The Returners - Gemma Malley

I was interested in reading this book purely because I loved Gemma Malley's dystopian series, The Declaration about what live could be like if we were dependent on drugs that made us live forever. It is such an interesting concept and was written so well that I felt sad when I finished the last book.
So, of course, I want more Gemma Malley, so this book appealed to me, so I grabbed it in the library the other day when I saw it.

Synopsis:  London teenager Will Hodge is miserable. His mother is dead, his father's political leanings have grown radical, and his friends barely talk to him. To top it off, he's having nightmares about things like concentration camps. Then Will notices he's being followed by a group of people who claim to know him from another time in history. It turns out they are Returners, reincarnated people who carry with them the memory of atrocities they have witnessed in the past. Will realizes that he, too, is a Returner. But something about his memories is different, and with dawning horror, Will suspects that he wasn't just a witness to the events, he was instrumental in making them happen. Set in the near future, with the world on the verge of a new wave of ethnic cleansing, Will must choose to confront the cruelty he's known in his past lives, or be doomed to repeat it.




Review: The whole idea of what the Returners are is interesting first of all and something that could be quite viable in reality, especially if they are unknown to anyone that isn't one themselves. After reading this book, I liked the idea of them, but I still don't understand the reason for them. Will constantly asks their purpose overall for history but they are always so vague and mysterious. They can never stop the suffering that happens, just live through it as an experience, which I understand so the suffering of those lives on but why have the Returners continuously?
This book is also a political novel and tackles a lot of the social issues that have arisen in England since the recession. Does wealth overall everything fundamentally? Should those that are not English citizens actually be living here? What would happen if an extremist party did get into the government? All these questions are tackled and more and I know that any English person at least would relate to this novel and help understand these topics. There are some racy and taboo like comments said that make you blush throughout but this is all seen as a bad thing, which is the general opinion at the moment.


The book is set in 2016, and nothing really has changed to now. Really, for the political side to the novel, it is showing what effect the recession has just under ten years on. All the things that happen to people in money troubles, happen to Will and it is quite hard hitting for him and the reader with the lengthy descriptions of the fights his parents had before his mother killed herself, both violent and just shouting. This is a book I would say is definitely just for people in their late teens from about 14.


Will was an average character, he was really just a typical boy. I found him neither interesting nor annoying. Although, I found his constant admiration for Clare rather irritating and felt like shouting 'We know you like her!' The characters of the Returners that you met start off rather creepy and scary and I didn't blame Will not wanting to join them. However, they open up and we see the life of a Returner through the grandfather-like Douglas and teenage Emily. Now, I liked Douglas although he was way too philosophical at times. But Emily. To start, she seemed to have hinted to have had a relationship with Will's past self. But nothing ever came out, I have no idea if it was true or not, although I doubt there was something. 
I liked the way it was written. There was never a point where the action and tension dipped, you always want to know who, what, why, how. Although the continuous use of short sentences could be annoying, I liked it. It  made it much more interesting and different to read to me. 


I liked also how Gemma Malley hasn't given everything away at the beginning and made it so what you think will happen halfway through takes a completely different direction by the end. It's definitely not a book to read to relax and feel good about yourself but it is worth a read for those that like dystopian fiction. 
It's not as good and well-rounded as her previous trilogy but for those that are new to Gemma Malley or new to the dystopian genre, it's a good read and enjoyable despite the number of spelling mistakes I found while reading (hewas, just to name a few), one slight pet hate of mine and I'm sure others.


This is a worth while read for those that haven't heard of Gemma Malley before or are new to the dystopian genre but I would read this and then continue straight on to The Declaration series. The idea is a good and rather puzzling interesting one, I'm just not sure if it was executed in the right way yet.
Verdict: Worth a look but not as good as The Declaration by far. However, Gemma Malley does give some interesting things to think about which I think shall stay with me for a while now. I shall leave you with one of them:

'"But nothing Douglas. Everyone has a choice. Everyone. All the time. You can walk through a door or decide not to. You can let your past dictate your future or you can throw two fingers up at it and walk away."'

I give it a 3.5 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.gemmamalley.com/

Pages: 257

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Challenges: BBC

Check out my review on Gemma Malley's first book from the amazing The Declaration series:

The Declaration (#1)

The Resistance (#2)

The Legacy (#3)

A-Z Authors - M

I found out about this through Phanee from funny wool and is hosted by Heather at Proud Book Nerd. I thought it looked quite fun so this month, I shall be doing a post every day (except Sundays) where I shall tell you about amazing authors that have surnames beginning with that letter. I hope you enjoy and tell me if you know any more with that letter and I'll add it to the post! Thanks.

NOTE: As I am doing my exams at the moment, I may miss days so shall combine letter together, I'll say if I do in the title - Thanks.

Here we go....

