Review: Variant by Robison Wells
Title: Variant
Hardcover, 373 pages
Author: Robison Wells
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: October 4, 2011
Source: Book Expo America
Buy: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Book Summary from Goodreads.com:
Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.
Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.
But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.
Review:
Steve read this one before me – WAY before me – and really liked it when he read it. I was intrigued by his declaration of a major plot twist, so I kept it around and decided I would read it, too.
Variant starts off innocently enough, with a kid getting into a boarding school and hoping his life will be different. Turns out his life IS different, but mainly because the boarding school he ends up in is pure crazy. There is no adult supervision and the kids run in gangs to protect themselves from the others. They do work and chores and earn points to spend on new clothes, games, equipment.
Of course, Benson is a little defiant about the way the boarding school has turned out (crazy), and is determined to leave even though the ones that have tried to escape before have disappeared. It was slightly hard for me to believe that Benson could remain that headstrong in such a dominant situation, especially when he didn’t know anyone or how anything worked, but that is maybe just because I felt I would have handled it quite differently.
Steve was right – there is a HUGE twist to this book that will kind of make your brain explode. As Benson starts to discover more about the school your eyes kind of get this O_o look, but the book is so entertaining even the craziness won’t really phase you.
I’m likely to pick up Variant #2 close to release date because I’m interested to see where Wells takes it. The second books in dystopian series sometimes fall really flat with me because I’m not charmed by the world they have created like I was in the first, so I’m a little harder on the plot – I feel like this could be the case with Variant #2, but we’ll have to see.
I think this is a good read for boys since it is a male protagonist and full of action. Steve certainly enjoyed it, and now that I’ve read it I can say I did too.
Oh Oh Oh! This has been on my wish list!!!!
I didn’t know there was gonna be a #2. Hmm I better get this one and read it.
Thanks for the review, Shanyn (and Steve, kind of).
wall-to-wall books-wendy recently posted..Praying For Your Future Husband – Robin Jones Gunn & Tricia Goyer
Hm, this sounds really neat! I especially love the idea of a massive plot twist. Those are the best. Enjoyed your review!
I haven’t read this one yet, though it is on my TBR list. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I may try and see if my husband will read it. He’s sad since he just finished Inheritance and thinks he has nothing to read now, lol.
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This book sounds excellent! I am always on the hunt for male protagonists, as so many books are narrated by or follow females. I will have to give this one a try, though I am similar to you in regards to second books in a dystopian series…
Thanks for the review!
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