, and make them more likely to do something about it. Mina transforms her world, and through Time Zero, Carolyn Cohagan can change ours.
August 23, 2016
I hate to say it, but the reviews calling this book original have likely not read The Handmaid's Tale. While Time Zero was an entertaining read, the worldbuilding felt like Handmaid's Tale plus a bit of Fox News understanding of Islam. It's left unexplained how a female Prophet can have created such a misogynistic culture and relies on the shock value of "women aren't allowed to read!" and "rich people break the law!" If you can make it through the first half of the book, the second half is fast-paced and action-packed. Unlike Tris in Divergent, Mina doesn't fight her own battles (though she gets points for telling her dad about a conspiracy when she knows her mom will report her.) She relies on Juda, the first boy she has ever spoken to besides her family, who of course is a perfect human and they instantly love each other and would die for each other. He also is conveniently trained in martial arts, first aid, and has connections in the lower class. For a book with such interesting women characters, we spend a lot of time mooning over Juda. I would consider reading the next book in the series because the cliffhanger worked for me and I want to see Grace in the real world, but I'm not sure I would recommend this to anyone besides a teen who has already devoured the big-name dystopian novels. 3 stars for writing, characters (besides Juda the Convenient) and guts, minus points for Juda the Convenient and insufficient worldbuilding.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum, Mina and Grace.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum, Mina and Grace.
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December 27, 2016Dnf at 61%
Ok, I'm officially tapping out. I can't do it anymore. First off, this book was highly offensive. I'll keep the specific reasons I found it offensive to myself, but suffice it to say I spent most of the book like this....
And when I wasn't busy being offended, I was soooooo bored.
Therefore, I'm giving up. I'd like to say maybe one day I'll be overcome with a need to find out how everything turned out, but....
Ok, I'm officially tapping out. I can't do it anymore. First off, this book was highly offensive. I'll keep the specific reasons I found it offensive to myself, but suffice it to say I spent most of the book like this....
And when I wasn't busy being offended, I was soooooo bored.
Therefore, I'm giving up. I'd like to say maybe one day I'll be overcome with a need to find out how everything turned out, but....
January 5, 2017
I enjoyed the story and want to read the rest of the series, but I can't shake the feeling that there's a bit of Islamophobia going on...
The author notes at the beginning that all of the rules the women in the story have to abide by are real rules for a religion around the world; I would have liked to have more information about this, which rules/beliefs came from which religion, and a (respectful) explanation of the beliefs for those religions.
The author notes at the beginning that all of the rules the women in the story have to abide by are real rules for a religion around the world; I would have liked to have more information about this, which rules/beliefs came from which religion, and a (respectful) explanation of the beliefs for those religions.
June 22, 2018
The author gave a lot of copies to our school so we used it for our summer reading.
I’m refraining from writing my thoughts on it so my students don’t take a cue from me.
Overall, fast paced and quick read. Can’t wait to hear what my 8th graders think.
I’m refraining from writing my thoughts on it so my students don’t take a cue from me.
Overall, fast paced and quick read. Can’t wait to hear what my 8th graders think.
August 11, 2017
I don't know about you guys, but I love a good YA dystopian, especially when it gives The Handmaid's Tale vibes. Therefore, when I caught wind of Carolyn Cohagan's Time Zero, I knew I had to read it! As it turns out, Time Zero was a compelling, fast paced, and thought provoking addition to YA lit, perfect for adults and teens alike.
Time Zero begins the story of Mina Clark on the day of her offering, a day Mina has been steadily dreading. Her impending offering means her days of hanging out with her best friend, seeing her grandmother on a daily basis, and, worst of all, secretly learning to read with her grandmother are coming to a close. Soon she will be married to the highest bidder, a man who only views her as a baby maker, not as an equal. However, what's supposed to be a stereotypical offering day, turns into something else entirely. The day of her offering Mina's grandmother suffers a terrible fall, landing in the hospital. Mina knows she has to go retrieve her grandmother's primer, the magazine she has been teaching Mina to read from. On her mission, Mina makes a new alliance, one who changes her life in more ways than she could ever imagine, one that will have Mina test new limits and reach new heights. But will the impending chaos be worth the trouble?
One of my favorite aspects of Time Zero was the world in which Carolyn Cohagan created within its pages. Time Zero takes place in a futuristic New York City, where the citizens of the city are living in an oppressive time.
Woman are forced to cover their bodies and faces at all times so that they don't tempt a man. They aren't allowed to read or work. They aren't allowed to speak first to a man. Instead, they must wait for the man to speak to them. The rules go on and on. They were crazy and ridiculous yet frighteningly real - Carolyn based them on religious rules found throughout the world, even in the United States.
My heart ached for Mina and the women of her world, especially when the worst of the cruelty was shown on the page. Part of me couldn't believe that this could happen, but another part of me, could believe it, because rules and punishments that Mina faced are rules women are facing at this exact moment. It was eye-opening and thought-provoking. I fully applaud Carolyn for taking on this incredibly hard topic/world building. She did a fantastic job with it, and I hope that this read makes into the hands of girls around the world.
Moving on, the plot of this continues a lot of mystery and suspense. At the start of the book, Mina believes she knows everything there is to know about her world and her grandmother, she thinks everything is black-and-white; however, as the story progresses, so many big revelations come out of the woodwork, ones that shake Mina's world. I was often glued to the pages, dying to know what would happen next. I wanted to know more about Mina's world and the secrets that lied within. Additionally, I wanted to know what was beyond the walls.
The one part of this book that I had difficulty with was the characters. Don't get me wrong, I liked Mina...I felt for her...I rooted for her to find a way to get out of the terrible things that were coming her way. However, at the same time, I lacked a good connection with her, sometimes I just couldn't understand the things she was doing, the certain risks she was taking for people she barely knew. Also, her romance with Juda felt slightly forced...I didn't always feel the connection there, which again made it hard for me to connect with her character as well as his. I'm hoping, though, the sequel will be able to connect me more to Mina.
