Revived by Cat Patrickpublisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
release date: May 8th, 2012
hardcover, 336 pages
intended audience: Young adult
rating:
source: from publisher for honest review
description: As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.
A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger—and more sinister—than she ever imagined.
Review: Even after loving Cat Patrick's first book, Forgotten, I went into Revived with a little bit of trepidation. From the synopsis, it sounds a little science fiction-y and definitely a very different feel from Forgotten. But I found that I loved Revived. Absolutely loved it. Here's what I love most about Cat Patrick's stories: she puts her characters in very extraordinary situations--- whether they be paranormal or science fiction---but she keeps the story very human. Revived may be about a drug that brings people back from the dead, but beyond that it almost reads like a contemporary novel. Daisy is just a very typical teen who wants what every teen wants---some stability, some normalcy, and love whether it be from family, friends, or romance. Granted she has this huge secret that she's been revived over and over again, but it's just part of her life and she deals with it the only way she knows how. And what turns out to be the best part of this story is not the Revived drug at all---it's about life and death and how someone who has always taken death so lightly reacts when faced with the permanency and loss of a death that can't be reversed. It really was a wonderfully touching story.
Along with that, each character was interesting and the character-related twists were heartbreaking (even though I had my suspicions about one major one), the suspense was gripping as what was really going on in the Revived program unfolded, and the love story was full of this great emotional tension that drew me right in. I think that had a lot to do with the fact that it was not, and could not, be all about them. They were both dealing with something much bigger that just their attraction.
Highly, highly recommend this one!
Visit Cat Patrick's site: www.catpatrick.com
Purchase Revived at: Amazon • BN.com • BookDepository • Indiebound
Sounds like a very good read indeed:)
ReplyDeleteI didn't love this one as much as you did, but I did enjoy what you said--that she puts characters with extraordinary secrets in very human situations. That's what makes the whole thing so interesting, I think, and is where the conflict gets its meat.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I couldn't get past the ending. It was just too convenient, and took a lot away from the story's tension in retrospect.
Unfortunately I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to, though it was still a nice little read for me. Fab review! :)
ReplyDeleteI still haven't read Forgotten, but I really want and can't wait to read Revived either. I like that it's about life and death, sounds like a book that makes you think! Great review :).
ReplyDeleteI LOVE what you said about Cat Patrick taking extraordinary situations and still keeping them very human. I've had a hard time putting my finger on why I loved Forgotten so much and that is definitely the reason why! So glad to hear you liked this book especially since you liked Forgotten too. I am SO excited to read it now. :D
ReplyDeleteI felt the exact same way about this book and Forgotten. I adored Forgotten and I was afraid I wouldn't like Revived as much but that so wasn't the case. And it is a little science fiction-y but you are totally right that it reads like a contemporary. Great review!
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