From the Bookshelf of Study Buddies…

Inside Out (Insider, #1)

Maria V. Snyder

Start date: March 24, 2010

Finish date: July 1, 2010

Discussion: Monthly Book Group

Discussion leader: A

Why we're reading this: Maria's YA debut! First in a series.…more
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What Members Thought

Mar 12, 2009 Misty rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, dystopia-postapocalyptic, ala-2010, juvenile-ya, sci_fi-fantasy, read-in-2010, arc-or-galley, excited-for, review-copy-solicited

Okay. Let's begin with the fact that I got a digital copy of this early, which -- no, no, no, let's go back farther. Let's begin with the fact that I met MVS back in November (and I never posted pictures or notes of the rollicking good time that was had by all), and at dinner, she told us about the book she was working on that was due to come out in, oh, 1/2 a year (the tease). It was a YA dystopian novel she says, and then I drifted out a bit, because could she have said anything more up my all Okay. Let's begin with the fact that I got a digital copy of this early, which -- no, no, no, let's go back farther. Let's begin with the fact that I met MVS back in November (and I never posted pictures or notes of the rollicking good time that was had by all), and at dinner, she told us about the book she was working on that was due to come out in, oh, 1/2 a year (the tease). It was a YA dystopian novel she says, and then I drifted out a bit, because could she have said anything more up my alley? Maria V. Snyder, she of the series' and the characters that make my book club get really loud and inappropriate and, dare I say, fangirlish, was writing a YA. DYSTOPIAN. NOVEL. She somehow read my dreams.

But I didn't want to get my hopes up. Too 'up', anyway, because that's not fair, and there were all kinds of what ifs. YA dystopia is not her norm -- what if she can't write YA? What if she can't write dystopia? What if I *gulp* hate it.

What if I drive myself crazy with worry slash ineeditnow, when I know damn well that it's going to have her talent and character-driven goodness behind it. Back to the "getting the digital copy" bit, I found it on NetGalley and snagged it for review, and what was I worried about?

All of the things I loved about Snyder's adult books are her in Inside Out. I care about the characters, I see a budding romance, but on a YA level, the writing is super fast paced and catching, and it flows wonderfully. Trella is definitely rootforable, and ya love her even when you want to shake her. There was great tension and edge-of-your-seatness, and the world is fully realized and intriguing, just as her worlds always are. All of this I've come to expect from Snyder. AND there are 2 more good things, which I wasn't expecting. 1 - the beginning had me right from the start. Now, this isn't to say that her beginnings don't generally grab me, because that would be a lie, but they sometimes feel like beginnings to me -- they feel clunkyish or awkward. This was a "plunge right in, sink or swim" beginning, and it worked beautifully. #2 - she shocked me. ME. I'm never surprised by anything that happens in a book. I always see it coming, at least in part, and it's generally a question of how well it's done. But even though I perhaps should have known -- clues were dropped, I'm not an idiot -- she shocked me. I didn't think it could be done. Hats off, Maria.

So I think that's all I can say. I don't want to give anything away, I just want you teased enough that you'll go out and grab this, because trust me, it is well worth it. And then you can sit and wait anxiously with me for the sequel, Outside In.
[laughs diabolically:] ...more

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Mar 22, 2010 Lexie rated it really liked it

Shelves: autographed, first-in-series, books-owned-read

For anyone who has read her Study (Yelena) or Glass (Opal) books, this will be a different experience for you. Its not a fantasy based archetype--it more strongly resembles a dystopian futuristic archetype and has been written specifically for the teen market. This isn't to say that Snyder 'dumbed down' the writing because its meant for the teen market, she instead took things from a different perspective. Whereas many of Yelena's or Opal's acquaintances had experiences that they had to catch up For anyone who has read her Study (Yelena) or Glass (Opal) books, this will be a different experience for you. Its not a fantasy based archetype--it more strongly resembles a dystopian futuristic archetype and has been written specifically for the teen market. This isn't to say that Snyder 'dumbed down' the writing because its meant for the teen market, she instead took things from a different perspective. Whereas many of Yelena's or Opal's acquaintances had experiences that they had to catch up to, Trella's companions are all pretty much on level with her. They've worked together, ate together, fought together--some specific experiences vary, but by in large they have lived similar lives.