Regardless of my slight issue, Time Zero is still a worthwhile read. I look forward to reading the sequel!
Grade: B
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Time Zero begins the story of Mina Clark on the day of her offering, a day Mina has been steadily dreading. Her impending offering means her days of hanging out with her best friend, seeing her grandmother on a daily basis, and, worst of all, secretly learning to read with her grandmother are coming to a close. Soon she will be married to the highest bidder, a man who only views her as a baby maker, not as an equal. However, what's supposed to be a stereotypical offering day, turns into something else entirely. The day of her offering Mina's grandmother suffers a terrible fall, landing in the hospital. Mina knows she has to go retrieve her grandmother's primer, the magazine she has been teaching Mina to read from. On her mission, Mina makes a new alliance, one who changes her life in more ways than she could ever imagine, one that will have Mina test new limits and reach new heights. But will the impending chaos be worth the trouble?
One of my favorite aspects of Time Zero was the world in which Carolyn Cohagan created within its pages. Time Zero takes place in a futuristic New York City, where the citizens of the city are living in an oppressive time.
Woman are forced to cover their bodies and faces at all times so that they don't tempt a man. They aren't allowed to read or work. They aren't allowed to speak first to a man. Instead, they must wait for the man to speak to them. The rules go on and on. They were crazy and ridiculous yet frighteningly real - Carolyn based them on religious rules found throughout the world, even in the United States.
My heart ached for Mina and the women of her world, especially when the worst of the cruelty was shown on the page. Part of me couldn't believe that this could happen, but another part of me, could believe it, because rules and punishments that Mina faced are rules women are facing at this exact moment. It was eye-opening and thought-provoking. I fully applaud Carolyn for taking on this incredibly hard topic/world building. She did a fantastic job with it, and I hope that this read makes into the hands of girls around the world.
Moving on, the plot of this continues a lot of mystery and suspense. At the start of the book, Mina believes she knows everything there is to know about her world and her grandmother, she thinks everything is black-and-white; however, as the story progresses, so many big revelations come out of the woodwork, ones that shake Mina's world. I was often glued to the pages, dying to know what would happen next. I wanted to know more about Mina's world and the secrets that lied within. Additionally, I wanted to know what was beyond the walls.
The one part of this book that I had difficulty with was the characters. Don't get me wrong, I liked Mina...I felt for her...I rooted for her to find a way to get out of the terrible things that were coming her way. However, at the same time, I lacked a good connection with her, sometimes I just couldn't understand the things she was doing, the certain risks she was taking for people she barely knew. Also, her romance with Juda felt slightly forced...I didn't always feel the connection there, which again made it hard for me to connect with her character as well as his. I'm hoping, though, the sequel will be able to connect me more to Mina.
Regardless of my slight issue, Time Zero is still a worthwhile read. I look forward to reading the sequel!
Grade: B
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July 2, 2023
Not bad for a self-published dystopian thriller. It sets up a New York City of the future under a theocracy that the author claims isn't related to any particular religion, but which frequently cites "The Prophet" and has women veiled and everyone being called to prayer at various times during the day. It's pretty obvious what is being referenced here.
My critique of it is the pacing and the main character. The writing begins to feel like this happens and then this and this happens and then this and it gets difficult to know what the plot is even driving at. What is the arc of the story? It just feels like lots and LOTS of events crammed into a short span of time. The main character, despite claims she is smart, appears to have absolutely no instinct for self-preservtion and consistently makes really dumb decisions. She is driven by her hormones and seems to ham-fist her way out of every bad situation that she gets herself into. So in that regard she is not unlike a traditional action hero, but it's not really my type of main character.
There is glimmering of insight here, and I wish the author had gone farther with it. What does power, brain washing, assumptions of gender roles, do to even the most ethical person? What does it do to love. This could have been a stronger novel if we had explored that more thoroughly. Would have loved to see what happened if Nana's warnings played out.
My critique of it is the pacing and the main character. The writing begins to feel like this happens and then this and this happens and then this and it gets difficult to know what the plot is even driving at. What is the arc of the story? It just feels like lots and LOTS of events crammed into a short span of time. The main character, despite claims she is smart, appears to have absolutely no instinct for self-preservtion and consistently makes really dumb decisions. She is driven by her hormones and seems to ham-fist her way out of every bad situation that she gets herself into. So in that regard she is not unlike a traditional action hero, but it's not really my type of main character.
There is glimmering of insight here, and I wish the author had gone farther with it. What does power, brain washing, assumptions of gender roles, do to even the most ethical person? What does it do to love. This could have been a stronger novel if we had explored that more thoroughly. Would have loved to see what happened if Nana's warnings played out.
January 3, 2023
I have to say, based on this cover, I wasn’t overly excited about this one. I’ve had it on my kindle for at least a year. But it is INCREDIBLE! Imagine a dystopian novel, a cross between Handmaid’s tale and maze runner and that’s a great depiction of this book. I love that all of the rules the girls the to follow in the book are based on actual rules in religions and countries across the world. This is a series and the end of book one had me saying “no” loud enough for others to hear. I had to know what happened next. Definitely reading the rest of the series.
November 10, 2016
Fuller review originally posted on my blog, Sorry, I'm Booked: https://sorryiambooked.wordpress.com/...
Take the time to look over the book's site to see where the author gets her inspiration for the religion: www.timezerobook.com
I didn't know this was the start of a series when I started reading it and so I really disliked the cliffhanger. Can't be helped though.
This is one of the better young adult dystopian novels I’ve read, though I don’t necessarily think it’s something really new and unique in terms of plot and main character. In this case, though, I don’t think it’s such a bad thing.
The plot is not only suspenseful but empowering as the reader tags along on Mina’s journey as she struggles against feeling powerless and underestimated and learning what it takes to go against society to be who she wants to be. While the romance and associated thoughts tend to come to the forefront often, it’s still amazing to read about Mina’s bravery to escape her engagement, wanting to stand up for other women, and find a way to be who she wants to be without fear of death from greater society.
