First by Chanda StaffordMy rating: ★★★
Goodreads Sypnosis:
Seventeen-year-old Mira works on a farm in the ruins of Texas, along with all of the other descendants of the defeated rebels. Though she’s given her heart to Tanner, their lives are not their own.
When Socrates, a powerful First, chooses Mira as his Second, she is thrust into the bewildering world of the rich and influential. Will, a servant assigned to assist her, whispers of rebellion, love, and of a darker fate than she’s ever imagined.
With time running out, Mira must decide whether to run to the boy she left behind, the boy who wants her to live, or the man who wants her dead.
My Thoughts:
Thank you to the author, Chanda Stafford for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Be patient. It was a good story, with unique plots and exceptional twists. However, it took me a long time to get over with some of the chapters, but I promise you that everything will get better..
Story:
I was excited to read this just by reading its summary. I've always love dystopian book for I am always fascinated of the possible horrible outcome of our society. Don't get me wrong, I don't really want our future to be horrible, but I believe that it is better to expect for the worst and be prepared..
First is a story where humanity has found a way to cheat death. Few selected people get to live a long timefor as long as they like/want, really so that their talents and knowledge wouldn't die when they did.
Immortality does sound great and amazing, however, there's always a catch. Imagine how it must be to meet different kinds of people, friends, family and eventually outlive them, and the same thing will surely happen again on the next lifetime, sound exhausting right?
Firsts also get to choose a second. What a second mean? Yeah, I mean that was my question for the full 1/3 part of the book too. To put it simply,second means, your body get to be a host for the First who chooses you, so they can continue to live. It was a top secret information.. for Texans, where seconds were picked. It's a good opportunity for them for they get to be absolved of the crimes of their ancestor who rebelled in the immigration war. Even though they don't really know what their role would be after being selected, many of them would love to volunteer, what an honor it would be for them.
I wouldn't hesitate to give this book a full five star for its uniqueness. I mean, I never doubted the advances of our technology, really, I guess it just never occurred to me that it may cheat death too. I did however, imagined how it must be to be an immortal, but of course, I always believed that you have to be a vampire, wereworlf, maybe an angel or a nephilim or any other paranormal being first to live forever.
Characters:
The book was told on two POV's. Socrates, The first of the first and Mira, the second picked by him. I was entertained on Socrates POV, I am imagining him to be in our generation, and 500 years later, the simple things we used fascinates him, I also love his relationship with his wife, Ellie turned Eliot, it's literally being together "FOREVER". On the other hand,I am a little bit bored on some of the parts of the book, mostly on Mira's part. I find her inconsistent.
I just.. I don't want to leave the farm. I want to stay here with my mom and brother. With Tanner. It's the only place I've ever knownThat's what she said.. and then in the same conversation, where she was told that when Free America Act gets passed, it will free her people, her thoughts suddenly changed, contradicting the very phrase she just stated..
"But what'll happen to me?"Girl, you just said you don't want to leave the farm, you haven't even left yet and you can't bear being sent back to the place you said you don't wanna leave?
"You'll still be Second, if that's what you're afraid of. He won't send you back."
"Good. I don't think I could bear being sent back."
Romance:
"With time running out, Mira must decide whether to run to the boy she left behind, the boy who wants her to live, or the man who wants her dead."
If you hate love triangles or complicated love stories, don't let this part of the summary scares you. There hasn't been much of a love story. Despite Mira's inconsistent thoughts, I would like to commend her for being brave and not letting any man to save or always be there for her, although not much of an action really took place, but still... And oh by they way, how the romance can continue of the next book? Well that was one of the few things that make it really exciting to read the next book. **Wink
-Donita,
Thanks for the review!
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