M

Gemma Malley

Dystopia fiction never used to appeal to me really. I thought the ideas were great and original but they never used to make me think 'Wow. I want to read that!' at all. Until Gemma Malley. 

I had seen her book dozens of times in the shops but it was only when I had seen a review for the second book in The Declaration series that I actually started to pay any notice to them. Then, about a week later, I was at my friend's house and noticed the first copy of the book, asked what she thought and after her sister saying it was really good, I borrowed it from her. And the rest, they say, is history. 

I love her writing because it makes it modern and understandable even with all the foreign words and scientifical words laced in. It's easy to read and I love the characters of Peter and Anna in that series. She also plays with tension and timing well making you find things out at the last hour or make you think something else is going to happen. She is always keeping you guessing which I liked and I think really is the essence to books like this to make it interesting and I think that's where Numbers failed the other week ago.
I need to read more books of hers but if there is one series that I would recommend certainly, it would be this one. They are really good and really put another take on what the future might actually be like.

Her Books: The Returners, The Declaration series - The Declaration, The Resistance, The Legacy,

The Legacy - Gemma Malley

Okay so normally people post 'In My Mailbox' on a Sunday but well I finished this one this morning so too bad. Bad timing I guess but oh well.
This is the last one in the amazing dystopian trilogy of The Declaration series involving a future Earth without disease and death. Bit different, right?
Of course, I might have spoilers in here for those that haven't read the last two books so...if you haven't, go to my review on the first book, The Declaration or the second, The Resistance.

Synopsis: Longevity, the drug that helps you live forever, protect you from disease, is failing. As they lose their effectiveness, a deadly virus is sweeping the world and everyone is looking at Pincent Pharma for the solution to the Missing people that suddenly disappear off the streets of London. Richard Pincent, the head of the company and son-in-law to the creater of Longevity drugs, claims that the Underground have contaminated a batch of the drugs which causes uproar and chaos as angry mobs kill those that are known as sympathisers or Opt Outs of the Longevity drugs. Someone knows what is truly happening - but who? The cast from the other two books: Jude, Peter, Anna, Shelia, Pip, all join again for the last and final battle against the organisation of Pincent Pharma that preserves life but does so much to deny that right...


Review:
This is truly the final chapter of this trilogy that in short, got me interested in the dystopian genre overall. This is set in 2125 - so 114 years before our time at the moment. There is no suggestion that this could never happen. Someone could make drugs like this to have eternal life. Someone could be making them, right now. You read other books in this genre and yes, part of it could happen but it's now Earth. It's a futurisic completely different place based loosely on Earth. That is the most interesting aspect of this series. It could happen and the way Gemma Malley has written this amazing trilogy is as if it is normal life. When she describes Jude and Peter walking around London, it sounds like they are and it sounds exactly, from living on the outskirts of London myself, like it is now - without the virus and the drugs of course. Nothing much has changed - just the whole eternal life element.

This for me, is the best in the series. I suppose in some ways it has to be. There is the original cast of characters that have been in it the whole way through - Peter, Anna, Jude, Shelia, Pip, Richard Pincent, Hilary Wright. Now, I know the characters as if they were real especially Anna and Peter. However, there are also new characters - either returning from past books or completely new and original ones. Gemma Malley makes them all different - all have a different voice and opinion on what is happening. For example, Julia. The Legal that hid Anna and Peter in the first book - she's back and is in a good chunk of the novel. That's what I love as well about this book; it's told through the same characters but broken up and sometimes overlap.

There are the obligatory surprising twists and turns to Gemma Malley's novels and this is no exception. The ending is one of the best yet for me and although in some ways it seemed...rushed (?) I think it mostly because it all happened so fast. Those that have been firm followers of this series I think shall end this novel with a smile on their face and happy with the outcome. I don't want to give too much away...sorry.
If you've never read this series, don't just read this one. I've read reviews on this book on Goodreads slating it - it's only as good as I make out if you read the other two first. They do refer to events in the past two books.

Overall, this is another brillant dystopian novel of Malley's and a great way to end one of my now favourite series. I'm glad it took a while to get my paws on this one - it was worth it. My advice: give it a read....but find the Declaration first!

I give it 5 out of 5

Author's Website: http://www.gemmamalley.com/
Pages: 272
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Challenges: BBC (British Book Challenge)

The Resistance - Gemma Malley

To any regular followers, they will remember my excitement and loving for the first in this fantastic series, The Declaration. To see my review on that, click here.
WARNING: THERE MAY BE SPOLIERS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE DECLARATION.

Anyway, that was a great book. And because I really wanted to know what happens next, I looked on the council Libraries website, typed this in, saw it was avaliable at three of my local libraries. Then, realising it was a Sunday, and that libraries are annoyingly closes on a Monday & Sunday, I was so happy when I realised that one of these open every day! I mean...that's never heard of in Library world. So I got the bus there and like they say the rest is history.
Anyway, it's due back today so I thought I better write a review as it's sitting next to me.