I thought that Mina was a great embodiment of the all the girls and women in the world that are struggling with many of these still real issues. There were many moments where I couldn’t believe she did what she did – mainly because she reacted without thinking and because of those actions, she put herself in far greater danger rather having to worry about hiding the fact that she can read.
Really disliked Mina's mother - but I saw that she is simply a product of the society she lives in. I liked Judah though I felt like I couldn't always figure him out because everything was from Mina's POV.
The writing itself was nothing spectacular to me. But it got the job done.
Take the time to look over the book's site to see where the author gets her inspiration for the religion: www.timezerobook.com
I didn't know this was the start of a series when I started reading it and so I really disliked the cliffhanger. Can't be helped though.
This is one of the better young adult dystopian novels I’ve read, though I don’t necessarily think it’s something really new and unique in terms of plot and main character. In this case, though, I don’t think it’s such a bad thing.
The plot is not only suspenseful but empowering as the reader tags along on Mina’s journey as she struggles against feeling powerless and underestimated and learning what it takes to go against society to be who she wants to be. While the romance and associated thoughts tend to come to the forefront often, it’s still amazing to read about Mina’s bravery to escape her engagement, wanting to stand up for other women, and find a way to be who she wants to be without fear of death from greater society.
I thought that Mina was a great embodiment of the all the girls and women in the world that are struggling with many of these still real issues. There were many moments where I couldn’t believe she did what she did – mainly because she reacted without thinking and because of those actions, she put herself in far greater danger rather having to worry about hiding the fact that she can read.
Really disliked Mina's mother - but I saw that she is simply a product of the society she lives in. I liked Judah though I felt like I couldn't always figure him out because everything was from Mina's POV.
The writing itself was nothing spectacular to me. But it got the job done.
December 3, 2017
The foreward says that the totalitarian religion portrayed was based on many different world religions all in practice today. But, in the first chapter, we find that Mina wears a head scarf and cloak that covers her body completely, prays at 2pm in the afternoon when a bell tolls, participates in an arranged marriage practice, and follows the Prophet. It's hard not to see this fictional religion as the Western stereotype of all that's wrong with Islam. (Note the wording of this last sentence.)
With this "not Islam" religion and its totalitarian, misogynist followers as the primary enemies in the book, I found it hard to focus on the main character and her struggle.
There is surely something to say about totalitarian religions that oppress women. And there are certainly misogynist factions within most religions (my two included-Judaism and Christianity). If she had created a truly unique religion for her book, Cohagan would have been more successful. Instead, the book just left a bad taste in my mouth.
With this "not Islam" religion and its totalitarian, misogynist followers as the primary enemies in the book, I found it hard to focus on the main character and her struggle.
There is surely something to say about totalitarian religions that oppress women. And there are certainly misogynist factions within most religions (my two included-Judaism and Christianity). If she had created a truly unique religion for her book, Cohagan would have been more successful. Instead, the book just left a bad taste in my mouth.
March 13, 2018
An addictive, fast-paced, jolt through post-apocalyptic Manhattan!
June 30, 2022
Great book. Starts off a lot like the handmaids tale, but then gets more full bodied and independent. Warning this book leaves you with a cliff hanger so have book two handy. Wish I had known.
August 5, 2021
I started this not knowing it was a trilogy, and I'm so glad I did. It was absolutely brilliant; very dystopian. Think Handmaid's Tale-esque. Very excited to read the next 2!
August 16, 2021
My favourite read of 2021 so far! Review to come but first I need to read the rest of the trilogy! 🥰
June 22, 2021
I’ve had this book for a while. I kept putting it off because I thought it would be an emotional rollercoaster like the handmaiden tale. It wasn’t like that. It did incite a ton of emotions including anger but it was amazing. This is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.
Mina is a beautifully written well rounded character. She is smart and fierce. You want to take her in your arms and tell her everything will be ok but she would know you were just trying to make her feel better. Everything is not ok.
I can’t wait to see where this story goes. I know these characters will stay and live in my brain for a very long time.
Narration by Monica Wolfe was exceptional.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Mina is a beautifully written well rounded character. She is smart and fierce. You want to take her in your arms and tell her everything will be ok but she would know you were just trying to make her feel better. Everything is not ok.
I can’t wait to see where this story goes. I know these characters will stay and live in my brain for a very long time.
Narration by Monica Wolfe was exceptional.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
March 10, 2016
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Time Zero is the first YA novel by Austin author Carolyn Cohagan. It tells the story of Mina, a fifteen year old girl living inside the walls of what was once Manhattan, under the rule of an extremist religious regime. Her world is very small- her dress code, her words, her behavior are all strictly prescribed and monitored. She will pass from her father's household to her husband's, a man she will have no say in choosing. But with her grandmother secretly teaching her to read, and an unintentional encounter with someone she should never talk to, Mina dares to start hoping for something more. But when breaking the rules can very seriously result in death, it will not be an easy thing to find a new path.
One interesting (disheartening, heartbreaking) aspect of this book is that every rule Mina has to follow is a rule that a girl somewhere in the world, right now in 2016, has to follow. The religion in the book is fictional, but all of the rules were pulled from actual religions in practice today- including ones in the US. You can see the list here. The fear that these rules generate, under the constant monitoring, was very palpable throughout the book. The light sci-fi touch on the police weapons and scan technology only enhanced that.
Mina as the narrator was engaging. She was overall believable, if at times a little more trusting that I would expect from her world and upbringing. The relationship between Mina and her mother... whew, that's a doozy. The family dynamics in general were interesting and well-tensioned, both in Mina's family and others in the book. I liked that there was no love triangle, though I suppose that could change in later books. Her romantic interest seemed to suffer a bit from the dreaded YA insta-love, but happily Mina was more restrained and hesitant about jumping to that level.