Humanity, such as it is, is pretty jam packed into Upper Levels and the Lower Levels. More so on the Lower Levels, since they're treated and considered little better then canon fodder by the Uppers. The Lowers work to keep the Uppers in luxury, or so the common belief goes. Things change when Trella accidentally encounters an Upper boy named Logan. Together they piece together certain facts that neither side wants the other to know and learn a whole lot more about who Trella really is and why they are all stuck Inside.

Inside Out moves at a slower pace, Trella preferring to stay out of confrontations as much as possible and using her quick wits to accomplish things. She doesn't trust practically anyone, except Cog, but its not a suspicious mistrust, but one born of being sick and tired of always being crammed in tightly. She's always been a little different then the other Scrubs, preferring solitude and quiet so she tends to keep away from them. Despite this she is liked, or at least others believe in her and when she gets around to asking for help they are enthusiastic even.

My only real complaint (the one I can say without spoilers) is the ending. It felt more abrupt and arbitrary. There was a large build-up, a climax, the after-climax and then...a little more. Hopefully with the release of the second book, Outside In, shall shed some light on what Trella and Co. find at the very ending...and I wouldn't be adverse to more Logan and Trella banter either. ...more

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Jan 27, 2009 Kimberly rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, science-fiction

I've been a fan of Maria V. Snyder's work since her first book Poison Study, so when I first heard about Inside Out, I immediately put it on my virtual TBR list. Inside Out is quite a different genre from Snyder's other two series, but it like those it combines a fast-paced plot with a likable (because she's unlikable--I'll explain later) protagonist and even a bit of non-intrusive romance (it is Harlequin Teen, after all).

Trella is a scrub, one of the interchangeable menial laborers who work to I've been a fan of Maria V. Snyder's work since her first book Poison Study, so when I first heard about Inside Out, I immediately put it on my virtual TBR list. Inside Out is quite a different genre from Snyder's other two series, but it like those it combines a fast-paced plot with a likable (because she's unlikable--I'll explain later) protagonist and even a bit of non-intrusive romance (it is Harlequin Teen, after all).

Trella is a scrub, one of the interchangeable menial laborers who work to keep Inside clean. As a Scrub, she works 10 hours a day, and sleeps in a crowded barracks with over 3000 other scrubs. Yet Trella distances herself from the other workers, has only one friend, Cogon, and spends so much time to herself in the pipes and air ducts she cleans that she's become known as Queen of the Pipes. The scrubs are kept in place by Population Control, the Pop Cops, whom Trella tries to avoid, and various prophets, who promise that hardworking Scrubs will eventually reach Outside. Trella generally pays the prophets no mind, until one of them challenges her to find a couple of disks that will help her find the Gateway to Outside.

I really liked Trella, even though she was clearly working to be unlikable and aloof. In the crowded world of Inside, this is how she stays sane; making few friends, and staying under the radar the best she can. Her friend Cogon is a real sweetheart, as well as being open to the possibility of redemption; in contrast, Trella is a real cynic and snarky to boot. When she finds herself at the front of a rebellion, she also finds herself for the first time dependent on others, and is made to realize how cut off from them she is.

Snyder really brought to dystopian world of Inside to life. . . except that in a sense she didn't. To explain, I really felt like I understood how Inside worked by the end of the book; the social stratification, how order was kept, what day to day life was like for both the scrubs and maybe for the dwellers of the Upper levels as well. It was a really thought provoking setting, one very different from the world we currently live in and yet with much to teach about our own society. But the actual physical setting of Inside I had a really difficult time picturing, and that was a bit of a problem. Trella spends her life investigating the hidden spaces of Inside, the air ducts, crawl spaces, and pipes, and I really couldn't visualize it at all. I even read the earliest chapters several times to get a picture in my mind, and it didn't work. I've read that Snyder wanted to include maps of Inside in this book, and that really might have helped. How the world works matters more to me than what it looks like, but it was a little distracting not having a picture in my mind. ...more

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Aug 14, 2009 Kristen Harvey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: youngadult, signed, own-it, dystopian

Why I read this: I love anything Maria writes and was really excited when she came out with this dystopian novel. I'm just sad I didn't read it sooner - cause it is full of awesome!