First Sentence: Overhead lighting, bleak and uncompromising, shone down in the small room like a prison guard's searchlight, picking out every speck of dust, every mark on the cheap carpet, every smudged fingerprint on the window sill.

The year is 2140 - a couple of months after the events of The Declaration. Having escaped the horrors of Grange Hall, Peter and Anna are living freely on the Outside, trying hard to lead normal lives, but unable to leave the terror of the Declaration—and their experiences as surpluses—completely behind them. Peter is determined to infiltrate Pharma Corporation, which claims to have a new drug in the works; "Longevity+" will not just stop the ravages of old age, it is rumored to reverse the aging process. But what Peter and Anna discover behind the walls of Pharma is so nightmarish it makes the prison of their childhood seem like a sanctuary. Shocking, controversial, and frighteningly topical, this sequel to Gemma Malley’s stellar debut novel, The Declaration, will take the conversation about ethics and science to the next level.
(From Goodreads.com)

    I thought that The Declaration was good but this I think was much much better. Most of the story is taken from Peter's point of view, unlike only Anna in the first one. To be honest, I think he was much more interesing, there's more mystery behind him, things we don't entirely know about. In this one, they also focus on Richard Pincent, Peter's grandfather and the founder of Pincent Pharmas, the main maker of Longevity. We find out more about Peter and the company and about the past actually. There was new characters, Jude, Maria, Dr Edwards. And the oldies, Anna, Peter, Pip. All have things about them, that we keep you hanging on, wanting to know more.
In addition, I think it was also better because it was longer. It's 317 pages, unlike the 200-odd of The Declaration which I must admit, did have a few tedious bits (This had none at all). I love books where you're constantly finding things out and this is definitely one of them. Things are said that could have two meanings, to keep you guessing. There were also things I guessed right, which made me happy.
Gemma Malley has successful made this novel so she is always playing with the reader's mind and opinions which is an incredible skill. I know I'm going on about how it's written, but really, it does kind of 'make' the book.
Unlike, other reviews I've read about this one, yes, the topic is quite hard-hitting and you do have to concentrate a bit, I think the excution was better than The Declaration.
But like most books, I think this one is prefered by different people. I would recommend this to anyone that likes a bit of guessing, mystery and finding out all the possiblities of the future.

I know through reading this series so far, I've thought about what my future could be like and could I be around for tablets that make you live forever, cure cancer. It's a nice thought and recently I have found myself in the middle of lessons thinking, 'In another life, I may not be here. What will it be like when I do die? Do I want to die?'

The idea of Longevity is very appealing, but if it was reality, would you actually sign The Declaration, and live a long life, forever?
What do you guys think - what option would you go for?


Author's Website: http://www.gemmamalley.com/
 
The Legacy, the third in the series is out now in Hardback.

The Declaration - Gemma Malley

I got this off the wonderful as ever, Joey when I was at her house. If you have no idea, who I am talking about, click here for an explaination.

First Sentence: My name is Anna. My name is Anna and I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't exist. But I do.


It's 2140, a Nazi-like era where no-one dies because of Longevity drugs. Sign the Declaration, agree not to have children and you too can live forever. Refuse, and you will live as an outcast. For the children born outside the law, it only gets worse – Surplus status, lowest of low - repaying your parent's sins for having you.
Surplus Anna, six months away from being released from Grange Hall and becoming a Valuable Asset, is about to meet Peter, who tells her shocking things about the Outside and makes her start to question the rules and want to try and find a better future. They both find out secrets about themselves, each other and the world that the generations before them have created.

The amount of times I have seen this novel and wondered about it. There was always something there, making me not quite want to read it. Maybe because it's set in the future, a setting I have something against. Probably because of my love for historical books. Or it just sounded too complex. Which it is. But Gemma Malley takes you into that world and understand everything.
I really enjoyed it. It was a definite page turner and made me think about the world a little bit. I mean, think about it. I probably wouldn't be here at 15, writing this if there was Longevity drugs - or be a Surplus. It also made me think about all the problems in the world today and in the book. I worry about homework and coursework and boys and that, but what about possible 'Surpluses' now, how are they being treated? Similar to the book?
This didn't explain every foreign word used but you still got the gest of what was going on. I loved Anna and Peter's relationship. It wasn't not friendly but still not too friendly if you know what I mean. AND I realised that Anna and Peter were the main characters in Auslander, a book set in Nazi Germany which made me smile as they are pretty similar.
This book I also found out is part of a trilogy. The second one is going to be read next, The Resistance. And the last one was released last week, The Legacy. So I'm look forward to reading those :)
I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind a bit of fantasy. It's such a gripping book, I promise that you'll love it from start to end which lots of twists and turns throughout...seriously. The amount of times I was like 'Oh my god!'....

Author's Website: http://www.gemmamalley.com/