I was not impressed with the 'rebel' group that Mina finds (I don't consider this a spoiler, as there will always, inevitably be a rebel group of some sort with any oppressive government). That's not to say it wasn't realistic within the confines of the world, but I certainly side with the few characters who expressed dissatisfaction at their inactivity.
I also had a few issues with the ending. For one, the band of characters that Mina ends up with had one character whose presence was not really warranted by events. It felt a bit forced for this person to be there. The other issue is that the ending was really unsurprising. This is a YA book where the main character has spent her whole life within walls that have shut the outside world out. I bet you can guess where book 1 leaves off without even reading a page.
But, those issues aside, this is still a really good read. Mina will draw you in. The action is well-paced, the dialogue well-done. There are good spikes of humor to offset the pervasive fear. I fully intend to pick up book 2 to see what happens next.
If you like YA dystopias, add this to your TBR pile.
Time Zero is the first YA novel by Austin author Carolyn Cohagan. It tells the story of Mina, a fifteen year old girl living inside the walls of what was once Manhattan, under the rule of an extremist religious regime. Her world is very small- her dress code, her words, her behavior are all strictly prescribed and monitored. She will pass from her father's household to her husband's, a man she will have no say in choosing. But with her grandmother secretly teaching her to read, and an unintentional encounter with someone she should never talk to, Mina dares to start hoping for something more. But when breaking the rules can very seriously result in death, it will not be an easy thing to find a new path.
One interesting (disheartening, heartbreaking) aspect of this book is that every rule Mina has to follow is a rule that a girl somewhere in the world, right now in 2016, has to follow. The religion in the book is fictional, but all of the rules were pulled from actual religions in practice today- including ones in the US. You can see the list here. The fear that these rules generate, under the constant monitoring, was very palpable throughout the book. The light sci-fi touch on the police weapons and scan technology only enhanced that.
Mina as the narrator was engaging. She was overall believable, if at times a little more trusting that I would expect from her world and upbringing. The relationship between Mina and her mother... whew, that's a doozy. The family dynamics in general were interesting and well-tensioned, both in Mina's family and others in the book. I liked that there was no love triangle, though I suppose that could change in later books. Her romantic interest seemed to suffer a bit from the dreaded YA insta-love, but happily Mina was more restrained and hesitant about jumping to that level.
I was not impressed with the 'rebel' group that Mina finds (I don't consider this a spoiler, as there will always, inevitably be a rebel group of some sort with any oppressive government). That's not to say it wasn't realistic within the confines of the world, but I certainly side with the few characters who expressed dissatisfaction at their inactivity.
I also had a few issues with the ending. For one, the band of characters that Mina ends up with had one character whose presence was not really warranted by events. It felt a bit forced for this person to be there. The other issue is that the ending was really unsurprising. This is a YA book where the main character has spent her whole life within walls that have shut the outside world out. I bet you can guess where book 1 leaves off without even reading a page.
But, those issues aside, this is still a really good read. Mina will draw you in. The action is well-paced, the dialogue well-done. There are good spikes of humor to offset the pervasive fear. I fully intend to pick up book 2 to see what happens next.
If you like YA dystopias, add this to your TBR pile.
May 23, 2019
AISD book club win! I am so hopeful that upper grade teachers expose their students to this book that, while fictional, has rules that have been taken from "various religions around the world, including those that originate in the United States. Each rule Mina follows is governing the life of a girl somewhere in the world right now." It's a dystopian city too close to reality.
November 12, 2015
I was fortunate to read a draft of this thrilling, intense book early, which was great for me, except now I've got to wait even longer before the next in the series comes out.
It's quite cleverly written, and always in a way that respects and rewards the reader. Mina is such a fantastic and human hero in such dire circumstances that she's stayed with me for months after I read her story. I fell completely into this world, and as bleak as it is, I didn't want to leave it; Mina's strength and inextinguishable curiosity against this backdrop was inspiring.
Time Zero is a must-read for young teenaged readers, but I'm much, much older than that demographic, and I absolutely loved it, too.
It's quite cleverly written, and always in a way that respects and rewards the reader. Mina is such a fantastic and human hero in such dire circumstances that she's stayed with me for months after I read her story. I fell completely into this world, and as bleak as it is, I didn't want to leave it; Mina's strength and inextinguishable curiosity against this backdrop was inspiring.
Time Zero is a must-read for young teenaged readers, but I'm much, much older than that demographic, and I absolutely loved it, too.
May 11, 2016
Post-apocalyptic Manhattan is run by a misogynistic religious cult who keep women subdued for their supposed protection. Women's dress and behaviors are strictly monitored, they are not educated. Mina is about to be "offered" to potential husbands when her grandmother's death changes everything. Because what no-one else knows is that Mina can read, her grandmother taught her using a magazine from when women were free.
Time Zero is clever, densely layered and tightly plotted. Not only is this a great example of world-building, there's also a number of compelling stories being told. This is a page-turner, a feminist-primer, a coming of age story and a love story all at once. And it's got a great cliffhanger ending.
Time Zero is clever, densely layered and tightly plotted. Not only is this a great example of world-building, there's also a number of compelling stories being told. This is a page-turner, a feminist-primer, a coming of age story and a love story all at once. And it's got a great cliffhanger ending.
October 7, 2016
Grace is the only redeeming part of this book honestly.
I found it super problematic that a white person is using Islamic signifiers specifically to critique extremism and the treatment of women. On this topic, listening to the actual experiences of women in other parts of the world is so much more important than a dystopian statement novel from the white imagination. It's just not a nuanced perspective and it doesn't add anything new to the conversation. I know she tries to claim that she drew from religious extremism within the United States as well and that's obviously important, but veils/stoning/cutting off hands or feet of people who steal are all things that western culture loves to associate with Islam so you can't deny that readers will make that association.
