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Monday, September 9, 2013

Tandem (Many Worlds #1) by Anna Jarzab ARC Review



Tandem by Anna Jarzab

ebook, 450 pages
Published by Delacorte Press
Published on October 8, 2013
Rating: 3/5 Stars


Synopsis: Everything repeats.
You. Your best friend. Every person you know.
Many worlds. Many lives--infinite possibilities.
Welcome to the multiverse.

Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson has only ever known one small, ordinary life. When she was young, she loved her grandfather's stories of parallel worlds inhabited by girls who looked like her but led totally different lives. Sasha never believed such worlds were real--until now, when she finds herself thrust into one against her will.

To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives, and two young men vying for her love--one who knows her secret, and one who thinks she's someone she's not.

The first book in the Many-Worlds Trilogy, Tandem is a riveting saga of love and betrayal set in parallel universes in which nothing--and no one--is what it seems.

A parallel universe novel, that does not pack enough of a punch in comparison to the millions out there right now. I enjoyed the book, and I can't wait to read the next one, it didn't stand out to me. I really like Sasha and especially Thomas but it just wasn't enough for me to fall in love with this book.

Strengths/Likes: 

1) I loved the struggle between Thomas and Sasha. The way this book was written really illustrated all of their insecurities, personalities, and feelings. Their relationship really unraveled as the book went on, and I love the tension between them.

2) Sasha is a pretty awesome heroine. I loved her logic and her analytic skills. She doesn't allow her decisions and actions become blinded by her love interest(s), she considers what makes the most sense to do for herself and the situation and does that.

3) I was pretty impressed with the vocabulary in this book. There were plenty of words I had to look up (that doesn't make me sound good, does it? lol) but I didn't find that it made the lines awkward or out of place. It all flowed really well together.

Weakness/Dislikes: 

1)  The dual perspective in this book caused more harm than good. It made the book more predictable, and took off the edge of all the action and dramatic scenes. There was never a moment in the book where I thought, "oh my god, what are they going to do?" or "what's going to happen now?" Because I already knew. The author gave away too much through Thomas and Sasha's thoughts.

2) Not enough dialogue. The reader learned more about the characters through their inner thoughts. That's too much tell and not enough show for me.

3) There was nothing unique about this book. Nothing. Parallel universe and dystopian novels are huge right now so if an author wants to write with this kind of setting, something has to make it pop. This book failed to make a huge impression on me.

4) I didn't like the way Sasha's visions of Juliana were described. At one point in the book Sasha says, "I couldn't hear her thoughts, only what she said and what was said to her" (219). One problem: all of the visions are described as if Sasha is Juliana, and her thoughts are all written out.

Favorite Quotes/Moments:


1) "On the first day of the semester, my teacher, Mr. Early, wrote three words on the board: Kata to chreon.

The phrase, he said, was ambiguous, both in origin and meaning, but basically it was translated 'according to the debt.' The ancient Greeks, Mr. Early told us, believed that the universe was an ordered place, where everything had a price that was collected in due course. The universe, he said, strives for harmony and balance. All that is born will someday die. Ashes to ashes. Things fall apart. 

Science tells us that matter can neither be created nor destroyed, but also that every action has an equal and opposite reaction--all debts are eventually paid in full. I don't remember much else from the class, but that particular idea stuck with me. Kata to chreon. 

Apparently, the universe won't let you get away with anything, at least not for long." (12). 

2) "'Relax,' Thomas said. 

'I'm relaxed,' I insisted. 

'You look like you're being led to your execution,' he told me. 'And like your spine is a steel rod--who taught you to walk?'

'these heels are three inches high. You try wearing them." (132). 

3) "He rolled his eyes; apparently, 'sweet' was not a compliment to a soldier" (201).