Variant by Robison Wells

Variant

by Robison Wells

 Blurb:

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.

 

 Source: Netgalley(Thanks to HarperCollins )

 

Links:Amazon,BookDepository,Flipkart

Expectations: Pretty High!

My thoughts: 

Imagine...

You're stuck in an academy with people who aren't exactly mentally stable(some of them) and there's no adult supervision.Also,you can't get out .EVER. 

There are 4 major rules:

1. No sex
2. No violent fighting
3. Do not try to escape
4. No refusing punishments

You break any of these and you get detention.Doesn't sound so bad does it?

It is.Nobody ever returns from detention.

What will you do?

Whenever you have very high expectations of a book you are always somewhat disappointed.The main problem of this book is the fact that it starts off a little slow.

The concept is very good and pretty well executed but while I was reading it I kept thinking that this concept is not exactly fresh .(Doesn't it sound like Gone?)

But...when I was through approximately 50% of this book, it surprised me.I can't tell you how and why (THAT would be a major spoiler) but I was really glad that I didn't give up on this book after that.

One thing I really liked about this book is the fact that author had a valid reason for everything.For Example:Why don't all the children want to leave?Why aren't they motivated?Don't they care about thier freedom?What is wrong with the Society?

All these questions are answered in the book and I was actually quite satisfied with the answers.

Another thing I really liked about this book is the fact that the occupants are divided into groups or more accurately gangs.Havoc(the let's fight-at-the-drop-of-a-hat-gang),Society(Lets-follow-all-the-rules gang ) and Variant(the in-between gang).Just like when people in a normal school are divided into cliques ,the people in this school also try to divide themselves into groups so as there is some order. 

Now let's get to the main character...

Benson,the main character is fairly likable.He's smart and knows that he wants his freedom.NOTHING makes him loose his focus.I really liked that.

I liked Oakland(leader of Havoc) for some reason.Even though I thought he was a dumb guy who just wants to fight at first,he grew on me.

Overall,It's a nice read.Also,The ending was confusing and had me going I WANT THE SEQUEL!

My Rating:

(3/5)

GOOD