I found it super problematic that a white person is using Islamic signifiers specifically to critique extremism and the treatment of women. On this topic, listening to the actual experiences of women in other parts of the world is so much more important than a dystopian statement novel from the white imagination. It's just not a nuanced perspective and it doesn't add anything new to the conversation. I know she tries to claim that she drew from religious extremism within the United States as well and that's obviously important, but veils/stoning/cutting off hands or feet of people who steal are all things that western culture loves to associate with Islam so you can't deny that readers will make that association.
May 1, 2018
I’ve given up. Every few months for the past 2 years I’ve tried to enjoy reading Time Zone. I wanted to embrace something; any of the characters, the religion, the location or even the time period. I wanted to like it. I failed. I found it depressing and discouraging. I wouldn’t consider giving to my nieces or nephews to read either. They have enough negative dispiriting situations in their lives. They don’t need more.
May 11, 2016
Fans of YA fiction will find plenty to celebrate in this powerful social commentary, woven into an imaginative thriller. Mina's strength and courage is challenged time and again as she struggles to overcome the fanaticism that ensnares her and threatens her very existence.
I'm looking forward to the sequel.
I'm looking forward to the sequel.
June 3, 2016
What a powerful feminist YA novel! I could not put it down. I especially love the use of NYC as the setting as well as the connections between female empowerment and literacy. Cannot wait until the next book.
November 1, 2020
I have to admit, that I'm a bit shocked that I liked this book. It's yet another teen dystopian trilogy, told in the dreaded first-person/present-tense, featuring a bit of insta-love romance. No way should I have liked enjoyed this.......but I finished it in less than 24 hours, instead of adding it to the growing list of DNFs this year. Any book that I manage to crush DESPITE this whole Great CoronaSlump of 2020 is going to get good marks from me.
The gist of the book is that this takes place sometime in a future Manhattan in a heavily patriarchal theological society. The author even opens the book with a note that all of the practices used against women are ones that exist in places today: women covered head to foot to avoid tempting men, women stoned in the streets if they're accused of adultery, forced marriages, punishment for educating girls, etc. These examples, and the fact that the people answer to "the Prophet" definitely show that this is very obviously inspired by some extreme Islamic cultures. I've seen some other reviewers object to a Western author doing this....but I'm not sure that that's fair. A LOT of cultures/religions have imposed restrictions like these on women, throughout history, not just Islam. There are multiple religious cults that have a "Prophet", force girls into arranged marriage, limit or prohibit education, etc (I'm looking at you, FLDS). To me, this feels less like the author is specifically targeting Islam, and more that she just took the sexist practices from a bunch of different religious cults and mashed them into this future dystopia.
Anyway, the main character Mina was secretly taught to read by her Nana, which is obviously very dangerous. When Mina becomes engaged to the son of her father's wealthy employer, it sparks a chain of events that kept me glued to the book right up to the cliffhanger ending (for a planned trilogy). Plot ensues.
I can not for the life of me pin down why this one worked for me, when so many other teen-dystopian-trilogies-with-FP/PT-and-a-love-interest have not. I can say that I really didn't notice the first-person/present-tense writing, which is huge. It CAN be done well, even if it rarely is. Was it the characters? Hmmm...Mina is no Katniss Everdeen, and is definitely a pushover at times, but somehow I found her believable. She doesn't go from totally-oppressed to rebel-war-queen in the span of just a few days/weeks. She acts impulsively and unwisely at times.....like a sheltered teen girl might. Yeah, she falls nearly instantly for the first guy she ever has a conversation with, but somehow I could believe that too? I mean, it's not a flawless romance. He acts like a total dick at one point, and she takes him to task for it. Later she really struggles with whether or not to stick with him, or to take a safer route . I appreciated that it wasn't the usual, "We just met, now I'm willing to sacrifice everything for you without a second thought."
I also can't shake the feeling that this has kind of an "old school" quality about it, like something that would have come out pre-Hunger Games. There wasn't this overly complicated world-building of a dystopian society with fancy names, or intricate political factions, or advanced sci-fi technology to explain, or anything like that. It was fairly straight-forward, with a simple concept based on real-life issues. Maybe other readers would find that "boring", but I found that it made the story flow quickly. The plot can be faster paced when you don't have to stop to info-dump about a fantastical sci-fi society. The plot (at least in the first book) was more about just one or two people trying to hide/escape and just not get caught, maybe uncover a few secrets along the way. No epic teens-overthrowing-the-government plot (yet).
I can see why this series hasn't gotten more attention. I can also see this being compared (wrongly) to "The Handmaid's Tale" (because EVERY dystopia based on a patriarchal society gets compared to Handmaid's Tale) and then feeling like a watered-down version of that. I can see that on paper, there's nothing to make this stand out from the crowd of teen dystopias. Maybe I just happened to hit an unexpected pocket of reading energy, so it's not that the book was good, it's just that I had an unexpected second wind? Nah, I've DNFed and slogged through so many books during this Great CoronaSlump of 2020 that I don't think this was just me getting a rogue burst of reading fervor for a meritless book. I think this was legitimately an absorbing enough book to pull me out of a slump (at least for 24 hours).
Anyway, wishy washy review....but I'm eager to read the sequels to see where this goes. Maybe some of the flaws are explained or ironed out in the rest of the trilogy.
The gist of the book is that this takes place sometime in a future Manhattan in a heavily patriarchal theological society. The author even opens the book with a note that all of the practices used against women are ones that exist in places today: women covered head to foot to avoid tempting men, women stoned in the streets if they're accused of adultery, forced marriages, punishment for educating girls, etc. These examples, and the fact that the people answer to "the Prophet" definitely show that this is very obviously inspired by some extreme Islamic cultures. I've seen some other reviewers object to a Western author doing this....but I'm not sure that that's fair. A LOT of cultures/religions have imposed restrictions like these on women, throughout history, not just Islam. There are multiple religious cults that have a "Prophet", force girls into arranged marriage, limit or prohibit education, etc (I'm looking at you, FLDS). To me, this feels less like the author is specifically targeting Islam, and more that she just took the sexist practices from a bunch of different religious cults and mashed them into this future dystopia.
