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Dark Parties (2011)

by Sara Grant(Favorite Author)

3.48 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0316085944 (ISBN13: 9780316085946)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

review 1: Dark Parties was certainly an intriguing read. There were times when I really liked the story but… there were also times when I really didn’t. Although one thing I did enjoy was that in no way was this book predictable. The plot constantly twisted and changed directions so that as a reader, it was impossible to predict what would happen next. Written from the point of view of sixteen year old Neva, a girl who has lived her entire life within the rigid order of the Protectosphere (a dome like structure that encompasses the country to keep people safe from disease and destruction), the story is set in a dystopian world where the government rules & controls the people through a suppressing system of fear and deceit. Yet her whole life, Neva has kept a written record of ... moreall the people around her who after run-ins with the government, seem to have mysteriously disappeared, including her beloved grandmother.Sick and tired of the government laws and their constant propaganda to have the younger generations marry and procreate, Neva along with her best friend Sanna decide that enough is enough. Together they plot a way to rebel against the government’s tyrannical rule but when they stumble upon a truth that the government are prepared to kill to keep hidden, Neva finds herself fighting for more than just freedom, but her life as well…Ultimately I think this book got off to a really good start. Quite literally opening with a dark party, I thought it began on an interesting premise and was written in a way that had me highly anticipating the events to come. However I have to admit, about halfway through the book I started to lose interest as nothing happened the way I wanted it to and I got a little… bored. However that’s not to say that the story wasn’t interesting because there was honestly a lot about it that I really liked. I just expected the book to me more about Neva’s rebellion than it actually was. Also again, with the romance not turning out as I expected and the ending left fairly open - I was left feeling quite disappointed.Basically this book just wasn’t my thing. Yet the drama, action and intrigue of story were enough to have me read all the way through to the end, and the characters themselves were interesting.Neva was a reserved and hesitant protagonist but I enjoyed watching her confidence grow as she became more actively assertive in her choice to rebel. Her friendship with Sanna was moving and their loyalty to each other was very touching – despite Neva’s forbidden romance with Sanna’s boyfriend Braydon – who was typically handsome, mysterious and naturally a bit of a bad boy. Also I couldn’t but feel sorry for Neva’s boyfriend Ethan who I felt kind of got the short straw in this story.Also I’ve read a quite a few dystopian books now and while some of the concepts were new, I felt that much of it had already been done before. Therefore I think readers who are new to the dystopian genre will probably enjoy this book more because Dark Parties was good. It was dramatic and full of plot twists but I it did leave quite a few questions unanswered. However I would still be interested to read other books by Sara Grant as I did like her writing style and as I said, I thought the book got off to a fantastic beginning. Sadly on this occasion though I just didn’t gel with story so my rating is only 2 ½ stars!
review 2: I came into this book a little skeptical, but I actually really enjoyed it. Sara Grant throws so many plot twists at you that you never know where the book is going to end up. The betrayal, secrets, emotion, and heartbreak contribute to a well though out story. I loved Neva because she had such a great heart but was always faced with a challenging inner struggle. Her spirit for rebellion pumped me up and the adrenaline throughout the story kept me going. None of the characters were what I thought they were. Each took a turn in the unexpected and surprised you. The only thing I wished she elaborated on was Braydon. He was always this shadow lingering just far enough away that I couldn't figure him out. I don't think Neva really did either.Another bonus is the cover. There are a couple versions, but I like the one with her hands covering her eyes and a red snowflake taking center stage. It's gorgeous and relates to the story, which is actually pretty rare these days with YA novels.The ending left so many questions unanswered, but it was an ending filled with hope. So I'm not completely satisfied and think it deserves a sequel. At the same time, I don't want Neva's story to be ruined because Dark Parties was so stunning. As much as the ending asked "what if's", I think it still carries so much power and heart that it needs the spotlight, less

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