Resistance - Muse

Possession
Possession, Book 1

Author: Elana Johnson
Pages: 416
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Brief Summary:
Violet is a Goodie, although you wouldn't know it by her actions. Goodies behave. They wear the proper clothes and do what they're told. Not like the Baddies of the Badlands, who are free to look and do what they want for the most part. Vi tuned out from the recordings long ago and (gasp!) thinks for herself. Breaking the rules has always been her specialty, but she has been caught a few times. This time, when caught out with a boy, her match Zenn, late at night, she's really in trouble. The Thinkers place her in a jail cell with a sexy boy named Jag Barque and she begins to realize just how messed up her world is and that Good and Bad might be relative.

Review:
Were I not especially obsessed with dystopias, I would never have finished this book. Just a couple of chapters were enough to convince me that I would not enjoy Possession at all. I never cared about any of the characters or shipped any of the couples. Everyone lacked depth, generally being either completely rebel or entirely 'the man.' Vi, though she's one of the most powerful characters in the book, spends a lot of time passed out during crucial scenes.

To be fair, some elements of the concept were really cool, like the various powers different kinds of Rangers had. I am a sucker for anything where people have powers, but even that could not save this book for me. It was the only saving grace in the story for me. The whole Goodies and Baddies thing was pretty lame; Johnson just sort of hits you over the head with the symbolism and lessons on prejudice. Plus, it didn't strike me as remotely original.

What really irritated and confused me, though, were the sudden time jumps. A chapter ends and you move onto the next one, expecting a continuation of the preceding events, but this does not happen. Instead, you are often jumped forward in time with no explanation of what has happened in between. Even more confusing are the chapters that are dreams or simulations, none of which really made any sense to me. I feel like the story just sort of meandered crazily without any real sense of cohesion or flow.

Needless to say, Possession was a huge disappointment for me. In fact, I wanted so little to read it that it kind of turned me off reading for a few days (sad!), but it had to go back to the library, so I had to get through it. Thank goodness that's over. I recommend giving this one a pass.

"Love is our resistance
They'll keep us apart and they won't to stop breaking us down
Hold me
Our lips must always be sealed

If we live a life in fear
I'll wait a thousand years
Just to see you smile again

Kill your prayers for love and peace
You'll wake the thought police
We can't hide the truth inside"