Anyway, the main character Mina was secretly taught to read by her Nana, which is obviously very dangerous. When Mina becomes engaged to the son of her father's wealthy employer, it sparks a chain of events that kept me glued to the book right up to the cliffhanger ending (for a planned trilogy). Plot ensues.
I can not for the life of me pin down why this one worked for me, when so many other teen-dystopian-trilogies-with-FP/PT-and-a-love-interest have not. I can say that I really didn't notice the first-person/present-tense writing, which is huge. It CAN be done well, even if it rarely is. Was it the characters? Hmmm...Mina is no Katniss Everdeen, and is definitely a pushover at times, but somehow I found her believable. She doesn't go from totally-oppressed to rebel-war-queen in the span of just a few days/weeks. She acts impulsively and unwisely at times.....like a sheltered teen girl might. Yeah, she falls nearly instantly for the first guy she ever has a conversation with, but somehow I could believe that too? I mean, it's not a flawless romance. He acts like a total dick at one point, and she takes him to task for it. Later she really struggles with whether or not to stick with him, or to take a safer route . I appreciated that it wasn't the usual, "We just met, now I'm willing to sacrifice everything for you without a second thought."
I also can't shake the feeling that this has kind of an "old school" quality about it, like something that would have come out pre-Hunger Games. There wasn't this overly complicated world-building of a dystopian society with fancy names, or intricate political factions, or advanced sci-fi technology to explain, or anything like that. It was fairly straight-forward, with a simple concept based on real-life issues. Maybe other readers would find that "boring", but I found that it made the story flow quickly. The plot can be faster paced when you don't have to stop to info-dump about a fantastical sci-fi society. The plot (at least in the first book) was more about just one or two people trying to hide/escape and just not get caught, maybe uncover a few secrets along the way. No epic teens-overthrowing-the-government plot (yet).
I can see why this series hasn't gotten more attention. I can also see this being compared (wrongly) to "The Handmaid's Tale" (because EVERY dystopia based on a patriarchal society gets compared to Handmaid's Tale) and then feeling like a watered-down version of that. I can see that on paper, there's nothing to make this stand out from the crowd of teen dystopias. Maybe I just happened to hit an unexpected pocket of reading energy, so it's not that the book was good, it's just that I had an unexpected second wind? Nah, I've DNFed and slogged through so many books during this Great CoronaSlump of 2020 that I don't think this was just me getting a rogue burst of reading fervor for a meritless book. I think this was legitimately an absorbing enough book to pull me out of a slump (at least for 24 hours).
Anyway, wishy washy review....but I'm eager to read the sequels to see where this goes. Maybe some of the flaws are explained or ironed out in the rest of the trilogy.
June 24, 2021
My rationale for why I don’t read YA is reconfirmed with Time Zero. Nowhere on or in the physical book does it indicate the appropriate/intended reading level or age. A quick check of Amazon shows grade level: 10-12, and reading age: 12-18.
The main shock for me about this young adult novel is how much sex and sexual violence is enacted throughout the book. The word rape is commonplace, which for me feels like the act of rape is minimized. What a sad world in which we live when the horror and violence and abuse of power that is rape is so commonplace as to be acceptable as commonplace in a young adult novel.
Although categorized as dystopian, I expected at least a hint of feminist undertone, since the protagonist is a headstrong young woman who has been taught to read - a crime in this ultra-religious society. But Mina Clark is continually rescued or seeks rescue by men. She falls in lust for Juda, the first male outside of her father and brother who ever touches her, even though seconds before she thought he might rape or beat her. Every thought thereafter is about how to get back to him.
The creation of the Laurel Society:
Okay, so, the language used in the story of Daphne lays blame on Daphne. Why does Ayan, the narrator of the story, offer alternatives to Daphne’s prayer? Daphne sees her body as the fundamental problem - the biblical original sin trope of woman - so Daphne’s only solution is to remove the body - the body of sin but the body of existence too. And the fuck does her father, Peneus (!!!), do? Does he say, “No, no, child, your body isn’t the problem. It’s that entitled little fucker, Apollo, thinks he own you. Imma turn him into a tree!” Nope, Daphne’s father - agreeing with Daphne’s assessment that it’s her basic and fundamental fault as a woman - underlining the woman’s body as the problem, turns his daughter into the tree. The Fuck?
Instead of using an example of a female (or females/matriarchy) who embodies her physical form, celebrates it, why does Cohagan use this tale as the Laurel Society’s creation story?
Finally, I absolutely hate the ‘ending,’ because it’s not an ending. It’s a bullshit marketing tactic to make you buy the next book. It could have ended with the little group of outlaws There are so many problems for me that I don’t want to read any more books in this series. Give the reader a way out!!
The main shock for me about this young adult novel is how much sex and sexual violence is enacted throughout the book. The word rape is commonplace, which for me feels like the act of rape is minimized. What a sad world in which we live when the horror and violence and abuse of power that is rape is so commonplace as to be acceptable as commonplace in a young adult novel.
Although categorized as dystopian, I expected at least a hint of feminist undertone, since the protagonist is a headstrong young woman who has been taught to read - a crime in this ultra-religious society. But Mina Clark is continually rescued or seeks rescue by men. She falls in lust for Juda, the first male outside of her father and brother who ever touches her, even though seconds before she thought he might rape or beat her. Every thought thereafter is about how to get back to him.