Plot: Trella is thrown into a rebellion without really meaning to. She's got certain experience in the pipes that makes her a necessary part of changing how things work in the system. She may not believe in the mythical way to save them, but she becomes involved because of curiosity and because her only real friend In ...more

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Dec 30, 2009 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010-100-book-challenge, arcs-i-own, signed, books-i-own, mundie-moms-review

I am a huge fan of Maria's writing, and love her Poison Study series. Maria does an amazing job at capturing my attention and pulling me right into these amazing in-depth worlds she creates. She has the right amount of action and romance all intertwined together. Inside Out is no different. While it's definitely not like the Poison Study or Sea Glass series, it's full of stand out characters, set in a very sci-fi, "could this happen" world.

Trella is a very strong willed, independent person who I am a huge fan of Maria's writing, and love her Poison Study series. Maria does an amazing job at capturing my attention and pulling me right into these amazing in-depth worlds she creates. She has the right amount of action and romance all intertwined together. Inside Out is no different. While it's definitely not like the Poison Study or Sea Glass series, it's full of stand out characters, set in a very sci-fi, "could this happen" world.

Trella is a very strong willed, independent person who doesn't let anyone in and doesn't care for anyone except her friend Cog. She spends most of her time doing her job and roaming the pipes, in which she's suppose to clean, and receives her nick name, Queen Of The Pipes. Cog is the only person in which she talks to, and he's quite the opposite of Trella. Everyone looks up to him and respects him. He's a believer that there is a way out of the lower levels and out of the world in which they're apart of, called Inside.

Inside is a futuristic world, made up of levels and controlled by Uppers. Each level has a job and that job is to keep order and function within Inside. When a "Prophet" is sent to the lower levels and Cog convinces Trella to help them find Gateway, the way out, events start to happen and Trella finds herself the unsuspecting leader in a rebellion.

There is such a great group of characters in this book. Maria kept me guessing at what some of their motives might be, which kept me turning the pages. In true Maria fashion, the main love interest entered in an unexpected way, and wasn't who I expected Trella to fall for at first. I love the scenes between the two of them. *spoiler free*. Will it be Cog, whom she's grown up with or Riley? One of the uppers whom Trella finds herself starting to open up to.

Maria kept my interest through out this dystopian book, even when I felt that the beginning was a little slow for me, as she needed to build up the world in which I got whisked away in. Once I got into the book and the world of Inside, I couldn't put it down. The action scenes and scenes between the two love interests were well paced through out the book and kept me glued to each page. The ending has left me *patiently* waiting for the sequel.

Be sure to visit our site our March 30, for a Mundie Moms exclusive from Harlequin Teen, for a special web premiere of the book trailer and a special invitation to visit the Inside Out website.

We'll also be chatting next month with Maria and giving away an ARC of Inside Out. ...more

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Jan 21, 2011 Heather rated it really liked it

I must say that I wasn't ready to read this book right away. I have read other books by Maria V. Snyder and absolutely love them, so I was afraid to take a chance on it. Basically I didn't want to compare this book to the other ones...however I was not disappointed when I read it! It was just as good as the others!

I love that Maria V. Snyder uses strong female characters that don't just wait for people to show up and take care of them..they think and act for themselves. However they do have faul ...more

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Jun 02, 2010 Jacalyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: autographed, know-author, 2010

Maria V. Snyder strikes again! I simply could not put this book down! When I first saw it, I knew I needed it without even reading the back blurb. I trust Maria to always give me an enjoyable read and I was not disappointed in the least! The story was compelling, the world well thought out, and the writing superb... all the things I love about Snyder and in a whole new setting then her other novels.

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Jul 07, 2010 Ann rated it it was amazing

Another great book by Maria V Snyder. This is more of a Dystopian SF book than a fantasy book, but don't let that scare you off... it's about human nature and characters and what someone will do for those she loves.

Also, though this book is nominally a YA book, I (nearing 40) found it engaging and engrossing. Highly recommended! ...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Lee Anne rated it really liked it

I liked this book, just didn't love it. Interesting futuristic crowded/closed society. I liked the revelation at the end, and the set-up for another book. ...more

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Sep 27, 2009 Sabrina rated it really liked it

Maria V. Snyder is one of my favorite authors. I love poison study series and yet she surprised me again by a different series that had amazing character development and such a intriguing story line! I can't wait to read the sequel to find out what happens next. So sad about Cog, but love Trella and Riley! ...more

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Jan 28, 2009 Renna Mira (AKA Enna Isilee) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog, books-i-own, read-in-2010, squeaky-book

Quite possibly one of my favorite books of all time. But SERIOUSLY?! I have to wait a YEAR to find out more?! This will not do.

http://www.squeakybooks.com/2010/06/i... ...more

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