What some members had to say!
❦ Review by Nicole:
Lia Kahn "dies" in a car accident and her memories are downloaded into a new and artificial body. But not everyone in society approves of this process and Lia finds that very few people are okay with her walking among the living in her new condition. Who does she turn to? Do we care, really?
This story had the elements of a great novel - conflict, difficult family dynamic and even the possibility of a love story. I was gripped at the beginning to see how Lia's life was going to progress after the changes that were made to her body but the writing didn't keep me engaged or hold my interest at all.
I enjoyed learning about Lia's new body and how her life was different after the accident but I never really liked this character - not even a little bit. I came to hope that Lia would forget to download at night and perhaps her machine-like body would just shut off and that would be the end of the book. But, unfortunately, that didn't happen.
I found it very difficult to relate to any of the secondary characters except for one but liking one character in the book just wasn't enough to save the book. I also felt that the end wrapped up a little too quickly and was what sealed the fate of it's rating.
This story had the elements of a great novel - conflict, difficult family dynamic and even the possibility of a love story. I was gripped at the beginning to see how Lia's life was going to progress after the changes that were made to her body but the writing didn't keep me engaged or hold my interest at all.
I enjoyed learning about Lia's new body and how her life was different after the accident but I never really liked this character - not even a little bit. I came to hope that Lia would forget to download at night and perhaps her machine-like body would just shut off and that would be the end of the book. But, unfortunately, that didn't happen.
I found it very difficult to relate to any of the secondary characters except for one but liking one character in the book just wasn't enough to save the book. I also felt that the end wrapped up a little too quickly and was what sealed the fate of it's rating.
❦ Review by Melissa:
This is the first book in a trilogy. Lia is killed in a car crash. However, in the future, where this book is set, it is possible to transplant Lia's brain and memories into a mechanical being, known as a Skinner, to keep Lia alive. Her parents decide to do this.
Lia is having some problems adjusting to life after being an "org"--organic or human. She is not used to not feeling anything, not having to eat, not being able to cry, etc. Her family and friends are having problems adjusting as well. Lia meets a group of mechanical beings who are trying to show her the good things about being this way. But at what cost?
This book was a decent read. It was an interesting premise to read about. The characters could be a bit annoying at times, but overall I enjoyed it.
Lia is having some problems adjusting to life after being an "org"--organic or human. She is not used to not feeling anything, not having to eat, not being able to cry, etc. Her family and friends are having problems adjusting as well. Lia meets a group of mechanical beings who are trying to show her the good things about being this way. But at what cost?
This book was a decent read. It was an interesting premise to read about. The characters could be a bit annoying at times, but overall I enjoyed it.
❦ Review by Miriam:
When Lia Khan wakes up after a terrible accident, she gets reassured that eventually, she will be able to speak, move and do her normal life again. What she's not told, is that in order to do so, she has gotten an artificial body, and everything that was originally in her brain has been downloaded to a machine inside the new body.
When she sees herself in the mirror and finds out the truth, she gets shocked. Still, she is constantly being told everything is going to be fine. Whatever happens afterwards, is everything but normal. She finds herself rejected by everyone around her including her own family, who do not consider her a human being. Life will never be what it was before, but she has no more choice than to learn to live his way since "mechs," as they are called, never die.
Will she find a way to get used to this new life? Will mechs be able to demonstrate they are as human as organic people?
As the first book in a trilogy, Skinned proves to be a good story that will raise questions about humanity, society and family. If you like dystopian science fiction, you won't want to miss this book.
When she sees herself in the mirror and finds out the truth, she gets shocked. Still, she is constantly being told everything is going to be fine. Whatever happens afterwards, is everything but normal. She finds herself rejected by everyone around her including her own family, who do not consider her a human being. Life will never be what it was before, but she has no more choice than to learn to live his way since "mechs," as they are called, never die.
Will she find a way to get used to this new life? Will mechs be able to demonstrate they are as human as organic people?
As the first book in a trilogy, Skinned proves to be a good story that will raise questions about humanity, society and family. If you like dystopian science fiction, you won't want to miss this book.
❦ Review by Joyce:
SKINNED slices through the stuff that makes up real life.
When Lia Kahn was fatally injured in a car accident, her parents opted
for a different kind of coffin: a mechanical body. Her brain was
carefully copied and downloaded into a body that looked and felt human,
but lacked the one defining characteristic of humanity-- mortality. Lia
will live forever in a body that for all practical purposes is dead.
After adjusting to her new existence, she is sent back to her home, school, and friends. Each day is a trial, and each trial brings her closer to the realization that she no longer belongs in the land of the living. After a tragic encounter with a friend, she seeks refuge with other 'mechs,' but her story is far from over.
Lia will make readers think about the true criteria for life. Through the often volatile encounters with her peers and religious opponents, Lia's 'life' will be viewed through the lenses of legal, moral and even spiritual issues. What makes a person alive? Memories or mechanics? Is life merely a collection of thoughts or the ability to physically function?
The story engages readers on several levels as Lia Kahn becomes the poster child for the ultimate aims of evolution: immortality and perfection. The plot has powerful ideas that are expressed in flawed and frustrated characters who speak and act with raw emotions. The story carefully carves a giant question mark in the Tree of Life and encourages readers to think through the answers alongside the characters. As the full implications of this new kind of life sink in, don't be surprised if you find a few goosebumps popping up on your own skin.
After adjusting to her new existence, she is sent back to her home, school, and friends. Each day is a trial, and each trial brings her closer to the realization that she no longer belongs in the land of the living. After a tragic encounter with a friend, she seeks refuge with other 'mechs,' but her story is far from over.
Lia will make readers think about the true criteria for life. Through the often volatile encounters with her peers and religious opponents, Lia's 'life' will be viewed through the lenses of legal, moral and even spiritual issues. What makes a person alive? Memories or mechanics? Is life merely a collection of thoughts or the ability to physically function?
The story engages readers on several levels as Lia Kahn becomes the poster child for the ultimate aims of evolution: immortality and perfection. The plot has powerful ideas that are expressed in flawed and frustrated characters who speak and act with raw emotions. The story carefully carves a giant question mark in the Tree of Life and encourages readers to think through the answers alongside the characters. As the full implications of this new kind of life sink in, don't be surprised if you find a few goosebumps popping up on your own skin.
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