The creation of the Laurel Society:
The symbol of the laurel leaf goes back thousands of years. It begins with the tale of Daphne and Apollo, a story created by the Greeks, and then retold by the Romans, and then interpreted by artists for centuries… Daphne was a beautiful young maiden walking in the forest, and Apollo, the god of sun and light, saw her and fell madly in lust. He tried to force himself on her, so she ran away through the forest. But she was a girl and he was a god, and he quickly caught up to her, so she cried out to her father, the river god, for help. But did she ask him to strike down Apollo?... No, she did not… Did she ask him to quell the lust in Apollo’s heart?... No, she did not… Did she ask him to root Apollo’s feet to the ground so that he would no longer be able to give chase?... No, she did not… Instead she cried out to her father, ‘Change and destroy this body which has given too much delight!’ and her father heard her and answered her prayer. In that instant, he changed her into a laurel tree. No more voice, no more body to provoke sin, no more woman. And when Apollo saw that his love had been transformed, he plucked some leaves from a branch and made the laurel his symbol from that day forward. …We use the symbol of the laurel leaf in order to reclaim it for Daphne, It was never Apollo’s to have. A woman shouldn’t be punished for the sins of man, for the lusts of man! If a man cannot control himself, it is his sin, his duty to answer to God, not ours! …Wearing a robe and veil is no different from asking God to turn us into trees. The veil is a prison made of cloth that we have accepted as the will of God, and no one can break us out of these prisons but ourselves! … Being silent, uneducated, nonworking members of society is the same as being dead stumps in the forest! (245-247)
Okay, so, the language used in the story of Daphne lays blame on Daphne. Why does Ayan, the narrator of the story, offer alternatives to Daphne’s prayer? Daphne sees her body as the fundamental problem - the biblical original sin trope of woman - so Daphne’s only solution is to remove the body - the body of sin but the body of existence too. And the fuck does her father, Peneus (!!!), do? Does he say, “No, no, child, your body isn’t the problem. It’s that entitled little fucker, Apollo, thinks he own you. Imma turn him into a tree!” Nope, Daphne’s father - agreeing with Daphne’s assessment that it’s her basic and fundamental fault as a woman - underlining the woman’s body as the problem, turns his daughter into the tree. The Fuck?
Instead of using an example of a female (or females/matriarchy) who embodies her physical form, celebrates it, why does Cohagan use this tale as the Laurel Society’s creation story?
Finally, I absolutely hate the ‘ending,’ because it’s not an ending. It’s a bullshit marketing tactic to make you buy the next book. It could have ended with the little group of outlaws There are so many problems for me that I don’t want to read any more books in this series. Give the reader a way out!!
June 15, 2018
The Story-
Mina Clark lives in a future Manhattan that is surrounded by a large wall to kept the Apostates out and the believers safe. Life is control by energy and water, the more you have, the wealthier you are. Women are counted as property, forced to observe severe religious rules like wearing capes, veils, and arranged marriages. They aren't allowed to read or write. They are observed by Twitchers, policemen that will beat or zap them for any infraction.
One day Mina is rescued from a male riot by Juda, a young man who works for one of the wealthiest families in town. They form an immediate, illegal bond. At Mina's marriage negotiation, they meet again, when Damen, Juda's employer's son, decides he wants to marry Mina. Of course, it is only after her mother catches Mina's cloak on fire, severely burning her, but allowing all the men to see her hair and face.
Contracted to marry Damen, but with feelings for Juda, Mina faces a crisis of all she believes. Can she follow the will of the prophet? Add to that the secret fact that Mina's grandmother has been teaching her to read, and the seeds of rebellion are set.
My Thoughts-
A good dystopian view of a severe future where women are suppressed. Actually, it seemed like A Handmaid's Tale at the YA level to me, but with Islamic values instead of Gilead values. Still, it was a good read. I enjoyed following Mina's path to rebellion and her budding love for Juda. What honestly kept me reading was the hint that Mina might somehow escape from behind the wall (yes, a little like Divergent).
I felt like the author took the worst things about many religions and grouped them all together, which makes for a horrifying look, but also negates all the good things of religion. That said, horrifying does keep a reader turning the pages. The book is well written, with interesting characters and a plot that keeps you reading. I'm giving it 4 stars!
Mina Clark lives in a future Manhattan that is surrounded by a large wall to kept the Apostates out and the believers safe. Life is control by energy and water, the more you have, the wealthier you are. Women are counted as property, forced to observe severe religious rules like wearing capes, veils, and arranged marriages. They aren't allowed to read or write. They are observed by Twitchers, policemen that will beat or zap them for any infraction.
One day Mina is rescued from a male riot by Juda, a young man who works for one of the wealthiest families in town. They form an immediate, illegal bond. At Mina's marriage negotiation, they meet again, when Damen, Juda's employer's son, decides he wants to marry Mina. Of course, it is only after her mother catches Mina's cloak on fire, severely burning her, but allowing all the men to see her hair and face.
Contracted to marry Damen, but with feelings for Juda, Mina faces a crisis of all she believes. Can she follow the will of the prophet? Add to that the secret fact that Mina's grandmother has been teaching her to read, and the seeds of rebellion are set.
My Thoughts-
A good dystopian view of a severe future where women are suppressed. Actually, it seemed like A Handmaid's Tale at the YA level to me, but with Islamic values instead of Gilead values. Still, it was a good read. I enjoyed following Mina's path to rebellion and her budding love for Juda. What honestly kept me reading was the hint that Mina might somehow escape from behind the wall (yes, a little like Divergent).
I felt like the author took the worst things about many religions and grouped them all together, which makes for a horrifying look, but also negates all the good things of religion. That said, horrifying does keep a reader turning the pages. The book is well written, with interesting characters and a plot that keeps you reading. I'm giving it 4 stars!
August 8, 2019
I bought this book literally over a year ago from McKays for only $2. The name interested me but I never picked it up. I kept putting books before it. I wish I picked it up sooner. I read this book fairly quickly. One of the best dystopian novels I’ve read in a long time. It’s very religious based. The author states that before reading the book. It kept you on your toes and kept you interested. It’s based on the main character, Mina, she lives in a world ran by Uncle Reso and The Teachers. Her and others worship their god, The Prophet. The believe in The Paradise(heaven). The Hell is hell. Their religious book is The Book. They are closed into what use to be New York City. They are closed off from the rest of the world by The Wall. The religion itself is vaguely spoke about but I think it’s to understand how everyone in the city is confused, distraught, and angry. Do not expect to read any background on the religion, focus on Mina.
Women are not allowed to have an education, own property, own banks, hold money, cannot read, are bought and arranged in marriages for the highest bidders, and have to wear veils upon their faces due to religious reasoning, and etc. Thankfully, her nana taught her how to read but if anyone knew she would be sent to the Tunnel(prison underground). She’s 15 in the book, she has her Offering, which is a party to basically to find the best and riches bachelor. The story heats up after the offering. Her rebellious upbringings from her Nana causes her to stand out from other women, she discovers love(which is frowned upon), and faces the world around her. Once you get a quarter in the book it will make you not want to put it down. Currently, the next book is Time Next and the third book of the trilogy is not published yet. However, I just finished Time Zero and I already bought Time Next. I wish this other would receive more credit and publicity than it has. It’s amazing.
Women are not allowed to have an education, own property, own banks, hold money, cannot read, are bought and arranged in marriages for the highest bidders, and have to wear veils upon their faces due to religious reasoning, and etc. Thankfully, her nana taught her how to read but if anyone knew she would be sent to the Tunnel(prison underground). She’s 15 in the book, she has her Offering, which is a party to basically to find the best and riches bachelor. The story heats up after the offering. Her rebellious upbringings from her Nana causes her to stand out from other women, she discovers love(which is frowned upon), and faces the world around her. Once you get a quarter in the book it will make you not want to put it down. Currently, the next book is Time Next and the third book of the trilogy is not published yet. However, I just finished Time Zero and I already bought Time Next. I wish this other would receive more credit and publicity than it has. It’s amazing.
May 20, 2017
Walls separate Manhattan from the rest of the world and strict religious laws govern its inhabitants, the women in particular. Mina is fifteen years old and it’s the day of her offering, a ceremony to arrange her marriage. If that wasn’t bad enough, her beloved grandmother is in hospital after a bad fall. This presents an urgent situation, for Nana has secretly been teaching Mina to read. To protect them both from the Teachers, Mina must retrieve the Primer. She does this, but finds herself in a dangerous situation when she attempts to prevent a public stoning. A boy called Juda rescues her, and their seedling romance ends before it can begin when Mina becomes engaged to Juda’s boss, Damon Asher. Mina soon discovers that the rich and powerful Ashers aren’t as pious as they appear and a sequence of disastrous events leads her to realise that salvation may lie with the leaf Nana left in the Primer.
Mina is an inspiring heroine. She’s bold and gutsy within the restraints placed on her by society, and positively daring when it comes to her early interactions with Juda. Fascinating dynamics govern the relationships Mina has with her family, as well as her interactions with her future mother-in-law. My one, major complaint with this book is that I don’t understand how such an extreme, patriarchal religion could hail a woman as a prophet. That said, I feel it could’ve worked if the author had developed the idea more. Time Zero surpassed my expectations. Cohagan intertwines an important narrative about misogyny with a web of intrigue that culminates in jaw-dropping plot twists.
(Reviewed for Reader's Favourite)
Mina is an inspiring heroine. She’s bold and gutsy within the restraints placed on her by society, and positively daring when it comes to her early interactions with Juda. Fascinating dynamics govern the relationships Mina has with her family, as well as her interactions with her future mother-in-law. My one, major complaint with this book is that I don’t understand how such an extreme, patriarchal religion could hail a woman as a prophet. That said, I feel it could’ve worked if the author had developed the idea more. Time Zero surpassed my expectations. Cohagan intertwines an important narrative about misogyny with a web of intrigue that culminates in jaw-dropping plot twists.
(Reviewed for Reader's Favourite)
March 12, 2024
Time Zero is one of the best Dystopian novels that I've ever read. The book made me want to keep reading and the feeling was as if you were in the book yourself. I truly enjoyed it.
Extremists surround 15 year old Mina Clark in her city in Manhattan. The woman had almost zero rights and was on lock. Permission is needed to speak to boys, marriage is done under contract, and education is not allowed. Mina’s grandmother has taught her how to read in secret, which causes a spiral of rebellion in Mina’s world. This causes havoc and ruins her family's reputation and completely flips her world upside down.
There were some flaws, as I would like to know more about the religious background and why the men have a higher power than the women. There was not much information given on the power differences, but I believe it would help me understand the story more and connect to it better. I would like to also know what happened to Manhattan and why it became what it was now.
The book captivated me. Each page was filled with twists. The characters propelled the story forward. The story ended with a cliffhanger which was not as good as I thought it would be, but the sequel is long awaited. The book demonstrates a good showing of the beliefs practiced around the world and showed the struggles of different women in different countries.
The book involves teen rebellion, fiction, dystopian, hunky love interest, fighting against the world, thrilling, heartbreaking, peace, and war.
Extremists surround 15 year old Mina Clark in her city in Manhattan. The woman had almost zero rights and was on lock. Permission is needed to speak to boys, marriage is done under contract, and education is not allowed. Mina’s grandmother has taught her how to read in secret, which causes a spiral of rebellion in Mina’s world. This causes havoc and ruins her family's reputation and completely flips her world upside down.
There were some flaws, as I would like to know more about the religious background and why the men have a higher power than the women. There was not much information given on the power differences, but I believe it would help me understand the story more and connect to it better. I would like to also know what happened to Manhattan and why it became what it was now.
The book captivated me. Each page was filled with twists. The characters propelled the story forward. The story ended with a cliffhanger which was not as good as I thought it would be, but the sequel is long awaited. The book demonstrates a good showing of the beliefs practiced around the world and showed the struggles of different women in different countries.
The book involves teen rebellion, fiction, dystopian, hunky love interest, fighting against the world, thrilling, heartbreaking, peace, and war.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews